Background1.LiNing’sSportsCareerLiNing,afamousgymnast,oneofthemostoutstandingathletesinthe20thcentury,thefounderofBeijingLi-NingSportsGoodsCo,wasbornonOctober3,1963,inLiuzhou.HebeganthetrainingingymnasticsattheageofsevenandenteredtheStates’sGymnasticTeamat17.IntheSixthWorldCupGymnasticCompetitionin1982,hewonsixofthesevengoldmedalsformenandcreatedalegendintheworld’sgymnastichistoryandwasawardedasthe“PrinceofGymnastics”.In1989,whenhewas26,helefthisbelovedcompetitionarena.Inhis19-yearsportscareer,LiNingwon106goldmedalsingymnasticcompetitionsathomeandabroad.LiwasexpectedtowinmoreOlympicmedalsatthe1988Games.2.LiNing’sBusinessCareerWhenLiNing,China’s“PrinceofGymnastics”retiredfromcompetitivesportsin1988andjoinedthebusinessworld,hesetoffhisjourneytobuildahouseholdnameforsportsproductsthatoutdoforeignbrandsinChina.LiisasuccessfulbusinessmaninChina.In1989heinitiatedthe“Li-Ning”sportsproductbrand.Stickingtothespiritof“fromsportsandtosports”,LiNinghasbeensupportingthesportscausesathomeandabroad.Heoftentellshisemployees,“Becomingaworldchampioniseverybody’sdream.Ihaverealizedit.Whilebecomingasuccessfulentrepreneurismydream.Italldependsoneveryoneofyou.”TheLiNinggrouphasnowdevelopedalargenumberoflines,supplyingcasualwear,shoes,leathergoods,necktiesandgiftsaswell.ItisnowthetopsportsbrandonChina’smainland,whichsells50percentmorerevenuetermsthanNike,whichisthenumbertwo,withAdidas,aclosethirdandotherbrandsfarbehind.Readthepassageandcheckthetruestatements.•1LiNingwonsixmedalsattheLosAngelesOlympics.•2HewasnothappywithhisresultsattheSeoulOlympics.•3HegotanewjobworkingforNikesportswear.•4Hechosethenameofhissportswearcompanycarefully.TrueTrueTrueFalse•5SixLiNingproductsaresoldeveryminute.•6LiNingclothesarewornbythenationalteamsofFranceandItaly.•7In1991heopenedaschoolwithPeleandMuhammadAli.•8Hewantstohelpchildrenbecomegoodatsport.TrueTrueFalseFalseReadthepassageagainandanswerthequestions:1WhydidpeoplecallLiNingtheprinceofgymnasts?Hehadwon106goldmedalsinmajorcompetitionsacrosstheworld.Theyincludedsixoutofsevengoldmedals…2WhydidLiNingretirewiththefeelingthathehadfailed?Hewasdisappointedbecausehehadnotperformedwellinthe1988SeoulOlympics.3Whatdidhedecidetolaunch?Hedecidedtolaunchanewbrandofsportswear,competingwithglobalgiantslikeNikeandAdidas.4WhydidLiNing’ssuccesscomequickly?(1)Thenumberofyoungpeoplewithmoneytospendwasontheincrease.(2)Hisdesignswereattractive.(3)Theyhadamajoradvantageovertheirbetter–knownrivals---theywerecheaper.5HowsuccessfulareLiNingproducts?ALiNingProductispurchasedeverytenseconds.Ifyougointoaschooloruniversityanywhere,thechancesareyouwillseestudentsinLiNingtracksuitswiththefamiliarlogo.Thecompanyhasalsogrowninternationally.ChineseathletesworeLiNingtracksuitsduringthe2008Olympics.6WhathasLiNingcontinuedtodosinceheopenedaschoolforgymnasts?HehascontinuedtohelpyoungpeopletoachievetheirsportingambitionsAnalyzethefollowingsentences:1.Buteventhoughhehadwoneverything(that)itwaspossibletowininhissport,LiNingretiredwiththefeelingthathehadfailed.=LiNinghadnearlywoneveryprizeingymnastics.Buthestillthoughthehadfailed,andbecauseofthis,heretired.2.Butitwasthissenseoffailurethatmadehimdeterminedtosucceedinhisnewlife.=Thissenseoffailuremadehimdeterminedtosucceedinhisnewlife.3.Ifyougointoaschooloruniversityanywhere,thechancesare(that)youwillseestudentsinLiNingtracks...
