Why read this: This match report tells the story of how Wu Yize, a young player from China, beat Shaun Murphy in the World Snooker Championship final. The match was decided in the very last frame, which has only happened four times since 1977. Students at B1 level can follow the action because the snooker words frame and break are explained early in the text. The story also moves in time order, so students do not have to rebuild the timeline. The article gives readers a chance to meet a real sports event, talk about pressure and parents, and learn a small set of British sports phrases such as traded blows, pegged back, and fell short at the final hurdle.
What to notice: Watch how the article uses the snooker words frame and break. The first paragraph explains both words, so students should be able to use that explanation when these words come back later. Notice the moments when Wu was almost beaten, such as the missed black ball, and notice how the article tells us he held himself together. Also notice the change in voice when Wu and Murphy speak. Wu speaks about family in simple, emotional words. Murphy speaks kindly even after losing. These two short speeches carry the human story of the match, and students should be able to talk about how each speaker feels.
Skills practised: Students practise reading a real news report at B1 level. They follow a story in time order, build the meaning of new words from short in-text explanations, and pick out facts such as scores, ages, and prize money. They also work on simple inference: why missing the black was painful, why the last frame was so rare, and why Wu thanks his parents. The article supports paired retell, short answer questions, and a simple compare task between the two speakers.
Wu Yize wins world snooker title in last-frame thriller
The young player from China beats Shaun Murphy 18 to 17 in the final frame, then thanks his parents for everything.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Wu Yize is the new world snookersnooker: A cue sport, popular in the UK and other Commonwealth of Nations countries — 斯诺克台球（一种球杆运动） champion. The young player from China beat Shaun Murphy 18 frames to 17 in a longlong: Lasting for a great amount of time — 长久的, exciting final on Monday night in Sheffield, England. To understand the match, two snooker words help. In snooker, each round of the game is called a frame, and the player who scores more points wins the frame. A scoring run of consecutiveconsecutive: Following each other continuously without interruption; in unbroken sequence. — 连续的；不间断的 potspot: A deep round container used for cooking or for holding things. — 锅；壶；罐 by one player at the table is called a break.
This World Championshipchampionship: A competition or series of competitions to decide who is the best in a sport or game. — 锦标赛；冠军赛 final was the first final-frame decider: a snooker match that comes down to the very last frame to determine the winner — 决胜局 since the year 2002. A final-frame decider is a match that is only settledsettle: To resolve or reach an agreement about; to make one's home in a new place. — 解决；定居；安顿 in the very last frame. Since 1977, only four world finals have come down to a final last frame. Wu and Murphy played in front of a packed crowd of fans, and the match lastedlast: to continue to exist or function for a period of time — 持续 long into Monday evening.
The two players had traded blows: exchanged scoring runs with each other; took turns winning frames — 你来我往,互有胜负 for most of the night. Wu would move just aheadahead: In front; further forward in space, time, or development. — 在前面；提前, but Murphy kept fighting back, and each time Wu took the leadlead: The first or leading position; also, a heavy bluish-grey metal — 领先；铅, he was pegged back: prevented from extending a lead; pulled level by the opponent — 被追平 by his strong, calmcalm: (of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance — 宁静的 opponentopponent: A person who competes against or disagrees with another. — 对手；反对者. Wu was not able to pull clear of Murphy at any point in the match.
In the secondsecond: Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior — 次要的-to-last frame, the championship was almost in Wu's hands. He had a simple black ball to pot to win the trophytrophy: a cup or other object awarded as a prize for a victory or achievement — 奖杯；奖品；战利品, but he missed it. Eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 after this painfulpainful: causing physical or emotional pain — 疼痛的；令人痛苦的 mistake, Wu held himself together: stayed calm and composed emotionally — 稳住了情绪 under huge pressurepressure: The force produced by pressing against something, or the stress and worry caused by having too much to deal with. — 压力. The miss gave Murphy a real chance to fight back, and the older player took full advantage: made the most of a favourable opportunity — 充分把握机会 of it. He scored a strong run of points in one visit and forcedforce: To compel (someone or something) to do something — 迫使，强迫 the match into a final frame. Murphy was hoping to win his second world title, many years after his first one.
