愛薇塔樂學英文

南非世界盃預測帝章魚保羅去世

據路透社報導，章魚保羅近日在奧伯豪森水族館的家中去世。這只神算章魚因為在今年夏天的世界盃期間準確預測德國足球隊全部賽果而一舉成名。在準確預測了德國隊七場賽事結果後，出生於英國的保羅立即成為全球大熱，之後它神奇的預測能力又在決賽中得以驗證。在德國隊折戟半決賽後，保羅預測西班牙隊將戰勝荷蘭隊捧杯，一家通訊社甚至因此報導稱，保羅此舉還使西班牙政府債券的需求量激增。保羅的預測終於成真：西班牙隊最終奪冠。德國西部奧伯豪森水族館的工作人員在一份聲明中稱，他們在本週二上班後得知保羅去世“悲痛萬分”。水族館經理斯特凡·波爾沃爾說：“他在夜裡平靜離世，是自然死亡。他在世時享受到了精彩的一生，我們對此感到欣慰。”

Paul, the oracle octopus who shot to fame in the World Cup this summer for his uncanny 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 how Germany would fare in seven matches, before his psychic 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 "devastated" 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. 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 erect 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. 更多資訊請訪問：http://www.24en.com/

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.