Beckham launches his academy
David Beckham, the most popular football player, opened his London football academy alongside the Millennium Dome.
“This is a special day for me and one of the proudest moments in my life,” Beckham said.
“I have for many years had an ambition to give children the same opportunities I had through football coaching. I wanted an environment where children could learn but more importantly have fun. This has surpasd my highest expectations. ”
The academy has two full-size pitches plus classrooms, training facilities, changing rooms and restaurants.
“It is about education in football, not just teaching youngsters how to kick a ball properly but education on diet and fitness,” Beckham added.
The academy will welcome boys and girls aged 8 to 15 of all abilities. It will take in 15,000 children a year, 10,000 of them free.
The academy will be run by director of coaching Eric Harrison, formerly a youth team coach at Manchester United for 18 years who played a part in developing an outstanding group of players including Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville.
Task:
Are you a football fan, do you like Beckham, and why?
As free as French
The French are known for their nature to spend their time on things they enjoy, and for their appreciation of the finer things in life. They know best in the world about how to enjoy their lives—drinking coffee, watching movies, tasting wines, having a sunbath and so on. However, a life of ea and leisure in France is an art of living, not idleness（懒散）.
On average, every year the French work many hours less than other developed countries,
such as UK, US, and Japan. “Time is money” is a golden rule of the Americans, but the French pay no attention to it. There is no such kind of proverbs in French.
A soft life is not laziness or idleness. It is a lifestyle and mental state developed from a kind of life philosophy. Tho freedom worshipers(崇尚者) are not without dreams and pursuits: With a restful and easy life, they work and study better. The French are willing to learn. In order to kill time, they will not play cards or gamble; instead, they go to muums and libraries. If you have a look around on a subway, plane or train, there are few people chatting, dozing(打瞌睡), or sitting with eyes clod. In fact, most of them are reading. The French are good at working up enthusiasm about work in a relaxing state. They are not inefficient at all. In the last century, their workweek was reduced again and again, while the labor productivity per hour was incread greatly.
The French believe that they have a rest in order to work well, and they work in order to enjoy life. In this n, a soft life is the source and cau of their vigor(活力).
Task: what your opinion of the French’s life?
Americans love move
It’s summertime. For many Americans, this is the ason to travel. Why? Oh! School is out and the weather is great. When Americans take a break, they often head for their favorite vacation spots.
Throughout their history, Americans have been people on the move. The early immigrants had to travel to get to the New World. Once they arrived, they ttled along the East Coast. But they weren’t content to stay there. Explorers and traders journeyed to the unknown western areas. Later, ttlers moved west to develop the new areas. As a result of this westward migration, Americans at last occupied the whole continent. Even today, Americans em to keep moving. Rearch says that the average American moves every five years.
Besides their habit of changing address, Americans are ud to traveling. Some people go to work in long-distance places daily. Their jobs may even require them to take frequent business trips. Most companies provide an annual vacation for their employees,
and people often u that time to travel. Some people just visit friends or relatives in distant states. Others go on low-budget weekend excursions(短程旅行) and stay in economy motels. Tho with more expensive tastes choo luxurious resorts(豪华胜地) and hotels. Camping out in the great outdoors needs adventurous people. Some people travel in recreational(消遣的) vehicles to camp out in comfort, while others sleep in tents.
Most Americans prefer to travel within their nation’s borders. Why? For one thing, it’s cheaper than traveling abroad. And there’s no language problem. But besides that, the wide American areas offer lots of tourist attractions. Nature lovers can enjoy beaches, mountains, canyons, lakes and many natural wonders. Major cities offer visitors a lot of urban delights. The convenience of modern freeways, railways and airplanes makes travel in America as easy as pie.
In America, people are on the move. Almost everybody is a tourist sometime.
Task;
1.Why people in America love to move around by your own except all above ?
2.Do you like travelling, and why?
Best Time in Life
The ups and downs of life may em to have no predictable（可预言的） plan. But scientists know there are very definite patterns that almost all people share. Even if you’ve pasd some of your “prime”, you still have other prime years to experience in the future. Certain important primes em to peak later in life.
