Good evening. I have come to Jerusalem today as a novelist, which is to say as a professional
spinner of lies.
Today, however, I have no intention of lying. I will try to be as honest as I can. There are only a few days in the year when I do not engage in telling lies, and today happens to be one of them.
So let me tell you the truth. In Japan a fair number of people advised me not to come here to accept the Jerusalem Prize. Some even warned me they would instigate a boycott of my books if I came. The reason for this, of course, was the fierce fighting that was raging in Gaza.
Finally, however, after careful consideration, I made up my mind to come here. One reason for my decision was that all too many people advised me not to do it. Perhaps, like many other novelists, I tend to do the exact opposite of what I am told. If people are telling me-- and especially if they are warning me-- “Don’t go there,” “Don’t do that,” I tend to want to “go there” and “do that”. It’s in my nature, you might say, as a novelist. Novelists are a special breed. They cannot genuinely trust anything they have not seen with their own eyes or touched with their own hands.
And that is why I am here. I chose to come here rather than stay away. I chose to see for myself rather than not to see. I chose to speak to you rather than to say nothing.
Please do allow me to deliver a message, one very personal message. It is something that I always keep in mind while I am writing fiction. I have never gone so far as to write it on a piece of paper and paste it to the wall: rather, it is carved into the wall of my mind, and it goes something like this:
“Between a high, solid wall and an egg that breaks against it, I will always stand on the side of the egg.”
I have only one reason to write novels, and that is to bring the dignity of the individual soul to the surface and shine a light upon it. The purpose of a story is to sound an alarm, to keep a light trained on the System in order to prevent it from tangling our souls in its web and demeaning them. I truly believe it is the novelist’s job to keep trying to clarify the uniqueness of each individual soul by writing stories--stories of life and death, stories of love, stories that make people cry and quake with fear and shake with laughter. This is why we go on, day after day, concocting fictions with utter seriousness.
46.What made the writer decide to come to Jerusalem?
A.He wanted to accept the Jerusalem Prize.
B.A fair number of people advised him to.
C.too many people advised me not to do it and he chose to some here rather than stay away.
D.He wanted to write novels in Jerusalem.
47.From the passage, we can know the writer is man who_____________
A.is afraid of others’ opinions.
B.braves to express his opinions.
C.trusts anything others talk.
D.hates anything and writes to the pubic.
48.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.the purpose of writing for the writer is to bring the dignity of the individual soul to the
surface and shine a light upon it.
B.Novelists hardly trust anything they have not seen with their own eyes or touched with
their own hands.
C.The writer’s writing stories just wanted to make people cry and quake with fear and shake
with laughter.
D.The writer comes from Japan and chose to speak to the public.
49.What did the writer mean by saying : “I always stand on the edge of the egg?”
A.He thought he was so weak.
B.He wanted to be an egg.
C.He didn’t like the wall.
D.He wanted to fight with the strong society for his dream.
50.Where does this passage come from?
A.a speech from awarding meeting
B.a discussion from a novelist
C.a debate from Japanese
D.a warning from a meeting
III.阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节:阅读理解(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下面短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A serious problem for today's society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives.It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society.I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees.To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose.But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual.This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement.This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly.This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions.Furthermore, some institutions should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them.Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer.The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages.Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
41.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The problems faced by the old in society.
B.Why we should take responsibility for the old.
C.How we can improve the lives of the old.
D.Where the old can go to get their pensions.
42.According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
A.Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire.
B.Increase savings levels of people during their working years.
C.Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old.
D.Make available pensions for those who have retired.
43.The underlined word "viable" most probably means"______________".
A.impossible B.practical C.useful D.important
44.What can be concluded from the passage?
A.Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money.
B.Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age.
C.Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people.
D.There is no single solution to the problems of the old.
45.What is the writer's main purpose in writing this article?
A.To point out the need for government support for old people.
B.To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people.
C.To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem.
D.To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life.
V.根据对话内容,从对话后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项
------You are lucky to be in such a big city where everything is wonderful.
------I don’t think so___61___
------Why? City life seems very interesting and comfortable.
------__62__You see citizen are forced to accept an unnatural way of life. They can hardly enjoy sunshine because of tall buildings around their houses.
------That’s terrible._63__
------Yes perhaps, but the cost of living is much higher. _64_____
-------I haven’t thought of that. Now I’d rather live in my village all my life. Would you like to go to the country for a change?
