Tens of thousands of theatre tickets will be given away to young people next year as part of a government campaign to inspire a lifelong love for theatre.

The plant to offer free seats to people aged between 18 to26-funded with ￡2.5 million of  taxpayers’ money-was announced yesterday by Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary. It received a cautious welcome from some in the arts world, who expressed concern that the tickets may not reach the most underprivileged.

The plan comes as West End theatres are enjoying record audiences, thanks largely to musicals teaming up with television talent shows. Attendances reached 13.6 million in 2007,up 10 percent on 2006, itself a record year. Total sales were up 18 percent on 2006 to almost ￡470 million.

One theatre source criticised the Government’s priorities (優(yōu)先考慮的事) in funding free tickets when pensioners were struggling to buy food and fuel, saying: “I don’t know why the Government’s wasting money on this. The Young Vic, as The Times reported today, offers excellent performances at cheap prices.”

There was praise for the Government’s plan from Dominic Cooke of the Royal Court Theatre, who said: “I support any move to get young people into theatre, and especially one that aims to do it all over England, not just in London.”

Ninety-five publicly funded theatres could apply for funding under the two-year plan. In return, they will offer free tickets on at least one day each week to 18 to 26-year-olds, first-come, first-served. It is likely to be on Mondays, traditionally a quiet night for the theatre.

Mr. Burnham said: “A young person attending the theatre can find it an exciting experience, and be inspired to explore a new world. But sometimes people miss out on it because they fear it’s ‘not for them’. It’s time to change this perception.”

Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Culture Secretary, “The real issue is not getting enthusiastic children into the theatre, but improving arts education so that more young people want to go in the first place. For too many children theatres are a no-go area.”

1. Critics of the plan argued that_________.

A. the theatres would be overcrowded

B. it would be a waste of money

C. pensioners wouldn’t get free tickets

D. the government wouldn’t get free tickets

2. According to the supporters, the plan should_______.

A. benefit the television industry

B. focus on producing better plays

C. help increase the sales of tickets

D. involve all the young people in England

3. Which of the following is TRUE about the plan?

A. Ninety-five theatres have received funding

B. Everyone will get at least one free ticket

C. It may not benefit all the young people.

D. Free tickets are offered once every day.

4. We can infer from the passage that in England______.

A. many plays are not for young people

B. many young people don’t like theatre.

C. people know little about the plan

D. children used to receive good arts education

5. According to the passage, the issue to offer free tickets to young people seems_______.

A. controversial

B. inspiring

C. exciting

D. unreasonable

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科目：高中英語 來源：設計必修三　英語　人教版 人教版 題型：050

　　Tens of thousands of couples across the United States are racing to get married by April 30．This is the result of a new law that makes illegal(不合法的)immigrants(移民) legal(合法的)if they marry by then．

　　The law has sent marriages rising by 50 percent to 300 percent this year in immigrant-rich Los Angeles, Houston and New York．The new law, passed in the last days of the Clinton administration(任期)，contains a large number of measures to help immigrants and their loved ones become legal．

　　Critics(批評家)say it also brings many marriage frauds(詐騙)．A key aspect allows immigrants to look for houses while remaining in the USA－if they are married to a citizen or legal resident and hand in applications by April 30．After the date, applicants will have to return to their native countries to deal with their paperwork－a requirement that could take as long as 10 years．

　　Demand for marriage licenses in Manhattan this year jumped from 100 a day to more than 300．The Los Angeles County registrar(戶籍員)recorder's office supplied 12 997 marriage licences during January and February, and 59 percent increase over last year．

　　Critics say the new law encourages false marriage．There are a lot of frauds as people rush to make use of this window．In the past cases citizens or legal residents were paid US ＄10 000 or more to marry illegal immigrants in which immigration is concluded may be investigated for as long as the years after the vows．

　　“It's not worth the risk to attempt an illegal marriage, ”says INS spokesman Bill Strassberger．

(1)

Couples race to get married so that ________．

[　　]

A．

this can show their worship for the God

B．

they can become American citizens

C．

they can find true love there

D．

they can find good places to pray

(2)

If a person misses the deadline(截止日期), he will ________．

[　　]

A．

be put into prison as an illegal immigrant

B．

find a proper job for him to do

C．

be given a good beating by the local police

D．

be forced to go back to his or her homeland

(3)

In the author's eyes, those couples who race to get married are ________．

[　　]

A．

exciting

B．

crazy

C．

disappointing

D．

surprising

(4)

The underlined words“this window” probably refer to ________．

[　　]

A．

the new law

B．

the marriage full of love

C．

the window of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder's office

D．

th US government

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