Cyprus is the third largest island and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. It attracts over 2.4 million tourists every year. it gained independence from the UK in 1960. Cyprus is a developed country and has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004. It didn’t begin to use the euro until 1 January 2008.
As a tourist destination, Cyprus has clean beaches and fine weather all the year round. There are Roman and Greek relics on the island, which attract tourists most. You can enjoy skiing and hiking in its huge mountains and charming villages. In the towns and cities, there are some modern hotels, bars and clubs with bright lights and rich nightlife.
The story of the island can be traced back over 10,000 years. Cyprus has long been seen as an important strategic base. Many civilizations have swept through it over the years.
In 1974 Turkish troop arrived on the northern coast of Cyprus. They were invited by the Turkish Cypriot leader in order to protect the Turkish community. Since then the Turkish army took control of the northern one third of the island. The Greek Cypriot controlled the other. UN peace keeping forces maintained the peace between the two sides.
Although it has political problems, Cyprus is a country that easily links modern European culture with its past. Here, visitors can discover clean beaches, all kinds of grape wine and ancient ruins. With fruit trees around, the old stone villages make tourists feel that modern Europe seems a very long way away indeed.
56. From paragraph 1 we can learn that Cyprus _______________.
A. is the third largest island in the world B. has a population of about 2.4 million
C. didn’t become independent until 1960 D. used the euro as their money in 2004
57. What attracts tourists most in Cyprus?
A. The clean beaches B. Its links with the past
C. The rich nightlife D. Its fine weather
58. The Greek Cyprus controlled ___________________.
A. the southern one third of Cyprus B. the northern one third of Cyprus
C. the northern two thirds of Cyprus D. the southern two thirds of Cyprus
59. The countries that have a great effect on Cyprus include ______________.
A. Greece, Turkey and Italy B. Greece, England and Turkey
C. Italy, England and Turkey D. Turkey, Egypt and Italy
60. The article is written mainly to tell readers _______________.
A. some information about Cyprus
B. some popular tourist destinations in Europe
C. some information about European culture
D. the political problems in Cyprus