Passage Four
Imagine you are a citizen of Athens, enjoying awarm Mediterranean night in the Theater of HerodesAtticus. You are wearing jeans and a T-shirt, listening to a great
concert.
Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are inthe same seat, only you are watching classical Greekentertainment and wearing a simple chiton, or tunic.
The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modem. Often alittle shop is located next to the rains of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.
Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is theAcropolis. The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes weretemples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban sprawl (扩展,延伸) of Athens stretches out in every direction.
On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, thecity's patron. It was first completed in 432 B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed severaltimes. However, visitors can still see the "tricks" used in building the Parthenon. The columnsalong the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatter in the middle. The temple is also higher inthe middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from adistance.
Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its littleshops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important partof modem Athenian culture.
Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of theirhomes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The
hill where St. Pauladdressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such asPerikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyxisan open-air theater for light and sound shows.
Greeks still use some ancient sites, such as the Pnyx and the Theater of Herodes Atticus.During Roman times, in 76 A.D., gladiators (角斗士) used the Panathenaic Stadium for contests.The Olympics were held there in 1896, and today people still jog and exercise in the stadium.
Tourism is very important to people who live in modem-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that
house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into
Athens, which helps the city payfor improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and peoplefrom all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we canimagine what life was like in ancient Athens.
Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?
A、The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modem.
B、Traces of the ancient city can still be found.
C、Ruins and modem hotels co-exist in the city.
D、All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels.
Imagine you are a citizen of Athens, enjoying awarm Mediterranean night in the Theater of HerodesAtticus. You are wearing jeans and a T-shirt, listening to a great
concert.
Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are inthe same seat, only you are watching classical Greekentertainment and wearing a simple chiton, or tunic.
The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modem. Often alittle shop is located next to the rains of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.
Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is theAcropolis. The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes weretemples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban sprawl (扩展,延伸) of Athens stretches out in every direction.
On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, thecity's patron. It was first completed in 432 B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed severaltimes. However, visitors can still see the "tricks" used in building the Parthenon. The columnsalong the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatter in the middle. The temple is also higher inthe middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from adistance.
Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its littleshops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important partof modem Athenian culture.
Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of theirhomes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The
hill where St. Pauladdressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such asPerikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyxisan open-air theater for light and sound shows.
Greeks still use some ancient sites, such as the Pnyx and the Theater of Herodes Atticus.During Roman times, in 76 A.D., gladiators (角斗士) used the Panathenaic Stadium for contests.The Olympics were held there in 1896, and today people still jog and exercise in the stadium.
Tourism is very important to people who live in modem-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that
house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into
Athens, which helps the city payfor improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and peoplefrom all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we canimagine what life was like in ancient Athens.
Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?
A、The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modem.
B、Traces of the ancient city can still be found.
C、Ruins and modem hotels co-exist in the city.
D、All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels.