A New Determination of the High Redshift Type Ia Supernova Rates with the Hubble Space Tele

paigns celebrating the Big Apple, those T-shirts with a heart design proclaiming “I love New York,”are signs, pathetic in their desperation, of how the m ighty has fallen. New York City used to leave the bragging to others, for bragg ing w as “bush” Being unique, the biggest and the best, New York didn’t have to assert how special it was.’t the top anym ore, at least if the top is m easured by who begets the styles and sets the trends. Nowadays New York is out of phase with American taste as often as it is out of step with Am erican politics. Once it was the nation’s undisputed fashion authority, but it too long resisted the incom ing casual style and lost its m onopoly. No longer so looked up to or copied, New York even prides itself on being a holdout from prevailing Am erican trends, a place to escape Comm on Denom inator Land.ore and m ore evident. A dozen other cities have buildings m ore inspired architecturally than any built in New York City in the past twenty years. The giant Manhattan television studios where Toscanini’s NBCSym phony once played now sit empty m ost of the time, while sitcoms cloned and canned in Hollywood, and the Johnny Carson show live, preem pt the airways from California. Tin Pan Alley has m oved to Nashville and Hollywood. Vegas casinos routinely pay heavy sum s to singers and entertainers whom no nightspot in Manhattan can afford to hire. In sports, the bigger superdom es, the m ore exciting teams, them ost enthusiastic fans, are often found elsewhere.–being regarded as unfriendly, unsafe, overcrowded, and expensive –but it is m aking som ething of a com eback as a tourist attraction. Even so, m ost Americans would probably rate New Orleans, San Francisco, Washington, or Disneyland higher. A dozen other cities, including m yhom etown of Seattle, are widely considered better cities to live in.any Europeans call New York their favorite city? They take m ore readily than do m ost Americans to its cosm opolitan com plexities, its surviving, aloof, European standards, its alien mixtures. Perhaps som e of these Europeans are reassured by the sight, on the twin fashion avenues of Madison and Fifth, of all those familiar international nam es – the jewelers, shoe stores, and designer shops that exist to flatter and bilk the frivolous rich. But no; what m ost excites Europeans is the city’s charged, nervous atm osphere, its vulgar dynam ism .share of articulate losers, it is also about m ockery, the put-down , the loser’s shrug (“whaddya gonna do?”). It is about constant battles for subway seats, for a cabdriver’s or a clerk’s or a waiter’s attention, for a foothold , a chance, a better address, a larger billing. To win in New York is to be uneasy; to lose is to live in jostling proxim ity to the frustrated majority.e. And though I have lived there m ore than half m y life, you won’t find m e wearing an “I Love New York”T-shirt. But all in all, I can’t think of m any places in the world I’d rather live. It’s not easy to define why.’s pleasures are m uch qualified in New York. You never see a star-filledsky; the city’s bright glow arrogantly obscures the heavens. Sunsets can be spectacular: oranges and reds tinting the sky over the Jersey m eadows and gaudily reflected in a thousand windows on Manha ttan’s jagged skyline. Nature constantly yields to m an in New York: witness those fragile sidewalk trees gamely struggling against encroaching cem ent and petrol fum es. Central Park, which Frederick Law Olm sted designed as lungs for the city’s poor, i s in places grassless and filled with trash, no longer pristine yet lively with the noise and vivacity of people, largely youths, blacks, and Puerto Ricans, enjoying them selves. On park benches sit older people,m ostly white, looking displaced. It has becom e less a tranquil park than an untidy carnival.our of the city, which never beckoned to m e from a distance, but itsopportunity –to practice the kind of journalism I wanted –drew me to New York. I wasn’t even sure how I’d m easure up against others who had been m ore soundly educated at Ivy League schools, or whether I could com pete against that tough local breed, those intellectual sons of immigrants, so highly m otivated and single-minded, such as Alfred Kazin, who for div ersion (for heaven’t sake!) played Bach’s Unaccompanied Partitas on the violin.ost banal and m arketable of one’s talents, still draws m any of the young to New York. That and, as always, the com pany of others fleeing som ething constricting where they cam e from. Together these young share a freedom, a community of inexpensive am usements, a casualliving, and som e rough tim es. It can’t be the living conditions that appeal, for only fond mem ory will forgive the inconvenience, risk, and squalor. Comm ercial Broadway m ay be inaccessible to them, but there is off- Broadway, and then off-off-Broadway. If painters disdain Madison Avenue’s plush art galleries, Madison Avenue dealers set up shop in the grubby precincts of Soho. But the purity of a bohem ian dedication can be exaggerated. The artistic young inhabit the sam e Greenwich Village and its fringes in which the experim entalists in the arts lived during the Depression, united by a world against them. But the present generation is enough of a subculture to be a source of profitable boutiques and coffeehouses. And it is not all that estranged.ost respects from mainland America, but in two areas it remains dominant. It is the banking and the comm unications headquarters for America. In both these roles it ratifies m ore than it creates. Wall Street will advance the m illions to m ake a Hollywood m ovie only if convinced that a bestselling title o r a star name will ensure its success. The networks’ news centers are here, and the largest book publishers, and the biggest m agazines – and therefore the largest body of critics to appraise the films, the plays, the m usic, the books that others have created. New York is a judging town, and often invokes standards that the rest of the country deplores or ignores. A m arket for knowingness exists in New York that doesn’t exist for knowledge.arkets and devising the catchy jingles that will m ove m illions from McDonald’s to Burger king, so that the adagency’s “creative director”can lunch instead in Manhattan’s expense-account French restaurants. The bankers and the admen. The m arketing specialists and a thousand well-paid ancillary service people, really set the city’s brittle tone— catering to a wide American public whose num bers m ust be respected but whose tastes do not have to shared. The condescending view from the fiftieth floor of the city’s crowds below cuts these people off from humanity. So does an attitude which sees the public only in terms of large, malleable numbers— as impersonally as does the clattering subway turnstile beneath