题目内容
ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance
to appreciate the beauty of the city.
The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or
Coca-cola. Beyond the billboards, monuments are being restored. The money comes from advertising
profits.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco, which is
at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything," said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian. "The lesson that
goes out is that a price is for everything."
"We couldn't stay quiet," said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection
association. "Too much is too much."
There needed to be rules, she added, rules that prevent the advertising billboards clashing (冲突) with
the monuments of the city.
City of officials, however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage.
Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground,"
said Renata Codello, a Culture Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments,
but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight.Of that amount, $ 1.8 million was given
to the entire Vector region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dotter Group, a company responsible for the
restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale.It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste.
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San
Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs, handbags and jewelry, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni
called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"I take account of the fact that Venice is part of the real world…but we cannot accept these Hollywood-
style images. There arc intelligent sponsors, and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice, not
Times Square," he said in a speech.
B. widespread commercialization
C. the conflict between ads and cultural heritage
D. the difficulty of restoring monuments
B. show how much many ancient structures need restoring
C. indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads
D. create interest in the famous city
B. is worried about
C. objects to
D. doesn't mind
B. They feel the ads are damaging the city.
C. The ads are usually racy and in an American style.
D. The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice.
B. the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising
C. the Dotter Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds
D. people can buy Bulgaria or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs
Welcome to my Message Board! | |
Subject Slimming down classics? | |
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12&24 AM | Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作),is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 per cent of the original,with words,sentences,paragraphs and,in a few cases,chapters removed.The first six shortened editions,all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”,will go on sale next month,with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow.The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9:40 AM | Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome. I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them. |
Ms.Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM | I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk. Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-124:38 PM | I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell. In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
A.opposes the reading of original classics |
B.is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
C.thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
D.is cautious in its decision to cut down classics |
A.make them easier to read |
B.meet a large demand in the market |
C.increase the sales of literary books |
D.compete with their original versions |
A.speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
B.shows gailty of the original classics |
C.feels guilty of not reading the classics |
D.disapproves of shortening the classics |
A.reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
B.shortening the classics does harm to the original |
C.publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job |
D.editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs |
Britain is set to face an increase in cold winters, with up to one-in-seven hitting the UK with longer periods of time when temperatures are below freezing, a study has suggested.The prediction was based on research that found out how low solar activity affected winter weather patterns.
However, the researchers were eager to stress that their findings did not suggest that the region was about to fall suddenly into a "little ice age".The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research Letters."We could get to the point where one-in-seven winters are very cold, as we had at the start of last winter and all through the winter before last," said co-author Mike Lockwood, professor of space environment physics at the University of Reading.
Using the Central England Temperature (CET) record, the world's longest instrumental data series that dates back to 1659, the team said that in general temperatures during recent winters had been obviously lower than the longer-term temperatures."The mean CET for December, January and February for the recent relatively cold winters of 2008 ~ 2009 and 2009~2010 were 3.50℃ and 2.53℃ respectively," they wrote."However, the mean value for the previous 20 winters had been 5.04℃.The series of lower winter temperatures in the UK during the last three years had raised questions about the probability of more similar, or even colder, winters occurring in the future."
Last year.Professor Lockwood and colleagues published a paper that found a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditions that "blocked" warm westerly winds reaching Europe during winter months, opening the way for cold easterly winds from the Arctic and Russia to sweep across the region.Professor Lockwood, while acknowledging that there were a range of possible meteorological factors (气象因素) that could influence blocking events, said the latest study moved things forward by showing that there was "improvement in the predictive skill" when solar activity was taken into consideration.
【小题1】We can know from the second paragraph that _____.
A.research shows that Britain will soon fall into an ice age |
B.Mike Lockwood's research focuses on space environment physics |
C.it was quite cold in Britain over the entire winter last year |
D.so far one-in-seven winters have been very cold in Britain |
A.average | B.stable | C.ungenerous | D.changeable |
A.It was sunspots that blocked warm westerly winds reaching Europe. |
B.Meteorological factors hardly have any influence on blocking events. |
C.The latest study done by Professor Lockwood was of little practical value. |
D.Considering solar activity or not affects the accuracy of weather forecasting. |
A.Another big danger approaching the UK |
B.Research finds out solar activity is to blame for the cold |
C.UK faces more cold winters due to weaker solar activity |
D.Changes in weather patterns should be responsible for low solar activity |