Then came the moment that decided everything. In the final frame, Wu played a calm scoring run that ended the match. This match-winning break: the scoring sequence that secured victory in the match — 锁定胜局的一杆 gave him the trophy. Wu now follow in the footsteps of: do the same thing or take the same path as someone before you — 追随...的脚步 his fellow Chinese player Zhao Xintong, who became China's first world champion in 2025.
After the win, Wu huggedhug: To cling closely together — 紧贴 Murphy and then spoke about his family. He said his parents, not him, were the real champions of the day. Wu chose to drop out of school: leave school before completing the standard course of education — 辍学 as a teenager so that he could play snooker full-time. Through all of this, his father stayed by his side. His mother, he said, had been going through a lot: experiencing many difficulties — 经历了很多艰难 for many years. Wu told the crowd that his parents gave him his strengthstrength: the quality of being physically strong; a good quality or ability — 力量；优势, and he loved them very much.
Murphy spoke kindly about the new champion. He said it was very sad that he had lost on this day. He added that he had told friends earlier in the year that Wu would one day be a world champion. Murphy also praisedpraise: To give praise to; to commend, glorify, or worship — 赞扬 one of Wu's shotsshot: The firing of a gun; an attempt to do something; a photograph; an injection. — 射击；尝试；照片；注射 played with the rest: using the rest, a long stick with a support, used when the cue ball is too far to reach — 用架杆, which is the long stickstick: to attach something to something else using a substance; to push something pointed into something — 粘贴；插入 a player uses when the cuecue: A signal for someone to do something; a hint or indication. — 暗示；提示 ball is far away. In the end, Murphy said, he could not have tried any harder. He fell short at the final hurdle: failed at the very last and decisive moment — 在最后关头功亏一篑 once again, losing his fourth final in snooker's showpiece match: the highest-profile, most prestigious match of a tournament — 压轴大赛,焦点之战 in a row.
For winning, Wu took home a prize of 500,000 pounds. He had started the season outside the top 16 players in the world. Now, after his historichistoric: famous or important in history — 历史性的；有历史意义的 win, he sits fourth in the world rankings.
Wu Yize is the new world snookersnooker: A cue sport, popular in the UK and other Commonwealth of Nations countries — 斯诺克台球（一种球杆运动） champion. The young player from China beat Shaun Murphy 18 frames to 17 in a longlong: Lasting for a great amount of time — 长久的, exciting final on Monday night in Sheffield, England. To understand the match, two snooker words help. In snooker, each round of the game is called a frame, and the player who scores more points wins the frame. A scoring run of consecutiveconsecutive: Following each other continuously without interruption; in unbroken sequence. — 连续的；不间断的 potspot: A deep round container used for cooking or for holding things. — 锅；壶；罐 by one player at the table is called a break.
This World Championshipchampionship: A competition or series of competitions to decide who is the best in a sport or game. — 锦标赛；冠军赛 final was the first final-frame decider: a snooker match that comes down to the very last frame to determine the winner — 决胜局 since the year 2002. A final-frame decider is a match that is only settledsettle: To resolve or reach an agreement about; to make one's home in a new place. — 解决；定居；安顿 in the very last frame. Since 1977, only four world finals have come down to a final last frame. Wu and Murphy played in front of a packed crowd of fans, and the match lastedlast: to continue to exist or function for a period of time — 持续 long into Monday evening.
The two players had traded blows: exchanged scoring runs with each other; took turns winning frames — 你来我往,互有胜负 for most of the night. Wu would move just aheadahead: In front; further forward in space, time, or development. — 在前面；提前, but Murphy kept fighting back, and each time Wu took the leadlead: The first or leading position; also, a heavy bluish-grey metal — 领先；铅, he was pegged back: prevented from extending a lead; pulled level by the opponent — 被追平 by his strong, calmcalm: (of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance — 宁静的 opponentopponent: A person who competes against or disagrees with another. — 对手；反对者. Wu was not able to pull clear of Murphy at any point in the match.
