SAN FRANCISCO — Sales for Apple’s third generation iPad has hit record in the first days after it was on the market Apple and carrier (电信公司) AT&T said on Monday.

The new iPad went on sale on March 16 in the United States along with nine additional countries and areas.

“We had a record weekend and we are thrilled with it ” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said Monday at a conference.

Shortly after the conference call AT&T said the launch of the new iPad set a new single-day record for its sales.

“On Friday March 16 AT&T set a new single-day record for its iPad sales showing strong demand for the new iPad on the nation’s largest 4G network ” said the mobile carrier in a brief announcement.

The new iPad is Apple’s first 4G-capable product featuring retina (视网膜) display HD camera and faster processor. Before hitting stores the new iPad pre-sales were sold out worldwide in two days.

BEIJING — A Chinese farmer was sentenced to 13 years in prison Monday for stealing art pieces from the Forbidden City last year court authorities said.

Shi Baikui 27 was fined 13 000 yuan ($2 059) and was deprived (剥夺) of his political rights for 3 years according to the ruling announced by the Second Intermediate People’s Court in Beijing Monday morning.

Shi from East China’s Shandong Province broke into the heavily guarded former home of Chinese emperors in the heart of Beijing and stole nine art pieces made of gold and jewels on May 8 2011 the court said in a statement.

While hurriedly escaping Shi left behind five of the pieces in the Forbidden City’s compound(场地). Failing to immediately sell the treasures he threw the other four pieces away the next day the document said.

Six pieces were recovered and the three missing were worth about 150 000 yuan ($23 760) in total.

Shi was arrested by police at an Internet café in Beijing’s Fengtai district 58 hours after the theft.

56. We can infer from the news that the new iPad ______.

A. was sold out on Mar. 16                 B. is more advanced than the last version

C. is cheaper than other cell phones          D. is sold only in the United States.

57. The new iPad is so popular because _______.

A. it’s better equipped                   B. it’s made in the United States

C. it is Apple’s first product               D. it depends on the nation’s largest 4G network

58. What can we learn about the stolen art pieces?

A. They were all recovered.                

B. They were all sold off.

C. Some were left behind and some were thrown away.

D. Some were missing and some were sold off.

59. Which of the following is true?

A. No one guarded the Forbidden City.

B. The thief was sentenced to three years in prison.

C. The nine art pieces were worth about 150 000 yuan.

D. The thief was caught two days later.