Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

Nicola Sturgeon's speech last Tuesday setting out the Scottish governments legislative programme for the year ahead confirmed what was already pretty clear.Scottish councils are set to be the first in the UK with the power to levy charges on visitors,with Edinburgh likely to lead the way.

Tourist taxes are not new.The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has a longstanding policy of charging visitors a daily fee.France's tax on overnight stays was introduced to assist thermal spa(温泉)towns to develop,and around half of French local authorities use it today.

But such levies are on the rise.Moves by Barcelona and Venice to deal with the phenomenon of “over-tourism”through the use of charges have recently gained prominence.Japan and Greece are among the countries to have recently introduced tourist taxes.

That the UK lags behind is due to our weak,by international standards,local government,as well as the opposition to taxes and regulation of our aggressively pro-market ruling party.Some UK cities have lobbied without success for the power to levy a charge on visitors.Such levies are no universal remedy as the amounts raised would be tiny compared with what has been taken away by central government since 2010.Still,it is to be hoped that the Scottish government's bold move will prompt others to act.There is no reason why visitors to the UK,or domestic tourists on holiday in hotspots such as Cornwall,should be exempt from taxation—particularly when vital local services including waste collection,park maintenance and arts and culture spending are under unprecedented strain.

On the contrary,compelling tourists to make a financial contribution to the places they visit beyond their personal consumption should be part of a wider cultural shift.Westerners with disposable incomes have often behaved as if they have a right to go wherever they choose with little regard for the consequences.Just as the environmental harm caused by aviation and other transport must come under far greater scrutiny,the social cost of tourism must also be confronted.This includes the impact of short-term lets on housing costs and quality of life for residents.Several European capitals,including Paris and Berlin,are leading a campaign for tougher regulation by the European Union.It also includes the impact of overcrowding,litter and the kinds of behaviour associated with noisy parties.

There is no“one-size-fits-all”solution to this problem.The existence of new revenue streams for some but not all councils is complicated,and businesses are often opposed,fearing higher costs will make them uncompetitive.But those places that want them must be given the chance to make tourist taxes work.

51.What do we learn from Nicola Sturgeon's speech?

A)The UK is set to adjust its policy on taxation

B)Tourists will have to pay a tax to visit Scotland

C)The UK will take new measures to boost tourism.

D)Edinburgh contributes most to Scotland's tourism

52.How come the UK has been slow in imposing the tourist tax?

A)Its government wants to attract more tourists.

B)The tax is unlikely to add much to its revenue.

C)Its ruling party is opposed to taxes and regulation.

D)It takes time for local governments to reach consensus.

53.Both international and domestic visitors in the UK should pay tourist tax so as to?

A)elevate its tourism to international standards

B)improve the welfare of its maintenance workers

C)promote its cultural exchange with other nations

D)ease its financial burden of providing local services

54.What does the author say about Western tourists?

A)They don't seem to care about the social cost of tourism.

B)They don't seem to mind paying for additional services.

C)They deem travel an important part of their life.

D)They subject the effects of tourism to scrutiny.

55.What are UK people's opinions about the levy of tourist tax?

A)Supportive

C)Skeptical.

B)Divided.

D)Unclear.

答案解析：

由题干中的关键词“Nicola Sturgeon's speech”定位到第一段“Nicola Sturgeon's speech last Tuesday setting out the Scottish governments legislative programme for the year ahead confirmed what was already pretty clear. Scottish councils are set to be the first in the UK with the power to levy charges on visitors, with Edinburgh likely to lead the way.”，提到苏格兰议会将有权向游客收费，爱丁堡可能带头，即游客去苏格兰要交税，所以选B。

由题干中的关键词“the UK has been slow in imposing the tourist tax”定位到第四段“That the UK lags behind is due to our weak, by international standards, local government, as well as the opposition to taxes and regulation of our aggressively pro - market ruling party.”，提到英国落后是因为地方政府弱以及执政党反对税收和监管，所以选C。

由题干中的关键词“international and domestic visitors in the UK should pay tourist tax”定位到第四段“There is no reason why visitors to the UK, or domestic tourists on holiday in hotspots such as Cornwall, should be exempt from taxation—particularly when vital local services including waste collection, park maintenance and arts and culture spending are under unprecedented strain.”，提到游客交税是因为当地重要服务面临压力，即减轻提供当地服务的财政负担，所以选D。

由题干中的关键词“the author say about Western tourists”定位到第五段“Westerners with disposable incomes have often behaved as if they have a right to go wherever they choose with little regard for the consequences.”，提到西方游客常表现得好似有权去任何地方而不顾后果，即他们似乎不关心旅游的社会成本，所以选A。

由题干中的关键词“UK people's opinions about the levy of tourist tax”定位到第四段“Some UK cities have lobbied without success for the power to levy a charge on visitors.”以及第六段“The existence of new revenue streams for some but not all councils is complicated, and businesses are often opposed, fearing higher costs will make them uncompetitive.”，说明英国不同群体对游客税看法不一，存在分歧，所以选B。