Bobby Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen, a tough working-class neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side. But Hell's Kitchen lies right next door to Broadway, and the bright lights attracted Bobby from the time he was a teen. Being stage-struck was hardly what a street kid could admit to his partners. Fearing their ridicule, he told no one, not even his girlfriend, when he started taking acting lessons at age 17. If you were a kid from the neighborhood, you became a cop, construction worker, longshoreman or criminal. Not an actor.
Moresco struggled to make that long walk a few blocks east. He studied acting, turned out for all the cattle calls -- and during the decade of the 1970s made a total of $2,000. "I wasn't a good actor, but I had a driving need to do something different with my life," he says.
He moved to Hollywood, where he drove a cab and worked as a bartender. "My father said, 'Stop this 
craziness and get a job; you have a wife and daughter.' “But Moresco kept working at his chosen craft.
Then in 1983 his younger brother Thomas was murdered in a mob-linked killing. Moresco moved back to his old neighborhood and started writing as a way to explore the pain and the patrimony of Hell's Kitchen. Half-Deserted Streets, based on his brother's killing, opened at a small Off-Broadway theater in 1988. A Hollywood producer saw it and asked him to work on a screenplay.
His reputation grew, and he got enough assignments to move back to Hollywood. By 2003, he was again out of work and out of cash when he got a call from Paul Haggis, a director who had befriended him. Haggis wanted help writing a film about the country after September 11. The two worked on the writing, but every studio in town turned it down. They kept pitching it. Studio executives, however, thought no one wanted to see a severe, honest vision of race and fear and lives in collision in modern America.
Moresco believed so strongly in the script that he borrowed money, sold his house. He and Haggis kept pushing. At last the writers found an independent film producer who would take a chance, but the upfront money was too little, Moresco delayed his salary.
Crash slipped into the theaters in May 2005, and quietly became both a hit and a critical success. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three -- Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Paul Haggis and the kid from Hell's Kitchen.
At age 54, Bobby Moresco became an overnight success. "If you have something you want to do in life, don't think about the problems," he says, "think about other ways to get it done." Rearrange the following statements in terms of time order:
a. His work Half-Deserted Streets drew attention as it opened at a small Off-Broadway theater
b. Unexpectedly Crash became both a hit and a huge success.
c. He moved to Hollywood to be a taxi driver and a waiter.
d. He started learn acting in spite of hardness with the belief of doing something diiferent.
e. His younger brother Thomas was killed in conflict among bullies.
| A．d; c; e; a; b | B．d; e; c; b; a | C．c; d; e; a; b | D．c; e; d; b; a |
Why Bobby Moresco did not tell anyone that he started taking lessons at age 17?
| A．He wnted to give his girlfriend a surprise. |
| B．His girlfriend did not allow him to do this. |
C．He was afraid of being lau ghed at. |
| D．He had no talent for acting. |
Which of the following sentences is NOT true?
| A．His father did not support his work as a bartender. |
| B．Before he became an overnight success, his life experienced ups and downs. |
| C．His brother’s death inspired his writing Half-Deserted Streets. |
| D．Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen which is a few blocks east of Broadway. |
The Studio executives turned the script Crash down because ______________.
| A．they thought the script would not be popular. |
| B．the script was not well written. |
| C．they had no money to make the film based on the script. |
| D．they thought Moresco was not famous. |
What’s the best title of the article?
| A．The Road to Success | B．Try It a Different Way |
| C．A Talented man—Moresco | D．Moresco’s Perseverance |
Which of the following can best describe Bobby Moresco?
| A．initiative (主动) and persistent | B．shy but hardworking |
| C．caring and brave | D．aggressive and modest |
Manhattan Island is surrounded on the east by the East and Harlem Rivers and on the west by the North and Hudson Rivers.It links with the other four towns which make up New York City and with New Jersey are by means of subways,underground tunnels and bridges which lead into Manhanttan from the surrounding area.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the first suspension bridge to link Brooklyn to Manhanttan.It is also the second oldest bridge in New York.The architect was John Augustus Roebling,who was the chief engineer of the suspended Railroad Bridge at Niagara Falls.
Misfortune accompanied the building of the bridge,which took place from 1869 to 1883.The architect died as a result of an accident early during the construction.His son,Washington Roebling,carried on his father’s work,using the most advanced engineering techniques of the day.He also fell ill during the construction of the bridge and was obliged to direct the work on it from an apartment window overlooking the site.
Since its construction the Brooklyn Bridge has remained a busy and important passage in New York.
