ThousandsofpeoplelivingintheChinesecapitalwillcelebratethestartoftheChinese Newyearbyheadingfortheskiresorts(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-1990swereunreachabletoordinarypeopleAccordingtoMr.Weiabout40%ofthevisitorstohisresortcomeintheirowncars.Therestarebusedinbyschoolsbusinessesorgovernmentoffices.

Theproblemismakingmoney.Startingskiresortsrequiresquitealotofmoney;hiringlandfromthelocalgovernmentpreparingthehillsbuyingsnowmachinesmakingsurethereareenoughwaterandelectricitytorunthemandbuyingskiequipmentforhiringouttocustomers.

TheskiresortwhereMr.Weiworkscostnearly$4milliontosetup.And.assoofteninChinawhensomeonecomesupwithagoodideamanyothersrushinandpricewarsbreakout.Beijingnowofferssomeofthecheapestskitrainingclassesintheworldthoughwithmostpeoplerathernewtothesportexpectingafewmoredoingthesamejob.

【小题1】Whatdoesthistextmainlytalkabout?

A．Convenienceforskiersbroughtaboutbyprivatecars.B．Skiingasanewwayofenjoyingone'ssparetime.C．Thingstobeconsideredwhenstartingaskiresort.D．Asuddenincreaseofskitrainingclassesi