Rain to come to Shanghai in May

Xinmin Evening Post reports that a much anticipated live concert of South Korea singer Rain is scheduled to be held in Shanghai on May 20.

The concert has been planned since two years ago, but has met with various problems. Earlier this year, a Chinese performing company even filed a law suit（诉讼）against the star’s agency companies for failing to lay on the concert last March, citing Rain’s “tight schedule”. The stars South Korean agency then promised to set a clear date for a later Shanghai concert.

Before the concert, Rain is expected to hold a meeting with his fans in Shanghai.

Transformers to be shown in China

BEIJING, May 12―Paramount’s latest work Transformers will be able to meet its Chinese fans on July 11^th, just one week after its premiere in the USA.

The domestic portal, sina. com, reported on Friday that the movie has passed that scrutiny（审查）of the state film bureau, citing a sourse from the Huaxia Film Group, the importer of the movie.

16 bands to tout capital audiences

May 12―16 jazz bands from Beijing, Shanghai and other countries like the United States, Russia and Austria will bring a jazz banquet to Beijing audiences starting from May 25.

The second Beijing Ninegates Jazz Week, which was named after the nine city gates of old Beijing, is part of the Sino-French Cultural Exchanges.

Big names like violinist Didier Lockwood from France, drummer Rony Holan from Israel and veteran jazz pianist Emil Viklicky from Czech Republic are expected to team up with local jazz musicians like Liu Yuan and Xia Jia’s band and jazz singer Coco from Shanghai.

51. Why did Rain’s South Korean agency promise to set a clear date for the Shanghai concert?

A. Because Rain wants to make more money.

B. Because Rain’s schedule is very tight.

C. Because he once failed to lay on a concert as planned.

D. Because he has come across a variety of trouble in his personal life.

52. What does the underlined word “premiere” mean?

A. First being made                 B. Being planned

C. Being shot                          D. First being shown

53. What can Li Lei do to celebrate his birthday on May 31^st ?

A. Attend Rain’s Shanghai concert.

B. Enjoy jazz music brought by the 16 bands.

C. Make an interaction with Rain on his meeting with fans in Shanghai.

D. See the movie Transformers in a cinema.

54. Which section of a newspaper would this article probably be from?

A. Economy.             B. Politics.           C. Entertainment.            D. Culture.

阅读理解

　　Every December millions of Christmas cards go through the post. There are pictures of stars and snow or Christrmas trees. In these days it is hard to think of a Christmas without Christmas cards. Yet little over a hundred and fifty years ago there were none at all. Here is just one story of the way in which they started.

　　Some boys of those days who were at boarding schools had to write a special piece of English at Christmas time. This was sent to their parents so that they could see how the boy's work had improved during the year.

　　Young people like to make little drawings on the paper when they write letters or poems. These boys were the same. They used to draw little pictures all round the writing. Sometimes they coloured them, and after a time the pictures became more important than the writing. These were the first Christmas cards.

　　Then, grown-up people copied the idea. The early Christmas cards, of course, were all made by hand, and there has always been some doubt about who was actually the first person to send one. But some people believe that one of the first artists who designed a Christmas card was John C. Horsley. In 1843, he was asked to design a Christmas card. These cards were printed in black and white and colored by hand. It is said that about 1000 of them were sold in London that year. At about the same time, another English artist, William Egley, designed a card and had it printed. He had one hundred of them sent to his friends with the now familiar greeting “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

　　Soon printing machines began to improve. The new ones were much better than the old ones, and could print much more quickly. Printing became much cheaper, and the printers began to sell Christmas cards. Then the idea of sending Christmas cards suddenly spread.

　　At first the cards were small and flat. Then folded cards appeared with greetings printed inside. The cards became more and more beautiful. Some were covered with little spots that looks like real snow. Some had stars that shone in the night. Some were printed in gold or silver. Some were made of silk. Hundreds of people started sending cards to each other.

　　Year by year the idea spread. Year by year more people sent cards to their friends both at home and abroad. The number of cards grew into thousands and then into millions. In Great Britain, for example, the Post Office employs over 150,000 extra workers in December to sort out about 655 million Christmas cards.