the office towers.surprised by the lack of cynicism, particularly am ong the younger ones, of those who work in such fields. The television generation grew up in the insistent presence of hype, delights in much of it, and has no scruples about practicing it. Men and wom an do their jobs professionally, and, like the pilots who from great heights bom bed Hanoi, seem unmarked by it. They lead their real lives elsewhere, in the Village bars they are indistinguishable in dress or behavior from would-be artists, actors, and writers. The boundaries of “art for art’s sake” aren’t so rigid anym ore; art itself is less sharply defined, and those whose paintings don’t sell do illustrations; those who can’ get acting jobs do comm ercials; those who are writing ambitious novels sustain themselves on the m agazines. Besides, serious art often feeds in the popular these days, changing it with fond irony.e the newcom ers find or from their won worlds; Manhatten is m any such words, huddled together but rarely interaction. I think this is what gives the city itssense of freedom. There are enough like you, whatever you are. And it isn’t asnecessary to know anything about an apartm ent neighbor- or to worry about his judgm ent of you- as it is about som eone with an adjoining yard. In New York, like seeks like, and by econom y of effort excludes the rest as stranger. This distancing, this uncaring in ordinary encounters, has another side: in no other Am erican city can the lonely be as lonely.uch m ore needs to be said. New Your is a wounded city, declining in its am enities . Overloaded by its tax burdens. But it is not dying city; the streets are safer than they were five years age; Broadway, which seem ed to be succumbing to the tawdriness of its environm ent, is astir again.enace, the noise, the brusqueness- all confirm outsiders in their conviction that they wouldn’t live here if you gave them the place. Yet show a New Yorker a splendid hom e in Dallas, or a swimming pool and cabana in Beverly Hills, and he will be admiring but not envious. So m uch of well-to-do America now lives antiseptically in enclaves, tranquil and luxurious, that shut out the world. Too static, the New Yorker would say. Tell him about the vigor of your outdoor pleasures; he prefers the unhealthy hassle andthe vitality of urban life. He is hopelessly provincial. To him New York- despite its faults,which her will impat iently concede (“so what else is new?”) — is the spoiler of all other American cities.erican cities to visit first-rate art m useum s, to hear good m usic and see lively experim ental theater, to m eet intelligent and sophisticated people who know how to live, dine, and talk well; and to enjoy all this in congenial and spacious surroundings. The New Yorkers still wouldn’t want to live there.issing is what m any outsiders find oppressive and distasteful about New York –its rawness, tension, urgency; its bracingcom petitiveness; the rigor of its judgm ents; and the congested, dem ocratic presence of so m any other New Yorkers, encased in their own worlds, the defeated are not hidden away som ewhere else on the wrong side of town. In the subways, in the buses, in the streets, it is impossible to avoid people whose lives are harder than yours. With the desperate, the ill, the fatigued, the overwhelm ed, one learns not to strike upcon versation (which isn’t wanted ) but to m ake brief, sy m pathetic eye contact, to include them in the hum an race. It isn’t m uch, but it is the fleeting hospitality of New Yorkers, each jealous of his privacy in the crowd. Ever helpfulness is often delivered as a taunt: a m an, rushing the traffic light, shouts the m an behind him. “ You want to be wearing a Buick with Jersey plates?” — great scorn in the word Jersey, hom e of drivers who don’t belong here.’s definition, New York is m ongrel city. It is in fact the first truly international m etropolis. No other great city- not London, Paris, Rom e or Tokyo- plays host (or hostage) to so m any nationalities. The m ix is m uch wider- Asians, Africans, Latins - that when that tumultuous variety of European crowded ashore at Ellis Island.The newcom ers are never fully absorbed, but are added precariously to the undigested many.20 New York is too big to be dom inated by any group, by Wasps or Jews or blacks, or by Catholics of m any origins —Irish, Italian, Hispanic. All have their little sovereignties, all are sizable enough to be reckoned with and tough in asserting their claim s, but none is powerful enough to subdue the others. Characteristically, the city swallows up the United Nations and refuses to take it seriously, regarding it as an unworkable m ixture of the idealistic, the impractical, and the hypocritical. But New Yorkers them selves are in training in how to live together in a diversity of races- the necessary initiation into the future.education in sights and sm ells. There is wonderful variety of places to eat or shop, and though the m ost successful of such places are likely to touristy hybridcom prom ises, they too have genuine roots. Other Am erican cities have ethnic turfs jealously defended, but not, I think, such an adm ixture of groups, thrown together in such jarring juxtapositions . In the sam e way, avenues of high-rise luxury in New York are never far from poverty and m ean streets. The sadness and fortitude of New York must be celebrated, along with its treasures of art and m usic. The com bination is unstable; it produces friction, or an uneasy forbearance that som etimes becom es a real toleration.es a m atter of alternating m oods, often inthe sam e day. The place constantly exasperates , at times exhilarates . To m e it is the city of unavoidable experience. Living there, one has the reassurance of steadily confronting life.(from the Atlantic, Sept. 1978)NOTES1. Griffith: Thom as Griffith (1915--), Am erican writer and editor. Since 1974 he has been press colum nist, Time magazine; staff contributor, For-tune magazine; colum nist, Atlantic Monthly. He is an uprooted westerner who now calls New York hom e. Publications: The Waist-High Culture; How True? --A Sceptic 's Guide to Believing the News.2. the Big Apple: any large city; specifically New York City3. bush: rustic, countrified, belonging to sm all towns4. Comm on Denom inator Land: uniformity, comm onness, sam eness, the m onotonous, the hum drum5. sitcom s: situation com edies; a radio or television series that involves a continuing cast of characters in a succession of unconnected episodes6. cloned: grown like a clone, all the descendants being derived asexually from a single individual. Cloned and canned: produced and packed, all ready for immediate consum ption (showing).7. Johnny Carson: a m an who runs a late night talk show8. Nashville: Capital of Tennessee State, center of rock-and-roll9. Vegas: sam e as Las Vegas. See text I, exercise I.10. superdom es: extra big sport stadiums11. convention