-------Great!__65____
A.But working in a big city means much more money |
B.I don’t have intereste in city life. |
C.I think county life is as interesting as city life.. |
D.Not really. |
E.Sometimes people can’t make ends meet these days.
F.So it is.
G..I’d love if I’m free.
NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad
memories. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a scary events. They hope it might reduce ,or possibly erase,the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body producing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives . They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman.
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories make us different from others. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure whether we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
56.What does the underlined word “erase” mean?
A. change B remove C add D forgive
57. The passage is mainly about ________ .
A. a new medical invention
B. a new research on the pill
C. a way of erasing painful memories
D. the argument about the research on the pill
58. The drug tested on people can ___________ .
A. cause the brain to fix memories
B. stop people remembering bad events
C. prevent body producing certain chemicals
D. wipe out the bad memories
59. Which of the following statements is TRUE? .
A. Some people doubt whether the pills should be used to help people forget bad memories.
B. the pill will stop people's bad memories.
C. taking the pill will do harm to people's health
D. the pill has been produced in America
60. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?
A. Some memories can ruin people's lives.
B. People want to get rid of bad memories.
C. Having bad events makes us different from others.
D. The pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories
IV:阅读理解(共20小题,每题2分,满分40分)
Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test? Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem. It has bad effects on their ability to study, so do their test results.
If so, use these tips to help you.
Study Techniques
You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.
Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking Skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts a few months.
Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also improve your concentration. Eat healthy food too.
When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.
41. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored.
B. Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time.
C. Check the time during the exam at a certain time.
D.Staying up all night is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method.
42. What does the underlined word “it” refer to?
A. Your study desk or table. B. Your textbook.
C. Your dictionary. D. The equipment you need.
43. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test.
B.You will have enough energy to deal with and concentrate on your study and exams
better by eating healthy diet.
C. You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you.
D. If you need a break during study, you can walk around for a few minutes.
V. 根据对话内容,从对话后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。(共5分)
— Can I help you?
— Yes, I am looking for a sweater.
— 61
— I am an extra large.
— 62
— Yes, that’s nice. 63
— Certainly, there is a changing room over there.
— Thank you.
— 64
— Oh, I am so sorry, it doesn’t fit me, Do you have a larger?
— 65
— Thank you. I will have it, please.
A.How dose it fit? |
B.How about this one? |
C.Can I try it on? |
D.Yes, let me have a look. |
E. What size are you?
F. How would you like to pay?
G. Yes, here you are.
In the past, when people had problems, they went to their families or friends to get advice.
Today it is possible to get advice from radio shows, TV programmes and telephone hot lines, too. A hot line is a telephone line that offers a direct way of getting in touch with advisers .Most hot lines are completely anonymous ,that is to say , callers do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are usually free. Callers do not have to pay for the advice or the phone calls, even if the calls are long distance ones. At some hot lines, the advisers are volunteers. Other hot lines pay their advisers for their work. Usually the advisers are full-time people with years of education and experience, but sometimes, the advisers have only taken a short training before starting to work on the hot lines. All the advisers listen to people and help them solve their problems
56. A hot line is a telephone line_________
A that is hot B through which people get advice
C whose number no one knows D through which callers take a short training
57. the underlined word“anonymous”in the passage means_________in Chinese.
A secret B well-known C exact D wonderful
58. When people call the hot line advisers, they_________
A often give their names and telephone numbers
B generally have to pay for the long distance calls
C usually pay nothing for most of the calls and advice
D always try to get in touch with the volunteer advisers
59. The advisers working at hot lines _________
A have all been trained for a short time
B are all volunteers
C have all received years of education
D are not all paid
60 The writer of the passage seems to think that_________
A hot lines help the callers a lot
B advisers will solve all of the callers’ problems
C people had better pay for the advice
D people will not get advice from their families or friends
Leaves are nature’s food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and CO2 into glucose(葡萄糖).Glucose is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy to grow. The way plants turn water and CO2 into glucose is called photosynthesis (光合作用).That means “putting together with light .” A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is green. It gives plants their green colour. As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees “know” to begin getting ready for winter.
During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis .The trees will rest, and live on the food they have stored during the summer. They begin to close their food-making factories. The green Chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. Then, we begin to see yellow and orange colours. A few of these colors stay in the leaves all the time. We just can’t see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green Chlorophyll.
Red and purple colors we see in leaves are made mostly in the autumn. In some trees, like maples, glucose is stored in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn turn this glucose into red. The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves.
