蓝鸽

1 Greve, or “Greve in Chianti” to give its full name, is a quiet, modest town that has a population of only a few thousand people. Despite its size, it is the regional center for wine trade, as well as a center for the trade of local products. The food market of the town shows the full richness of the local harvest, offering fruits and vegetables from the surrounding countryside in addition to delicious cheeses, olive oil, sausages, and ham. It is truly a place where the quality of life has become evident in the richness of its products.

2 The town‟s quaintness, its hospitality, and the lushness and diversity of the undulating landscape that surrounds it have long attracted tourists and travelers to the region. The current flow of tourism to the area is most often directly related to the viniculture, and the various enterprises associated with it, which help to form a highly integrated and productive local economy. It‟s a busy little town, but while it is full of activity, it is also a village that appreciates tradition — and a place where time is rarely rushed.

3 Greve is a place where time never seems to be hurried and life often seems more leisurely. Greve‟s residents sincerely make an effort to spend time with their families and friends, to take pleasure in life, and to really live their lives to the fullest.

4 Throughout the day, groups of people stroll down the streets of the beautiful town, shopping, tasting the produce, enjoying the atmosphere, and conversing with nearly everyone as they go. The town‟s culture is inherently slow, which makes Greve more than simply slow paced; it makes it, in fact, an official Slow City and one that is quite proud of this special status. Greve is not an exception, a single slow-moving city attempting to save traditional culture; it is part of an organized movement. There are now several of these unusual cities throughout the country of Italy as well as in a number of other countries, too.

5 Paolo Saturnini is the mayor of Greve and one of the founders of the phenomenon known as “Slow Cities.” Together with the mayors from three other small Italian towns, Saturnini created the Slow Cities group, which is referred to as Cittaslow in Italian, in 1999. Subsequently, several other cities with fewer than 50,000 residents joined the group, making it first a national movement, and later an international one.

6 The mission of the SlowCity movement is to keep the hometowns of its members free from a life in the fast lane. To help accomplish this mission, the group aims to improve the quality of life in smaller towns and villages while resisting the fast-paced, globalized atmosphere that is so often seen in big cities throughout the world. Nowadays, many villages and towns worldwide are applying to join the SlowCity movement, but not every town is qualified.

7 Cities that are interested in joining the movement are first vetted to see if they meet the organization‟s criteria.Once accepted, they must agree to follow a strict set of detailed clauses within the Slow Cities manifesto to ensure the movement‟s standards are maintained. The basic idea behind these criteria is to encourage cities to cherish what makes their community unique and different. One of the manifesto‟s criteria is the promotion of local produce and products; another is the encouragement of maintaining cultural identity within the city.

8 Alongside the SlowCity movement, another subsidiary movement has developed: the Slow Food movement. This secondary movement is similar to the SlowCity movement, and some of the supporting concepts of the two groups overlap. The main difference is that the Slow Food movement differs in focus. Its practitioners aim to preserve the pleasures of good, locally grown, high-quality food. The concept of Slow Food contrasts the tendency for people to eat unhealthy

“fast foods” without restraint, a tendency that seems to have taken hold around the world. Those who follow the Slow Food movement prefer not to turn to easy, low-quality methods of food preparation, and continue to use classic, traditional methods of food preparation.

9 With the tremendous success of the Slow Food movement in Italy, the movement has now gone international and has more than 80,000 members in over 100 countries worldwide. The enthusiastic response to the notion may be an indication that people around the globe are concerned with the increased popularity of fast food.

10 This means that in Greve, a quick hamburger for the evening meal isn‟t the easy answer, but that‟s no problem here. Sandro Checcuci, a resident of Greve, explains that living in a place that values slow food makes it easy to do everything slowly.

11 The Slow Food movement is not limited to the kitchen, either. It also encourages the intrinsic value of taking time to enjoy dining. Around the town of Greve, people everywhere can be seen relaxing and dining together, slowly drinking wine and enjoying their meal. In this region, it‟s not about efficiency or the rush to get to the television, it‟s about enjoying time with family and friends, and taking a moment to truly taste how delicious the food is.

12 While the foods of Greve are wonderfully delicious, such taste does take time and effort to create. To prepare slow food, chefs must appreciate the importance of cooking in a more traditional way and focusing on taste and health. Chef Salvatore Toscano is one of those chefs. He used to manage an American-style restaurant in Florence, where he spent his days preparing and serving hamburgers — a symbol of fast food around the world. Then five years ago, he left all that behind and moved to Greve, where he opened a new, different type of restaurant. He now cooks slow food, using fresh local produce, and the results are delicious.

