Question

Hanging Gardens of Babylon(巴比伦空中花园)

     The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in the 7^th century BC and are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were amazing not only because of their beauty, but also because of their location.

     In the 7^th century BC a king named Nebudchadnezzar II created the gardens as a sign of love for his wife, Amyitis. According to legend, Amyitis, the daughter of the king of the Medes, was homesick. She missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland.

     Upon marrying Nebudchadnezzar II, Amyitis moved to the ancient chief city of Babylon. The area was in the Mesopotamian desert, and the climate there was totally different from where she had left. So the new queen was very sad about the flat and the sun-baked desert. To make Amyitis happier and more comfortable the king decided to build her a series of magnificent gardens.

     Many think of the gardens as an otherworldly creation that hung in the air somehow. But experts agree that the gardens were actually built on a mountainside, rather than actually “hanging”.

     The hanging Gardens of Babylon are famous. Stories of them spread throughout the ancient world, and ancient writers recorded a large number of descriptions of the gardens, but some wonder whether this paradise of the past ever existed. There are no historical records of it except stories. Whatever may happen, even the idea of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is amazing. They were essentially impossible to create because of the climate, but they were kept in the minds of many as a botanical beauty created in the middle of unattractive desert scenery.

1.Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, aren’t they?

2.What makes the Hanging Gardens of Babylon so amazing and famous?

3.Why did the king Nebudchadnezzar II create Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

4.What made the Hanging Gardens of Babylon essentially impossible to create?

5.According to the experts, were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon really hanging or built on a mountainside?

6.Did Hanging Gardens of Babylon really exist? What makes you think so? (In no more than THREE sentences)

Answer

1.Yes, they are.

2.Their beauty and location.

3.To make his wife, Amyitis, happier and more comfortable.

4.The desert climate.

5.They were built on a mountainside.

6.Any reasonable answer is acceptable.

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文讲述的是古巴比伦的空中花园，这是世界7大奇迹之一。根据一些故事中的记载，这个花园是巴比伦的国王，为了安慰自己的妻子的思乡情绪而修建的。但是有些人怀疑这个跟天堂一样的地方是否真的存在。

1.根据文章的第一句话The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in the 7th century BC and are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.可知，巴比伦的空中花园建于公元前7世纪，是古代世界的7大奇迹之一。故本题的答案是肯定的。

2.根据文章第一段的最后一句话The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were amazing not only because of their beauty, but also because of their location.可知，巴比伦空中花园不仅因为它的美丽而出名，还因为它的地理位置。故本题的答案为their beauty and location。

3.根据文章第二、三段的内容及第三段最后一句话To make Amyitis happier and more comfortable the king decided to build her a series of magnificent gardens.可知，巴比伦的国王为他的妻子修建了这个花园，因为他的妻子很怀念她的家乡，不适应现在的环境，为了让他的妻子更快乐，更舒服，巴比伦的国王修建了这个花园。

4.根据文章的最后一段中They were essentially impossible to create because of the climate可知，这个花园修建在沙漠之中，沙漠的气候使得修建这个花园是不可能的。

5.根据文章的第四段But experts agree that the gardens were actually built on a mountainside, rather than actually “hanging”.可知，专家认为，这个空中花园根本不是修建在半空中的，而是建在山坡上。

6.这是一个开放性的问题，问的是你认为空中花园真的存在吗？根据文章的最后一段内容可知，修建空中花园的这个故事在古代世界里传播的很远，一些古代的作家也记录了很多对这个花园的描述；但是有些人怀疑这个花园的存在，因为没有历史记录留下来证明它的存在，而且在沙漠气候里修建这个花园是不可能的。故这个问题的答案可以根据自己的想法来作答。

考点：任务型阅读。