In the secondsecond: Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior — 次要的-to-last frame, the championship was almost in Wu's hands. He had a simple black ball to pot to win the trophytrophy: a cup or other object awarded as a prize for a victory or achievement — 奖杯；奖品；战利品, but he missed it. Eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 after this painfulpainful: causing physical or emotional pain — 疼痛的；令人痛苦的 mistake, Wu held himself together: stayed calm and composed emotionally — 稳住了情绪 under huge pressurepressure: The force produced by pressing against something, or the stress and worry caused by having too much to deal with. — 压力. The miss gave Murphy a real chance to fight back, and the older player took full advantage: made the most of a favourable opportunity — 充分把握机会 of it. He scored a strong run of points in one visit and forcedforce: To compel (someone or something) to do something — 迫使，强迫 the match into a final frame. Murphy was hoping to win his second world title, many years after his first one.
Then came the moment that decided everything. In the final frame, Wu played a calm scoring run that ended the match. This match-winning break: the scoring sequence that secured victory in the match — 锁定胜局的一杆 gave him the trophy. Wu now follow in the footsteps of: do the same thing or take the same path as someone before you — 追随...的脚步 his fellow Chinese player Zhao Xintong, who became China's first world champion in 2025.
After the win, Wu huggedhug: To cling closely together — 紧贴 Murphy and then spoke about his family. He said his parents, not him, were the real champions of the day. Wu chose to drop out of school: leave school before completing the standard course of education — 辍学 as a teenager so that he could play snooker full-time. Through all of this, his father stayed by his side. His mother, he said, had been going through a lot: experiencing many difficulties — 经历了很多艰难 for many years. Wu told the crowd that his parents gave him his strengthstrength: the quality of being physically strong; a good quality or ability — 力量；优势, and he loved them very much.
Murphy spoke kindly about the new champion. He said it was very sad that he had lost on this day. He added that he had told friends earlier in the year that Wu would one day be a world champion. Murphy also praisedpraise: To give praise to; to commend, glorify, or worship — 赞扬 one of Wu's shotsshot: The firing of a gun; an attempt to do something; a photograph; an injection. — 射击；尝试；照片；注射 played with the rest: using the rest, a long stick with a support, used when the cue ball is too far to reach — 用架杆, which is the long stickstick: to attach something to something else using a substance; to push something pointed into something — 粘贴；插入 a player uses when the cuecue: A signal for someone to do something; a hint or indication. — 暗示；提示 ball is far away. In the end, Murphy said, he could not have tried any harder. He fell short at the final hurdle: failed at the very last and decisive moment — 在最后关头功亏一篑 once again, losing his fourth final in snooker's showpiece match: the highest-profile, most prestigious match of a tournament — 压轴大赛,焦点之战 in a row.
For winning, Wu took home a prize of 500,000 pounds. He had started the season outside the top 16 players in the world. Now, after his historichistoric: famous or important in history — 历史性的；有历史意义的 win, he sits fourth in the world rankings.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What was the final score of the match between Wu Yize and Shaun Murphy?
- 02
Why is Wu's win special when we look at the history of the World Championship?
- 03
What does Wu's quote about his parents tell us about his life?
- 04
Explain why missing the simple black ball in the second-to-last frame was such a dramatic moment in the match.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare how Wu and Murphy spoke after the match. What do their words show about each player?
Suggested length: ~70 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What was the final score of the match between Wu Yize and Shaun Murphy?
- 02
Why is Wu's win special when we look at the history of the World Championship?
- 03
What does Wu's quote about his parents tell us about his life?
- 04
Explain why missing the simple black ball in the second-to-last frame was such a dramatic moment in the match.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare how Wu and Murphy spoke after the match. What do their words show about each player?
Suggested length: ~70 words