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, 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
语境词汇
1.launch - [lɔːntʃ] n.启动；开通
2.high-speed - [ˌhaɪ ˈspiːd] adj.高速的
3.rail - [reɪl] n.铁路系统；铁轨
4.network - [ˈnetwɜːk] n.网络；路网
5.Rome - [rəʊm] n.罗马
6.Milan - [mɪˈlæn] n.米兰
7.preferred - [prɪˈfɜːd] adj.首选的；更受欢迎的
8.means - [miːnz] n.方式；手段
9.across Italy - 遍及意大利
10.local - [ˈləʊkl] n.当地人
11.tourist - [ˈtʊərɪst] n.游客
12.alike - [əˈlaɪk] adv.同样地；两者都
注：alike此处作副词，用于强调刚提及的两者。再如
I learned a lot from teachers and students alike.我从老师和学生身上都获益良多。
13.fast train - 快车；高速列车
14.cover - [ˈkʌvə] v.行驶（一段路程）
注：这里cover为生僻意，表示“行，行过”，再如
By sunset we had covered thirty miles.到日落时我们已走了三十英里。
15.connect - [kəˈnekt] v.连接；贯通
16.Naples - [ˈneɪplz] n.那不勒斯
17.Bologna - [bəˈləʊnjə] n.博洛尼亚
18.Florence - [ˈflɒrəns] n.佛罗伦萨
19.Turin - [ˈtjʊərɪn] n.都灵
20.in many cases - 在很多情况下
21.option - [ˈɒpʃn] n.选择；选项
22.in terms of… - 在…… 方面；从…… 角度看
注：in terms of… 是引出讨论角度的常用短语，后接名词 / 名词短语，不能直接接句子，比如文中in terms of travel time, cost表示“从出行时间和费用来看（是最佳选择）”。再如
The job is great in terms of salary, but it’s too far from my home.就薪水而言这份工作很棒，但离我家太远了。
23.the best option for sth - 某事的最佳选择
24.leisure - [ˈleʒə] n.休闲；闲暇
25.business traveler - 商务旅行者
26.severe - [sɪˈvɪə] adj.严重的
27.delay - [dɪˈleɪ] n.延误；晚点
28.cause - [kɔːz] v.导致；引起
29.numerous - [ˈnjuːmərəs] adj.众多的；大量的
30.maintenance - [ˈmeɪntənəns] n.维护；检修
31.chaos - [ˈkeɪɒs] n.混乱；乱糟糟的局面
32.throw X into Chaos - 使 X 陷入混乱
33.at a time when… - 在…… 的时候
34.head on holiday - 出发去度假（head:朝某方向行进）
35.matter - [ˈmætə] v.要紧；有影响
36.matter for business - 对商业有重要影响
37.tourism - [ˈtʊərɪzəm] n.旅游业
38.account for - 占（比例）
39.disruption - [dɪsˈrʌpʃn] n.中断；扰乱
40.increasingly - [ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli] adv.越来越多地
41.frequent - [ˈfriːkwənt] adj.频繁的
42.with X now Y - 如今 X 已然是 Y
注：这里的“with …”结构用于引出与主句同时发生、且作为其直接体现或佐证的伴随状况。可简单理解为： “……，最直观的表现就是，X现在都成了Y”。文中即：故障越来越多，火车延误成了新闻的家常便饭。
43.fixture - [ˈfɪkstʃə] n.常见事物；固定内容
注：常用于be a (permanent) fixture，意为“长期存在的一部分；是固定成员”，再如：She hopes the new educational program will become a permanent fixture at the zoo.她希望这种新的驯养计划能在动物园中长期存在下去。
44.media - [ˈmiːdiə] n.媒体
45.coverage - [ˈkʌvərɪdʒ] n.报道
46.publicly - [ˈpʌblɪkli] adv.公开地；由政府地
47.publicly controlled - 公营的；政府控股的
48.own - [əʊn] v.拥有；持有
49.operator - [ˈɒpəreɪtə] n.运营商；运营方
50.RFI -意大利铁路网公司（专有名词）
51.improvement - [ɪmˈpruːvmənt] n.改善；改进
52.huge improvement in sth - 某事物的巨大改善
53.obsolete - [ˈɒbsəliːt] adj.陈旧的；过时的
54.infrastructure - [ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə] n.基础设施〔如公路、铁路、银行等〕
55.partly - [ˈpɑːtli] adv.部分地；在一定程度上
56.single - [ˈsɪŋɡl] adj.唯一的；单个的
57.recovery - [rɪˈkʌvəri] n.复苏；恢复
58.fund - [fʌnd] n.资金；基金
59.beneficiary - [ˌbenɪˈfɪʃəri] n.受益者；受惠方
60.planned - [plænd] adj.计划中的；规划好的
61.investment - [ɪnˈvestmənt] n.投资
62.a total of - 总共；总计
63.over the next 10 years - 在未来十年间
64.lack - [læk] n.缺乏；不足
65.capacity - [kəˈpæsəti] n.运力；容量
66.transport - [ˈtrænspɔːt] n.交通；运输
