英语听力精选进阶版 7097

Background: 法国最著名之一的葡萄酒酿造商将在中国开辟种植葡萄园。这是法国葡萄酒制造业和中国巨大市场之间联系日益增长的又一迹象。

Last year it was a Chinese business group that bought up 收购 Chateau¹ la Tour le Grande, a leading Bordeaux vintage 佳酿/美酒。

Now the interest is in the other direction, but Domaines Barons² de Rothschild, the company which owns the elite³ 优秀的 Chateau Lafite premier⁴ cru, has invested in 投资 land near Penglai in the Shandon peninsula, an area with climatic conditions 气候条件 similar to those in Bordeaux.

Over the years it hopes to develop a world-class 顶级/世界级 top-quality Chinese wine. Christophe Salin is a director at the Domaines Barons de Rothschild:

"I think we have isolated⁵ a very nice part in the region of Penglai where we can first of all plant a small vineyard 葡萄园, twenty-five hectares 公顷, where we think we can achieve a great wine. But I mean we will be judged by generations."

The reason behind the move is simple. As a nation, China is now among the world's leading consumers 消费者 of wine. By 2011 it's reckoned that the Chinese will be drinking more than one billion bottles a year.

The vast 巨大的 majority of what they consume is home-grown 国产, but they have a weakness for the great French vintages.

For Chateau Lafite it's an obvious business opportunity 商业机会: to be a great French name in China.

GLOSSARY⁶ 词汇表

bought up 收购

vintage 佳酿/美酒

invested in 投资于

elite 精英/最优秀的

climatic conditions 气候条件

world-class 世界级/顶级

vineyard 葡萄园

hectares 公顷

consumers 消费者

vast 巨大的

home-grown 国产的

business opportunity 商业机会

Questions and Answers

1. Why was Penglai chosen as the location of the new Chinese vineyard?

Penglai has climatic conditions similar to those in Bordeaux.

2. How do we know that Christophe Salin feels pressure to produce a top quality wine?

He says that the new wine will be judged by generations of people.

3. On estimate, how many bottles of wine will be annually⁷ consumed in China by 2011?

It is estimated that more than one billion bottles of wine will be drunk each year.

4. Do Chinese people currently drink more Chinese wine or more imported wine?

At the moment, Chinese people mostly drink home-grown wine.

1 chateau   

n.城堡，别墅

参考例句：

• The house was modelled on a French chateau.这房子是模仿一座法国大别墅建造的。
• The chateau was left to itself to flame and burn.那府第便径自腾起大火燃烧下去。

2 barons   

男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨

参考例句：

• The barons of Normandy had refused to countenance the enterprise officially. 诺曼底的贵族们拒绝正式赞助这桩买卖。
• The barons took the oath which Stephen Langton prescribed. 男爵们照斯蒂芬？兰顿的指导宣了誓。

3 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

4 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

7 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。