Comprehensive Reading 阅读理解

China Tourism Industry

China’s tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the national economy and is also one of the industries with a very distinct global competitive edge. The total revenue of China’s tourism industry reached RMB 661 billion in 2014, accounting for 10.39% of the GDP.Nevertheless, for areas rich in tourism resources, tourism has become the main source of tax revenue and the key industry for economic development.

Inbound Market: The total number of inbound tourists was 128.5 million in 2014, and that of tourists staying overnight was 55.62 million, about 14 times of the number in 1980. International tourism receipts were USD 105.38 billion in 2003. China’s ranking for both the overnight tourist arrivals and tourism receipts were among the world’s top five in 2014.

Domestic Market: In 2014, domestic tourists reached 3,611 million and tourism revenue was RMB 303 billion. The five-days-per-week and long vacation schemes have increased leisure time for the Chinese people and spurred market demand in domestic tourism and led to its prosperity.

Outbound Market: A large middle class population with strong consumption power is emerging in China, especially in major cities. China’s outbound tourists reached 10.7 million in 2014 and the outbound travel cost is USD 89.64 billion in total. Currently there are over one hundred countries/areas open to Chinese tour groups. Putting aside the threat of infectious diseases and other unexpected events, based on the current economic growth situation and the social development of China, China’s outbound tourism is poised to achieve a new growth peak.

Hotel: Driven by the flourishing tourism industry, China’s tourist hotel sector is expanding rapidly. At the end of 2014, China had a total of 12,803 star-rated hotels and more than 1.49 million rooms. 442 of these star-rated hotels were foreign-funded. The total operating revenue of the foreign-funded star-rated hotels is RMB 29 billion.

Travel Agencies: In 2014, there were a total of 26,650 travel agencies in China. While overall tourism market concentration rose, there was a drop in the market position of the traditional three key travel agencies. As competition heightened, China’s tourism industry on the whole, had begun to start earning low profits, even while it was expanding its scale of operations.

Tourist Attractions: Currently, there are approximately 15,000 natural, cultural and man-made places of attraction which are above county level. In 2001, Sichuan became the first province to propose renting out the operation rights of 10 scenic areas to foreign investors.

According to the plan by China National Tourism Administration, the number of inbound tourists, foreign exchange earnings from tourism and the domestic market size are targeted to have an annual growth of 4% and 8%, respectively, in the next five to ten years. It is also forecasted by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) that China’s tourism industry will take up to 8.6% of world market share to become the world’s top tourism industry by 2020.

a. Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.

1. In Paragraph 1, the total revenue of China’s tourism industry accounted for _____ of the GDP in 2014.

A. 4%

B. 8%

C. 8.6%

D. 10.39%

2. For areas rich in tourism resources, _____ has become the main source of tax revenue and the key industry for economic development.

A. industry

B. agriculture

C. service industry

D. tourism

3. Which rank were the China’s overnight tourist arrivals and tourism receipts among the world in 2014?

A. Top three.

B. Top four.

C. Top five.

D. Top six.

4. How many schemes have increased leisure time for the Chinese people and spurred market demand in domestic tourism?

A. One.

B. Two.

C. Three.

D. Four.

5. China’s _____ is poised to achieve a new growth peak.

A. inbound tourism

B. domestic tourism

C. outbound tourism

D. star-rated hotels

6. As competition increased, China’s tourism industry had begun to start earning _____ profits.

A. low

B. high

C. no

D. great

7. Which is the first province to propose renting out the operation rights of 10 scenic areas to foreign investors?

A. Hubei.

B. Sichuan.

C. Guangdong.

D. Fujian.

8. WTO has two meanings, one refers to the World Tourism Organization, and the other is _____.

A. World Travel Office

B. World Trip Organization

C. World Trade Organization

D. World Technical Organization

b. Choose an appropriate word to fill in each blank to make each sentence meaningful, and change its form where necessary.

1. The learning needs of the two groups are quite _____ from each other.

2. _____ sports encourage children to work together as a team.

3. The government was short of money because of falling oil _____.

4. _____ flights go from Terminal 1.

5. _____ and economic success remain popular and broadly shared goals.

6. The sun _____ from behind the clouds.

7. Television soon _____ the cinema as the most popular form of entertainment.

8. The cups and saucers cost ￡5 and ￡3 _____.

9. The plane will be landing in _____ 20 minutes.

10. The Federal Reserve Bank _____ that the economy will grow by 2% this year.

c. Go over the passage once more and translate the following sentences into Chinese.

1. China’s tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the national economy and is also one of the industries with a very distinct global competitive edge.

__________________

2. For areas rich in tourism resources, tourism has become the main source of tax revenue and the key industry for economic development.

__________________

3. The five-days-per-week and long vacation schemes have spurred market demand in domestic tourism and led to its prosperity.

__________________

4. Based on the current economic growth situation and the social development of China,China’s outbound tourism is poised to achieve a new growth peak.

__________________

5. As competition heightened, China’s tourism industry on the whole, had begun to start earning low profits, even while it was expanding its scale of operations.

__________________

d. Translate the following sentences into English with phrases given in the brackets.

1. 他的行为也许是最近的工作压力导致的。（account for）

__________________

2. 他们的利润增长主要是由于采用了有创新精神的市场策略。（due to）

__________________

3. 该公司的销售计划是根据对消费者花钱的情况所作的研究而制订的。（base on）

__________________

4. 农业和矿业构成这个国家产业的大部分。（make up）

__________________

5. 课外的一点点时间我都用来工作了。（take up）

__________________