The striving of countries in Central Europe to enter the European Union may offer an unprecedented chance to the continent’s Gypsies (or Roman) to be recognized as a nation, albeit one without a defined territory. And if they were to achieve that they might even seek some kind of formal place—at least a total population outnumbers that of many of the Union’s present and future countries. Some experts put the figure at 4m-plus; some proponents of Gypsy rights go as high as 15m.

Unlike Jews, Gypsies have had no known ancestral land to hark back to. Though their language is related to Hindi, their territorial origins are misty. Romanian peasants held them to be born on the moon. Other Europeans (wrongly) thought them migrant Egyptians, hence the derivative Gypsy. Most probably they were itinerant metal workers and entertainers who drifted west from India in the 7th century.

However, since communism in Central Europe collapsed a decade ago, the notion of Romanestan as a landless nation founded on Gypsy culture has gained ground. The International Romany Union, which says it stands for 10m Gypsies in more than 30 countries, is fostering the idea of “self-rallying”. It is trying to promote a standard and written form of the language; it waves a Gypsy flag (green with a wheel) when it lobbies in such places as the United Bations; and in July it held a congress in Prague, The Czech capital. Where President Vaclav Havel said that Gypsies in his own country and elsewhere should have a better deal.

At the congress a Slovak-born lawyer, Emil Scuka, was elected president of the International Tomany Union. Later this month a group of elected Gypsy politicians, including members of parliament, mayors and local councilors from all over Europe (OSCE), to discuss how to persuade more Gypsies to get involved in politics.

The International Romany Union is probably the most representative of the outfits that speak for Gypsies, but that is not saying a lot. Of the several hundred delegates who gathered at its congress, few were democratically elected; oddly, none came from Hungary, whose Gypsies are perhaps the world’s best organized, with some 450 Gypsy bodies advising local councils there. The union did, however, announce its ambition to set up a parliament, but how it would actually be elected was left undecided.

So far, the European Commission is wary of encouraging Gypsies to present themselves as a nation. The might, it is feared, open a Pandora’s box already containing Basques, Corsicans and other awkward peoples. Besides, acknowledging Gypsies as a nation might backfire, just when several countries, particularly Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, are beginning to treat them better, in order to qualify for EU membership. “The EU’s whole premise is to overcome differences, not to highlight them,” says a nervous Eurocrat.

But the idea that the Gypsies should win some kind of special recognition as Europe’s largest continent wide minority, and one with a terrible history of persecution, is catching on . Gypsies have suffered many pogroms over the centuries. In Romania, the country that still has the largest number of them (more than 1m), in the 19th century they were actually enslaved. Hitler tried to wipe them out, along with the Jews.

“Gypsies deserve some space within European structures,” says Jan Marinus Wiersma, a Dutchman in the European Parliament who suggests that one of the current commissioners should be responsible for Gypsy affairs. Some prominent Gypsies say they should be more directly represented, perhaps with a quota in the European Parliament. That, they argue, might give them a boost. There are moves afoot to help them to get money for, among other things, a Gypsy university.

One big snag is that Europe’s Gypsies are, in fact, extremely heterogeneous. They belong to many different, and often antagonistic, clans and tribes, with no common language or religion, Their self-proclaimed leaders have often proved quarrelsome and corrupt. Still, says, Dimitrina Petrova, head of the European Roma Rights Center in Budapest, Gypsies’ shared experience of suffering entitles them to talk of one nation; their potential unity, she says, stems from “being regarded as sub-human by most majorities in Europe.”

And they have begun to be a bit more pragmatic. In Slovakia and Bulgaria, for instance, Gypsy political parties are trying to form electoral blocks that could win seats in parliament. In Macedonia, a Gypsy party already has some—and even runs a municipality. Nicholas Gheorge, an expert on Gypsy affairs at the OSCE, reckons that, spread over Central Europe, there are now about 20 Gypsy MPS and mayors, 400-odd local councilors, and a growing number of businessmen and intellectuals.

That is far from saying that they have the people or the cash to forge a nation. But, with the Gypsy question on the EU’s agenda in Central Europe, they are making ground.

1.    The Best Title of this passage is

[A]. Gypsies Want to Form a Nation.         [B]. Are They a Nation.

[C]. EU Is Afraid of Their Growth.           [C]. They Are a Tribe

2.    Where are the most probable Gypsy territory origins?

[A]. Most probably they drifted west from India in the 7th century.

[B]. They are scattered everywhere in the world.

[C]. Probably, they stemmed from Central Europe.

[D]. They probably came from the International Romany Union.

3.    What does the International Romany lobby for?

[A]. It lobbies for a demand to be accepted by such international organizations as EU and UN.

[B]. It lobbies for a post in any international Romany Union.

[C]. It lobbies for the right as a nation.

[D]. It lobbies for a place in such international organizations as the EU or UN.

