On the Tower at Youzhou
Where are the great men of the past?
And where are those of future years?
The sky and earth forever last;
Here and now I alone shed (流) tears.
Traveling not only opens our eyes but also gives us a chance to think and express our feelings. On the Tower at Youzhou, written by Chen Ziang (661-702) in the Tang Dynasty, is an example.
Chen wrote this poem in 696. At that time, he was upset in his army career (生涯) under the rule of Empress Wu Zetian. He climbed to the top of Youzhou Tower and was amazed by the view of the earth and sky. He couldn’t help wondering where the great men of the past and future are.
Compared to the universe, the poet felt that people are small and unimportant. What lasts forever is the vast (广阔的) earth and sky. Nobody can be free from death. Even so, Chen still wanted to serve his country and people in his short life. But the rulers didn’t see his talents, so Chen felt sad and shed tears alone.
With the sincere (真挚的) feelings that fit the setting, Chen created a moving, sad scene in the poem. It is sad but not discouraging (令人气馁的). His language is simple but carries deep meaning. That’s why the poem is still popular now.
1. What can we get through traveling according to the passage?2. Where did Chen see the amazing view of the earth and sky?
3. Why did Chen cry alone?
4. According to Chen, are people important compared to the universe?
5. What does the writer think of the language in the poem?
2 . A Green City
The people of Greensburg, Kansas, are rebuilding their town. Many homes and buildings will soon be green. This means that they will lie less harmful(有害的) to the environment. Read the following information to learn about a few things that make a home green and then answer the question.
Location A green home is close to parks, schools and stores. Buses and trains are nearby. People who live in a green home can drive less and walk more. Size Big homes need more heating, cooling and lighting than small homes. This uses a lot of electricity. A green home is often smaller. It uses less electricity. Windows and Doors In a green home, windows and doors have tight seal(密封条). Cold air cannot get into the house in the winter. In the summer, warm air is kept outside. Water People use less water in a green home. Special toilets(厕所) use less water. Some green homes even have a way to collect and use rainwater. |
根据以上信息回答问题。
1. Why are green homes near schools and stores?
2. Why are small homes greener than big homes?
3. Why is warm air kept outside in the summer in a green home?
4. How does a green home save water?
5. New homes can be built green. Older homes can be made green. What can you and your family do to make your home greener? Use the information above to help you.
And why do we have them? Scientists are learning to find the reasons, but they still know
very little about why we dream.
Modern research can tell us some important facts about dreams. For example, we have most of our dreams during REM sleep. At this time，the brain is very active. Another fact is that everyone dreams-even if we cannot remember doing so when we're awaken. What's more, an unusual part of our brain has been found. This part sometimes puts our thoughts and memories together in strange ways when we're asleep.
Some scientists believe that our dreams are associated with life experiences and things in the dreams have their own meanings. For example, telephones in dreams are thought to be about giving or receiving an important message. A car in dreams often mean feelings about your own life. Broken teeth show fear.
Scientists think that people in our dreams can tell us something about ourselves. If the person in the dream was shouting out, for example, maybe you are angry. If he or she was scared in the dream, then maybe you’re afraid of something in life.
There is still a lot that we do not understand, but scientists are trying hard because the more we learn about our dreams, the more we learn about ourselves.
A.What're the meanings of the things in dreams?
B.What can persons in dreams tell us?
C.Why should we learn more about dreams?
D.What facts do we know about dreams?
E.What are dreams?