52 the underlined word“chlorophyll” in the first Para means_________in Chinese.
A 叶绿素 B 氧气 C 胡萝卜素 D 蛋白质
53 The way _________is called photosynthesis.
A Plants get CO2 from the air B plants take water from the ground
C plants turn water and CO2 into glucose. D Plants use glucose as food for energy to grow.
54 The gas called carbon dioxide is from the_________
A ground B roots C air D sunlight
55 Which of the following is not true?
A.when autumn and winter come, the days get shorter and shorter. |
B.During winter trees rest and live on the food they store during the summer.’ |
C.During winter small amounts of yellow and orange colors are kept in the leaves all the time. |
D.Trees begin to stop making food in summer. |
American doctors say that mothers who smoke cigarettes before their babies are born may slow the growth of their babies’ lungs. They say reduced lung growth could cause the babies to suffer breathing problems and lung diseases later in life. Doctors in Boston studied 1,100 children. The mothers of some of the children smoked, the other mothers did not. Doctors found that the lungs of the children whose mothers smoked were 8% less developed than the lungs of the children whose mothers did not smoke, and that the children whose mother smoked developed 20% more cold and breathing diseases than other children later in life.
Another recent study found that children had a greater chance of developing lung cancer if their mothers smoked. The study also showed that the danger of lung cancer increased only for sons and not for daughters, and that the father’s smoking did not affect a child’s chance of developing lung cancer
49. Whose baby would have breathing diseases?
A.Mother who smokes cigarettes after their baby are born
B.Mother who smokes cigarettes before their baby are born
C.Mother who don’t smoke at all
D.Mother whose mother smokes
50. Suppose John’s father was a heavy smoker, so was Mary’ mother. According to this study, _________.
A. John is more likely to develop lung cancer B. Mary is more likely to develop lung cancer
C. Mary and John have the same chance to develop lung cancer
D. Neither John and Mary has the chance to develop lung cancer
51. This passage is to __________.
A. warn us of the danger of smoking before children.
B. warn people with breathing problems not to smoke.
C. warn us that mothers who smoke may affect their children’s health.
D. warn us that fathers who smoke may affect their children as mothers
Speaking of Copenhagen, what do you think of? The little Mermaid, the fairy tale writer H.C. Anderson, the COP15 meetings , or a city where people bike even though they have cars.
When landing on Copenhagen Tasstrup Airport, you can see numbers of white propeller generators standing in the blue waterfront. The constant moving paddles are producing renewable energy to the city. During the recent Climate Change Conference, the city was introduced to the world as an example of climate-friendly city. Evidences other than wind power stations were obvious everywhere.
While private cars can be a great source of pollution in other cities, the main form of transport in the capital of Denmark is, however, public transportation. By public transportation, I mean one of very good quality. Buses are usually Volvo and most of the traffic lights are of Siemens. Additionally, buses, metros and intercity-trains (named S-train) are well equipped, constantly maintained, special and good-looking. The seats in the trains are of sofa-designed. Sticky gum or dirty spot rarely appear. Thanks to a small population, it is much easier to maintain the condition of the vehicles. Free wireless internet service is provided in S-trains. Seats are always possible even at rush hours if the passenger is patient enough to look for it. Taking the convenience for granted, Danish people find it hard to imagine how the metro in Tokyo can be as crowded as a “sardin can”. Pets and baby-wagons are allowed in buses, subways and S-trains. All the facilities enable better service to bigger passenger group. It is also notable that the mass transit uses green fuels and electricity.
Cars are common in Copenhagen, but people have an alternative of short distance transport: bikes. Denmark is known as bike-friendly for many reasons, such as flat land, splendid cycle ways, and the Danish fond of motion. But please be aware that riding a bike in Copenhagen is not like biking in Beijing. First of all, it is quite speedy. Many people ride to work every morning. Punctuality is important and they have to ride as fast as possible to be on time. So why not speed up? Not my philosophy. As a result, I am often hastened by impatient riders who unfortunately piled up after me. Second, considering the speed, bike helmets, front and back lights and other necessary accessories are required. Riders need to set a white light in the front of the bike and red light at the back. One may end up with a big fine if not riding with them.
