The big fire in April that tore through the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris(巴黎圣母院) is still fresh in people’s minds. The 800-year-old landmark suffered great damage to its top, but thankfully the most valuable religious relics and cultural treasures were undamaged.
So a US publishing company GoArchitect organized the People’s Design Competition to invite designers, worldwide to share their ideas of rebuilding the French landmark. The open call attracted more than 200 proposals from 56 countries and regions. In the end, Chinese architects Cai Zeyu and Li Sibei won the competition with their striking design. They are both the post-90s generation.
Named “Paris Heartbeat”, the design replaces the old top with a kaleidoscope( 万花筒) of multifaceted mirrors, which is combined with a mirror roof, reflecting the ever–changing urban environment.
The kaleidoscope is the floating “time capsule”, at the top using magnetic levitation(磁悬浮) technology, which is meant to open every half century. The “time capsule” moves up and down, breathing and beating together with the city.
“I believe that the ‘time capsule’ can be achieved with present technology,” Cai told the Global Times.
The pair hoped that their design, Paris Heartbeat, could meet people’s high expectations for the rebuilding. As Cai and Li told GoArchitect, “Notre Dame witnessed Parisian history. It burns, survives and co-breathes with the ever-changing world…The 2019 fire will mark a new era.”
Though people still don’t know what kind of design the French government will choose, it’s clear that people around the world hope that the lost beauty of Notre Dame will come back. Once rebuilt, it will certainly become a permanent part of history and the Parisian skyline again.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage?| A．A open call for the recovery of Dame Cathedral. |
| B．The design of Paris Heartbeat by two Chinese architects . |
| C．A big fire which destroyed Dame Cathedral. |
| D．A French government’s decision. |
| A．list figures | B．give examples |
| C．make a comparison | D．make an explanation |
| A．Two thirds of the Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged in the big fire. |
| B．The French government organized the People’s Design Competition. |
| C．The kaleidoscope is designed using traditional architecture technology. |
| D．It remains to be seen whether “Paris Heartbeat” will be adopted. |
| A．an entertainment magazine | B．a newspaper |
| C．a geography textbook | D．a guide book |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】After posting a short video on April 27 about planting and cooking peas, Chinese food blogger Li Ziqi witnessed her followers on YouTube over 10 million. Li shares short videos recording her traditional and peaceful lifestyle in China's countryside. This makes her shot to fame.
“It's really surprising. I didn't expect such a wide response," Li said in an interview, noting she was surprised by how foreigners on the Internet were taken with her works. Li's videos center on her life with her grandmother in the rura（乡下）parts of Sichuan Province. In the videos, Li, is often dressed in beautiful traditional clothes, rises at sunrise, rests at sunset, plants seeds and harvests flowers, cooks Chinese dishes and makes bamboo furniture.
In response, Li, who was raised in the countryside, said "Most people today are facing huge stress in work and life, so I hope they can feel relaxed when watching my videos." "There are so many ideas in my mind of old craftsmanship（手艺）and food we have been enjoying for thousands of years. Some are almost forgotten. I hope to preserve them through my small efforts.”
"China has tried for so many years to promote our culture globally but made little progress, and that's because of a lack of spontaneity（自发性）and few focus on Chinese people's daily lives," Zhang Xiaoming, director of the China National Center for Culture Studies, said in a recent interview with The Beijing News. "China needs more Li Ziq”.
1. Which of the following can best replace the phrase “shot to fame” in Paragraph1?| A．become widely known | B．feel extremely hopeful |
| C．grow up | D．gain confidence |
| A．Her video is about her life in the city. |
| B．She wears formal uniform in her video. |
| C．All her furniture is created and designed by herself. |
| D．She hopes her video can help reduce people's pressure. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Negative. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Confused. |
| A．China has made much progress in promoting its culture globally. |
| B．There are enough videos about Chinese people's daily lives online. |
| C．Chinese culture has been famous globally because of Li Ziqi. |
| D．More efforts should be made to spread Chinese culture. |
【推荐2】A popular short video series titled Escape From the British Museum has captivated millions of viewers and sparked a renewed call to repatriate (遣送) unlawfully taken relics. The three-part series tells the story of a jade teapot that comes to life and embarks on a journey from the British Museum back to China. With over 340 million views and nearly 2 million comments on Douyin, a short-video platform, the series has had a significant effect.
In the story, the jade teapot transforms into a young woman and escapes from the museum. She meets a Chinese journalist named Zhang Yongan in the United Kingdom and implores him to take her back to China. Upon returning home, she not only travels across the country but also carries “letters” written by other artifacts in the museum to their respective families in China.
