2、Paris is an ancient city, the center of France and probably the most cultured city in Europe.  For the modern traveler it’s very easy to reach the famous city on the river Seine.  You can fly there in less time than it takes to travel by train from Beijing to Shanghai.  Once you reach Paris you are surprised by a city that is the perfect combination of modern life and history.

The best time to arrive is the spring.  Winter is cold and wet, the summer humid and autumn windy.  In the spring the flowers are blossoming, the sun shines and the birds sing.  The people of Paris are most pleased with spring in their city.  They play in the parks, visit the beautiful monuments and enjoy “joie de vivre”（生活的樂趣）.

If you arrive in Paris in the springtime, you will enjoy the life of lazy walks down the boulevards too, sitting in the cafes and visiting the most famous museums in the world.  There are many places for you to visit, Notre Dame de Paris, the nearby palace of Versaille, the arch of Triumph and of course the Eiffel Tower.

You’ll notice that in Paris the people in the cafes all look out at the people on the street.  They like to see and be seen.  Some monuments are not French, but from Egypt, or Greece, or maybe Chinese!  There are many, many dogs, especially the famous French  poodie  with his well-tailored looks.  This is the city where the French impressionists painted their works, where arts, culture and literature are the main passions of life.  Apart of course, from the food!  All Frenchmen like to eat and drink wine they are never happier than when they are having a picnic on the banks of the river Seine in the springtime.

 

56.According to the passage, what will be your first impression if you are in Paris?

   A. Paris is an ancient city.    

   B. Paris is the center of Europe.

 C. Paris is the most cultured city in the world.

   D. Paris is the perfect combination of modern life and history.

57. “Poodie” is the name of a kind of famous ________ in France.

A. clothes     B. house      C. dog      D. food

58. Why do you think the writer writes this passage?

   A. To praise the city of Paris

   B. To let you know Paris is an ancient city.

   C. To tell us that Paris has monuments from all over the world.

   D. To encourage people to make a trip to Paris.