Like any awards ceremony of its age, the Oscars, now in its 85th year, has been trying hard to change.
So how did that go this year? When host Seth MacFarlane noted in his opening speech that it was the first time the Academy Awards had a theme, I thought: “well, that’s a good start.”
But when he revealed that the theme was a tribute to(向…致敬) musicals, I was less sure. After all, it’s not the first time that musicals have featured at the Oscars.
In 2007, the cast of Dream-girls gave a special performance directed by movie director and musical veteran(经验丰富的老手) Bill Condon. Then there was the memorable 2009 show hosted by Hugh Jackman, who screams musicals. With Beyonce Knowles and Anne Hathaway, he performed several hit songs from move musical. And in 2010, how did Neil Patrick Harris introduce the hosts? By performing a musical number.
So I guess the Oscars could have done better this year. But I must admit, there were more music performances in the three-and-a –half-hour show than ever before. This suggests the Oscars has dropped some of its arrogance and wants to offer audiences more entertainment.
It’s a timely move as the Golden Globes, also known as the “big party,” has become a threat to the Oscars, stealing viewers and even its reputation. Just look at the Oscars’ winning list this year.
You can’t blame the academy for wanting to stick it to the Golden Globes. While they hired Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to host the show—certainly more audience-friendly than MacFarlane— and Bill Clinton was invited as a presenter, who did viewers get at the Oscars? The First Lady of the US, Michelle Obama.
Way to go, Oscar! We know you’re struggling to look fresh and young, but don’t lose the pride and dignity that made you one biggest honor in the movie industry. Don’t ever let that change.Examples are given in Para.4 to show that__________.
| A．the Oscars has been trying hard to change |
| B．the Oscars’ theme is a tribute to musicals |
| C．it is not the first time that the Oscars has had a theme |
| D．musicals are not a new feature this year |
What disappoints the writer is that__________.
| A．the Oscars didn’t invite Bill Clinton as a presenter |
| B．the show took as long as three and a half hours |
| C．the Oscars has lost some pride and dignity to cater to the audiences |
| D．the Oscars is no longer fresh and young |
Which of the following is true of the Golden Globes?
| A．It gave an award to the First Lady of the US, Michelle Obama. |
| B．Its host and hostess had better reputation. |
| C．It has become highly competitive with the Academy Awards. |
| D．It is more friendly to the audience. |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Nothing new, but well done |
| B．So old, still young |
| C．New start, good change |
| D．Too old to change |
It was once thought that air pollution only affected the area immediately around large cities with factories or heavy automobile traffic. Today we know that although these are the areas with the worst air pollution, the problem is actually worldwide. On several occasions over the past ten years, a heavy cloud of air pollution has covered the entire eastern half of the United States and led to health warning even in rural areas away from any major concentration of big factories or automobile. In fact, the very climate of the entire earth may be affected by air pollution. Some scientist feel that the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the air resulting from the burning of coal and oil is creating a "green house" effect--holding in heat reflected from the earth and raising the world's average temperature. If this view is correct and the world's temperature is raised only a few degrees, much of the polar ice will disappear and cities, such as New York, Boston, Miami, and New Orleans will be under water.
Another view, less widely held, is that increasing particulate matter (颗粒物质) in the atmosphere is blocking sunlight and lowering the earth's temperature--a result that would be equally disastrous. A drop of just a few degrees could create something close to new ice age and would make agriculture difficult or impossible in many of our top farming areas. At present we do not know for sure that either of these conditions will happen (though one recent government report prepared by experts in this field concluded that the green house effect is very likely). Perhaps, if we are lucky enough, the two trends will offset each other and the world's temperature will stay about the same as it is now.
72. As far as the green house effect is concerned, the author_________.
A. shares the same view with the scientist
B. is not sure that it will happen
C. thinks it impossible because there is no strong evidence
D. thinks it will destroy the world soon
73. According to what we read in the passage, _________.
A. raising the world's temperature only a few degrees would do no harm to life on the earth
B. lowering the world's temperatures only a few degrees would lead many major farming areas to disaster
C. the temperature in the countryside will remain permanent in the years to come
D. the particulate matter in the atmosphere has lowered the world's average temperature
74. The word "offset" in the last sentence means_________.
A. strengthen B. worsen C. balance D. support
75. This passage is mainly about_________.
A. the pollution caused by human beings B. the green house effect
C. the potential effect of air pollution D. the possibility of a new ice age
.
Kathryn Bigelow has become the first female ever to win a Best Director Oscar. "There's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime," said Bigelow, at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, on Sunday.
She was up against the highest grossing (卖座的) film of all time, Avatar. But Bigelow's small-budget film, The Hurt Locker, swept the awards with six trophies(奖项) including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and the big one: Best Picture. All eyes were on Bigelow, as her movie about the Iraq War beat Avatar to the major awards. This was sweetened by the fact that Avatar's director, James Cameron, is her ex-husband. Bigelow was only the fourth female ever to be nominated for Best Director.
"I think the journey for women, no matter what venue it is-politics, business, film-it's a long journey." said Bigelow. Ironically Bigelow's cinematic journey could not have strayed (偏离) farther from the path of female directors before her. Her filmography is filled with action movies that are low on female leads and high on guns and steel. Her films focus on men: their fears, bonds and personalities.
Point Break was her breakout film in 1991. The action film features Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent who goes undercover to investigate a gang of surfing bank robbers. The Hurt Locker is in the same style. Many scenes feature dramatic conflicts of clashing (冲突的)male personalities.
