Successful films and TV programs make large amounts of money, and so do the performers who appear in them. A few big shows can make a rock musician a millionaire（百万富翁） in a very short time. High art, however, has serious financial（财政的） problems. It costs more to put on an opera（歌剧）concert, or ballet（芭蕾） than the sale of tickets can bring in. Men and women interested in high art are always being asked to give money to make future performance possible. Small government subsidies（津贴） have also helped to support the arts in the last few years.
56. It is easier for ______ to make money.
A. an opera performer B. a pianist
C. a ballet actor D. A rock musician
57. High art has financial problems because ________.
no people would offer money for
it
it is not supported by the government
it cost much but not many people enjoy it
prices of tickets for it are not high enough
58. The government has given ________ money
to support _______ in the last few years.
A. a large amount of… high art B. a small amount of… high art
C. little… all kinds of art D. plenty of… popular art
59. From the passage we can concluded (推断) that ________.
A. high art is not enjoyed by young people
B. successful films and TV programs are called high arts
C. all people enjoy popular art instead of high art
D. most people like popular art better than high art
On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12yearold boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football.Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water.The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore.But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.
“Everything went quiet in my head，” Tim recalls(回忆)．“I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line.”
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water.Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress.“At one point, I considered turning back，” he says.“I wondered if I was putting my life at risk.” After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, “Take down the umbrella！”
Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella.Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat.He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
“Let's aim for the pier(码头)，” Jack said.Tim turned the boat toward it.Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink.“Can you guys swim？” he cried.“A little bit，” the boys said.
Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier.Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs.Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there？” they asked again and again.“Yes，” Tim told them each time.
After 30 minutes, they reached the pier.Why did the two boys go to the sea?
| A．To go boat rowing. |
| B．To get back their football. |
| C．To swim in the open water. |
| D．To test the umbrella as a sail. |
What does “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．The beach. | B．The water. |
| C．The boat. | D．The wind. |
Why did Tim raise his head regularly?
| A．To take in enough fresh air. |
| B．To consider turning back or not. |
| C．To check his distance from the boys. |
| D．To ask the boys to take down the umbrella. |
How did the two boys finally reach the pier?
| A．They were dragged to the pier by Tim. |
| B．They swam to the pier all by themselves. |
| C．They were washed to the pier by the waves. |
| D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back. |
For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, selfharm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.According to the passage, we can know ________.
| A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night |
| B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads |
| C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin |
| D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times |
the sun was the main source of light.”可知D项为错误结论。Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep. |
| D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced. |
The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
| A．who are young adults or adolescents |
| B．who don't perform well in school |
| C．who are addicted to a television or laptop |
| D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life |
In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
| A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down. |
| B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen. |
| C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping. |
| D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime. |
One might expect that the evergrowing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holidaymakers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the longterm future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere. And every month another rockbound Pacific island is advertised as the ‘last paradise(天堂) on earth’．
However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of seaside holidays, overcrowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.
Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years, Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education. Its forests, full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holidaymakers traveling through the forest land. Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent exploitation of precious trees and plants.
Not only can the environment of a country suffer from the sudden growth of tourism. The people as well rapidly feel its effects. Farmland makes way for hotels, roads and airports; the old way of life goes. The onetime farmer is now the servant of some multinational organization; he is no longer his own master. Once it was his back that bore the pain; now it is his smile that is exploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn't happier in his village working his own land.
Thankfully, the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive its customers. The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support from tourist companies. At the same time, tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.
The way tourism is handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit. Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies. Increased understanding in planning worldwide tourism can preserve the market for these companies. If not, in a few years' time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.What does the author indicate in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?
| A．The Pacific island is a paradise. |
| B．The Pacific island is worth visiting. |
| C．The advertisement is not convincing. |
| D．The advertisement is not impressive. |
The example of Nepal is used to suggest ________.
| A．its natural resources are untouched |
| B．its forests are exploited for farmland |
| C．it develops well in health and education |
| D．it suffers from the heavy flow of tourists |
What can we learn about the farmers from Paragraph 4?
| A．They are happy to work their own lands. |
| B．They have to please the tourists for a living. |
| C．They have to struggle for their independence. |
| D．They are proud of working in multinational organizations. |
Which of the following determines the future of tourism?
| A．The number of tourists. |
| B．The improvement of services. |
| C．The promotion of new products. |
| D．The management of tourism. |
The author's attitude towards the development of the tourist industry is ________.
| A．optimistic | B．doubtful |
| C．objective | D．negative |
This is What a REAL Silver Dollar Looks Like
If you trust in the yen, the euro,
and the dollar...stop reading.
