He put down the telephone number lest he should forget it.

A major theme in his work is South Africa’s former apartheid (种族隔离) system, which divided whites from blacks. (9) with the problems of violence, crime and racial division that still exist in the country, his books have enabled ordinary people to understand apartheid (10) within.

"I have always been more interested in the past than the future," he said in a rare interview. "The past (11) its shadow over the present. I hope I have made one or two people think (12) about whether they want to forget the past completely. "

In fact this purity in his writing seems to be (13) in his personal life. Coetzee is a vegetarian, a cyclist rather than a motorist and doesn’t drink alcohol.

But what he has (14) to literature, culture and the people of South Africa is far greater than the things he has given up. "In looking at weakness and failure in life," the Nobel prize judging panel said, "Coetzee’s work (15) the divine (神圣的) spark in man. \

A uniform substance doesn’t cope well with knocks because only a small proportion of the material is actually (8) . All the energy from the blow goes towards breaking the material in one or two places, but often the pieces left (9) are pristine (未经破坏的).

But instead of the energy being concentrated in one place, the holes provide many weak spots that all absorb energy as they break, says Vincent. "You are controlling the places (10) the wood breaks, and it can then absorb more (11) , more safely. "

The researchers believe the principle could be applied to any material- (12) example, to manufacture lighter and more protective packaging. It could (13) be used in car bumpers, crash barriers and arm our for military vehicles, says Ulrike Wegst, (14) the Max Plank Institute for Mental Research in Stuttgart. But she emphasizes that you (15) to design the substance with the direction of force in mind. "The direction of loading is crucial," she says.

When Spanish football club Barcelona paid US $35 million for Ronaldinho last summer, they weren’t buying a pretty face. "I am (1) ," admits the Brazilian superstar (超级明星). "But everyone has got a different kind of beauty. What I (2) have is charm. "

Indeed he has. His buck teeth (龅牙), flowing hair, big smile, and of course his (3) skills are always eye-catching on the pitch. The 23-year-old striker (中锋) scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna on March 1. It was Barcelona’s sixth win in a row and, thanks to their Brazilian’s 10-goal contribution, (4) looked like a poor season could now end a success.

Ronaldinho-full name Ronaldo De Assis Moreira-is one of many South Americans who learned their skills playing in the backstreets before (5) them off on the world stage.

Great things were (6) when Gremio signed him as a seven-year-old, and he soon became friends with Ronaldo, who was then the other young star of Brazilian football. It was Ronaldo who first called him Ronaldinho, which (7) Little Ronaldo.

He first (8) for his country in 1999 but it was at the 2002 World Cup where he showed his real worth, scoring an unbelievable free-kick in Brazil’s quarter-final victory (9) England.

"I have never failed to deliver in big matches," Ronaldinho says. "My game is based on improvisation (即兴表演). Often a forward does not have the time to decide whether to shoot or (10) . It is instinct that gives out the orders. "

While he may not have David Beckham’s good looks, Ronaldinho has a (11) reputation off the pitch. At former club Paris Saint Germain, which sold him to Barcelona, he broke (12) rules by going out and enjoying the city’s nightlife. "Without doubt, Ronaldinho is the most (13) player I have ever come across," says former PSG coach Luis Ferdandez. "The main (14) for any coach is that one player without discipline can hurt the whole team. "

But Ronaldinho doesn’t think he has done anything wrong. "I am just a young person who enjoys (15) ," he says.

A uniform substance doesn’t cope well with knocks because only a small proportion of the material is actually (8) . All the energy from the blow goes towards breaking the material in one or two places, but often the pieces left (9) are pristine (未经破坏的).

But instead of the energy being concentrated in one place, the holes provide many weak spots that all absorb energy as they break, says Vincent. "You are controlling the places (10) the wood breaks, and it can then absorb more (11) , more safely. "

The researchers believe the principle could be applied to any material- (12) example, to manufacture lighter and more protective packaging. It could (13) be used in car bumpers, crash barriers and arm our for military vehicles, says Ulrike Wegst, (14) the Max Plank Institute for Mental Research in Stuttgart. But she emphasizes that you (15) to design the substance with the direction of force in mind. "The direction of loading is crucial," she says.