By focusing on these male relationships, critics praised The Hurt Locker for avoiding obvious political statements (something Avatar was heavily criticized for), and instead painting a truthful picture of modem war.
And is there an entertaining end to the story of Bigelow's victory? She won on International Women's Day.
68. The underlined word "nominated" can be replaced by_________.
A. awarded B. recommended C. appointed D. criticized
69. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Bigelow and the director of Avatar is a couple.
B. The Hurt Locker won all the six Oscar trophies.
C. The film Point Break changes Bigelow's style
D. The Oscar award ceremony was held on March, 8th.
70. The main reason why critics favor The Hurt Locker is that_________.
A. it's the most successful action film
B. it shows the damage that war brings to nature
C. it avoids obvious political statements
D. it shows us what modern war is really like
71. The passage is most likely to be found in_________.
A. a poster B. advertisement C. a magazine D. a booklet
Culture shock begins with the "honeymoon stage". This is the period of time when we first arrive in which everything about the new culture is strange and exciting. We may be suffering from "jet lag" but we are thrilled to be in the new environment, seeing new sights, hearing new sounds and language, eating new kinds of food. This stage can last for quite a long time because we feed we are involved in some kind of great adventure.
Unfortunately, the second stage can be more difficult. After we have settled down into our new life, we can be very tired and begin to miss our homeland and our family, friends, pets. All the little problems in life seem to be much bigger and more disturbing when you face them in a foreign culture. This period of cultural adjustment can be very difficult and lead to the new arrival of rejecting or pulling away from the new culture.
The third stage is called the "adjustment stage". This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture. Your sense of humor usually becomes stronger and you realize that you are becoming stronger by learning to take care of yourself in the new place. Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor.
The fourth stage can be called "at ease at last". Now you feel quite comfortable in your new surroundings. You can cope with most problems that occur. You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to deal with them.
There is a fifth stage of culture shock which many people don't know about. This is called "reverse culture shock". Surprisingly, this occurs when you back to your native culture and find that you have changed and that things there have changed while you have been away. Now you feel a little uncomfortable back home. Life is a struggle!
64. When does culture shock happen?
A. When you reach your teens
B. When you move to a big city
C. When you meet foreign people for the first time
D. When you go to live in a foreign country
65. How do you feel during the first stage of culture shock?
A. Lonely and depressed B. Bored and homesick
C. Happy and excited D. Angry and frustrated
66. One's sense of humor becomes stronger in the "adjustment stage" because_________.
A. he gradually gets used to the language and culture
B. he has to understand jokes in a new culture
C. humor can help him to become stronger
D. he often plays jokes on others to be popular
67. Why might reverse culture shock be a problem?
A. It hardly ever happens. B. It is extremely stressful.
C. Most people do not expect it. D. It only happens to young people.
Students throughout the world spend their money in different ways. A detailed study on student spending indicated that young people's spending habits have changed greatly over the past few years. The study also says that the change is about the same around the world, however. Here are some examples of popular student spending habits---both healthy and also unhealthy---around the world today.
Students these days have too much brand awareness, so their spending on clothes is now quite high. On average, students buy one or two complete sets of new clothes each month, and this makes their total spending higher.
Student spending shows quite an up-and-down pattern as they get older. Students spend a lot more money in high school than before their high school years because when they enter high school, their exposure (接触到) to branded goods increases. As the students get close to graduation, their expenses start to go down. This is the time when they have to become more responsible about money and start to understand its importance.
Students also spend a lot more on entertainment than their parents did when they were young, because of the easy access to entertainment these days. Shopping is considered to be quite entertaining because of all the different forms of amusement presented by shopping malls. These attract students to buy things.
Student spending on food hasn't increased much, but there has been a marked increase in the use of alcohol. There are several more places in which students can drink now. The culture of having parties has also grown a lot among students too, and students usually end up spending a lot on alcohol in such places.
This is not such a bad situation, actually. The study indicates that although student spending has shot through the roof, at the same time, they are financially much stronger today than they were in the past. This is compensation (补偿，回报), and probably it is just another branch of the life that we are living in this speedily advancing world.
60. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Unhealthy student spending habits.
B. Why student spending is changing.
C. How a student should spend money.
D. A study on student spending.
61. Why do students spend less money just before graduation?
A. They see fewer products.
B. They are more conscious of the value of money.
C. They have no time to entertain themselves or go shopping.
D. Their spending on clothing goes down.
62. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Student spending habits are becoming worse and worse.
B. Today's students spend more money on entertainment than on clothing.
C. Today's students are better at earning money than their parents.
D. Student spending on food has increased the least.
63. Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage?
①Paragraph 1; ②="Paragraph" 2; ③="Paragraph" 3; ④="Paragraph" 4;
⑤="Paragraph" 5; ⑥="Paragraph" 6;
三、阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
请阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选题，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, "Mom, I can't peel potatoes. I have only one hand."
Mom never looked up from sewing. "You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me, "And don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!"
In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod (杆) to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.
That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her "we'll see about that" look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.
"Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I'll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.
One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. "Morn," I said, weeping, "none of the boys would dance with me."
For a tong time, I didn't hear anything. Then she said, "Oh, honey, someday you'll be beating those boys off with a bat." Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.
56. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom's attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?
A. Cruel. B. Serious. C. Strict. D. Cold.
57. What does the sentence "I saw her 'we'll see about that' look" imply?
A. Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.
B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.
C. Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.
D. What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.
58. When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open because_________.
A. they felt sorry for what they had done before
B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt
C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars
D. they were astonished to find the author's progress
59. The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is_________.
A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep
B. the child's experience reminded Mom of that of her own
C. Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph
D. in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child's growth
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