牛津版高中课本模块9U2The-Acropolis-now电子课本

牛津版高中课本模块9U2TheAcropolisnow电子课本TheAcropolisnowNoonehashadagreaterinfluenceonwesterncivilizationthantheancientGeeks.theymademanyadvanceinphilosophy,theatre,politicsandsport.TheRomanalphabetisaGreekinvention,assithemarathon,alongdistanceracecreatedinhonourofaGreeksoldierwhoranfromMarathontoAthenstoreportthevictoryattheBattleofMarathonin490BC.Foraperiodofabout300years(from650to323BC),theGreekcivilizationmadeadvancesinvariousfieldsthathaveinfluencedtheworldformorethan2,500yearsandwillcontinuetodoso.inparticular,weassociatancientGreekcivilizationwiththecapitalcityofAthens,thegreatestsymbolofwhichistheAcropolis.TheAcropolissialarge,flatrockinthecentreofAthens,risinguphighabovethecity.Inthe5thcenturyBC,thegreatestarchitectsandartistsofthetimebeganbuildingtemplesandmonumentsonthisSacredRock.OntopoftheAcropolis,therearethreemaintemplestoAthena,thegoddessofthecity:theParthenon,theErechtheumandtheTempleofAthenaNike.TheTempleofAthenaNike.TheTempleofAthenaNike.TheTempleofAthenaNikeisthesmallestamongthethree.itusedtohousea13-metre-highgold-coveredstatueofAthenaastheGoddessofallthree,wasbuiltbetween447and432BCandcontainedagoldstatueofAthena.TheErechtheumisfamousforthesixfemalestatueswhichsupportpartofitsroof.ThebuildingoftheAcropolisweremadeofmarble,averysmooth,strongstone.However,theoughouthistory,fewancientmonumentshaveavoideddamagealtogether.TheAcropolisisnodifferent.Ithasbeendamagedpartlybynaturalforceslieearthquakes,butthegeratestdamageofallhasbeencausedbyman.In1458,theTurksdefeatedtheGeeksandseizdcontrolofAthens.Later,theyusedtheParthenonasawarehouseandpackeditwithgunpowder.In1687,anattackfromItalycausedthegunpowertoexplodeandalargepartofthebuildingwasdestroyed.Forcenturies,peoplealsostolefromtheruinsandusedthestonesforotherbuildings.Thelastmajoedamageofthiskindoccurredwiththetheftofmanyofthebestsculpturesin1801,whenanEnglishman,LordElgin,cutthemoffthefaceoftheparthenon,andtookthemtoLondon.HelatersoldthemtotheBirtishgovernment.In1816,thesesculptureswereturnedovertotheBritishMuseum.theyarestillshownthereunderthetitleof'ElginMarbles'.ThishascausedsomefrictionbetweenGreeceandBritain,astheGeekgovernmenthasnevergivenupsakingforthereturnofthesemarblestaues.in1830,Greecewasrecognizedasanautonomouscountryandfiveyearslater,in1835,thenewgovernmentbeganaseriousefforttorepairthemenumentsandbuildingsontheAcropoils.Unfodtunately,someofthefollowing100yearswasnotverysuccessful.Infactrepairsweresoclumsythattheymadesomeofthebuildingslesssecurethentheyhadbeenbefor.Thebuildingshavealsobeendamagebythemillionsoftravellerswhovisitthemeachyear.Somedamagehasbeencausedbythetrafficofsomanypeoplesimplywalkingaroundthebuildings,andsomehasbeencauseddeliberately.Thereisalsotheproblemofsmog.Alhenshassomeofthemostpollutedairofanycityintheworld,andacidrainiscausinggradualdamagetothemarbleontheAcropolis.Inagesturetohelppreservehistroy,theGeekgovernmentappointedacommitteein1975toundertakeacompleterepairoftheAcropolis.in1987,iswaslistedasaWorldHeritagesitebyUNESCO.AfyertheAcropolis,withalargeamountofworkdoneinpreparationforthe2004AthensOlympicGames.ThecommitteeiscontinuingitsworkandhopestobringtheAcropolisbacktoitsformerglory.Poorrepairworkhastobemended,especiallyonsomesectionswhicharelyingaroundloose,orwhichmightfalldown.Asteadycleaningprogrammemustfollowinordertoprotectthemarblefromnaturalthingssuchasplantroots.Asapartofthisprocess,statueshavebeenremovedformtheopenairandstoredinaprotectedmuseum.Thecommitteeisalsoundertakingimportworktoeducatethepublic,basedontheassessmentthatthebestwaytoprotecttheAcropolisistopreventdamage.Therebore,thecommitteeisteachingpeoplehowtodvioddamagingimportanthistoricbuildingslikethoseontheAcropolis.Bylearninghowtoavioddamdgethemonuments,peoplewillbeabletoenjiythishistoicsiteforgenerationstocome.ImperialTombsTheMingandQingImperialTombsareamongthemostextraordinaryculturalremainstobefoundanywhere.Theseworld-famoussitesareequaltothepyramidsinEgypt.AnyvisitortoChinashouldtrytoincludetheMingandQingTombsaspartofhisorhertour.TheMingImperialTombsMostoftheMingTombscanbefound50kilometresnorth-westofBeijinginaplacecalledShisanling,whichmeans‘thirteentombs’inChinese.ThirteenemperorsoftheMingDynasty(AD1368-1644)areburidhere,alongwiththeirwivesandothermembersoftheroyalfamily.Ofthethirteentombs,onlyChangling,DinglingandZhaolingareopentothepulic.AlongtheSacredWay,whichleadstothetombs,youcanseehugestonestatuesoftwenty-fouranimalsandtwelveofficials.SomeofthepinetreeswhichlinetheSacredWaywereplantedduringtheMingDynasty.AttheupperendoftheSacredWayisChangling,thelargestoftheMingTombs.Changlingisconsideredbymanyasthebestpreservedofthethirteentombs.ItisattheheartofShisanling,withothertombsplacedoneithersideofit.Itwasbuilttoresemberapalace,containingacomplexofbuildingsandcourtyard.AddingtotheextraordmarybeautyofChanglingistheLing’enPalace,knownforitssimpledesignandpaintedceiling.ManyofthedecorationsaremadefromafragranttypeofwoodnativetoChina,andtheflooriscoveredwith‘gold’bricks.ApartfromShisanling,themostfamousMingTombsisXiaoLing,inNanjing.Itcont