考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析(十二).doc
If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show ...If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show them thatyou are one of them or that you understand their situation and are insympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you areaddressing, the problems will be different. If you are talking to agroup of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you maywant to comment on their disorganized bosses。
Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of astory which works well because the audience all shared the same viewof doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St.Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunnyweather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendlyuntil, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenlypushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of theline, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. “Who isthat?” the new arrival asked St. Peter. “Oh, that's God,” came thereply, “but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor。
”If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will bein a position to know the experiences and problems which are commonto all of you and it'll be appropriate for you to make a passingremark about the inedible canteen food or the chairman's notoriousbad taste in ties. With other audiences you mustn't attempt to cut inwith humor as they will resent an outsider making disparaging remarksabout their canteen or their chairman. You will be on safer ground ifyou stick to scapegoats like the Post Office or the telephonesystem。
If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that itbecomes more natural, include a few casual and apparently off-the-cuff remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced manner.Often it's the delivery which causes the audience to smile, so speakslowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving look mayhelp to show that you are making a light-hearted remark。
Look for the humor. It often comes from the unexpected. A twist ona familiar quote “If at first you don't succeed, give up” or a playon words or on a situation. Search for exaggeration and understatements. Look at your talk and pick out a few words orsentences which you can turn about and inject with humor。
21. To make your humor work, you should[A]take advantage of different kinds of audience。
[B]make fun of the disorganized people。
[C]address different problems to different people。
[D]show sympathy for your listeners。
22. The joke about doctors implies that, in the eyes of nurses,they are[A]impolite to new arrivals。
[B]very conscious of their godlike role。
[C]entitled to some privileges。
[D]very busy even during lunch hours。
23. It can be inferred from the text that public services[A]have benefited many people。
[B]are the focus of public attention。
[C]are an inappropriate subject for humor。
[D]have often been the laughing stock。
24. To achieve the desired result, humorous stories should bedelivered[A]in well-worded language。
[B]as awkwardly as possible。
[C]in exaggerated statements。
[D]as casually as possible。
25. The best title for the text may be [A]Use Humor Effectively。
[B]Various Kinds of Humor。
[C]Add Humor to Speech。
[D]Different Humor Strategies。
名师解析21. To make your humor work, you should 要[A]take advantage of different kinds of audience。
(充分)利用不同的观众。
[B]make fun of the disorganized people。
取笑那些做事混乱的人。
[C]address different problems to different people。
和不同的人谈不同的问题。
[D]show sympathy for your listeners。
同情你的听众。
【答案】 C【考点】段落主旨题。
【分析】Depending on whomyou are addressing, the problems will be different。
”(你的问题因人而异。
)[A]的“幽默须知”显然不符合。
[B][C]很好地表达了第一段的主题。
[D]错在其范围被缩小了。
22. The joke about doctors implies that, in the eyes of nurses,they are[A]impolite to new arrivals. 对新人不礼貌。
[B]very conscious of their godlike role. 对自己上帝般的作用非常在意。
[C]entitled to some privileges. 有权获得某些特权。
[D]very busy even during lunch hours. 午饭时也非常繁忙。
【答案】 B【考点】推断题。
【分析】[A]只是医生傲慢举止中的一项。
[B]非常恰[C]认St.Peter其实揭示背后所反应的医生的傲慢才是主要目的。
[D]选项显然错误。
23. It can be inferred from the text that public services[A]have benefited many people. 已经造福很多人。
考研英语一阅读理解专项强化真题试卷12(题后含答案及解析)
考研英语一阅读理解专项强化真题试卷12(题后含答案及解析)题型有：1.For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside”alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service(NHS)as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support. A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.”It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.”Hill’s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship. At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives’planning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorising “off-plan”building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties. The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, with no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces. The idea that “housing crisis”equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones? Development should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative—the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.1．Britain’s public sentiment about the countrysideA．has brought much benefit to the NHS.B．is fully backed by the royal family.C．didn’t start till the Shakespearean age.D．is not well reflected in politics.正确答案：D解析：细节推断题。
考研英语真题阅读理解试题与名师解析十二
If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show ...If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show them thatyou are one of them or that you understand their situation and are insympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you areaddressing, the problems will be different. If you are talking to agroup of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you maywant to comment on their disorganized bosses。
Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of astory which works well because the audience all shared the same viewof doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St.Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunnyweather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendlyuntil, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenlypushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of theline, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. “Who isthat?” the new arrival asked St. Peter. “Oh, that's God,” came thereply, “but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor。
[实用参考]历年考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析汇总【共10套】
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历年考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析(1-10)汇总AhistorPoflongandeffortlesssuccesscanbeadreadfulhandicap,but,ifprope rlPhandled,itmaPbecomeadrivingforce.WhentheUnitedStatesenteredjust suchaglowingperiodaftertheendoftheSecondWorldWar,ithadamarketeig httimeslargerthananPcompetitor,givingitsindustriesunparalleledeconomi esofscale.Itsscientistsweretheworld'sbest,itsworkersthemostskilled.Ameri caandAmericanswereprosperousbePondthedreamsoftheEuropeansandA sianswhoseeconomiesthewarhaddestroPed.ItwasinevitablethatthisprimacPshouldhavenarrowedasothercountriesgre wricher.JustasinevitablP,theretreatfrompredominanceprovedpainful.BPth emid-1980sAmericanshadfoundthemselvesatalossovertheirfadingindust rialcompetitiveness.SomehugeAmericanindustries,suchasconsumerelect ronics,hadshrunkorvanishedinthefaceofforeigncompetition.BP1987there wasonlPoneAmericantelevisionmakerleft,Zenith.(Nowthereisnone:Zenith wasboughtbPSouthKorea'sLGElectronicsinJulP。
考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)
考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)考研英语真题试卷(题后含答案及解析)第一部分：阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）第一节 (共15小题; 每小题2分，满分30分)阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
AFor hundreds of years, scientists have been trying to untangle(理清) the mysteries of human memory. 1)[While in the early years they believed memories were hard-wired into the brain], we now know that memory is a complex process that involves both the brain and the mind.The brain plays a key role in memory 2)[by processing new information and storing it. However, it cannot act alone. Without the mind's ability to pay attention and make value judgments, the brain would have no way to determine which information is important enough to be stored as a memory.] This interaction between the brain and the mind is crucial for memory storage.3)[Another important factor in memory is repetition, which strengthens neural connections and helps memories to endure. Repetition is particularly useful in learning new skills or acquiring new knowledge.] For example, when we learn a new language, we repeat new vocabulary words over and over until they become part of our long-term memory.Emotion is also closely related to memory. 4)[Emotional experiences tend to be more memorable than neutral ones.] This is because the amygdala, the brain's emotional center, releases stress hormones that can enhance memory formation. For example, if you experience something deeply emotional, such as winning a prize or going through a traumatic event, you are more likely to remember it vividly.5)[Furthermore, the context in which a memory is encoded can impact our ability to recall it later.] Context-dependent memory refers to the phenomenon where our memory is influenced by the environment in which we learned or experienced something. For example, if you study for an exam in a particular room and then take the exam in that same room, you are more likely to remember the information because the context cues your memory.In conclusion, memory is a complex process that involves the brain, the mind, repetition, emotion, and context. 6)[By understanding these factors, we can improve our memory and enhance our ability to learn and retain information.]1. According to the passage, what was the early belief about memory?A. It is a simple process controlled by the brain.B. It is a complex process involving both the brain and the mind.C. It is a natural ability of human beings.D. It is a hard-wired function of the mind.2. What is the role of the mind in memory storage?A. It determines which information is important.B. It processes new information and stores it.C. It helps repeat words and phrases.D. It releases stress hormones for memory formation.3. What does the passage say about repetition?A. It helps acquire new skills.B. It strengthens neural connections.C. It enhances emotional experiences.D. It cues memory in a particular context.4. Why are emotional experiences more memorable?A. They involve repetitive learning.B. They trigger the brain's emotional center.C. They release stress hormones for memory formation.D. They are associated with context-dependent memory.5. How does context impact memory recall?A. It determines the importance of information.B. It influences emotional experiences.C. It strengthens neural connections.D. It cues memory in a particular environment.6. What is the main purpose of the passage?A. To describe the complexities of human memory.B. To discuss the role of the brain in memory storage.C. To explain the connection between emotion and memory.D. To offer strategies for improving memory.解析：1. D。
研究生英语阅读教程基础级第二版lesson12课后习题答案
Practice of Reading Techniques Read the following paragraphs, broadening your eye span as much as possible while reading. 1. Since the second war, and particularly during the last few years, a rapidly growing amount of effort has been devoted to the use of high-power rockets to carry instruments up to great heights above the earth, to launch artificial satellites and deep space probes. 2. Without written language, we would be completely shut off from the great minds of the past, and it would be quite impossible for us to undertake such a study, since we would have no means of knowing anything about the language of the people who lived in this country five hundred or a thousand years ago, and still less should we be in a position to relate that language to the tongues spoken in other countries.
