To describe the financial status ( 财务状态 ) of today’s media is also to talk about acquisitions(获得). The media are buying and selling each other in unprecedented(空前的) numbers and forming media groups to position themselves in the market place to maintain and increase their profits(利润). In 1986, the first time a broadcast network had been sold, two networks were sold that year—ABC and NBC.

    Media acquisitions have skyrocketed(猛增) since 1980 for two reasons. The first is that most big corporations today are publicly traded companies, which means that their stock is traded on one of the nation’s stock exchanges (股票交易). This makes acquisitions relatively easy.

    A media company that wants to buy a publicly owned company can buy that company's stock when the stock becomes available(有用的). The open availabilities of stock in these companies means that anybody with enough money can invest in the American media Indus tries, which is exactly how Rupert Murdoch joined the media business.

The second reason for the increase in media alliances(联合) is that beginning in 1980, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) gradually deregulated (解除管制) the broadcast media. Before 1980, for example, the FCC allowed one company to own only five TV stations, five AM radio stations, and five FM radio stations; companies also were required to hold onto a station for three years before the station could be sold. The post-1980 FCC eliminated the three-year rule and raised the number of broadcast holdings allowed for one owner. This trend (倾向；趋势) of media acquisitions is continuing throughout the 1990s,as changing technology expands the market for media products.

1. Which of the following is true of the media?

A. They used to sell and buy each other in great numbers.

B. They are trading each other in greater numbers today.

C. They used to be controlled by two networks—ABC and NBC.

D. They have stopped the trend of acquisitions in the 1990s.

2. According to the passage, what makes acquisitions easier?

A. The changing technology employed by the media.

B. The media's increasing profits in the marketplace.

C. The ever tougher regulations of the FCC on the media since 1980.

D. The availabilities of the media's stocks on stock exchanges.

3. What is the FCC’s new policy regarding media alliances?

B. It doesn't allow companies to sell their stocks publicly

C. It permits one company to own more media businesses at the same time.

D. It has eliminated all post 1980 companies.

4. The issue of media ownership is important because ____.

A. it affects the amount of money the stockholders will make

B. it decides whether we can have different aspects of the media

C. it concerns the channels through which to express opinions

D. it means that more and more people will hold onto only a few stations.

The most noticeable trend among today's media companies is vertical integration (垂直统一管理) , an attempt(尝试) to control several related aspects(方面) of the media business at once, each part helping the other. Besides publishing magazines and books, Time Warner, for example, owns Home Box Office ( HBO), Warner movie studios (摄影棚), various cable TV systems throughout the USA, and CNN as well. The Japanese company Matsushita Owns MCA. Records and Universal Studios and manufactures broadcast production equipment.

    To describe the financial status ( 财务状态 ) of today’s media is also to talk about acquisitions(获得). The media are buying and selling each other in unprecedented(空前的) numbers and forming media groups to position themselves in the market place to maintain and increase their profits(利润). In 1986, the first time a broadcast network had been sold, two networks were sold that year—ABC and NBC.

    Media acquisitions have skyrocketed(猛增) since 1980 for two reasons. The first is that most big corporations today are publicly traded companies, which means that their stock is traded on one of the nation’s stock exchanges (股票交易). This makes acquisitions relatively easy.

    A media company that wants to buy a publicly owned company can buy that company's stock when the stock becomes available(有用的). The open availabilities of stock in these companies means that anybody with enough money can invest in the American media Indus tries, which is exactly how Rupert Murdoch joined the media business.

The second reason for the increase in media alliances(联合) is that beginning in 1980, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) gradually deregulated (解除管制) the broadcast media. Before 1980, for example, the FCC allowed one company to own only five TV stations, five AM radio stations, and five FM radio stations; companies also were required to hold onto a station for three years before the station could be sold. The post-1980 FCC eliminated the three-year rule and raised the number of broadcast holdings allowed for one owner. This trend (倾向；趋势) of media acquisitions is continuing throughout the 1990s,as changing technology expands the market for media products.

