阅读理解

　　TAIWAN pop star Elva Hsiao(萧亚轩)，27, released her new single “Elva is Back” on October 19．The song will only be released online for paid downloads, with no recorded copies．Her new album will arrive in stores in December．

　　Hsiao continued her contract(合约)with Warner Music after a two-year absence from the pop scene．The singer has recorded 30 songs in the last two years, but none of them were released．

　　HONG Kong actor Andy Lau(刘德华)will star in the film “Three Kingdoms：Resurrection of the Dragon”(《三国之见龙卸甲》)．The movie will be a war story describing the life and achievements of general Zhao Zilong in the Three Kingdoms period．

　　The film will shoot in China from March 2007．

　　BRAZILIAN international striker Kaka, 24, scored a goal and helped AC Milan club beat Anderlecht 1-0 in the Champions League last week．Kaka hoped the win would prove to be a turning point for the Italian side in the season．“This will help us in the Champions League and the Italian championship” he said．

　　Before the Anderlecht match, AC Milan had drawn their previous four matches –three of them in Serie A-and had only scored one goal．

　　CHINA won their first women’s team title at the world gymnastics championships(体操世锦赛)last Wednesday in Denmark．The US came second and Russia won the bronze medal．

　　“I’m very satisfied with the performance and I think the Chinese team is number one．This is the Chinese gymnasts’ best performance,” said He Ning．

　　China’s men’s team also took gold last Tuesday．

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阅读理解

　　There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece．The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual．The argument for this view goes as follows．In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers．Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals．Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites．As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama．

　　Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used．Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the“acting area”and the“auditorium”．In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task．Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or super natural beings, and mimed the desired effect－success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might．Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities．

　　Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling．According to this view, tales(about the hunt, war, or other feats)are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person．A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds．

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　　The official Olympic cheerleaders(拉拉队队长)are a lot different than what you would see on the sidelines at basketball or American-style football games．Cheerleader director Paola Bosio says about 500 girls tried out to become Olympic cheerleaders．

　　“At the end we chose 100 girls．We have six groups, three working in ice hockey, two at speed skating and one in the mountains．So this is the first time that there is cheerleading in the Olympic Games．”

　　Fans disagree on whether the cheerleaders are entertaining or just a kind of distraction．After all, they do not actually cheer and they do not wear skimpy uniforms．The all-girl squad(班，队)，which ranges in age from 15 to 26, is dressed in bright orange and gold uniforms that cover them almost from shoulder to toe．

　　Besides not cheering for any particular team at an event, the focus of the routines is different．It is not the loud and spirited gymnastic performance one might see at college and high school events in the United States, but is more dance-oriented．

　　Cheerleader Camilla of Turin is 20 years old and has studied dance since she was 10．Her background includes classical dance and ballet as well as modern dance and pop．This is her first time as a cheerleader and she says she is enjoying the new experience．

　　Some fans expressed the opinion that the pom-pom waving and dancing was distracting because it took the focus off the athletic event they had come to see．But Kathy Moine of Los Angeles, California, had a different understanding, as well as an interesting theory about the cheerleader’s costumes．

　　“I think they’re just supposed to be neutral and they’re supposed to be the Olympic torches,”she said．“Not for any country but just supporting everybody, happy to be in the Olympics．”

　　If by definition, cheerleaders should cheer for one side and make a lot of noise, then the Olympic squad still has a lot to learn．But if they are just here to look good and liven up the atmosphere during time-outs, many would agree they have been a complete success．

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