city: city where conventions (assem blies of m embers or delegates of a political, social, professional, or religious group) are regularly held.12. Madison: Madison Avenue13. Fifth: Fifth Avenue, fam ous for fashionable shops14. Whaddya gonna do?: What are you going to do? Connoting a cool lack of concern; indifference; nonchalance.15. Jersey: Jersey City16. Ivy League schools: referring to prominent north-eastern universities in the U.S., such as, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Colum bia and others. It connotes a certain degree of wealth, sophistication, re finem ent, social prominence, and the like.17. Kazin: Alfred Kazin (1915)), Am erican critic. Publications: On Native Grounds ; The Inm ost Leaf; Contemporaries ; and Bright Book of Life.18. Commercial Broadway: The New York comm ercial theater or entertainment industry19.off-off-Broadway: an avant-garde theatrical m ovem ent in New York that stresses untraditional techniques and radical experim entation. Its relation to off-Broadway being analogous to the relation of off-Broadway to Broadway.20. Soho: a district in New York. By the early 1970s the artist colony had shift- ed from Greenwich Village to Soho.21. best-selling title: title of best-selling books22. star nam e: nam e of star actor or actress23. networks: radio and television networks24. McDonald's : McDonald' s chain restaurant selling hamburger25. Burger King: a chain restaurant whose specialty is hamburger26. lunch in expense-account French restaurants: to lunch in expensive French restaurants with the bill being paid by the com pany or em ployer27. hype: extravagant prom otional advertising28. popular: pop art; a realistic art style, using techniques and popular subjects adapted from commercial art and the mass communications m edia29. Beverly Hills: city in California, surrounded by Los Angeles, fam ous for luxurious hom es of rich Hollywood actors and actresses30. So what else is new?: there is nothing new in what you say; connoting the listener is not im pressed nor interested31. You want to be wearing a Buick with Jersey plates?: Do you want to be knocked down by a car carrying a Jersey license plate? Connoting that the m an should have som e pride in being a New Yorker and not let him self be run over by a car from Jersey.32. touristy hybrid com prom ises: a m ixture of different racial characteristics which attracts tourists33. ethnic turfs: districts or areas inhabited by foreign-born Am ericansAims1)Im proving students’ability to read between lines and understand the text properly;2)Cultivating students’ability to m ake a creative reading;3)Enhancing students’ability to appreciate the text from different perspectives;4)Helping students to understand som e difficult words and expressions;5)Helping students to understanding rhetorical devices;6)Encouraging students to voice their own viewpoint fluently and accurately.Teaching Contents1)Background Knowledge2)Exposition3)Detailed Study of the Essay4)Organization Pattern5)Style and Language Features6)Special Difficulties课文讲解部分1. Background Knowledge1) About the author Thom as Griffith2) About New York City2. Exposition/~arnetha/expowrite/info.html3. Detailed study on Loving and hating New YorkPara.1-5 General introduction — setting forth the present status of New York in the United States and in the eye’s of foreignersTask: Collect evidence to show that “ How the m ighty has fallen.”New York = Big Apple = Mighty—Advertising campaigns publicly praise New York;—Many New Yorkers wear T-shirts with a heart design and the works “ I love New York”—New York is trying desperately to regain her lost prestige and status.Para.2-3: New York: Yesterday & TodayNew York CityYesterday TodayTop, highest, biggest isn’t any m oreLeading city sets styles and trends of nation out of phase with ______ as out of step withUndisputed fashion authority lost its undisputed leadershipLooked up to and im itated no longer so“Nowadays New York is out of phase with Am erican taste “—Nowadays New York connot understand nor follow the taste of the Am erican people and is often in disagreem ent with American politics.“No longer so looked up to or copied, New York even prides itself on being a holdout from prevailing American trends” —Since New York is no longer looked up to or copied as the undisputed fashion authority, it now boasts that it is a city that resists the prevailing trends (styles, fashion) of America, that it is a place where people can escape from uniformity and comm onness.Question:1) From where we can see New York’s deficiencies as a pacesetter are m ore and m ore evident?—Building—Manhattan television studios—Tin Pan Alley—Hiring singers and entertainers—Sports2) The technique used to support author’s view is___________.Para.4: New York: in the eyes of AmericansCom eback: 1 a : a sharp or witty reply : retort b : a cause for com plaint 2 : a return to a form er position or condition (as of success or prosperity) :recovery, revival Para5 New York: in the eyes of foreigner.Question: Why do m any Europeans call New York their favorite city?—Cosm opolitan complexities—European standards—Mixture of m any foreigners—Many jewelers, shoe stores and designers shops—Familiar international nam es—Tense, restless atm osphere; its energetic pulse“… and designer shops that exist to flatter and bilk the frivolous rich.”These shops are set up to cheat and gratify the vanity of the silly rich peoplePara 6 New York: energy, contention and strivingConvention: angry disagreem entStriving: trying very hard to achieve or to defeat the othersPut-down: ( inform al) a remark or criticism intended to m ake the others feel stupid (令人难堪的话，噎人的话)“To win in New York is to be uneasy; to lose is to live in jostling proxim ity to the frustrated majority.”— A person who wins in New York is constantly disturbed by fear and anxiety ( because he is afraid of losing what he has won in the fierce competition); a person who loses has to live am ong the defeated, who are in the m ajority in New York.Para.7: New York in author’s eyes.“New York was never Mecca to m e”Rhetorical devices em ployed in this sentence are: __________ and ___________.The author com pares New York to Mecca; and Mecca is standing for _______________.A place of holy pilgrimage, of a place one yearns to go.Para 8: New York: NatureQuestions:1) The topic sentence is ___________________.2) The rhetorical device employed in “ Nature constantly yields to m an in New York” is __________.3) Are there any other places uses the sam e rhetorical device as m entioned above? What’s the function of it?Para.9 New York: Opportunities & uncertainnessQuestions:1) What do “Ivy League Schools” refer to?2) Why did writer go and live in New York?Para.10: New York : in young people’s eyesQuestion: Why do young people still go to New York?