1. Which of the following is true of the media?

A. They used to sell and buy each other in great numbers.

B. They are trading each other in greater numbers today.

C. They used to be controlled by two networks—ABC and NBC.

D. They have stopped the trend of acquisitions in the 1990s.

2. According to the passage, what makes acquisitions easier?

A. The changing technology employed by the media.

B. The media's increasing profits in the marketplace.

C. The ever tougher regulations of the FCC on the media since 1980.

D. The availabilities of the media's stocks on stock exchanges.

3. What is the FCC’s new policy regarding media alliances?

B. It doesn't allow companies to sell their stocks publicly

C. It permits one company to own more media businesses at the same time.

D. It has eliminated all post 1980 companies.

4. The issue of media ownership is important because ____.

A. it affects the amount of money the stockholders will make

B. it decides whether we can have different aspects of the media

C. it concerns the channels through which to express opinions

D. it means that more and more people will hold onto only a few stations.

As a child, I was told that a wise person is the one who learns from everyone. It is a great way to live by this 1 ----One begins to look at people very 2 and he no longer puts others 3in order to feel good about himself.
Living in China 4 me with many wonderful opportunities to put this theory (理论) into practice, China is quite 5 and as a Westerner, it’s easy for me to consider many of the local habits as “strange” and even “rude”. However, slowly I began to 6 a lot about the culture and about where many of their 7 came from. I decided to make an effort to meet people and 8 from them.
I am living in Harbin now, a city in the Northern part of China, near Russia. Yesterday I9 to get money from the ATM and have a good cup of coffee after lunch. But I can’t speak Chinese yet and there are no signs in English 10 the nearest supermarket or coffee shop. There are signs in Russian. 11“espaciba” which means thanks, I don’t know much else. 12 I decided to smile at my every attempt（尝试) to 13 and ask for information that would 14 me to an ATM and a coffee shop. It turned out that my efforts and my15were met with more smiles. I learned that 16 is to be found everywhere even17 I cannot communicate, and that people will 18depending on what I give.
Look around you for opportunities to learn from the most 19 people. You will be surprised at what they can 20 you!

1. 1.
   1. A.
      principle
   2. B.
      plan
   3. C.
      strength
   4. D.
      reason
2. 2.
   1. A.
      excitedly
   2. B.
      doubtfully
   3. C.
      anxiously
   4. D.
      differently
3. 3.
   1. A.
      up
   2. B.
      down
   3. C.
      away
   4. D.
      out
4. 4.
   1. A.
      helps
   2. B.
      compares
   3. C.
      impresses
   4. D.
      provides
5. 5.
   1. A.
      special
   2. B.
      modern
   3. C.
      beautiful
   4. D.
      powerful
6. 6.
   1. A.
      ignore
   2. B.
      forget
   3. C.
      understand
   4. D.
      create
7. 7.
   1. A.
      names
   2. B.
      habits
   3. C.
      behaviors
   4. D.
      beliefs
8. 8.
   1. A.
      escape
   2. B.
      suffer
   3. C.
      hear
   4. D.
      learn
9. 9.
   1. A.
      needed
   2. B.
      refused
   3. C.
      managed
   4. D.
      failed
10. 10.
    1. A.
       heaving for
    2. B.
       setting up
    3. C.
       looking for
    4. D.
       pointing to
11. 11.
    1. A.
       Except for
    2. B.
       As for
    3. C.
       According to
    4. D.
       Instead of
12. 12.
    1. A.
       Yet
    2. B.
       Or
    3. C.
       So
    4. D.
       Besides
13. 13.
    1. A.
       relax
    2. B.
       command
    3. C.
       explain
    4. D.
       discuss
14. 14.
    1. A.
       force
    2. B.
       lead
    3. C.
       transport
    4. D.
       follow
15. 15.
    1. A.
       thanks
    2. B.
       signs
    3. C.
       questions
    4. D.
       smiles
16. 16.
    1. A.
       illness
    2. B.
       weakness
    3. C.
       kindness
    4. D.
       happiness
17. 17.
    1. A.
       before
    2. B.
       when
    3. C.
       because
    4. D.
       after
18. 18.
    1. A.
       react
    2. B.
       gain
    3. C.
       doubt
    4. D.
       benefit
19. 19.
    1. A.
       famous
    2. B.
       useful
    3. C.
       unexpected
    4. D.
       familiar
20. 20.
    1. A.
       charge
    2. B.
       teach
    3. C.
       lend
    4. D.
       require

As a child, I was told that a wise person is the one who learns from everyone. It is a great way to live by this  1  ----One begins to look at people very  2  and he no longer puts others  3 in order to feel good about himself.
Living in China  4  me with many wonderful opportunities to put this theory (理论) into practice, China is quite   5  and as a Westerner, it’s easy for me to consider many of the local habits as “strange” and even “rude”. However, slowly I began to   6  a lot about the culture and about where many of their    7  came from. I decided to make an effort to meet people and  8  from them.
I am living in Harbin now, a city in the Northern part of China, near Russia. Yesterday I  9  to get money from the ATM and have a good cup of coffee after lunch. But I can’t speak Chinese yet and there are no signs in English   10  the nearest supermarket or coffee shop. There are signs in Russian.   11 “espaciba” which means thanks, I don’t know much else.   12  I decided to smile at my every attempt（尝试) to  13  and ask for information that would 14  me to an ATM and a coffee shop. It turned out that my efforts and my  15 were met with more smiles. I learned that   16  is to be found everywhere even17  I cannot communicate, and that people will  18  depending on what I give.
Look around you for opportunities to learn from the most   19  people. You will be surprised at what they can  20  you!