大学英语快速阅读教程（第一册第一单元）

Book One

Unit One

Passage One

Directions: You will have 10 minutes to read this passage quickly and answer the following

questions from A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.

Chinese Alcohol

An important part of Chinese culture, the use of alcohol can be traced back to the dawn of the nation’s history. Over the centuries many different kinds of alcoholic drinks have been developed and brewing (酿造) methods as well as distillation (蒸馏) has become more sophisticated. At the same time the way of enjoying these desirable products has become a vital part of custom and culture.

Alcoholic beverages have inspired many writers resulting in thousands of poems and other works relating to “the magic elixir” (长生不老药). People drink it when they are joyous and for fun. No formal dinner would be complete without it, while a toast can seal a business enterprise, send troops into battle with a prayer for victory as well as express a wish for the health and happiness of family and friends. One of the classic examples of the ceremonial use of alcohol is described in the famous story Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The three heroes in the tale, become blood brothers by drinking bowls of wine into which they have mixed drops of their own blood from cuts in their fingers. This act may seem extreme but was a symbol of faithfulness in those days.

The symbolic serving and drinking of wine on various occasions and in different places can convey many meanings. It can express either joy or sorrow. In China, there is a saying that “a thousand cups of wine is not too much when bosom friends meet together”, which indicates the happiness between two close friends; whereas a poem by Li Bai, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), says, “releasing melancholy by wine, but adding more,” suggested a touch of sadness. There are frequent references to wine in well-known legends, as for example—“to taste the sweet osmanthus (木犀属植物) wine on the moon, produced by the beautiful fairy Chang’e when she felt lonely, is everyone’s dream”.

Nearly all important occasions are celebrated with alcohol. The Spring Festival, which is a favorite time for family party, is probably one of the most meaningful when happiness is expressed by social drinking. During the Double Ninth Festival, people drink chrysanthemum (菊花) wine to drive away the evil and to wish their elders good health and long life. Of course, no wedding ceremony is complete unless the happy couple expresses their love for each other by linking their arms to drink to their future happiness (jiaobeijiu), after which they offer a dutiful toast to their parents to thank them for the care they have given to them as children. Similarly, birthday celebrations and the ceremony to mark the 100th day following the birth of a baby will be celebrated with a toast of wine. In South China, when a baby girl is born, her parents will brew alcohol for her, bury it underground and keep it until she marries. Then they take the jar up and paint pleasant pictures upon it to give greetings.

Each ethnic group has some form of alcoholic drink with which to celebrate special festivals.

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For example, around the Spring Festival, Korean people drink their “suijiu” to which they add rice, root of the balloon flower, cinnamon (肉桂) and, red chili and so on, to protect themselves from demons.

When drinking wine at table, both the host and the guests are expected to follow certain rules of manners and behavior.

The glass should be full of wine, or else the guest will think they are lacking due respect. The elders and superior person or persons present should always be served first.

A toast represents respect, while refusing to participate in a toast shows a lack of politeness or respect. Should a guest be really unable to take a drink, he has to find another to do it for him in order to save face.

When making a toast, everyone is required to stand and lightly touch each others’ cup, ensuring that the junior’s cup is held lower than that of their superior. The cup should be emptied and inverted to show that no wine remains. Drinking with a single draught symbolizes courage. Those who cannot manage to do so should explain in advance in order to receive a kindly understanding of their situation and thus ensure that no one is offended.

(714 words)

Questions

1. Chinese alcohol . A) has a history more than a century

B) is developing rapidly

C) is enjoyed in more sophisticated ways than the westerners

D) is an important part of Chinese culture

2. The act of the three heroes in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a symbol of in

those days.

A) faithfulness B) courage C) happiness D) willingness 3. Li Bai’s poem mentioned in the third paragraph expresses .

A) sadness B) joy C) loneliness D) sorrow 4. parents will brew alcohol for their baby girl for future use. A) During the Spring Festival B) In South China

C) On the wedding ceremony D) During the Double Ninth Festival 5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned when people make a toast? A) Everyone is required to stand and lightly touch each others’ cup.

B) The elders and superiors should hold the cups higher.

C) People should ensure that the junior’s cup is held lower than that of their superior.

D) Those who cannot drink with a single draught should explain in advance.

Notes

1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms:《三国演义》

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Passage Two

Directions: In this part, you will have 10 minutes to go over the passage quickly and

decide questions 1-8 according to the passage. If it is true you fill “T” in the parenthesis, if not or false fill “F” in parenthesis before the sentence.