—testing themselves—unwilling to surrender to their m ost comm on and easily sold talents—the fierce competition and challenge—standards of excellence dem anded“But the purity of a bohem ian dedication can be exaggerated.”—But a pure and wholehearted devotion to a Bohem ian life style can be esaggerated. “But the present generation is enough of a subculture to be a source of profitable boutiques and coffeehouses.”As these young writers and artists have distinct cultural patterns of their own, m any businessm en open up profitable boutiques and coffeehouses to cater to their special tastes and interests.“And it is not all that estranged” “It” probably m eans _______________.Para.11: New York: A judging town“A m arket for knowingness exists in New York that doesn’t exist for knowledge.”—In New York, a shrewd understanding or ability to appraise things is appreciated and paid for and skill and learning by themselves are not considered valuable.Para12: New York: An advertising CenterQuestion:1) The rhetorical device used in “The condescending view from the fiftieth floor of the city’s …” is _________. And “ The condescending view is the view of __________.2) In sentence “So does an attitude which sees….” The author com pares ______ to ______.Para 13: New York : Lack of cynicismTask: Collect evidence to show New York is lack of cynicism In sentence “ Men and wom en do their jobs professionally and, like pilots who from great heights bombed Hanoi …” the author compares_______ to ______.Para 14: New York: FreedomWhat gives the city its sense of freedom?Para 15: New York: Wounded not dyingAmenity: the attractiveness and value of real estate or of a residential structureTo succum b to: to fail to resist an attack, illness, temptationPara 16-18: New York: N ew Yorkers’ LoveNew Yorker who sees all the faults of the city still prefer to live in New YorkNew York’s faults:—Trash-strewn streets—Unruly school—Uneasy feeling or m enace—The noise—The brusqueness“He is hopeless provincial”—He will always be a New Yorker. His attitude towards and his love for New York will never change“New York … is the spoiler of all other American cities”—New York has spoiled all the other American cities for him.Para 19-10 New York: International MetropolisWhy is New York called an international m etropolis?Para.22: Loving and Hating New York1. exasperate: to excite the anger of; to cause irritation or annoyance to2. exhilarate: to m ake cheerful; to excite“The place constantly exasperates, at times exhilarat es.”—New York constantly irritates and annoys very m uch but at tim es it also invigorates and stimulates.Oral practice: Talking about the following questions:1. What is the main them e of this article? Where is it specifically stated?2. What technique does the writer use to develop his m ain them e? Is the technique effective? Cite exam ples.3. Comm ent on the diction of the writer. Pick out term s and phrases that you think are peculiarly American.4. Does the writer really both love and hate New York? Cite exam ples to back up your analysis.5. How m any paragraphs would you regard as being the introductory paragraphs. Why?6. What is the topic sentence of paragraph 8? How is the paragraph developed?7. Explain fully the following sentence from paragraph 11: “A m arket for knowingness exists in New York that doesn’t exist for knowledge.”8. Pick out som e figures of speech which you think the writer has usid m ost effectively. Cite your reasons.Paraphrase:1. Nowadays New York is out of phase with American taste (Para 2)2. New York even prides itself on being a holdout from prevailing American trends. (Para 2)3. Sitcom s cloned and canned in Hollywood, and the Johnny Carson show live, pre-empt the airwaves from California (Para 3)4. It is m aking som ething of a com eback as a tourist attraction (Para 4)5. To win in New York is to be uneasy (Para 6)6. Nature’s pleasures are m uch qualified in New York. (Para 8)7. The city ‘s bright glow arrogantly obscures the heavens (Para 8)8. But the purity of a bohem ian de dication can be exaggerated. (Para 10)9. In both these roles it ratifies m ore than it creates. (Para 11)10. The television generation grew up in the insistent presence of hype (Para 13)11. Those who are writing am bitious novels sustain them selves on the m agazines. (Para 13)12. Broadway, which seem ed to be succum bing to the tawdriness of its environm ent, is astir again (Para 15)13. He prefers the unhealthy hassle and the vitality of urban life (Para 16)14. The defeated are not hidden away som e where else on the wrong side of town. (Para 18)15. The place constantly exasperates, at tim es exhilarates. (Para 22)4. Organization Pattern1) The thesis: Loving and hating New York or m ore specifically: Loving and hating New York becom es a m atter of alternating m oods, often in the sam e day.2) The thesis developed by both objective and em otional description of New York and the life and struggle of New Yorkers3) The structural organization of this essay: clear and sim ple5. Style and Language Features1) Full of Am erican English terms, phrases and constructions.T-shirtholdoutcom ebackput-downexpense-accountadmanhigh-risemeasure up2) Use of various rhetorical devices:metaphorpersonificationmetonym ytransferred epithetalliterationsim ilesynecdocheironyeuphem ism/carroll/faq3.htmlto6. Special Difficulties1) Identifying and understanding Am ericanisms in this essay2) Som e terms/phrases/structuresout-of-phasetelevision generationeconom y of effortwrong sidesitcom s cloned and cannedMeccameasure up againstIvy League schoolscommercial Broadway/off-Broadway/off-off-Broadway Madison Avenue/Wall Streetlike seeks likeWasps词汇(Vocabulary)bush (adj.) : rustic，countrified，belonging to small towns粗俗的；乡土气的；乡下的beget (v.) : bring into being；produce使产生，引起，招致holdout (n.) : [Americanism]a place that holds out [美语]坚固据点deficiency (n.) : the quality or state of being deficient; absence of something essential；a shortage 缺乏，缺少，欠缺；缺陷，不足之处pacesetter (n.) : a person that leads the way or serves as a model标兵sitcom (n.) : [口]situation comedy的缩略clone (v.) : derive all the descendants asexually from a single individual无性繁殖preempt (v.) : radio and TV]replace(a regularly scheduled program)[广播、电视]先占，先取得casino (n.) : a public room or building for entertainments．dancing，or，now specifically，gambling 俱乐部，娱乐场；(现尤指)赌场nightspot (n.) : nightclub夜总会bilk (v.) : cheat or swindle；defraud欺骗，蒙骗dynamism (n.) : the quality of being energetic，vigorous，etc．推动力；活力，精力，劲头put—down (n.) : [American slang]a belittling remark or crushing retort[美俚]贬低的话；反驳；无礼的回答foothold (n.) : a secure position from which it is difficult to be dislodged立足点，据点jostle (v.) : bump or push，as in a crowd；elbow or shove roughly(在人群中)拥挤；用肘推；撞proximity (n.) : the state or quality of being near；nearness in space，time，etc．最近；接近；(地方，时间等)最接近obscure (v.) : darken；make dim使黑暗；使朦胧tint (v.) : give a color or a shading of a color to着上(淡)色gaudy (adj.) : bright and showy, but lacking in good taste；cheaply brilliant and ornate华丽而俗气的，炫丽的。

