Beautiful pictures of mountains and forests, clear skies, flying birds, wild animals, silly faces — you can find them all in one place. _______? On a postcard! Have people always sent postcards? No! Before postcards, people _______ sealed (密封的) letters.

The _______ for the first decorated (装饰的) postcard came to John P. Charlton in 1861. He thought a simple card _______ a border would be a great way to send a note. Then in the late 1800s, postcards which had pictures on them _______. By law, people had to write their note on the front—on the picture! The back was _______ for the address. Several years later, England allowed a divided-back (背面隔开的) postcard. Then people could write their _______ on the back left side. And they put the address _______. During the early 1900s, the golden age of postcards, people around the world were more and more _______ picture postcards. In 1908, Americans alone mailed over 677 million postcards.

Today, postcards are the ________ most popular collection in the world after stamps and coins. You can always see or get a lot of newly-designed postcards, especially on New Year's Day.

32.

A．liked

B．hated

C．found

D．lost

39.

A．surprised at

B．interested in

C．expected by

D．worried about

In the USA, the most popular way to welcome the New Year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music.

Most New Year’s parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. Bands play. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the New Year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year.

The biggest, noisiest New Year’s party in the USA takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather (聚集) there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks others blow whistles or car horns (喇叭). And at twelve o’clock they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building.

The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo, has given a concert on New Year’s Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the New Year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Llang Syne.