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Str atford-on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustr y--WilliamShakespeare--buttherearetwodistinctlyseparateandincreasinglyhostilebranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(ASC),whichpresentssuperbproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatr eontheAvon.Andtherearethetownsfolkwholargelyliveoffthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplays,buttolookatAnneHathaway’sCottage,Shakespeare’sbirthplaceandtheothersights.
TheworthyresidentsofStr atforddoubtthatthetheatr eaddsapennytotheirrevenue.TheyfranklydisliketheRSC’sactors,themwiththeirlonghairandbeardsandsandalsandnoisiness.It’salldeliciouslyironicwhenyouconsiderthatShakespeare,whoearnstheirliving,washimselfanactor(withabeard)anddidhisshareofnoise-making.
Thetouriststr eamsarenotentirelyseparate.Thesightseerswhocomebybus--andoftentakeinWarwickCastleandBlenheimPalaceontheside--don’tusuallyseetheplays,andsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatr einStr atford.However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplaygoing.Itistheplaygoers,theESCcontends,whobringinmuchofthetown’srevenuebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringcashintothehotelsandrestaurants.Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.
Thetownsfolkdon’tseeitthiswayandlocalcouncildoesnotcontr ibutedirectlytothesubsidyoftheRoyalShakespeareCompany.Str atfordcriespoortr aditionally.Neverthelesseveryhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingorcocktaillounge.Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyoumaybesurewillbedecoratedwithHamletHamburgerBars,theLearLounge,theBanquoBanquetingRoom,andsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.
Anyway,thetownsfolkcan’tunderstandwhytheRoyalShakespeareCompanyneedsasubsidy.(Thetheatr ehasbrokenattendancerecordsforthreeyearsinarow.Lastyearits1,431seatswere94percentoccupiedallyearlongandthisyearthey’lldobetter.)Thereason,ofcourse,isthatcostshaverocketedandticketpriceshavestayedlow.
ItwouldbeashametoraisepricestoomuchbecauseitwoulddriveawaytheyoungpeoplewhoareStr atford’smostattr activeclientele.Theycomeentirelyfortheplays,notthesights.Theyallseemtolookalike(thoughtheycomefromallover)--lean,pointed,dedicatedfaces,wearingjeansandsandals,eatingtheirbunsandbeddingdownforthenightontheflagstonesoutsidethetheatr etobuythe20seatsand80standing-roomticketsheldforthesleepersandsoldtothemwhentheboxofficeopensat10:30a.m.
26.FromthefirsttwoParagraphs,welearnthat________.
[A]thetownsfolkdenytheRSC’scontr ibutiontothetown’srevenue
[B]theactorsoftheRSCimitateShakespeareonandoffstage
[C]thetwobranchesoftheRSCarenotongoodterms
[D]thetownsfolkearnlittlefromtourism
正确答案：A
