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The Great Spring Show万紫千红，争妍斗艳──雀儿喜花展
by Owain Mckimm
One of the greatest floral festivals is held in England every year.
英国的雀儿喜花展是一年一度最盛大的花卉活动之一。
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show is a renowned British institution. It has been around
since 1862 and is the place to be for lovers of plants, gardens, and
flowers from all around the world. Held on the grounds of the Royal
Hospital Chelsea on the banks of the River Thames in London, which has
been the venue of choice since 1913, the exhibition routinely attracts over 150,000 visitors each May in the space of just five days. Due to extreme overcrowding in the 1980s, tickets must now be bought in advance, and there is a limit on the number of people who can attend each day.
At the center of the show is the Great Pavilion, which takes up an area the size of two soccer fields and is filled with nearly 100 exhibits
of rich, exotic plants from every corner of the globe. Most visitors
who come to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show are drawn instantly to the Great
Pavilion, where they can experience the vibrant colors and fragrant smells emitted from the thousands of flowers on display.
From the Great Pavilion, the next stop for guests is usually the show gardens, where the imaginations of renowned garden designers are allowed to run wild and through which the public is allowed to stroll. Last year, this themed area featured a spectacular hanging garden that was suspended in mid-air, while 2009's most eye-catching garden was one made entirely from Plasticine. In 2010, Taiwan made a great impression on the Queen of England, who visits the show every year, as she praised the beauty and sophistication of Taiwan's orchids, which were on display at the flower show for the first time in its long history.
1. Why do visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show have to buy tickets beforehand?
(A) To prevent congestion.
(B) To limit the kind of people who enter.
(C) To attract more foreign visitors.
(D) To calculate how many people will attend.
2. According to the article, what is the first place most guests visit?
(A) The show gardens.
(B) The River Thames.
(C) The Great Pavilion.
(D) The Royal Hospital Chelsea.
3. What does the phrase "run wild" in the third paragraph mean?
(A) Use as much money as needed.
(B) Be as creative as possible.
(C) Grow flowers in nature.
(D) Move around in all directions.
4. Which of the following is NOT true about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show?
(A) The exhibition takes place over five days in May.
(B) In 2009, the show featured a garden made entirely from Plasticine.
(C) It has been held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 1913.
(D) In 2010, the Queen of England especially praised an exhibition of Taiwanese roses.
- horticultural a. 园艺的
horticulture n. 园艺（学） - institution n. 人所共知的事件 地点 人物；机构
- venue n. 活动举办的地点
- pavilion n. 展示馆；亭子
- field n.（棒球、足球等的）场地
a soccer/baseball field足球场 棒球场 - vibrant a.（颜色）鲜艳的；充满生气的
- stroll vi. & n. 闲逛，散步
- spectacular a. 壮观的
- mid-air n. 半空中
in mid-air在半空中 - eye-catching a. 引人注目的
- Plasticine n.（商标）橡皮泥；塑胶黏土
- sophistication n. 细致；精密
- orchid n. 兰花
- congestion n. 拥塞
- calculate vt. 计算
- renowned a. 知名的，著名的
be renowned as + 身分以某身分闻名
be renowned for sth因某事物闻名
Christina is renowned as a fabulous pianist.
克莉丝汀以琴艺高超的钢琴家身分而闻名。
This restaurant is renowned for its award-winning beef noodles.
这家餐厅以其获奖的牛肉面出名。 - have been around已经存在
= have been in existence
This temple has been around for 150 years.
这座庙宇已存在 150 年之久。 - N + of choice首选的……
This program is the software of choice for accountants.
这个程式是会计师首选的软体。 - exhibition n. 展览（会）；展示（品）
on exhibition展出中
= on exhibit
= on display
exhibit n. 展示品；展览（会）
The famous artist's oil paintings are on exhibition at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.
那位名画家的油画正在国父纪念馆展出中。 - routinely adv. 例行地，惯常地
routine a. 例行的 & n. 例行公事
Chris is dissatisfied with his present job because it is too routine.
克里斯不满意目前的工作，因为它太过一成不变。 - in/within the space of...
在一段……时间里，在……期间
More than 80 people came down with malaria in the space of a week.
在 1 个星期内，有超过 80 位民众染上疟疾。
＊ malaria n. 疟疾 - overcrowding n. 过度拥挤
overcrowded a. 过度拥挤的
The prison's problem with overcrowding has to be dealt with soon.
监狱过度拥挤的问题需要尽快处理。
The bus was overcrowded, so we waited for the next one.
这班公车人太多了，所以我们等下一班。 - in advance事先，预先
= beforehand adv.
If you want me to pick you up, let me know in advance so that I don't make other plans.
如果你要我去接你，先让我知道，这样我才不会另作计划。 - there is a limit on/to...有……的限制
There is a limit on the amount of money I can withdraw from the ATM daily.
