root¹ /ru:t/ n [C]

1 ►PLANT◄ the part of a plant or tree that grows under the ground and gets water form the soil: Be careful not to damage the roots when repotting. | tree roots —see picture at germinate

2 ►CAUSE OF A PROBLEM◄ the main cause of a problem: Money is the root of all evil. | be/lie at the root of (=be the cause of a problem) Often allergies are at the root of a lot of the problems. | get to the root of (=find out the cause of a problem) | root cause (=the main reason for a problem)

3 ►OF A CUSTOM/TRADITION◄ roots the origins of a custom or tradition that has continued for a long time: has its roots in Jazz has its roots in the folk songs of the southern states of the US.

4 ►OF AN IDEA/BELIEF◄ the main part of an idea or belief which all the other parts come from: be/lie at the root of Foucault is challenging the very root of 20th century liberalism.

5 ►FAMILY CONNECTION◄ sb’s roots your con- nection with a place because you were born there, or your family used to live there: Naita has come to Ghana in search of her roots.

6 put down roots if you put down roots somewhere, you start to feel that this place is your home and to have relationships with the people there

7 ►TOOTH/HAIR ETC◄ the part of a tooth, hair etc that fixes it to the rest of your body

8 take root a) if an idea takes root, people begin to accept or believe it: The concepts of democracy and free trade are finally beginning to take root. b) if a plant takes root, it starts to grow where you have planted it

9 have a (good) root round informal especially BrE to search for something by moving other things around

10 root and branch if you destroy something root and branch, you get rid of it completely and permanently because it is bad

11 ►LANGUAGE◄ technical the basic part of a word which shows its main meaning, to which other parts can be added: The suffix ‘ness’ can be added to the root ‘cold’ to form the word ‘coldness’. —compare stem¹ (4)

12 ►MATHEMATICS◄ technical a number that when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, equals the number that you have: 2 is the fourth root of 16.

—see also cube root, square root, grass roots

root² v

1 ►SEARCH◄ [I always + adv/prep] to search for something by moving things around: [+ through/in/ around] “Hang on a second,” said Leila, rooting through her handbag for a pen. | [+ for] pigs rooting for food

2 ►PLANT◄ a) [I] to grow roots: New shrubs will root easily in summer. b) [T usually passive] to fix a plant firmly by its roots: The bush was too firmly rooted in the hard earth to dig up easily. | root itself Clumps of thyme had rooted themselves between the rocks. —see also deeply rooted (deeply (5))

3 be rooted in to have developed from something and be strongly influenced by it: policies that are rooted in Marxist economic theory

4 be rooted to the spot to be so shocked, surprised, or frightened that you cannot move

root for sb phr v [T] informal 1 to give support and encouragement to someone in a competition, test or difficult situation, because you want them to succeed: Good luck – we’ll all be rooting for you! 2 especially AmE to support a sports team or player by shouting and cheering: We’ll all be rooting for the Dallas Cowboys in the Superbowl.

root sth ↔ out phr v [T] 1 to find out where a particular kind of problem exists and get rid of it: Racism cannot be rooted out without strong government action. 2 informal to find something by searching for it: I’ll try and root out something suitable for you to wear.

root sth ↔ up phr v [T] to dig or pull a plant up with its roots

What’s meaning of the word “roots” in the sentence “Many Americans have roots in Europe.”?

A. The underground part of a plant.                   B. One’s connection with a place.

C. The origins of a custom or tradition.                     D. The main cause of a problem.

What’s the fourth root of 81?

A. 27.                          B. 9.                                   C. 6.                                   D. 3.

Which phrase can complete the sentence “Do you think it is possible to ____ crime?”

A. root for                    B. root out                    C. root up                     D. root through

In which of the following situations can we use the phrase “be rooted to the spot”?

A. A bush is so firmly rooted in the ground that it is difficult to pull it up.

B. A football fan got excited when his favorite football team scored a goal.

C. A girl became too scared to walk when she caught sight of a long snake.

D. A man is unable to walk because he was caught in a car accident years ago.

Below is adapted from a dictionary.

