ThousandsofpeoplelivingintheChinesecapitalwillcelebratethestartoftheChineseNewYearbyheadingfortheskiresorts(滑雪场).NevermindthatBeijing'sdryweatherseldomproducessnow.Itiscoldenoughinwinterforsnow-makingmachinestomakeacoveringforthehillsnorthtothecapital.Andtherapidgrowthofapleasure-seekingmiddleclasshasformedthebasisforthisnewcraze(热潮）.SinceBeijing'sfirstskiresortwasopenedtenyearsago,thesporthasenjoyedastonishingincrease.Therearenowmorethanadozenresorts.Clothesmarketsinthecityhaveaddedbrightcoloredskisuitstotheirwintercollections.Mr.Wei,amanagerofanewly-openedskiresortinBeijing,seesthegrowthofanindustrythatcouldsoonleadChinesetoheadfortheskiresortsofEurope.InrecentyearsskiresortsofferingnaturalsnowhaveopenedinChina.Butmanyareinfarawayareasofthecountryandcan'treallymatchtheequipmentandservicesofsomeskiresortsinEurope.Beijing'sskiingcrazeispartlyaresultoftherecentincreaseinprivate(私有的)cars.Thishasledtothegrowthofaleisureindustryinthecapital'ssuburbs(郊区),whichuntilthelate-1990swereunreachabletoordinarypeople,AccordingtoMr.Wei,about40%ofthevisitorstohisresortcomeintheirowncars.Therestarebusedinbyschools,businessesorgovernmentOffices.Theproblemismakingmoney.Startingskiresortsrequiresquitealotofmoney,hiringlandfromthelocalgovernment,preparingthehills,buyingsnowmachines,makingsurethereareenoughwaterandelectricitytorunthem,andbuyingskiequipmentforhiringouttocustomers.TheskiresortwhereMr.Weiworkscostnearly$4mtosetup.And,assoofteninChinawhensomeonecomesupwithagoodidea,manyothersrushinandpricewarsbreakout.Beijingnowofferssomeofthecheapestskitrainingclassesintheworld,thoughwithmostpeoplerathernewtothesport,expectingafewmoredoingthesamejob.Thinking:1.WhyaresomeChineselikelytogoskiinginEurope?2.Theunderlinedwords"leisureindustry"inParagraph3referto?Thenexttimeyougointoabank,astore,orasupermarket,stopandlisten.Whatdoyouhear?Muzakisplayedinmostofthebigsupermarketsintheworld.It'ssimilartothemusicyoulistento,butit'snotexactlythesame.That'sbecausethismusicwasespeciallydesignedtorelaxyou,ortogiveyouextraenergy.Sometimesyoudon'tevenrealizethemusicisplaying,butyoureacttothemusicanyway.Quietbackgroundmusicusedtobecalled"elevator(电梯)music"becauseweoftenhearditinelevators.Butlatelywehearitinmoreandmoreplaces,andithasanewname"Muzak".Aboutone-thirdofthepeopleinAmericalistento"Muzak"everyday.Themusicplaysfor15minutesatatime,withshortpausesinbetween.Itisalwaysmorelivelybetweentenandeleveninthemorning,andbetweenthreeandfourintheafternoon,whenpeoplearemoretired.Themusicgivesthemextraenergy.IfyoulistentoMuzakcarefully,youwillprobablyrecognizethenamesofmanyofthesongs.Somemusiciansorsongwritersdon'twanttheirsongstobeusedasMuzak,butothersarehappywhentheirsongsarechosen.Why?Theygetasmuchas$4millionayeariftheirsongsareused.Musicisoftenplayedinpublicplacesbecauseitisdesignedtomakepeoplefeellesslonelywhentheyareinanairportorahotel.IthasbeenproventhatMuzakdoeswhatitisdesignedtodo.TiredofficeworkerssuddenlyhavemoreenergywhentheyhearthepleasantsoundofMuzakinthebackground.Factoryworkersproduce13percentmore.Supermarketshoppersbuy38percentmoregroceries.Somepeopledon'tlikeMuzak.Theysayit'sboringtohearthesamesongsallthetime.ButotherpeopleenjoyhearingMuzakinpublicplaces.Theysayithelpsthemrelaxandfeelcalm.Onewayoranother,Muzakaffectseveryone.SomefarmersevensaytheircowsgivemoremilkwhentheyhearMuzak!Thinking:1.Whatkindofmusicdoyoulikebest?2.Whoisyourfavoritesinger?
