Frederick William I, king of Prussia, never imagined that his gift to the Russian people would have such an amazing history. This gift is the Amber Room. It got its name because several tons of amber were used to build the house. The selected amber is bright in color, yellowish brown, like honey. The design of Amber Room adopted the unique architectural style popular at that time. It is also a treasure decorated with gold, silver and jewels. It took a group of the best artists in the country about ten years to finish it.

In fact, this amber room was not built as a gift. It was designed for the palace of Frederick I. However, the next Prussian king Frederick William I, the owner of this amber room, decided not to have it. 17 16, he gave the amber room to Peter the Great. In return, the czar gave him a team of the best soldiers. In this way, the Amber Room became a part of the Tsar's Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. This amber room is about four meters long and is used as a small reception room for important guests.

Later, Catherine II sent someone to move the Amber Room to her summer palace outside St. Petersburg. She asked her craftsmen to add more elaborate decorations to the original design. 1770, this amber room was completed according to her requirements. Nearly 600 candles lit up the room, and the mirror inside was as shiny as the portrait gold. Sadly, although the Amber Room is considered to be one of the wonders in the world, it has now disappeared.

194 1 September, Nazi Germans approached St. Petersburg. This was during the war between the two countries. Before the Nazis arrived in the Summer Palace, the Russians could only remove some furniture and small works of art from the Amber Room. But the Amber Room itself was stolen by some Nazis. In less than two days, 65438+ ten thousand parts were packed into 27 wooden cases. There is no doubt that these boxes were later loaded on the train and transported to Konigsberg, when Germany was a city on the Baltic Sea. Since then, the location of the Amber Room has become a mystery.

Come in, Russians and Germans built a new amber room in the Summer Palace. By studying the original photos of the amber room, the amber room they built looks very similar to the old one. In 2003, people in St. Petersburg used it to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the city.

interview

Pausanias was a Greek writer before 2000. On March 8, 2007, he made a magical trip and asked about the contemporary Olympic Games. Now he is interviewing Li Yan, a volunteer of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Palmer: My name is Pausanias. I live in what you call "ancient Greece", and I wrote about the Olympic Games a long time ago. Now I come to your time and want to know about the contemporary Olympic Games, because I know that the 2004 Olympic Games was held in my motherland. May I ask you some questions about the modern Olympic Games?

Li: Oh, my God! Do you really come from that long time? Sure, you can ask any questions. What do you want to know?

Palmer: How often do you hold the Olympic Games?

Li: Every four years. There are two main sports games-Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. These two sports meetings are held every four years. The Winter Olympics is always held two years before the Summer Olympics. Only athletes who meet the unified standards of their respective events will be accepted to participate in the Olympic Games. Players can come from anywhere in the world.

Palmer: Winter Olympics? How do winter athletes enjoy the competition? How is horse racing possible?

Li: Oh, no! The Winter Olympics does not include running and riding. But some events need ice and snow, such as skating and skiing, so it is called the Winter Olympics. There are running, swimming, boating and some team events in the summer sports meeting.

Palmer: I see. Before you said that the invited athletes came from all over the world, did you mean the Greek world? Our Greek cities once competed with each other to win honor. Other countries can't participate, nor can slaves and women!

Li: Now any country can participate, as long as their athletes are good enough. There are more than 250 sports, each with its own standards. Women are not only allowed to participate in competitions, but also play a very important role in gymnastics, track and field and team competitions.

Palmer: Please wait a moment! All these projects, all these countries, and even women participated! Where do these contestants live?

Li: Every Olympic Games has a special Olympic Village for athletes to live in, as well as a main reception building, several competition venues and an indoor gymnasium.

Palmer: That sounds like a lot of money. Will anyone want to host the Olympic Games?

Li: Actually, every country wants to seize this opportunity. Being selected not only bears great responsibility, but also enjoys great honor. The competition between countries for the right to host the Olympic Games is as fierce as the competition for Olympic medals. Do you know that the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in China?

Palmer: Yes, I've heard of it! You must be very proud.

Li: Of course. Then the 20 12 Olympic Games will be held in London. They have started planning now. A new Olympic village and all sports fields will be built in east London. Of course, new medals will be designed. ...

Palmer: Did you just say medals? Even the olive wreath has been changed! Oh, my god, are you competing for the bonus, too?

