雅思阅读例文的解析

　　Taiwanese people are proud of the way they have preserved traditional Chinese culture. Butshort-term visitors might wonder if thats little more than boasting.

　　After all, you dont see people playing Chinese instruments like the two-stringed erhu or the bamboo flute or writing beautiful calligraphy with brushes dipped in water, like you do in Beijing.

　　In Taiwan, its more common to see people drinking bottled tea rather than the traditional way -loose leaves steeped in a porcelain cup. Tea served in tiny clay or porcelain teapots is called old peoples tea here.

　　The classical courtyard mansions and other ancient buildings are much more common in Chinas capital than Taiwans capital.

　　So other than the 650,000 pieces of Chinese treasures brought over from China and stored at Taipeis National Palace Museum, where is the traditional Chinese culture in Taiwan?

　　Festivals and feasts

　　But visitors who stay a little longer will see that centuries-old religious and cultural festivals that have died out on the mainland are still celebrated by millions of Taiwanese.

　　These include the annual Mazu pilgrimage to honour the Goddess of the Sea. She was worshipped a millennium ago by fishermen in southeastern China, but the Communists banned the practice during the Cultural Revolution. Chinese immigrants brought belief in her to Taiwan in the 17th Century. Statues of her are widely seen in homes and businesses here.

　　Theres also the Burning of Wang Yehs Boat Festival. Wang Yeh is a plague god worshipped in the old days when mystery illnesses struck communities. During the festival still celebrated in Taiwan, his statue is taken on a days-long parade through towns where he collects peoples illnesses and problems.

　　The festival ends in an all-night party where Wang Yeh is feasted, entertained with music and his boat loaded with fake paper money. The vessel is then set on fire on the beach tosymbolise sending him and the peoples problems out to sea.

　　Yayue music survives with the help of Taiwanese musicians.

　　Every September on the birthday of the great sage Confucius, elaborate ceremonies are carefully staged in Taiwan. The one at Taipeis Confucius Temple is attended by the president - something you wouldnt see in China.

　　Besides festivals, auspicious days on the lunar calendar are also popular, with fake paper money burned on the sidewalks to pay for protection from the gods.

　　And the cultures of Taiwans Min Nan and Hakka ethnic groups - though derived from China - are followed here in a way that seems more Taiwanese than Chinese, as these groups identities are not celebrated on the mainland.

　　Many of the cultural traditions Taiwan has preserved are related to ancient Chinese music.

　　These include performances of yayue or ancient Chinese court music, some 3,000 years old. Itdied out in China, but was painstakingly researched and revived by professor Chou Chun-yi at Taiwans Nanhua University.

　　And while it would be hard to find the gentle and melodic sounds of Nanguan music in Chinas Fujian province, where it originated, it is still occasionally performed in Taiwan.

　　Some Taiwanese have also re-created Tang Dynasty dances from 1,300 years ago, though performances are rare.

　　The problem is even these treasured traditions are not widely accessible in Taiwan, a society more interested in the trendy and modern.

　　Separate culture

　　Taiwans efforts to keep Chinese culture alive have impressed many. Some Taiwanese, however, have tried to avoid linking their cultural traditions with China, despite their Chinese roots.

　　There are people, for example, opposed to the mandatory teaching of Confucius texts in schools, favouring building Taiwanese identity instead. Ironically, Confucius ideals are perhaps more widely taught and practiced here than anywhere else. The influence of Confucianism can be found in the behaviour of Taiwanese people, known for their friendliness and politeness, and in the settlements of its earliest Chinese immigrants.

　　Chinese culture is the basis of Taiwanese culture, but because of politics, some people try to deny this. We shouldnt deny our cultural history, said Emile Sheng, minister for the Council for Cultural Affairs, the government department which promotes Taiwans culture.

　　Mr Sheng says Taiwanese culture, despite its roots in China, has developed in a uniquely Taiwanese way.

　　We have influences from Holland, Portugal, Japan, and the United States, but Chinese culture is indeed our foundation, Mr Sheng says. Taiwans culture is diverse, innovative and accepting. It is different from Chinas culture.

