ThousandsofpeoplelivingintheChinesecapitalwillcelebratethestartoftheChineseNewyearbyheadingfortheskiresorts(滑雪场).NevermindthatBeijing'sdryweatherseldomproducessnow.Itiscoldenoughinwinterforsnow-makingmachinestomakeacoveringforthehillsnorthtothecapital.Andtherapidgrowthofapleasure-seekingmiddleclasshasformedthebasisforthisnewcraze(热潮）.

SinceBeijing'sfirstskiresortwasopenedtenyearsagothesporthasenjoyedastonishingincrease.Therearenowmorethanadozenresorts.Clothesmarketsinthecityhaveaddedbrightcoloredskisuitstotheirwintercollections.Mr.Weiamanagerofanewly-openedskiresortinBeijingseesthegrowthofanindustrythatcouldsoonleadChinesetoheadfortheskiresortsofEuropeInrecentyearsskiresortsofferingnaturalsnowhaveopenedinChina.Butmanyareinfarawayareasofthecountryandcan'treallymatchtheequipmentandservicesofsomeskiresortsinEurope.

Beijing'sskiingcrazeispartlyaresultoftherecentincreaseinprivate(私有的)cars.Thishasledtothegrowthofaleisureindustryinthecapital'ssuburbs(郊区)whichuntilthelate-1990swereunreachabletoordinarypeopleAccordingtoMrWeiabout40%ofthevisitorstohisresortcomeintheirowncars.TherestarebusedinbyschoolsbusinessesorgovernmentOffices.

Theproblemismakingmoney.Startingskiresortsrequiresquitealotofmoney;hiringlandfromthelocalgovernmentpreparingthehillsbuyingsnowmachinesmakingsurethereareenoughwaterandelectricitytorunthemandbuyingskiequipmentforhiringouttocustomers.

TheskiresortwhereMr.Weiworkscostnearly$4mtosetup.AndassoofteninChinawhensomeonecomesupwithagoodideamanyothershashinandpricewarsbreakout.Beijingnowofferssomeofthecheapestskitrainingclassesintheworldthoughwithmostpeoplerathernewtothesportexpectingafewmoredoingthesamejob.

Whatdoesthistextmainlytalkabout?

A.Convenienceforskiersbroughtaboutbyprivatecars.

B.Skiingasanewwayofenjoyingone'ssparetime.

C.Thingstobeconsideredwhenstartingaskiresort.

D.AsuddenincreaseofskitrainingclassesinBeijing.

WhyaresomeChineselikelytogoskiinginEurope?