Li: No, it isn't. Its purpose is to run faster, jump higher and throw farther. You know, the slogan of the Olympic Games is "Faster, Higher and Stronger".

Palmer: That's good news. How interesting! Thank you very much for your time.

Who am I?

Over time, I have changed a lot. I was born in France in 1642 as a computing machine. Although I was still young at that time, I could simplify some complicated calculation problems. I grew up slowly, and it was almost two hundred years before Charles babic made me into an analytical machine. After the operator designed the program for me with punch cards, I was able to "think" logically and work out the answer faster than anyone else. At that time, it was regarded as a technological revolution and the beginning of my "artificial intelligence". 1936, my biological father alan turing wrote a book about how to make me a "universal machine" to solve any math problem. Since then, my body shape and brain capacity have increased rapidly. By the 1940s, I had grown to the size of a room, and I don't know if I will grow even bigger. However, this reality also worries my designers. As time goes on, I become smaller and smaller. Since 1970s, I have been using it in my office and home, first as a personal computer and then as a portable computer.

These changes are only possible if my storage capacity keeps improving. It is first stored in an electron tube, then in a transistor, and then on a very small chip. So, I completely changed my style. As I get older, I get smaller and smaller. As time goes by, my memory ability develops so fast, just like an elephant, I will never forget anything I said! My storage has become so large that I can't believe it myself! But I always stand there alone. It was not until the early 1960s that people gave me a family connected through the Internet. I can share my knowledge with others through the World Wide Web.

Since the 1970s, I have been developed for many new uses. I have become very important in the fields of communication, finance and business. I was also put into a robot to make a mobile phone and help with medical surgery. I was also put in an aviation rocket to explore the moon and Mars. Anyway, my goal is to provide human beings with a high quality of life. Now I am full of happiness, because I am a loyal friend of mankind and always help them.

How did Daisy learn to protect wild animals?

Daisy is always eager to help those endangered wild animals. One day, she woke up and found a blanket beside her bed. The flying carpet asked, "Where do you want to go?" Daisy immediately replied, "I want to see endangered wild animals." Please take me to a distant place, where I can find the kind of animal that provides plush for making this sweater. "The flying carpet took off immediately and took her to Tibet, China. There, Daisy saw a blue-faced Tibetan antelope. It said, "We are being slaughtered to get the wool in our bellies. Our wool is used to make sweaters for people like you. Therefore, we are now on the verge of extinction. " Hearing this, Daisy cried. "Sorry, I didn't know it existed. I want to know what measures are being taken to help you. Flying carpet, would you please take me to a place where wild animals are protected? "

The flying carpet flew very fast, and in a blink of an eye they came to Zimbabwe. Daisy turned around and saw an elephant looking at her. The elephant asked, "Are you here to take my picture?" Daisy was relieved and laughed loudly. "Stop laughing," said the elephant. "We used to be endangered animals, and farmers always killed us inhumanely. They said that we destroyed their farmland, and tourists' money used to flow into big travel companies. So the government decided to help. If tourists pay farmers, they allow tourists to kill a certain number of animals. Now that farmers are happy, our number is increasing. So, in order to save the local wildlife, they are also doing some good things. "

Daisy smiled and said, "This is good news. This reflects the importance of wildlife protection, but I still want to help you according to the advice of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). " The flying carpet rose again, and almost instantly they reached the dense tropical rain forest. A monkey rubbed himself and looked at them. Daisy asked it, "What are you doing?" It replied, "I can prevent mosquito bites by doing this." I found a millipede and rubbed it on my body. It contains powerful drugs to prevent mosquito bites. You should pay more attention to the tropical rain forest where we live and know how animals live in groups. Without rainforests, there would be no animals and medicines. "

Daisy was surprised. "Flying carpet, please take me home. I can tell the World Wildlife Fund that we can start producing this new drug. Monkey, please come back with me to help. " The monkey agreed and the blanket flew home. When they hit the ground, everything began to disappear. Two minutes later, there was nothing-no monkeys. In this way, Daisy can't make new drugs. However, what a wonderful experience! She learned a lot! In addition, there is the World Wildlife Fund. ...

A band that is not a band.

Have you ever thought about becoming a famous singer or musician in a band? Have you ever dreamed of singing in front of thousands of audiences at a concert, and the audience appreciated your singing and applauded you? When you sing karaoke, do you pretend to be the famous singer Song Like Zuying or Liu Huan? To tell the truth, many people value fame and fortune. So, how did everyone form a band together?

