(B)

  The two main American political parties are the Democrats(民主党)and the Republicans(共和党). They are stood for by a donkey and an elephant. The reason comes from political cartoons. These are drawings that express opinions about political parties or candidates(候选人). Perhaps the most famous political cartoonist in American history was Thomas Nast. He lived more than 100 years ago. Thomas Nast used his drawings to show dishonesty and the illegal(违法的)use of power in government. His cartoons helped create public pressure on elected officials.

In 1870, newspapers supporting the Democratic Party denounced(公开指责)a former  Republican cabinet(内阁)member. Thomas Nast drew a cartoon in protest(抗议). He called it "A Live Jackass Kicking A Dead Lion". The dead lion stood for the cabinet member who was no longer in power. The jackass stood for the Democratic Party. "Jackass" is an old word for someone who is stupid or foolish. It is also another word for donkey. The picture of the donkey had been used many years earlier. Democratic President Andrew Jackson used it as his personal political symbol, after his opponents(对手)called him a jackass. Then it was used, sometimes, to mean the whole Democratic Party. It became established as the party symbol when Thomas Nast used it to stood for the Democrats.

Thomas Nast himself created the elephant as a symbol of the Republican Party. He first used it in a cartoon in 1874. And he continued to use the elephant to stand for the Republicans in many other cartoons. Soon, everyone thought of it as the Republican Party symbol. Today, after more than 100 years, the donkey and the elephant continue to stand for America’s two major political parties.

59.Thomas Nast was well-known for _____.

A. his political cartoon characters                B. the pictures of a donkey and an elephant

 C. his drawings of famous people in his time     D. the American Political Symbols                    

60.The purpose of creating the donkey cartoon is to ____.

 A. attract the public                                         B. laugh at the political leaders

 C. support the Democratic Party                            D. show his disagreement

61. Thomas Nast is described as _____.

 A. a member of the Democratic Party                     B. a member of the Republican Party

 C. a person who had great effect on politics        D. a person who cared for public affairs

62.The passage tells us something about _____.

 A. the two main American political parties in the USA 

 B. the political symbol of the two parties in the USA

 C. the struggle between the political parties

 D. the famous cartoonist Thomas Nast