Originally constructed around 256 BCE by the State of Qin
During the Warring States period, people who lived along the banks of the Min River
The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(梯田), in southern Yunnan, China, cover a huge 16, 603-hectare area. The terraces,
In 2003, the terraced fields were
The landscape changes through the year. In April the terraces are all green as rice starts to grow; in later parts of the year it is yellowish brown as the rice ripens. In February, the terraces become bare earth, with the water reflecting(反射)the sky.
The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It
We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.
After
We
4 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.
Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.
They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.
1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?| A．They produce oxygen. | B．They cover a vast area. |
| C．They are well managed. | D．They are rich in wildlife. |
| A．Heavy rains | B．Big trees. |
| C．Small plants. | D．Forest animals. |
| A．For more sunlight. | B．For more growing space. |
| C．For self-protection. | D．For the detection of insects. |
| A．Life-Giving Rainforests | B．The Law of the Jungle |
| C．Animals in the Amazon | D．Weather in Rainforests |
5 . Theaters of the Past
The Greek Theater
Theaters developed in many parts of Greece. Ancient Greek theaters were built in natural open air sites on conveniently shaped hills. This allowed a great mass of people to enjoy a show at a time. Due to this, actors placed emphasis on exaggerated (夸张的) action and speech. And, colorful symbolic masks and costumes were used.
The Medieval Theater
The Medieval theater started in churches. That’s why medieval plays were about Bible stories. At first, it became a custom for priests (牧师) to act out brief scenes during Christmas and Easter. These acts attracted large crowds. Finally the church refused to allow priests to participate in any such events again, so ordinary people began these performances outside. Performances were set in the town square, with several stage settings around it.
The Elizabethan Theater
The England’s theater developed rapidly in the years following the defeat of the Spanish Navy. The dominant feature of Elizabethan theater was the stage, It has three parts: The fore stage for outside scenes ;the inner stage for scenes inside a building; an upper stage or balcony for various purposes. The reason for this design is that there were no scene changes, or breaks during the play. Very little scenery was used, so the actors had to create a scene through their voices and dialogues. This led to a more poetic script , and poets became the main source of script writing.
The Restoration Theater
Some of the plays told sad stories, but the majority of the plays were really funny. Many specialized machines were used to create the scene. The stage was a very clever idea , in that on the sides of the stage large back shutters (百叶窗) were painted with the scene.
1. Why were ancient Greek theaters built on hills?| A．To hold a large audience. |
| B．To build a big and strong stage. |
| C．To have a better sound effect. |
| D．To emphasize exaggerated performances. |
| A．The Greek Theater. |
| B．The Medieval Theater, |
| C．The Elizabethan Theater, |
| D．The Restoration Theater. |
| A．Colorful masks were used. |
| B．The stage was smartly designed. |
| C．Most of its plays were sorrowful. |
| D．Ordinary people were the performers. |