72. In the passage we get to know that _____.
A.all energy come from wind power stations
B.different kinds of green energy keep this city running
C.a lot of electricity is imported from other countries
D.people in this city use little energy
73. S-trains are a kind of transportation______.
A. which send their passengers from one city to another.
B. which uses wind to run their ways
C. which is the only way for you to go from one city to another.
D. which you are not allowed to take if you take a pet.
74. In the last paragraph what does “Punctuality” mean?
A. Being fit B. Not being scolded C. Not being late D. Speeding
75. In Copenhagen if you ride too slow ,_____
A. you will be fined by police.
B. it means that you need to buy a better bike.
C. you may block the traffic flow.
D. many bike riders will shout at you.
In a recently published book , I came across some exercises with interesting names such as fishbone diagrams , lotus flowers and clustering . As I used these exercises in my classes , I noticed that students were interested . They said more and wrote more . They enjoyed expressing their ideas and sharing them in groups .They were no longer passively waiting for the bell, but actively took part in the lesson . I find that creativity can act as a way to increase participation and improve fluency (流利程度).
Creativity has become a popular word in recent years . Scholars in the arts ,psychology (心理学), business , education , and science are all working to get a deeper understanding of it . Robert J. Sternberg is a creativity specialist and Yale professor of psychology . He defines creativity as “the ability to produce work that is both new (original )and appropriate (applicable to the situation )”. This definition is useful, as we want our students to use language in a new way , and to use it correctly and properly . Most scholars say there are two types of creativity : big “C” creativity and small “c” creativity. Big “C” creativity refers to genius level thinking that results in artistic masterpieces and scientific breakthroughs . Small “c” creativity refers to everyday level thinking that can be used in any situation . Our emphasis is on the latter . While it goes without saying that any of our students could go on to be the next Picasso or Edison , our aim is to help students produce more ideas and use language in new ways .
64.The underlined words “waiting for the bell” in the first paragraph probably mean _________.
A.longing for a phone call B.hoping to have a bell
C.expecting the end of the class D.wanting to speak in class
65.It can be inferred from the passage that the author thought the exercises in the book were__________
A.popular B.useful C.scientific D.creative
66.When you use a very familiar word in a new way , you are__________.
A.creative in the sense of big “C” creativity
B.creative in the sense of small “c” creativity
C.not creative in the sense of big “c” creativity
D.not creative in the sense of small “c” creativity
67.The main purpose of the passage is to__________.
A.show how useful the book is B.explain what creativity is
C.discuss how one can be creative D.tell what teaching aims at
Today almost everyone knows computers and the Internet.If I ask you “What is the most important in your life?” maybe you will say “Computers and the Internet.”
The first computer was made in 1946.It was very big but it worked slowly Today computers are getting smaller and smaller.But they work faster and faster.What can computers do? A writer has said, “People can’t live without computers today.”
The Internet came a little later than computers.It is about twenty-five years later than computers.But now it can be found almost everywhere. We can use it to read books, write letters, do shopping, play games or make friends.
Many students like the Internet very much. They often go into the Internet as soon as they are free. They make friends on the Internet and maybe they have never seen these friends.They don’t know their real names, ages, and even sex (性别).They are so interested in making the “unreal friends” that they can’t put their hearts into study. Many of them can’t catch up with others on many subjects because of that.
We can use computers and the Internet to learn more about the world.But at the same time, we should remember that not all the things can be done by computers and the Internet.
71.The Internet can not be used for ____.
A.studying B.shopping C.thinking D.playing
72.When the computer was invented, it was ____.
A.large and worked quickly B.small and worked slowly
C.large but worked slowly D.small but worked quickly
73.The Internet was born in about ____.
A.1960 B.1970 C.1980 D.1985
74.Which of the following is true?
A.Few students like going into the Internet.
B.Students use the Internet to make “unreal friends”.
C.These “unreal friends” often meet each other.
D.Students know the friends on the Internet very well.
75.What does the writer think of the Internet?
A.It is wonderful. B.It can make students study harder.
C.It is not good for students. D.It is helpful, but we can’t do everything on it.
Shanghai is different from New York in many ways, but there are many things that are similar.
Shanghai is one of the most populated(人口众多的) cities in Asia, and New York is one of the most populated cities in North America. The weather in summer is very hot in Shanghai, and it is the same in New York. Shanghai is a port and industrial city, and New York is too. Shanghai has a problem with pollution, and New York has a similar problem. They both have serious traffic problems.
The traffic problem in Shanghai is caused by many bicycles. The traffic problem in New York is caused by many cars. Most of the people in Shanghai live in apartments in low buildings, while most of the people in New York live in apartments in high buildings. People eat with chopsticks in Shanghai, but they eat with knives and forks in New York. While there are some differences, the main problems of big cities are almost the same everywhere in the world.
