阅读理解。
President Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English.
An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama," has sold more than 400,000 copies
in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.
Japanese have a love for learning English and many bookstores have a corner especially for dozens of
journals in the language, many of them now featuring(给……以显要位置) the new U.S. leader's face.
"Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates(候选人) are excellent as listening tools to learn
English, because their contents are good and their words are easy to catch," said Yuzo Yamamoto of
Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.
"Obama's is especially so. His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as 'yes, we
can,' 'change' and 'hope' that even Japanese people can memorize," he said.
"Speeches by George W. Bush and former nominee (被提名者) John Kerry's four years ago did not
have the same attraction, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians, Yamamoto said.
The 95-page book features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National
Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries, in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are
accompanied by Japanese translations.
The 1,050 yen ($12) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website.
"Readers have sent in postcards saying that when they heard the speeches, they were so moved and
ried even though they don't understand English very well," Yamamoto said.
Following Obama's inauguration ( 就职典礼) on Tuesday, Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel (续集)
that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will
also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863.
1. Why are Obama's speeches chosen as listening materials?
A. They're easy to understand.
B. They're cheap to buy.
C. They're best-sellers.
D. They're official.
2. Which of the following is NOT true about "The Speeches of Barack Obama"?
A. It is published in English with Japanese translations.
B. More than 400,000 copies have been sold in a month.
C. It is sold with a CD of the speeches.
D. It is a best-selling textbook published by Asahi Press.
3. It can be inferred fro the passage that _____.
A. Japanese care little about US presidents' speeches
B. the best-seller includes Obama's inaugural speech
C. speeches by Japanese politicians have the same attraction
D. many readers are benefiting from the best-seller
4. The best title for the passage might be _____.
A. Obama helps Japanese learn English
B. Obama: from promise to power
C. Japanese learn English from Obama's speeches
D. Obama and English learning
