At 227 billion yuan ($33 billion) for 2008, Guangdong's cultural industries accounted for 6.4 percent of its GDP and experienced a growth rate of 13.8 percent. But Lai admits that size does not equal weight. "Our businesses are mostly small, financing difficult and brands few."
One local brand that has made it big is Pleasant Goat and Big, Big Wolf, also translated as Happy Sheep and Gray Wolf, China's most popular cartoon series currently being aired. But according to Liu Manyi, general manager of Creative Power Entertaining Inc, the firm behind the hit show, is not laughing to the bank. Instead she is bitter: "Pirate discs were all over the streets before our first movie hit the screen. Their images appear on all kinds of products. All this has no proper licensing."
In case you don't know, China produces the largest amount of animated(动画的) programming in the world. But quantity is not quality. Behind every Pleasant Goat there are tens of thousands of flops. The best way for the government to promote the country's creative industries is to crack down on piracy (盗版). Hollywood often raises its voice about being victimized (受害) in China. Truth be told, Hollywood is probably the least affected since there is a quota system for China's importation of Hollywood films.
Many Chinese producers are taking baby steps and the domestic market is all they have. If their rights in the home market are not protected, they will never see the day their products find a foreign audience.
The sudden closure(关闭) of BT websites where copyrighted materials used to flow freely suggests a determination on the part of the government to take intellectual property rights seriously. This kind of websites is bad for us, so we should ban them.
Much of the news coming out of the 2009 International Cultural Industries Forum was encouraging. China's film industry is expected to get 6 billion yuan ($879 million) in box office receipts this year. A decade from now, this number may go up to 30 billion, according to some forecasts.
If the government takes serious action against online and offline pirates, China's creative industries may well have a bright future.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 mean?
| A．Fast as the development of Guangdong's cultural industries is, they don’t have a big challenge in the world. |
| B．Guangdong's cultural industries can make a big profit although they are just the small companies. |
| C．Guangdong's cultural industries make a big contribution to its GDP because of their strong economic power. |
| D．The development of Guangdong's cultural industries cannot catch up with any other industries. |
What does Liu Manyi think about Pleasant Goat and Big, Big Wolf?
| A．It is a failure since it is a local brand. |
| B．It is a success but cannot get the expected profit. |
| C．Its profit from the images has been shared legally. |
| D．Pirate discs make it more popular among the children. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Chinese creative industries are more advanced than foreign ones. |
| B．The domestic market is of little significance to the survival of Chinese creative industries. |
| C．BT websites stand in the way of the development of Chinese creative industries. |
| D．The growth of China's film industry is always slow and needs more support |
Growing up in the USA, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was her. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in a young voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs. Tan.”
And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me cheek already two week lone.”
And then, in perfect English I said: “I’m getting rather concerned .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.”
Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world. Why was the author’s mother poorly served?
| A．She was too shy to speak clearly |
| B．She couldn’t make herself understood. |
| C．She was unable to speak good English. |
| D．She was not a native America. |
From Paragraph 2, we know that the author was .
| A．good at pretending |
| B．rude to other people |
| C．ready to help her mother |
| D．unwilling to phone for her mother |
After the author made the phone call, .
| A．they forgave the stockbroker |
| B．they failed to get the check |
| C．they went to New York immediately |
| D．telephone the stockbroker’s manager |
What does the author think of her mother’s English now?
| A．It confuses her. |
| B．It embarrasses her. |
| C．It helps her understand the world. |
| D．It helps her tolerate rude people. |
We can infer from the passage that Chinese English .
| A．is clear and natural to non-native speakers |
| B．is vivid and direct to non-native speakers |
| C．has a very bad reputation in America |
| D．may bring inconvenience in America |
Be careful what you say around your dog. It might understand more than you think.
A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany. The dog also appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child. Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee(黑猩猩).
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects. Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back. In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right. As the dog couldn't see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words.
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew. The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before.
The correct object was chosen in seven out of l0 tests, suggesting that the dog had worked
out the answer by process of elimination(排除法). A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive.
Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog. For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed (品种)known for its mental abilities. In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months.
It's hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say. Even if they do, they can't talk back. Still, it wouldn't hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then. You might just get a big, wet kiss in return! From paragraph 2 we know that __.
| A．animals are as clever as human beings |
| B．dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees |
| C．chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills |
| D．dogs have similar 'learning abilities as 3-year-old children |
Both experiments show that.
| A．Rico is smart enough to get all commands right |
| B．Rico can recognize different things including toys |
| C．Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics |
| D．Rico won't forget the names of objects once recognizing them |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie's mental abilities. |
| B．Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training. |
| C．The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects. |
| D．Rico is born to understand its owner's commands. |
Which may be the best title of the passage?
| A．Do dogs understand us? |
| B．Does your dog understand you? |
| C．Be careful with dogs. |
| D．Be friendly to your dog. |
Shakespeare's life can be divided into three periods: the first 20 years in Stratford, which includes his schooling，early marriage, and fatherhood；the next 25 years as an actor and playwright (剧作家) in London; and the last five in retirement back in Stratford where he enjoyed the wealth gained from his theatrical (戏剧的) successes. The years linking the first two periods are marked by a lack of information about Shakespeare, and are often referred to as the “dark years”.