Water

▲Noun 1(a)[U] liquid without color, smell or taste that falls as ran, in lakes, rivets and seas, and is used for drinking, washing, etc: Water is changed into steam by heat and into ice by cold. ○drinking water ○ mineral water. (b)[U]this liquid as supplied to homes, factories, etc in pipes: The water was turned off for several hours a day during the drought. ○ hot and cold running water ○ [attrib] water shortages (c)[sing]mass of this liquid, esp a lake, river or sea: She fell into the water and drowned. ○ The flood water cowered the whole area. (d)[sing]surface of a lake, river, sea, etc: float on the water ○ We could see fishes under the water

2[U](exp in compounds)preparation containing water or sth similar to water: rose-water ○ soda-water

3 waters[pl](a)mass of water(in lake, river, etc)the (head-)waters of the Nile, ic the lake from which it flows(b)sea near a particular country: British waters ○ in home/ foreign waters 4[U]state or level of the tide: (at)high/low water

▲idioms he in /get into hot water(in formal) be in/get into trouble or disgrace: A person who

breaks a law can be in hot water with the police.

·cast one’s bread upon the waters(formal) do good make him drink you can give a person the

opportunity to do something but he may still refuse to do it.

·Still waters run deep a quiet or apparently calm person can have strong emotions, much

knowledge or wisdom.

·Blood is thicker than water Family is more important than anyone or anything else.

·Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water When deeds without expecting anything in

return:

·fish in troubled waters try to gain advantages for oneself from a disturbed state of affairs

·hold water(in formal)(of an argument, an excuse, etc)be capable of standing up to examination or

testing; be valid

·in smooth water(s) make even and easy progress: The business seems to be in smooth withers

there days.

·keep one’s head above water stay out of debt, difficulty etc: I’m managtag to keep my head

above water, though I am not earning much.

·pour oil on troubled waters (try to) calm a disagreement or violent dispute, etc

·water under the bridge event, mistake, etc that has already occurred and cannot be changed, so

there is no point in worrying about it.

verb [Tn] pour or sprinkle water on (sth): water a flowerbed, lawn, plant 2[Tn]give water to

(an animal) to drink 3[Tn] add water to (a drink )to dilute it: The owner of the pub was accused of

watering the beer.

Phrasal verb water sth down(a)make (a liquid)weaker by adding water(b)weaken the effect of

sth, eg by making the details less vivid: The criticisnts have been watered down so as not to offend

anybody.

▲Saying You can take a horse to water, but you can’t you are making a change, save what

matters to you and dispose of the rest

·It is no safe to wading in an unknown water it is dangerous for one to be involved in an

uncertain adventure.

·Too much water drowned the miller much gaining is good, but too much goes the opposite.

45．Fill in the blank in the sentence “If you’re caught cheating in the exam, you will        .”

       A．pour oil in troubled waters     B．be in hot water

       C．cast your bread upon the waters      D．have to hold water

46．When we say it is “water under the bridge” to a friend who is upset by a mistake he/she has made, we mean “        .”

       A．forget it    B．correct it   C．worry about it  D．avoid it

47．Choose a word to complete the sentence “They gave the press the       description of what really had happened.”

       A．watered-down  B．waters      C．water D．watered

48．Which of the following can be used to describe Jack, who has invested a lot of money in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market?

       A．Still waters run deep.

       B．Too much water drowned the miller.

       C．It is no safe to wading in an unknown water.

       D．You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

From good reading we can derive pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction. A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity. Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad. Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction.

    With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely. Whether the characters portrayed are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times. The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances. Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never weary us with their company. By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings. When human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement.

    One of the most valuable gifts bestowed by books is experience. Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books. Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of everyday life or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can. To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter the land of our heart’s desire. Through books we may get the thrill of hazardous adventure without danger. We can climb lofty mountains, brave the perils of an Antarctic winter, or cross the scorching sands of the desert, all without hardship. In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may mingle with the gay throngs of the Paris boulevards; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island. Indeed, through books the whole world is ours for the asking. The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited. The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the marvels of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read.

53．Why is it that we sometimes forget our surroundings and even our identity while reading?

       A．No one has come to disturb us.

