Almost every family buys at least one copy of a newspaper every day. Some people subscribe to as many as two or three different newspapers. But why do people read newspapers?

     Five hundred years ago, news of important happenings--battles lost and won, kings or rulers overthrown or killed--took months and even years to travel from one country to another. The news passed by word of mouth and was never accurate. Today we can read in our newspapers of important events that occur in faraway countries on the same day they happen.

     Apart from supplying news from all over the world, newspapers give us a lot of other useful information. There are weather repets, radio, television and film guides, book reviews, stones, anra ox course, auwmments. There are a sorts of advertisements. The bigger ones are put in by large companies to bring attention to their products. They pay the newspapers thousands of dollars for the advertising space, but it is worth the money for news of their products goes into almost every home in the country. For those who produce newspapers, advertisements are also very important. Money earned from advertisements makes it possible for them to sell their newspapers at a low price and still make a profit.

     Newspapers often have information on gardening, cookery and fashion, as well as a small but very popular section on jokes and cartoons.

41. The habit of reading newspapers is

   A. widespread                    B. found among a few families

   C. not popular                    D. uncommon

42. In the past, news was

   A. sent by telegraph                B. sent by letter

   C. sent by telephone                D. passed from one person to another

43. The money spent on advertisements is

    A. wasted                       B. not much

    C. worthwhile                    D. of no use to anyone

 44. Which of the following statements is not tree?

    A. Five hundred years ago news didn't take a long time to reach other countries.

    B. Large companies put big advertisements in the newspapers because they want to draw people's attention to their products.

    C. The news that we need in our newspapers in up-to-date.

    D. Though the newspapers are sold at a low price, people still gain profit.

 45. Some people subscribe to as many as two or three different newspapers. Here the phrase "subscribe to"means           .

    A. contribute to                       B. write to

C. agree to buy for a specified time       D. appreciate