Passage1北京大学北京大学于1898年成立,原名为京师大学堂(theImperialUniversityofPeking)。该大学的成立标志着中国近代史上高等教育的开始。在中国近代史上,它是进步思想的中心,对中国新文化运动、五四运动及其他重要事件的发生颇有影响。今天,国内不少高校排行榜将北京大学放入国内顶尖大学之列。该校重视教学和科学研究。为提高本科生教育和研究生教育质量、保持其领先研究机构的地位,学校已做出很大努力。此外,学校尤以其校园环境及优美的中国传统建筑而闻名。OriginallyknownastheImperialUniversityofPeking,PekingUniversitywasestablishedin1898.TheestablishmentoftheUniversitymarkedthebeginningofhighereducationinChina'smodemhistory.InmodemhistoryofChinaitwasacenterforprogressivethoughtandwasinfluentialinthebirthofChina'sNewCultureMovementMayFourthMovementandmanyothersignificantevents.Today,PekingUniversitywasplacedbymarrydomesticuniversityrankingsamongstthetopuniversitiesinChinaTheuniversitylaysemphasisonbothteaching,andscientificresearch.Ithasmadegreateffortstoimprovetheundergraduateandgraduateeducation,andmaintainitsroleasaleadingresearchinstitutionInaddition,theUniversityisespeciallyrenownedforitscampusenvironmentandthebeautyofitstraditionalChinesearchitecture.Passage2中国的民族中国以其人口密集、疆域辽阔而著称。作为一个多民族国家,中国共有56个民族,总人口约14亿人。汉族是中华民族的主体民族,约占全国人口的92%.主要分布在东部和中部。而其他少数民族居住相对分散,主要分布在中国的西南、西北和东北部地区。每个少数民族都有与众不同的特点、悠久的传统文化和独特的风俗习惯。中国政府长久以来一直提倡和发展平等、团结的民族关系,强调各民族共同发展、共同繁荣。以……而著称benoted/famousfor少数民族ethnicminority;minorityethnicgroup人口密集densepopulation与众不同的特点distinctivecharacter疆域辽阔vastterritory独特的风俗习惯uniqueconvention多民族的国家amultinationalcountry提倡advocate;propose汉族theHanNationality强调highlight;emphasize分布distributeChinaisnotedforitsdensepopulationandvastterritory.Asamultinationalcountry,Chinaishometo56ethnicgroupswithatotalpopulationofaboutl.4billionTheHanNationalityisthemajority,accountingfor92%0fthetotalpopulationwhichdistributesmainlyintheeastandmiddleofChina;whiletheethnicminoritiesdwellextensivelyalloverChinadistributingmainlyinthesouthwest,thenorthwestandthenortheast.Eachoftheminorityethnicgroupshasadistinctivecharacter,longtraditionalcultureanduniqueconventions.Chinesegovernmenthaslongbeenadvocatinganddevelopinganequalandunitedethnicrelationship,highlightingthecommondevelopmentandprosperityofallethnicgroups.Passage3中国桥梁中国的桥梁建设有着悠久的历史中国古代桥梁以木材和石头为主要建筑材料,形式多样,极富特色。中国现存最古老的桥梁为隋代建造的安济桥,位于河北省赵县安济桥又名赵州桥,桥长50.82关,桥宽9米,为国家重点保护的文物(culturalrelic).清朝末年,兰州黄河铁桥建成,标志着中国桥梁建设进入了以钢铁和混凝土(concrete)为主要材料的时期:如今,中国的桥梁建设保持着多项世界记录,中国跻身于世界桥梁建设强国行列.桥梁建设bridgeconstruction/building末年lateyears;lastyears:finalyears有着悠久的历史boast/havealonghistory进入了……的时期stepintoaneraof___形式多样varyinforms世界记录worldrecord极富特色behighlydistinct跻身……行列standamong..现存的existing强国giant;powerfulcountry;power国家重点保护的keynationalprotectedChinaboastsalonghistoryinbridgeconstruction.Withwoodandstoneasthemajorbuildingmaterials,Chineseancientbridgesvaryinformsandarehighlydistinct.ConstructedintheSuiDynasty,AnjiBridge,whichislocatedinZhaoCounty,HebeiProvince,istheoldestexistingbridgeinChina.AnjiBridge,alsonamedZhaozhouBridge,isakeynationalprotectedculturalrelicmeasuringalengthof50.82metersandawidthof9meters.InthelateyearsoftheQingDynasty,HuangheIronBridgeinLanzhouwascompleted,symbolizingthatChina'sbridgeconstructionsteppedintoaneraofadoptingsteelandconcreteasthemainmaterialsforbridges.Now,bearingmanyworldrecords,Chinastandsamongworldgiantsinbridgeconstruction.Passage4中国菜中国菜(cuisine)是中国各地区、各民族各种菜肴的统称,也指发源于中国的烹饪方式。中国菜历史悠久,流派(genre)众多,主要代表菜系有“八大菜系”。每一菜系因气候、地理、历史、烹饪技巧和生活方式的差异而风格各异。中国菜的调料(seasoning)丰富多样,调料的不同是形成地方特色菜的主要原因之一。中国菜强调色、香、味俱佳,味是菜肴的灵魂:中国饮食文化博大精深,作为世界三大菜系之一的中国菜,在海内外享有盛誉。地区region烹饪技巧cookingtechnique民族ethnicgroup丰富多样arichvarietyof…;richandvaried统称generalterm特色菜specialdishes烹饪方式c:ookingstyle强调layemphasison;emphasize代表representative博大精深extensive/broadandprofound气候climate享有盛誉enjoyahighreputation地理geographyChinesecuisineisageneraltermforthevariousfoodsfromdiverseregionsandethnicgroupsofChina.ItalsoreferstocookingstylesoriginatingfromChina.Withalonghistory,Chinesecuisinehasanumberofdifferentgenres,themainrepresentativesofwhichareEightCuisines.Everycuisineisdistinctivefromoneanotherduetothedifferencesinclimate,geography,history,cookingtechniquesandlifestyle.Chinesecuisinecontainsarichvarietyofseasonings,whichisoneofmainfactorscontributingtodifferentlocalspecialdishes.Chinesecuisinelaysemphasisontheperfectcombinationofcolor,flavor,andtaste,andthesoulofthedishesistaste.Chinesecuisinecultureisextensiveandprofound,andChinesecuisine,oneoftheThreeWorldCuisines,enjoysahighreputationhomeandabroad.Passage5四大发明中国的四大发明包括指南针、火药、造纸术和印刷术:它们是中国在人类文明史上占有重要地位的标志之一。第一个指南针产生于战国时期(theWarringStatesPeriod),是利用天然磁石(naturalmagnet)来辨别方向的一种简单仪器。火药发明于隋唐时期,主要应用于军事领域:造纸术于东汉年间由蔡伦改进,使纸成为人们普遍使用的书写材料。印刷术,又称活字印刷术,大大促进了文化的传播:四大发明对世界经济的发展和人类文化的进步做出了巨大的贡献。四大发明fourgreatinventions辨别方向identify/recognizedirections造纸术thepaper-makingtechnique仪器device印刷术theprintingtechnique改进develop;improve人类文明史thehistoryofhumancivilization促进promote占有重要地位occupyanimportantposition对……做出巨大的贡献maketremendouscontributionto利用employ;useFourgreatinventionsofChinaincludethecompass,gunpowder,thepaper-makingtechniqueandtheprintingtechnique.TheyareoneofthemarksthatChinaoccupiesanimportantpositioninthehistoryofhumancivilization.ThefirstcompasswasinventedduringtheWarringStatesPeriod.Itwas