       B．Everything is so quiet and calm around us.

       C．The book we are reading is so interesting and attractive.

       D．Our book is so boring that we are to finish it at a fast speed.

54．How would you account for the fact that people like their friends in books even more?

       A．They are like human friends exactly.      B．They are unfamiliar types we like.

       C．They never desert us.      D．They are purely imaginary.

55．Which of the following is true according to the text?

       A．Your wish to visit some far-off place can be realized thought the pages of the books.

       B．To escape from the dull realities of everyday life you should take up reading.

       C．Books can always help you live a colourful life.

       D．You may obtain valuable experience from reading good books.

56．By saying “…the whole world is ours for the asking,” the author implies that      .

      A．in books the world is more accessible to us

       B．we can ask to go anywhere in the world

       C．we can possess everything in this world

       D．we can make a round-the-world trip free of charge

As Christmas approaches, towns and cities around the UK are preparing for a very British celebration．

       The switching on of a town' s Christmas lights has become an increasingly competitive event over the years, with some councils （会议） spending lots of money to attract A-list famous persons to do the honors．

       The American singer Mariah Carey flew to London in November to switch on the lights at one of the city's biggest shopping centers, while Jim Carrey lighted Oxford Street and promoted his new film at the same time．

       Traffic in the historic English city of Bath was brought to a halt as thousands of fans crowded to see the Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage conducted the switching-on ceremony．

       Some celebrations do not go according to the plan, as was seen in Birmingham when dozens of people were injured as the famous British boy band JLS took the stage．

       Not all towns can afford to bring in an internationally-known star, so many switchon ceremonies are handled by ex-TV talent show competitors．

       Pantomime （圣诞童话剧） stars are also much in demand at this time of year, as they aim to promote their Christmas shows．

       But if your council hasn't got the budget to bring in a famous face, what are the cheaper alternatives?

       A town in the west of England chose to let the public decide by giving their suggestions online．The result: a 21-year-old DIY store worker was given the honor．

       "I was amazed and delighted to be asked," said Scott Parker, "it's just a special gift and not something I'd, ever thought about before．"

41. According to the passage, what kind of special celebration can you see at Christmas in UK?

       A．People meeting their favorite stars and getting special gifts．

       B．Well-known persons invited to make a performance in public．

       C．A-list persons lighting Oxford Street and promoting their films．

       D．Switching-on ceremonies that are conducted by honored persons．

42. The underlined word "halt" in Paragraph 4 probably means "______" ．

       A．start  B．stop               C．ban        D．run

43. Which of the followings can be learned from the passage?

       A．Mariah Carey is invited to Bath to switch on the lights．

       B．Pantomime stars rarely appear at events like this．

       C．Not all those who switch on the Christmas lights can make lots of money．

       D．Average persons can not get a chance to switch on the Christmas lights．

44. The following are famous persons EXCEPT _____．

       A．Scott Parker      B．Mariah Carey 

       C．Nicolas Cage        D．Jim Carrey

Every year in America, high-school students who want to go on to college take a national

examination called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT in a shortened way. Their score is an important factor in determining which colleges will admit them or whether any will be admitted at all. The Scholastic Aptitude Test measures one’s mathematical ability and use of the English language. Traditionally, the English portion involved grammatical questions and paragraphs that test reading comprehension.

But the SAT folks have added a single question, to be answered in an essay, hand –written on

the spot. That’s an interesting way to test writing ability, but content aside, have you ever seen young people’s handwriting lately? Or anyone’s for that matter, in this age of computer keyboards? Students write numbers and sign their names on bank checks. They scribble class notes in what can generously be described as the written word. And they hand-write, or more often pint, a word or two of identification on luggage and lunch bags. Otherwise penmanship （书法）——once taught so morally and easefully by second-grade teachers, has gone the way of the dodo bird which has died out.

Yet today’s kids are asked to write, thoughtfully and legibly, for several minutes on this SAT Test. Good luck to the text scorers who must work out difficultly the scrawl of young people who’ve been typing on computer4s since the age of three! Teachers insist that good handwriting can not only help one’s score on the SAT, but also, later on in life, impress potential employers and earn bigger tax refunds because the tax inspectors can actually read the computations. And don’t forget, we all have to resort to handwriting from time to time, as computers go down when the power goes out.

