雅思阅读精选：法国影星“乐于”成为俄国公民

　　雅思全新推出每日雅思阅读精选栏目，我们将为大家精心挑选国外网站上的优秀文章供考生们进行阅读练习，帮助大家提高雅思阅读水平，每天读几篇文章，每天有一点提高，相信不久之后，雅思阅读考试将不再是困扰考生们的难题。

　　推荐阅读方法：首先快速阅读全文，掌握文章大意，提高阅读速度;再进行精读训练，学习其中的词汇和语言的用法。

　　2013年1月4日雅思阅读精选：法国影星乐于成为俄国公民

　　Gerard Depardieu pleased to become Russian citizen

Gerard Depardieu played eccentric Russian monk Grigory Rasputin in a Franco-Russian film in 2011

　　Actor Gerard Depardieu has hailed Russias decision to grant him citizenship, following a tax row with the government in his native France.

　　In an open letter, he said he loved Russia, calling it a great democracy.

　　Mr Depardieu had recently announced he would give up his French passport after the government criticised his decision to move abroad to avoid higher taxes.

　　Moscow earlier said President Vladimir Putin had personally signed the decree granting the actor Russian citizenship.

　　In December, Mr Putin had said he would be happy to welcome the actor in his new country. If hed like to have a Russian passport, consider it settled, Mr Putin said.

　　Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had called Mr Depardieus decision to leave the country shabby.

　　In the letter, broadcast on Thursday on Russian TV station Pervyi Kanal, Mr Depardieu said: I filed a passport application and I am pleased that it was accepted.

　　I love your country, Russia - its people, its history, its writers. I love your culture, your intelligence.

　　He said that he had spoken to French President Francois Hollande and told him Russia was a great democracy, and not a country where the prime minister calls one of its citizens shabby.

　　Friend of Putin

　　Under Frances civil code, dual citizenship is permitted but it is unlawful to be stateless.

　　A person must obtain another nationality before giving up French citizenship.

　　Mr Depardieus highly publicised tax row began last year after Mr Hollande said he would raise taxes to 75% for those earning more than 1m euros .

　　The actor accused the new socialist government of punishing success, creation and talent, and announced in early December that he would move to Belgium.

　　Although the Constitutional Council struck down the tax rise proposal on Sunday, Mr Depardieu said this did not change the situation one bit.

　　The BBCs Hugh Schofield in Paris says the series of events has would be amusingly eccentric, were it not also serious in its implications for Frances international image.

　　Mr Depardieu, described by Mr Putin as a successful businessman and friend, has developed close ties with Russia, which has a flat 13% personal income tax rate.

　　He currently appears in an advertisement for Sovietsky Banks credit card and is prominently featured on the banks home page.

　　In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Rasputin, a Franco-Russian production about the life of eccentric monk Grigory Rasputin.

　　In addition, Mr Depardieu has also helped raise funds for a childrens hospital in St Petersburg.