第二篇:
Archaeological discoveries and literary texts prove that dance has existed for thousands of years. Many
ancient paintings show dancing figures involved in important religious functions. In Egypt, dancing was used to
honor the gods and those who passed away. The Greeks later mimicked this Egyptian custom in spiritual contexts,
such as temple ceremonies. Additionally, the Greek philosopher Aristotle ranked the art of dance as equal to poetry.
Gifted dancers, he believed, could use rhythmic gestures to communicate everything from character traits to
specific actions just as clearly as words could.
Many of today’s formal dances, like the waltz, were developed in the royal courts during the European
Renaissance. The love of dance among the upper class also led to the creation of ballet. Ballet began as a fluid
interpretation of fencing and audiences, including commoners, were charmed by the dancers’ graceful movements.
King Louis the XIV was so fascinated by the style that he brought many talented performers together and founded
the first professional ballet company.
During the 1920s, dancing for amusement started gaining wider acceptance, and the number of newly
invented dances soared. In America, this obsession was the foundation of a novel competition: the dance marathon,
where contestants showed off their dancing skills and physical endurance. During every hour, couples would dance
for 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. It was not unusual for these marathons to last for weeks or even
months! The longest one ended after 5,152 hours, and the winning pair got $2,000, about 1.5 times the average of
American’s annual salary at the time!
Dancing may not be inherently romantic, but occasions of love are often accompanied by special dances,
especially marriages. In Morocco, belly dancers lead guests into the reception hall to kick off the party. Wedding
goers in Mexico form the shape of a heart around the newlyweds while they share their first dance as a married
couple. And in Italy, guests at a wedding party join together for the tarantella, a dance for good luck. Legend has it
that this lively dance cured a woman bitten by a poisonous spider. 【題組】48. What is NOT true about ballet?
(A) It was well received only among the royals in Europe.
(B) The first professional ballet troupe was formed by a monarch.
(C) It was created because the nobles loved dancing very much.
(D) It was derived from the art of European swords dueling.