On what is now a windblown patch of grassland enclosed in colossal walls and dotted with ancient cathedrals, there was once a great city—the ancient Armenian capital of Ani. You can still see the lines of its streets outlined in the turf, and inside the granite churches you can make out the fading faces of saints and kings painted on the ceilings more than a millennium ago. On one side of the city, a dramatic single - span bridge, now ruined, brought the Silk Road across the gorge of the Akhurian River. On the other, the road wound on across the Anatolian plains to Constantinople and the great trading cities of the Mediterranean. Once, Ani was close to the center of the world. Being at the crossroads of empires made Ani as large and as wealthy as Venice. Today, only a few determined tourists make it to this remote patch of borderland on Turkey's frontier with Armenia ( it's just four years since it became possible to visit the site without special permission from the military). It feels like the end of the earth. The Seljuk Turks took Ani from the Armenians in the middle of the 11th century. Today, in Ani and all over ancient Armenia—now eastern Turkey, there's a feeling that the place has been ahandoned by history, and by the people who made the place's history. Lately, though, the governments of both Turkey and Armenia have been feeling their way toward reconciliation. The locals care much more about cross - border trade, cheaper electricity supplies and tourism. And the elements of diplomacy have been falling into place: a friendly soccer match, an equally friendly return match, and presidential visits. Perhaps Ani supplies a clue as to how the future world might look. Ani's two greatest cathedrals served Christianity for less than 70 years before being converted to mosques by the Seljuks. But the Turkish conquerors left most churches as they were, side by side with new mosques. Like all the great trading cities of the medieval world, Ani was a promiscuous mix of faiths and peoples—a crossroads, a meeting point, a place of equal footing. Perhaps with the opening of the border, this comer of the world could start to become a crossroads again, instead of a lonely dead end.
单选题
What is NOT related to the ancient Ani according to the passage?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】考查特定事物的性质…brought the Silk Road across the gorge of the Akhurian River… the road wound on across the Anatolian plains to Constantinople and the great trading cities of the Mediterranean．连通了丝绸之路，康士坦丁堡，和地中海的商业城市，可见选项ABC都是合文意的，选项D认为其交通不方便，是不合文意的，故选择D。
单选题
Which description about Ani is right according to the passage?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】考查对特定事物的理解定位到文章原句this remote patch of borderland on Turkey's frontier with Armenia，现在地处偏远土耳其边界，与亚美尼亚比邻。The Seljuk Turks took Ani from the Armenians in the middle of the 11th century．在11世纪中期土尔克人从亚美尼亚人手中夺过了安尼城。可见选项B是合文意的，故选择B。选项C和D在时间判断上是失误的。
单选题
What is the meaning of" falling into place"?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】考查特定词汇意义定位到文章原句And the elements of diplomacy have been falling into place，外交政策的各方面也开始步入正轨，可见选项A是正确的。选项B意为解决问题，选项C意为发生，选项D意为实施，都不合文意，故选择A。
单选题
What is not mentioned as the measures taken to improve two - side diplomatic relationship?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】考查特定事物的组成部分定位到文章原句a friendly soccer match，an equally friendly return match，and presidential visits．With the opening of the border，互为东道主的足球友谊比赛，两国首脑互访，边境开放，可见选项ABC都是合文意的，选项D不合文意，故选择D。
单选题
What is NOT the characters of the great trading cities of the medieval world?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】考查具体事物的特点定位到文章原句Like all the great trading cities of the medieval world，Ani was a promiscuous mix of faiths and peoples—a crossroads，a meeting point，a place of equal footing．如中世纪伟大的商业城市一样，安尼城是不同的人和信仰汇聚的对方，是平等足迹相交的十字路口。可见选项ABC都是符合文意的，选项D认为当地政府会严格控制宗教事务，是不合文意的，故选择D。