Tickets for a Dutch rock festival next year have been

snapped up

within hours despite the fact that buyers had no idea who will be playing. Organisers were selling the tickets early to avoid a big tax increase on live performances, which

comes into effect

on 1 January. Fans who managed to secure one of the 45,000 tickets saved themselves $26 each. Well, let's just hope they'll be as pleased when they find out the festival's line-up.

BBC World Service News

1.personally adv.本人地；亲自地

例句：The owner of the hotel welcomed us personally.

这家旅馆的主人亲自欢迎我们。

2.initiative n. 主动性,主动精神，商业信函中用到这次一般是指的行动和计划

3.imminent adj.(通常指不愉快的事)即将发生的, 逼近的，临近的

例句：The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.

乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。

4.notify vt.通知, 告知, 报告

例句：When my guest arrives, please notify me.

我的客人到的时候, 请通知我。

5.besiege vt.包围; 围困; 围攻

例句：The enemy were besieged by us.

敌军被我们包围住了。

6.mistreatment n.虐待

例句：the physical mistreatment of children.

在身体上对儿童的虐待

7.demolish vt.摧毁; 推翻; 拆毁(尤指大建筑物)