Palaces on the rails

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1Long distance rail travel looked like it could be on its way out just a few years ago,but a lot has changed since then.

2The classic style of traveling is now coming back,as travelers look for more environmentally friendly ways to see the world.Various new trains and routes are currently in the pipeline,including Italy's “Dolce Vita train”,set to run 10 routes through the country's most well-known landscapes,and Midnight Trains,an upcoming network of overnight services from Paris to 12 different European destinations.

3However,French designer Thierry Gaugain plans to take the rail travel experience to a completely new level with his latest idea,a private,comfortable and expensive train made to measure for one lucky,and very wealthy owner.

4Described as a luxurious （奢侈的） “palace on rails”,the 400-meter long train will be made of 14 cars and glass so technologically advanced that it can switch from opaque（不透明）to complete transparency （透明）.If a passenger wants to ensure the outdoor surroundings,he can switch to transparent mode,but if he wants to create his own views,he can change the glass to opaque and enjoy the pretty views he wants.

5“The owner we imagine is someone who is aware of the uniqueness of this train and understands that we are not just talking about transportation.It's about travel,not how fast you get from point A to point B,”Gaugain tells us.He feels that travel has become more focused on speed than the actual journey,and he sees the G Train as a mode of transportation where those on board can have just as much,if not more,fun on the way to their chosen destination.

6“The train is a stage,” explains Gaugain.“You can change the light,the season or the pace to change your relationship to time.”

7“There's something fantastic about trains,” he explains.“There are a lot of romantic ideas attached to them.”

Reading Check

Choose the best answers according to the text.

Detail 1.What makes the traditional style of travel return?

A.The comfort.

B.The less cost.

C.The traveling routes.

D.Environmental protection.

Inference 2.What can we know about Thierry Gaugain's “palace on rails”?

A.It exists only in mind.

B.It is visually unfriendly.

C.It takes much technology.

D.It carries many passengers.

Detail 3.What does Gaugain want to stress about his G Train according to Para.5?

A.The speed.

B.Travel itself.

C.Its convenience.

D.The destinations.

Inference 4.In which column is this text likely to appear?

A.Science reports.

B.Current affairs.

C.Travel today.

D.World culture.

Language Study

Memorize some text-centered chunks

environmentally friendly对环境友好的

plan to do计划做……

describe...as把……描述成

be made of由……组成

switch from...to从……转换到……

be aware of意识到……

talk about谈论……

focus on关注……；聚焦于……

on the way to在去……的路上

be attached to附属于……