Unit Seventeen

1. Unit Seventeen Scenic Attractions around the Area of the Three Gorges 张 家 界 风 光

2. Scenic Attractions around the Area of the Three Gorges The Yellow Crane Tower Zhangjiajie Mountain Wudang Mountain

3. There are many charming scenic spots in the cities around the area of the Three Gorges, such as Jingzhou City, Wuhan City, Zhangjiajie City，Shiyan City , Zhongxiang City in Hubei Province. These beautiful sights, including Jingzhou Ancient Town (荆州古城), the Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼), Wudang Mountain (武当山)，Mingxian Tomb (明显陵) and Zhangjiajie (张家界)and so on, attract thousands and thousands of tourists from every part of the world.

4. back

5. back

6. back

7. The ancient Jingzhou Town, (also called Jiangling Town ) is one of the first 24 historical and cultural cities designated （指定的）by the State Council （国务院）. The ancient town is divided into three parts. The outer part is waterside town, the middle part is brick (砖块) town and the inner part is earth town. It was said that the thick liquid of ground glutinous rice (糯米粉 ) was filled into cracks (裂缝) of the stones at the foot of the right wall of the town to avoid foundation sinking and flooding, therefore the city wall is very solid.

8. Twenty kings of Chu had made it capital for 411 years. As an ancient capital, it was the center of Daxi culture and Chu Culture. Archaeologists（考古学家）and tourism specialists（专家）put it as “the only best preserved（保存）ancient cities in South China”.

9. Located in Zhongxiang City, Mingxian Tomb is the largest and best-preserved mono-structural （单体结构）imperatorial （帝王）tomb. The location of Mingxian Tomb was carefully selected according to Chinese geomantic （风水）theory. Mingxian Tomb is a national key relics（ 遗迹）protection site. Now another three famous scenic spots will be simply introduced in the following three passages. They are the Yellow Crane Tower, Zhangjiajie Mountain and Wudang Mountain respectively (分别地).

10. Translation: 三峡周边之旅 在三峡的周边城市，湖北省的荆州市、武汉市、十堰市、张家界市、钟祥市等地也有很多风景如画的旅游景点，诸如荆州古城、黄鹤楼、武当山、明显陵、张家界等。 荆州古城（江陵）是国务院最早确定的24个历史文化古城之一。荆州古城分为三层，外边是水城，中间是砖城，里面是土城。据说当年为防止城基下陷，洪水泛城，在右城脚条石缝中浇灌了糯米浆，因而城墙特别坚固。楚国有二十个国王，前后四百一十一年在这里建都，荆州作为古都也是大溪文化和楚文化的中心。荆州古城被国内考古学家和旅游学专家誉为 “中国南方古城的唯一完璧”。

11. 明显陵位于湖北省钟祥市，是明代帝陵中最大的保存最好的单体陵墓。明显陵墓是严格根据中国传统的风水理论来规划的。明显陵是全国重点文物保护单位。 这里将简单介绍另外的三个旅游热点, 即黄鹤楼、武当山和张家界。 back to main page

12. 张家界风光 back

13. 明 显 陵 back

14. 明显陵龙形神道 明显陵御桥 钟 祥 明 显 陵 back

16. 东湖风景

17. 东 湖 风 景

18. 武汉大学校园广场 back

19. 小武当

20. 武当山风景 back

21. 武当山风光 back

22. back

23. Wudang Mountain back

24. back

25. Passage 1 The Yellow Crane Tower

26. Lying on the top of Snake Mountain in Wuchang District of Wuhan City, near the southern end of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge，the Yellow Crane Tower is one of the three most famous towers on the south bank of the Yangtze River. The legend has it that the owner of a wine shop used to give free wine to a taoist, so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the wall in gratitude. After the taoist left, the crane came to life and danced for the customers, hence the owner became rich very soon.

27. Wuhan Yangtze Bridge back

28. When the taoist returned ten years later, blowing a flute, he mounted the crane and flew off into the sky. The owner built a tower on the place of the wine shop and named it Yellow Crane Tower to commemorate the Taoist. According to records, the tower was firstly built in 223 A.D. for the purpose of military affairs, during the period of the Three Kingdoms. Then the tower served as a gathering place for celebrities and poets to hold parties, have dinners, visit or compose poetry. Cui Hao, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty, made the tower well known in China with his poem “The Yellow Crane Tower”.

29. The tower was rebuilt again and again in later dynasties，though it was destroyed many times. Modeling the destroyed tower in Tongzhi Age, Qing Dynasty, people rebuilt it in October, 1981, and the construction lasted for four years.

30. The whole Yellow Crane Tower Park consists of the Yellow Crane Tower, side pavilions, corridors, archways, corridors of tablets with poem inscriptions and business streets of ancient style. This 51.4 meter high and five-stored tower are decorated with glazed tiles, crimson pillars, overlapping ridges and interlocking flying eaves, making it even more magnificent than old ones. Walking on every floor of the buildings, you must feel happy that it is the best place to view the surrounding scenery and the mighty Yangtze River.

