Passage B
◆Important Words and Expressions◆
equivalent［IˈkwIvələnt］adj.being essentially equal to something相等的，相当的
e.g. 1.Silence is sometimes equivalent to an allowance.有时候，沉默是一种默许。
2.His reply is equivalent to a refusal.他的回答等同拒绝。
perspective［pəˈspektIv］n.way of thinking about something，especially one that is influenced by sb.'s beliefs or experiences透镜；观点
e.g. 1.A little history provides a different perspective.一段历史提供了一个不同的视角。
2.I tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.
在整个危机中，我尽力坚持自己的观点。
delicate［ˈdelIkət］adj.easily damaged易受损的；needing to be dealt with carefully棘手的，微妙的
e.g. 1.Although the coral looks hard，it is very delicate.珊瑚看起来很坚硬，但它非常易碎。
2.We have a rather delicate situation.我们面临一种很棘手的局面。
prevail［prIˈveIl］vi.to gain influence or is accepted，often after a struggle or argument流行，盛行；占优势；说服
e.g. 1.I do hope he will prevail over the rebels.我真想他能说服抗议者。
2.It seems that the diamond will prevail forever.这种宝石似乎能一直流行。
diversity［daIˈvɜːsəti］n.the degree of variation多样化，（人在种族、民族、宗教等方面的）多样性；差异
e.g. 1.There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies.
两种意识形态没有本质上的差异。
2.His object is to gather as great a diversity of material as possible.
他的目标是收集到尽可能多的不同材料。
date back追溯（到）；开始（于）
e.g. 1.The earliest Chinese coin can date back to thousands years ago.
中国最早的钱币可追溯到几千年前。
2.We are going to visit an old temple which dates back to the 12th century.
我们打算去参观一座建造于12世纪的古老庙宇。
call on拜访（某人）；叫；号召；要求
e.g. 1.Sofia was intending to call on Miss Kitts.索菲娅打算去拜访凯斯小姐。
2.People call on Israel to halt such attacks.人们呼吁以色列停止武装袭击。
in contrast to相比之下
e.g. 1.In contrast to our old house，the new one is a palace.和我们的老房子相比，新房子像一座宫殿。
2.He looks healthier in contrast to his former self.他比前段时间看上去健康多了。
◆Explanations of Difficult Sentences◆
1.As China is quickening its tempo going global,cross⁃cultural communication has become more important than ever before.
•随着中国国际化脚步的加快，跨文化交流也显得比以往任何时候都更重要。
•quickening是quicken的现在分词形式，quicken是由quick加后缀⁃en而来，表示加快。很多单音节的形容词、名词变动词时，常用此类构词法，比如：
weak→weaken sharp→sharpen deep→deepen
height→heighten short→shorten bright→brighten
2.Settling on a perfect English translation for many Chinese terms has long been an issue in terms of gaining a better understanding in cross⁃cultural communication.
•长期以来，在跨文化交流中，如何选定完美的英文解释以便更好地理解许多中文用语，一直是个问题。
•句中两次出现term一词，但意思却有所不同。前一个Chinese terms中的term是术语、用语的意思；而in terms of这个词组是“根据”，“用……的话”，“就……而言”的意思。term作名词时还有学期、条款、期限等意思。
3.Many related experts and scholars insist that Peking Opera is so different from Western opera that it should be transliterated into“Jingju”instead of being translated into“Peking Opera”the way it is now.
•很多相关专家和学者坚持认为京剧不同于西方歌剧，应该音译为“Jingju”，而不是现在使用的“Peking Opera”的译法。
•当insist作“坚决主张；坚决要求”讲时，用虚拟语气。
e.g. They insisted that he（should）be present at the ceremony.
He insisted that he was innocent.
4.As a form of artistic expression,Peking Opera is not only elegant in its stylistic elements like facial makeup and melodies,but also a synthesis of stylized action,singing,dialogue and mime,acrobatic fighting and dancing,all combined to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings of gladness,anger,sorrow,happiness,surprise and fear.
•京剧作为一种艺术表现形式，不仅具有优雅的风格元素，如脸谱和旋律，更是集动作、演唱、对话、独白、杂技和舞蹈为一体，讲述一个故事或刻画不同人物，并表现他们的情感，如开心、愤怒、伤心、喜悦、惊奇与恐惧。
•本句比较长，其中主语是Peking Opera，not only…but also代表不但……，而且……。As a form of artistic expression是插入语前置。all combined to represent a story or depict different characters中represent和depict为并列关系。
5.In its wide range of themes,Peking Opera also dramatically varies from western opera and any other theatre genre.
•京剧的主题范围广泛，这也与西方歌戏剧和任何其他戏剧流派有显著不同。
•本句中的western opera指的是西方的戏剧，并不仅指意大利歌剧。
6.That can partially explain why Peking Opera has assumed some social responsibility to enlighten people while entertaining them.
•这可以在某种程度上解释为什么京剧承担了一定的社会责任，给人们带来娱乐的同时也启发着人们。
•assume一般是假设的意思，但在本句中，assume的意思是“承担、担任”。
e.g. Mr.Cross will assume the role of Chief Executive with a team of four directors.
7.In contrast to western opera and drama,Peking Opera can not be simply defined as pure comedy or pure tragedy as it normally incorporates the two into one performance；and in the battle between virtue and evil,virtue always prevails against evil.
•与西方歌剧和话剧不同，京剧不能被简单地定义为纯粹的喜剧或纯粹的悲剧，因为它通常是合二为一的；在美德与邪恶的斗争中，美德总能战胜邪恶。
•注意句中as…as…并不是一个比较级结构，第一个as在defined后面，表示“定义为……”，第二个as后面接句子，表示“因为”的意思。
8.On this basis,the writer here is appealing for renaming Peking Opera its Chinese Pinyin form“Jingju”,not because of narrowed⁃minded nationalism or an extreme cultural inferiority complex,but in an effort to restore the oral,intangible heritage of Peking Opera and its original Chinese characteristics.
•在当今全球化的世界中，世界各地的文化也趋向融合。一方面，这是一个建设性的趋势，它能提高跨文化交流。另一方面，文化的多样性需要被保留，这样世界才能五彩缤纷。
•Not because…but…意为“不是因为……而是（因为）……”，此处省略了but后面的because，类似的用法还有not…that…but…that，其中but后面的that有时也可以省略。例如：Not that I dislike her，but（that）I have no time.