By connecting people's homes, the hutongs in fact connected people's lives, whether the lives of the rich\s\up1(21(21) or\s\up1(22(22) the lives of the ordinary citizens. Because the houses were built facing each other around courtyards, the families who lived there were an important part of each other's lives. They supported each other when help was needed and shared the joy and sadness\s\up1(23(23) of everyday life, no doubt sharing recipes, borrowing mops, and burning fragrant\s\up1(24(24) incense\s\up1(25(25) together. The children played in the courtyards and because of the hutongs, courtyards were joined together for miles around creating a network of people working, playing and living together\s\up1(26(26) - a real community.

　　D

　　Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, the conditions in Beijing's hutongs went down as the political situation cast\s\up1(27(27) a dark cloud on China's economy\s\up1(28(28). Many new hutongs were quickly built to house\s\up1(29(29) the increasing population but these were poorly\s\up1(30(30) made. The turning point\s\up1(31(31) came when the People's Republic of China was set up\s\up1(32(32). Conditions improved a great deal\s\up1(33(33) and the government undertook\s\up1(34(34) the preservation\s\up1(35(35) of many of the oldest hutongs.

　　E

　　Hutongs are still an important part of Beijing life and it is not surprising that tourists love the hutongs. They can walk up\s\up1(36(36) Sanmiao Street, which dates back\s\up1(37(37) 900 years, wander down Rongxian - the longest hutong at 2 km or squeeze\s\up1(38(38) through Qianshi - the narrowest at only 40 cm wide! They can also stop under a stone arch\s\up1(39(39) and watch the hutong world go by\s\up1(40(40) while enjoying a plate of Beijing's best "Peking Duck" or satisfying\s\up1(41(41) their thirst\s\up1(42(42) with a cold Tsingtao beer\s\up1(43(43). The hutongs not only link Beijing's streets and communities after all, but also its past and present, showing that Beijing is truly an ancient yet modern city\s\up1(44(44).

　　\s\up1(21(21)the rich富人，"the＋adj."表示一类人。

　　\s\up1(22(22)whether ... or ...不管是......还是......

　　\s\up1(23(23)share the joy and sadness同甘共苦

　　\s\up1(24(24)fragrant /'freIɡrənt/adj.有香味的

　　\s\up1(25(25)incense n．香(尤指宗教礼仪用的)

　　\s\up1(26(26)现在分词短语creating a network of people ...作结果状语，其中working, playing and living together又作people的后置定语。

　　\s\up1(27(27)cast /kɑːst/vt.投下

　　cast a dark cloud on ...在......投下一片阴云

\s\up1(28(28)as the political situation cast a dark cloud on ...是as引导的原因状语从句。