Intellectual property (IP) is a product of the mind that has commercial value. The concept dates back to 1623, when the first patent law to protect IP rights was passed. IP rights protect an artist from having his/her creative ideas copied by another. For example, if somebody generated an idea for a novel, that idea is protected by IP rights. If someone else wishes to represent the idea or develop it further, he/she must consult the original artists, who will normally be rewarded financially for its use. Back in the 17^th century, IP rights were primarily carried out to protect newly developed manufacturing processes against stealing, but today intellectual property rights are also enjoyed by those who create music, art and literature.

   In recent years, IP rights have been the focus of a great deal of discussion because of a technology which looks set to weaken them altogether: the Internet. Many years ago, if you wanted a recoding of a song, you would have to purchase it from a music store; if a novel, from a book store. In those days, IP rights were easily protected since it was very difficult to obtain intellectual property without paying for it. However, a lot of IP, including songs, films, books and artwork, can be downloaded today free of charge using the internet. This practice has now taken the world by storm, dramatically affecting the way in which we view IP rights.

1.According to the writer, in the beginning, IP rights were mainly of use to _______.

　　A. those creating music, art and literature

　　B. novelists

　　C. those not receiving financial reward for their work

　　D. engineers and inventors

2.What do we know about the Internet according to the passage?

　　A. It does not affect the way we understand IP rights.

　　B. It sells songs and films.

　　C. It makes IP rights harder to protect.

　　D. It prevents the production of artwork.

3.According to paragraph 2, what has “taken the world by storm”?

A. Intellectual property rights.            B. Free downloading. 

C. The Internet.                        D. The large number of songs, films and books.

4.A possible title for this passage could be _______.

　　A. IP Rights and Our Attitudes　          B. Ways to Protect Your IP Rights

　　C. The Present and the Future of IP rights　 D. A History of IP Rights

　　I grew up in a small town. My father raised chickens and ran a construction company. I was barely 10 years old when my dad gave me the responsibility (责任) of feeding the chickens and cleaning up the stable. He believed it was important for me to have those jobs to learn responsibility. Then, when I was 22, I found a job in Natchbill at a country music club called the Natchbill Palace, I washed dishes and cooked from 4: 00 pm to 9: 00 pm and then went on stage and sang until 2:00 in the morning. It wasn’t long before I became known as a singing cook. I had been rejected so many times by record companies that it was hard not to be discouraged. One night, a woman executive (懂事) from a company named Warner Brothers Records came to hear me sing. When the show was over, we sat down and talked and after she left, I said to myself it was one more rejection. A few weeks later, my manager received a phone call — Warner Brothers wanted to sign me to a record deal. Soon after, I released my first record in June 1986. It sold over 2 million copies. My best efforts had gone into every job I’ve ever held. It was the sense of responsibility that made me feel like a man. Knowing that I had done my best filled me with pride. I still feel that way today, even though I have become a well-known singer.

　　 Why was the writer once known as the singing cook?

　　A. Because he was a cook at a country-music club.

　　B. Because he sang for guests while he worked as a cook.

　　C. Because he often sang while cooking.

　　D. Because he liked singing better than cooking.

　　 Who first recognized his talents and helped make his career successful?

　　A. Wamer Brothers.                        B. His manager.

　　C. His father.                                 D. A businesswoman.

　  What made the writer proud of himself?

　　A. His ability to live independently.

　　B. His sense of responsibility in whatever he did.

　　C. His courage in the face of rejections.

D. His hard work in his early days.

—Such a mistake could have been avoided.

   —Unfortunately, he _______ the mistake again and again.

A.repeated　　　　　　　　　　             B.would repeat

C.had repeated　　　　　　　　                  D.would have repeated

The little boy just begins to speak English.He goes to great 　　to say the sentence　　　full length.

A.lengths;at　　　　　　　　　　B.length;at

C.lengths;in　　　　　　　　　　D.lengths;with