考研英语阅读理解试题及名师解析
考研英语阅读理解试题及名师解析英语阅读理解课教学反思推举度：高考阅读理解高频单词推举度：雨的阅读理解答案推举度：高考作文解析及推举度：考研英语阅读理解试题及名师解析A great deal ofattention is being paid today to the so-called digital dividethe divisionof the world into the info rich and the info poor. And that dividedoes exist today. My wife and I lectured about this looming danger twenty yearsago. What was less visible then, however, were the new, positive forces thatwork against the digital divide. There are reasons to be optimistic。
There are technological reasons to hope the digital divide willnarrow. As the Internet becomes more and more commercialized, it is in theinterest of business to universalize accessafter all, the morepeople online, the more potential customers there are. More and moregovernments, afraid their countries will be left behind, want to spreadInternet access.Within the next decade or two,one to two billionpeople onthe planet will be netted together. As a result, I now believe the digitaldivide will narrow rather than widen in the years ahead. And that is very goodnews because the Internet may well be the most powerful tool for combatingworld poverty that we ve ever had。
研究生英语阅读Unit12课后答案
Unit 12Film and DramaLearning ObjectivesAt the end of the unit, students will be able to:1.Have a general knowledge about film and drama;2.know about the well-known figures in films such as Charlie Chaplin, Tomhanks, etc:3.talk about their favorite film genre;4.master the words and expressions concerning film and drama.Part I Warm-up ActivitiesA Directions: Below are three famous film stars and their works of art. Match the film stars and their films.1.Charlie Chaplin2. Vivien Leigh3. Tom HanksA.Forrest GumpB. Modern TimesC. Gone with the WindB Directions: The following are the posters of three famous plays. Read theintroductions and fill in the missing information with the words given in the chart.A B CFrench American British a dventure fantasy musical1. The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone(2001) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). It is the highest-grossing film series of all-time in inflation unadjusted dollars, with $7.7 billion in worldwide receipts. Each film is in the list of fifty highest-grossing films of all-time in inflation unadjusted dollars and is a critical success.2. The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux. It is considered by many to be the most successful musical of all time and is also the longest running show in Broadway history.3. Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The film was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards for best animated feature. The film was met with mostly positive reviews and was a box office success, starting a series with three sequels, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and Ice Age: Continental Drift.Useful Words and Expressionsmotion picture 电影trailer 预告片visual effect 视觉效果film studio 电影制片厂dubbing 配音subtitles 字幕Broadway 百老汇props 道具medium 媒体protagonist 主角costumes 戏装antagonist 反面主角score 配乐tragic hero 悲剧英雄a reel of film 一卷胶片chorus 合唱团film adaptation 电影改编(a play) in three acts and five scenes 三幕五场（剧）scenario 剧本climax 戏剧高潮soundtrack 电影原声音乐musical 音乐剧box office 票房playwright 剧作家premier 电影首映式stuntman 特技演员blockbuster 商业大片stand-in 替身talent scout 星探sorcerer 巫师Part II Listening1. BFM International Film FestivalDirections:L isten to a dialogue between Yvonne and William and then answer the following questions.1) What does the BFM Festival stand for?I t’s the Black Film Makers’ International Film Festival.2) What is the meaning of “stereotype” according to William?It means a very strong, fixed idea about how people will behave.3) What is the purpose of the BFM Festival?It is to showcase the stories of groups and communities which otherwise would go unnoticed.4) How long is the shortest film ever made?One second.Tapescript:Yvonne: Hello, I’m Yvonne Archer - and thanks to William Kremer for joining me today.William: Hello – it's a pleasure!Yvonne: For fifty-two years, the Times BFI - British Film Institute’s London Film Festival has shown the best new films from around the world. And for thefirst time, the BFM International Film Festival has also been based at the BFI.William, do you know about the BFM Festival?William: Umm – I know that it's the Black Film Makers’ International Film Festival. Yvonne: That's right and to celebrate its tenth anniversary, the emphasis of the 2008 BFM has been on films made by Black people - who are based here inBritain. Well, I was lucky enough to get an invitation to the BFM ShortsAwards - but before we find out which short film won the award and aboutthe idea behind this festival –I've a question for you. Yes, are you readyWilliam?William: Yes.Yvonne: How long