文章大意:这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了对世界上很多地方来说,斗牛一直是伊比利亚独有的。但如今,法国的部分地区正在坚持这一传统。但因此引发了一场关于斗牛运动的论战,文章说明了不同的人对此的不同看法。
To much of the world, bullfighting has always been distinctly Iberian. But these days, parts of France are laying claim to this tradition. From the Cte Basque to the arenas of Arles and Beziers, it has spread to towns where bullfighting has long been banned, and been embraced with such enthusiasm you’d think the sport had been born there.
The rising passion for blood and sand has been resisted by animal-rights activists. Last month someone set off a bomb near the bullring in Carcassonne. Yet France’s enthusiasts fiercely defend their right to these moral rituals. Bullfighting, they insist, is part of the heritage, an expression of a shared regional culture that should be protected.
The rest of the Continent should take note. The paradox (自相矛盾) of an ever-more-united Europe is that as borders between member states become less important, so do the nations themselves-and regional identities are valued. It’s easy to forget that most European nation-states were created as we know them only during the 19th century, after a long series of bloody conflicts. “If the chances of war had been a little different, all the regions sharing bullfight might have been together,” argues Jean Michel Mariou, a huge fan of bullfighting. On both sides of the Pyrenees there are Basques, there are Catalans, there are common cultures, he says. “Bullfighting is only one expression of it.”
Bullfighting isn’t the only cultural tradition that has begun to go beyond borders, of course. To name but one other: the Celtic revival, built largely around musical groups along the coast of Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall, Brittany and Normandy. But while bagpipes (风笛) may stir the blood, they don’t spill it. And the violence of bullfighting horrifies many people who don’t feel they share in its culture.
“The concept of lasting local tradition doesn’t mean anything anymore,” says Josyane Wuerelle, coordinator of the Federation de Liasions Anti-Corrida in Agde. Bullfighting is about attracting tourists, not honoring local history, she argues. Robert Marge doesn’t see it that way, of course. He recently declined an invitation to organize a bullfighting in Paris’s enormous Stade de France. “We didn’t want to sell our souls by bringing bullfight to a region where it doesn’t exist,” he explains. But he has also got the sense to know that some traditions don’t travel well.
12. What can we learn about bullfighting from the first two paragraphs?
A.It is legal in France. | B.It will boom tourism in France. |
C.It has become popular in France. | D.It is part of the heritage of France. |
13. What can we infer according to Jean Michel Mariou?
A.Shared cultures could bring people together. |
B.The continent of Europe is more united than ever. |
C.Bullfighting is a popular culture in many regions. |
D.Regions sharing bullfight were separated by wars. |
14. Why did Robert Marge refuse to organize a bullfight in Paris?
A.It ignores animal rights. | B.It honors local tradition. |
C.It is intended for money. | D.It is too violent for Paris. |
15. What is the best title for the text?
A.Fight over Bullfight | B.Culture or Violence |
C.Bullfight and Tourism | D.Passion for Blood and Sand |