外研社必修七 moudule 6 原文
外研版选修七M6英语课文Module 6
Reading and Vocabulary Part 1
The Amazing Caves of Zhoukoudian
Zhoukoudian is a small village about 50 kilometres south-west of Beijing. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered some prehistoric human bones there which changed China's knowledge of its history. They came from an unknown species of man and were the firs t evidence of primitive human life in China thousan ds of years ago. The remains were ... three teeth!
In 1929, a complete skull was also discovered. Even tually, archaeologists found almost 200 items, includ ing six skulls and more than 150 teeth. These disc overies proved the existence of a human species who lived in the area between 700,000 and 200,000 yea rs ago.
Four sites where Beijing Man and his relations live d were
discovered on the northern face of Dragon Bone Hill (Longgushan). They lived in the limestone caves in the area.
However, the life span of Beijing Man was short. A bout 70% of the people probably died before the ag e of 14. Fewer than 5% lived to the age of 50. Even so, they were quite sophisticated. Ashes were found alongside the fossils which showed they used fire for cooking food and also for light, warmth a nd protection from wild beasts. This is the earlies t evidence of the use of fire anywhere in the wor ld. They also made tools of bones and sharpened st ones. Unfortunately, when Japan invaded China in 193 7, excavations at the Beijing Man Site stopped and most of the fossils disappeared, including a Beiji ng Man skull. They have never been found. After th e People's Republic of China was established in 194 9, the work started again and Zhoukoudian became an important tourist attraction.
Zhoukoudian was listed as a world heritage site in December 1987. It has not only given us important information about prehistoric Asian societies, but also has provided amazing evidence about the process of evolution.
At the Suzhou conference in June 2004, one of the delegates praised China's work on heritage sites, "China has done excellent work in protecting world heritage, both tangible and intangible." Tangible cul tural heritage includes museums and monuments—things you can see and touch. But what is intangib le cultural heritage? Intangible cultural heritage, w hich is also called living cultural heritage, consis ts of the following features: 1 Oral Heritage
This includes languages, spoken literature, music, da nce, games, customs and knowledge of traditional cra ftwork. It also includes the cultural places where popular and traditional cultural activities take plac e (for example, sites for story-telling and festival s, etc.).
2 Living Human Treasures
Living human treasures are people who have the know ledge and skills required for the cultural tradition s of their society. 3 Endangered Languages Endangered languages are languages spoken by only a few people and languages which are not taught to new inhabitants of the region. For example, there are nearly 60 languages in Australia which are en dangered, or are disappearing.
4 Traditional Music of the World
Musical traditions around the world form part of th e intangible heritage of mankind in the same way a s monuments and natural sites. For example, Kunqu o pera, was founded before the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) in
Kunshan, near Suzhou. UNESCO added Kunqu to its int angible heritage list in 2001
Chinese Cultural Heritage Bid for UNESCO
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the Mid-Autumn Festival could be listed on the directory of worl d intangible cultural heritage if a bid to UNESCO is successful.
They could join the Chinese arts of Guqin Music an d Kunqu Opera as "world intangible heritages". UNESCO has 47 items on the world heritage list, in cluding Chinese Kunqu Opera and Guqin Music. Every two years the directory is enlarged by giving each country the chance to recommend one candidate.
No discrimination is made against countries which ma ke regular bids, so although the process is long, there is a strong possibility that TCM and the Mid -Autumn Festival will be accepted. While the bid is going through, the state government allocates funds for each item's protection.
The application for TCM would highlight the fact th at traditional Chinese medicine is a culture that h as existed for thousands of years. If TCM is accep ted on the UNESCO list, doctors and practitioners w
ould advocate both its advantages and its legal sta tus abroad. The theories and experiences of old TCM practitioners would continue to be collected, and treatment would be extended into other areas of med icine, such as research into the AIDS virus and ma laria. But some people feel that there needs to be a compromise between the term "heritage" which sug gests something old-fashioned, and the fact that TCM is still developing as a medical science.
Mid-Autumn celebrations reflect Chinese cultural tradi tions. With more than 50 million Chinese living and working overseas, the Mid-Autumn Festival reminds t hem of their Chinese origins and would help to uni te Chinese people all over the world. Plans for a seminar of experts on the festival have been anno unced, which will recommend symbolic ambassadors to promote the bid.
Other examples of China's intangible cultural heritag e include the ancient art of Shaolin kung fu, the world's longest epic poem of Tibetan King Gesser, and Chen-style Tai Chi.
UNESCO's agenda for the world's tangible and intangi
ble heritage is also to act as a warning system f or sites which are at the mercy of redevelopment, pollution or even the effects of tourism, and cultu ral activities which are in danger. UNESCO undertake s to take sites off the World Heritage list if th eir present state is threatened by an absence of p rotection.
Getting accepted on the list is the result not sim ply of a subjective recommendation by interested gro ups, but of cultural diplomacy by governments and a thorough understanding of the bureaucratic system o f UNESCO. In return, UNESCO recognises the autonomy of provincial, federal and state cultural organisat ions, but offers support and guidance when requested .
Santa Fe's Living Treasures
The Living Treasures Program originated in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the USA in 1984 and has now sprea
d to dozens of other communities across th
e country .
It started when a Santa Fe organisation called the Network for the Common Good was established. The idea was to celebrate the lives of members of the older generation. "Older people are easily forgotte n or ignored in a country like the USA," said Rob in Rodar, one of the organisers. "Youth and new th ings seem more important to a lot of people."
This isn't the way with other cultures. In New Mex ico, older people from Hispanic and native American cultures preserve their traditions and languages. T he extended family is important and grandparents are respected. This is also true in Asian cultures. I n fact, the Santa Fe organisers got the idea for the Living Treasures Program from a Japanese traditi on of honouring folk artists.
Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the program ho nours three older New Mexicans. They are asked to give a long interview—an oral history—which is taped and preserved at the Santa Fe Publi c Library. A photographer spends a day with each l
iving treasure and the photographs are also displaye d at the library.
Then there is a ceremony to which the whole town is invited. Everyone meets at the Museum of Interna tional Folk Art. Friends and neighbours of the livi ng treasures tell stories. After everyone else has spoken, the living treasures give a speech. "It's j ust amazing," said Robin Rodar's husband, Sam. "The ceremony holds the community together."
The living treasures are honoured for their achievem ents in many different areas of life. It might be in their working life: medicine, education, the en vironment, architecture, literature and journalism; an d it might be because of their contribution to the cultural and social life of the area: art, music, theatre, farming, sport, etc.; or it might be bec ause they have such good stories to tell about "th e old days"