Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on the advertising calendar, as companies vie to produce the most memorable and innovative ads. The battle for the National Football League's ultimate prize attracts more viewers than anything else on American television and provides a "symbolic pulsetaking" for the advertising industry every February, says John Frelinghuysen, an analyst at Bain and Company, a consultancy. But this year the patient is in poor health. All the advertising slots(广告摊位) for the 2008 Super Bowl had been sold by the end of November 2007, despite the $ 2.6 million price of each. For 2009 the price has risen to $ 3 million, but at least, ten slots (out of 67) are still looking for a buyer.
General Motors, which ran 11 ads on Super Bowl Sunday in February 2008, has already said that it will not run any in 2009. America's two other big carmakers, Ford and Chrysler, are likely to follow suit. Tellingly, Monster com, an online job-search company, said recently that it was buying a slot. Instead of the usual parade of expensive ads paying tribute to American consumerism, 2009's Super Bowl will reflect a country in recession and indicate a hard year for the advertising industry.
Most forecasts for next year say that ad spending in America will decline by 5% or more. Much depends on the fate of the automotive industry: carmakers and dealers normally spend around $ 20 billion a year on advertising, but Chrysler and Ford scaled back their expenditure by more than 30% in the first nine months of 2008, and are expected to make further cuts in 2009 as they struggle for survival.
The car industry's situation will hurt all media, but especially television. Analysts at BMO Capital Markets predict that total spending on television ads will fall by almost 9% next year. Only newspapers, where a decline of 12% is expected, are forecast to fare worse. Carmakers have already shifted some of their advertising spending to the Internet, and are likely to go further in 2009. Car ads make up 25% of advertising revenues for local television channels, and carmakers have been among the most consistent buyers of high-priced ads on national television.
So far local stations have been most affected by falling spending on advertising. National stations have been safer, because they operate on longer-term contracts with advertisers. But in the New Year they will also feel the chill, as companies fail to renew their contracts. Television, which has remained strong as print media have lost advertising dollars and readers to the Internet, could enter a decline of its own. "Next on the list is TV stations," says Anthony Diclemente, a media analyst at Barclays Capital.
52. Why does the author give the example of Super Bowl?
A) Because it is the most popular football games in America.
B) Because it shows advertisers' enthusiasm in running slots has dropped.
C) Because it is an event that attracts the attention of advertisers.
D) Because it will be right on in America in 2009.
53. Why can't at least ten slots find a buyer (Last sentence, Para. 1 ) according to the passage?
A) The price for running the advertising slots has risen to $ 3 million.
B) It is not attractive any more for the advertising industry.
C) The advertising industry is suffering a hard year.
D) The advertising slots have been on the rise since 2007.
54. What may the carmakers resort to for promoting their automobiles and cutting down expenditure?
A) Buying low-priced ads on national television.
B) Renewing new contracts with national stations.
C) Shifting their advertising spending to the Internet.
D) Relying on such print media as newspaper.
55. What does the sentence "Next on the list is TV stations" ( last paragraph) said by Anthony Diclemente mean?
A) What he is going to analyze next is TV stations.
B) What advertisers prefer to use is TV stations.
C) TV station is the next to be defeated by Internet.
D) He would choose TV station as a second choice.
56. We can learn from the passage that ______.
A) Ford and Chrysler will run the advertising slots in 2009
B) 2009's Super Bowl will still be an expensive ads parade
C) America's ad spending this year will decline by 5% or more
D) Carmakers' fate determines to certain extent the ad spending in America
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