both sides of the Euphrates River, meaning that the river ran through the middle of the city，providing a lasting source of water in case of a siege (包围)．The river was also used as a moat(护城河)，providing a natural defense for the city.

　　Yet，powerful as the city appeared to be，one night in 539 BC it fell，almost without a fight.The conqueror (征服者) was a Persian king called Cyrus the Great. While the people of the city were celebrating a festival，Cyrus' engineers changed the normal course of the river.When it dropped to a level low enough for wading(涉水), his soldiers moved down the bed of the river，up the bank，and through the open doors，surprising the city and taking it almost without a fight.

　　After that，the city of Babylon went into decline(衰落)until it ended.

　　【语篇解读】　辉煌的巴比伦王国是著名的文明古国之一，它一度兴盛并拥有着世界七大奇迹之一的空中花园，但在波斯人占领后，伟大的巴比伦逐步走向了衰落......

　　1．The first time Babylon was made the capital city of an empire was when it was ruled over by ．

　　A．Hammurabi　　 B．Nimrod

　　C．Nebuchadnezzar D．Nabopolassar

　　A　[细节理解题。根据第一段"In 1790 BC，Hammurabi began...of an empire and society based on the rule of law."可知A项正确。]

　　2．We know from the text that the hanging gardens of Babylon ．

　　A．were designed by a Greek man

　　B．were made up of terraces，one above another

　　C．included palaces，temples and walls for protection

　　D．ranked first among the ancient wonders of the world

B　[推理判断题。根据第二段"His son，Nebuchadnezzar，made...the hanging gardens of Babylon."可知A项错误；根据第二段"Babylon's gardens consisted of...one above another..."可知B项正确；C项文中没有提及；根据第二段最后一