The Brooklyn Bridge is 6775 feet long and 1595 feet wide.The suspended part is 3450 feet long and 85 feet wide.It has a clearance of 133 feet above water level.Four huge cables extend across the bridge,supported by two towers,each 272 feet high.Each of these cables is made up of 5700 wires.If you want to go to Princeton University in New Jersey from Manhattan,you_________.
| A．must drive across a bridge | B．must take a Metro train |
| C．have to go through a tunnel | D．can use any of the above means |
The Brooklyn Bridge is _________.
| A．the first suspended railway bridge in the USA |
| B．the first oldest bridge in New York |
| C．the first suspension bridge between Manhattan Island and Brooklyn |
| D．the first suspension bridge built in the USA |
In the course of the construction of the bridge_________.
| A．the chief engineer was in short of money |
| B．misfortune fell on the chief engineer |
| C．John Augustus Roebling fell ill |
| D．Washington Roebling met with an accident |
Washington Roebling was forced to_________.
| A．direct the building work on the bridge |
| B．lead the builders of the bridge in a hospital |
| C．give his directions to the workers from a flat nearby |
| D．direct the construction of the bridge by radio |
I was six when I joined my father and two brothers at sunrise in the hayfields of Eufaula,Oklahoma.By the time I was eight I was helping Dad fix up low-income rent properties.He gave me a penny for every nail I pulled out of old boards.
I got my first real job,at JM’s restaurant in town,when I was 12.My main responsibilities were cleaning tables and washing dishes,but sometimes I helped cook.
Every day after school I would head to JM’s and work until ten.On Saturdays I worked from two until eleven.At that age it was unlucky going to work and watching my friends run off to swim or play.I didn’t necessarily like work,but I love what working allowed me to have.Because of my job I was always the one buying when my friends and I went to the local bar Tastee Freez.This made me proud.
Word that I was honest and hard-working got around town.A local clothing store offered credit to me although I was only in the seventh grade.I immediately charged a $68 sports coat and a $22 pair of trousers.I was making only 65 cents an hour,and I was already $90 in debt!So I learned early the danger of easy credit.I paid it off as soon as I could.
My first job taught me discipline,responsibility and brought me a level of personal satisfaction few of my friends had experienced.As by father,who worked three jobs,once told me,“If you understand sacrifice and commitment,there are not many things in life you can’t have.”How right he was!When the author was a child,he was made to help his father work because_________.
| A．the retaurant was short for hands |
| B．his family belonged to the low-income group |
| C．he wanted to earn some money |
| D．he was stronger than his two brothers |
At the age of 12,the author got a job at a restaurant and often worked till late at night because_________.
| A．he liked that work |
| B．he didn’t like playing |
| C．he was hard-working |
| D．he felt rewarded by doing that work |
When the author was in the seventh grade,he was in debt because_________.
| A．he did not work any more |
| B．he bought clothes on credit |
| C．he was charged too much for the sports coat |
| D．he made little money at that time |
What does the author want to tell the reader by this text?
| A．If you know sacrifice and responsibility,you can have many things in life. |
| B．Children from poor families usually have a very unhappy childhood. |
| C．Children could be made to work and earn some money by themselves. |
| D．You will learn discipline and responsibity by working early in life. |
Since long ago,greeting cards have been considered a time-saver.More than 150 years ago,a busy Englishman,Sir Henry,asked a friend to design a card so that he didn't have to labour to write holiday letters to his friends at the end of the year.Those paper cards are now the tradition.
But time,like sunlight,is still in short supply for December.That's why the Internet is ready to make a change in holiday greeting customs.Already,those,who are always busy,like sending video greetings by e-mail.So,don't be surprised to find a lively card in your electronic mail box at the end of the year or at any time you should have one.
A recent survey by the Shared Greetings Company found 50 percent of all the Internet users will send online cards especially during the holiday seasons.“That is a lot easier,and it is lively,”said Carol,a New Yorker,who had stopped at the Shared Greetings Company demonstration() online.With her children's help,she sent her first e-card before Thanksgiving Day.“It was the first time I had done something like this;it's quite enjoyable,”she said.
“I will send online Christmas cards to my friends,”said Marcos,a 22-year-old student.“It costs so little and you can even send numbers of greetings at a time.”But he added “the e-card also has its limits,and I don't think it is ready to replace the paper card for the more formal or traditional occasions.For some people,I would rather buy paper cards and mail them traditionally.I believe it is more personal and respectful in that way,”he said.
