3D cinema has been around since the early 20th century, but Hollywood brought the technology back In 2007. Many thought it was just a trick to make more money. But then came Avatar, the first must-see movie in 3D.
But since Avatar, 3D cinema has struggled. In 2010, several 3D movies bombed at the box office. And by late 2010, Some people said the technology was dead. Of course, this isn’t the first time Hollywood has struggled with new technology. Although sound was added to movies in the late 1920s, it took audiences time to get used to the new technology. But in the end, sound and color became the standard. James Cameron, director of Avatar, thinks we’re going through the same process with 3D.
Some say cinemas are charging too much for 3D movies. In the US, seeing a 3D movie can cost up to $7.5 more than seeing it in 2D. Also, a recent study at California State University found audiences don’t actually enjoy movies in 3D any more than in 2D. Walter Murch , a famous movie editor, wrote in 2011 that human beings have no ability to process 3D images. Watching a 3D movie confuses our brain and this is why some people get headaches.
But James Cameron disagrees. In fact, he recently predicted that in five years all movies will be in 3D. And there are signs that 3D is fighting back. More 3D movies were put on the market in 2012 than ever before. The Lion King 3D recently made over US $150 million at the box office, and Cameron’s Titanic 3D made even more.
Who knows what the future holds for 3D? Steven Spielberg recently said, ‘Tm hoping 3D gets to a point where people dorft notice it. Because then it just becomes another tool and helps tell a story.”The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably means that in 2010, 3D movies______
| A.were not successful | B.became popular |
| C.developed quickly | D.were of poor quality |
The example of sound and color is used mainly to show that______.
| A.Hollywood tends to absorb what is new |
| B.3D technology takes time to be accepted |
| C.Hollywood struggles with new technology |
| D.high technology helps to make better movies |
In Walter Murch7S opinion, 3D movies______.
| A.bring moviemakers great profits |
| B.are more expensive than 2D movies |
| C.do great harm to people’s health |
| D.are unsuitable for people to watch |
What can we learn from the text?
| A.Avatar was the first 3D movie. |
| B.3D cinema has existed for years. |
| C.Titanic 3D has made the most money. |
| D.2012 witnessed the coming of 3D’s time. |
It is pretty much a one-way street.While it may“be common for university researchers to try their luck in the commercial world,there is very little traffic in the opposite direction.Pay has always been the biggest deterrent,as people with families often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university job.For some industrial scientists,however, the attractions of academia(学术界)outweigh any financial considerations.
Helen Lee took a 70%cut in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical department at the University of Cambridge.Her main reason for returning to academia halfway was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose research questions.Some areas of research have few chances of a commercial return,and Lee’s is one of them.
The powerful effect of a salary cut is probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of an occupation.Guy Grant,now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the University of Cambridge,spent two years working for a medicine company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher.He took a 30%salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual opportunities.
Higher up the ladder,where a pay cut is usually more significant,the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in industry is forcing universities to make the transition(转换)to academia more attractive,according to Lee.Industrial scientists tend to receive training that academics do not,such as how to build a multidisciplinary team,manage budgets and negotiate contracts(合同).They are also well placed to bring something extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job when they graduate,says Lee,perhaps experience in manufacturing practice or product development.“Only a small number of undergraduates will continue in an academic occupation.So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than someone who has spent a11 their time on a narrow research project.”The underlined word“deterrent”in Paragraph 1 most probably refers to something that
| A.helps to move the traffic | B.attracts people’s attention |
| C.keeps someone from taking action | D.brings someone a financtal burden |
What was Helen Lee’s major consideration when she changed her j ob halfway?
| A.Flexible work hours. | B.Her research interests. |
| C.Chances of academic accomplishments | D.Her preference for the lifestyle at university |
Why did Guy Grant choose to work as a researcher at Cambridge?
| A.To do financially more rewarding work. |
| B.To raise his status in the academic world. |
| C.To enjoy better intellectual opportunities. |
| D.To gain more experience in medical research. |
What contribution can industrial scientists make when they come to teach in a university?
| A.Suit its research to practical applications. |
| B.Develop its students’potential in research. |
| C.Help it obtain financial support from industry. |
| D.Increase its graduates’competitiveness in the j ob market. |
Alexi s Vaughan,17,sat tiredly in the passenger seat of her dad’s car.The early Saturday morning run with her father,Michael,was part of the punishment.She stared sadly out of the window at the cornfields.