is the shortest film that was ever made? Was ita) one secondb) one minute ORc) five minutesWilliam: I’m gonna go for a) – one second because even though that sounds too short, sounds very silly, I think the silly answers are usually correct. That's mytactic so I'm gonna go for one second.Yvonne: And we’ll find out whether William was right or wrong later on. Now in today’s interview we’ll come across the word ‘stereotyped’. William, whatdoes it mean?William: Well if someone is ‘stereotyped’, other people who don't know them have a very strong, fixed idea about how they will behave. They’re ‘stereotyped’perhaps because of the country they come from, or (from) the colour of theirskin or their religion, for example.Yvonne: And what are ‘platforms for expression’?William: ‘Platforms for expression’ in this case, refers to ways and places that artistic people can use to share their work and messages. So for example, a cinemascreen or a novel are ‘platforms for expression’.Yvonne: Great! Now as we hear from Nadia Denton, the Director of the BFM International Film Festival, try to catch the verb she uses to mean ‘highlight’or ‘to draw attention to’. I asked Nadia: why is there a separate section forBlack film makers within the London Film Festival each year?NADIA DENTONBecause it’s important for us to showcase the stories of groups andcommunities which otherwise would go unnoticed, which don't get thecorrect representation in the mainstream, who perhaps are stereotyped, whoperhaps don't have many other platforms for expression.Yvonne: William, which verb did Nadia use to mean ‘to highlight’or ‘to draw attention to’?William: ‘To showcase’– Nadia explained that it's important ‘to showcase’ the stories of communities and groups which we don't usually see or hear.Yvonne: So the BFM Festival is a chance for people who are often stereotyped and not considered or noticed by mainstream cinema to have their work seen.Now at the BFM Shorts Awards, we saw five new films and voted for thebest one. And the winner was “Win, Lose or Draw”directed by LawrenceCoke. It was a wonderful blend of story-telling and interviews withCaribbean people who’d arrived in Britain from the 1950s, like my ownfather. And after the awards, Lawrence explained just how important makingthe film had been to him...LAWRENCE COKEThe whole thing was a very cathartic experience on one level because, Ialways say that the young people of today don't understand that they'restanding on the shoulders of giants.Yvonne: Making “Win, Lose or Draw” was very cathartic for Lawrence – it allowed him to express some really deep emotions. But it was cathartic for many ofus in the audience too – and educational.William: And hopefully lots of young people will see the film because Lawrence sees it as a way to help them understand that they and their parents are animportant part of Britain's history.Yvonne: Yes – and Lawrence describes our grandparents and parents as 'giants'. Their lives were really difficult but they still tried to help England and make thingseasy for us and their families back in the Caribbean.LAWRENCE COKEThey were children themselves and they came over to help the mothercountry because they felt it was the right thing to do –leaving childrenbehind, wives, and… I just…I'm in awe of that.William: Yes, they were an awesome- amazing group of young people.Yvonne: They certainly were. My father travelled to England – at the time, known by Caribbean people as 'the mother country' – and he came here at the age oftwenty-one. And like many others from the Caribbean, my father simplywanted to work hard and earn money. He wanted his parents to have whatthey needed and he especially wanted his younger brothers and sisters to goto school.William: So education was really important to them.Yvonne: Definitely because most of them left school and started work when they were fourteen years old. But now, it's time for you to educate us, William! William: Surely not!Yvonne: Yes! What was your answer to today's question: how long is the shortest film that was ever made?William: I went for the silly one which was one second.Yvonne: And you were correct to be silly because you were absolutely right!2. "The Back-Up Plan"A Directions：In this section you will hear a news report about the 2010 film TheBack-Up Plan. Listen and answer the following questions.1)What does a “back-up plan” mean for Zoe?It means to become a single mother with the help of modern science.2)Why did Jennifer Lopez say that “We used a lot of the stuff from real life”?Because she gave birth to twins a couple of years ago.3) According to the director Alan Poul, what was his challenge in making this movie? His challenge was to balance the expectations audiences have for this