Football is the most popular spectator sport in the world and Brazil is arguably the greatest footballing nation in the world, having won five times in the World Cup. Even people who are not keen on football may have heard of PeI6, who is often considered the world's greatest player. However, how many football fans are familiar with Charles Miller and his contribution to what Pelé called "the beautiful game"?
Known as the father of Brazilian football, Charles Miller was born on 24 November, 1874, in Sao Paulo to a Scottish father and Brazilian mother. In 1884, he was sent to school in England, where he learned to play both football and cricket. Miller became skilled in running with the ball, heading and taking free kicks.
In 1894, Miller returned to Brazil with two balls and a copy of rules of football. The Sao Paulo Athletic Club (SPAC) had been formed in 1888 by a group of British men who played mainly cricket. Miller persuaded them to take up football. He was also instrumental in setting up the Liga Paulista, the first football league in Brazil. Over the first 20 years of the next century, state championships were formed throughout Brazil and in 1914 the first national side played against Argentina.
Miller was not only a great player, but also an excellent coach and administrator. In Brazil, he spent a lot of time and effort teaching and coaching Brazilians. After retiring as a player, he continued to be a referee until the age of 50.
When football became professional in Brazil in 1933, Miller was disappointed and decided to have no more contact with the game. He felt that sportspeople should be amateurs-he didn't like the introduction of money and business into sport. For Miller, football was a game, and about participation and doing your best, not money.
Charles Miller's memory lives on in the skillful individual game which is Brazilian football. It is also kept alive in another way. When the Sao Paulo sports writers association brought out a dictionary of football terms in Portuguese, only one word survived from the vocabulary of the past: the charles or chaleira. Named after Charles Miller, it is a clever pass with the heel of the foot. The exciting ball skills of all the great Brazilian players, including Pelr, owe something to the pioneering spirit of Charles Miller and his passion for the game of football.
Known as the father of Brazilian football, Charles Miller was born on 24 November, 1874, in Sao Paulo to a Scottish father and Brazilian mother. In 1884, he was sent to school in England, where he learned to play both football and cricket. Miller became skilled in running with the ball, heading and taking free kicks.
In 1894, Miller returned to Brazil with two balls and a copy of rules of football. The Sao Paulo Athletic Club (SPAC) had been formed in 1888 by a group of British men who played mainly cricket. Miller persuaded them to take up football. He was also instrumental in setting up the Liga Paulista, the first football league in Brazil. Over the first 20 years of the next century, state championships were formed throughout Brazil and in 1914 the first national side played against Argentina.
Miller was not only a great player, but also an excellent coach and administrator. In Brazil, he spent a lot of time and effort teaching and coaching Brazilians. After retiring as a player, he continued to be a referee until the age of 50.
When football became professional in Brazil in 1933, Miller was disappointed and decided to have no more contact with the game. He felt that sportspeople should be amateurs-he didn't like the introduction of money and business into sport. For Miller, football was a game, and about participation and doing your best, not money.
Charles Miller's memory lives on in the skillful individual game which is Brazilian football. It is also kept alive in another way. When the Sao Paulo sports writers association brought out a dictionary of football terms in Portuguese, only one word survived from the vocabulary of the past: the charles or chaleira. Named after Charles Miller, it is a clever pass with the heel of the foot. The exciting ball skills of all the great Brazilian players, including Pelr, owe something to the pioneering spirit of Charles Miller and his passion for the game of football.
单选题
Where was Charles Miller in 18847
A. Brazil. B. England. C. Scotland. D. Argentina.
A. Brazil. B. England. C. Scotland. D. Argentina.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】文章第二段第二句说1884年，Charles Miller被送到英格兰的学校，他在那学会了足球和板球，故选B。
单选题
The best title of the passage should be ______.
A. Charles Miller. the best player in the world
B. A final honor for Charles Miller
C. Charles Miller, father of the beautiful game
D. Charles Miller, who plays only for pleasure
A. Charles Miller. the best player in the world
B. A final honor for Charles Miller
C. Charles Miller, father of the beautiful game
D. Charles Miller, who plays only for pleasure
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】文章主要介绍了Chades Miller在足球这一项运动中做出的贡献，因此最佳题目为C项。
填空题
______ were set up all over Brazil over the first 20 years of the 20th century.
填空题
To Miller, football was a game never about money, but about trying one's best to play and to______.
填空题
Charles Miller contributed a lot to the skills of all great Brazilian players with his ______ and his strong love for the football game.