I have never heard about a “Fashion Week” outside of New York, London or Milan. But then one just happens to turn up in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. Actually, I’m ignorant of all those countries in Central Asia, whose names are always ending in “stan.” For decades, even centuries, Central Asia has been out of focus, a blank on the map of empires. Just as the introduction from Turusbek Mamashov, from the Tourism agency of the president of the Kyrgyz Republic, says, “Throughout this Fashion Week project, we need to create a revolution in the minds of our people, preparing the country for the international tourism market. It is an opportunity as well as an investment.” What he says is right. If you just give it a glimpse (一瞥), you’ll find out that the flavor (风情) of the Silk Road is still there.
As part of the route for Silk Road traders and migrating tribes through its epic(史诗的) history, Kyrgyzstan, like other Central Asian countries, is a vast place of desert, grassland and mountain ranges. It is not widely known that Kyrgyzstan is the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai’s birthplace.
Bishkek, the place holding Fashion Week, is the capital and industrial center of independent Kyrgyzstan. It is a relaxed, handsome place with wide streets and large amounts of greenery. Especially in the autumn of November, the yellow leaves falling everywhere make the whole city a legend in fall. The mountains are just at its rear, in that case a unique scene of picturesque beauty is composed by snow-white peaks, lakes and the urban Landscape.
Today, Ala-Too Square is the center of the poetic places worth seeing in Bishkek. The “White House,” the seat of the Kyrgyzstan Government, is just at the west of the square. Behind this is Panfilov Park, a great place to head for a national holiday. The State Museum of Fine Arts is opposite, which is also called the Gapar Aitiev Museum of Applied Arts, featuring Kyrgyz jewelry, rugs and works by local artists.
One of the joys besides the scenery is the openness of the people. Bishkek is a city without a big population but mainly good-natured people from many races, 47 percent are Russian and about a third are Kyrgyz. Most travelers vote Kyrgyzstan as the most appealing, accessible and welcoming of the former Soviet Central Asian republics. It is written by a tourist that Kyrgyzstan is the country Russians most desperately want to keep: hills always covered with grass and wild flowers. Kyrgyz men always ride a horse wearing a photogenic hat.
   According to the passage, Kyrgyzstan used to be ___________.

A．an international fashion centre	B．an important part of Silk Road
C．the focus of the world	D．a vast desert land in Central Asia

   The Fashion Week in Bishkek is supposed to __________.

A．start a revolution in Kyrgyzstan	B．attract foreign investment to Kyrgyzstan
C．promote tourism in Kyrgyzstan	D．celebrate the independence of Kyrgyzstan

   Which of the statements is NOT ture according to the passage?

A．Bishkek is a crowded modern city surrounded by mountain ranges.

B．Panfilov Park is a popular destination for local people during holidays.

C．The majority of the population in Bishkek are Russian and Kyrgyz.

D．The famous poet Li Bai is thought to have been born in Kyrgyzstan.

   What is the most important message the author wants to convey in the passage?

A．Reflections and thoughts on the glorious history of the Silk Road.

B．Feelings about the ongoing Fashion Week project in Bishkek.

C．The geographic features and imposing history of Kyrgyzstan.

D．The natural and cultural characteristics and attractions in Kyrgyzstan.

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