Because this is a story about
the sliver coin EVERYBODY wants.
You read the headlines.You know that troubled economic times have put global currency on a rollercoaster(过山车) ride.But millions have found a smarter way to build longterm value with highgrade collectable silver.And right now, those people are lining up to secure some of the last 2012 U．S.Mint Silver Eagles, America's Newest Silver Eagle Dollars. Today, you can graduate to the front of that line.Buy now and you can own these brilliant uncirculated Silver Dollars for only $38.95!
You Can't Afford to Lose
Why are we releasing(发行) this silver dollar for such a remarkable price? Because we want to introduce you to what hundreds of thousands of smart collectors and satisfied customers have known since 1984—New York Mint is the place to find the world's finest highgrade coins.That's why we're offering you this Brilliant Uncirculated 2012 U．S.Silver Eagle for as little as $37.45(plus s/h)．
Timing is Everything
Our advice? Keep this to yourself.Because the more people who know about this offer, the worse it is for you.Demand for Silver Eagles in 2011 broke records.Experts predict that 2012 Silver Eagles may break them all over again.Due to rapid changes in the price of silver, prices may be higher or lower and are subject to(受……影响) change without notice.Supplies are limited.Call immediately to add these Silver Eagles to your holdings before it's too late.
Offer Limited to 40 per household
2012 American Silver Eagle Coin
Your cost 14 Coins $38.95 each＋s/h
59 Coins $38.45 each＋s/h
1019 Coins $37.95 each＋s/h
2040 Coins $37.45 each＋s/h
Note：$10 s/h(shipping and handling) for each purchase
For fastest service, call tollfree 24 hours a day
18882017143
| Offer Code(代码) ASE17704 Please mention this code when you call. |
New York Mint
14101 Southcross Drive W．， Dept.ASE17704
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
www.NewYorkMint.comWhat is stressed in the ad?
| A．The coin is of high quality and worth collecting. |
| B．The coin can be circulated as a currency. |
| C．Limited supplies guarantee a stable price of the coin. |
| D．Demand for the coin is bound to break records. |
If you buy six 2012 U．S.Mint Silver Eagles by post, you should pay at least ________.
| A．$230.7 | B．$233.7 | C．$240.7 | D．$243.7 |
The ad strongly encourages people to purchase the silver coins by ________.
| A．shopping online |
| B．making a phone call |
| C．lining up in front of the stores |
| D．writing to the company |
Tattoos and body piercings(穿孔) have moved up on the trend list in recent years.Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and “flesh ink”(纹身)．As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children.To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let's sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana：
I personally think body piercing is sickening.If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them.I do, however, think that ear piercing is not wrong.There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing.Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous.I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois：
Hi! I live in Illinois.I am 23.I have 12 tattoos and three piercings.I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector.You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work.People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg.Most of them don't know what it is.They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from California：
I'm not forbidden of selfexpression, but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder.In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion.A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin.It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's.
Jackson from Ohio：
I don't think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything—I think that's ridiculous.People who get the big “dragons that cover the whole body—I don't think that's necessary.” When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, “You have no respect for women.”Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful?
| A．Jackson. | B．Lee. | C．Tiara. | D．Subotai. |
We can conclude that ________.
| A．tattoos and piercings are a new kind of elegant art |
| B．all the teachers in the West are in favour of tattoos and piercings |
| C．everything is changeable as time goes on |
| D．it is necessary to live with different views of beauty |
The best title for this passage is probably ________.
| A．Body Art or Causing Damage |
| B．Doing Damage to the Young People's Bodies |
| C．Young People's Different Curiosities |
| D．The Latest Fashion |