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Last updated at 15:49 GMT, Wednesday, 23 November 2011

Mecca or Manhattan?

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Report and vocabulary

transcript

It's Islam's holiest site. Millions make the pilgrimage to the Grand Mosque every year.

The pace of high-rise development in the city has led some to compare modern-day Mecca to Manhattan.

But archaeologists are angry that ancient monuments are being destroyed so rich visitors can be accommodated in luxury hotels.

The Saudi authorities say the demolition is necessary to cope with the ever-growing number of visitors.

holiest

of greatest religious importance

pilgrimage

journey to a place of spiritual significance

high-rise

describes a tall building with many floors

archaeologists

people who study buildings and other objects from the past

demolition

the total destruction of something

Exercise

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from a 大象传媒 news report.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

holiest/pilgrimage/high-rise/archaeologists/demolition

1.
The Unesco inspectors will be looking at plans submitted by Peel Holdings for a development of __________ buildings including offices, shops and restaurants in the 拢5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, they will also examine how the city is managing the heritage site.

2.
The two people are believed to have been on their way to Mecca for the annual Hajj __________ when the fire broke out near Jeddah airport.

3.
The first Sikhs came to London a century ago and a new exhibition in the capital celebrates the Golden Temple, their __________ site.

4.
In Khan al-Ahmar, many homes are under __________ order, as is the primary school, set up with the help of an Italian charity two years ago.

5.
Bullets dating back to the English Civil War have been found in a field in Berkshire by __________.

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Exercise

Answers

How did you do?

1.

high-rise

2.

pilgrimage

3.

holiest

4.

demolition

5.

archaeologists

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