【明報專訊】The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia. People in Hong Kong often refer to the Russians as "the fighting tribe" (戰鬥民族) because of their aggressiveness. Below are three interesting facts about the Russians.

The jaw-dropping stadium

The newly-installed spectator stand in Yekaterinburg Stadium (葉卡捷琳堡球場) is jaw-dropping. Originally designed to accommodate 27,000 people, it didn't qualify as a stadium for group stage matches (分組賽). It can now cater for 35,000 people with the extended stand. However, it is far away from the soccer field, and some spectators' view would be blocked by the circular roof.

The stunning demolition

In late March, the local authorities of Yekaterinburg tore down a TV tower, which had been abandoned for decades but had gained popularity among the citizens. The government claimed that the action was taken to straighten out an urban problem. The government was accused of ignoring opinion of the people before the demolition.

The notorious Cossacks

In early May, the Russian government deployed (部署) the Cossacks (哥薩克部隊), a paramilitary team, to maintain public order and safety during the matches. The team is notorious for beating up protesters with batons (警棍) and whipping them on the street.

(Source: Ming Pao)

■English highway﹕straighten out

It means to deal with a problem by addressing its cause.

e.g. Mary is determined to straighten out her academic results.

■Quiz

The Cossacks is famous for maintainng stability peacefully. True / False

The government of Yekaterinburg demolited the TV tower after taking advice from the people. True / False

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

jaw-dropping (adj) 驚人的

spectator stand (n) 觀�戮u

demolition (n) 拆除

whip (v) 鞭打

[Smarties' Power English 第220期]