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　　The Village Green in New Milford, Connecticut, is a snapshot of New England charm: a carefully manicured lawn flanked by scrupulously maintained colonial homes. Babysitters dandle kids in the wooden gazebo, waiting forcommuter parents to return from New York, On a lazy afternoon last week Caroline Nicholas, 16, had nothing morepressing to do than drink in the early-summer sunshine and discuss the recent events in town. " I don't think a lot ofolder people knew there were unhappy kids in New Milford, "she said, "I could see it coming. "

　　In a five-day period in early June eight girls were brought to New Milford Hospital after what hospital officialscall suicidal gestures. The girls, all between 12 and 17, tried a variety of measures, including heavy doses of alcohol,over-the-counter medicines and cuts or scratches to their wrists. None was successful, and most didn't require hospital-ization ;but at least two attempts, according to the hospital, could have been vital. Their reasons seemed as mundane asthe other happen-stances of suburban life. "I was just sick of it all, "one told a reporter, "Everything in life. "Mostalarming, emergency-room doctor Frederick Lohse told a local reporter that several girls said they were part of a sui-cide pact. The. hospital.later backed away from this remark. But coming in the wake of at least sixteen suicide at-tempts over the previous few months, this sudden cluster--along with the influx of media--has set this well-groomedsuburb of 23,000 on edge. At a town meeting last Wednesday night, Dr Simon Sobo, chief of psychiatry at the hospi-tal, told more than 200 parents and kids, "We're talking about a crisis that has really gotten out of hand. "Later headded, "There have been more suicide attempts this spring than I have seen in the 13 years I have been here. "

　　Sobo said that the girls he treated didn't have serious problems at home or school. "Many of these were popularkids, "he said, "They got plenty of love, but beneath the reassuring signs, a swath of teens here are not making it."Some say that drugs, Both pot and 'real drugs', are commonplace. Kids have shown up with LIFE SUCKS andLONG LIVE DEATH penned on their arms. A few girls casually display scars on their arms where they cut them-selves. "You'd be surprised how many kids try suicide, "said one girl, 17. "You don't want to put pain on otherpeople ;you put it on yourself. "She said she used to cut herself "just to release the pain".

　　Emily, 15, a friend of three of the girls treated in June, said one was having family problems, one was "upsetthat day "and the third was "just upset with everything else going on". She said they weren't really trying to killthemselves--they just nceded coucern. As Sobo noted, "What's going on in New Milford is not unique to NewMilford. "The same underlying culture of despair could be found in any town. But teen suicide, he added, can be a"contagion". Right now New Milford has the bug--and has it bad.

　　56. What is the main subject of the. passage?

　　[A] Eight girls committed suicide in New Milford.

　　[B] The village Green is not a charming place.

　　[C] Teenager suicide.

　　[D] Dr. Simon Sobo's achievements.

　　57. In the 3rd sentence of the first paragraph the word " pressing" is closest in meaning to__________

　　[A] urgently important

　　[B] pushing

　　[C] inviting

　　[D] charming

　　58. What is NOT true about the eight girls?

　　[A] They are all between 12 and 17.

　　[B] They have tried a variety of measures.

　　[C] They attend a suicide squad.

　　[D] All their attempts to commit suicide are vital.

　　59. Which of the statements about the teens is NOT true?

　　[A] They are ill-bred students in school.

　　[B] Some of them take "real drugs".

　　[C] Teens need attention.

　　[D] A few casually display scars on their arms.

　　60. According to the passage, the teens in Village Green can be called__________

　　[A] depressed generation

　　[B] cool generation

　　[C] attractive generation

　　[D] prosperous generation