　　Democratic culture

　　For example, he says, the island has maintained the use of traditional Chinese writing, while China switched to simplified characters. And its calligraphers have also developed new styles.

　　Some scholars say Taiwan should become more like Japan South Korea or Vietnam - all countries heavily influenced by Chinese culture in the past, but which developed their own culture. But Mr Sheng believes thats unrealistic.

　　Some Chinese traditions have been overlooked amid the hectic pace of modern life

　　Should we then say our culture is not Chinese culture? Then what is Taiwanese culture? Our language, writing system, festivals and celebrations are all Chinese. How can Taiwan become like South Korea or Japan?

　　Taiwans indigenous culture sets it apart from China, but its only one part of Taiwans identity, he adds.

　　Ultimately, what many Taiwanese people cite as the most unique aspect about Taiwan, compared to China, is its democracy.

　　Culture is not based on military power or population size, Mr Sheng says. Chinese tourists who visit Taiwan really like Taiwans culture, its openness, and politeness. They see the differences.

　　He believes its impossible for Taiwan to become identical to China, despite the stepped-upexchanges.

　　Taiwan might ultimately influence China more.

　　Already, Taiwans pop culture is one of its biggest exports to the mainland and ex-pat Chinese communities. Long before relations improved, Chinese people loved Taiwanese singers, like Teresa Teng in the 1970s and 80s. Nowadays, many songs popular in China are from Taiwan.

　　Our cultural influence is really great. We should be confident in our culture, said Mr Sheng.

　　Taiwan is now helping the mainland rebuild its Mazu temples

　　With improved relations with China, Taiwan has recently begun spreading its traditional Chinese culture back to the mainland as well.

　　Chinas Fujian province, where the Goddess of the Sea was born, now seeks help from Taiwan to rebuild its Mazu temples and revive Mazu festivals.

　　The China Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Chinese universities have set up their first yayue ensemble devoted to playing court music, and have invited Professor Chou to be their chief advisor.

　　But Taiwan also faces challenges maintaining its own peoples interest in traditional culture. Many young people cannot speak the language of their ethnicity.

　　Puppet progress

　　Glove puppetry used to be the main form of entertainment on the island before televisions or movie theatres, but nowadays its hard to find children who have seen a puppet show. Puppet masters are struggling to attract fans.

　　To win over a new audience, puppet masters have made TV puppet shows, and are planning to make 3D puppet movies. And theyve added modern props such as motorcycles and computers.

　　At a performance in a childrens playhouse in Taipei, Steven Huang, a fourth generation puppet master, put on a show that held the entire audiences attention.

　　The stars on stage were the typical martial arts heroes, but had cartoon faces and Sponge Bob joined them.

　　To Mr Huang, puppetry must be preserved.

　　Its inseparable from what is Taiwanese, he says.

　　词汇解析：

　　boast 自夸，自吹自擂

　　two-stringed erhu ， bamboo flute ，calligraphy 二胡，笛子，书法

　　loose leaves steeped in a porcelain cup 瓷杯子里浸泡的散开的叶子

　　mansion 公馆，宅地

　　feast 盛会，宴会

　　pilgrimage 参拜，朝圣 例The Carabinieri station turned into a pilgrimage site。

　　plague 瘟疫

　　worship 崇拜

　　parade 游行，检阅

　　symbolise 象征

　　sage 圣人

　　auspicious 吉利的，吉祥的

　　lunar calendar 农历

　　ethnic 种族的，部落的

　　derive from 源自，从中衍生，提取 例We will derive a lot of information from the report

　　court music宫廷音乐

　　painstakingly 煞费苦心地

　　revive 重生，复活

　　melodic 有旋律的

　　Tang Dynasty 唐朝

　　Oppose to 反对

　　Mandatory 强制的，命令的

　　Basis 基础

　　Diverse 多样的

　　switched to simplified characters 转入简笔字

　　overlook 忽视

　　hectic 忙碌的=very busy

　　indigenous 本地的，土生土长的

　　aspect 方面，层面

　　stepped-up 加速的

　　identical 相同的，同一的

　　Glove puppetry 布袋戏

　　Prop 道具，支撑物

　　Inseparable 不可分割的