介绍中国名胜古迹明信片英语作文China is a country with a rich and diverse cultural heritage that has captivated the imagination of people around the world. From the towering majesty of the Great Wall to the serene beauty of ancient water towns, China's landmarks offer a glimpse into its storied past and vibrant present. In this essay, we will explore some of China's most iconic landmarks and how they are often depicted on postcards, allowing travelers to bring a piece of this enchanting country back home.One of the most recognizable symbols of China is the Great Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stretches over 13,000 miles across northern China. Constructed over centuries to protect the Chinese empire from invaders, the Great Wall is a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the Chinese people. Postcards often capture the breathtaking vistas of the Great Wall, with its winding path snaking through rugged mountains and rolling hills. Some postcards may feature sections of the wall that have been meticulously restored, showcasing the intricate stonework and architectural details that have withstood the test of time. Others may depict the wall in amore weathered, natural state, highlighting the way it has become one with the surrounding landscape.Another iconic landmark that frequently graces the pages of Chinese postcards is the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace and the heart of ancient Beijing. This vast complex of over 980 buildings, surrounded by towering walls and a deep moat, was off-limits to the common people for centuries, earning it the moniker "Forbidden City." Postcards often capture the grandeur and symmetry of the Forbidden City, with its ornate roofs, intricate carvings, and vibrant red and gold hues. Some postcards may focus on specific architectural elements, such as the iconic Tiananmen Gate or the tranquil courtyards and gardens that offer a respite from the bustling city.Moving further south, the Li River in Guangxi province has become a beloved destination for both domestic and international travelers, and its stunning landscapes are often featured on Chinese postcards. The Li River winds its way through a dramatic karst landscape, with towering limestone peaks and lush, verdant hills reflected in the calm, mirror-like waters. Postcards may depict traditional bamboo rafts gliding along the river, offering a serene and timeless mode of transportation, or they may showcase the picturesque villages and towns that dot the riverbanks, such as the charming Yangshuo.Another landmark that has captured the imagination of postcard enthusiasts is the Terracotta Warriors, a vast army of life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots buried with the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, in the 3rd century BCE. Discovered by accident in the 1970s, the Terracotta Warriors have become a symbol of China's rich archaeological heritage and the ingenuity of its ancient craftsmen. Postcards often feature close-up shots of the individual warriors, each with its own unique facial features and expressions, or panoramic views of the excavation site, showcasing the sheer scale and grandeur of this remarkable discovery.Moving away from the mainland, the stunning natural landscapes of China's southwestern Yunnan province have also become a popular subject for postcards. The ancient town of Lijiang, with its well-preserved traditional architecture and winding canals, is a prime example. Postcards may capture the picturesque rooftops and cobblestone streets of Lijiang's old town, or the serene beauty of the nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with its snow-capped peaks and glacial lakes.Finally, no discussion of Chinese landmarks on postcards would be complete without mentioning the iconic Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This majestic, multi-tiered palace, once the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is a stunning example of Tibetan Buddhist architecture and a testament to the region's rich cultural heritage. Postcardsoften feature the Potala Palace's striking white and ochre-colored walls, its intricate religious iconography, and the breathtaking views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains.In conclusion, Chinese landmarks featured on postcards offer a glimpse into the country's diverse cultural and natural wonders. From the grandeur of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City to the serene beauty of the Li River and the Terracotta Warriors, these postcards allow travelers to capture the essence of China and bring a piece of its timeless beauty back home. Whether it's the majestic landscapes, the intricate architecture, or the rich cultural heritage, these postcards serve as a tangible reminder of the countless reasons why China remains a perennial favorite among global travelers.。

