Are you looking for a good book to read? Do you need information about middle schools in the United States? Would you like to read newspapers and magazines from all over the country? Do you need a quiet place to study? Did you answer “yes” to any of these questions? Then you should visit “the information place” —— your local(本地的) library.

A library is a place to find almost any book. In it there are all kinds of books, but there are also pictures, papers, magazines and maps. A library is a source(源泉) of information. Students go to libraries to study and write homework. There are many different library services(服务). In children’s libraries there are many interesting picture books. If you like music, you can listen to your favorite CDs in music libraries.

Long ago, however, a library had only books. And there were so few books in it that no one could take them out of the library. After the printing machine was invented(发明), books could be made faster and libraries got more books.

To borrow a book to take home today, a person just needs a library card. The librarian prints the card with the date by which the book must be returned to the library. If the books are returned late, the person must usually pay money for having broken the rule.

55. In a library, you can ______________________________.

A. find a good book to read

B. read newspapers from all over the country

C. find useful information        

D. all of the above

56. Which of the following is not true?

A. A library has only books.   

B. A library is a source of information.

C. To borrow a book, you need a library card. 

D. You can listen to your favorite CDs in music libraries.

57. In the past, no one could take books out of the library because __________________.

A. there were so few books in the library     

B. the books there were too expensive

C. the books there were too heavy              

D. the library was too small