The series was created by two young Chinese vloggers using the pseudonyms (网名) “Jianbing Guozai” and “Xiatian Meimei”. Zhang Jiajun, whose real name is “Jianbing Guozai”, graduated from Sichuan University of Media and Communications.
Inspiration for the series came from a netizen’s suggestion to create a cartoon series where artifacts come to life and return home for Chinese New Year. Zhang turned this idea into a video and spent three months researching the British Museum and crafting the storyline.
The videos have deeply moved netizens, with scenes like “writing brushstrokes on English newspapers” and intense dialogues among the artifacts striking an emotional chord. In the comments, many netizens expressed their desire for cultural artifacts overseas to return home with dignity and honor.
The creator of the series, Zhang Jiajun, expresses gratitude for the love the series has received and hopes that more attention would be paid to the issue of cultural relics located overseas.
1. Which short video series has sparked a discussion about repatriating cultural relics？| A．“Escape From the British Museum” |
| B．“Journey Across China” |
| C．“Life of a Jade Teapot” |
| D．“Treasures of the British Museum” |
| A．A cartoon series featuring artifacts. |
| B．A suggestion from a netizen. |
| C．A 3-month visit to the British Museum. |
| D．A desire for cultural preservation. |
| A．Emphasize. | B．Embarrass. | C．Embrace. | D．Launch. |
| A．Scenes of writing brushstrokes on English newspapers. |
| B．Intense dialogues among the artifacts. |
| C．The desire for cultural artifacts to return home. |
| D．The loss of several items from the British Museum. |
【推荐3】Administrators of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, are striving to harmonize tourists’ exploration of the site with the need to safeguard murals and artifacts, through innovative measures such as digital presentations.
Sandstorms, rainfall and tourist visits constitute the most severe threats to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, said Wang Xiaowei, director of the Dunhuang Grottoes Monitoring Center at the Dunhuang Academy.
Since the Mogao Caves opened to the public in 1979, the number of visitors has been growing at an average annual rate of around 20 percent, reaching 2.15 million in 2019 before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the site is expected to receive a record 3 million visitors.
“If you enter the caves during the peak tourism months of July, August and September, you’ll find it hard to breathe,” Wang said. The carbon dioxide and moisture exhaled by visitors accumulate inside the caves and cause damage to the murals, Wang said.
To preserve the caves, the duration of visits is limited and sometimes stopped during rain or dust storms. To try and ensure visitors aren’t disappointed when restrictions are in place, the center provides a digital exhibition, he said.
Currently, the center is being expanded to cater for an additional 3,000 visitors on top of the existing capacity of 6,000.
The Dunhuang Academy began digitally recording and storing images of murals and painted sculptures over 30 years ago. The digitization project has successfully covered over 200 caves, with a dedicated team of 110 experts currently undertaking the work.
The Mogao Caves are immovable, and transporting them is impossible, according to Su Bomin, head of the Dunhuang Academy. And he added, “However, with digitization, we can perfectly replicate Dunhuang art and showcase it worldwide, introducing Eastern culture to the world.”
In 2016, the Digital Dunhuang repository went live, sharing high-definition images and panoramic tours of the most exquisite 30 caves globally. Currently, visitors from 78 countries have accessed the repository, totaling over 16.8 million visits.
Su said Dunhuang can provide diverse cultural exchanges through its cultural relics. “By digitizing these relics, we enable people worldwide to understand Dunhuang’s culture, thereby gaining a deeper appreciation for China’s historical commitment to diverse cultural exchanges — that is, an ethos of inclusivity, mutual learning and a shared future,” he said.
1. Which of the following is NOT the reason for providing a digital exhibition?| A．The factors related to COVID-19 put the caves in grave danger. |
| B．The increasing number of tourists visiting Dunhuang might harm the caves. |
| C．The authority is aimed to balance tourism and relics conservation. |
| D．The duration of visits is limited and sometimes stopped during rain or dust storms. |
| A．Copy. | B．Safeguard. | C．Access. | D．Transport. |
| A．It records and stores images of murals and painted sculptures. |
| B．It shares high definition and panoramic tours of the most exquisite caves. |
| C．It allows for an international exchange of cultures through the relics. |
| D．It enables people to appreciate the lasting beauty of the murals. |
| A．The Significance of the Mural Paintings |
| B．The Restoration in Mogao Caves |
| C．The Innovation on Mogao Caves’ Preservation |
| D．The Dunhuang Spirit in Chinese Culture |
When I took Amy home from the animal shelter, she was scared. I believed she had been abused (虐待) because she was afraid of anything my husband, Bill, or I held in our hands. With a lot of care and attention, she became a great dog that surprised us every day.
