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AD （ abbrev. Anno Domini） 公元
cable car 缆车
churn / tʃəːn/ v. to produce large quantities of sth，esp. without caringabout quality
cliff /klif/ n. 悬崖，峭壁
commercialism /kəˈməːʃəliˌzəm/ n. often derog. the principles，methods，and practices of commerce，esp. those concerned only with making profits （商业主义或行为，营利主义，利润第一的做法）
cramp /kræmp/ v. to keep in a narrow space; to hinder or prevent the movement
dampen /ˈdæmpən/ v. to make sad or dull
erode /iˈrəud/ v. to wear away; eat into erosion n.
humidity /ˈhjumiditi/ n. 湿度
infrastructure /ˈinfrəˌstrʌktʃə/ n. the basic systems and structures that a country or organization needs in order to work properly，for example transport，communications，and banking systems （基础设施）
lessen /ˈlesən/ v. to make or become less
moisture /ˈmɔistʃə/ n. 潮湿
overhaul /ˌəuvəˈhɔl/ v. to examine thoroughly
peel /pil/ v. to come off in strips
plight /plait/ n. difficult condition
swarm /swɑːm/ v. to be present in large numbers
terra-cotta /ˈterəˈkɔtə/ n. hard，reddish-brown pottery
1. beyond therepair efforts of Chinese and foreign experts （Par.5）—中外专家都修复不了
beyond—outside the range or limits of sb or sth
2. wake up to （Par.7）—begin to understand true reality
3. in danger of loving our heritage to death （Par.9）—因喜欢我们的遗产而导致它处于毁灭的危险：言外之意是旅游的人太多而使文化遗产无法好好保护。
4. tackling it has turned out to be a relatively slow and haphazard business （Par.10）—对待保护文化古迹这样的事，结果干起来却是慢吞吞而且毫无计划。
it—stands for the “cultural conservation”
5. account for （Par.15）—to amount to
6. grant tourist access （Par.18）—grant tourists the right to enter a place
7. You can't have a site like that that 's open ... （Par.23）—a relative pronoun，standing for “site”
8. crass commercialism （Par.27）—粗俗的铜臭，惟利是图
9. ethnic flavor （Par.30）—民族风格或特色
10. as have canned performances ... indigenous life （Par.34）—and canned performances （预先录制好［如已制成录像带只要放映即可］的表演） for tourists have also proliferated ...
as—a conjunction，used to avoid repetition in the predicate:
Henry is very tall，as are his brothers （and his brothers are also very tall）.
17. carrying capacity （Par.36）—容纳量
Questions and Answers for Your Reference
1. What activities are harming ancient Buddhist grottoes?
Too many tourists and their breathing are harming them.
2. Who turned the caves into the painted shrines?
The travelers along the old silk road.
3. Are the murals in good shape?
No，they are not in good shape. Many of them are already sagging or peeling from walls，and their delicate beauty is fading away. Others have deteriorated beyond repair efforts.
4. Why is it difficult for the authorities to prevent them from being destroyed?
Money is at the root of the problem. China is a developing nation. Localgovernments have little money left over for cultural conservation.
5. Does the Chinese government value the preservation of those historical and cultural sites?
Yes，it does. For instance，it has given award to the the Getty Conservation Institute for its contributions to the preservation of them at Dunhuang.
6. Why did Mr. Neville Agnew say “tourism and conservation are good partners”?
If you can make a good connection，they are. In other words，if you can allocate part of the money earned from tourism to conservation，and don't turn to tourism as a cash cow，they will be good partners.
Words to Know
access，ancient Buddhist grottoes，canned performance，carbon dioxide moisture，cash cow，crass commercialism，cultural and natural sites，cultural conservation/monument/wonders，establishment，ethnic flavor，exploding tourism，hikers and backpackers，historical site，humidity，indigenous life，infrastructure，the lion'sshare，mural，negative effect，non-renewable resource，sculpture，shrine，silk road，the tourist authorities，tourist boom，UNESCO，WHO