世界杯"预测帝"章鱼保罗去世

    Paul, the oracle¹ octopus（章鱼） who shot to fame in the World Cup this summer for his uncanny（神秘的） ability to predict the results of Germany's soccer matches, has died at his home in Oberhausen at the age of two.
    English-born Paul made headlines across the globe after he correctly forecast（预测预报） how Germany would fare in seven matches, before his psychic² powers were tested again for the final.
    After Germany's semi-final defeat, Paul tipped Spain to beat the Netherlands in the final, which prompted one news agency to report he had spurred a jump in demand for Spanish government bonds. Paul's prediction duly came to pass: Spain won.
    Staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Center in western Germany said in a statement they were "devastated³" to learn of Paul's death when they returned to work on Tuesday.
    "He appears to have passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes, and we are consoled by the knowledge that he enjoyed a good life," said the centre's manager Stefan Porwoll.
    Before matches, two containers of food were placed in the eight-legged creature's tank, each one bearing the flag of one of the teams about to compete for their chance to become world champions（冠军）. The container Paul picked first was seen as his pick.
    Following the World Cup, a Spanish zoo made a transfer bid for Paul but his German keepers refused to sell.
    Paul will be kept in cold storage until the center decides how to mark the mollusc's extraordinary life, Porwoll added.
    "We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect⁴ a modest permanent shrine," he said.
    Paul, who was hatched in Weymouth, England, may yet continue to dazzle the world with predictions from beyond the grave.
    A Russian newspaper said in July it had got Paul to predict who would be Russia's next president -- but that the results would be kept secret until the election year of 2012.
    Sea Life said Paul would live on as the object of a host of commercial enterprises ranging from special clothing lines to mobile phone applications inspired by his fame in Oberhausen, one of Germany's most cash-strapped cities.
    Meanwhile, donations made in honor of Paul's achievements would help to fund a planned permanent rescue center for sea turtles on the Greek island of Zakynthos, Sea Life said.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 oracle   

n.神谕，神谕处，预言

参考例句：

• In times of difficulty,she pray for an oracle to guide her.在困难的时候，她祈祷神谕来指引她。
• It is a kind of oracle that often foretells things most important.它是一种内生性神谕，常常能预言最重要的事情。

2 psychic   

n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的

参考例句：

• Some people are said to have psychic powers.据说有些人有通灵的能力。
• She claims to be psychic and to be able to foretell the future.她自称有特异功能，能预知未来。

3 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

4 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。