The first moving-picture theater was probably the work of Harry Davis, Pittsburgh's most p

rosperous showman. In 1904, he rented a storefront, filled the room with chairs, gaily decorated the exterior, and advertised the【C1】______of a "nickelodeon". It was a(n)【C2】______success.

Although Davis was the first one to use the name nickelodeon,【C3】______experiments were taking place in other parts of the country.【C4】______the country vaudeville(杂耍)managers, traveling exhibitors, and show businessmen【C5】______their jobs to set up their own nickel picture【C6】______. There was a great deal of money【C7】______in the business, but nickelodeon owners had to work hard to【C8】______their product. They could not afford to advertise【C9】______in the papers, but they could and【C10】______design their storefront facades to call attention to their shows — with oversized【C11】______, attraction boards, posters, and as many light bulbs as they had【C12】______for. To draw the attention of【C13】______, they set up photographs on the street side and hired【C14】______barkers: "It is only five cents. See the moving-picture show, see the wonders of Port Said tonight, and a shrieking comedy from real life,【C15】______for five cents. Step in this way and learn to laugh."

From our vantage(有利的)point in the 1990s — distracted【C16】______we are by television, radio, CD players and DVDs, it's difficult to recapture the【C17】______caused by the appearance of these first nickel theaters. For the【C18】______of the city's population, until now shut out of its theaters and commercial amusements, the sudden【C19】______of nickel shows within walking distance must have been【C20】______short of extraordinary.

【C1】

A．beginning

B．opening

C．operation

D．promotion