一位著名的中国历史人物英语作文全文共5篇示例，供读者参考篇1My Favorite Chinese Hero: Zheng HeHi friends! Today I want to tell you about one of the coolest people from Chinese history. His name was Zheng He and he was a famous explorer who went on amazing voyages across the seas over 600 years ago!Zheng He was born in 1371 in a place called Yunnan province. When he was just a little kid, he was captured by some mean soldiers and brought very far away from his home. He ended up living in the palace and serving the emperor! Even though that must have been really scary for a little boy, Zheng He worked hard and became a trusted guard.As Zheng He got older, he started going on trips to explore countries across the ocean from China. The emperor picked him to lead huge fleets of huge ships called "treasure ships" because they were so massive! These ships were way bigger than anything sailors from places like Europe or Africa had ever seen before.On his first voyage in 1405, Zheng He's fleet had over 60 giant treasure ships and over 200 smaller vessels too! That's like a tiny city sailing across the sea. There were probably around 27,000 sailors, soldiers, navigators, translators, and even inspectors on board. His ships carried everything from props like silk, porcelain, and lacquerware to trade, to warriors with weapons in case they got into battles. It was an incredible undertaking for that time.Zheng He and his crew journeyed to places like Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Arabia, and all the way down the coast of east Africa! They traveled over 25,000 miles, which is further than anyone else had explored at that point. Zheng He's giant treasure ships with their bright red sails must have looked so impressive pulling into foreign ports.Wherever he went, Zheng He tried to make friends and traded goods from China. He passed out letters from the emperor saying China came in peace. Zheng He shared his impressive knowledge of navigation, astronomy, geography and mathematics with the people he met. In some places they had never seen ships as massive as the Chinese treasure fleet before!Zheng He made seven epic voyages between 1405 and 1433. His final voyage may have even reached all the way to the eastcoast of Africa before turning back. Just imagine how mindblowing that must have been over 600 years ago, sailing across the entire Indian Ocean!The things Zheng He saw and learned about changed how the Chinese understood the wider world. Thanks to his journeys, China realized there were flourishing civilizations across the seas, not just "barbarians" as they had thought. The emperor was so impressed that he gave treasures and fancy titles to Zheng He after each successful trip.After he passed away around 1435, knowledge of Zheng He's amazing achievements faded for a long time. But today, the brave and brilliant Chinese explorer who easily could have discovered the Americas or Europe is finally being celebrated again. A bunch of museums, books, TV shows, and movies have helped people learn about this underrated historical figure's awesome exploits.I think Zheng He is such an inspirational hero because he was adventurous, smart, and really good at getting along with people from all different cultures. He used his mind, not weapons, to connect China to the rest of the world through diplomacy and sharing knowledge. Over 600 years later, kids like me are still hearing thrilling tales of the time the great explorerZheng He led a massive fleet across the ocean on an unprecedented journey of discovery. What an exciting life he lived!篇2A Really Cool Guy From Olden Days ChinaHave you ever heard of a dude named Qin Shi Huang? He was this awesome emperor guy who lived a really long time ago in ancient China. Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and he did some seriously cool stuff that made him one of the most famous people ever from China's past.Qin Shi Huang was born way back in 259 BC. That's like a bajillion years ago! When he was just a kid, he became the King of the Qin State. But being a king wasn't enough for him. Nope, Qin Shi Huang wanted to rule over ALL of China. So after years of fighting wars and beating the other states, in 221 BC he conquered everything and made himself the first emperor ever of a united China. How awesome is that?As emperor, Qin Shi Huang went on a total power trip. He forced everyone to follow the same laws and speak the same language. He even made them use the same system of weights and measures across the whole empire. I bet teachers back thenwere like "Thanks a lot Qin Shi Huang for making math class so much harder!"But that's not all Qin Shi Huang did. He loved building huge construction projects using tons of workers. His most famous accomplishment was the Great Wall of China. Yeah, that incredibly long and amazing wall that stretches for thousands of miles? That was Qin Shi Huang's idea! It took like a million workers to build it. The Great Wall protected China from invaders and became one of the coolest man-made things on the planet.Qin Shi Huang was pretty much obsessed with living forever too. He sent armies of explorers to travel the known world, searching for a magical potion or something that could make him immortal. No luck there, but he did have this crazy mausoleum built for himself filled with treasures and booby traps. It even had a whole army of terracotta warrior statues guarding it! How's that for an over-the-top tomb?Unfortunately, even all his riches and power couldn't stop Qin Shi Huang from eventually dying in 210 BC. After his death, the Qin Dynasty collapsed and a new dynasty took over China. But Qin Shi Huang's legacy lives on as one of the most powerful and impactful rulers in Chinese history. He truly was oneambitious, hardworking, and remarkable dude from way back in the day.Just imagine being one of Qin Shi Huang's workers or subjects back in ancient times. You'd have had to follow his every strict rule and probably work your butt off building immense palaces and defenses. It wouldn't have been easy living under Qin's iron fist. But you'd also get to witness incredible feats of engineering and be part of unifying China into one mighty civilization for the first time. Talk about a wild ride!I don't know about you, but I think Qin Shi Huang sounds like he was equal parts impressive and terrifying. On one hand, he was a brilliant strategist who accomplished unbelievable things like the Great Wall. But on the other hand, he was a harsh ruler who forced his ways on everyone. You'd have to respect his vision and determination, even if he could be a brutal guy at times.Whether you admire Qin Shi Huang or think he went too far, there's no denying he was a pivotal historical figure. He played a huge role in shaping ancient Chinese society and culture. Heck, even our modern words "China" and "Taoism" originated from his dynasty! So the next time you learn about some old ruins orartifacts from that era, you can thank the original overachieving emperor for helping preserve that history for us today.I may only be a kid, but I've gotta say - Qin Shi Huang seems like he was one fascinating and complex dude. A total control freak at times, but also an incredible trailblazer. I'd love to build myself a awesome terracotta warrior army like he did, minus the whole harsh rulership part. Ruling an empire looks exhausting! I'll stick to middle school for now. But who knows, maybe I'll grow up to be the next great history-making leader one day. Qin Shi Huang would probably respect my ambition, as long as I achieved things the right way. Thanks for reading my expository essay on this larger-than-life ancient figure - I'll be expecting an A+!篇3My Favorite Famous Chinese Person from HistoryHave you ever heard of Qin Shi Huang? He was the first emperor of China who united all the lands into one big empire. Qin Shi Huang did a lot of really cool and important things when he was emperor over 2,000 years ago!Qin Shi Huang was born in 259 BC. Even as a young prince, he was very smart and strong-willed. When Qin Shi Huangbecame emperor in 221 BC at just 13 years old, he had big plans to bring all the lands in China together into one united country under his rule.You see, back in those days, China wasn't one whole country yet. It was made up of lots of smaller kingdoms that were always fighting each other. Qin Shi Huang thought having one strong central government would make China more powerful and stop all the battles between the states. So he went on a huge military campaign, conquering the other six major kingdoms one by one until they were all part of his Qin Dynasty empire. It was the first time in history that so much of China was unified like that!Once Qin Shi Huang had control over a giant territory, he worked really hard to strengthen his empire. He introduced lots of new laws, standardized the writing system, and even built a brand new capital city for his government. The capital was located right in the center of his empire and had perfectly straight roads going out in all directions.Qin Shi Huang also did some other really awesome construction projects during his reign. The most famous one was the beginning of the Great Wall of China! He ordered soldiers and laborers to link up and reinforce the existing defensive walls along the northern frontier. This helped protect his empire frominvasions by nomadic groups. Parts of the Great Wall Qin Shi Huang built over 2,000 years ago still stand today! Isn't that crazy?Another extraordinary thing Qin Shi Huang did was search for the "elixir of life" to make himself live forever. Back then, people didn't know as much about science as we do today. Qin Shi Huang sent ships across the seas and spent tons of money and resources looking for a magic potion for eternal youth. Of course, he never found it because those kinds of things aren't really real. But it's fun to imagine what it would be like to live forever and ever!Qin Shi Huang was a very strict