Zhang Yimou—A Creative Genius

On the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008, 2 billion TV viewers and thousands in attendance in the now famous Bird’s Nest enjoyed an unforgettable sight at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Behind it all was the creative genius of Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. Drawing from the depths of the Chinese culture and creativity of the Chinese people, showing ancient Chinese inventions—paper, printing, gunpowder, ceramics and the compass—that have shaped civilization and channeling the sensibility and spirit that unite his fellow 1.3 billion citizens, Zhang told China’s story to a watching world. He created arguably the grandest sight of the new millennium, and it was viewed by nearly one-third of the world’s population. With this work, Zhang obtained a high position shared by very few film directors in the world.

In telling China’s story, Zhang explored the Chinese character he, or peaceful harmony—an ideal extremely important to Chinese culture. This level of creative artistry is rare in the controlled field of filmmaking, let alone in a multidimensional arena (多维的舞台) with thousands of performers and visual set pieces that seemed to be impossible—yet it was all happening live, before the eyes of the world.

There is much legend surrounding Zhang’s rise to his world fame, given that his first job was as a farmhand and then a laborer in a cotton mill. But the story I enjoy most is that he gave blood over a period of months to earn enough money to buy his first camera. He was 25. When the Beijing Film Academy reopened in 1978 after the Cultural Revolution, he was 27, already considered too old to become a filmmaker and lacking many of the necessary credits. Bravely, he offered his photographic works and was admitted to the department of cinematography.

Zhang became a filmmaker, and for the past two decades, he has inspired the world’s interest with China through his films. Not since the great British director Michael Powell has a director used color so effectively to tell stories. In Red Sorghum (1987), Ju Dou (1990) and one of his greatest works, Raise the Red Lantern (1991), the vivid use of red in the manufacturing of wine, the traditional wedding gown, the process of dyeing silk and even the dark red splashes of blood illuminate Zhang’s celebration of life, exoticism and death. Ju Dou was the first Chinese film to be nominated for an Academy Award; Raise the Red Lantern was the second.

Zhang also brought the actress Gong Li to prominence, casting her in starring roles in six of his films. Together they are credited with introducing sensuality and eroticism to Chinese cinema. Western audiences are probably familiar with Zhang more from his action films: Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and his most Shakespearean work, Curse of the Golden Flower (2006).

Zhang was no stranger to live theatrical events either. In 1998 he staged and directed Puccini’s opera Turandot at the Forbidden City in Beijing. He directed a folk musical in 2003 and staged it outdoors on the Li River. In 2006 he directed Tan Dun’s The First Emperor for New York City’s Metropolitan Opera.

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All this work and its complexity should have prepared me for the depth and breadth of Zhang’s vision, apparent even in its early stages when he first met me in 2005 about the Beijing ceremonies. We met on a sunny afternoon in East Hampton, New York, and I knew immediately we were going to become good friends. With the description of his idea on his computer, he showed me what he was thinking. I realized Zhang would be the creator-director of the Olympic ceremonies, with the honor of putting on what would become the greatest show on earth, with China at center stage. I was honored to have been one of the first people inspired by Zhang’s ideas.

At the heart of Zhang’s Olympic ceremonies was the idea that the conflict of man foretells the desire for inner peace. This theme is one he’s explored and perfected in his films, whether they are about the lives of humble peasants or great nobles. This year he captured the theme of harmony and peace, which is the spirit of the Olympic Games. In one evening of visual and emotional splendor, he educated, enlightened and entertained us all. In doing so, Zhang secured himself a place in world history.

(746 words)

True or False

( ) 1. The Beijing ceremonies showed the Chinese culture, creativity of the Chinese people and

the quick development of China to the world.

( ) 2. The opening ceremonies were viewed by nearly one-third of the world’s population. ( ) 3. The Chinese character he means peaceful harmony.

( ) 4. Not until he was 25, was Zhang Yimou admitted to the department of cinematography. ( ) 5. Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern was the first Chinese film to be nominated for an

Academy Award.

( ) 6. Gong Li became world famous by starring 7 of Zhang Yimo’s films.

( ) 7. Zhang Yimou once discussed the Beijing ceremonies with the author in the USA in 2005. ( ) 8. The theme of harmony and peace is also the spirit of the Olympic Games.

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