67.economist - [ɪˈkɒnəmɪst] n.经济学家
68.in the meantime - 在此期间；与此同时
69.inevitable - [ɪnˈevɪtəbl] adj.不可避免的
70.mixed - [mɪkst] adj.混合的；复合型的
71.spare - [speə] adj.备用的；富余的
72.as soon as… - 一…… 就……
73.hiccup - [ˈhɪkʌp] n.小故障；小问题
注：hiccup本义是生理上的“打嗝”，在文中语境里指小故障、小麻烦，用来形容铁路线路上出现的不影响大局但会造成延误的小问题。
74.on the line - 在线路上；在运行中
75.highly - [ˈhaɪli] adv.非常；极其
76.complex - [ˈkɒmpleks] adj.复杂的
77.mean - [miːn] v.意味着；意思是
78.regular - [ˈreɡjələ] adj.常规的；普通的
79.track - [træk] n.轨道
80.route - [ruːt] n.（公共汽车和列车等的）常规路线，固定线路
81.on …route - 在…… 线路上
82.certain - [ˈsɜːtn] adj.某些；特定的
83.pass through - 经过；穿过
84.congestion - [kənˈdʒestʃən] n.拥堵；阻塞
85.break down - 出故障；抛锚
86.entire - [ɪnˈtaɪə] adj.整个的；全部的
87.affect - [əˈfekt] v.影响；使受到影响
88.upgrade - [ˈʌpɡreɪd] n.升级；改造
89.segregation - [ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃn] n.分离；隔离
注：文中为the segregation of X from Y结构，意为将 X 与 Y 分离开，文中the segregation of the high-speed line from the regular one，指 “把高铁线路与普通铁路线路分离开”，是意大利铁路升级的核心措施之一。
90.urban - [ˈɜːbən] adj.城市的；都市的
91.through - [θruː] prep.通过；借助
92.construction - [kənˈstrʌkʃn] n.建设；建造
93.underground - [ˌʌndəˈɡraʊnd] adj.地下的
94.rail link - 铁路连接线；轨道交通线路
95.density - [ˈdensəti] n.密度
96.high-density - [ˌhaɪ ˈdensəti] adj.高密度的
97.satellite - [ˈsætəlaɪt] n.卫星
98.signal - [ˈsɪɡnəl] v.发信号；用信号指示
99.allow for - 使成为可能
注：allow for常见义为“考虑到，顾及”文中表示“使…得以实现”。文中语境对应 “高密度技术和卫星信号系统的投入，能使高速列车的行车间距缩短成为可能”。再如The design of the system allows for [=allows, permits] easy upgrades.这个系统的设计使得升级能够轻松进行。
100.reduction - [rɪˈdʌkʃn] n.减少；缩减
101.distance - [ˈdɪstəns] n.距离
102.on the…line - 在…… 线路上
103.given - [ˈɡɪvn] adj.特定的；一定的
104.at any given time - 在任何特定时间；在任何时刻（given: 指定的，特定的）
105.should mean… - 应该意味着；预计会带来
106.significant - [sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt] adj.显著的；重大的
107.fluidity - [fluˈɪdəti] n.流畅性；通畅度
选项词汇
108.be seen by sb as… - 被某人看作是……
109.outdated - [ˌaʊtˈdeɪtɪd] adj.过时的；陈旧的
110.a popular option for… - 适合…… 的热门选择
111.inadequately - [ɪnˈædɪkwətli] adv.不充分地；不足地
112.utilize - [ˈjuːtəlaɪz] v.利用；使用
113.good maintenance - 良好的维护
114.X is quoted to show… - 引用 X 是为了说明……
115.occurrence - [əˈkʌrəns] n.发生；出现
116.efficiency - [ɪˈfɪʃnsi] n.效率；效能
117.Trenitalia - [ˌtrenɪˈtɑːliə] n.意大利国家铁路公司
118.schedule - [ˈʃedjuːl] n.时刻表；日程安排
119.shortage - [ˈʃɔːtɪdʒ] n.短缺；匮乏
120.limited capacity - 有限的运力
121.massive - [ˈmæsɪv] adj.大规模的；庞大的
122.scale - [skeɪl] n.规模；范围
123.a wide choice of… - 种类繁多的…… 选择
124.route - [ruːt] n.路线；线路
125.require - [rɪˈkwaɪə] v.需要；要求
126.extra - [ˈekstrə] adj.额外的；附加的
127.operational - [ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənl] adj.运营的；操作的
128.spending - [ˈspendɪŋ] n.开支；花费
129.the level of… - …… 的水平
130.travel comfort - 出行舒适度
131.put X in trouble - 使 X 陷入麻烦
132.reconstruct - [ˌriːkənˈstrʌkt] v.重建；改造
133.the regular train line - 常规铁路线路
134.shorten - [ˈʃɔːtn] v.缩短；缩减
135.interval - [ˈɪntəvl] n.间隔；间距
136.urban centre - 市中心；城市中心
137.enhance the safety of… - 提升…… 的安全性
10个月宝宝每天需要喝多少奶粉？
