Alexandria's Library (Reading)
Alexandria's Library
Complete the following text with the correct words:
There's just one problem - where are all the books?
In the days when 500,000 papyrus scrolls could store the entire
1)_______of human knowledge the Egyptian city of Alexandria, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, was a natural site for the world's greatest library.
It was here, under the Ptolemies, that Man first calculated the Earth's circumference and 2)_______ steam power, only to abandon it because energy from slaves was so much 3)_______. When the Great Library was 4)_______ (between 48 BC and the seventh century AD, according to which story you believe), hundreds of 5)_______ of philosophy, science and literature were lost.
But later this year the Library of Alexandria will open for business again, in a spectacular $180m building, with the world's most advanced cataloguing system, computerised book transport, internet connections and a fire-prevention system to 6)_______ it does not suffer the same 7)_______ as its predecessor.
The new library's roof is a 8)_______ disc, 160m in diameter, dipping below ground level and said to symbolise the rising sun. The vast reading room, with 2,000 seats, rises through several terraces.
There's just a small matter of something to fill the shelves. Though it is billed as "a unique research institution, a 9)________ for scholars world-wide", the library has scarcely any money for books. It can store 8m volumes, but there will be only 400,000 when it opens.
It is a familiar problem - and one that the ancient Egyptians solved 10)_______: according to legend they raided passing ships and forced them to 11)_______ over any scrolls on board for copying. The modern Egyptians do the same, more politely. They ask visiting businessmen and dignitaries if they have any spare books.
Short of trying to 12)_______ every book in existence, as the ancients did, experts say Alexandria's best hope of becoming a world-class library is to develop an 13)_______ strategy with areas of speciality. Two reports have proposed a twin focus on the history of the Mediterranean, and science and technology.
Acquisitions that fit the 14)_______ include copies of Spain's Escorial collection of Arab scholarship of the 10th - 14th centuries, and of Turkey's Ottoman empire documents. In Britain the Friends of the library are raising funds to buy a microfiche copy of all the Arabic manuscripts in the British Library - 45, 000 images.
Meanwhile in Alexandria they are busy cataloguing a life of Princess Diana, the Guinness Book of World Records and
15)_______ outdated yearbooks. "They've got to be more selective in what they accept in gifts," says Maurice Line, former chairman of the British Friends.
One question that no-one will yet answer is whether any books will be 16)_______. In Egypt writing and publishing can be hazardous occupations. One writer is on trial for 17)_______ atheism, and in May there were riots in Cairo over the reprinting of 1,000 copies of a 1983 novel, Banquet For Seaweed, which 18)_______ defamed Islam.
One of the library's earliest 19)_______ was the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, who donated $21m to help start the project shortly before he invaded Kuwait. He recently 20)_______ his intention to write a novel about youth, and will no doubt provide a copy for the library when it is published.
In the days when 500,000 papyrus scrolls could store the entire
1)_______of human knowledge the Egyptian city of Alexandria, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, was a natural site for the world's greatest library.
It was here, under the Ptolemies, that Man first calculated the Earth's circumference and 2)_______ steam power, only to abandon it because energy from slaves was so much 3)_______. When the Great Library was 4)_______ (between 48 BC and the seventh century AD, according to which story you believe), hundreds of 5)_______ of philosophy, science and literature were lost.
But later this year the Library of Alexandria will open for business again, in a spectacular $180m building, with the world's most advanced cataloguing system, computerised book transport, internet connections and a fire-prevention system to 6)_______ it does not suffer the same 7)_______ as its predecessor.
The new library's roof is a 8)_______ disc, 160m in diameter, dipping below ground level and said to symbolise the rising sun. The vast reading room, with 2,000 seats, rises through several terraces.
There's just a small matter of something to fill the shelves. Though it is billed as "a unique research institution, a 9)________ for scholars world-wide", the library has scarcely any money for books. It can store 8m volumes, but there will be only 400,000 when it opens.
It is a familiar problem - and one that the ancient Egyptians solved 10)_______: according to legend they raided passing ships and forced them to 11)_______ over any scrolls on board for copying. The modern Egyptians do the same, more politely. They ask visiting businessmen and dignitaries if they have any spare books.
Short of trying to 12)_______ every book in existence, as the ancients did, experts say Alexandria's best hope of becoming a world-class library is to develop an 13)_______ strategy with areas of speciality. Two reports have proposed a twin focus on the history of the Mediterranean, and science and technology.
Acquisitions that fit the 14)_______ include copies of Spain's Escorial collection of Arab scholarship of the 10th - 14th centuries, and of Turkey's Ottoman empire documents. In Britain the Friends of the library are raising funds to buy a microfiche copy of all the Arabic manuscripts in the British Library - 45, 000 images.
Meanwhile in Alexandria they are busy cataloguing a life of Princess Diana, the Guinness Book of World Records and
15)_______ outdated yearbooks. "They've got to be more selective in what they accept in gifts," says Maurice Line, former chairman of the British Friends.
One question that no-one will yet answer is whether any books will be 16)_______. In Egypt writing and publishing can be hazardous occupations. One writer is on trial for 17)_______ atheism, and in May there were riots in Cairo over the reprinting of 1,000 copies of a 1983 novel, Banquet For Seaweed, which 18)_______ defamed Islam.
One of the library's earliest 19)_______ was the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, who donated $21m to help start the project shortly before he invaded Kuwait. He recently 20)_______ his intention to write a novel about youth, and will no doubt provide a copy for the library when it is published.
1. amount sum value worth
2. discovered detected revealed disclosed
3. more inexpensive lower-priced cheaper more thrifly
4. wreaked annihilated destroyed eradicated
5. works products endeavors labors
6. secure ensure assure satisfy
7. destiny fate destination doom
8. uneven inclined tipped titled
9. refuge haven shelter harbor
10. intelligently ingeniously originally perceptively
11. give hand pass bequeath
12. congregate convoke consolidate collect
13. accumulation gathering acquisition accruing
14. strategy approach maneuver tactic
15. copious numerous diverse infinite
16. forbidden outlawed banned prevented
17. championing urging forwarded promoting
18. supposedly allegedly aparently presumably
19. benefactors helpers protectors allies
20. presented mentioned declared professed
Comments
Post a Comment