六级阅读理解精选练习：古罗马人

　　But the Romans did not spend all their time fighting. They were great builders. They built wonderful temples and public squares, heated baths and leisure centers, huge arches5 to celebrate the victories of their generals, and fine private houses, decorated with statues, fountains and mosaics. Their ideas of town planning were very advanced. The roads they built were stright and strong. In many parts of Europe, Roman roads are still in use. 6

　　阅读自测

　　Ⅰ. According to the p as sage , fill in the blanks with proper words:

　　1. One of the favourite activities in ancient Rome was_____________ .

　　2. The entertainments that gladiators fought wild animals for amusement were called circuses, so there was a saying that_____________ and_____________ were the only two things the Romans needed to be happy.

　　3. Romans were great builders. They built wonderful_____________ and public squares, heated houses and_____________ and huge arches.

　　4. The Roman Empire was a wide state and it stretched from_____________ in the west to Persia in the_____________ , and from Germany in the north down to _______

　　Ⅱ. Question :

　　List two proverbs which are in relation to Rome.

　　参考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. fighting 2. bread / circuses 3 . temples / leisure centers 4. Britain / east / Africa Ⅱ. The die is cast. All roads lead to Rome.

　　参考译文

　　古罗马人

　　古 罗马人最为出名的可能要算斗士。搏斗理所当然地成为他们深爱的运动项目之一。 据传说记载, 罗马城是由战神马耳斯的双胞胎儿子所建。罗马人都是战功赫赫的斗士, 所 向无敌。罗马帝国鼎盛时期, 其疆域向西扩展至不列颠, 东到波斯, 自北面的德国向南直达 非洲。罗马最著名的领袖——— 阿格里帕、哈德良、马克· 安东尼、尤利乌斯· 恺撒都是斗 士, 而且罗马文学中最伟大的著作对这些领袖指挥的战斗都有所描述。

　　即使是和平年代, 罗马最流行的运动形式也是在被称为角斗士的两名专业斗士之间进 行的搏斗。过去这些人用剑和矛对打, 经常是两者必有一死。为了让罗马群众娱乐, 角斗 士还与野生动物打斗。这类娱乐方式被称为竞技。人们常说, 只要有了“ 面包和竞技”这两 样东西, 罗马人就可以过得快活了。

　　但是, 罗马人并没把所有时间都花在搏斗上。他们也是伟大的建设者。他们建造了奇 特的庙宇、公共广场、温泉浴场、休闲中心、庆祝们凯旋而归的巨大拱门, 以及装饰有雕 像、喷泉和镶嵌图案的漂亮的私人会所。罗马人的城市规划思想非常先进。他们修造的道 路笔直而且坚固。在现代欧洲的许多地方, 罗马人修筑的道路仍在使用。