53．The subjects to be tested in the SAT include       .

       A．math, English, reading and handwriting

       B．math, grammar, reading and writing

       C．math, foreign language and writing

       D．math, English and handwriting

54．The author writes this passage to introduce the fact that        .

      A．writing seems to be very important in the SAT

       B．those who will go to colleges have to take the SAT

       C．students should practice handwriting more often

       D．at the computer age kids don’t know how to write

55．What does the underlined word “scribble” probably mean?

       A．write quickly and roughly.      B．take notes difficultly.

       C．print penmanship carefully.     D．describe written word generously.

56．According to the passage good handwriting can        .

       A．help students get high scores in tests      B．make a student more popular

       C．measure students’ ability  D．assist one to get a job

In Germany, English expressions are used in conversations and increasingly in written form. Advertisements are often expressed completely in English. When I go to the gym, there are “aerobic-classes (增氧健身法课程)”. We “warm up”. We go “jogging.” In business, we attend a “meeting” and we have “good connections.”

Other nations, like France, have taken action to protect their language from the influence of “Americanization”. In Germany, however, there is concern that those rules could be connected with Hitler’s Third Reich (帝国), when the language had to be pure. If the government curbed（限制）the use of English words now, this could be considered by some as a return to that terrible past.

Some German citizens are now trying to stop the use of English vocabulary in German. However, I think generally it is not a big deal to use some common English expressions as they often describe things more directly. But we should know that it is important to use English correctly. All too often, bad English is spoken or even written instead of good German. The proper use of the German language would be the better choice. However, there are some fields that require the use of English words, for example, in the high-tech communication and the Internet fields, there is no alternative to English. Also, I think sometimes I have to speak English when I introduce some scenic places to tourists.

I think you have to find a balance and decide when it is better to use good German in place of bad English or when the use of correct English words is more suitable. Languages have always changed naturally, and I disagree with a restriction by law. Some nice expressions borrowed from other languages can make a conversation more vivid.

69. By giving many examples in the first paragraph, the writer shows that __________.

 A. most Germans have no difficulty in understanding English

B. English is more and more widely used in Germany

C. it is more convenient to use English in some situations

D. English has completely replaced German in Germany

70. From the passage, we can learn that when Hitler was in power, _________ in Germany.

A. all languages except English could be used

B. some foreign languages could be used

C. only the upper class could speak English

D. only the German language could be used

71. What job does the writer probably do?

A. A travel guide      B. A lawyer       C. A computer engineer      D. A teacher

72. What is the writer’s attitude towards the use of English in Germany?

A. There should be a law to protect the German language

B. It is foolish for Germans to worry about their native language

C. Germans should be encouraged to speak more English

D. Proper use of English can make conversations more colorful

Misunderstanding means East-West cultural clash. A failure to understand different customs lead to misunderstanding.

A common example of this clash occurs in China when Westerners complain that the Chinese are noisy and impolite, and feel uneasy with the questions: "Where are you from?" "Where do you work?" "How much do you earn?" "Are you married?" One Westerner has described this question and answer process as a "Laowai (foreigner) Litany." It's not surprising that foreigners in China who are not familiar with Chinese culture would be shocked by the questions and might feel that Chinese were meddling in their affairs.

Why do Chinese and Westerners have opposite behaviour in public and in society? Cultural differences partly explain this. Chinese culture is founded on collectivism. Instead of considering themselves individuals, Chinese are, above all, members of a community. They identify more with employees of the company, citizens of the country, husbands or wives, or fathers. They are used to thinking of groups. With this community spirit, it's not uncommon to approach others with questions. So, "Where are you from?" could mean "I'm interested in you and ready to be your friend;" "How much money do you earn?" could mean "If you don't earn enough to feed yourself, I'm happy to invite you to share my rice porridge;" and "Are you married?" could mean "If you're still single, I'll help you find a girlfriend."

