A
Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, has an ancient competition with Chongqing, a city to its southeast.Residents of Chongqing accused their Chengdu cousins of being pompous (自大的)．“The people of Chongqing were hotheads”， Chengdu residents shot back.Both cities share a love of spiceladen Sichuan cuisine, which in recent decades has occupied Chinese dinner tables.But they are at war over which has the best Sichuan hotpot—a type of DIYcooking that involves boiling vegetables and slices of meat with chillies and numbing peppercorns.
A private museum in Chongqing, opened several years ago, makes the case for the Chongqingstyle hotpot.It describes how it developed from a method used to make cheap offcuts of meat taste delicious.But Chengdu is playing catchup.In January the city sold a plot of land on condition that the developer builds a hotpot museum on part of it.
The two cities are among many in China with their own styles of hotpot.Hotpot restaurants in China are more profitable than other kinds.Haidilao, a wellknown Sichuanbased hotpot chain, raised nearly $1 billion when it was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (股票交易所) in September.
Not all Chinese warm to hotpot.Some older Sichuanese refuse to be connected with it.They complain that it is causing overuse of chilli in other dishes that cover up the original genuine flavours.
But Chengdu's plans for a museum suggest that Sichuan hotpot is not only growing in popularity, but is also becoming symbolic.If it can set the West on fire, officials may hope it will become a delicious new source of Chinese soft power.There will be plenty of glory for both Chengdu and Chongqing to take pride in if that happens.
[语篇解读] 本文是一篇议论文。文章首段提到，两城就谁做的火锅最好的争论引出论题，随后结合事实：两城先后建立博物馆相互竞争，最终归结到一点：火锅在国际上的受欢迎程度将会给两城人民带来荣耀，这是政府和人民的期望。
1．Why are Chengdu and Chongqing competing with each other?
A．Because Chengdu people think Chongqing people are pompous.
B．Because Chengdu residents like to shoot back in battles.
C．Because they both think they are better at eating spicy food.
D．Because they both believe they have the best Sichuan hotpot.
解析：细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句“But they are at war over which has the best Sichuan hotpot—a type of DIYcooking that involves boiling vegetables and slices of meat with chilies and numbing peppercorns.(但是双方还在为谁的火锅最好而争论不休)”可知，他们两个城市争论的焦点在于“谁的火锅最好”，选项D符合题意。故选D项。
答案：D
2．What is the purpose of building a hotpot museum in Chengdu?
A．To compete with Chongqing.
B．To advertise Sichuan cuisine.
C．To show their love for hotpot.
D．To keep the hotpot tradition.
解析：推理判断题。根据第二段前两句“A private museum in Chongqing, opened several years ago, makes the case for the Chongqingstyle hotpot.It describes how it developed from a method used to make cheap offcuts of meat taste delicious.(几年前重庆开了一家私人博物馆，来证明重庆火锅的特色。博物馆展示了重庆火锅从便宜的边角肉片尝起来美味的发展过程)”以及最后一段第一句“But Chengdu's plans for a museum suggest that Sichuan hotpot is not only growing in popularity, but is also becoming symbolic.(但是成都的博物馆计划表明，四川火锅不仅越来越受欢迎，而且正变得具有象征意义)”可知，两个举动是两城在争斗上的一个表现。选项A符合题意。故选A项。
答案：A
3．What can we infer about hotpot from the last paragraph?
A．The two cities have competed only in recent decades.
B．More hotpot museums will be built in the future.
C．Hotpot is already a source of Chinese soft power.
D．People hold a high expectation for hotpot culture.
解析：推理判断题。最后一段内容是：但是成都的博物馆计划表明，四川火锅不仅越来越受欢迎，而且正变得具有象征意义。 如果它能点燃西方人们吃火锅的欲望，官员们可能希望它能成为中国软实力的一个诱人的新来源。 如果这种情况发生，成都和重庆都会有足够的荣耀值得骄傲。由此可以得出结论，火锅在国际上的受欢迎程度将会给两城人民带来荣耀，这是政府和人民的期望。选项D符合题意。故选D项。
答案：D
4．Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A．Growing Popularity of Hotpot in Two Cities
B．Two Cities' War Over Tastiest Sichuan Hotpot
C．“No Hotpot, No Happiness” True in Food Business
D．Private Museum in Chongqing Opened First
解析：标题归纳题。文章首段提到，两城就谁做的火锅最好的争论引出论题，随后结合事实归结到一点：火锅在国际上的受欢迎程度将会给两城人民带来荣耀，这是政府和人民的期望。所以，文章的标题应该是：两城之争：谁做出了最好吃的四川火锅。选项B符合文章主旨。故选B项。
答案：B