Well,for those who are very busy but still prefer to do a lot of greetings to different receivers in the holiday season,the Internet may have another way.“Now you can use the Net to decide and send as many as 50 beautiful cards,which allows the buyer to choose the inside saying,as well as the ink colour and typeface,only costing about 30 minutes,”said Julie,vice-president of marketing for an electronic card company-Hallmark Company.“And if you are in less of a hurry,you can spend another 30 minutes sitting in your home or office to create a photo card,showing off your kids,your pets or even your new house-anything as your favorite design for your relatives and friends.”How can we understand “But time,like sunlight,is still in short supply for December”in Paragraph 2?
| A．December cannot supply enough time for people because the sunlight in this month is short. |
| B．People are always busy at the end of the year,so time is precious like the sunlight in winter. |
| C．Time is short at the end of the year,like the sunlight in December. |
| D．Time passes quickly like the sunlight in winter as December comes. |
According to the 22-year-old student,he would probably mail e-cards to everyone except_________.
| A．the members of his family |
| B．his girlfriend |
| C．the teachers who have taught him |
| D．his schoolmates |
If you are quite busy,but having many greetings to send,which of the following is your best choice?
| A．Ordering a lot of cards you like online and sending them from the post office. |
| B．Getting as many cards from your electronic mail box and mailing them on the Net. |
| C．Sitting and writing lots of beautiful cards at home and sending them just in a traditional way. |
| D．Choosing personalized cards in numbers and mailing them directly on the Net. |
There are new findings that not enough sleep may cause people to gain weight.Researchers say a lack of sleep can produce hormonal changes that increase feelings of hunger.
In one study,researchers in the United States examined information on more than 1000 people.The people had taken part in a long-term study of sleep disorders.
Some people slept less than five hours a night.They had 15 percent higher blood levels of a hormone called ghrelin than people who slept eight hours.And they had 15 percent less of the hormone leptin.Experts say ghrelin helps make people feel hungry;leptin makes you feel full.
The scientists say these hormonal changes may be a cause of obesity in Western societies.They note the combination that limitation is common and is widely available.
The results were not affected by how much people exercised.People who are awake longer have more time to burn energy.But the researchers say loss of sleep may increase hunger especially for high-calorie foods,so people gain weight.It seems that,for survival,the body may be designed to store more fat during times with less sleep.
Researchers from Stanford University in California and the University of Wisconsin did the study.They found that the best amount of sleep for weight control is 7.7 hours a night.
The Public Library of Science published the findings in its journal Medicine.Internet users can read the full study,free of charge,at plos.org.Which of the following shows the right way in which lack of sleep causes weight gain?
| A．more ghrelin and less leptin→feeling hungry→eating more |
| B．feeling hungry→eating more→more ghrelin and less leptin |
| C．burning more energy→feeling hungry→eating more |
| D．more leptin and less ghrelin→feeling full→less exercise |
The two words missing in the 4th paragraph should be “_________”and “_________”.
| A．weight;sleep | B．sleep;food | C．hunger;food | D．weight;work |
When you sleep 7.7 hours a night,you will_________.
| A．have your ghrelin level rise and leptin level drop |
| B．have your leptin level rise and ghrelin level drop |
| C．have your ghrelin and leptin levels properly balanced |
| D．feel neither hungry nor full |
The writer wrote this passage to_________.
| A．make a news report | B．offer a piece of medical advice |
| C．make an advertisement | D．keep a record of the research findings |
| 1.Needed:Full time secretary position available.Applicants should be able to type 60 words a minute.No computer skills required.Apply in person at United Business Ltd.,17 Browning Street. |
2.Are you looking for a part time job?We require 3 part time shop assistants to work during the evening.No experience is required,applicants should be between 18 and 26.Call 366-76564 for more information. |
| 3.Computer trained secretaries:Do you have experience working with computers?Would you like a full time position working in an exciting new company?If your answer is yes,call 457-896754. |
4.Teacher needed:Tommy's Kindergarten needs 2 teachers/trainers to help with classes from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m.Applicants should have appropriate licenses(许可证）.For more information visit Tommy's Kindergarten in Leicester Square No.56. |
5.Part time wor available:We are looking for retired adults who would like to work part time at the weekend.Responsibilities include answering the telephone and giving customers information.For more information contact Nile Airlines by calling 345-674132. |
6.University positions open:The University of Cumberland is looking for 4 teaching assistants to help with homework correction.Applicants should have a degree in one of the following:Political Science,Computer Science,Economics or History.Please contact the University of Cumberland for more information. |
Suppose you are a first-year student who wants to earn some money to pay your university expenses,you may_________.
| A．call 345-674132 |
| B．call 366-76564 |
| C．contact United Business Ltd |
| D．contact Cumberland University |
According to the advertisements,which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Experience is required if you want to work as a shop assistant. |
| B．You may be employed by United Business Ltd.if you can type fast enough. |
| C．You are sure to get a job at Tommy's Kindergarten if you have a degree. |
| D．Nile Airlines needs a peson to deal with customers' information. |
Who are the advertisements intended for?
| A．Job hunters. | B．College graduates. |
| C．Retired teachers. | D．Computer majors. |