The debate was launched by the government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC—including ordinary listeners and viewers—to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought if it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC’s royal charters runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is or to make changes.

　　Defenders of the Corporation—of whom there are many—are fond of quoting the American slogan “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The BBC “ain’t broke”, they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word “broke”, meaning having no money), or why bother to change it?

　　Yet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels—ITV and Channel 4—were required by the Thatcher Government’s Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels—funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers’ subscriptions—which will bring about the biggest change in the long term.

　　1.The world famous BBC now is confronted with ___.

　　A.the problem of news coverage

　　B.an uncertain prospect

　　C.inquiries by the general public

　　D.shrinkage of audience

　　2.In the passage, which of the following about the BBC is not mentioned as the key issue?

　　A.Extension of its TV service to Far East.

　　B.Programs as the subject of a nation-wide debate.

　　C.Potentials for further international co-operations.

　　D.Its existence as a broadcasting organization.

　　3.The BBC’s “royal charter” (Paragraph 4) represents ___.

　　A.the financial support from the royal family

　　B.the privileges granted by the Queen

　　C.a contract with the Queen

　　D.a unique relationship with the royal family

　　4.The word “broke” in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” means ___.

　　A.broke down

　　B.bankrupt

　　C.fragmented

　　D.penniless

　　5.The first and foremost reason why the BBC has to read just itself is no other than ___.

　　A.the emergence of commercial TV channels

　　B.the enforcement of Broadcasting Act by the government

　　C.the urgent necessity to reduce cost—and—job expenses

　　D.the challenges of new satellite channels

　　答案：BCCDD

　　Art is considered by many people to be little more than a decorative means of giving pleasure. This is not always the case, however; at times, art may be seen to have a purely functional side as well. Such could be said of the sandpaintings of the Navaho Indians of the American Southwest; these have a medicinal as well as an artistic purpose.

　　According to Navaho traditions, one who suffers from either a mental or a physical illness has in come way disturbed or come in contact with the supernatural—perhaps a certain animal, a ghost, or the dead. To counteract this evil contact, the ill person or one of his relatives will employ a medicine man called a “singer” to perform a healing ceremony which will attract a powerful supernatural being.

　　During the ceremony, which may last from 2 to 9 days, the “singer” will produce a sandpainting on the floor of the Navaho hogan. On the last day of the ceremony, the patient will sit on this sandpainting and the “singer” will rub the ailing parts of the patient’s body with sand from a specific figure in the sandpainting. In this way the patient absorbs the power of that particular supernatural being and becomes strong like it. After the ceremony, the sandpainting is then destroyed and disposed of so its power will not harm anyone.

　　The art of sandpainting is handed down from old “singer” to their students. The material used are easily found in the areas the Navaho inhabit; brown, red, yellow, and white sandstone, which is pulverized by being crushed between 2 stones much as corns is ground into flour. The “singer” holds a small amount of this sand in his hand and lets it flow between his thumb and fore-finger onto a clean, flat surface on the floor. With a steady hand and great patience, he is thus able to create designs of stylized people, snakes and other creatures that have power in the Navaho belief system. The traditional Navaho does not allow reproduction of sandpaintings, since he believes the supernatural powers that taught him the craft have forbidden this; however, such reproductions can in fact be purchased today in tourist shops in Arizona and New Mexico. These are done by either Navaho Indians or by other people who wish to preserve this craft.

　　1.The purpose of the passage is to ___.

　　A.discuss the medical uses of sandpaintings in medieval Europe.

　　B.study the ways Navaho Indians handed down their painting art.

　　C.consider how Navaho “singer” treat their ailments with sandpaintings.

　　D.tell how Navaho Indians apply sandpainting for medical purposes.

　　2.The purpose of a healing ceremony lies in ___.

　　A.pleasing the ghosts

　　B.attracting supernatural powers

　　C.attracting the ghosts

　　D.creating a sandpainting

　　3.The “singer” rubs sand on the patient because ___.

　　A.the patient receives strength from the sand

　　B.it has pharmaceutical value

　　C.it decorates the patient

　　D.none of the above

　　4.What is used to produce a sandpainting?

　　A.Paint

　　B.Beach sand

　　C.Crushed sandstone

　　D.Flour

　　5.Which of the following titles will be best suit the passage?

　　A.A New Direction for Medical Research

　　B.The Navaho Indians’ Sandpainting

　　C.The Process of Sandpainting Creation

　　D.The Navaho Indians’ Medical History

　　答案：DBACB