Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollyhood, in the United States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known as Bombay, and so the film industry there is called “Bollywood.” Bollywood makes twice as man
y movies each year as Hollyhood—more than 800 films a year.
The movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing, Bollywood movies are much longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, action, adventure, mystery, and romance (but usually no kissing). Because Bollywood films contain so many different features, this style of film is sometimes called a “masala” film. (“Masala” is an Indian word for a mixture of spices.)
Another big difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies is the way movies are made. It takes much longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script even finished. The director and writers can make up the story while the film is being made. Sometimes they will even write the script by hand instead of taking time to type it.
Bollywood actors are very popular and some are in such high demand that they may work on several movies at the same time. They may even shoot scenes for several films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same time is not a big problem for actors or directors. This also helps keep the cost of Bollywood movies lower than the cost of Hollywood movies. The average Bollywood film, with a budget of only two million U.S. dollars, seems very cheap compared to the average budget of sixty million U.S. dollars for a Hollywood film—thirty times as much! What is the main topic of the reading?
A.famous stars in Bollywood | B.how Hollywood movies are made |
C.the differences between two movie industries | D.the history of movie-making in India |
What is NOT true about Mumbai?
A.It is the movie capital of India. |
B.The new name is Bombay. |
C.More movies are made there than in Hollywood. |
D.It is less expensive to make films there than in Hollywood. |
Why are Bollywood films often called “masala” films?
A.They have spicy stories. | B.They show Indian culture. |
C.They are much longer than Hollywood films. | D.They mix different styles of movies. |
Bollywood movies are cheap to make because ____________________ .
A.they are shorter than Hollywood films. |
B.the scripts are written by hand. |
C.the movies do not use any special effects. |
D.each movie reuses things from other movies. |
Which of these statements would the writer probably agree with?
A.Most Bollywood movies are very similar. |
B.It takes a lot of money to make a good movie. |
C.Only Indian people can understand Bollywood movies. |
D.Hollywood movies are too violent. |
Mothers and daughters go through so much—yet when was the last time a mother and daughter sat down to write a book together about it all? Perri Klass and her mother, Sheila Solomon Klass, both gifted professional writers, prove to be ideal co-writers as they examine their decades of motherhood, daughterhood, and the wonderful ways their lives have overlapped(重叠).
Perri notes with amazement how closely her own life has mirrored her mother's: both have full-time careers; both have published books, articles, and stories; each has three children; they both love to read.They also love to travel—in fact, they often take trips together.But in truth, the harder they look at their lives, the more they acknowledge their big differences in circumstance and basic nature.
A child of the Depression(大萧条), Sheila was raised in Brooklyn by parents who considered education a luxury for girls.Starting with her college education, she has fought for everything she's ever accomplished.Perri, on the other hand, grew up privileged in the New Jersey suburbs of the 1960s and 1970s.For Sheila, wasting time or money is a crime, and luxury is unthinkable while Perri enjoys the occasional small luxury, but has not been successful at trying to persuade her mother into enjoying even the tiniest thing she likes.
Each writing in her own unmistakable voice, Perri and Sheila take turns exploring the joys and pains, the love and bitterness, the minor troubles and lasting respect that have always bonded them together.Sheila describes the adventure of giving birth to Perri in a tiny town in Trinidad where her husband was doing research fieldwork.Perri admits that she can't sort out all the mess in the households, even though she knows it drives her mother crazy.Together they compare thoughts on bringing up children and working, admit long-hidden sorrows, and enjoy precious memories.
Looking deep into the lives they have lived separately and together, Perri and Sheila tell their mother-daughter story with honesty, humor, enthusiasm, and admiration for each other.A written account in two voices,Every Mother Is a Daughter is a duet(二重奏) that produces a deep, strong sound with the experiences that all mothers and daughters will recognize.Why does Perri think that her own life has mirrored her mother's?
A.They both have gone through difficult times. |
B.They have strong emotional ties with each other. |
C.They have the same joys and pains, and love and bitterness. |
D.They both have experiences as daughter, mother and writer. |
The word “luxury” in Paragraph 3 means________.
