阅读理解
Sayyouarea17thcenturyconstruction(建筑)workerwho'sworkedlongandhardtobuildasplendidtowerforthedeadwifeofyouremperor(皇帝).
Nowsaythattheemperorordersyourfingertipscutoffsoyoucanneverbuildanotherone.YesthatistheTajMahaloneofthemostfamousbuildingsintheworld.Andthetale(传说)behindtheconstructionisjustasimpressive(印象深刻的)asthebuildingitself.
Firstthere'stheemperorofnorthernIndiaShahJehanalsocalledtheKingoftheWorld.In1612ShahJehanmarriedMumtazMahal.Madlyinlovetheyhad14childrenoverthenext20years.Butthensadnesscame.AsMumtazwasabouttogivebirthtochildnumber14shesaidshehadheardherunbornbabycryout.Itwasasignofdeath.AndasMumtazlaydyingsheaskedJehantobuildalastingmemorial(纪念物)tocelebratetheirlove.
WhentheheartbrokenJehanappearedeightdaysafterhiswife'sdeathhispeoplewereshockedtoseethathiscoal-blackhairhadturnedsnow-white.
PuttingawayhissadnessJehanorderedhiswife'sdyingwishcarriedout(执行).Morethan20000workerslaborednearly22yearstocompletetheconstruction.In1653JehanplacedMumtaz'sremainsinthecenterunderthebuilding.
AndthensonnumberfiveAurangzebmurderedhisbrothersandtookoverthepowerfromhisagingfather.Hehanlivedtherestofhisdays-eightyearstobeexact-imprisonednotfarfromtheTajMahal.Jehanwasonlyallowedtoclimbontothetopofhisprisontoseethetimelesstreasurefromadistance(从远处).Butneveragainwouldhebeallowedtovisitit-untilhewasburiednexttohiswife.
Today25000peoplevisittheTajMahaleachday.Thoughthereasonforbuildingthetowerwasastrangesadstorythosewhoseeitsbreath-takingbeautyarereminded(使想起)ofthehappinessthatinspired(激发……的灵感)itsconstruction.
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