An Australian film company has halted the preproduction of its upcoming film Deep Water because of eerie similarities the plot has to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.
MH370 disappeared from radar screens less than an hour after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing with 239 people on board on March 8.No confirmed sighting of the plane has been made since.
The action horror film, from Arclight Films, tells the story of a flight bound for China that mysteriously crashes in a remote stretch of ocean.The survivors then have to fight against hungry sharks as the plane is starting to sink.
“Out of sensitivity to the Malaysia flight situation，we’ve decided to put it on pause for now，”Arclight Films managing director Gary Hamilton told the Hollywood reporter Monday.
The news comes as Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak stated at a press conference that new analysis suggested the flight ended in the southern Indian Ocean，and that all those on board are now dead.
The eerily similar film plot had been promoted with the tagline (宣传词)：“Survivors of a plane crash face terror beyond imagination as the plane is starting to sink and soon discover they are surrounded by the deadliest natural born killers on earth.”
It’s not the first time Alister Grierson, the film’s director, has had a preference for film subjects of reallife disasters.Two weeks before the 2011 release of his best known film Sanctum, about an underwater cave diving expedition, Australia was hit by disastrous floods.
Grierson began preproduction on Deep Water at Village Roadshow Studios in Queensland weeks before the reallife incident of MH370.
The Queenslandbased filmmaker said he couldn’t deny the strange timing between his project and MH370.
Despite saying it was “mysterious” , he insists that his film is vastly different.
“In simple terms, Deep Water is about an accident that happens on an airplane which goes down in the ocean, and the survivors trying to stay alive afterwards.”
“It’s more complicated as there are villains (反面角色) and sharks, but it’s a fun adventure with thrills and scares. ”
It is unclear when the preproduction will restart, but it will be at least two years before the film makes it to cinemas.
Why has the preproduction of Deep Water been stopped?
| A．Because MH370 mysteriously disappeared after takeoff on March 8. |
| B．Because the plot of the film is similar to the reallife incident of MH370. |
| C．Because Malaysian Prime Minister was very sensitive at a press conference. |
| D．Because the film won’t make it to cinemas until two years later. |
【改编】Which of the following statements about Alister Grierson is not wrong?
| A．He is a film director on the missing flight MH370. |
| B．He is keen on the film subjects of reallife disasters. |
| C．He is famous for his best film Deep Water. |
| D．He worked with Arclight Films to make Sanctum. |
The underlined word “eerie” in the first paragraph means “________”．
| A．strange | B．funny |
| C．deadly | D．sensitive |
Where will you most probably read this article?
| A．In a popular science magazine. |
| B．In Queensland Financial Daily. |
| C．In an entertainment special column. |
| D．In a disaster report of MH370. |
The writers of murder stories go to a great deal of trouble to keep us guessing right up to the end. In actual fact, people often behave more strangely in real life than they do in stories.
The following advertisement once appeared in a local newspaper: "An opportunity to earn $250 in a few minutes. A man willing to take chances is wanted for an out-of-the-ordinary job which can be performed only once." A reader found this offer very generous and applied to the advertiser, but being a bit suspicious, he gave a false name. Soon afterwards, he received a reply. Enclosed in the envelope was a typed note instructing him to ring a certain number if he was still interested. He did so and learned on the telephone that the advertiser wanted him "to get rid of somebody" and would discuss it more fully with him the next day. But the man told the police and from then on acted under their instructions.
The police saw the two men met and watched them as they drove away together. In the car the advertiser came to the point at once: he told the man he wanted him to shoot his wife. The reason he gave was that he was suffering from an incurable disease and wanted to live in a warmer country，but his wife objected to this. Giving the man some money，the advertiser told him to buy a gun and warned him to be careful of the dog which，though it would not bite，might attract attention. He also gave him a photograph of his wife so that he would be able to recognize her，After that，the advertiser suggested that the man should "do the job" next morning. Meanwhile，he would prepare his wife by telling her that a young man was going to call. After the murder，they would meet again outside a railway station and the money would be paid as arranged. The second meeting never took place，for the advertiser was arrested shortly afterwards and charged with attempting to persuade someone to murder his wife.What can we infer from paragraph one?
| A．While reading murder stories, we have to guess at the end of the stories. |
| B．While reading murder stories, we have to guess from the beginning to the end. |
| C．People usually behave more strangely in murder stories than in real life. |
| D．It is very easy for writers of murder stories to have readers guessing. |
The underlined word “suspicious” in paragraph two means _________?
| A．doubtful | B．sure |
| C．persuaded | D．unexpected |
Why did the man put an advertisement in a local newspaper?
| A．To have his wife killed because he doubt whether she still loved him. |
| B．To ask someone to buy a gun for him and then he would kill his wife. |
| C．To hire someone to kill his wife because he didn’t love her any more. |
| D．To hire someone to kill himself because he was seriously ill. |
【改编】Where did the advertiser wish the man to shoot his wife?
| A．In the car | B．At a railway station |
| C．In his house | D．The passage didn’t tell. |
From the passage, we can learn that___________.
| A．The advertiser wrote a letter to the reader to ask him to call a number. |
| B．The reader was in great need of money, so he wanted to get the job. |
| C．The dog in the advertiser’s house was very fierce. |
| D．The advertiser was caught by the police right after he met the reader. |
I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch(养马场). He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events. The last time I was there he introduced me by saying: “I want to tell you a story. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’
“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive an F?’ The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, ‘If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ Finally, after a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.’ ”
Monty then turned to the group present and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two years ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week. When the teacher was leaving, he said, ‘Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough courage not to give up yours.’ ”
“Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what,” Monty at last concluded. The teacher asked the boy to rewrite the paper because __________.