About three years ago, Amy and I joined a volunteer project called Canines with Class. At our first school visit, Officer Lisa called Amy and asked her to show how to shake hands and give a high five. The students clapped (拍手) in joy and Amy received a reward. Then the students got to touch the dog. One by one they came up to meet Amy. Some of them started talking to me about their own pets. I didn’t feel worried any more. I thought the children liked staying with us.
On our next school visit, I put a big chain (链条) on Amy’s neck and walked away from her. You could see that Amy was not happy. When I took the chain off her neck, Amy shook her tail happily and wouldn’t stop licking (舔) my face. That was when we talked about “breaking the chain”. On our third school trip, Amy started acting poorly when it was time to show off a few tricks. The students watched to see how I would correct her mistakes. It was a good chance to explain that if your dog doesn’t do exactly what you ask, you don’t have to shout at her or hit her to make it right. I think the children have learned a lot about respect and patience.
Amy loves the program and has come so far since I found her a few years ago. Amy has broken the chain, and the love she gives those children will help them become good pet owners.
1. The author thought Amy had been abused mainly because of ________.| A．Amy’s body shape | B．Amy’s eyes |
| C．where Amy had lived before | D．how Amy reacted to something |
| A．nervous | B．encouraged | C．calm | D．upset |
| A．To show how dogs get happy. | B．To encourage children to be free. |
| C．To encourage children to save dogs. | D．To show why we should stop using dog chains. |
| A．Dogs are stupid at times. | B．Everyone makes mistakes. |
| C．Dog owners should be patient. | D．People should respect each other. |
【推荐2】Around the World by Wheelchair
Rick Hansen was always an active kid and loved to fish. When returning in a truck one day from a fishing trip, he had an accident and suffered injuries to his spine (脊柱). This 15-year-old young man awoke to find that he had lost the use of his legs. However, he didn't give up. Many months later he began to compete in wheelchair sports. At the age of 27, he decided to wheel around the world to raise awareness and money for spinal cord research. His tour took him through 34 countries around the world between 1985 and 1987.In this Man of Motion World Tour, he wheeled 24,901 .55 miles, which is equal to the distance around the earth.
Bad weather and difficult, rocky roads often provided challenges for Rick, but he continued to push himself to complete the trip. He was determined to succeed. Even mountains did not stop Rick Hansen. He wheeled himself up the Rocky Mountains and several other major mountains in the world. He even wheeled himself along the Great Wall of China!
“Never Give Up On Your Dreams” was his motto and he hasn't given up yet. He completed his world tour raising $24 million. He continues to work to increase knowledge of spinal cord injury. He is a true Canadian hero who shows what determination can achieve.
1. How old was Rick when the accident happened?| A．34 | B．15 | C．27 | D．18 |
| A．He couldn't walk any more. | B．He had to spend his life in hospital. |
| C．He couldn't do sports any more. | D．He lost the ability of living. |
| A．To travel to different countries for fun. | B．To learn about the people of other countries. |
| C．To collect money for the spinal cord research | D．To take photos of beautiful mountains. |
| A．unhappy | B．quiet | C．careful | D．determined |
【推荐3】When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn’t very fun about it was that he could catch many fish while I couldn’t catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered, “Son, if you want to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish.” I remember being even more upset then because, “I’m not a fish!” I didn’t know how to think like a fish. Besides, I reasoned, how could what I think influence what a fish does?
As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So, I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water because the former is warmer. Besides, water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet, fish don’t have any eyelids (眼皮) and the sun hurts their eyes. The more I understood fish, the more I became effective at finding and catching them.
When I grew up and entered the business world, I remember hearing my first boss say, “We all need to think like sales people.” But it didn’t completely make sense. My dad never once said, “If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman.” What he said was, “You need to think like a fish.” Years later, with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me, I gradually learned what we all need is to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters.
1. Why was the author upset in fishing trips when he was nine?| A．His father was not patient with him. |
| B．He could not catch a fish. |
| C．His father did not teach him fishing. |
| D．He could not influence a fish as his father did. |
| A．To read about fish. | B．To learn fishing by oneself. |
| C．To study fishing in many ways. | D．To understand what fish think. |
| A．it easy to think like a customer |
| B．his first boss’s sales ideas reasonable |
| C．his father’s fishing advice inspiring |
| D．it difficult to sell services to poor people |
| A．a popular sales book | B．a fishing guide |
| C．a novel on childhood | D．a millionaire’s biography |
