2009年普通高校招生统一英语考试试题卷(全国卷2） 4

D
The American newspaper has been around for about three hundred years. In 1721, the printer James Franklin, Benjamin’s older brother, started the New England Courant, and that was what we might recognize today as a real newspaper. He filled his paper with stories of adventure, articles on art, on famous people, and on all sorts of political subjects.
Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin’s Courant, few believe that newspapers in their present printed from will remain alive for long. Newspaper companies are losing advertisers(广告商)，readers, market value, and in some cases, their sense of purpose at a speed that would not have been imaginable just several years ago. The chief editor(主编) of the Times said recently, “At places where they gather, editors ask one another, ‘How are you?’, as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law case.” An article about the newspaper appeared on the website of the Guandian, under the headline “NOT DEAD YET.”
Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step with the world, has brought about a real sense of death. Some American newspapers have lost 42% of their market value in the past three years. The New York Times Company has seen its stock(股票) drop by 54% since the end of 2004, with much of the loss coming in the past year. A manager at Deutsche Bank suggested that stock-holders sell off their Times stock. The Washington Post Company has prevented the trouble only by changing part of its business to education; its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the company’s income.
53. What can we learn about the New England Courant?
A. It is mainly about the stock market.
B. It marks the beginning of the American newspaper.
C. It remains a successful newspaper in America.
D. It carries articles by political leaders.
54. What can we infer about the newspaper editors?
A. They often accept readers’ suggestions.
B. They care a lot about each other’s health.
C. They stop doing business with advertisers.
D. They face great difficulties in their business.
55. Which of the following found a new way for its development?
A. The Washington Post.
B. The Guardian.
C. The New York Times.
D. New England Courant.
56. How does the author seem to feel about the future of newspapers?
A. Satisfied.
B. Hopeful.
C. Worried.
D. Surprised.
E
It’s only 4 hours flying time from Sydney, but a world away. What better place to rest than a country where the only place people hurry is on the football field and things are done in “Fiji time”?
Viti Levu – Great Fiji – is the largest island. Here you’ll find the capital Suva and the international airport at Nadi. Vatoa, on the other hand, is a tiny island in the farthest part of Fiji. Then there are 331 other islands, many of them with places to stay.
Whit less than a million people living on islands, you’ll never feel crowded. And with a climate(气候) that changes only for five degrees between seasons, there’s never a bad time to come.
From cities to villages, from mountains to beaches, from water sports to wooden artworks, Fiji can give you more adventures and special experiences than you could find almost anywhere in the world.
Whenever you come, wherever you go, you’re sure to see some unforgettable events. From war dances to religious(宗教的) songs. From market days to religious days. It’s not just staged for tourists; it’s still a part of everyday life in Fiji. And any one of us can enjoy Fiji’s spirit by being part of the traditional(传统的) sharing of yaqona, a drink made from the root of a Fiji plant.
So why not join us for the experience of a life me?
57. Where is the international airport of Fiji?
A. In Suva.
B. In Sydney.
C. On the island of Vatoa.
D. On the island of Viti Levu.
58. What does the text tell us about Fijian people?
A. They invented “Fiji time” for visitors.
B. They stick to a traditional way of life.
C. They like to travel from place to place.
D. They love taking adventures abroad.
59. One of the things that make Fiji a tourist attraction is _______.
A. it’s comfortable hotels
B. its good weather all year round
C. its exciting football matches
D. its religious beliefs
60. Where can we most probably read this text?
A. In a personal diary.
B. In a science report.
C. In a travel magazine.
D. In a geography textbook.