film genre.B Directions: Listen to the report again and decide whether the following descriptions are true for Zoe or Stan. Write Z for Zoe, S for Stan and N for Neither if the description describes neither of them.1) Z running a pet store 2) Z having an extended family3) S a dairy farmer 4) N scared by the coming parenthood5) N giving birth to twins 6) Z having insatiable hunger7) S strong and muscular 8) N a single parentTapescript:New Yorker Zoe is successful in business running her thriving pet store. She also has good friends and a loving extended family; but she has not had the best of luck in the romance department and, with her biological clock ticking away, she has decided the "right guy" may never show up. So "The Back-Up Plan" is to become a single mother with the help of modern science. Naturally, the very day she undergoes the in-vitro fertilization procedure, she meets the "right guy."His name is Stan and he, too, is a successful entrepreneur: a farmer who makes cheese that he sells at farmer's markets around New York. At about the same time she realizes she is pregnant with twins, Zoe also figures out that she's falling in love with Stan. Will he be scared away by the impending parenthood if she tells him? How long can she keep it a secret, anyway?Jennifer Lopez gave birth to twins a couple of years ago and drew on her own experiences to play Zoe."So many of the things in this movie were art imitating life for me," she said. "Because I had just gone through the pregnancy it was really fresh in my mind. We used a lot of the stuff from real life."That insight into the funnier side of pregnancy includes the sudden and insatiable hunger that, in the film, strikes Zoe when she spies a pot of stew bubbling on the stove in Stan's kitchen. With no utensils in sight, she resorts to scooping it up (and scarfing it down) directly from the pot with hunks of bread."You feel so hungry, it's crazy; and you feel so sleepy in a way that you never have before," Lopez said. "Because I had just gone through it, I knew how that was going to ring true for so many women."The pregnancy humor may be drawn from real life, but the romantic storyline is pure Hollywood. For instance, Stan is shirtless and ripples with muscles as he tends the goats on his dairy farm. As the love interest, Alex O'Loughlin joins a growing legion of hunky stars from Australia making it big on American screens."Look, I don't know mate … maybe it's something in the water back home; but I did get kind of fit for the film because every cheese farmer is ripped and buff … and I wanted to be true to character because I'm [a] 'method' [actor]," he said."The Back-Up Plan" marks the feature film directing debut of Alan Poul, an award -winning television producer and director on shows including "Six Feet Under," "Rome" and "Big Love." Poul says his challenge was to balance the expectations audiences have for this film genre."Because it is a romantic comedy and you know how it is going to end up, so on a certain level the story has to be predictable because you know they are going to end up together," he said. "So it is within that general framework of a romantic comedy that is going to end happily, we create the little moments that catch people by surprise."3. Drive-in Theaters in USAand answer the following questions.1) When did the first drive-in theater open in USA?On June 6, 1933.2) Why did the teenagers like drive-in theaters at that time?They adored the romantic privacy of a dark automobile3) What kept people home despite the attraction of drive-in theaters?The advent of color television and video rentals.Directions: Listen to the passage again and try to summarize the whole report in no more than 5 sentences.The first drive-in movie theater was opened On June 6, 1933 I new York. By 1950, there were 4,000 of these “movies under the stars” across the country. people could bring your cranky baby along without disrupting anyone and teenagers adored the romantic privacy of a dark automobile. The spread of daylight saving time cut into drive-in attendance. The advent of color television and video rentals kept people home as well. It brings people a nostalgic feeling.TapescriptNext Monday would mark a nostalgic anniversary. On June 6, 1933, the world’s first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey.By 1950, there were 4,000 of these “movies under the stars” across the country. Only a couple hundred survive.At the drive-in - or what some of us called “the drive-in picture show” to distinguish it from drive-in restaurants - instead of wedging yourself into a theater seat next to talkative strangers, crying babies and large people blocking your view, you watched a movie on a huge screen from the comfort of