The Best Way to See India(b)|走访印度的最佳方式

What better train to take than the Palace on Wheels, one of the world's finest luxury locomotives. Each of the 14 coaches is lavishly decorated in ethnic Rajasthani style, reminiscent of the personal railway coaches that Indian princes from long ago would use to travel from state to state.

Each coach includes luxury bedrooms with an attached bathroom, a lounge with comfortable sofas and large picture windows, a pantry, and personal attendants to take care of your every need. A bar with all kinds of beverages is at the guests' disposal. After having a drink, passengers can enjoy dinner in two excellent restaurant cars which provide the finest local cuisine.

The train's eight-day tour of Rajasthan, a state in northwestern India, takes travelers from the city of New Delhi, India's cosmopolitan capital filled with culture, politics, and commerce, to Jaisalmer, a city in the heart of India's Thar Desert, to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, and more. Guests are waited on hand and foot from the moment they arrive to the moment they return to the airport. Private cars transfer guests to the train, and personal attendants called Khidmatgars are constantly on hand to provide refreshments. At each of the journey's destinations, air-conditioned buses take guests to the best sights and most delicious restaurants. This is a far more relaxing experience than trying to fight your way through India's famously insane traffic. Costing thousands of dollars for a weeklong tour, however, the Palace on Wheels shows that even in tourist-friendly India, luxury doesn't come cheap.

1.  Why does India attract so many different kinds of tourists?

(A) It is conveniently located for many travelers.

(B) Its culture, sights, and geography are rich and varied.

(C) Plane tickets and travel expenses are relatively cheap.

(D) There are some great photo opportunities to be found.

2.  What does the term Delhi belly refer to?

(A) Traveler's diarrhea.

(B) A kind of belly dancing.

(C) Indian cuisine.

(D) Homesickness.

3.  What can guests expect from a stay on the Palace on Wheels?

(A) Lectures on Indian culture.

(B) Sessions on meditation techniques.

(C) Around-the-clock service.

(D) Food from around the world.

4.  Which of the following does NOT describe the Palace on Wheels?

(A) It is a luxurious form of transportation.

(B) It is a unique way of seeing India.

(C) It is full of beautiful decorations.

(D) It travels to the southern states in India.

　　无人能出其右的皇宫列车，是世上最顶级的豪华列车之一。所有 14 节车厢都有奢华的拉贾斯坦民族风装潢，令人联想到早年印度王子用来通行于各省之间的私人列车。

　　每节车厢都包括附有卫浴的豪华卧室、附有舒适沙发及大型观景窗的休息室、餐具室，以及伺候你所有需求的私人侍者。吧台内有各种可让乘客随意取用的饮料。喝完饮料后，乘客可在 2 节供应当地最高级食物的餐车内享用晚餐。

　　这辆列车在印度西北部拉贾斯坦省的 8 天旅程中，带着旅客从文化、政治和经济活动频繁的印度国际级首都新德里，到位于印度塔尔沙漠中心的斋沙默尔、泰姬玛哈陵所在地的亚格拉，以及其他地方。乘客一抵达当地就被服侍得无微不至，直到返回机场。有私人汽车将旅客转载到列车，被称为 Khidmatgar 的个人专属侍者随时在一旁提供点心。在旅程中的每一站，都有空调巴士将旅客载到最好的景点及最美味的餐厅。这比你在印度全球有名的恐怖交通中挣扎要来得惬意多了。不过，这一趟长达 1 个星期的皇宫列车旅程要价数千美金，由此可知，即使在对观光客非常友善的印度，奢华的享受一样要价不斐。

答案：1. (B)2. (A)3. (C)4. (D)

『皇宫列车』因其过去的尊荣背景而命名，其命名由来追溯至从前印度权贵以及英国殖民时期，当时的显要人士都是搭乘此豪华列车往返各地。列车随着印度独立而停驶，直至 1980 年代才逐渐发展成为今日一系列的观光列车。

为了让乘客拥有尊荣般的高级享受，列车内部装潢不断推陈出新，冷气车厢内设有沙龙、吧台、交谊厅、图书馆，还备有餐车及服务车。每间沙龙依照拉贾斯坦的公国名称命名，其装潢、摆设风格都不一样，随时都有一位服务人员提供服务。（数据源：今日新闻网）