1 . Before the 1830s, most newspapers were sold through annual subscriptions in America, usually $8 to $10 a year. Today $8 or $10 seems a small amount of money, but at that time these amounts were forbidding to most citizens. Accordingly, newspapers were read almost only by rich people in politics or the trades. In addition, most newspapers had little in them that would appeal to a mass audience. They were dull and visually forbidding. But the revolution that was taking place in the 1830s would change all that.
The trend, then, was toward the “penny paper”—a term referring to papers made widely available to the public. It meant any inexpensive newspaper; perhaps more importantly it meant newspapers that could be bought in single copies on the street.
This development did not take place overnight. It had been possible(but not easy) to buy single copies of newspapers before 1830, but this usually meant the reader had to go down to the printer’s office to purchase a copy. Street sales were almost unknown. However, within a few years, street sales of newspapers would be commonplace in eastern cities. At first the price of single copies was seldom a penny—usually two or three cents was charged—and some of the older well-known papers charged five or six cents. But the phrase “penny paper” caught the public’s fancy, and soon there would be papers that did indeed sell for only a penny.
This new trend of newspapers for “the man on the street” did not begin well. Some of the early ventures(企业) were immediate failures. Publishers already in business, people who were owners of successful papers, had little desire to change the tradition. It took a few youthful and daring businessmen to get the ball rolling.
1. Which of the following best describes newspapers in America before the 1830s?A.Academic. |
B.Unattractive. |
C.Inexpensive. |
D.Confidential. |
A.They would be priced higher. |
B.They would disappear from cities. |
C.They could have more readers. |
D.They could regain public trust. |
A.It was a difficult process. |
B.It was a temporary success. |
C.It was a robbery of the poor. |
D.It was a disaster for printers. |
2 . Before the 1830s, most newspapers were sold through annual subscriptions in America, usually $8 to $10 a year. Today $8 or $10 seems a small amount of money, but at that time these amounts were forbidding to most citizens. Accordingly, newspapers were read almost only by rich people in politics or the trades. In addition, most newspapers had little in them that would appeal to a mass audience. They were dull and visually forbidding. But the revolution that was taking place in the 1830s would change all that.
The trend, then, was toward the “penny paper”—a term referring to papers made widely available to the public. It meant any inexpensive newspaper; perhaps more importantly it meant newspapers that could be bought in single copies on the street.
This development did not take place overnight. It had been possible(but not easy) to buy single copies of newspapers before 1830, but this usually meant the reader had to go down to the printer’s office to purchase a copy. Street sales were almost unknown. However, within a few years, street sales of newspapers would be commonplace in eastern cities. At first the price of single copies was seldom a penny—usually two or three cents was charged—and some of the older well-known papers charged five or six cents. But the phrase “penny paper” caught the public’s fancy, and soon there would be papers that did indeed sell for only a penny.
This new trend of newspapers for “the man on the street” did not begin well. Some of the early ventures (企业) were immediate failures. Publishers already in business, people who were owners of successful papers, had little desire to change the tradition. It took a few youthful and daring businessmen to get the ball rolling.
Who were the newspapers of the new trend targeted at?A.Local politicians. |
B.Common people. |
C.Young publishers. |
D.Rich businessmen. |
1. Who is Tom Hodgkinson?
A.Founder of a magazine. | B.Publisher of a novel. | C.Editor of a newspaper. |
A.It’s old-fashioned. | B.It’s wide-ranging. | C.It’s student-targeted. |
A.To do a promotion. | B.To discuss an issue. | C.To introduce a lecturer. |
1. Which organizations used to have a lot of power according to the speaker?
A.Libraries and printing companies. |
B.Universities and bookstores. |
C.Newspapers and publishers. |
A.They are easier to carry. | B.They are cheaper. | C.They are more interesting. |
A.They were bought by a tech company. |
B.They made billions of dollars this year. |
C.They used to have more than 600 stores. |
5 . What do the man’s parents think of the magazine?
A.Useful. | B.Outdated. | C.Expensive. |
6 . 听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。
1. When can people buy the magazine in the shops?A.Next Monday. | B.This Saturday. | C.This Friday. |
A.Using relevant pictures. |
B.Reading the information aloud. |
C.Listening to others’ explanation. |
A.A science course. | B.An article. | C.A new technology. |
7 . 听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。
1. When was the first real newspaper started?A.In 1609. | B.In 1665. | C.In 1704. |
A.England. | B.Germany. | C.America. |
A.The Strassburg Relation. | B.The New York Sun. | C.The Boston News Letter. |
A.It was called The London Gazette. |
B.It was the first one to have advertisements. |
C.It only cost ten pence. |
1. What can we know about the magazine?
A.The 50 pages are all about news. |
B.It’s very popular. |
C.There are 5 sections. |
A.The political cartoons. |
B.The film reviews. |
C.The food and drink section. |
9 . Books for Young Readers
Ivy+Bean by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall
Ivy is quiet; Bean is loud and goofy. Ivy wants to be a witch; Bean wants to play games. Naturally, they’re going to end up being best friends and getting into all kinds of scrapes together since their approach to pretty much everything—from discovering dinosaurs to starting their own summer camp—is “Why not?” (For ages 6 to 10)
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson and Nina Mata
Ryan Hart wants to see the good in everybody, even when she gets teased for having a boy’s name. She has a lot to deal with—her dad’s been laid off and the family has to move to a smaller house. But when Ryan runs into problems, she’s always looking for ways to make sunshine. (For ages 7 to 10)
Better Nate Than Ever (series) by Tim Federle
The budding drama club kids in your life will love this trilogy (三部曲) about a small-town boy with big Broadway dreams. Nate Foster longs to get away from Jankburg. Pennsylvania to star in a Broadway show. And then something amazing happens. There’s an open casting call for a Broadway musical based on E. T. He just has to get there. (For ages 10 and up)
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Fans of Raina Telgemeier will love Jerry Craft’s sympathetic graphic novel about seventh-grader Jordan, who’s trying to fit in at the fancy new private school where he’s one of the few kids of color in his grade. And all he really wants to do is draw comics—so how can he stay true to himself and his neighborhood, and still figure out his new school? (For ages 8 to 12)
1. Which word can best describe Ryan Hart?A.Responsible. | B.Optimistic. | C.Reliable. | D.Enthusiastic. |
A.Ivy+Bean. | B.Ways to Make Sunshine. |
C.New Kid. | D.Better Nate Than Ever(series). |
A.To persuade. | B.To advertise. | C.To recommend. | D.To entertain. |
A.The increasing crime rate. | B.The coverage of newspapers. | C.The impact of mass media. |