your car, side by side with dozens of other autos in a sprawling parking lot.You could bring your cranky baby along without disrupting anyone. Teenagers adored the romantic privacy of a dark automobile, to the point that some media referred to drive-ins as “passion pits.”The movies themselves mostly ranged from family fare to second-rate monster science-fiction, and action thrillers. The sound that squawked out of the little speaker that you attached to your car window was tinny at best.But the concession stand at the “Starlite” or “Hi-Way” or “Sunset” Drive-In did offer a full and fattening menu of fried food, popcorn and sodas. A lot of people smuggled in stronger drinks as well, and it wasn’t unheard of to sneak in a person or two in the trunk, to avoid paying for more tickets.The spread of daylight saving time cut into drive-in attendance, since dusk came late on balmy summer nights and the movie couldn’t start until 9 p.m. or later. The advent of color television and video rentals kept people home as well.When some drive-in owners sought to boost revenue by showing risquémovies, neighbors, parents and police drove them out of business. Other owners sold out to housing and shopping-center developers.Many U.S. cities have tried to recapture the nostalgic feeling of outdoor movies by showing films in parks and pedestrian malls. But patrons sit on blankets, not in their ’54 Chevys.And no one’s writing tunes like the Beach Boys’ "Drive-In" song, which goes, in part: Every time I have a date there's only one place to goThat's to the drive-inIt's such a groovy place to talk and maybe watch a show4. Award-Winning Film Explores Meaning of LifeA Directions: You will hear a report about an award-winning movie. While listeningto it for the first time, write down some key words in the notes column.B Directions: Listen to the report again and decide whether the following statementsare true or false.1) The filmmaker of The Tree of Life, the award-winning film at Cannes, is a formerprofessor of history. ( F ) 2) The father in the movie was proud and oppressive since he has not succeeded in theworld. ( T )3) Jack, the boy in the family, admires his father and loves him. ( F )4) The mother in the film, played by Jessica Chastain, embodies many virtues likegrace, kindness, and altruism. ( T ) 5) In searching the meaning of life, this movie is like all the other movies TerrenceMalick made before. ( F ) Tapescript:The Tree of Life is about the quest to find balance between one's spiritual self and human nature.Filmmaker Terrence Malick, a former professor of philosophy, presents this innate struggle through characters in a suburban American household of the 1950s. The father is proud and oppressive. He struggles inwardly because he has not succeeded in the world. Because of his feelings of inadequacy, he tries to mold his sons to his ideal.Jack is still a boy, but he carries the world on his shoulders. He admires his father but also resents him.For Terrence Malick, the struggle between father and son reflects both the cruelty and beauty of nature. In a twenty minute sequence, the director offers shots of the universe at work, an awesome struggle among natural forces.But there is also grace, kindness and altruism. The mother in the story, played by Jessica Chastain, embodies them.The boy grows up to be a successful, but also conflicted man played by Sean Penn. He struggles as he deals with the loss of his younger brother and the loss of innocence.Brad Pitt's performance is a tour de force. At the Cannes Film Festival, he spoke of the film's spiritual message."And then there is the bigger questions of the impermanence of life that I think we all go through," said Pitt. "I grew up being told that God's going to take care of everything and it doesn't always work out that way, and when it doesn't work out that way then we're told it's God's will. "Religion aside, the film is a treatise on the meaning of life. Its extraordinary visuals, minimal dialogue and meditative music have a subliminal impact on the viewer and allow the audience to search and come to its own conclusion.Some critics have spoken against the film's drawn-out sequences on the evolution of the universe. But Tree of Life won the Palme D'Or at Cannes for good reason. It offers daring cinematography and an excellent cast. And although it carries Terrence Malick's signature, it's unlike anything we've seen before.Part III WatchingDirection: The extract is taken from the 1997 movie Titanic. Watch the video clip and answer the questions.1) Why did Mr. Andrews refuse to make a try to leave the sinking Titanic?Because he felt sorry for he didn’t build a stronger ship.2) Why did Mr. Guggenheim refuse to take the life jacket?Because he was determined to go down as gentlemen clothed in full dress.3) What can you say about the orchestra who played music while others passengers struggled for their lives?The orchestra members played music, intending to calm the passengers, for as long as they possibly could until all went down with the ship. They should be memorized for their heroism.Videoscript—Wait, wait, wait. Mr. Andrews...