Shakespeare probably left school at 15, and took some sorts of jobs, especially since this was the period of his father’s financial difficulty. A great number of references in his plays suggest that William may have in fact worked for his father, thus gaining specialized knowledge.
At some point during the “dark years”, Shakespeare began his career with a London theatrical company — perhaps in 1589 — for he was already an actor and playwright in 1592. Shakespeare apparently wrote and acted for Pembroke’s Men, as well as a lot of others, in particular Strange’s Men, which later became the Chamberlain’s Men.
When, in 1592, the theaters were closed for about two years, due to a terrible disease. Shakespeare turned to writing book-length poetry. Most notable were Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, both of which have been translated into many languages and even been included in students’ textbooks. During this same period, Shakespeare was writing his sonnets (十四行诗), which are more likely signs of the time’s fashion rather than actual love poems detailing any particular relationship. He returned to play writing when theater reopened in 1594, and published no more poetry. His sonnets were published without his permission in 1609, shortly before his retirement. His final play was Henry VIII, two years before his death in 1616.Why did Shakespeare take some sorts of jobs at the age of 15 and didn’t go on studying?
| A．Because his family was badly off at that time. |
| B．Because he liked his job more than studying. |
| C．Because he wanted to be an actor in London. |
| D．Because he wanted to open his own company. |
Which of the following words can take the place of the underlined word “notable” in the last paragraph?
| A．long | B．fashionable | C．famous | D．educational |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Shakespeare didn’t write any plays between 1592 and 1594. |
| B．Shakespeare’s sonnets were written between 1592 and 1594. |
| C．After writing Henry VIII, Shakespeare wrote nothing. |
| D．Shakespeare published his sonnets in 1609. |
We have been providing performing arts information for over 14 years. Here you can search for plays, musicals, concerts and operas across the UK.
Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess at Apollo Theatre Children will be happy to see and sing along with their favorite characters. Bob, with his hard-working team, builds a new eco-centered wind farm in Sunflower Valley. This show is full of fun, and provides an educational message to help children learn about caring about the environment, recycling and, of course, teamwork. [Kids show] Dates: From 1st November, 2009 to 8th May, 2010, at 19:00. Price information:￡20.00 to ￡40.00 |
The Lion King at Sunny Theatre It is taken from an African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom. [Musical] Dates: From 24th September, 1999 to now. Tuesday to Saturday at 14:00. Sunday at 15:00. Not on show on Monday. Price information: ￡22.5 to￡65.00 |
Mother Courage and Her Children at National Theatre Mother Courage sells food and clothing to soldiers and tries to keep her business and children alive at all costs during the war. Her encouraging story is told through humor and song. [Play] Dates: From 9th September, 2009 to 8th December, 2009 Price information: ￡10.00 |
Duke Bluebeard’s Castleat Coliseum Theatre Full of curiosity, Judith persuades her husband to give her the keys only to discover a glowing jewel house, a garden of flowers, a kingdom, and a lake of tears. But what is behind them? [Opera] Dates: From 6th November, 2009 to 28th November, 2009 Nov 6, 10, 12, 20, 25 at19:30. Nov 14, 28 at 18:30 Price information: ￡22.00 to ￡50.00 |
The main purpose of the text is to inform readers of____.
| A．film posters |
| B．performance information |
| C．the theatre’s advice |
| D．picture exhibitions |
Which performance will be on show for the shortest period of time?
| A．Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess |
| B．The Lion King |
| C．Mother Courage and Her Children |
| D．Duke Bluebeard’s Castle |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The first three shows are inspiring. |
| B．The shows are intended for children. |
| C．All of them have won many awards. |
| D．The characters in the shows are brave. |
TAIBEI － Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island’s “China rush”, seeking education on the Chinese mainland．
According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate（研究生）programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998．Although no latest official numbers were available,” Netbig. Com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year.
The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland college and universities. “Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net. Com vice-president Ingrid Huang said．“I believe it will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people,” said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master’s degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies.
A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since “there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there”. “They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations,” said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig. Com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.
At present, Chinese Taibei doesn’t recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates（证书）from selected universities.More Taiwanese students study on the Chinese mainland because ___________.
| A．Taiwan will reunite with the mainland sooner or later |
| B．the fees asked for are lower than those of Taiwan |
| C．what they have learned on the mainland will bring them a bright future |
| D．there are many famous universities for them to choose |
Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that their children ___________.
| A．could receive better education | B．could learn more about the policy there |
| C．could do well in the business operations | D．could make more friends there |
The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to __________.
| A．Netbig. Com | B．a Chinese education on the mainland |
| C．the Chinese job market | D．the university |
The author wrote the article to tell us ______________.
| A．more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland |
| B．the number of Taiwanese students going to universities on the mainland had been increasing year after year |
| C．education on the mainland is more attractive compared with that of Taiwan |
| D．Taiwan and the mainland should cooperate with each other in every field. |
Which is true according to the passage?
| A．Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland |
| B．The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing in the next few years. |
| C．Chinese Taibei doesn’t help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland |
| D．Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland. |