Passage Three
Welcome to Stratford-upon-Avon, home of the world's most famous writer, William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616). Stratford is famous in history for many old buildings from the Middle Ages. Our aim is to attract you to explore our lovely town following streets that Shakespeare would have known and would still recognize.
Stratford-upon-Avon has been a market town since before Shakespeare' s day. It was a small river crossing until it received its legal status as a town in 1196. The original crossing was close to the site of Clopton Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in the country. After 500 years, the bridge still bears traffic, which speaks of the great skill of the original builders. Today, we still have a flourishing market, held on Fridays and Saturdays. The town is also host to many other art markets throughout the year.
The Royal Shakespeare Company, one of the most famous acting companies in the world, is located here. The theater provides performances of Shakespeare9 s plays. It also has many performing works from across the centuries and many contemporary pieces as well. If you are lucky, you will see many a famous face wandering through the town or enjoying a drink after plays in one of our many bars.
You may enjoy a boat trip on the river or a visit to the Butterfly Farm, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, which has collections of many extraordinary insects. An enjoyable time may be had in the Brass Rubbing Center（黄铜拓印技艺中心），which promises that great skills are not required to produce an unusual souvenir of your visit. The center of the town has many small shops and galleries. We hope you enjoy your visit to our much-loved town and that you will come back again.
44.What can be infeiTed about Stratford-upon-Avon?
A.It has served as an art market since Shakespeare's day. B.Its market is closed on Saturday mornings. C.Its streets have remained nearly the same over the centuries. D.It gained its legal status as a town in Shakespeare's day.正确答案C
