第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Do you enjoy street performers? The tradition of wandering entertainers goes back for almost a thousand years to the Middle Ages in Europe. Then they were called “troubadours”, but, today, most people call street performers “buskers”. Buckers are usually musicians, but some are actors, clowns, or jugglers. In Singapore, hundreds of street buskers from around the world participate in an annual festival. In other cities, you often come across buskers on busy shopping streets and near parks, but the most popular places are subway stations. Passengers listen to the musicians while they wait for underground trains. In exchange for a few minutes of entertainment, they give the busker some money before they move on to catch their train.
Not long ago in Boston, the government tried to establish a controversial new law to control buskers in the subway. The authorities said that musicians were playing instruments so loudly that passengers couldn’t hear the train announcements. The new law intended to stop the use of amplifiers to make music louder. Loud instruments such as saxophones, trumpets, and electric guitars were not lowed either. In addition, the new law required performers to pay for a license and follow a dress code. These rules came as a surprise to many buskers. Well-known musicians such as Tracy Chapman and Melissa Etheridge made names for themselves singing in the Boston subway. The entertainers pointed out that, traditionally, the subway was a place where humble (地位低下的) young musicians could start to make a name for himself or herself. Thousands of people complained that the new law was unfair. They wanted to restore buskers’ rights.
Under pressure from the public, the authorities looked at how other cities dealt with buskers in their subways. They learned that in London, New York, and Toronto, buskers were allowed to play loud instruments and use amplifiers, but first they have to pass an audition to establish that they are good enough to play in public. By contrast, Washington DC doesn’t allow any performers in their subways for security reasons. Back in Boston, the government took these factors into account. The law was changed to say that buskers must hold back the sound level to a minimum, but they would be allowed to go on playing. Passengers were happy that they would continue to have some music on their route to work. Young artists in Boston still stand a chance of establishing their musical careers in the subway stations.
51. What were street musicians called in the Middle Ages?
A. Troubadours. B. Buskers. C. Clowns. D. Jugglers.
52. What did the Boston authorities want to stop?
A. Conservation efforts. B. Etheridge’s singing.
C. Messy passengers. D. Loud instruments.
53. The underlined word “audition” in Paragraph 3 can best be replaced by ________.
A. an instrument B. a musical test
C. an official law D. a security check
54. Which is the best title for the entire reading passage?
A. An Impressive Buskers Festival B. Entertainment for People on the Move
C. Chapman's Latest Exhibit D. Art Decorates Subways
B
Here are this week’s travel sites. If you need a different sort of break, try one of these!
If you want an alternative to blockbuster films (大片), try the Sundance Film Festival.
Every January for 20 years, Sundance has been the place for independent filmmakers to show off their low-budget films and documentaries. As the name suggests, major Hollywood studios are not involved in independent films. They are made by actors, directors, and technical groups who come up with good ideas and think they can make a go of them. Located in a ski town 2,100 meters high in the mountains of Utah and 65 kilometers southeast of Salt Lake City, Sundance is the place to see and be seen. Famous entertainers are part of the audience, here to see what new independent releases are on offer. Sometimes it’s tough to get seats for films that have a good reputation. Never look down on beginning filmmakers because sometimes unexpected films make the headlines on opening night. For example, this year, a couple of humble college students showed a film that became a spectacular success. Films like this really pay off when distributors (发行商) buy them for up to $5 million to show in theaters later on. If they’re really lucky, the filmmakers can make even more money from other relevant goods.