13 Another local example of slow food can be found in the mountains of Pistoia in northern Tuscany. Here, generations of farmers have produced a famous pecorino cheese that is said to be delightfully unique. Made from the raw milk of black sheep, the cheese is hand-molded twice a day. The process is long and labor-intensive as each cheese is individually pressed and shaped — but the result of all that labor and care can be uniformly delicious. There is often nothing quite like a food that has been prepared by hand rather than mass produced.

14 The tradition of making hand-molded pecorino had been dying out until the Slow Food movement stepped in. Pagliai explains how the Slow Food movement has really helped her and her product. “It‟s brought us a kind of fame,” she says. “Not everyone knew about our product. The project is getting us noticed.”

15 Slow-Food farmer Luciano Bertini sums up the importance of the Slow Food movement in today‟s fast-paced, homogenized world. According to him, it‟s about making sure that everything in the world doesn‟t become exactly the same and that the world doesn‟t become bland and boring.

16 Bertini, Saturnini, and all of the other residents of Greve in Chianti and other SlowCities may just be on to something. They are making a unified effort to maintain a high quality of life, and to prevent the world from becoming bland. While it may seem to be an unusual approach for some, their liberal way of thinking may just be what the world needs. After all, in years to come, they may be able to look back with great satisfaction. They will have been enjoying life while most of the rest of the world has been rushing through it. They will have enjoyed themselves and taken it easy in the slow lane. Reading Comprehension

1. Which of the following is NOT true about Greve? A. The population is a few thousand people.

B. It‟s a regional center for the trade of local specialties. C. It attracts many tourists and travelers.

D. Since the people of the town don‟t rush time, they are not very active. [1].

2. Which of the following does NOT describe a SlowCity? A. A city that cherishes what makes it original.

B. A city that supports what is made and grown locally. C. A city that has developed a globalized atmosphere. D. A city that encourages maintaining a cultural identity. [2].

3. How can a city join the movement of SlowCity?

A. It is first vetted to see if it meets the organization‟s criteria. B. It is free to join.

C. It must agree to follow clauses within the Slow Cities manifesto. D. It must be small, quiet and modest. [3].

4. What is True about the Slow Food movement? A. It is more important than the Slow City movement.

B. It has the same supporting concepts as the SlowCity movement.

C. It aims to preserve the pleasures of good, locally grown, high-quality food. D. It prefers to easy, low-quality methods of food preparation. [4].

5. In Paragraph 12, Salvatore Toscano is an example of someone who_. A. altered his life to follow the Slow Food philosophy B. believes that eating Slow Food requires sacrifice C. enjoys dining in restaurants

D. anticipates that all people will change their eating habits [5].

6. Which is True about pecorino cheese?

A. It can only be found in the mountains of Pistoia in northern Tuscany. B. It is mass produced and made from the raw milk of black sheep. C. It would have disappeared without the Slow Food movement. D. It has been very famous around the country. [6].

7. What does the writer probably think about the SlowCity and Slow Food movements? A. Neither prevents the world from being bland. B. Both promote escaping modern work. C. Neither is a very liberal philosophy. D. Both are positive ways of thinking. [7]. Section B

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions

or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four chokes marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage One

Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

1 When the Orient Express began operating at the turn of the 20th century, the train carried members of Europe‟s royal families and rich business leaders from Paris to Constantinople, or Istanbul as the Turkish city is now called. These days, this luxurious train still makes the journey from Paris across Europe to Istanbul, but it does it just once a year — and it‟s a journey some wait a lifetime to take.

2 As the train commences its travels in Paris, passengers settle in for a six-day journey through seven countries across the continent of Europe. It may be a long physical journey, but it‟s more than that — it's also a voyage into the passengers‟ own imaginations.

3 For most of the 85 passengers on the run from France to Turkey, the pampering and luxury of this famous voyage are a once-in-a-lifetime treat.

4 Passengers come from all parts of the world and many are taking this special trip because they're celebrating a special or private occasion. However, there is one thing that everyone aboard the train seems to have in common: a desire to somehow recapture a lost age and to live an experience that has caught even the literary imagination. Karen Prothero, marketing director of the Orient Express explains: “There‟s a huge fascination for the train, and then of course Agatha Christie wrote that famous book. „Murder on the Orient Express,‟ which has also helped so much to make it such a famous name.\"

5 The Orient Express hasn‟t continuously operated since the route was first established so long ago, though. In the mid-l940s, after World War II, the possibility of taking an airplane to travel to foreign countries, as well as the rise of the iron curtain between the East and West, made this type of luxury travel by train impractical. The Orient Express consequently suspended its service until 1997 when it restarted the Paris to Istanbul route.

