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$\quad$$\quad$King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted “kings don’t abdicate, they die in their sleep.” But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So, does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyles?
$\quad$$\quad$西班牙卡洛斯国王曾经坚称“王者不会退位，他们只会在睡眠中死去。”但是在最近的选举中一连串的令人羞愧的丑闻和共和党左派的声望令他自食其果并灰溜溜地退位。所以，西班牙危机是否表明君主制已经走到了尽头？这是否意味着所有身着华丽制服、过着舒适生活的欧洲皇室成员的命运都已注定？
$\quad$$\quad$The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarised, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above “mere” politics and “embody” a spirit of national unity
$\quad$$\quad$西班牙的例子为这场争论同时提供了支持和反对君主制的论据。当公众的意见推向了一个极端，在佛朗哥政权结束后，君主制能超越“纯粹”的政治，“体现”民族团结的精神
$\quad$$\quad$It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs’ continuing popularity heads of state. And so, the Middle East excepted, Europe is the most monarchinfested region in the world, with 10 kingdoms (not counting Vatican City and Andorra). But unlike their absolutist counterparts in the Gulf and Asia, most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure.
$\quad$$\quad$正是这种对政治的明显超越，解释了君主为什么一直被欢迎成为国家元首。并且，在中世纪，欧洲是全世界中有最多君主统治的地区，有着10个王国（不算Vatican City和Andorra）。但与海湾和亚洲的专制国家不同，大多数王室家族得以幸存，是因为他们让选民不必费力地寻找一个没有争议但受人尊敬的公众人物。
$\quad$$\quad$Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history—and sometimes the way they behave today – embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomas Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states.
$\quad$$\quad$即使如此，国王和王后无疑也有不利的一面。他们自称是国家统一的象征，他们悠久的历史–有时是他们今日的行为，都体现了过时和站不住脚的特权和不平等。就在托马斯•皮凯蒂(Thomas Piketty)等经济学家对不平等日益加剧、继承财富的力量日益增强发出警告之际，富有的贵族家族仍然是现代民主国家的象征性核心，这令人感到奇怪。
$\quad$$\quad$The most successful monarchies strive to abandon or hide their old aristocratic ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media intrusiveness makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image.
$\quad$$\quad$最成功的君主会努力放弃或隐藏他们古老的贵族作风。王子和公主都有日常工作，骑自行车，而不是骑马(或直升机)。即便如此，这些都是与国际前1%的人一起聚会的富裕家庭，而媒体的介入使得保持正确形象变得越来越困难。
$\quad$$\quad$While Europe’s monarchies will no doubt be smart enough to survive for some time to come, it is the British royals who have most to fear from the Spanish example.
$\quad$$\quad$尽管欧洲的君主们无疑将足够聪明，能够在未来一段时间内生存下来，但最让英国王室担心的是西班牙的例子
$\quad$$\quad$It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy reputation with her rather ordinary (if well-heeled) granny style. The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world. He has failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service – as non- controversial and non-political heads of state. Charles ought to know that as English history shows, it is kings, not republicans, who are the monarchy’s worst enemies.
$\quad$$\quad$只有女王以她那相当普通(如果是富有的话)的祖母风格保住了君主制的声誉。危险将伴随查尔斯而来，他生活方式昂贵，对世界的看法也相当等级分明。他不明白，君主制之所以能幸存下来，很大程度上是因为它们提供了一种服务——作为没有争议、没有政治意义的国家元首。查理应该知道，英国历史表明，国王才是君主制最大的敌人，而不是共和党人。
21 According to the first two Paragraphs, King Juan Carlos of Spain
[A] used to enjoy high public support
曾经拥有者大量的公众支持
[B] was unpopular among European royals
在欧洲皇室中不受欢迎
[C] eased his relationship with his rivals
缓和他与对手的关系
[D]ended his reign in embarrassment
在羞愧中结束了统计 正确
22 Monarchs are kept as heads of state in Europe mostly
[A] owing to their undoubted and respectable status
归功于他们毋庸置疑和令人尊敬的地位 正确
[B] to achieve a balance between tradition and reality
在传统和现实中建立了平衡
[C] to give voters more public figures to look up to
给选民更多值得尊敬的公众人物
[D]due to their everlasting political embodiment
因为他们是永恒的政治化身
23 Which of the following is shown to be odd, according to Paragraph 4?
[A] Aristocrats’ excessive reliance on inherited wealth
贵族过分依赖继承的财富
[B] The role of the nobility in modern democracies
贵族在现代民主制度中的作用 正确
[C] The simple lifestyle of the aristocratic families
贵族家庭的简朴生活方式
[D]The nobility’s adherence to their privileges
贵族对其特权的坚持
24 The British royals “have most to fear” because Charles
[A] takes a rough line on political issues
对政治问题采取粗略的态度
[B] fails to change his lifestyle as advised
未能按照建议改变生活方式
[C] takes republicans as his potential allies
将共和党人作为他的潜在盟友
[D] fails to adapt himself to his future role
不能适应他未来的角色 正确
25 Which of the following is the best title of the text?
[A] Carlos, Glory and Disgrace Combined
卡洛斯，《光荣与耻辱的结合》
[B] Charles, Anxious to Succeed to the Throne
查尔斯，渴望继承王位
[C] Carlos, a Lesson for All European Monarchs
卡洛斯，给所有欧洲君主的教训 正确
[D]Charles, Slow to React to the Coming Threats
查尔斯，对即将到来的威胁反应迟缓
