#英文外刊#
本周，2022年卡塔尔世界杯已拉开帷幕，32支球队将为球迷们带来四年一次的足球盛宴。不过，本届世界杯也是多位足球名将最后一次出战，其中就包括35岁的梅西和37岁的C罗。卡塔尔世界杯创造了哪些历史？为什么这届世界杯会成为“诸神之黄昏”？一起来听今天的讲解。
The Last Dance for the Messi-Ronaldo Generation
“梅罗一代”的最后之舞
For all that is unprecedented about the Qatar World Cup—a tournament held in the desert, in November, entirely around a single city—the planet's largest sporting event comes with a handful of familiar comforts.
尽管卡塔尔世界杯创下了多项史无前例的纪录：这项赛事是在沙漠中举办，在11月开幕，而且全部赛程围绕着一座城市举行；但这场全球最大的体育赛事还是给人们带来了一些熟悉的慰藉。
Their names are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and they lead a generation of all-time greats returning to soccer's brightest stage. The difference this time is that it's also their World Cup curtain call .
这种慰藉就叫做利昂内尔·梅西（Lionel Messi）和克里斯蒂亚诺·罗纳尔多（Cristiano Ronaldo），而且，他们会带领着一整代前所未有的杰出球员重返这个足球界最闪耀的舞台。而这一次有所不同的是，这也是他们的世界杯谢幕之战。
How an entire galaxy of the game's biggest stars wound up preparing to leave the international stage at the same time comes down to a range of factors, but the biggest is that no generation of players had been able to stretch out the primes of their careers for as long as this one. Messi, for instance, is in practically the best shape of his life at 35.
一大批足坛巨星为何会在同一时间准备告别国际舞台，可以归结为多个因素，不过其中最重要的一点是，之前没有哪一代球员能将职业生涯巅峰期延续得如此之长。以梅西为例，35岁的他几乎正处于一生中最好的状态。
The other reason is that Messi and Ronaldo's arrivals happened to coincide with the emergence of another world-changing duo: Twitter and YouTube. Soccer clips bounced around the internet instantly and made heroes out of anyone who pulled off a mazy run or banged in a goal from 30 yards. Not only were top players more famous than they had ever been, there also seemed to be more of them.
另一个原因是，梅西和C罗这对“绝代双骄”崭露头角之时，恰逢另一对改变世界的双雄问世，也就是推特和YouTube。球赛视频片段在互联网上迅速传播开来，凡是能展现出风骚跑位或在30码外爆射得分的球员，都能成为英雄。不仅顶级球员比以往更加名声赫赫，而且似乎也有更多人能加入到这一梯队。
And most of the time, that player was Messi or Ronaldo. They have led the 21st century's class of superstars for so long that their fifth World Cup appearances are as much valedictory tours as they are genuine runs at the title.
而大多数时候，成就英雄之位的都是梅西或C罗。长期以来，他们一直是21世纪足球巨星们的领头羊，这让他们第五次出战世界杯不仅成为告别之旅，也成了名副其实的终极冠军争夺战。
"I am counting down the days," Messi told Argentine television in October. "There is a bit of anxiety and nerves at the same time."
10月，梅西在接受阿根廷电视台采访时说：“我在给世界杯开幕倒计时了。我有一点焦虑，也有一些紧张。”
生词好句
1.the last dance
最后一舞（指知名艺术家、运动员隐退之前的最后表演）
拓展:
The last dance of Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls made history for sure.
迈克尔乔丹和他所在的芝加哥公牛队的最后比赛，足以载入篮球史册。
2.unprecedented
英 [ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd] 美 [ʌnˈpresədentɪd]
adj. 前所未有的，史无前例的
拓展:
All that is unprecedented about the Daxing International Airport includes its futuristic curved design, the efficient use of space and a wide range of internal facilities.
大兴国际机场的非同凡响之处包括它充满未来感的曲线设计，高效的空间利用，以及丰富的内部设施。
3.comfort
英 [ˈkʌmfət] 美 [ˈkʌmfərt]
n. 慰藉，抚慰
拓展:
I hope I can be a comfort for others.
我希望自己可以成为给他人带来喜悦和慰藉的人。
4.brightest stage
最闪亮的舞台，最棒的舞台
拓展:
Street Dance of China is the brightest stage for top dancers.
《这就是街舞》是很多顶级舞者最棒的舞台。
5.curtain call
谢幕（演出完成之后，所有参演人员回到舞台向观众致谢，本文为比喻用法）
6.an entire galaxy of
一群（名人）;（群星）璀璨（a group of most famous people in a certain field）
拓展:
An entire galaxy of scientists in the early 20th century laid the very foundation of modern science.
20世纪那一代群星璀璨的科学巨匠奠定了现代科学的基础。
7.wind up doing something
以……状态结束，通过……行动来收场
拓展:
Some high-tech projects may wind up failing, but their existence is still meaningful.
一些高科技项目可能会以失败收场，但是它们的存在依然是有意义的。
8.come down to…
归结到……
拓展:
How the tech giant rose comes down to a range of factors, such as a huge R&D team.
这家科技巨头的崛起可以归结到很多因素上，比如庞大的研发团队。
9.coincide with
恰逢，刚好赶上
拓展:
Chinese people born in the 1970s coincided with the country's entry into the WTO, providing a strong booster for their career.
我们国家的70后刚好赶上中国加入世贸组织，事业发展上得到了强劲的助推力。
10.world-changing duo
（本文）改变世界的双雄
11.clip
英 [klɪp] 美 [klɪp]
n. 短片，视频片段
12.bounce around the internet
在网络上走红
13.valedictory
英 [ˌvæləˈdɪktəri] 美 [ˌvæləˈdɪktəri]
adj. 告别的
拓展:
valedictory letter 告别信
14.nerve
英 [nɜːv] 美 [nɜrːv]
n. 神经；（本文复数形式nerves）紧张
拓展:
Appropriate level of nerves increases your productivity.
适度紧张可以提高效率。