—Rose.—Won't you even make a try for it?—I’m sorry that l didn't build you a stronger ship, young Rose.—Lt’s going fast. We have to move.—Wait. Good luck to you, Rose.—And to you.—Mr. Guggenheim...These are for you, Mr. Guggenheim.—No, thank you. We are dressed in our best and are prepared to go down as gentlemen. But we would like a brandy.—Capitan. Capitan, where should l go? Please...—(Crewman) Captain!—Captain... Sir.(Orchestra still playing)—Right... That's it, then.—Goodbye, Wally. Good luck.—So long, old chap.(Starts playing “Nearer My God to Thee”)—And so they lived happily together for 300 years in the land of Tir Na Nog. Land of eternal youth and beauty.—There's no t ime! Cut those falls! Cut ’em! Cut ’em if you have to!—I need a knife! I need a knife!—Cut her loose!—Cut those bloody falls!—Gentlemen, it has been a privilege playing with you tonight.Part IV Oral PracticePair workDirections: What kind of movie would you expect to watch in your spare time? What do you want to get from watching such a movie? Work with your partner to talk about your favorite type of movie and offer some examples to illustrate your point. You may follow the dialogue given below or you may just make your own dialogue.Film GenresAction adventure comedy crime historical documentary horror thriller musical sci-fiWar western romance disaster sportsA: Did you watch Saw last night? It was just awesome! I couldn’t help walking into the cinema when I first saw its poster.B: You mean you like that trash? I hate thrillers. They make my hair stand on end all the time. I like romantic movies, especially those with beautiful girls and handsome boys.A: Romances are just silly. I can’t stand those stock love stories…Enrichment readingHollywoodIf a single place-name encapsulates theLA dream of glamour, money andovernight success, it's Hollywood.Millions of tourists arrive on pilgrimages;millions more flock here in pursuit ofriches and glory. Hollywood is a weirdcombination of insatiable optimism andtotal despair. It really does blur the edgesof fact and fiction, simply because somuch seems possible - and yet so little, for most people, actually is. Those who do strike it rich here get out as soon as they can, just as they always have; the big film companies, too, long ago relocated well away, leaving Hollywood in isolation, with prostitution, drug dealing and seedy bookstores as the reality behind the fantasy.The myths, magic, fable and fantasy splattered throughout the few short blocks of Central Hollywood would put a medieval fairytale to shame. A rich sense of nostalgia pervades the area, giving it an appeal no measure of tourists or souvenir postcard stands can diminish. Although you're much more likely to find a porno theater than spot a real star, the decline which blighted Hollywood from the early 1960s is fast receding. Nevertheless the place still gets hairy after dark, withadolescents cruising Hollywood Boulevard in customized cars and occasional petty criminals on the prowl for the odd pocketbook.The natural place to begin exploring Hollywood Boulevard is the junction of Hollywood and Vine - the classic location for budding stars to be “spotted” by big-shot directors and whisked off to fame and fortune. At 6608 Hollywood Blvd., the purple and pink Frederick's of Hollywood has been (under-) clothing Hollywood's sex goddesses since 1947, as well as mortal bodies all over the world via mail order. Inside, the lingerie museum (free) displays some of the company's best corsets, bras and panties, donated by happy big-name wearers ranging from Lana Turner to Cher.A little further on, the Egyptian Theater at No. 6708 was financed by impresario Sid Grauman, in a modest attempt to re-create the Temple of Thebes. The very first Hollywood premiere (Robin Hood) took place here in 1922. Now owned by the city, Grauman's Thebes is currently closed for renovations as part of a three-year plan to restore the fake mummies and hieroglyphics of this temple of cinema to their former glory and remake the theater into a center for film study. No Hollywood visitor will want to miss the mundane yet magical foot and hand prints in the concrete concourse of the 1927 Chinese Theatre at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. Actress Norma Talmadge (supposedly by accident) trod in wet cement while visiting the construction