Question

  The American newspaper has been around for about three hundred years. In 1721, the printer James Franklin, Benjamin’s older brother, started the New England Courant, and that was what we might recognize today as a real newspaper. He filled his paper with stories of adventure, articles on art, on famous people, and on all sorts of political subjects.

   Three centuries after the appearance of Franklin’s Courant, few believe that newspapers in their present printed from will remain alive for long. Newspaper companies are losing advertisers(廣告商)，readers, market value, and in some cases, their sense of purpose at a speed that would not have been imaginable just several years ago. The chief editor(主編) of the Times said recently, “At places where they gather, editors ask one another, ‘How are you?’, as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law case.” An article about the newspaper appeared on the website of the Guandian, under the headline “NOT DEAD YET.”

    Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step with the world, has brought about a real sense of death. Some American newspapers have lost 42% of their market value in the past three years. The New York Times Company has seen its stock(股票) drop by 54% since the end of 2004, with much of the loss coming in the past year. A manager at Deutsche Bank suggested that stock-holders sell off their Times stock. The Washington Post Company has prevented the trouble only by changing part of its business to education; its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the company’s income.

53. What can we learn about the New England Courant?

   A. It is mainly about the stock market.

   B. It marks the beginning of the American newspaper.

   C. It remains a successful newspaper in America.

   D. It carries articles by political leaders.

54. What can we infer about the newspaper editors?

   A. They often accept readers’ suggestions.

   B. They care a lot about each other’s health.

   C. They stop doing business with advertisers.

   D. They face great difficulties in their business.

55. Which of the following found a new way for its development?

   A. The Washington Post.

   B. The Guardian.

   C. The New York Times.

   D. New England Courant.

56. How does the author seem to feel about the future of newspapers?

   A. Satisfied.

   B. Hopeful.

   C. Worried.

   D. Surprised.

Answer 1

53. B; 54. D; 55. A; 56. C。

解析：   這篇文章給我們呈現了報業從起源到現在面臨的困境---受到更多先進快捷媒體比如internet的沖擊的現狀。作者通過回顧和現狀事實的描述，也表達了自己的擔憂：未來報業何去何從？

這篇文字設計上看，也沒有更多的難度。總體文字流暢，事例邏輯表達完整。從問題的設計方面看，也沒有過多的迷惑度。

53. 細節理解：從第一段In 1721, the printer James Franklin, Benjamin’s older brother, started the New England Courant, and that was what we might recognize today as a real newspaper.可以看出答案：The New England Courant marks the beginning of the American newspaper.

54.推理判斷：通過第二段的意思可以看出來報紙的編輯們面臨著很大的困難。The chief editor(主編) of the Times said recently, “At places where they gather, editors ask one another, ‘How are you?’, as if they have just come out of the hospital or a lost law case.” An article about the newspaper appeared on the website of the Guandian, under the headline “NOT DEAD YET.”

55. 細節理解：The Washington Post Company has prevented the trouble only by changing part of its business to education; its testing and test-preparation service now brings in at least half the company’s income.

56. 細節理解：作者對報紙未來的態度是擔憂的。 從第二段和第三段的意思可以看出，尤其是第三段Perhaps not, but the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and out of step with the world, has brought about a real sense of death.