4.    Why is the Europe Commission wary of encouraging Gypsies to present themselves as a nation?

[A]. It may open a Pandora’s Box.

[B]. Encouragement may lead to some unexpected results.

[C]. It fears that the Basgnes, Corsicans and other nations seeking separation may raise the same demand.

[D]. Gyspsies’ demand may highlight the difference in the EU.

5.    The big problem lies in the fact that

[A]. Gypsies belong to different and antagonistic clans and tribes without a common language or religion.

[B]. Their leaders prove corrupt.

[C]. Their potential unity stems from “being regarded as sub-human”.

[D]. They are a bit more pragmatic.

 Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

      Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My   36  , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the trail to follow the smell of a deer track or   37   some cause known only to him.

      Beans is a white dog, quite handsome and very   38 . He not only understands what we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to   39   back.

      One morning, we took a different route, which led us to an unfamiliar trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar   40  . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably   41   the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.

      Soon it became   42   that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the   43   without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally   44 . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.

     Finally, we   45  a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and   46   reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then drove us home.

     Since our adventure, I  47  that Beans probably knew all along how to get home.

He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.

1.A. deer                     B. dog                          C. lady                          D. man

2.A. imagine                         B. consider                 C. explore                   D. present

3.A. smart                   B. sweet                      C. slow                         D. shy

4.A. turn                      B. kick                          C. jump                        D. speak

5.A. driveway             B. path                         C. crossroad               D. highway

6.A. knew                    B. saw                          C. showed                   D. made

7.A.mysterious           B. ridiculous               C. fascinating              D. apparent

8.A. house                            B. forest                      C. field                         D. cottage

9.A. unconcerned              B. unconscious C. undecided              D. uncomfortable

10.A. left for                        B. went off                  C. came to                   D. drove toward

11.A. punctually                  B. frequently              C. formally                  D. shortly

12.A. regretted                   B. remembered         C. concluded              D. confirmed

Section B (18 marks)
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My   36  , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the trail to follow the smell of a deer track or   37   some cause known only to him.
Beans is a white dog, quite handsome and very   38 . He not only understands what
we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to   39   back.
One morning, we took a different route, which led us to an unfamiliar trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar   40  . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably   41   the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.
Soon it became   42   that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the   43  , without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally   44  . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.
Finally, we   45   a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and   46   reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then drove us home.
Since our adventure, I   47   that Beans probably knew all along how to get home.
He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.
36. A. deer             B. dog              C. lady            D. man
37. A. imagine          B. consider          C. explore          D. present
38, A. smart            B. sweet            C. slow           D. shy
39. A. turn             B. kick              C. jump           D. speak
40. A. driveway         B. path             C. crossroad        D. highway
41. A. knew            B. saw              C. showed         D. made
42. A, mysterious        B. ridiculous        C. fascinating       D. apparent
43. A. house            B. forest            C. field            D. cottage
44. A. unconcerned      B. unconscious       C. undecided       D. uncomfortable
45. A. left for           B. went off          C. came to         D. drove toward
46. A. punctually        B. frequently        C. formally         D. shortly
47. A. regretted         B. remembered       C. concluded       D. confirmed

Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My 　1 , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the 2　 to follow the smell of a deer track or 3 some cause known only to him.

　 Beans is a white dog, quite handsome and very 　4　 . He not only understands what

we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to 　5 back.

　 One morning, we took a different route, which led us to a(n) 　6　 trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar 　7　 . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably 　8　 the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.

　 Soon it became 　9　 that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the 　10 , without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally 　11　 . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.

　 Finally, we 　12 a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and 13　 　reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then 14　 us home.

　 Since our adventure, I 15 that Beans probably knew all along how to get home.

He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.

Mikio Tanaka is a devoted father----and prove it by taking three months off to care for his baby boy. That makes Tanaka __36__ of a revolutionary in Japan, where men are __37__ known for working long hours and __38__ in the bars with clients than mixing baby milk and changing diapers (尿布).
“It was __39__, but it was also a lot of fun,” Tanaka said, sitting __40__ the living room floor with his 4-month-old son, Daiki, __41__ on his back. “ I saw the first time he __42__. It was a great experience.”
Tanaka, 31, is one of a __43__ number of fathers in Japan who are taking a bigger __44__ inside the home. Men are a __45__ sight with kids at parks and zoos at weekends, though often __46__ yawning. Books and magazines __47__ fathers on how to play with and care for their kids. For Japan’s __48__ housewives, the changing is too late. In Tanaka’s case, his wife, Ayako, 28, was __49__ to take a full year of leave , for she was a school teacher.
__50__ for Tanaka, a department chief at his company had taken the __51__ leave a few years before, so his plan to __52__ three months unpaid leave was not a total shock to his __53__. Ayako took three months off for Daiki, then it was Tanaka’s __54__ when she went back to work. Daiki started day care full-time at __55__ month. Tanaka said at that time he was able to work again.
【小题1】