Great young stars make Chinese people proud, like Yao Ming in the NBA, and Liu Xiang in track and field（田徑）. Now maybe we can add one more name: Ding Junhui.

The teenage player has become China’s hero at snooker（斯諾克）.

Two days after his 18^th birthday, Ding reached the top of the 2005 World Snooker China Open on Sunday. He’s the second youngest ever to win a world ranking title（排名賽冠軍）！

In the final, Ding beat the world champion 9:5. He came from far behind to win.

“I didn’t feel nervous because I just looked at it as a practice match,” said Ding. “I was able to learn from the other players.”

Ding doesn’t talk much. Besides snooker, he hasn’t many outside interests. He says he doesn’t want anyone to beat him at snooker.

He has been in Britain since he was 16. He can play with the world’s best players there. He practices many hours a day.

“Every game is so different for me. I have to think a lot before I win. That’s why I enjoy snooker so much,” he said.

1. Liu Xiang is famous as a _______ player.

   A. basketball      B. football     C. track and field     D. tennis

2. Ding Junhui was born in _______.

   A. 1987          B. 1990       C. 1997             D. 2005

3. Ding Junhui didn’t feel nervous because ________.

   A. he didn’t want to win             B. he would be the first in the match

   C. he regarded it as a practise match    D. he was’t interested in the match

4. From the passage, we know that Ding _______.

   A. is a man with few words            B. has many outside interests

   C. is good at basketball               D. never learns from others

5. Ding has been in Britain since he was 16 so that _______.

   A. he can practise his English         

B. he can make many friends there

   C. he can play with the world’s best players there.  

D. he loves Britain