6 For many people, the attraction of the Paris to Istanbul journey is completely irresistible, and experiencing it is something that they‟ve dreamed about for ages.College professor Robert Franklin explains his motivation for making the trip across Europe. “I‟ve always been a lover of travel,” he says, “and always [been] in search of particularly exotic and unusual travel venues. The history, the terrain that we are traveling, I mean it‟s just soaked with the blood of saints, and warriors, and visionaries. For me, as a teacher and as a writer, it‟s really pretty inspiring.”

7 As it winds through the magnificent scenery of the Alps, the Orient Express crosses a countryside that consistently displays its finest. Passengers on the train are expected to do no less. As night falls, they begin to prepare for dinner, which on the Orient Express is a formal affair. Passengers must wear their best attire, including formal evening suits and dresses. The elegant meals often include fine wines, several courses, and soft music to accompany the dining experience, all adding to the sense that the trip is more than just a train ride. It is a trip where the journey itself is the destination. The idea isn‟t really to simply arrive somewhere, it‟s to have an incredible experience along the way — and that includes dining in style. The dinner is always superb, and the atmosphere consistently romantic. 21. Which statement is True about the Orient Express?

A. Only members of Europe‟s royal families and rich business leaders can board the train.

B. It takes a six-day journey through seven countries across the continent of Europe. C. It starts its travels in Paris to Istanbul every month. D. It is not so luxurious as it used to be. [8].

22. According to the passage, what helped the Orient Express become so famous? A. Advertising. B. The iron curtain. C. The airplane. D. A book. [9].

23. Why are the pampering and luxury of this famous voyage a once-in-a-lifetime treat for most of the 85 passengers?

A. Because it takes a lot time and money to take this famous voyage. B. Because they can step into a time machine to the future. C. Because they are celebrating something special.

D. Because the passengers can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Alps. [10].

24. What opinion does the college professor express in Paragraph 6? A. The route covers many areas of great historical significance. B. The trip is only for people with authentic enthusiasm for travel. C. Writers and teachers will gain the most insight from the journey.

D. Knowing about history will enhance the experience of riding the train. [11].

25. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Agatha Christie wrote that famous book Murder on the Orient Express. B. Only after the cold war was over did the Orient Express restart its route. C. Dinner on the Orient Express is a formal affair.

D. Everyone aboard the train seems to have a desire to recapture a lost age. [12].

Passage Two

Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage. A native of Paris, France, Natacha came to live alone in FishRiverCanyon several years ago, and the canyon immediately found a place in her heart. She thought it was a delightful place to live, almost a paradise, and she fell deeply in love with it.Though she had grown up in an urban environment, Natacha had always wanted to live in the wilderness. As a child she would often dream of living among the animals somewhere in a wild land far, far away. Coming to Africa was a realization of that childhood dream. FishRiverCanyon was far from perfect, though. By the time Natacha arrived, there were almost no wild animals left in the area. It may have been a paradise at one point in its history, but it was certainly in need of some help to bring it back to its ideal state. Natacha Bateau was ready to meet the challenge. Many people talk about restoring the wilderness, but Natacha doesn‟t just talk; she actively does something about it and the case is no different with FishRiverCanyon. Her plan is to bring nature back into balance by rescuing game animals in other parts of Africa and bringing them to

FishRiverCanyon. Natacha, usually accompanied on her drives across the countryside by her playful leopard companion, Chemun, admires and respects animals. She‟s presently engaged in an ongoing commitment to repopulate the lands near her home with the animals that used to live in the region. She feels that it‟s critical to relocate animals here so that the canyon can be restored to the paradise that it once was. However, such a project isn‟t going to be exactly straightforward. There will be a number of challenges for the strong-willed conservationist to overcome. Natacha is well aware that careful planning is going to be required to bring back the animals to a place like the canyon. It will also be extremely hard work and a task that she simply cannot do alone. For this complicated project, she‟s going to need allies, people who are equally as passionate about animals as she is.Fortunately, she‟s surrounded by others who want to help her to achieve her dream. Ulf Tubbesing is one such person. As one of Namibia‟s best veterinarians, Ulf shares Natacha‟s devotion to saving game animals. When Natacha met him, he was protecting wild animals from being killed by hunters and farmers and caring for animals that needed new homes. Like Natacha, he‟s a great animal supporter, spending his days in the constant company of animals. He even has a playful cheetah cub sitting with him sometimes while he works at his computer. It didn‟t take long for the two animal advocates to discover that they have compatible goals, and soon they began to combine their efforts in order to help save animals and repopulate the region. Ulf describes what he and Natacha plan to do in this pristine area with its delicate ecology. Repopulating a place like the canyon will require excellent preparation and intense planning, though, and Natacha and Ulf must implement their plans carefully. 26. Which statement is NOT True about Natacha? A． She was born and had grown up in Paris, France.

