Located at the foot of the Wudang Mountains in China’s Hubei Province is the home of 64-year-old Marc Verlant, which possesses a fascinating collection of Chinese artifacts. The artfully arranged decorations such as miniatures (微缩模型) of ancient Chinese towers, traditional wooden carvings and Chinese paintings clearly convey that the house owner is trying to creatively explore and develop a better understanding of Chinese culture.
As a keen enthusiast of martial arts, Chinese architecture and history, this Frenchman is currently savoring his 19th year of living in a rural Chinese-style environment and finds it pleasant to live here. “Wudang is like my second home, and some locals say that I am almost a native of Wudang,” said Verlant.
The Wudang Mountains, a UNESCO world cultural heritage site, are considered “the cradle of Tai Chi” and are home to numerous palaces and temples that show the wisdom and beauty of ancient China’s architecture. In 2004, to treat his body after an accident, Verlant moved here to learn Chinese martial arts, and gradually fell in love with martial arts as well as Wudang’s culture. For him, it all started when his French-language student, who was a local tour guide, aroused his interest in local culture. For years, he volunteered as a foreign-language interpreter and tour guide in the Wudang Mountains, sharing Wudang’s culture with tourists from across the world. During the past two decades, he has witnessed and experienced the rapid development of this mountainous region. “When I first arrived in Wudang, there was neither the high-speed railway nor the shuttle bus, and many foreigners didn’t know how to come here, ” he recalled.
The Frenchman’s enthusiasm inspired those around him. “I learned a lot about Wudang from Marc, and his positive attitude toward life also influenced me to be more outgoing and energetic,”said his wife, who is a native of Shiyan City, where the Wudang Mountains are located.
【小题1】Why does the author mention the decorations of a house?| A．To sing the praises of traditional Chinese artifacts. |
| B．To highlight its owner’s insights into Chinese art. |
| C．To show its owner’s passion for Chinese culture. |
| D．To suggest the perfectly-matched decorating style. |
| A．Adjusting. | B．Exploring. | C．Rebuilding. | D．Enjoying. |
| A．He worked as a tour guide while teaching. |
| B．He contributed to the promotion of Wudang’s culture. |
| C．He became energetic under the influence of martial arts. |
| D．He offered great help to the development of the local economy. |
| A．A tourist attraction—Wudang. |
| B．An encounter with martial arts. |
| C．A journey of intercultural communication. |
| D．A French enthusiast of Wudang’s culture. |