For Chinese, asking a stranger questions is a normal way to show sympathy and to invite someone to have a friendly conversation. Chinese on a 10-hour train ride would be considered impolite or even arrogant if they refused to ask or answer questions. That is why a Chinese train ride is always happy and animated for Chinese, but can be noisy for a European.

Western culture is based on individualism. A Westerner sees himself or herself both as an individual and member of a community. Thus any insistence on communicating through questions might be considered annoying. In Europe, a person on a 10-hour train ride, will be considered polite if he or she wants to keep silent for the whole journey. This is also why train rides in Europe are agreeably quiet for Europeans, but possible painful for Chinese.  

There seems to be fundamentally nothing wrong with being interested in strangers, depending on the circumstances, but either asking questions or not asking questions could prove indelicate. Whoever you are, be relaxed and polite no matter whether you get intrusive questions or a perfunctory hello.

66. Which is wrong about the above four questions in paragraph 2 ?

The Chinese use them to show their sympathy.

The Westerners will be shocked at these questions

They are often asked to open a conversation by Chinese people.

They imply the spirit of individualism.

67. According to the passage, all the following shows the culture differences between we Chinese and the Westerns except_________________.

the Chinese consider themselves to be members of a community while the Westerns don’t

western culture is founded on individualism

your questions will annoy a Westerner if he/she doesn’t want to communicate

train journey in Western countries are often quiet but noisy in China

68. On a ten-hour train ride___________________________.

the Chinese will probably talk with strangers happily

the Westerners are certain to talk with strangers

it is impolite for both the Chinese and the Westerners to keep silent

it is often painful for the Westerners to be in silence

69. The underlined word “animated”(in paragraph 4) possibly means_______________.

   A. causing shameful feelings               B. filled with noise

   C. full of life and spirit                    D. important and agreeable

70. The main idea of the passage is probably_____________________.

we shouldn’t ask the Westerners the four questions

culture differences may lead to misunderstanding

it’s wrong to be interested in strangers

asking a stranger questions is a normal way to show sympathy

Tea drinking was common in China for nearly one thousand years before anyone in Europe had ever heard about tea . People in Britain were much slower in finding out what tea was like , mainly because tea was very expensive . It could not be bought in shops and even those people who could afford to have it sent from Holland did so only because it was a fashionable curiosity . Some of them were not sure how to use it . They thought it was a vegetable and tried cooking the leaves . Then they served them mixed with butter and salt . They soon discovered their mistake but many people used to spread the used tea leaves on bread and give them to their children as sandwiches .

Tea remained scarce and very expensive in England until the ships of the East India Company began to bring it direct from China early in the seventeenth century . During the next few years so much tea came into the country that the price fell and many people could afford to buy it .

At the same time people on the Continent were becoming more and more fond of tea . Until then tea had been drunk without milk in it , but one day a famous French lady named Madame de Sevigne decided to see what tea tasted like when milk was added . She found it so pleasant that she would never again drink it without milk . Because she was such a great lady that her friends thought they must copy everything she did ,they also drank their tea with milk in it . Slowly this habit spread until it reached England and today only very few Britains drink tea without milk .

At first , tea was usually drunk after dinner in the evening . No one ever thought of drinking tea in the afternoon until a duchess （公爵夫人）found that a cup of tea and a piece of cake at three or four o’clock stopped her getting “a sinking feeling” as she called it . She invited her friends to have this new meal with her and so , tea-time was born .

51. This passage mainly discusses               .

     A. the history of tea drinking in Britain 

B. how tea became a popular drink in Britain

     C. how the Britains got the habit of drinking tea 

D. how tea-time was born

52. People in Europe began to drink tea with milk because          .

      A. it tasted like milk                                    

B. it tasted more pleasant   

C. it became a popular drink

     D. Madame de Sevinge was such a lady with great social influence that people tried to copy the way she drank tea

53. We may infer from the passage that the habit of drinking tea in Britain was mostly due to the influence of           .

      A. a famous French lady                          B. the ancient Chinese

      C. the upper(上层的) social class             D. people in Holland

On September 22, 1986, Jay Brunkella, a police officer in the Rogers Park district in Chicago, was shot during a drug arrest and died. Shortly afterwards, fellow officer Ken Knapcik, a 20-year veteran（老警官）of the force, returned home after work to find a note from his 15 year old daughter on the dining table.

