Cultural development went hand in hand○22 with technological progress○23. New discoveries were made in astronomy○24， geography and medicine. In 724 Seng Yixing measured○25 the length of the sun's shadow○26 and the altitude○27 of the North Pole. Under Emperor Taizong (627～649) the government opened medical schools where specialist○28 subjects were studied○29. The invention of printing about this time meant that knowledge could be recorded and shared○30 as never before. But it was not just scientific knowledge that could now reach a wider audience○31. Printing also marked○32 the beginning of the golden age of literature - and literature, in the Tang Dynasty, meant poetry.

In the beauty o f its images○33 and the range of topics, Tang poetry was better than everything that had come before it○34. But how did this happen? There is no single answer to○35 the question. An explosion of talent, and the appearance of new forms were both important. In the"New Style Verse" which appeared during the Tang period○36， each line has five or seven syllables○37， and there are lots of rules which govern○38 the tones○39. But being able to write poetry was also an important qualification for people who wanted to become government officials○40. A good poet had a better chance○41 of getting a good job. So lots of people became interested in○42 poetry.

○22hand in hand联合地，手拉手地

○23progress n．& v．进展，发展，前进，进行

○24astronomy/ə'strɒnəmi/n.天文学

○25measure v．& n．测量，量；尺寸，措施

make ... to one's measure 依照某人的尺寸做；定做

take some measures to do 采取措施做

○26shadow/'ʃædəʊ/n.影子，阴影

○27altitude/'æltIˌtjuːd/n.高度；海拔

at an altitude of 在......的高度

○28specialist/'speʃəlIst/n.专家

○29where ... studied是定语从句，修饰medical schools。

○30share/ʃeə/v.分享，共享n.份；分配额

○31that引导定语从句，修饰scientific knowledge。

○32mark v．& n．标志着，做标记；记号，符号

○33image n．肖像，图像

○34that had come before it是定语从句，修饰everything。

○35an/the answer to .........的答案

○36which ... period是定语从句，修饰"New Style Verse"。

○37syllable/'sIləbl/n.音节

○38govern v．决定；指导；统治，管理

○39which govern the tones是定语从句，修饰rules。

○40who wanted to become government officials是定语从句，修饰people。

○41chance n．机会

○42be/become interested in 对......感兴趣

take an interest in 对......感兴趣