This iconic city is sinking rapidly. The canals that make up the streets of Venice rise 2mm every year,
making relics of history go under the surface of water and destroying architecture. Experts warn that without
intervention (干预) , this city will disappear back into the water at an even faster rate, consumed by rising sea
level from melting polar ice caps.
Machu Picchu
These iconic ruins have drawn adventurous tourists into the mountains of South America. The forces of
natural erosion ( 侵 蚀 ) have been accelerated by tourism and this landmark faces severe influence from
increasing foot traffic. The Peruviar government recently suggested a cable car that would cut out the intense
hike up to the ruins, making the site instantly accessible to millions, but the future of Machu Picchu remains
uncertain.
Glacier National Park
Perhaps you've heard that the ice caps are melting. But nowhere is more apparent in the United States
than in Glacier National Park. Estimates indicate that the glaciers that are part of the beauty of this national
landmark will disappear entirely in the next two decades.
The Great Barrier Reef
Hidden from view beneath the waves, the Great Barrier Reef has been rapidly dying off. Nearly fifty
percent of coral which once occupied a large area is gone, destroyed by pollution and disease.
21.What can we learn about Machu Picchu?
A. It's famous for cable cars. B. It bears a heavy burden of tourism.
C. It's well preserved by the locals. D. It has no convenient traffic.
22.Which place probably needs visitors to dive into the water to enjoy its beauty?
A. Venice. B. Machu Picchu.
C. Glacier National Park. D. The Great Barrier Reef.
23.What do the above attractions have in common?
A. They're all in danger of disappearing.
B. They all have a long history.
C. They're all threatened by climate.
D. They're all well-known for natural scenery.
B
The shadow play is a typical traditional entertainment that has survived and thrived over the centuries. It
is taken as an earliest ancestor of modern cinema.
Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty was very
depressed over the death of his favorite concubine (妃子). To help him get over his sadness, a minister made a
puppet out of cotton and silk in the likeness of the concubine and projected its shadow on a curtain for the
emperor to see. The show brought the emperor some comfort. He somehow believed the shadow was his
lover’s spirit. This is thought to be the beginning of the shadow play.
One mouth tells stories of thousands of years; a pair of hands operates millions of soldiers. This is how
the shadow puppeteer works. Nicknamed “the business of the five”, a shadow puppet group is made up of five
people. One operates the puppets, one plays a Suona and a Yueqin, one plays the Banhu, one is in charge of
percussion (打击乐器) instruments, and one sings.
During performances, “actors” are held close to a white curtain with their colored shadows cast on it by a
strong light from behind. The operator plays five puppets at the same time, each of which has three threads.
Ten fingers handle fifteen threads. Moved by guiding sticks, the puppets play roles with musical
accompaniment. The popularity of shadow play in some way lies in the equipment being light and easy to
carry, the small number of people needed for a performance, and the flexible requirements for performance
places. The plays can be quite dramatic and, when it comes to fairy tales or kungfu stories, the “actors” may
be made to ride on clouds or perform unusual feats, to the great enjoyment of the audience, especially
children.
The design of the figures follows traditional moral evaluation. The audience can tell a figure’s character
by seeing his mask. Like the masks in Beijing Opera, a red mask represents honesty, a black mask, loyalty,
and a white one, betrayal.
Nowadays, the shadow play has been industrialized and developed a series of tourist products for the
promotion of Chinese culture and tourism.
24. What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. The origin of the shadow play. B. How to please an Emperor.
C. A love story of Emperor Wudi. D. How to make a cotton puppet.
25. According to the author, the audience may take great pleasure ___.
A. because the equipment is light to carry B. when roles are played without music
D. because the number of the operators is small D. when the puppets give lively performances
26. A figure comes with a white mask may suggest that this character in the story is a person_____.
A. who is honest B. who is loyal
C. who betrays someone or something D. who is responsible
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. The Rapid Development of Beijing Opera
B. Shadow Puppetry: Traditional Arts and Crafts
C. The Business of the Five: A Shadow Puppet Group
D. Traditional Characters and Masks in Beijing Opera
C
In the winter of 1664-65, a bitter cold fell on London in the days before Christmas. Above the city, an
unusually bright comet (彗星) shot across the sky, exciting much prediction of a snow storm. Outside the city
wall, a woman was announced dead of a disease that was spreading in that area. Her house was locked up and
the phrase “Lord Have Mercy On Us” was painted on the door in red.
By the following Christmas, the virus that had killed the woman would go on to kill nearly 100,000
people living in and around London — almost a third of those who did not flee.
In The Great Plague (瘟疫), historian A.Lloyd Moote and microbiologist Dorothy C.Moote provide a
deeply informed account of this plague year. Reading the book, readers are taken from the palaces of the city’s
wealthiest citizens to the poor areas where the vast majority of Londoners were living, and to the surrounding
countryside with those who fled. The Mootes point out that, even at the height of the plague, the city did not
fall into chaos. Doctors, nurses and the church staff remained in the city to care for the sick; city officials tried
their best to fight the crisis with all the legal tools; and commerce continued even as businesses shut down.
To describe life and death in and around London, the authors focus on the experiences of nine
individuals. Through their letters and diaries, the Mootes offer fresh descriptions of key issues in the history