B. She likes doing things actively instead of only talking about them. .

C. She admires and respects animals when she drives across the countryside. D. She had dreamt to live in Africa with her family since she was a child. [13].

27. Natacha‟s plan to “bring nature back into balance” in Fish River Canyon means________ ？ A． She wants to make a new place for animals. B. She wants to create a lush area again. C. She wants to stop hunting and killing. D. She wants to build a zoo. [14].

28. What is critical as Natacha feels? A． to get enough fund for the project. B. to relocate animals here

C. to get support from the government. D. to be passionate about animals. [15].

29. Both Natacha and Ulf _________? A. have the same occupation.

B. have a playful animal companion.

C. are animal advocates with the same goals.

D. are from France. [16].

30. Which can the best title for the passage? A. Childhood Dream---Living in the Wilderness B. A Lost Paradise.

C. A Great Animal Supporter

D. A Complicated Project to Relocate Animals [17].

Part IV. Cloze ( 15 minutes)

Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each bland there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) on the right side of the paper You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Since the global energy crisis of the 1970s, many farmers have been turning food into fuel by using grains like corn to create ethanol（乙醇）. _31____ recently, some of the emphasis on making fuel has been moving away from the grain itself, to the stalks and stubble left on the ground after the harvest. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory even has a manufacturing area that is _32________ converting seemingly useless by-products left after the harvest — and just about anything else — into fuel. During a tour of the NREL facilities, Sheehan explains the various products that can be converted to _33__________ fossil fuels. As he pauses in front of a row of boxes filled with various substances, he explains. “Some of these, like this for example,” he says as he picks up a 34________ of a dry, brown substance, “is wood material.” In fact, at the NREL they are researching the __35______ to use trees, grasses, agricultural crops, or other biological materials as fuel, __36______ simple wood chips. Proving that renewable energy technology is actually viable remains a struggle, at least in the U.S. Wind turbines, which were _37______ in the U.S., are now being used by several countries in Europe to supply meaningful amounts of power, 38________ their use in the U.S. remains relatively low. The main problem seems to be that, while fossil fuels may be__39__________, they have remained relatively inexpensive. The U.S., for example, has traditionally had lower fuel prices than most of Europe, a situation that has lowered the 40__________demand for alternate fuels. Lower pricing of fossil fuels has also made it harder to _41_________ people that these fuel supplies won‟t last forever. In this situation, economics has regularly beaten sustainability, and people have been _42_________ to take a short-term view since they have had little incentive to change. As Sandy Butterfield states in an earlier interview, “The cost of energy in the United States is so low _43_________ Europe, that our industry has had a harder time _44_________ with fossil fuels.”

Since that time, the cost of fuel has increased _45_______ in some countries, and while it has caused hardship, the cost increases have certain benefits. With this increase, the 46_________ to find reliable alternatives to fossil fuels will also likely increase. Hopefully, this will result in a _47______ increase in the funds_48_______ for alternative fuel research, and greater desire to _49___________ alternative fuel programs. These changes may help fuel the _50_______ for wind, solar, and other energy sources. The time for alternative energy may have arrived, and for

those who use it, the future may be now.

31. A. So B. But C. Since D. Although [18].

32. A. capable B. incapable of C. capable for D. capable of [19].

33. A. restraint B. replace C. resemble D. restore [20].

34. A. hand B. handsome C. handful D. handle [21].

35. A. competency B. commerce C. power D. capacity [22].

36. A. including B. included C. includes D. being included [23].

37. A. pioneering B. pioneered C. advocating D. possessed [24].

38. A. so B. if C. while D. because [25].

39. A. sustainable B. successive C. unverifiable D. unsustainable [26].

40. A. immense B. impressive C. instant D. immediate [27].

41. A. convey B. contrast C. convince D. consult [28].

42. A. inclined B. declined C. biased D. intended [29].

43. A. comparing to B. compared to C. on contrast D. rather than [30].

44. A. completing B. compiling C. competing D. composing [31].

45. A. important B. insignificantly C. similarly D. significantly [32].

46. A. emergency B. anxiety C. utility D. urgency [33].

47. A. sequent B. schedule C. subsequent D. secondary [34].

48. A. avail B. available C. approximate D. adequate [35].

49. A. implement B. imply C. element D. carry [36].

50. A. command B. demand C. order D. demonstration [37].