Dad—This poem came directly from my heart. I love you so much! It scares and amazes me that you go out every day and risk everything to provide us with all that we have. I wrote this to express how much I love you and how much lost I’d be without you ---Laura. PS: Hey, let’s be careful out there.

Titled The Ultimate Cop, Laura’s poem was dedicated “To all the cops in the world who have daughters who love them with all their hearts. And especially to my dad”. It was about a police officer’s daughter who sees on the night time news that her father has been shot. Part of poem: “Daddy, my Daddy, can you hear me cry? Oh, God, I need my Daddy, please don’t let him die.”

Ken Knapcik stood alone as he read the poem. “It took me several minutes,” he said. “I’d get through part of it and have to stop before I could go on. I was weeping. She had never told me she was scared.” He took the poem to work the next day and showed it to his fellow officers. I’ve never seen so many grown men cry. Some couldn’t finish it.”

Knapcik keeps Laura’s poem in the pocket of his police jacket. He takes it with him every time he leaves the house for a new shift. “I don’t want to be out there without it,” he said. “I’ll probably carry it with me forever.”

41．Laura wrote the poem ____________.

A．in memory of her father who was shot in the drug arrest

B．to show her great sorrow in losing her father

C．to show her respect to all the cops who lost their lives

D．to tell Officer Ken Knapcik how much she loved him

42．All the officers cried because ____________.

A．Jay Brunkella was shot and died

B．they were greatly touched by the poem

C．the poem was so sad that they couldn’t hold back their tears

D．they thought of their dangerous life

43．Knapcik keeps Laura’s poem in his pocket ______________.

A．to treasure her daughter’s love and to value his own life

B．to keep it from getting lost

C．because he can’t go out without it

D．to mourn over the death of Officer Jay Brunkella

44．Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Poem for a cop               B．An officer’s death

C．A cop’s daughter              D．Love my job, love my daughter

Street art can be found on buildings, sidewalks, street signs and even trash cans from Tokyo to Paris to New York City. This special kind of art can take the form of paintings, sculptures, cloth or even stickers (张贴物). Street art has become part of a global visual culture. Now, even art museums and galleries are collecting the works of street artists.

It is not easy to provide an exact history of the street art movement. This kind of art has developed in many kinds of ways in places all over the world. Also, because it is illegal to paint public and private property without permission, street artists usually work secretly. This secretive nature of street art and its countless forms make it hard to define exactly. And people have different opinions about the movement. Some think street art is a crime and destroys property. But others see this art as a rich form of non-traditional cultural expression.

Many experts say the movement began in New York City in the 1960s. Young adults would use paint in special cans to spray their “tag” on walls and train cars around the city. This tag was a name they created to identify themselves and their artwork. This colorful style of writing is also called graffiti (涂鸦). It is visually exciting and energetic. Some graffiti paintings were signs marking the territories of city gangs or illegal crime groups.

Graffiti also became a separate movement expressing the street culture of young people living in big cities. Graffiti art represented social and political rebellion (叛逆). This was art that rejected the accepted rules of culture and power. These artists could travel around areas of the city making creative paintings for everyone to see. Sometimes this street art created a conflict between artists and city officials. Graffiti artists created their images and city officials quickly painted over them.

During the 1980s, two New York painters — Keith Haring and Jean Michel began showing their work in art galleries and museums. This is when street art started to become part of the more general popular culture.

53. What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A. Street art has become popular and is accepted as a kind of culture.

B. Street art is very special compared with other forms of popular art.

C. Many people are beginning to learn street art.

D. Street art is better developed in big cities than in rural areas.

54. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. “TAG” was a word created by people to distinguish street artists and the other artists.

B. There are three reasons explaining why it is hard to define the history of street art.

C. The movement of street art began in the 1980s in New York City.

D. All the people don’t think that the street art is a rich form of cultural expression.

55. The city officials used to get rid of graffiti probably because _____________.

A. they caused arguments between people           B. they were ugly in someone’s eyes

C. they were not painted under proper guidance   D. they didn’t express traditional culture