and harsh ruler, though. He didn't like it when people disagreed with his policies or challenged his authority. Anybody who defied his laws could be severely punished. He even had scholars who disagreed with him brutally killed or buried alive! Yikes, that's really scary and sad. He made some cruel decisions like that which many people today think went too far.However, Qin Shi Huang is still remembered as one of the most influential leaders in Chinese history. By the time he passed away in 210 BC, he had accomplished his dream of unifying much of ancient China into one centralized empire with a stronggovernment. The big empire he created didn't last too long after he died, but it set the stage for even bigger future dynasties to rule over a unified China for many centuries.Perhaps Qin Shi Huang's most amazing legacy of all is the life-size Terracotta Army sculptures that have been discovered buried near his tomb. These thousands of detailed pottery soldier figures were meant to protect the emperor in the afterlife. Each statue's face was crafted to look unique, like a real member of Qin Shi Huang's ancient imperial army. Today, the Terracotta Army is considered one of the most incredible archaeological treasures in the entire world!Qin Shi Huang was a fierce and powerful ruler who did lots of great things, as well as some not-so-great things. By bringing many lands under his control, establishing stable policies, and starting grand building projects like the Great Wall, he transformed ancient China forever. Even though he lived such a long, long time ago, Qin Shi Huang's remarkable accomplishments made sure his name is still studied and celebrated today as a true giant of Chinese history!篇4A Super Awesome Chinese Hero: Zheng HeHey kids! Today I'm going to tell you about one of the coolest dudes from Chinese history. His name was Zheng He and he was a straight up explorer BOSS from way back in the 1400s. Get ready for an epic tale of high seas adventures!Zheng He didn't start off life as a famous explorer though. Nope, he was actually born in 1371 with the totally different name of Ma He. His family followed Islam, which was a little different from the Buddhism and other religions that most Chinese people practiced back then.When Zheng He was just a little kid, he got captured by some mean soldiers and taken away from his parents. Can you imagine how scary that must have been? The soldiers made Zheng He (well, Ma He back then) serve the powerful Prince Zhu Di. Even though that stunk for little Zheng, it actually turned out to be a pretty lucky break!You see, Prince Zhu Di ended up becoming the Yongle Emperor in 1403 and making Zheng He one of his most trusted followers. Zheng He was put in charge of the emperor's ambitious plans to send gigantic fleets of ships across the seas to explore new lands and show off China's impressive naval power and rich treasures.These voyages were no joke! Zheng He commanded some of the largest ships ever built at that time, carrying hundreds of sailors and enough supplies to last for years. On his first voyage from 1405 to 1407, Zheng He led a mind-blowing 62 ships and over 27,000 crew members! That's basically a small city out there sailing the high seas. Imagine trying to coordinate snack time for 27,000 hungry sailors? No thanks!During his voyages, Zheng He basically turned into a celebrity across the Indian Ocean. He was kind of like a medieval rock star, sailing from Southeast Asia all the way to the east coast of Africa. People came from miles around just to catch a glimpse of his massive "Treasure Ships" and trade precious goods like ivory, medicines, and exotic animals.Zheng He brought back all kinds of cool stuff for the emperor too, like giraffes! Yup, the giraffe was totally unknown in China until Zheng He's voyages. Just picture the emperor's reaction when his explorers rolled up with a few of thoselong-necked weirdos in tow. You know he was stoked!What made Zheng He's voyages even more awesome was that he often helped people wherever his ships made landfall. He freed prisoners, provided food and supplies for the poor, and even helped some territories drive away terrible pirate gangsthat were terrorizing them. Zheng He was strong, wise and kindhearted. He was like a real life superhero sailing the oceans!Zheng He's adventures came to an end after his seventh and final voyage in the early 1430s. He had explored over 30 countries and territories, traveling farther than any Chinese explorer ever had before. Sadly, the old emperor he served died in 1424 and the new leaders weren't quite as gung-ho about ocean exploration after that. No more epic voyages for Zheng He.This awesome explorer ultimately settled down in his old family home far away from the sea, telling unbelievable stories about his travels until he passed away in 1433 or 1435 (nobody is totally sure). Zheng He was truly one of the greatest seamen and most iconic figures in Chinese maritime history. Even over 600 years later, the mere mention of his name still sparks wonder and excitement!So what do you think, wasn't Zheng He just the raddest? A humble kid who became an Imperial explorer, sailing incredible distances and bringing different cultures together through peace and kindness wherever he went. Now that's one for the history books! Let me know if you brave voyagers want to hear more epic tales from the life of the legendary Zheng He next time.篇5My Favorite Famous Chinese Person - Zheng HeHave you ever heard of Zheng He? He was a really cool explorer from China who went on amazing voyages all over the world hundreds of years ago! Zheng He is one of the most famous people from Chinese history. Let me tell you all about him.Zheng He was born in 1371 in the town of Kunyang, which is now called Jinning County in Yunnan Province. His family was Muslim, and his birth name was Ma He. When he was just a young boy, he was captured and became a servant to Prince Zhu Di, who later became the Emperor.Even though he started out as a servant, Zheng He worked really hard and impressed the Prince. Zhu Di saw that Zheng He was incredibly smart and loyal. He castrated Zheng He, which was a common practice back then for servants in the palace. From that point on, Zheng He's name became Zheng He.In 1403, when Zhu Di became the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he put the now very trusted Zheng He in charge of building ships and putting together a huge fleet for ocean voyages. Between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He led seven epicvoyages that went all the way to the east coast of Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean!Zheng He's ships were immense - some over 400 feet long! That's almost as long as a football field. The largest ships in his fleet were called "Treasure Ships" because they carried tonnes of valuable goods to trade like silk, porcelain, and lacquerware. There were dozens of these huge ships, along with hundreds of smaller ships that supplied the fleets during the long voyages.On his voyages, Zheng He went to places like Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa. He made friends and traded with leaders in many of the countries. Zheng He's fleets showed off how powerful and rich China was at that time. The voyages strengthened relationships through diplomacy rather than war.One famous story about Zheng He is when his fleet arrived in Calicut, India in 1406. The local Indian rulers felt threatened by Zheng He's giant ships and huge crew of over 27,000 men. They refused to allow Zheng He's ships to anchor and trade. What do you think Zheng He did? He simply ordered his ships to start firing their cannons at the buildings along the coast! That convinced the Indian rulers to cooperate really fast.Another amazing story is about when Zheng He's gigantic fleet was sailing through the Strait of Malacca between theMalay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra. One of the smaller ships ran aground on some rocks. All of the smaller ships in the fleet weren't strong enough to free the stuck ship. So Zheng He brilliantly ordered two of his colossal Treasure Ships to sail up on either side of the little ship. The two massive ships literally lifted the small ship up out of the rocks using their bulk and weight, saving the crew. How incredible is that?Zheng He's final voyage ended in 1433. By that time, he was over 60 years old and had explored more of the world than perhaps any other person at that point in history. After returning to China, Emperor Zhu Di had passed away, and the new Emperor was not as interested in the voyages. China turned its focus inward after Zheng He's death around 1435.Some people estimate that Zheng He's fleets may have had as many as 300 ships and over 27,000 men during the peak of his voyages. That's like a huge floating city crossing the oceans! Zheng He's armadas were the largest navies in the world at that time. It's mind-blowing to imagine something on that enormous scale happening over 600 years ago.Zheng He was an outstanding navigator, diplomat, and leader. His journeys took him through the Indian Ocean all the way down the east coast of Africa, which was the furthest extentof world exploration at that time. Marco Polo had only explored towards the West a century earlier. Zheng He traveled much further than any European explorer of his day.I think Zheng He is one of the most interesting and important figures in Chinese history. Just imagine how much courage, intelligence and leadership ability it took to command those massive ocean voyages centuries before modern navigation! Zheng He helped strengthen ties between China and nations across the Indian Ocean through diplomacy and trade rather than war and conquest. He is a great example of peaceful exploration and using brains over brawn. I wish I could have been there to see Zheng He's magnificent Treasure Ship fleets setting sail on one of his incredible voyages!。

