Forget Miami, Los Angeles and prefix = st1 /New York. The next big Latin music explosion is on its way in secondary markets across theUnited States, and the numbers are there to back it up. Among all genres ,Latin music was the only one registering growth in 2005. From tiny Vero Beach in northern Florida to Des Moines, Iowa, in the heart of the Midwest, from Charlotte, N. C. to Salt Lake City, Latin music sales are _ Wilson says there are two major reasons for the increase. One is simply the Hispanic population's increase in specific areas, which encourages stores to carry Latin product for the first time. Second, and perhaps more important, is the fact that major companies--whether dealing in music or not--are addressing the Latin consumer at a corporate level, creating Latin departments and hiring Latin ad agencies. One of Handleman's suburban Detroitstores, for example, has expanded its Latin section four times in the last two years. Cities like Milwaukee andDes Moinesare now stocking Latin product. Besides, it also results from economic development. It goes something like this: More often than not, a city or country with a seeming important Hispanic population will suddenly expand its construction or offer affordable housing to those working in larger, neighboring cities. This attracts lower-income workers, many of whom are Latin. Small shops and groceries begin to stock a small selection of music. When the Latin population numbers reach a critical mass, the local mass merchant, if there is one, begins stocking the product. Sooner or later, a local radio station follows; first AM, then FM. Sometimes it's a cable TV show or a small TV station. Of course, there are other driving forces that should not be forgotten, for example, regional Mexican music. Suppose that passage doesn't finish, which of the following may be discussed next? A) The variety of Latin music in America. B) The economic development in Hispanic area. C) The historic development of Mexican music. D) The driving forces of regional Mexican music
D
IT'S over - millions of Senior 3 students across the country have finished their last exams. But in two years, it'll be your turn in the examination room. How can you spend the time you have left to best effect? Read these thoughts from new graduates to get some pointers. Cao A'min, 18 Xuanhua No 1 High School, Hebei Study: Keeping pace with teachers is a good way to study. Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic . But remember to work in a way that suits you. It's also important to learn from past mistakes. Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make - it'll help you avoid making the same ones later. Zhang Zilu, 17 Xinyu No 1 High School, Jiangxi Friendship: This time of life may be hard, but you're not alone. You may be busy studying, but you can show you care by calling your friends or sending a short message. Don't let your friendships die. Some boys and girls in my class were in love, but I'd advise against a relationship at this stage. Zhan Yu, 17 Huanggang High School, Hubei Health: It's as important to live well as it is to study well, I think. I went to bed no later than 11:30 pm. It put me in the right mood for the next day. I didn't follow a special diet , but I did make sure I ate a nutritious breakfast each day. Ju Shuntian, 18 Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone Senior High School, Shandong Relaxation: The person who plays well, studies well. Having a lot of schoolwork doesn't mean having to give up on every other activity. I played basketball or took a walk to relax when I felt tired. Time out is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently . Zhang Qingzhou, 17 Dongtai High School, Jiangsu Options: Besides taking the big exam, you have other choices for college. I took the independent enrollment exam held by Peking University and some other students even prepared to study abroad. Pay attention to any relevant information you can find, whether it's from school, the news media or another source . If you'd like to take the independent enrollment, what should you do? A) Do morning exercises every day B) Go to bed later than11:30 C) Pay attention to any relevant information D) Call your friends or send short message
C
Q: Japanese students work very hard but many are unhappy. They feel heavy pressures from their parents. Most students are always told by their parents to study harder and better so that they can have a wonderful life in the future. Though this may be a good idea for those very bright students, it can have terrible results for many students who are not gifted enough. Many of them have tried very hard at school but have failed in the exams and have their parents lose hope. Such students felt that they are hated by everyone else they meet and they don't want to go to school any longer. They become dropouts. It is surprising that though most Japanese parents are worried about their children, they do not help them in any way. Many parents feel that they are not able to help their children and that it is the teachers' work to help their children. To make matters worse, a lot of parents serif their children to those schools opening in the evenings and on weekends -- they only help the students to pass the exams and never teach them any real sense of the world. Many Japanese schools usually have rules about everything from the students' hair to their clothes and things in their school bags. Child psychologists now think that such strict rules are harmful to the feelings of the students. Almost 40% of the students said that no one had taught them how to get on with others, how to tell right from wrong and how to show love and care for others, even for their parents. "Dropouts" are those who _ . A) make troubles in and out of schools B) go about or stay home instead of being at school C) try hard but always fails in the exams D) lose hope and give up some of their subjects
A: B
(Q).
If a noisy neighbor is blasting music at all hours of the day and night, drowning out your phone conversations and interrupting your sleep, you can call the police. But what is a whale to do? Natural noise from waves, wind, rain and even earthquakes is common in oceans. Unfortunately, man-made noise from oil and gas drilling, sonar, and ships is also present. Low frequency noise has doubled off the California coast every decade since the nineteen sixties. The main reasons are ships' propellers . They not only generate continuous low frequency sound, some propellers cavitate , which means they create air bubbles that collapse, creating loud popping sounds. Whales use low frequency calls to communicate across thousands of miles of ocean. They are threatened by noise pollution because it can prevent them from contacting each other and from locating their foods. Endangered humpback and right whales, which use fibrous baleen to strain food from the water, are the most at risk. Scientists studying right whales off Canada's east coast have discovered that whales are sending louder calls through the water to make themselves heard. Because they invest more energy in making calls, they have less energy available for finding food and mating. Other scientists measuring whale calls against background noise pollution have discovered that right whales have lost about eighty percent of their normal communication area. This could seriously affect survival of this already threatened species. Scientists don't have badges and guns, but they are trying to correct the noise pollution problem. By tracking ships and marine mammals and understanding how noise travels, they are creating sound maps. They hope to get shipping lanes moved so that the noise pollution ships create will not overlap with areas most important to the whales. According to the description of whales, we can know that _ . A) The noise made by the ships has a bad effect on the area where whales live. B) Whales can communicate with each other by diving into the deep water. C) Whales cannot find mates because they don't have enough energy. D) The communication between whales is through low frequency calls
(A).
D