Question

Imagine mountains wrapped in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer sees the mountains turn bright green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered with white frost(霜). These are the colors of the Longji Rice Terraces(龙脊梯田).

These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people. Guangxi is home to them. Starting in the Yuan Dynasty, work on the terraces took hundreds of years until it was completed in the early Qing Dynasty.

So why did these people go to so much trouble to turn the mountains into terraces?

Firstly, there are few large and flat areas in the region they built terraces to have more areas to grow rice.

Secondly, although the region has plenty of rain, the mountains are1. steep and the soil is 2. shallow. The flat terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away.

But perhaps what is most important is the way in which people have worked in harmony with(和谐相处) nature to make these terraces and grow rice. The terraces are cleverly designed with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. The rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces along the waterways. 3. These terraces also provide a perfect environment for birds and fish, they feed on insects that can harm the rice crops.

Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the local people for whom traditions hold much value. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors every year.' They visit this great wonder created by people and nature working together.

1. How many reasons about turning the mountains into terraces are mentioned?

1.   

2. Guess the meanings of the underlined words in paragraph 5.

2.   

3. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.   

3.

4. In what other ways do people live in harmony with nature? Give examples. (at least one)
4.   

5. Give a proper title to the passage.

5.

Answer

1.There are two reasons./ Two.

2.陡的，陡峭的；浅的

3.这些梯田也为鸟类和鱼类提供了绝佳的栖息地，而一部分鸟和鱼又以危害水稻的昆虫为食。

4.City Park./Wolong Panda Reserve.

5.Longji Rice Terraces.

【解析】

本文讲述了壮族和瑶族人修建的龙脊梯田。

1.

根据Firstly,  there are few large and flat areas 首先，有很少大的平整的地方，和Secondly, the mountains are1. steep and the soil is 2. Shallow第二，山陡峭，土壤很浅；可知提到了两个关于把山变成梯田的理由，故答案是：There are two reasons/Two。

2.

根据 The flat terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away平坦的梯田吸收雨水，防止土壤被冲走，可知山都很陡峭的，土壤被冲走是因为土壤层浅，故shallow是浅的，故答案是：陡的，陡峭的；浅的。

3.

these terraces这些梯田，provide sth for sb，为某人提供某物，birds and fish鸟和鱼， perfect environment绝佳的栖息地，also，也，they，它们，feed on，以......为生，insects，昆虫，that，引导定语从句，指代昆虫，做主语，can，能，harm，伤害，the rice crops水稻，故答案是这些梯田也为鸟类和鱼类提供了绝佳的栖息地，而一部分鸟和鱼又以危害水稻的昆虫为食。

4.

根据They visit this great wonder created by people and nature working together他们参观这座由人与自然共同创造的伟大奇迹，可知人类未来与自然和谐相处，修建了城市公园和卧龙熊猫保护区，故答案是：City Park./Wolong Panda Reserve。

5.

根据本文讲述了壮族和瑶族人修建的龙脊梯田，可知合适的标题应该是龙脊梯田，故答案是：Longji Rice Terraces。