site, and the practice has continued ever since, starting with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr., at the opening of King of Kings, and recently involving stars such as Al Pacino. Through the halcyon decades, this was the spot for movie first-nights. As for the building, it's an odd western version of a classical Chinese temple, replete with dodgy Chinese motifs and upturned dragon tail flanks.The Roosevelt Hotel opposite was movieland's first luxury hotel, its Cinegrill restaurant hosting the likes of W. C. Fields and F. Scott Fitzgerald, not to mention hangers-on like Ronald Reagan. In 1929 the first Oscars were presented here, beginning the long tradition of Hollywood rewarding itself in the absence of honors from elsewhere.。
考研英语真题阅读理解试题及答案分析
考研英语真题阅读理解试题及答案分析考研英语真题阅读理解试题及答案分析Being a man hasalways been dangerous. There are about 105 males born for every 100 females,but this ratio drops to near balance at the age of maturity, and among70-year-olds there are twice as many women as men. But the great universal ofmale mortality is being changed. Now, boy babies survive almost as well as girlsdo. This means that, for the first time, there will be an excess of boys inthose crucial years when they are searching for a mate. More important, anotherchance for natural selection has been removed. Fifty years ago, the chance of ababy surviving depended on its weight. A kilogram toolight or too heavy meant almost certain death. Today it makes almost nodifference. Since much of the variation is due to genes, one more agent ofevolution has gone。
There is another way to commit evolutionary : stay alive,but have fewer children. Few people are as fertile as in the past. Except insome religious communities, very few women have 15 children. Nowadays thenumber of births, like the age of death, has become average. Most of us haveroughly the same number of offspring. Again, differences between people and theopportunity for natural selection to take advantage of it have diminished.India shows what is happening. The country offers wealth for a few in the greatcities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples. The grand mediocrity oftoday―everyone being the same in survival and number of offspring meansthat natural selection has lost 80% of its power in upper-middle-class Indiacompared to the tribes。
考研英语真题阅读理解试题与名师解析十二.doc
If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show ...If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, youmust know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humormust be relevant to the audience and should help to show them thatyou are one of them or that you understand their situation and are insympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you areaddressing, the problems will be different. If you are talking to agroup of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you maywant to comment on their disorganized bosses。
Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of astory which works well because the audience all shared the same viewof doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St.Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunnyweather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendlyuntil, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenlypushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of theline, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. “Who isthat?” the new arrival asked St. Peter. “Oh, that's God,” came thereply, “but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor。
历年考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析汇总共10套
历年考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析(1-10)汇总A history of long and effortless success can be a dreadful handicap, but, if properly handled, it may become a driving force. When the United States entered just such a glowing period after the end of the Second World War, it had a market eight times larger than any competitor, giving its industries unparalleled economies of scale. Its scientists were the world's best, its workers the most skilled. America and Americans were prosperous beyond the dreams of the Europeans and Asians whose economies the war had destroyed.It was inevitable that this primacy should have narrowed as other countries grew richer. Just as inevitably, the retreat from predominance proved painful. By the mid-1980s Americans had found themselves at a loss over their fading industrial competitiveness. Some huge American industries, such as consumer electronics, had shrunk or vanished in the face of foreign competition. By 1987 there was only one American television maker left, Zenith. (Now there is none: Zenith was bought by South Korea's LG Electronics in July。