Many musicians get together to form a band because they like to write and play their own music. They may be a kind of middle school students at first, and rehearsing music in other people's homes is the first step to fame. Or they may play for passers-by in the street or subway, so that they can earn more money for themselves or the musical instruments they want to buy. Later, they may perform in bars or clubs so that they can get cash. Of course, they hope to record in the studio and then sell millions of records, thus becoming millionaires.

However, there is another band that is formed in a different way. This band is called The Monkees. It started as a TV program. The musicians in the band play music and make fun of each other. Most of these jokes and music are imitation of the Beatles. The TV producer originally planned to find four musicians who could sing and perform. They put an advertisement in the newspaper for a rock singer, but they only got a satisfactory one. The other three people in the band can only be replaced by actors.

Because some of these actors can't sing very well, they have to rely on the help of others in the team. So they just lip-synched during the performance. Anyway, their performance was humorous, and other bands began to imitate it. They have become so popular that fans set up clubs to get to know them better. The Monkees sings songs written by other musicians on TV every week. However, about a year later, The Monkees gradually became serious about his work, and they began to sing their own songs like a real band. Then they recorded their own records and began to tour their own music. In America, they are even more popular than the Beatles, and their record sales are higher than theirs. The Monkees was dissolved around 1970, but happily, they came together again in the mid-1980s. 1996, they released a new album to celebrate their past time like a real band.

Freddie and his band (2)

Shortly after Freddie and his band became famous, they went to England for a short tour. The fans showed great sincerity. They waited for hours to get tickets for the concert. Freddie will feel very confident when he enters the performance hall now. He likes singing very much, and he likes congratulations after the performance! What excites him most is that he was invited to perform in the TV program Top Pop Singer. He has to go to London, wear expensive clothes and sing in front of the TV camera. What kind of feeling is really unusual. As soon as the program was over, the phone in the room began to ring. Everyone asked when they would see Freddie and his band again. They really became singers!

Then things got worse. Freddie and his band are followed everywhere they go. People will recognize them even if they wear sunglasses and have beards. Even if you go to the bathroom, fans will find you. They tried to hide in the reading room of the library, but failed. There is always someone waiting there! Some people who don't know them are constantly discussing their private lives. They are talking about them like their close friends. Finally, Freddie and his band realized that they had to leave the country before they felt too painful. Therefore, they left England, never went back, and returned to the lake.

English in the world is 65438+At the end of the 6th century, about 5 million to 7 million people spoke English. Almost all these people live in Britain. Later, in the17th century, the British sailed to conquer other parts of the world. So many other countries began to speak English. Nowadays, more people speak English than ever before. Some of them speak English as their first language, while others speak English as their second or foreign language.

People whose mother tongue is English can understand each other even if they speak different languages. Please look at the following example:

Betty from England said, can you come to my apartment?

Amy from America said, OK, I'd be happy to go to your apartment.

So, why does English change with time? In fact, all languages will change and develop when different cultures communicate with each other. At first, from 450 to 1 150, the English spoken by people was very different from the English spoken today. At that time, English was more based on German, but the English we speak today is not. Then from about 800 to 1 150, English was less like German, because the British rulers at that time spoke Danish first and then French. These new colonists enriched English, especially his vocabulary. So in the17th century, Shakespeare's vocabulary was bigger than ever. 1620, some British colonists came to America. Later, in the18th century, some British people also came to Australia. People in these two countries also began to speak English.

Finally, in the19th century, languages were settled. That is, there have been two major changes in English spelling: first, samuel johnson compiled a dictionary, and then Joel Webster compiled an American English dictionary. The latter embodies the different characteristics of American English spelling.

Today, English is also used as a foreign language or a second language in South Asia. For example, there are many people who speak English fluently in India, because Britain ruled India from 1765 to 1947. At that time, English became the language of politics and education. English is also spoken in Singapore, Malaysia and many African countries, such as South Africa. At present, the number of English learners in China is increasing rapidly. In fact, China may have the largest number of English learners. Will English in China develop its own characteristics in the future? This can only be answered in time.

