For years, it has been said that newspapers are at death’s door. Each of the past few years has seen many newspapers say goodbye to their readers. But why is the situation so terrible for newspapers?

Newspapers have a long history. The first newspaper was printed in the 1600s. The industry experienced its most successful time in the early 20th century.

With the appearance of radio and TV, however, newspaper circulation（发行量）began to fall. By the mid-20 century, radio and TV had become so popular that people no longer had to depend on newspapers for news. This was especially true for the latest news.

Afternoon newspapers were the first to suffer. More and more people coming home from work turned on the TV, instead of opening a newspaper. But generally, newspapers still managed to survive（生存）. Although they couldn’t compete with TV in spreading the latest news, they could provide in-depth reports that TV news could not.

But newspapers suffered another heavier blow in the 1990s. With the appearance of the Internet, lots of information became free. Many newspaper readers realized that they could conveniently read news online for free. There seemed to be little reason any longer for them to pay for a newspaper.

So what will the future of newspapers be like? Will newspapers die? Maybe not. Many newspapers are now changing. Some are going digital（数字化的）. Some are going even farther by taking the industry to places it has never been to. After all, people still want the news. And many agree that newspapers are important for in-depth news and opinions. If newspapers were to completely disappear, there would be nothing to take their place.

【小题1】When was the first newspaper printed?

A．In the 1600s.	B．In the 1900s.
C．In the early 20th century.	D．In the mid-20th century.

【小题2】How did newspapers manage to survive against competition from TV?

A．By going digital.	B．By working with TV.
C．By including more pictures.	D．By focusing on in-depth reports.

【小题3】Newspapers suffered again in the 1990s because ________.

A．people lost interest in reading news	B．newspapers became more expensive
C．TV started to focus on in-depth news	D．people could read news online for free

【小题4】Which of the following would the writer most likely agree with?

A．The future of newspapers is hopeless.	B．The future of newspapers is still uncertain.
C．Many newspapers will die in the near future.	D．Afternoon newspapers will become popular again.