"Folk singers are more like poets than singers," Li Yahe, a music businessman, once told China Youth Daily. That saying perfectly describes Zhang Lei, the 34-year-old champion of the fourth "Voice of China" singing competition, which ended on Oct 7. Critics thought Zhang's success as a victory for folk singers. The Voice of China used to attach great importance to singing skills and vocal techniques, which are not necessarily what folk singers are good at. "Folk songs are more about emotions and storytelling," said Li. Folk is one of the oldest musical styles. It dates back to ancient times, when people sang about their everyday lives and the society around them. A powerful comeback Folk music became popular again in the Western world in the 1960s. During social revolutions, many young Westerners turned to the simple rhythms of folk. Pioneers included US singer Bob Dylan, whose songs are reflections of some social issues like the Vietnam War. Singers at that time used traditional folk instruments like the banjo, the upright bass, the mandolin and the piano. In the late 1970s, folk music was introduced to Taiwan. The rise of singers like Lo Tayu and Chyi Yu popularized folk music, particularly among young Chinese people. At that time, folk tunes were based on simple song structures, with pleasant chord progression and pretty lyrics, just like during old times. But they focused more on the dreams and sorrow of youth than on politics. This continued to be the case when the folk "wave" swept Chinese mainland in the 1990s. Folk pioneers Sadly, _ didn't last long in China. Folk gave way to pop in the late 1990s, when people started living more fast-paced lives. But that didn't mean folk music had disappeared from the music world entirely. "The drop in the popularity of folk songs is because the business mode of the music industry is outdated, not because of the music itself," folk singer Song Ke once said. He was right. Recent years have seen folk songs gaining popularity, with the appearance of singers like Li... Which word can best describe the attitude of Lu Zhongqiang towards folk music? A) Objective B) Confident. C) Critical. D) Worried
B
(Question)
Hawaii is an important trading center and about six million tourists visit there every year. With all that traffic in and out, exotic species have plenty of opportunities to reach the islands. According to biologists, exotic species are the number one threat to the state' s economy, environment, and way of life. The question in Hawaii is, can the invaders be stopped? Quarantines are one way to do this. Quarantine is the process of isolating animals or products. In Hawaii, pet dogs and cats coming into the state remain in a special holding facility for four months to make sure they don' t have rabies( ) Many agricultural products are also quarantined to see if they are carrying insect pests or plant diseases. Inspection is a second way to stop biological invaders. At airports, borders, and shipping ports, inspectors examine passengers and their baggage to see if they are carrying exotic species. The inspectors also destroy fruits, vegetables, or other goods that might be carrying harmful pests or diseases. Specially trained dogs also smell goods in the ship for exotic species. What if an exotic species slips by inspectors? Then efforts are made to control the invader. In Hawaii,government agencies control invaders by setting livetraps around wildlife shelters and other places. At Haleakala National Park employees have built miles of fences to keep out exotic pigs and goats. For years these animals ate and walked over native rain forest plants, hut the fences have helped reverse( )this damage. Now native plants grow in places that were bare rock only a short time ago. In some cases biological control helps to solve the exotic species problems. It is the science of controlling one invader with another. In the early 1900s, several exotic predators were imported to Hawaii to eat a harmful exotic pest called the sugarcane leafhopper. The insect was destroying 70,000 tons of sugar a year ,but the predators brought it under control. The efforts of these scientists and other people are vitally important. In Hawaii... Which of the following statements is true? A) Animals and products are put in quarantines before entering Hawaii. B) Trained dogs are used to examine passengers and their baggage. C) Livetraps and fences are set to protect exotic pigs and goats. D) Some exotic predators are imported to destroy invaders' food.
(Answer)
A
The cost of raising a child has hit an all-time high, according to a new report, putting pressure on families already dealing with cuts to child benefit. Figures from the insurance company LV's annual Cost of a Child Report show that the cost of bringing a child up to the age of 21 has reached $222, 458 -- more than $4,000 higher than last year and up$82,000 on ten years ago. The company estimates that this is set to reach $350,000 by 2023 if costs continue to increase at the same rate. The report will be a further blow for hard-working families as cash-strapped parents continue to struggle with rising household bills, wage freezes and cuts to child benefit. The right to receive the payments, worth $20.30 a week for the first child and $13.40 further children, was removed earlier this month from households with one earner on a salary of more than $60,000 and reduced for families where one member is paid more than $50,000. The research published today shows costs have risen in all areas over the last decade, except for clothing, with education seeing the biggest increase. As a result, more than three-quarters of parents have been forced to make ends meet. According to LV, more than four in ten are reining in spending on luxuries such as holidays, a third are also cutting back how much they spend on essentials such as food. Education remains the biggest expense for parents. The cost of education, including uniforms, after school clubs and university costs, has shot up from $32,593 to $72,832 per child in the last ten years. Childcare costs have also rocketed, up from $39,613 in 2003 to $63,738 today. According to the passage the cost of raising a child to the age of 21 ten years ago was _ . A) $222,458 B) $218,458 C) $140,458 D) $82,000
C