　　Today many countries have accepted the idea. Every year, billions of greeting cards are sent all over the world. Whatever language the greetings are written in, the message is the same--a wish for peace and goodwill among all people.

(1)Christmas cards first appeared about ________.

[　　]

A. centuries ago

B. one and a half centuries ago

C. one hundred and fifteen years ago

D. none of the above

(2)Some boarding school boys ________.

[　　]

A. used to write a special letter to their parents at Christmas

B. enjoyed drawing on the letters to their parents

C. would report their progress in studies to their parents at the end of a year

D. all the above

(3)Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

[　　]

A. The Christmas cards designed by John C. Horsley became very popular among people in Britain.

B. William Egley was much better than John C. Horsley in designing Christmas Cards.

C. It was not until printing became much cheaper and quicker that many British people began to send Christmas cards.

D. “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”is no longer used today.

(4)The original Christmas cards were invented by ________.

[　　]

A. boarding school students

B. John C. Horsley

C. William Egley

D. unknown

(5)Why do millions of people all around the world send Christmas cards?

[　　]

A. Christmas cards are beautifully designed.

B. Christmas cards are cheap.

C. People want to show goodwill to their friends.

D. Sending Christmas cards had become a fashion.

阅读理解

　　Every December millions of Christmas cards go through the post. There are pictures of stars and snow or Christrmas trees. In these days it is hard to think of a Christmas without Christmas cards. Yet little over a hundred and fifty years ago there were none at all. Here is just one story of the way in which they started.

　　Some boys of those days who were at boarding schools had to write a special piece of English at Christmas time. This was sent to their parents so that they could see how the boy's work had improved during the year.

　　Young people like to make little drawings on the paper when they write letters or poems. These boys were the same. They used to draw little pictures all round the writing. Sometimes they coloured them, and after a time the pictures became more important than the writing. These were the first Christmas cards.

　　Then, grown-up people copied the idea. The early Christmas cards, of course, were all made by hand, and there has always been some doubt about who was actually the first person to send one. But some people believe that one of the first artists who designed a Christmas card was John C. Horsley. In 1843, he was asked to design a Christmas card. These cards were printed in black and white and colored by hand. It is said that about 1000 of them were sold in London that year. At about the same time, another English artist, William Egley, designed a card and had it printed. He had one hundred of them sent to his friends with the now familiar greeting “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

　　Soon printing machines began to improve. The new ones were much better than the old ones, and could print much more quickly. Printing became much cheaper, and the printers began to sell Christmas cards. Then the idea of sending Christmas cards suddenly spread.

　　At first the cards were small and flat. Then folded cards appeared with greetings printed inside. The cards became more and more beautiful. Some were covered with little spots that looks like real snow. Some had stars that shone in the night. Some were printed in gold or silver. Some were made of silk. Hundreds of people started sending cards to each other.

　　Year by year the idea spread. Year by year more people sent cards to their friends both at home and abroad. The number of cards grew into thousands and then into millions. In Great Britain, for example, the Post Office employs over 150,000 extra workers in December to sort out about 655 million Christmas cards.

　　Today many countries have accepted the idea. Every year, billions of greeting cards are sent all over the world. Whatever language the greetings are written in, the message is the same--a wish for peace and goodwill among all people.

(1)Christmas cards first appeared about ________.

[　　]

A. centuries ago

B. one and a half centuries ago

C. one hundred and fifteen years ago

D. none of the above

(2)Some boarding school boys ________.

[　　]

A. used to write a special letter to their parents at Christmas

B. enjoyed drawing on the letters to their parents

C. would report their progress in studies to their parents at the end of a year

D. all the above

(3)Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

[　　]

A. The Christmas cards designed by John C. Horsley became very popular among people in Britain.

B. William Egley was much better than John C. Horsley in designing Christmas Cards.

C. It was not until printing became much cheaper and quicker that many British people began to send Christmas cards.

D. “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”is no longer used today.

(4)The original Christmas cards were invented by ________.

[　　]

A. boarding school students

B. John C. Horsley

C. William Egley

D. unknown

(5)Why do millions of people all around the world send Christmas cards?

[　　]

A. Christmas cards are beautifully designed.

B. Christmas cards are cheap.

C. People want to show goodwill to their friends.

D. Sending Christmas cards had become a fashion.