A.something rare but not pleasant |
B.something that cannot be imagined |
C.something expensive but not necessary |
D.something that can only be enjoyed by boys |
What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?
A.The content of the book. |
B.The purpose of the book. |
C.The influence of the book. |
D.The writing style of the book. |
How are women's lives explored in this book?
A.In a musical form. |
B.Through field research. |
C.With unique writing skills. |
D.From different points of view. |
Pop stars today enjoy what once only belonged to the royalty(皇室).Wherever they go,people turn out in their thousands to greet them.The crowds go wild trying to catch a brief glimpse of their smiling,colorfully dressed idols.The stars are transported in their chauffeur driven Rolls Royces,private helicopters or executive aeroplanes.They are surrounded by a permanent entourage(随从)of managers,press agents and bodyguards.Photographs of them appear regularly in the press and all their comings and goings are reported,for,like royalty,pop stars are news.If they enjoy many of the privileges of royalty,they certainly share many of the inconveniences as well.It is dangerous for them to make unscheduled appearances in public.They must be constantly shielded from the adoring crowds who idolize them.They are no longer private individuals,but public property.The financial rewards they receive for this sacrifice cannot be calculated,for their rates of pay are great.
And why not?Society has always rewarded its top entertainers lavishly.The great days of Hollywood have become legendary:famous stars enjoyed fame,wealth and adulation(奉承)on an all time scale.By today's standards,the excesses of Hollywood do not seem quite so spectacular.A single gramopphone record nowadays may earn much more in royalties than the films of the past ever did.The competition for the title“Top of the Pops”is fierce,but the rewards are truly huge.
It is only right that the stars should be paid in this way.Don't the top men in industry earn enormous salaries for the service they perform to their companies and their countries?Pop stars earn vast sums in foreign currency—often more than large industrial companies—and the taxman can only be grateful for their massive annual contributions to the exchequer(国库).So who would begrudge them their rewards?
It's all very well for people in boring jobs to complain about the successes and rewards of others.People who make envious remarks should remember that the most famous stars represent only the tip of the iceberg.For every famous star,there are hundreds of others struggling to earn a living.A man working in a steady job and looking forward to a pension at the end of it has no right to expect very high rewards.He has chosen security and peace of mind,so there will always be a limit to what he can earn.But a map who attempts to become a star is taking enormous risks.He knows at the outset that only a handful of competitors ever get to the very top.He knows that years of concentrated effort may be rewarded with complete failure.But he knows,too,that the rewards for success are very high indeed:they are the payback for the huge risks involved and once he makes it,he will certainly earn them.That's the essence of private enterprise.The author develops the passage mainly by ________.
A.comparing different ideas |
B.giving explanations |
C.inferring |
D.listing typical examples |
The underlined word “begrudge” in the third pararaph is closest in meaning to ________.
A.be jealous of | B.be satisfied with |
C.be anxious about | D.be crazy about |
According to the passage,which of the following can match the view of the author?
A.He who laughs last laughs best. |
B.If you venture nothing,you will gain nothing. |
C.He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
D.Success belongs to the persevering. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.People are blind in idolizing stars. |
B.There is fierce competition in becoming pop stars. |
C.The government taxes pop stars very little. |
D.Pop stars' life is more luxurious than that of royalty. |
Women nowadays do not just want to work to help meet the rising costs of living and education for their children. They also want a career that will enable them to bring out their skills and use their potentials so that they can experience a sense of fulfillment and pride that come from achievements and success. Some careers that have been traditionally dominated(支配)by the male species have been made open and filled up by women as well. It is no longer a surprising occurrence today to see many women working as pilots, astronauts, engineers, in construction sites, and in the printing business that operates hightech machines.
Many women are also taking their chances on managerial and executive positions that mostly men are the ones sitting on. Many of them also do well in the line of education as teachers, deans and even presidents of universities. You can also see many women as lecturers and reviewers of different businesses. One example is that of the online printing company reviews where women usually have a say on what is the best choice for online printers for any marketing needs.
