Part A: Reading Comprehension

Text 3

Since the 2008 launch of the high-speed rail network between Rome and Milan, trains have become the preferred means of travel across Italy for locals and tourists alike. Fast trains can cover the 500km between the two cities in three hours. The network also connects Naples, Bologna, Florence and Turin. In many cases, it is the best option—in terms of travel time and cost—for both leisure and business travellers.

This is why the recent severe delays caused by numerous maintenance works have thrown the rail industry into chaos at a time when most people head on holiday, which matters for business in a country where tourism accounts for 10 percent of GDP.

Disruptions have become increasingly frequent with train delays now a fixture in Italian media coverage. Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, the publicly controlled group that owns train operator Trenitalia and the national train network RFI, said 23 percent of all high-speed trains it operated were late in 2023.

The huge improvements in Italy’s obsolete infrastructure partly explained the disruption, said Ferrovie. RFI, the network operator, is the single largest European recovery fund beneficiary with planned investments of €24bn by 2026. Ferrovie will invest a total of €124bn in infrastructure over the next 10 years.

But lack of capacity is another problem. Transport economist Andrea Giuricin said the planned investments would bring improvements but disruptions in the meantime were inevitable. “We have a mixed system, there is no spare capacity and as soon as there’s a hiccup on the line, the situation becomes highly complex,” he said. A mixed system means that high-speed trains must travel on the regular tracks on certain routes or when passing through large cities. If there’s congestion or, for example, a local train breaks down, the entire high-speed network is affected.

One of the most important changes the upgrades will bring is the segregation of the high-speed line from the regular one in certain urban centres through the construction of underground rail links.

Improvements will also come from the high-density technology and satellite signalling that RFI has been investing in for years, say experts. It will allow for a reduction of the distance between high-speed trains travelling on the same line at any given time, which should mean a significant increase in capacity and traffic fluidity, according to Giuricin.

31. According to the first two paragraphs, the high-speed rail network in Italy

[A]

is seen by tourists as outdated. 

[B]

is a popular option for travelling. 

[C]

is inadequately utilised by locals. 

[D]

is an example of good maintenance. 

32. Ferrovie is quoted in Paragraph 3 to show

[A]

the common occurrence of train delays. 

[B]

the value of the Italian train network. 

[C]

the wide media coverage of trains. 

[D]

the high efficiency of Trenitalia. 

33. Which of the following is one cause of the disruptions in the network?

[A]

Complex train schedules. 

[B]

Shortage of investments. 

[C]

Its limited capacity. 

[D]

Its massive scale. 

34. It can be learned that the mixed system

[A]

provides a wide choice of routes. 

[B]

requires extra operational spending. 

[C]

increases the level of travel comfort. 

[D]

puts the high-speed network in trouble. 

35. Improvements to the Italian train network will include

[A]

reconstructing the regular train lines. 

[B]

shortening high-speed train intervals. 

[C]

building more stations in urban centres. 

[D]

enhancing the safety of high-speed trains. 

答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)

31. [B] is a popular option for travelling.
解析：细节推断题。第一段首句明确指出：“火车已经成为当地人和游客在意大利旅行的首选方式（preferred means of travel）”。该段末尾也重申：“在许多情况下，它都是商务和休闲旅客的最佳选择（best option）”。“首选/最佳选择”同义替换为选项 [B]“是一个受欢迎的出行选项”。

32. [A] the common occurrence of train delays.
解析：例证推理题。第三段开头点出核心观点：“随着火车延误现在成为意大利媒体报道的常态，中断（延误）变得越来越频繁”。紧接着引用 Ferrovie 的数据作为论据：“2023年其运营的所有高铁中，有23%出现晚点（late）”。列举这组晚点数据，正是为了证明“火车延误现象非常普遍/频繁”，因此选 [A]“火车延误的常见发生（common occurrence）”。

33. [C] Its limited capacity.
解析：细节题。第四段指出基础设施改善引发了部分中断，紧接着第五段首句直接给出了另一个原因：“但是运力不足（lack of capacity）是另一个问题”。“运力不足”完美对应选项 [C]“其有限的运力（Its limited capacity）”。

34. [D] puts the high-speed network in trouble.
解析：细节推理题。第五段解释了“混合系统（mixed system）”的含义：高铁必须在常规轨道上行驶。其后果是：“如果出现拥堵，或者局部列车发生故障，整个高铁网络都会受到影响（the entire high-speed network is affected）”。“受到影响/出现拥堵故障”即意味着混合系统“使高铁网络陷入麻烦（puts the high-speed network in trouble）”，选 [D]。

35. [B] shortening high-speed train intervals.
解析：细节推断题。最后一段指出，高密度技术和卫星信号的改善“将允许减少在同一条线路上行驶的高铁之间的距离（reduction of the distance between high-speed trains travelling on the same line）”。列车行驶的物理距离减少，意味着列车发车或运行的“时间间隔被缩短了”，这正是选项 [B]“缩短高铁间隔（shortening high-speed train intervals）”的同义替换。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. 多重定语从句与定语修饰语嵌套：
"This is why the recent severe delays caused by numerous maintenance works have thrown the rail industry into chaos at a time when most people head on holiday, which matters for business in a country where tourism accounts for 10 percent of GDP."
【解析】`caused by...` 是过去分词作后置定语修饰 `delays`。主句谓语是 `have thrown`。`at a time` 之后紧跟 `when` 引导的定语从句。逗号后的 `which` 引导非限制性定语从句（这对于商业来说很重要），而在 `country` 后面又嵌套了一个 `where` 引导的定语从句（在这个国家，旅游业占GDP的10%）。逻辑层层递进，说明了延误发生的时间点对意大利经济的致命影响。

2. 宾语从句与条件状语从句的结合：
"A mixed system means that high-speed trains must travel on the regular tracks on certain routes or when passing through large cities."
【解析】谓语 `means` 后跟 `that` 引导的宾语从句解释“混合系统”的含义。在从句中，`on certain routes` 与 `when passing through large cities` 并列作状语，其中 `when passing` 是时间状语从句的省略结构（相当于 when they are passing）。

3. 现在分词作后置定语与非限制性定语从句：
"It will allow for a reduction of the distance between high-speed trains travelling on the same line at any given time, which should mean a significant increase in capacity and traffic fluidity, according to Giuricin."
【解析】`travelling on...` 是现在分词短语，作后置定语修饰前面的 `high-speed trains`。逗号后面的 `which` 引导非限制性定语从句，指代前面的整个主句内容（即“减小列车间距”这一举措），意为“这应该意味着运力和交通流动性的显著增加”。