1 . Hangzhou, China—a stunning opening ceremony laden with Hangzhou characteristics amazed the world on Saturday, as President Xi Jinping declared the 19th Asian Games open.
With the city’s profound history, culture and its modern image presented in an eye-catching and high-tech fashion, the opening show helped to express the host’s warm hospitality and its wish to unite the world through sports. Following an opening performance depicting the autumn equinox (秋分), one of China’s 24 solar terms that celebrates the harvest season, over 50,000 spectators burst into cheers as Xi announced the opening of the Hangzhou Games, making the Zhejiang provincial capital the third Chinese city to host the continental sporting gala, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
Wang Hao, president of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou Organizing Committee, said Hangzhou is honored to play host to such a grand event, which started on September 23rd. Raja Randhir Singh, the acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia, showed appreciation for the Chinese host’s meticulous (细心的) organization in his speech. “You have done a fantastic job in preparing for the Asian Games. The one-year postponement due to the pandemic was unprecedented in OCA history, but your diligence and determination will bear fruit over the next 16 days and you will be rewarded with the most magnificent and successful Asian Games ever,” said Singh.
Supported by new technologies, the Hangzhou ceremony boasted many historic firsts. For the first time in China, organizers switched from a traditional fireworks show to a virtual display, projected (放映) onto a giant curtain screen the size of nine IMAX screens.
To adhere to the principle of delivering the greenest possible Games, zero-emission methanol was used to fuel all of the torches and the main cauldron. For the finale, hundreds of millions of virtual sparks, each representing a participant of the online torch relay, formed the shape of a human torchbearer, who ran into the stadium to light the main cauldron together with the physical relay’s final bearer — Zhejiang native and Olympic champion swimmer, Wang Shun.
1. Why was the autumn equinox depicted at the beginning of the Hangzhou Asian Games Opening Ceremony?| A．Because Hangzhou wants to show its warm hospitality. |
| B．Because Hangzhou wishes to unite the world through sports. |
| C．Because Hangzhou highlights the history of China. |
| D．Because Hangzhou wishes participants a good harvest in the game. |
| A．It is the fourth time that China has hosted the Asian Games. |
| B．The Asian Games was supposed to be held in 2022. |
| C．Wang Hao sang high praise for the organization of the game. |
| D．Raja Randhir Singh was responsible for the organization of the game. |
| A．By fueling all torches and the main cauldron with coal. |
| B．By displaying virtual fireworks and demonstrating the history of the city. |
| C．By employing zero-emission methanol and installing a giant curtain screen. |
| D．By representing a participant of the online torch relay |
| A．Technology and Tradition Combine for the Hangzhou Opening Gala |
| B．History Goes Down in the Hangzhou Opening Gala |
| C．Meticulous Organization is Praised by the World |
| D．Best Wishes are Conveyed in the Hangzhou Opening Gala |