66. New York is in _______ .
A. South Asia B. North Asia C. North America D. South America
67. Shanghai has problems in _______.
A. pollution B. population
C. traffic D. A, B and C
68. People in New York live in _________.
A. small houses in low buildings B. apartment in high buildings
C. apartment in low buildings D. small houses in high buildings
69. Which of the statements is right?
A. The weather in Shanghai is hot, white the weather in New York isn't.
B. The traffic problem in Shanghai is caused by cars.
C. People in New York eat with knives and forks.
D. Shanghai is an agricultural city.
70. The main problems of big cities are _______.
A. different B. similar C. complete same D. polluted.
There is a wonderful story about a young girl who had no family and no one to love her.
One day, feeling very sad and lonely, she was walking through a grassland when she noticed a small butterfly caught in a thorn (荆棘) bush. The young girl carefully released (放走)the Butterfly. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy(仙子). The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
“For your wonderful kindness,” the good fairy said to the girl, “I will give you any wish you would like.” The little girl thought for a moment and then replied, “I want to be happy.”
The fairy leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the fairy disappeared.
As the little girl grew up, there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her secret of happiness .She would only smile and answer, “The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.”
When she was very old and on her deathbed, the neighbors all gathered around her, that her unbelievable secret of happiness would die with her. “Tell us, please,” they begged, “Tell us what the good fairy said.” The lovely old woman simply smiled and said, “She told me that everyone, no matter how secure they seemed, no matter how old or young,how rich or poor, had need of me.”
61. ______ the girl felt sad and lonely.
A. There were many friends but
B. There was nobody to love her so
C. There was nothing to do
D. Seeing the butterfly was caught
62.Noticing the butterfly was caught by the thorn, the orphan girl ______.
A. helped the butterfly escaped from the thorn
B. felt sorrow,but she didn’t go up to help it
C. fell down on it too
D. failed to help it release from the thorn
63. The butterfly ______ after it was saved by the little girl.
A. flied away B. still died
C. changed into a fairy D. was more beautiful than before
64. The only thing that the little girl wanted was________.
A. to be rich B. to have her own parents
C. to have a lot of friends D. happiness
65.The neighbors all gathered around the old happy woman when she was dying, because ______.
A. they loved this woman deeply and they didn’t want her to die
B. the woman had lots of money to be shared as soon as she died
C. they wanted to know the secret of her lifetime happiness
D. they wanted to pray for her after her death
China has become an increasingly appealing market for Hollywood films, so it was inevitable that Academy Award-winning director James Cameron would touch down in Beijing Wednesday to promote his latest big-budget movie, Avatar.
During his 20-hour stay in the city, he shared with local media and some lucky fans details of his new film and shared his insights on China's growing film industry.
Having toured numerous countries for the promotion of Avatar since the film globally premiered on December 10, Cameron said he anticipated the visit to China for some time and apologized for his hoarse and tired voice.
"It is so sad for a director not being able to shout," he joked at the beginning of the press conference Wednesday afternoon, announcing that the 3D science fiction film will open in China on January 4.
Cameron collected 360 million yuan (US$52.7 million) at the box office in China with his blockbuster Titanic in 1998, a record that held for ten years until it was broken by Transformers in 2008.
Considering that another computer-generated, live action flick, 2012, has sold more movie tickets in China than in the US, the director said he is positive about Avatar's performance in China.
"Our partner here, the China Film Group, has given us great confidence," he explained, saying that the number of 3D screens has grown from 500 to 600 in the past month, a never-seen-before growth in Chinese mainland.
China is second only to the US as the country with the most 3D screens. Cameron said the screening of Avatar in China has specific importance as a test of future 3D film development.
"I'm very interested in the 3D film market in China. I cannot predict the box office results here, but I look forward to the test results."
63. Cameron is hopeful about Avatar’s performance in China because ____.
A. Avatar is a newly-released 3D movie
B. Transformer held the record of box office in China
C. Avatar is directed by him alone
D. 2012 had a higher box office in China than in the US
64. Which of the following has the closest meaning to “anticipated” in Paragraph 3?
A. participated B. paid C. expected D. delayed
65. Why did Cameron come to China?
A. To promote his latest film Avatar.
B. To test the future development of 3D film in China.
C. To show his interest in the 3D film market in China.
D. To make a 20-hour trip in Beijing.
66. The passage is most probably taken from ____.
A. a science book B. a newspaper C. a story book D. a magazine