【正文】
sed in the plural) (遭破壞的)殘跡;災(zāi)害. We visited an old building that has survived the ravages of time.11) all but: almost, nearly. The game was all but over by the time we arrived.He all but died of the serious wounds.3. Detail study of the text (30 minutes)Paragraph One1) Comprehension QuestionsQ: What can we conclude about the capital city of a country?A: The capital city of a country is not necessarily the greatest city of the country, but it is certainly the most important city in the country. Usually the capital city is the political center because the central government is there.2) Main idea. The concept of a capital.Paragraph Two1) Comprehension QuestionsQ: Why is it that the existence of a city is often longer than that of an empire?A: Cities rise and fall like empires, but a city may still be there after the empires owning it have vanished.2) Main idea The long history of some cities. 3) Difficult sentences Cities, like empires, rise and fall, but the existence of a city is often longer than that of the empires of which it is the capitalLike empires, cities also flourish and decline, but the history of a city is often longer than that of the empires owning it. Paragraph Three1) Comprehension QuestionsQ: In what respects does a city resemble a man?A: Like man, cities also have their own peculiar qualities and characteristics2) Main idea Some peculiar qualities of cities3) Difficult sentencesParis is gay, and we think of it as a city of pleasure and gaiety, though at many times in the past it has been the very opposite of this. Paris is a lively and cheerful city, and we regard it as a place where we can find pleasure and gaiety, though at many times in the past it had not been like this.Paragraph Four1) Comprehension QuestionsQ: What advantages does a capital city have over other cities?A: Since the capital is the center of government and political power, it attracts large numbers of ambitious people. Their efforts in various fields make the capital a busy center of human activities.2) Main idea The advantages of a capital city. Paragraph Five1) Comprehension QuestionsQ: What is still a subject for discussion regarding the central status of the capital? A: It remains a subject for discussion whether it is a good thing to have only one such center in a nation, or whether it would be b