An experienced hunter,Alexis let her eyes lazily search for wildlife.She was shocked when a deer came into view about 200 yards in front of them.Mule deer never appeared in plain sight ten days before hunting season.It was a buck—a male deer with sharp,three-pronged antlers(三齿鹿角).
Suddenly Alexis heard a scream and saw an arm fly up near the deer’s head.She realized the buck was attacking a woman.Sue Panter had been Out for her morning run.The deer had appeared from the tall corn and begun following her.Having lived in the countryside of Idaho for years,Sue knew that most deer got frightened by humans.But this deer moved closer,even when she threw a handful of small stones at it.
“I knew I was in trouble,”she says.
The buck rushed forward,lifted her up with its antlers and threw her into the air. Sue could feel the antlers made small holes in her leg and blood ran down her leg.
When the Vaughans pulled up,the buck was throwing Sue like a rag doll. Before her father had stopped the car,Alexis rushed out of the car and down the slope(斜坡)toward the buck.“1 was kicking and hitting it hard with my fists to get its attention so that It will leave the woman,”she says.However,the animal was not frightened at all.Then Michael pushed the buck away from the woman by the antlers.
Alexis helped Sue up the slope and into the Vaughans’car.Then she tied a tourniquet(止血带)to Sue's right leg.Her neck was cut.Then she heard her father shout loudly. Michael had been knocked to the ground,his right leg seriously cut by the buck. Alexis took a hammer from the car and ran to where Michael lay on his back in the dirt.She beat the buck’s head and neck,but the blows didn’t frighten it away.“I was losing faith,”she says.
“A couple more strikes,Alexis,”said Michael.“You can do it.”Alexis closed her eyes and hit with all her strength at the deer’s neck with the hammer. When she opened her eyes, the deer was running away.
A1exis got in the driver’s seat and sped toward the hospital in Franklin,hearing her dad’s breathing grow difficuIt and unsmooth as the blood from his wounded leg had flowed through the T—shirt he'd wrapped around it.In the backseat,Sue looked unconscious.
After doctors treated Sue and Michael,Sue tearfully thanked her rescuers.“ You expect aTeenage girl to get on the phone and call for help in such a situation, not to beat up a deershe says.What can we know from the first two paragraphs?
| A.The story happened during hunting season. |
| B.It is unusual to see mule deer at this time of year. |
| C.The beautiful sight outside the car made Alexis excited. |
| D.Alexis enjoys running with her father on Saturday morning. |
How did Sue Panter probably feel at first when she saw the male deer?
A.Relaxed. B.Frightened. C.Excited.DQ Confused·How did Alexis help Sue soon after she ran out of the car?
| A.By trying to bring the buck’s life to an end. |
| B.By frightening the buck to run away down the slope. |
| C.By trying to draw the buck’s attention away from Sue. |
| D.By pushing the buck away from Sue by the antlers. |
What was wrong with Michael after fighting with the deer?
| A.His neck was seriously cut. |
| B.Both his legs were badly wounded. |
| C.There were bloody holes in his left leg. |
| D.He had difficulty breathing because of blood loss. |
What does Sue mean by saying the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?
| A.Alexis is an unusually brave girl. |
| B.It’s risky for Alexis not to ask for help. |
| C.Girls are willing to lend a helping hand. |
| D.Girls are often at a 1oss in face of danger. |
Welcome to enj oy the Mattaponi powwow(meeting oi North America Indians)and culture day!
Created in Virginia,America,the Mattaponi Indian Museum sits on a cliff(悬崖)overlooking the Mattaponi River.The Matta—ponis have worked hard to keep their ancient way of life,customs and ceremonies. One purpose of their yearly powwow is to share these traditions with you.
MATTAPONI POWWOW AND CULTURE DAY:May 18
ADMISSION:Adult—$6.00 Children(under 12)—Free
Come and spend the day with us on the shores of the Mattaponi River for an educational experience presenting the customs and beliefs of the Mattaponi.During this special day,American Indians will dance and play drums while dressed in tribal clothing.This year visitors may join in the dancing and trumming.Visitors will be able to observe artists and craftsmen(工匠)as they show their basket-making and tool-making skills.American storytellers will help you see how their habits and beliefs are passed on to their children through stories.
