Questions 11 -15 are based on Passage 3. 11.The flower market used to be at its best A.around the Spring Festival B.around Christmas Day C.in October D.all the year round 12.The number of individuals who buy flowers is A.changeable B.stable C.decreasing D.increasing 13.Which of the following statements is NOT true? A.The Chinese people now like both real and artificial flowers. B.Dried flowers were common in China a decade ago. C.Flowers were not as popular as they are now in China. D.Fresh flowers have become part of people's life in China. 14.Which of the following words is closest in meaning to 'indispensable'in the sentence Fresh flowers are also indispensable for other ceremonial occasions.' A.essential B.inseparable C.separate D.unnecessary 15.Which of the following statements is true about the Beijing Flower Trade Centre? A.It's located at Tianqiao B.Dried flowers are sold there. C.It provides most of Beijing's flower shops with flowers. D.About 180,000 blossoms are sold there every day. Passage 4 Changes in Livelihood AUTHORITATIVE SCHOLARS place China's social development at the 'lower medium level'compared to the rest of the world.China has gone through several twists and turns since 1949,and many people's lives have changed for better or worse as a result.However, today a general improvement is evident.Since 1978 in particular,many people's life-styles have improved at a greater pace than in the previous 30 years. Chinese have not only improved on their diet,clothing,housing and the products they use every day,but their disposable income has also grown as well.By the end of June 1995, rural and urban bank savings amounted to 3,545.8 billion yuan. Figures show that since the 1990s communications equipment,houses,apartments and cars have bugun to replace TV sets,refregerators and washing machines (which in turn replaced bikes,watches and sewing machines at the beginning of the 1980s)as the largest individual consumption items. 657Questions 11 - 15 are based on Passage 3. 11. The flower market used to be at its best A. around the Spring Festival B. around Christmas Day C. in October D. all the year round 12. The number of individuals who buy flowers is 一-一一一一· A. changeable B. stable C. decreasing D. increasing 13. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. The Chinese people now like both real and artificial flowers. B. Dried flowers were common in China a decade ago. C. Flowers were not as popular as they are now in China. D. Fresh flowers have become part of people' s life in China. 14. Whích of the followíng words is closest in meaning to 'índispensable' in the sentence ‘ Fresh flowers are also indispensable for other ceremonial occasions. ' A. essential C. separate B. inseparable D. unnecessary 15. Which of the following statements is true about the Beijing Flower Trade Centre? A. It' s located at Tianqiao B. Dried f10wers are sold there. C. It provides most of Beijing' s f10wer shops with flowers. D. About 180 ,000 blossoms are sold there every day. Passage 4 Changes in Livelihood AUTHORITATIVE SCHOLARS place China's socíal development at the ‘ lower medium level' compared to the rest of the world. China has gone through several twists and turns since 1949 , and many people' s lives have changed for better or worse as a result. However, today a general improvement is evident. Since 1978 in particular , many people' s life--styles have ímproved at a greater pace than in the previous 30 years. Chínese have not only improved on their dí 肘， clothíng , housing and the products they use every day , but their disposable income has also grown as well. By the end of J une 1995 , rural and urban bank savings amounted to 3 , 545. 8 billion yuan. Figures show that since the 1990s comm unications equipment , houses, apartments and cars have bugun to replace TV sets, refregerators and washing machines (which in turn replaced bikes, watches and sewing machines at the beginning of the 1980s) as the largest individual consumption items. 657