Galicia

1For centuries,the main way to Galicia,Spain's north-western corner,was on foot.Poor roads meant that,until a decade or two ago,the drive from Madrid took nine hours.Recent improvements have cut the trip to the closest Galician city,Ourense,to about five.

2Now the journey can be made in two hours and 15 minutes thanks to Galicia's first connection with Spain's high-speed railway network.Next year the line should be extended to Santiago,the regional capital,and A Coruña,Galicia's biggest city.“Cinderellacan now travel in a bigger and more comfortable car,” said Ourense's mayor,Gonzalo Pérez Jácome,using his nickname for his city,which he says is treated like an unloved stepchild.No one wants to be left out of the system.Spain has the biggest high-speed rail network in the world after China's,but Mr Jácome doubts whether the new extension will bring dramatic changes.

3Spaniards have long been leaving poorer rural areas for better opportunities in richer cities.Mr Jácome notes that Zamora,another poorer rural area in Spain,has gained weekend tourists but continued to lose population since their arrival in 2015.

4In any case,Galicia has been doing well.It once meant isolation and poverty and was called “the end of the world”.So many Galicians moved to Latin America,so Galician means “Spaniard” there.But GDP per person,66% of the national average in 1955,is now 92%of it.

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1.Compared to a decade or two ago,how many hours are saved from Madrid to Ourense by train now?

A.Nine hours.

B.Six hours and 45 minutes.

C.Five hours.

D.Two hours and 15 minutes.

2.What does the underlined word “Cinderella” refer to in paragraph 2?

A.A Galician city.

B.A comfortable car.

C.An unloved stepchild.

D.Galician people.

3.What can we learn about Galicia?

A.It has gained weekend tourists since 2015.

B.Its GDP per person is still at a very low level.

C.It was once regarded as isolation and poverty.

D.It has no changes even with modern trains there.

➢语篇解码

本文主要介绍了位于西班牙西北角的加利西亚。以前因为交通不便，加利西亚旅游业发展困难，现在加利西亚终于通了高铁，旅客去加利西亚更加方便了。

➢语言学习

Ⅰ.语料荟萃

语篇单词重要短语improvement n.改善connection n.联结；连接extend v.延长；扩展regional adj.地区的；区域的extension n.延伸；扩建部分dramatic adj.戏剧（性）的；突然的rural adj.乡村的；似农村的population n.人口isolation n.隔离；孤独_____________poverty n.贫穷；短缺thanks to 幸亏；由于_____________leave out 遗漏；省略；未顾及；忽略

Ⅱ.语句分析

Spain has the biggest high-speed rail network in the world after China's,but Mr Jácome doubts whether the new extension will bring dramatic changes.西班牙拥有仅次于中国的世界上最大的高铁网络，但哈科梅先生怀疑新的铁路扩建是否会带来巨大的变化。

【点石成金】本句是一个并列句。but 表转折，doubts 后跟了一个whether 引导的宾语从句。

➢语言运用

Ⅰ.例句仿写

1.他母亲不会在那里，但他父亲也许会去。

His mother won't be there,____________________.

2.他不敢肯定她是否会遵守诺言。

He____________________she will keep her word.

Ⅱ.写作实践

假定你是李华，你的新西兰朋友Jim 发来电子邮件，告诉你他将于今年暑假来中国旅游，希望你推荐一个景点。请你给他回一封电子邮件，要点如下：

1.推荐的景点；

2.交通状况；

3.推荐的旅行方式。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

DearJim,

Iamsoexcitedthatyou'llcometoChinaandstaywithmeforhalfamonthduringthe summervacation.

Yours,

LiHua