The Production Department can be a fun place to work in a TV station. It can also be quite stressful if the station broadcasts a significant amount of live programming. There can be a number of interesting positions in this department. Here is a list of the core ones:
The Production Manager heads the department, and is the person to contact if you are interested in working in this area. He or she oversees all activities in the studios, hires and fires workers, meets with customers who want to produce an advertisement, and monitors expense budgets for the department. The person in this position may also sometimes act as a Director, Producer, Camera Operator, or any other role in which they are proficient.
Directors lead the crew during a production session. Over a headset, the Director tells Camera Operators what shots to get and the Technical Director (TD) what audio and video to put on the air. Directors work closely with the Producer of each program, ensuring that the final product meets with the Producer’s demands.
A Technical Director is a master at “punching” up the correct video source. In other words, if the Director calls for camera one, the Technical Director puts camera one on the air. The TD sits in front of a massive board called a “swicher” during production sessions, which allows him or her to literally switch between video sources. Since this can be a high-pressure, fast-moving job, the best Technical Directors are people who can stay even-tempered and in control.
The Stage Manager is responsible for everything that goes on in the television studio. This person makes sure all of the equipment is in good working order, oversees the building and placement of all staging, and may even set the lighting for all productions. Really efficient Stage Managers take pride in their studios, and it would not be unusual to see this person sweeping the floor or cleaning the sets between productions. This is a leadership position, which often leads to promotion to the position of Production Manager.According to the writer, working in the Production Department _______.
| A.is an interesting experience |
| B.is always very stressful |
| C.needs much professional knowledge |
| D.is the best choice to work in a TV station |
The Production Manager ______.
| A.seldom takes part in producing programs |
| B.is also called “Producer” |
| C.usually trains new workers in person |
| D.is responsible to deal with advertisers |
The Technical Director _______.
| A.decides what shots to get |
| B.works closely with the Producer |
| C.meets the demands of Camera Operators |
| D.carries out the orders by the Director |
Online shopping has become more and more popular these years. Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2013 holiday season 58 percent of those shopping online were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming,” said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study. Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the surprising increase in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three-quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2013. They worried about credit card security(安全), or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“But even if shoppers don’t buy online, websites are becoming promotion(促销) tools for stores, ” said Dan Hess, vice president of Com Score Network Inc. Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable.” Hess said.Which of the following statements is true?
| A.There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2013. |
| B.More women shopped online than men in 2013. |
| C.Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women. |
| D.People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online. |
What does the underlined part “dashed off” probably mean ?
| A.关闭 | B.推迟 | C.匆忙 | D.起飞 |
According to Dan Hess, shopping online ______.
| A.is unsafe | B.is convenient |
| C.is a waste of money | D.is cheaper |
It was lucky to have a teacher at home. Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren: correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her ailing in her later years. At eighty-five, she suffered a stroke(中风) and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whirr,” she said weakly.
“Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whirr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly.
Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could muster said, “Not was, say were!”
It suddenly occurred to us that Mom was correcting brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads…this time in awe of a remarkable teacher.When Mom said, “Whirr”, what did she really want to do?
| A.She wanted to tell her sons her will. |
| B.She wanted to have something to eat before she died. |
| C.She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking. |
| D.She wanted to teach her sons more because she was dying. |
Which of the following statements is NOT right?
| A.Mom was a good teacher and never wanted to stop her teaching. |
| B.Mom was always making her teaching fun. |
| C.Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died. |
| D.Mom was no longer a teacher when she was at home. |
Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
| A.Once a teacher, always… | B.Mom’s will |
| C.A teacher’s life | D.A teacher’s story |
Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills began to be used in the ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(磨碎)wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher costs. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.From the text we know that windmills _______.
| A.were invented by European armies |
| B.have a history of more than 2,800 years |
| C.have rarely been used since electricity was discovered |
| D.used to supply power to radio in remote area |
The underlined word in Paragraph 2 probably means________.
| A.making something cleaner |
| B.making something flow freely |
| C.making something flow in a particular direction |
| D.making something into small parts |
One of the reasons wind was discovered in the 1970s is that_______.
| A.it is one of the oldest power sources |
| B.wind power is cleaner |
| C.it was cheaper to create energy from wind |
| D.coal and gas failed to meet the needs |
What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A.The global trend towards producing power from wind. |
| B.The design of wind power plants. |
| C.The worldwide movement to save energy. |
| D.The advantages of wind power. |
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch. In addition to our exhibition gallery, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end. There are many things to do at the Museum in DC. We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults. We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours and Admission: Open every day except December 25. Admission is free.
Regular Hours: 10:00 am to 5:30pm
Extended Hours: 10:00 am to 7:30pm
December 26---30, 2014 March 30---April 20, 2015
Friday and Saturdays, April 24---May 16, 2015 May 17---September 7, 2015
Visiting Tips: Limit the number of bags: All visitors are screened through metal detector upon entry. The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry. Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items, which include pocket knives and tripods(三脚架). Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food or Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum. You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food and Drink Court, not in the Museum. Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Hall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use. However, tripods and monopods(单脚架) are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty. Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center: At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open: 10:00am to 5:30 Phone: 202-666-2212
E-mail: NASM-visitorservice@si.eduAccording to the passage, the National Air and Space Museum is a place _______.
| A.where only adults can take part in some educational activities |
| B.where one can touch anything he likes |
| C.everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets |
| D.everyone can visit without time limit all the year round. |
If the Greens plan to visit the Musuem at 6:00pm, it is accessible on _______.
| A.December 24, 2014(Wednesday) | B.March 1, 2015(Sunday) |
| C.September 15, 2015(Tuesday) | D.July 6, 2015(Monday) |
A visitor to the Museum can _______.
| A.get some medical treatment if he suddenly falls ill |
| B.take photos with tripods for personal use |
| C.bring fewer bags to go through metal detectors |
| D.eat and drink in the Museum or in the Food Court |
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
| A.attract people to explore the universe |
| B.make an advertisement for the Museum |
| C.encourage adults to bring their children here |
| D.show what is on display in the Museum |
If Confucius(孔子) were alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But that doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up the drawbacks of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.The opening paragraph is mainly intended to _______.
| A.attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| B.provide some key facts about Confucius |
| C.show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D.prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students _______.
| A.take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| B.try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| C.fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| D.have a great passion in studying Chinese |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A.Forgotten Wisdom in America. |
| B.Huge Fans of the Chinese Language. |
| C.Old Thinker with a Big Future. |
| D.Chinese Culture for Westerners. |
The passage is likely to appear in ______.
| A.a biography | B.a history paper |
| C.a newspaper | D.a philosophy textbook |