2、    Starbucks coffee shops can be found all over America and in more than thirty countries around the world. Many people think they are great places. to enjoy a cup of hot coffee or tea. But others dislike the company.

    If you are in any major city in America，the chances are great that you are not far from a Stalbucks. in fact, you might be very close to several of these coffee shops. The company started in the West Coast city of Seattle，Washington， in 1971. Starbucks was named after a character in the famous American novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Today, there are more than 1 2. 000 Stalbucks around，the world. Sales in 2008 were almost eight billion dollars.

    Starbucks sells more than just plain coffee. It started a whole coffee culture with its own special language and coffee workers called “baristas”. It sells many kinds of hot and cold coffee drinks；like White Chocolate Mocha and Frappuccino. It also sells music recorders，coffee makers，food，and even books. But most of all，it sells the idea of being a warm and friendly place for people to sit，read or talk.      

    Starbucks is a great success story. Buyers ate willing to pay as much as five dollars for coffee drink. Many people say they go to Starbucks because they can depend on it to have exactly what they want and it is nearby. Some say Starbucks has helped to educate people about coffee from many countries.

    However, some people do not like the company’s expansion. Owners of independent coffee stores cannot compete with Starbucks. Some small coffee sellers even took the company to court，saying Starbucks controls the market and foxes out competition.     

 

56. Which of the following may be the best title of the passage?

    A. Starbucks，tile Coffee Giant(巨人)      B. The World’s Starbucks

    C. Starbucks，Selling Ideas                     D. Starbucks，In or Out

57. People will go to Starbucks for coffee drink because of          .

    A. the sense of satisfaction there

    B. the highly educated baristas

    C. the plain taste of the drink

    D. the low price there    

58. What do you think takes the most important role in Starbucks’ success?

    A. Selling their ideas，                  B. The coffee culture they have created.

    C. Their great economic power.     D. All kinds of their coffee drinks.

59. The writer’s attitude towards Starbucks. is       in writing the passage.

  A. supportive    B. critical(批评的)    C. objective D. doubtful