In the late nineteenth century, 5,000 pianos were sold in the United States each year and, with over half a million youths learning to play the instrument, there was a huge demand for sheet music (活页乐谱).Indeed the demand was so huge that publishers rushed to enter the profitable market.During the last fifteen years of the century, many publishers began to set up shops in New York, the center for the production of the musical arts.

       By the turn of the nineteenth century many important publishers had their offices on 28th Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue, and this Is the area that became known as Tin Pan Alley.It was here that publishers adopted new, aggressive business practices and marketing techniques to achieve great sales.

       How it became to be known by that name is unclear, but the general opinion is that it is down to a visiting journalist by the name of Monroe Rosenfeld.He described the area as being drowned in the noise coming from the producers' offices, sounding as though hundreds of people were hitting tin pans(锡锅).He used it several times in his newspaper articles in the early twentieth century and the term stuck.With time this name was popularly embraced and many years later it came to describe the U.S.music publishing industry in general.

       The start of Tin Pan Alley is usually dated to about 1885, but the end of Tin Pan Alley is less clear-cut.Some date it to the start of the Great.Depression in the 1930s when the phonograph(留声机) and radio replaced sheet music, as the driving force of American popular music, while others consider Tin Pan Alley to have continued into the 1950s when earlier styles of American popular music were upstaged (抢风头) by the rise of rock & roll.

      There's a plaque(纪念匾牌)on the sidewalk on 28th Street in honor of the influence of Tin Pan Alley on American popular culture, but the buildings that were home to the legendary Tin Pan Alley publishers and songwriters are up for sale and may be torn down to make room for modern high-rise buildings.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

       A.American popular music.

       B.Tin Pan Alley's future。

       C.American music Industry.

       D.The history of Tin Pan Alley.

2.In the early 20th century.Tin Pan Alley was used to refer to ____.

       A.the American popular culture.            B.the American printing media

       C.the American rock-music center                                      D.the American music publishing industry.

3.In the nineteenth century, the driving force of American popular music was:____.

       A.rock & roll                          B.sheet music

       C.country music                       D.phonographs and radios

4.When visiting Tin Pan Alley, Rosenfeld probably felt it was ____.

       A.very noisy          B.very quiet        C.wide               D.narrow

5.We can learn from the passage that ______.

       A.the term " Tin Pan Alley" was perhaps first used by Rosenfeld.

       B.the old shops of Tin Pan Alley will be well protected.

       C.Tin Pan Alley got its name in the early nineteenth century.

       D.there were once some factories in Tin Pan Alley

The UN Environment Programme says that rising temperatures could mean the end for some migrating animals.

       Migrating or mobile animals move through several environments as they travel away from the cold of winter to warmer areas.Birds may fly from one part of the World to another, perhaps stopping at feeding grounds on the way.Whales and turtles(海龟) cover vast areas of ocean.The report says that changes in any one of the places which these animals use can cause serious harm."Obviously these animals have developed their travelling patterns over thousands of years.But climate change is almost certain to be extreme over the next 25 to 50 years and it is extremely unlikely that these animals can change their habits fast enough, "said the report author Dr.Robert Hepworth.

       Hardest hit by rising temperatures are turtles.Scientists have found that at higher temperatures, turtles produce far more female eggs than male ones.In parts of Malaysia, turtle birthing sites are producing only females, the report says.It also provides evidence that some turtles are more likely to develop cancer as the waters get warmer.

       With birds, the main problem is climate-related damage to important areas at either end of the travels or at resting places along the way.About one-fifth of migrating birds are now in danger because of climate-related changes including rising sea levels, land loss and more violent storms, the report concludes.

       Other animals picked out as particularly in danger include:

       the North Atlantic Right Whale, whose main food (tiny shrimp) is disturbed by the change in ocean flows.

       ·the White-Nose Dolphin, which is out-competed by other kinds of dolphins in warmer waters.

       The report is not all bad news.Even with major climatic changes, protecting the environment can still help mobile animals to recover."We need governments to start taking action at the national and international level.The clock is running," said Dr.Hepworth.And some animals are already adapting, with the report mentioning whales that are changing their feeding behaviour, finding new feeding grounds and new foods to eat.

1.What is the main topic of the text?

       A.The effect of climate change on migrating animals.

       B.How animals are adapting to changes in temperature.

       C.The actions required to save migrating animals.

       D.The need for government policies to prevent global warming.

2.By saying "The clock is running" in the last paragraph, Dr.Hepworth means that" ______"

       A.it may be too late to save some animals

       B.it is time to start protecting the animals

       C.there is not much time to solve the problem

       D.it takes time to complete the actions

       A.They will only produce female babies.

3.Which of the following is mentioned as a consequence of rising temperatures?

       A.More storms will affect the ability of whales to find their feeding grounds.

       B.20 percent of all birds are likely to die out because of land loss.

       C.Migrating animals are likely to start adapting to the changes more quickly.

       D.Warmer oceans will increase the competition between different kinds of dolphins.

4.What can be inferred about turtles from the text?

       A.They are the only animals besides humans that suffer from cancer.

       B.They have traditionally lived longer than other ocean-based animals.

       C.Those born nearer a hotter area are more likely to be female.

       D.Most kinds of turtles are likely to die out within 50 years.

SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.

About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.

"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."

Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.

Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers.

Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.

"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15.The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.

"There are more young smokers than before.You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street.Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.

"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents.If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.

Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers.Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.

1.What is the main idea of the passage?

   A.About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.

   B.Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking.

   C.More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking.

   D.Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters.

2.What kind of the youngsters most possibly develop a habit of smoking?

   A.Children of non-smoking mothers.

   B.Children of non-smoking fathers.

   C.Children of heavy smokers.

   D.Children from some smoking centers.

3.Which of the following disease may not be connected with secondhand smoking?

      A.Cancer.                                               B.Behavioral problems.

       C.Sore throats.                                       D.Coughs.

4.The underlined word “vicious” in the last paragraph but one most probably means ___________.

       A.complete             B.simple                 C.great                   D.bad

5.What can be inferred from the passage?

       A.About 80% of the children in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center smoke heavily.

       B.About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

   C.About 540 million people are heavy smokers in China.

   D.Children aged between 13 to 18 are more likely addicted to smoking.

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