Standard English and Dialects

What is standard English? Do Britain, America, Canada, Australia, India and New Zealand speak English? Believe it or not, there is no standard English. Many people think that TV and radio speak standard English, because in early radio programs, people want news announcers to speak the best English. However, on TV and radio, you will often hear people speak differently.

When people use words different from "standard language", they are called dialects. American English has many dialects, especially in the midwest and south, as well as African-American and Spanish dialects. Even in some parts of the United States, two people in neighboring towns may speak slightly different dialects. There are so many dialects in American English because Americans come from all over the world.

Geographical location also has an influence on the emergence of dialects. Some people who live in the mountains of the eastern United States speak older English dialects. When Americans move from one place to another, they take their dialects with them. Therefore, people in the mountains in the southeastern United States speak almost the same dialect as people in the northwestern United States. America is a big country, and people speak many dialects. Although many Americans often move, they can still distinguish and understand each other's dialects.

A trip to the lower Mekong River

The first part dreams and plans

My name is Kun Wang. My sister Wang Wei and I have been dreaming of a great bike trip since high school. Two years ago, she bought an expensive mountain bike, and then he persuaded me to buy one. Last year, she visited my cousin ... He studied knife and aerospace in Kunming. They are Dai people, near the Lancang River in western Yunnan, and other countries are called Mekong River. Soon, Wang Wei made them interested in cycling. After graduating from college, we finally got a chance to travel by bike. I asked my sister, "Where are we going?" The first person who thought of riding along the Mekong River from the source to the end was my sister. Now, she is making plans for this trip.

I like my sister very much, but she has 1 serious shortcomings. She is really stubborn. Although she doesn't know the best route to some places, she insists on making the trip perfect. Now I know that this perfect way will always be her way. I always ask her, "When shall we leave and when shall we come back?" I asked her if she had seen the map. Of course, she hasn't seen it, and my solution won't consider the details. So, I told her that the source of Mekong River is in Qinghai Province. She gave me a firm look ... which showed that she wouldn't change her mind. She seemed very excited when I told her that our trip would start from a height of more than 5000 meters. When I told her that the air was thin, it was difficult to breathe and the weather was cold, she said it would be an interesting experience. I know my sister very well. Once she has made up her mind, nothing can make her change her mind. Finally, I had to give in.

A few months before our trip, Wang Wei and I went to the library. We found a large atlas with some detailed geographical maps of the world. As we can see from the picture, the Mekong River originated from a glacier on a mountain in Tibet. At first, the river was small, clear and cold. Then he started to flow quickly. When it passes through a deep valley, it becomes a torrent and flows through western Yunnan. Sometimes, the river falls into a wide canyon. We were surprised to find that half of the river is in China. When it flows out of China and the highlands, the Mekong River becomes wider and warmer, and the river turns yellow-brown. Second, it flows into Southeast Asia, and the flow rate slows down. The river winds slowly through the valley and flows to the plain where rice is grown. Finally, a tributary of the Mekong Delta flows into the South China Sea of China.

A trip to the lower Mekong River

The second part of the night in the mountains

Although it is autumn, it has begun to snow in Tibet. Our legs are heavy and cold, like ice. Have you ever seen a snowman ride a bike? This is what we look like! Along the way, children in long wool coats stopped to see us. At night, we found it was so cold that the kettle was frozen. However, the lake in the sunset shines like glass and is very beautiful. As usual, Wang Wei rides a bike in front of me. She is very trustworthy and I know I don't need to give her encouragement. Climbing the mountain is difficult, but when we look around, we are surprised by the scenery in front of us. We seem to be able to see miles away. There is a place where we are at a high altitude, and we find ourselves traveling in the clouds. Then, we began to go downhill. Downhill is very interesting, especially when the weather gets warmer. In the valley, colorful butterflies are flying around us, and we see many yaks and sheep grazing. Here, we have to take off our hats, coats, gloves and trousers and put on T-shirts and shorts.

Only at night, we always stop to camp. Let's put up a tent first, and then eat. After dinner, Wang Wei fell asleep with her head on the pillow, but I was completely awake. In the middle of the night, the sky becomes clearer and the stars become brighter. The mountain is very quiet, there is almost no wind (at night), only the flames of the bonfire accompany us. Lying under the stars, I think how far we have come.

We will arrive in Dali, Yunnan soon. There, our cousins Dao Wei and Yuhang will join us. We can't wait to meet them.

Are you satisfied with the above answers?