B With this background we can probably understand the popularity of bullfighting in Spain, although there are rather improbable stories. For example, when the Moors of North Africa attacked Spain, they used to set fire to the tails of bulls and send them running towards the Spanish, who as a result became good at fighting the animals. Bull fighting is also a sport in Portugal, the southwest corner of France next to Spain, and in Central and South America, once part of the Spanish empire. For a long time, bullfighting was for rich young men who fought on horseback. But, in the 18th century, Francisco Romero started fighting on foot, and together with Juan Belmonte, invented the modern sport in which the fighter stands very close to the bull and controls it with a cape.

C What is a full bullfight like? It begins with the sound of trumpets. Then the bullfighters - in their glittering costumes - enter the ring with their assistants to loud music. There are usually three bullfighters who will each fight two bulls. After the procession, the main events begin. Each fight is the same. First, the bull enters the ring. It runs round hoping to escape and the bullfighter gets used to it. Then the assistants take over, some on horseback and some on foot, and push long, sharp sticks into the bull's shoulders and sides to make it weaker. (In some cases, it is said heavy sandbags are dropped on the bull to hurt it before the fight and it is given drugs to make it confused. As with every sport, there is probably plenty of cheating.) Then comes the famous part of the fight, with the bullfighter showing his skill alone with the bull, making it turn round and round following the red cape. The more confident the bullfighter looks, turning his back on the bull and controlling it, the more the audience cheer and shout 'ole'. Once the bull is dizzy, the bullfighter must do the most dangerous part of the show: place himself in the right position to put his sword between the bull's horns and push it down into its heart. Depending on the audience's cheers, the bullfighter is given one or both of the bull's ears. For a perfect performance he will get the tail, too.

D The sport is less bloody in Portugal where the bull only has to be pushed down and is then taken away, though often to the butcher. In France, there are bull runs, with small bulls let loose in the street. People run after them, try to touch them and later in the ring try to snatch flowers from their heads. This is less cruel to the bulls, but dangerous to the participants. Cruelty is the big issue. People who love tradition and believe in men showing their strength and bravery support the sport. People who believe in animal rights say it is disgusting. There was talk of opening a bull ring in China for tourists. Probably it would have been popular, but perhaps wisely the government said 'no'. Would you go to a bullfight? I don't think I would.

1 Crete is________________________________.

a) an old name for England

b) an Asian city

c) a place in the south of Europe

d) an Indian island

2 Festivals are _______________.

a) buildings

b) special days

c) religions

d) people

3 Why did the young men jump over the bulls?

a) to show their skill

b) to kill the bulls

c) we do not really know

d) for sport and exercise

4 What does the word 'they' (in green) refer to?

a) festivals

b) young men

c) bulls

d) somersaults

5 What does the word 'them' (in green) refer to?

a) Minoan men

b) bulls

c) horns

d) gods

6 Which fact shows bulls are aggressive and bad-tempered?

a) they have sharp horns

b) they were gods to the Egyptians

c) they are strong

d) they attack things that annoy them

7 Which of these statements does not occur in the passage?

a) Mithras was a Roman soldier

b) The Egyptians looked after the bodies of their dead holy bulls

c) Bulls can do a lot of damage

d) Some Romans killed bulls in their temples

8 What is the writer's attitude towards the story about the Moors? It ______.

a) is true

b) is not sure, but possible

c) seems very doubtful

d) is false

9 Why do you think the writer tells us Central and South America were once largely Spanish colonies?

a) He is writing a history book

b) Hong Kong readers do not know much about geography

c) Spain has a lot of fine horses

d) He is explaining why bullfighting exists there

10 A cape is ________________.

a) a piece of cloth worn over the shoulders

b) an old-fashioned hat

c) a sword

d) a special circling movement

11 How many fights are there in each full bullfighting show?

a) two

b) three

c) six

d) nine

12 Which of these is out of the correct order?

a) entry of the bull

b) walking round the ring with a band

c) attacks with pointed sticks

d) works with cape

13 Which is NOT one of the purposes of the various parts of a bullfight?

a) to weaken the bull

b) to show the skill of the bullfighter

c) to beat the bull in a fair fight

d) to excite the audience

14 If the bullfighter gets both bull's ears, the audience is _____________ satisfied.

a) not

b) quite

c) very

d) totally

15 Which statement agrees with the passage?

a) In Portugal, fighting bulls are not killed

b) French bull-running can lead to serious accidents

c) China is introducing bullfighting

d) The writer supports bullfighting as a challenging sport

Answers

1. c (Mediterranean), 2. b (holy days; holidays), 3. c, 4. b, 5. b, 6. d, 7. a, 8. c, 9. d, 10. a, 11. c, 12. a (or logically maybe b), 13. c, 14. c, 15. b