四六级

　　Old Race, New Places

　　The drums beat as the dragon boats race . This must be mainland China or Taiwan, right? Think again. These days the traditional Chinese boats are racing in places as unlikely as England and Italy. Dragon -boat racing was introduced to the world in 1982, when the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival1 included international competitors. In the 1990s, dragon-boat racing caught on2 in many non-Asian countries. It quickly became the world’s fastest-growing water sport. What’s the appeal3 ? Dragon-boat racing combines athletic competition , cultural interest and just plain fun.

　　The boats are manned4 by 20 paddlers, one drummer and one person who steers. Nearly 18 meters long, the colorful boats resemble dragons with elaborate heads and tails. The team paddles to the beat of the drum. The boats speed along, rising high and moving smoothly along the water. In about three to six minutes, they cross the finish line.

　　The races recall Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet in ancient China. When he drowned in the Mi Luo River, the people raced out to save him. But they were too late .

　　Dragon boats are now racing in towns and cities around the world. Students, working people and older people race for fun and exercise . Serious paddlers compete for cups and medals. In the United States, the Pacific Northwest International Dragon Cup is in its 11 th year. In Toronto, about 250, 000 spectators turn out for dragon-boat races each summer. Sweden has over 400 teams. Poland, too, has several dragon-boat clubs.

　　There are even consulting businesses to help people organize local dragon-boat events. They help with site selection, team training and safety. Besides that, non-profit organizations hold competitions to raise money.

　　And various regional and worldwide races — too many to name — keep serious paddlers busy. In September 2003 , Rome hosted the Club Crews World Championship. In 2004, world-class teams gathered in Shanghai for the fifth International Dragon Boat Federation races. In 2005 . . .

　　Going to Europe this summer? If so, just remember: When in Rome, do as the Chinese do!

　　阅读自测：

　　Ⅰ. Complete each sentence with a pro per word , making changes where necessary: ( catch on, appeal, man, patriotic , spectator, consult, amateur, worldclass)

　　1. Lily is an _________tennis player.

　　2. Several thousand _________watched the basketball game.

　　3. That new hairstyle has really_________ . Many people have that hairstyle now.

　　4. This company does _________work. It helps people start business.

　　5. The girls _________will the radar till we get back.

　　6. Kim really loves her country. She is very_________ .

　　7. This is a _________restaurant. It is known for having excellent quality.

　　8. The new fashion soon lost its_________ .

　　Ⅱ. An swe r the followin g que stio n in your own wo rds :

　　Why does the Dragon-boat Racing become so popular in the world ?

　　参考答案：

　　Ⅰ. 1. amateur 2. spectators 3. caught on 4 . consulting 5. man 6. patriotic 7 . world-class 8. appeal

　　Ⅱ. Because it combines athletic competition, cultural interest and just plain fun, and people of all ages can take part in this activity.

　　阅读导评：

　　古诗《端午赛龙舟》云:“ 端午云开阵雨收, 万人江上赛龙舟。心随鼓点声声急, 忘却屈 原当日愁。”这是诗人描写人们观看赛龙舟的真实情景。赛龙舟作为中国一项传统民间运 动, 因其竞技性、文化趣味性、娱乐性和大众参与性, 在今天依然有着旺盛的生命力, 并风行 于世界各地。在全球一体化的今天, 各民族的传统文化正在不断地交流融合, 君不见, 时下 许多“ 洋节”也在我们身边悄然兴起。

　　阅读导释：

　　1. 香港龙舟节是一项大型的文化活动, 每年8 月初举行, 每次大约有70 ～80 支来自世界各 039 地的业余龙舟队伍参赛, 至今已举办十几届了。

　　2. 受欢迎, 变得流行起来, 常用于口语。例如: Mini-skirts first caught on in the 1960s. ( 迷你 裙最初是在20 世纪60 年代流行开来。)

　　3. appeal n. 吸引力, 如: Learning English has a special appeal for business people in Asia. ( 亚洲商 界学英语的劲头很足

　　4. man v. 给⋯⋯配备人手, 如: manned spaceship ( 载人飞船) ; What sort of people would he select to man his government? ( 他将选择怎样的人员来组阁呢?)5. 此句改写自谚语:When in Rome, do as the Romans do. ( 入乡随俗。) 作者巧妙地改用广 为人知的俗语, 使文章结尾变得生动有趣, 整篇文章顿时活了起来。