Enjoy Activities
●Taste American Indian foods
●Purchase crafts and souvenirs
●Play American Indian children’s games
●Watch ceremonial dances and listen to ceremonial songs
Important Cautions
●No pets
●Bring your own chairs and blankets
●Tickets may be purchased in advance although no refunds(退款)will be allowed
For more information,please visit http: //www.hemattaponireservation.com/main.According to the text,the Mattaponis’habits and beliefs are handed down from generation to generation through.
| A.songs | B.stories | C.crafts | D.dance |
Visitors coming to enjoy the Mattaponi powwow and culture day can do all the following EXCEPT.
| A.enjoy American Indian foods | B.watch ceremonlal dances |
| C.play American Indian children’s games | D.get crafts and souvenirs for free |
This text is mainly intended to.
| A.inform readers about an event |
| B.persuade readers to try drumming |
| C.sell crafts and souvenirs to readers |
| D.educate readers on different types of powwows |
Writing about poetry is very similar to writing about a story or research you have conducted .The first thing you have to do to write an essay about a poem is to read the poem Very carefully and read it more than once.
Each poem says something,so try to figure out what the poem is saying to You .What ’s the theme of the poem ?What’s the attitude of the speaker of the poem ?How does the poem use words and sounds to communicate its message ?When you answer these questions,it can help you come up with a thesis(论题)for your essay·
It,s necessary to have a thesis statement written before you start writing your essay,especially when you’re writing about a poem. Your thesis should make an argument about the poem you're dealing with. You might want to argue that the poem is presenting a specific message,or that the words in the poem work together to create a certain tone. You may even want to argue that the poet wrote this particular poem because of a specific moment in history or a specific event in his or her life.The possibilities are infinite . As long as you can use evidence from the poem and from your research about the poem or poet ,your thesis is correct.
Before you even start writing, read the poem again once you have your thesis· At this point,you’U be able to read the poem with new eyes since you know what you’ll be writing about.Go through the poem with a fine-toothed comb and pick out everything that supports your thesis.When you find quotes you want to use,write them down In an outline of the main points of your essay.This will help keep you organized.When you write a quote down, be sure to cite(引用)it correctly.Depending on the text of your essay, you may or may not want to include the poet’s name in your quote. Once you have everything ready to go,You are all set to write your essay.
The passage mainly talks about________
| A.the function of poems | B.how to look for quotes |
| C.how to write about poetry | D.the benefit of writing about poetry |
By asking a series of questions in Paragraph 2,the writer wants to tell us the way of________
| A.writing an essay | B.understanding a poem |
| C.understanding key words | D.collecting enough evidence |
The underlined word “infinite” in Paragraph 3, is closest in meaning to“_______”
| A.unnecessary | B.unclear | C.meaningless | D.endless |
According to the writer,what should you do once you have your thesis?
| A.Read the poem again and try to find important quotes• |
| B.Write about the poem immediately without referring to it again. |
| C.Put aside the poem and search the Internet for supporting evidence• |
| D.Cite quotes from the poem including the poet’s name and page numbers• |
One spring,when 1 was 1 0,during one of my father’s layoffs,I could tell my mother was unhappy.I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother’s Day gift.
One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins,which,I learned years later,was known for its high-end fashions and style.I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins,telling her I was looking for a Mother’s Day present.
“Do you think she’d like a purse ?”she asked.“I think she might.”I told her.
She took out an Italian purse made of leather.She asked me what I thought,and I told her that my mom would like it.
“How much money do you have?’’she asked.
“Twelve dollars,”I said.
“You’re in luck,”she told me.“It’s only $11.You have a dollar left over for the card.” She wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business,and I rode off home with the package under my arm.
When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning,she asked in an accusing tone,“Where did you get this?”
“I bought it at the Agins.It cost me$1 1.’’I said.
My mother was shocked into silence.
It wasn’t until many years 1ater,when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars,that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me.I always felt regretful that I never had a chance to properly thank her.
‘‘You know,my son,what really amazes me to this day,”my mother said.‘‘Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough.But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that 9 11 never forget.”Why did the author buy his mother a purse?
| A.To thank his mother for buying him a bike. |
| B.To show his ability of making money. |
| C.To make his mother happy. |
| D.To surprise his mother. |
The author’s mother was shocked into silence because______
| A.the Agins charged so little money for the purse |
| B.the author bought a card to go with the purse |
| C.she wasn’t expecting a gift from her son |
| D.the purse was bought from the Agins |
Sylvia Agins’behavior shows that_______
| A.she is critical and mean | B.she is kind and thoughtful |
| C.she is good at making money | D.she knows how to choose presents |
Which can be the best title for the text?
| A.A Clever Shop Owner | B.A Considerate Mother |
| C.An Unforgettable Event | D.A Priceless Mother’s Day Gift |