我每天能从提款机提领的金额有限。 - take up...占据……（空间或时间）
The table takes up too much space in my dining room.
这张桌子占据我家饭厅太多空间。
The project took up most of Bill's time.
那个专案占去比尔大部分的时间 - emit vt. 散发，发出
The trash can is emitting a foul smell.
垃圾桶正散发出一股恶臭。 - imagination n. 想像力
allow one's imagination to run wild
= let one's imagination run wild
让某人的想像力尽情 自由发挥
The teacher always encourages his students to be creative and let their imaginations run wild.
那位老师总是鼓励学生要有创意，并且尽情发挥想像力。 - feature vt. 以……为特色 & n. 特色
The new restaurant features all my favorite dishes.
这家新餐厅的招牌料理都是我最爱吃的菜。 - suspend vt. 悬挂，吊起；使中止
We suspended two hanging plants from the balcony railing.
我们在阳台栏杆上挂了 2 个悬吊式盆栽。
Construction on that road was suspended for a few days during the typhoon.
台风期间，那条道路的工程中断了几天。 - impression n. 印象
make a/an + adj. + impression + on...
给……留下……的印象
Daniel wore a tie to make a good impression on his girlfriend's parents.
丹尼尔打上领带，要让女友的父母对自己留下好印象。
万紫千红，争妍斗艳──雀儿喜花展
英国的雀儿喜花展是一年一度最盛大的花卉活动之一。
英国皇家园艺协会举办的雀儿喜花展是英国著名的活动。自 1862 年存在至今，它是全世界植物、花园和花卉爱好者的胜地。花展举办在伦敦泰晤士河河岸旁的雀儿喜皇家医院，它从 1913 年起就是展场的首选地点，而每年 5 月、为期仅 5 天的展览固定吸引超过 15 万名游客参访。1980 年代由於人潮众多造成展场过於拥挤，所以现在参观花展必须事先购票，而且每日参观人数亦有上限。
雀儿喜花展的焦点是占地 2 个足球场大小的『大帐篷』，里头近百个展示区充满来自世界各个角落昂贵又珍奇的植物。大多数参观花展的游客很快就被大帐篷所吸引，在那里可以体验数千朵参展花朵所绽放的鲜艳色泽和散发的扑鼻香气。
参观完大帐篷，下一站通常会是『百变花园』，知名园艺设计师的创意能在此恣意奔放，民众也可以漫步於花园之中。去年这个主题区的特色是悬浮於半空中的壮观悬吊式花园，而 2009 年最吸睛的莫过於 1 座全由塑胶黏土所打造的花园。每年都会参观雀儿喜花展的英国女王在 2010 年对台湾留下深刻的印象，她赞扬长久以来首次参展的台湾兰花的美丽和细致。
1. 为什麽参观英国皇家园艺协会举办的雀儿喜花展的游客必须事先购票？
(A) 为了防止拥挤人潮。
(B) 为了限制进入的人员。
(C) 为了吸引更多外国游客。
(D) 为了计算有多少人会去参观。
题解∶根据文章第 1 段，1980 年代由於人潮众多造成展场过於拥挤，所以现在参观花展必须事先购票，而且每日参观人数亦有上限，可知应选 (A)。
2. 根据本文，大部分游客参观的第 1 站为何？
(A) 百变花园。
(B) 泰晤士河。
(C) 大帐篷。
(D) 雀儿喜皇家医院。
题解∶根据文章第 2 段，大多数参观花展的游客很快就被大帐篷所吸引，可知大帐篷为游客首先参观的地点，故选 (C)。
3. 第 3 段的片语 "run wild" 所指为何？
(A) 尽量使用所需的金钱。
(B) 尽可能发挥创意。
(C) 在大自然中种植花卉。
(D) 四面八方地移动。
题解∶根据文章第 3 段，知名园艺设计师的创意能在百变花园里『恣意奔放』，可知该片语最接近 (B) 选项的意思，故选之。
4. 关於英国皇家园艺协会的雀儿喜花展，下列何者为非？
(A) 这项展览在 5 月举办，为期 5 天。（见本文第 1 段）
(B) 2009 年，花展以 1 座全由塑胶黏土所打造的花园为主要特色。（见本文第 3 段）
(C) 从 1913 年起，花展就是在雀儿喜皇家医院举办。（见本文第 1 段）
(D) 2010 年，英国女王特别赞扬台湾玫瑰的展览。
题解∶根据文章第 3 段，英国女王在 2010 年对台湾留下深刻的印象，她赞扬长久以来首次参展的台湾兰花的美丽和细致，可知 (D) 选项为错误叙述，故选之。
答案∶1. (A)2. (C)3. (B)4. (D)
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