31. The Yellow Crane Tower is a symbol of the Wuhan City, and it is a state-level tourist spot and one of the 40 excellent scenic spots in China. Notes: 1. The Yellow Crane Tower 原诗为:昔人已乘黄鹤去，此地空余黄鹤楼。黄鹤一去不复返，白云千载空悠悠。晴川历历汉阳树，芳草萋萋鹦鹉洲。日暮乡关何处是，烟波江上使人愁。

32. 武大樱花

33. 武汉海关

34. 武汉东湖风景区 back

35. New Words: interlocking mount magnificent mighty pavilions tablet pillar tile ridge a. 互相扣住的 v. 登，骑 a. 宏伟的 a. 强大的 n. 亭，阁 n. 匾额 n. 柱子 n. 瓦片，瓷砖 n. 背脊，屋脊 archway commemorate corridor crimson eaves flute gratitude glazed harmonious n. 拱门，牌楼 vt. 纪念 n. 走廊 a. 深红色的 pl. 房檐 n. 笛子 n. 感激 a. 光滑的 a. 和谐的

36. Exercises: I. Answer the questions: 1. Where is the Yellow Crane Tower located? 2. Why was the tower built at first and what did the people often do later? 3. What does the whole Yellow Crane Tower Park consist of? 4. What words are used to describe the appearance of the tower in the text? 5. How important is the Yellow Crane Tower? key key

37. II. Decide the statements true or false: 1. The legend has it that the owner of a wine shop used to give free wine to a taoist, so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the wall in gratitude. ( ) 2. The owner built a tower on the place of the wine shop and named it Yellow Crane Tower to commemoratethe Taoist. ( ) 3. The tower was rebuilt again and again in later dynasties，though it was destroyed many times. ( ) key

38. 4. Modeling the destroyed tower in Tongzhi Age, Tang Dynasty, people rebuilt it in October, 1981, and the construction lasted for four years. ( ) 5. Walking on every floor of the buildings, you must feel happy that it is the best place to view the surrounding scenery and the mighty Yangtze River. ( ) III. Multiple choices: 1. The legend has it that the owner of a wine shop used to give free wine to a ______ , so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the ______ in gratitude. key

39. A. Taoist,wall B. Taoist, table C. Taoist, floor D. poet, wall 2. After the taoist left, the _______ came to life and danced for the customers, hence the owner became _______ very soon. A. crane, rich B. fish, rich C. crane, poor D. fish, sad 3. When the taoist returned ten years later, blowing a ______, he ______ the crane and flew off into the sky. A. flute, mounted B. flute, petted C. mounted, petted D. mounted, flute, key

40. 4. The tower was ______ built in ______. A. secondly, 223 A.D. B. firstly, 223 A.D. C. firstly, 1981 D. secondly, 1981 5. Cui Hao, a famous _______ in Tang Dynasty, made the tower well ______ in China with his poem “The Yellow Crane Tower”. A. Taoist, high B. poet, known C. poet, high D. Taoist, known key

41. Translation： 黄 鹤 楼 巍峨耸立于武汉市武昌区蛇山的黄鹤楼，靠近武汉长江大桥的南端，被誉为 “江南三大名楼之一”。 相传黄鹤楼原为辛氏开设的酒店，一道士在此饮酒，店主从不收费。为了感谢她千杯之恩，临行前在壁上画了一只鹤，告之它能下来起舞助兴。从此宾客盈门，生意兴隆。过了10年，道士复来，取笛吹奏，道士跨上黄鹤直上云天。辛氏为纪念这位帮她致富的仙翁，便在其地起楼，取名“黄鹤楼”。

42. 据记载，黄鹤楼始建于三国时代约公元223年，是为了军事目的而建的，后来逐渐成为文人荟萃、宴客、会友、吟诗、赏景的游览胜地。唐代诗人崔颢一首“黄鹤楼”更使黄鹤楼名声大噪。 历代以来黄鹤楼灾难频仍, 但屡毁屡建。现在的黄鹤楼于1981年10月重修，工程历时四年,以清朝同治时期的楼为蓝本。整个建筑由主楼、配亭、轩廊，牌坊镌刻诗文的回廊以及仿古的商业街道组成。黄鹤楼主楼高51.4米，分五层，金色琉璃瓦屋面, 红色大柱,攒尖楼顶，层层飞檐，较之以前更高大雄伟。游人漫步于前楼后阁的各层廊道，江城景色尽收眼底，令人心旷神驰，流连忘返。 黄鹤楼是武汉市的标志性建筑，并被国家旅游局列入 “国家景点”和 “中国旅游胜地四十佳”。 back to main page

43. Passage 2 Zhangjiajie Mountain

44. Zhangjiajie is situated in the northwest of Hunan province, in the juncture of the Yunan-Guizhou Plateau and the subsidence of Donating Lake. Zhangjiajie City covers an area of 9,653 square kilometers, which accounts for 4.5 percent of Hunan province. Zhangjiajie falls into the category of subtropicalhumidmonsoon climate and the annual average temperature is 16 degrees Centigrade.

45. 张家界风光 back

46. back

47. back

48. The landform is complex in Zhangjiajie, including mountains, lava, hills, plains, etc. The most characteristic feature is the quartzessandstone landform, which is rare in the world. Zhangjiajie is also a treasure house of natural resources. Furthermore, 56 species of plants and 40 species of animals are under national protection, among the various kinds of living things.

49. Zhangjiajie is a habitation for minority nationalities. During the long history, Tujia people, Miao people, Bai people together with the people of other nationalities co-create a unique culture. Zhangjiajie has got the fame of “the Village of Qigong ”, and the local Qigong performances attract many tourists. Zhangjiajie, a fairyland gathering essence of the heaven, has brought up thousands of elites in the hundreds of years. Among them, there are He Long and Du xinwu, whose great spirit makes Zhanjiajie more attractive to tourists.

50. Zhangjiajie City is known for its unique tourist resources. The central scenic area, which possesses 264 square kilometers, is made up of the three main places, the First Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Suoxi Gully Nature Reserve and the Emperor Mountain Nature Reserve. There are many famous spots in Zhangjiajie, such as Baofeng Lake, the Huanglong Cave, The Yellow Lion Village and so on.