From the income that women are getting from their work, they are able to maintain a family and able to provide a better education for their children and able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.
However, there are still pronounced biases (偏见) against women in high leadership positions. There still exists the socalled genderrole stereotyping. Women need help to cope with and manage the typical stereotyping of women workers and managers. Those who look for jobs advertised in the classified sections of the newspaper often discover that many corporate positions are closed to women. And most often than not, many give preference to men by indicating in their ads phrases such as “male preferred” or “male applicants only”. Even in some family run or owned corporations, seldom can you see women managers and presidents.
Surveys show that although a man and a woman have the same level or handle the same position in an organization, the man would get a higher or bigger compensation package(薪酬) compared to women. Because of this, many women are just contented,to be in subordinate positions in finance, human resources, sales, manufacturing and other supportive roles.
There are still other barriers that prevent women from reaching their full potentials in the world of employment. Our culture does not encourage women to excel in government and in businessrelated jobs. Women who are able to make it on top and handle leadership roles are sometimes regarded merely as tokens. The abilities and skills of women are normally questioned by their own peers, and sadly even by other women.
If you are a woman who have the interest, ability and drive to pursue management careers,career counseling is of great help to help you find direction and increase motivation to pursue your career goals. It will help you have the selfconfidence to get you in the same career opportunities open to men in this society that still prefers men for top level positions.From the first paragraph we know that women________.
A.work mainly to help meet the rising costs of living |
B.want to provide their children with better education |
C.also want to take some more challenging jobs |
D.have taken up some work that men can do well |
It can be inferred that in the past it was surprising to see women________.
A.taking jobs outside home |
B.working as pilots or astronauts |
C.educating their children at home |
D.operating machines at home |
The underlined word “subordinate” in the 5th paragraph has a similar meaning to“________”.
A.higher | B.lower |
C.more rewarding | D.less demanding |
What's the best title for the passage?
A.Women working out of houses |
B.Women fighting against biases |
C.Women getting larger income |
D.Women aiming high in careers |
Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants.Some years ago,the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company.Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining,the chain was generally in an unhealthy state.With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market,the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention.And to make matters worse,its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.
Sparrow failed to grow for another two years until a new CEO,Carl Pearson,decided to build up its market share.He did a survey,which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain,while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them.Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.
Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand.The chain's owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy's restaurants.Pearson resisted,arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun.Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time.Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success,rather than customers' spending power.Finally,the owner accepted his idea.
The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry.The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars.Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product,the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.
Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image.For example,he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover(营业额).
These efforts paid off,and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?
A.The number of its customers was declining. |
B.Its customers found the food unhealthy. |
C.It was in need of financial support. |
D.Most of its restaurants were closed. |
What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Customers of Sparrow restaurants. |
B.Sparrow restaurants. |
C.Customers of other fast-food chains. |
D.Other fast-food chains. |
For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?
A.To build a good relationship with the public. |
B.To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow. |
C.To learn about customers' spending power. |
D.To meet the challenge from Marcy's restaurants. |
What was Pearson's achievement as a CEO?
A.He managed to pay off Sparrow's debts. |
B.He made Sparrow much more competitive. |
C.He helped Sparrow take over a company. |
D.He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees. |
The Healthy Habits Survey(调查)shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1.How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?
·Finding:A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.
·Step:Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.
2.How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?
·Finding:Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30%wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number doctors recommend.
·Step:We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs(病菌)to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes.Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds.
3.How often do you think about fighting germs?
·Finding:Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.
·Step:Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge(海绵)that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.What is found out about American seniors?
A.Most of them have good habits. |
B.Nearly 30%of them bathe three days a week. |
C.All of them are fighting germs better than expected. |
D.About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day. |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands ________.
A.twice a day | B.three times a day |
C.four times a day | D.eight times a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.We should keep from touching our faces. |
B.There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth. |
C.A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
D.We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |
The text probably comes from________.
A.a guide book | B.a popular magazine |
C.a book review | D.an official document |