The Eiffel Tower is closed to the public because workers are protesting a recent rise in aggressive pickpockets. The Paris monument is normally open every day of the year and brings in thousands of visitors daily. 

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on Friday after staff went on strike to protest against pickpockets who they say cheat tourists “daily” and threaten staff.

“The Eiffel Tower is momentarily closed,” read the sign by one of the world’s most visited monuments, as staff said they could no longer cope with the rising number of pickpockets operating on the city’s famed “iron lady”, following “several attacks and threats”.

Representatives from among 40 staff refusing to work said they were powerless to prevent gangs of “between four to five” pickpockets, and “sometimes 30 on the monument” at any one time. “There have always been pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower, but we are now facing an organized network,” said a union representative. Staff called on management to provide “formal guarantees so that lasting, efficient measures are taken to end the trouble that numerous tourists fall into every day”. They said that high-spending Asian tourists were the most commonly targeted.

Protesting staff complained that management only went as far as “informing visitors” about the risks but “lacks determination” in tackling the problem, which has become “troublesome for an internationally renowned monument”. They suggested planting plain-clothed inspectors around the attraction to “catch pickpockets in the act”. It said it was “sorry that visitors already present are being penalized” by the closure.

By late afternoon, the tower was reopened, but staff said this was “only temporary” and more strike action may follow in the coming days.

In 2013, staff at the Louvre museum refused to work for the same reason, forcing police to beef up patrols – a move that helped lower the number of thefts.

Inaugurated in 1889, the Eiffel Tower, which stands at 324 meters tall, welcomed seven million visitors last year, three quarters of them foreigners.

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1. The Eiffel Tower was closed to the public because ______.

A it was too crowded to admit more visitors

B the attraction was faced with increasing pickpockets

C many rich Asian tourists have been attacked by pickpockets

D the management does nothing to stop thefts from happening

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第3段they could no longer cope with the rising number of pickpockets …可知，员工们之所以罢工，是因为他们难以应对越来越嚣张的盗贼，实在忍受不了盗贼们的欺辱了。

2.What was the request of the working staff?

A They wanted more power to stop pickpockets.

B They requested to close the tower to keep pickpockets out.

C They called on staff to be organized to fight against pickpockets.

D They require measures be taken to end thefts in the attraction.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第4段Staff called on management to provide “formal guarantees so that lasting, efficient measures are taken to end the trouble that numerous tourists fall into every day可知，员工们呼吁管理部门采取有效措施阻止窃贼们在景点偷窃，让游客们蒙受损失。

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A Plan-clothed inspectors are expected to stop pickpockets.

B The visitors to the attraction were aware of likely thefts.

C The attraction made an apology to the visitors for its closure.

D The staff was not pleased as thefts couldn’t be entirely stopped.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据文章第5段可知，员工们对于景点管理部门的不作为的管理方式表示不满，他们希望管理部门彻底根除偷窃现象。

4.What is the author’s attitude toward the closure of the Eiffel Tower?

A Supportive.

B Negative.

C Concerned.

D Doubtful.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据文章中的aggressive, attack, threat, complain, risk, powerless 等词汇判断，作者对于当前景点关门谢客及其背后的原因深表忧虑。

5.The underlined phrase in the seventh paragraph means _____.

A strengthen

B approve

C start

D encourage

解析：选A。A 猜测词义题。根据下文的helped lower the number of thefts可知，偷窃现象有一定减少，也就是说便衣警力的部署和巡查起到了遏制作用。由此判断，beef up在文章中意为“加强，增加”。故选A。