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British holidaymakers(度假者) face having their fingerprints checked every time they travel to Europe under French plans. Brussels officials are working on proposals(建议书) to set up gates at airports and ports to check passengers as they enter the EU’s Schengen Zone.

Only travelers from non-EU countries will face the checks to match people against the biometric data stored on their passports, but France wants it to be extended to everyone. That means British travelers would face the checks when they board the Eurostar at St Pancras or when they arrive at airports in any of the EU countries in the Schengen Zone, including France, Spain, Greece and Portugal.

Under the “smart borders system”, it will check the information kept digitally on microchips in passports, which include a record of an individual’s facial characteristics and their fingerprints.

When passengers arrive at border controls instead of having their passport checked by a guard, they will use the machines. The system will run similarly to the E-passport gates that operate at some British airports but with the addition of fingerprint checks. The European Commission is currently drawing up proposals for the plan, which will be discussed at a meeting in December.

It is being introduced to improve security at the external border of the Schengen Zone, to stop illegal immigrants and to detect if people from outside the EU have stayed longer than they are allowed. It includes most EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, but not the UK and Ireland.

The French government have told the Commission that they want all people including EU citizens to have their passports checked by the new scheme. They said the Schengen Zone is facing three challenges: a steady rise in passenger flows, biggest ever pressure of immigrants and increased terrorist threats. Ten journalists and two policemen were killed after an attack by three gunmen on the Charlie Hebdo magazine office in Paris in January.

1.Which of the following plans is put forward by France?

A Travelers of Non-EU countries have fingerprint checks.

B Only British travelers have their fingerprints checked.

C Travelers who take Eurostar or planes will have their fingerprints checked.

D All travelers who enter Schengen Zone will have their fingerprints checked.

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据文章第二段第一句but France wants it to be extended to everyone可知，以前只对那些非欧盟国家的游客进入申根区之前实行指纹检查，而在法国的提议中，将来要扩大到所有游客了（即欧盟区内的公民也要例行指纹检查），故选D。

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A Travelers to the Schengen Zone will feel safer than before.

B The plans will make the travelers annoyed in some way.

C There will be fewer immigrants coming to EU countries.

D There will be no more terrorist attacks in European countries.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据文章第二段第二句That means British travelers would face time-consuming checks...可知，例行指纹检查非常耗时，结合文章第一段第一句face having their fingerprints checked...可以判断，这将引起游客们，尤其是欧盟区国家游客的不满，故选B。

3.How are the future border controls different from the E-passport gates?

A They have fingerprint checks.

B Guards check travelers’ passports.

C They are the same.

D They work at British airports.

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据文章第四段第二句The system will run similarly to the E-passport gates that operate at some British airports but with the addition of fingerprint checks可知，边境身份查验与机场检查不同，前者多了一个指纹查验，故选A。

4.Why does the author mention the terrorist attack in Paris earlier this year?

A To remember the people killed in the attack.

B To blame the terrorists.

C To stress on the increased terrorist threats.

D To warn people of the safety in France.

解析：选C。推理判断题。根据文章第六段...facing three challenges... and increased terrorist threats可知申根区面临的安全问题很严峻，由此判断，作者在文章最后提及年初的巴黎恐怖袭击案目的是为了强调可能的恐怖威胁，故选C。

5.What can be the best title of the passage?

A Travelers to EU Countries Will Be Strictly Checked

B Terrorist Threats Are Growing in Europe

C France Wants to Have Everyone’s Passports and Fingerprints Checked

D Fingerprint Check Makes Schengen Zone Safe

解析：选C。文章标题题。通读全文可知，本文主要内容为，法国政府为了保证欧洲申根地区的安全，要求欧洲委员会由原来只对非欧盟国家游客进入申根区查验指纹改为所有进入申根区旅游的游客一律进行指纹核对，故选C。