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No one can believe that the Great Wall might disappear some day. Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty is still perfect, but about 80 percent is in danger. The Great Wall can be called “great” mostly because of its amazing length. But we should realize that the length was made up of one brick at a time. If we do nothing to save the Great Wall, it will become a series of separate wasteland rather than a historic site.
The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2,000 years. It began in the rule of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty, and lasted into the Ming Dynasty. The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared. People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan in Gansu because they have been open to tourists for many years. But_those_sections_far_away_from_the_public_eyes have been almost forgotten.
Few local people knew the 3metrehigh walls made of earth and stones beside them are part of the Great Wall. The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons.
The bricks on the Great Wall were carried off by local countryside people to build their houses, sheep corrals (畜栏) and pigsties (猪圈). Some were taken away to build roads. Bricks carved with people's names are put away as remembrance (纪念). Rubbish is spread over the battlements (城垛). The bricks can be sold for 15 yuan per tractor load. Those who destroyed and are destroying the Great Wall know its name, but are not clear about its cultural meaning. It will take a long time to let them know this. The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Great Wall but dug out the entire base.
It is necessary to preserve the Great Wall. The officials should be aware of the importance of the Great Wall. Young Chinese should know more about the nation's great civilization and learn to love it.
【语篇解读】 历史文化古迹——长城正在遭到破坏，作者呼吁人们要保护好长城。
1．The underlined part in Paragraph 2 refers to the parts of the Great Wall ________.
A．that are too difficult to understand
B．that nobody can watch
C．that are not well known to the public
D．that are too far to be seen
答案与解析：C 词义猜测题。根据上文“People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan in Gansu because they have been open to tourists for many years.”和画线部分的But可知，长城有些地方是向公众开放的景点，这当然为公众所熟悉；而那些不是景点的地方则不会为公众所熟悉。
2．What's the main reason for the Great Wall's being destroyed?
A．The local people are short of cultural knowledge.
B．The local people need bricks and stones to build houses.
C．The local people think the Great Wall is not important.
D．The bricks of the Great Wall can be sold for money.
答案与解析：A 细节理解题。根据文章第三段及第四段中“Those who destroyed and are destroying the Great Wall know its name, but are not clear about its cultural meaning.”可知，长城被破坏的主要原因是当地人缺乏文化知识。
3．Why does the author say the Great Wall might disappear?
A．It is useless from now on.
B．It will be replaced by a new one.
C．Some parts of it are being destroyed.
D．It's too old to be used once again.
答案与解析：C 细节理解题。根据文章第一段第二、三句“Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty is still perfect, but about 80 percent is in danger.”和第四段前五句“The bricks on the Great Wall were carried off by countryside people to build their houses, sheep corrals (畜栏) and pigsties (猪圈). Some were taken away to build roads. Bricks carved with people's names are put away as rememberance (纪念). Rubbish is spread over the battlements (城垛). The bricks can be sold for 15 yuan per tractor load.”可知，长城的很大一部分正在遭受破坏，所以作者说长城可能会消失。