升旗时学生演讲稿(含英文翻译)：让新一年的我们更加美好敬爱的各位老师，亲爱的同学们：大家上午好！今天，我演讲的主题是“让新一年的我们更加美好”。

岁月不居，时节如流。

此时此刻，我们齐聚五星红旗下，已然来到23年与24年的交界。

时光无言，却总在奋斗者的心灵深处镌刻难忘印记。

面临百年未有的疫情，我们在病痛之中停课不停学，大家互相寄送书籍、互相关心鼓励的场景令人感动。

记得那时，校园里寂静无声，只有风吹动树叶的沙沙声。

然而，通过电脑屏幕，我们依然能够看到彼此的笑脸，听到彼此的声音。

深夜，窗外的街道空无一人，而我们却在网络的另一端，分享着课堂笔记和学习资料。

那一封封邮件、那一个个包裹，不仅传递了知识，更传递了温暖与希望。

科技文化艺术节，我们以才华演绎对祖国的忠诚，在网络上感染了七百万人次以上的人民。

那一天，操场上灯光璀璨，屏幕前观众如潮。

我们通过视频连线，将舞台搬到了每一个角落。

艺术节上，钢琴声与歌声交织，舞蹈与绘画辉映，每一帧画面都凝聚着对未来的期许。

我们的篮球场、田径场翻新了，连廊书吧建设起来了，课桌椅更新了。

如今，校园里又恢复了往日的喧嚣，学生们在崭新的篮球场上挥洒汗水，在连廊书吧里静心阅读。

在明亮的教室里，新的课桌椅见证着一代代学子的成长与进步。

旧貌换新颜，处处谱新篇，真可谓是百年黄高，风华正茂。

这一切，凝结着无数人的辛勤付出：有学校领导的运筹谋划，有全体老师的呕心沥血，有工人师傅冒着酷暑辛勤施工，也有你我在劳动课洒下的汗水，在黑夜中执着地求索学问……点点星火，汇聚成炬，这就是黄高坚韧向上、温暖持久的力量！每一个成长中奋斗拼搏的你我，为可爱母校发展做出贡献的你我，真的了不起！明天的我们，要在时序变迁中坚守不变的力量。

沧海横流，方显英雄本色，人类的信心，正是来自至暗时刻执着闪烁的星斗和风雪中傲然挺立的脊梁。

若干年后，假若国家遇见艰险，我们能否扛起大任，成为脊梁？此时此刻，或许你感慨天寒地冻，但是我希望大家都能想起三件事：一是1951年，朝鲜西部的盖马高原，志愿军九兵团战士在零下四十度的冰天雪地中爬冰卧雪啃冻土豆，夺取了长津湖战役的胜利；二是昨天晚上，西门外南门外，有些家长甚至九点就过来，他们不舍得开空调暖和自己，而是在冰窟一般的汽车中等着接自己的孩子；三是此时此刻，甘肃临夏地震灾区的灾民在零下十四度的严寒中抗震救灾，收拾废墟。