| A．the boy was too poor to achieve his dream |
| B．the teacher doubted his chance of success |
| C．the boy was not good enough to achieve his goal |
| D．the teacher looked down on the boy absolutely |
Which of the following could best express the teacher’s feelings when she said the words before leaving the ranch two years ago?
| A．Regretful and proud. | B．Regretful and guilty. |
| C．Honest and sorry. | D．Embarrassed and proud. |
【改编】Monty told the story to say that __________.
| A．If you don’t agree with the teacher, you should talk with him\her. |
| B．If your dream is beyond reach, give it up and be realistic. |
| C．Your dream will come true as long as you stick to it however hard it is. |
| D．The teacher made little difference to his students. |
What would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Set a practical goal | B．Try to be realistic |
| C．Prove yourself through success | D．Keep your dream |
The stories we share with one another are important. They show wisdom and provide inspiration. They are important to our development. But sometimes people choose not to tell.
Consider the negative effects of not sharing a story in the news: People are wondering if public health officials are holding back too much information about the recent outbreak of Ebola.
There is a danger in holding back stories that ought to be told. Bobette Buster said it like this, “The fact is, history has shown us that stories not told can become like a dangerous genie (妖怪) left in a bottle. When they are finally uncorked, their power to destroy is set free.”
There are a number of reasons why we hide parts of our story: they often show our weaknesses or expose our disadvantages; they require courage and strength to share; and of course, there are some stories that should be kept secret—especially those that embarrass someone else.
Most of us have two selves: the one we display on the outside and the one we actually are on the inside. And the better we get at hiding the stories that show our true selves, the more damage we may be causing to ourselves and to others.
Honesty and openness is important: It proves we are trustworthy. It displays we are human. We are not perfect or better. It highlights the importance of hard work and personal development. Hard work may not allow us to overcome our disadvantages completely. But with hard work, we do not have to be restricted to our mistakes.
Does this mean we admit every weakness, every disadvantage, and every secret regret to everybody we meet? No, of course not. There is a time and a place and a certain level of relationship necessary for some stories to be told in an appropriate manner.What’s the function of the example in Paragraph 2?
| A．It reflects that people are concerning about the spread of Ebola. |
| B．It shows the bad effect caused by sharing a story. |
| C．It proves not sharing a story can cause trouble. |
| D．It concludes that one should share a story at a proper time. |
One of the reasons why people are unwilling to share experiences is that _______.
| A．story-sharing highlights the importance of hard work |
| B．people are used to exposing their weaknesses |
| C．people sometimes have no courage to share their stories |
| D．some stories make themselves feel uneasy |
Which is close in meaning to the underlined word “uncorked” in Paragraph 3?
| A．freed | B．broken | C．unfolded | D．untouched |
The writer aims to convince us to _______.
| A．be open to people close to you by sharing some secrets |
| B．share stories appropriately for the good of others and ourselves |
| C．remove the dangers that can be caused by untold stories |
| D．realize the importance of being honest when making friends |
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch. In addition to our exhibition galleries, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end. There are many things to do at the Museum in DC. We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults. We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours & Admission: Open every day except December 25. Admission is free.
Regular Hours: 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Extended Hours: 10: 00 am to 7: 30 pm
December 26—30, 2014.
March 30—April 20, 2015.
Fridays and Saturdays, April 24—May 16, 2015.
May 17—September 7, 2015.
VISITING TIPS:
Limit the Number of Bags: All visitors are screened through metal detectors upon entry. The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry. Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items, which include pocket knives and tripods (三脚架). Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food and Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum. You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food Court, not in the Museum. Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use. However, tripods and monopods (单脚架) are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty. Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center:
At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Phone: 202-633-2214
E-mail: NASM-VisitorServices@ si. eduAccording to the passage, the National Air and Space Museum is a museum _______.
| A．where only adults can take part in some educational activities |
| B．everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets |
| C．where one can touch anything he likes |
| D．everyone can visit without time limits all the year round |
If the Greens plan to visit the Museum at 6: 00 pm, it is accessible on _______.
| A．December 24, 2014 (Wednesday) | B．March 1, 2015 (Sunday) |
| C．July 6, 2015 (Monday) | D．September 15, 2015 (Tuesday) |
A visitor to the museum can _______.
| A．eat and drink in the Museum or in the Food Court |
| B．take photos with tripods for personal use |
| C．bring fewer bags to go through metal detectors |
| D．get some medical treatment if he suddenly falls ill |
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
| A．make an advertisement for the museum |
| B．attract people to explore the universe |
| C．encourage adults to bring their children there |
| D．show what is on display in the museum |
CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKETHIS? Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a second thought. Actually, the ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc. The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They • put • something • that • can • separate • words • in • a • sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a dot.
When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points. The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma (逗号).
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark (感叹号) comes from the Latin word io. It means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question.
Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example the “interrobang”. This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized yet, but its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.From the first paragraph, we can know that _______.
| A．good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks |
| B．a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece |
| C．ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks |
| D．the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times |
The passage is developed _______.
| A．by time | B．by space |
| C．by comparison | D．by importance |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks |
| B．exclamation and question marks came from Latin |
| C．spaces and slashes were already used before the 5th century |
| D．Aldus Manutius first started to use commas |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
| A．The combination of two marks will not work. |
| B．It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks. |
| C．Old punctuation marks need to be standardized. |
| D．Punctuation marks are still changing today. |
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