A
When cultural heritage sites disappear,they’re gone forever.However,they are being endangered at an alarming rate by rising seas (Venice),pollution (the Taj Mahal) and overtourism (Angkor Wat).Just to name a few.
But when we try to protect these heritage sites,we also have to face such thorny questions as “What part of the past is worth preserving and passing on to the next generations?What duty do we owe to the creations of our ancestors?What strength do we draw from their presence—and when,on the contrary,do they become a lead weight,preventing us from projecting ourselves into the future?”.
Humankind has answered these difficult questions differently in different places.In Dresden,Germany,the Frauenkirche was an 18th century church whose bell-shaped top was a landmark.In February,1945,one of the most destructive bombing attacks of World War Ⅱ killed more than 25,000 people and reduced the city to ruins.As Dresden slowly rebuilt after the war,the Frauenkirche was left in ruins.But after German reunification,the church was reconstructed using many of its original materials,as a statement of peace and harmony.
Like the Frauenkirche,Notre Dame,a landmark in Paris,which was destroyed by fire in 2019,is being rebuilt as close as possible to how it was before,including using the original and poisonous metal lead for the roof.That choice was controversial,as future choices are bound to be in the debate about how to restore and preserve historic buildings.
Perhaps,no one can claim to have the right answers on preservation.There may not even be right answers.What we will do is to continue to take care of important cultural heritage sites,as a matter of significance to humanity’s past,present and future.
1.Which heritage site is suffering from too many visitors?
A.Venice. B.Dresden.
C.The Taj Mahal. D.Angkor Wat.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “thorny” in paragraph 2?
A.Tough. B.Smart.
C.Interesting. D.Important.
3.What does the author dislike about the rebuilding of Notre Dame?
A.The high rebuilding costs.
B.The timing of reconstruction.
C.The choice of certain material.
D.The significance of preservation.
4.What message does the author seem to convey in the text?
A.We should protect as many heritage sites as possible.
B.It is better to leave the damaged historic buildings alone.
C.Historic buildings should be rebuilt with the same materials.
D.Heritage sites serve as an important link among human beings.
