D
Amazon is taking a leap into movie production, planning to fund a dozen original feature films each year, and to compress the time it takes to move them from theatres to viewers’ homes.
The first film projects are expected to begin production at Amazon Studios later this year, and to make their first public appearance in U.S. theatres. But Amazon plans to push them to its Prime Instant Video subscription service as little as 30 to 60 days later.
The long-standing timeline for movie releases is already under pressure, and Amazon’s latest move is another step toward collapsing it to satisfy increasingly impatient audiences. But where competitor Netflix Inc. has sought to do away with wait times entirely.
When Netflix promised last October to commission a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and to release it on its streaming site the same day when it would open in theatres in the fall of 2015, cinema owners refused. “We believe the theatrical window is an important part of the overall movie sales cycle,” a spokesperson for theatre chain said.
Paul, a senior media analyst, expects many of Amazon’s original movies will have the feel of independent films with their more challenging subject matter, often made for $10-million or less. The goal isn’t to go toe to toe with “the big blockbuster machine,” with their $100-million-plus production budgets.“I don’t see this as laying down the gauntlet,” Mr. Dergarabedian said. “It’s a strategy of co-existence.”
Prime Instant Video offers online access to a wide array of films and television shows for $99 (U.S.) a year. But it is not currently available in Canada, unless viewers use a virtual private network to disguise their location.
The new company, Amazon Original Movies, will be led by Ted Hope, an American independent filmmaker.
“Audiences already recognize Amazon has raised the bar with productions in the episodic realm, coping with bold material in unique ways and teaming with top talent, both established and emerging,” Mr. Hope said.Why does Amazon begin to make original feature films?
| A．To attract more Prime Instant Video customers |
| B．To win the Golden Globe Award |
| C．To cooperate with Netflix Inc. |
| D．To contribute to the film industry. |
The original films that Amazon release _______.
| A．may not use new actors |
| B．will first be shown in Canadian theatres |
| C．may be seen at home two months after they are released |
| D．may not be welcome in the US |
From the passage we can infer the theatre _______.
| A．doesn’t want to show Amazon’s new films |
| B．prefers to co-operate with Netflix Inc. |
| C．will make more profits because Amazon’ films cost less. |
| D．doesn’t like the time being shortened from theatres to homes |
What does the underlined word “compress” mean?
| A．Lengthen. | B．Shorten. |
| C．Increase. | D．Quit. |
What can be the best title?
| A．Amazon comes into world market. |
| B．Amazon has a bright future. |
| C．Amazon jumps into movies |
| D．The competition in film industry becomes serious. |
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A
| BDU www.chinadaily.com.cn/bdu C H I N A D A I L Y L A U N C H E S B D U BUSINESS DAILY UPDATE Want to keep abreast of (了解…的最新情况) the dynamic pulse (有力的脉搏) of China’s economy? Get a glimpse of the most important business activities taking place here every day through Business Daily Update, a service offered by China Daily information via the World Wide Web. Placed under 10 categories, over 25 news items appear each day with the top three events highlighted all in English. Business Daily Update is just a few mouse clicks away. Subscribe to BDU for an annual fee of US $240. Email and fax services are also Available upon request. For more information, please contact Business Daily Update: Tel: (010)64941107, (010) 64924488 ext. 2000; Fax: +86-10-64941125 Email: bdu@chinadaily. com. cn;URL:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bdu |
If you get into BDU, you can _____________.
| A．know more than what you expect in China |
| B．get the most important business information in the world |
| C．get the information of the latest business activities taking place in China |
| D．get all the information in China Daily |
This ad will be very helpful to ___________.
| A．foreign business people | B．foreign travelers |
| C．Chinese people | D．China Daily reporters |
To get the information from BDU every day, you must ____________.
| A．understand Chinese | B．know something about the mouse |
| C．know how to operate a computer | D．how to use a fax machine |
Traveling abroad for leisure is becoming more and more popular for Chinese. The UK is high up in the list of places that the Chinese want to visit. There is a sense of mystery about the UKL: it’s often the images of England’s green parks, countryside and Victorian houses that people point to as an alternative to polluted, overcrowded cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.
The capital is viewed as modern and dynamic, while being fived deep with history. When asked what other images are thought of by the UK, the reply is often “the Queen, tea and Oxbridge”. So what’s stopping them actually coming? Sebastian Wood, the British ambassador in Beijing, has described the UK as a “fortress”, and while this is perhaps an exaggeration (夸张). Britain does have a reputation as a country that is harder to access.
The main problem for Chinese tourists is obvious. Although visa applications are now completed online, visitors are still required to visit one of 12 UK centers across the country for a face-to –face interview and fingerprinting If you don’t live near one of these centers already, you’d have to travel some distance to get there.
Another problem is also to be mentioned. If travelers from China visit the UK, they also want to cover as much ground as possible. But the UK is not included in the Schengen visa, which allows access to a host of 26European countries such as France and Germany. So it makes the former seem a less worth it.
There is also the issue of cost:￡47 for a Schengen visa, ￡82 for the UK. On top of this, the UK is viewed as stricter in its handling of visas compared with the rest of Europe, fed by urban legends of rejected applications. In the end, the decision comes down to one question: Is Britain worth a visit?The underlined word “fortress” in Paragraph 2 is something similar to .
| A．temple | B．apartment |
| C．castle | D．market |
Which of the following statements is NOT true for the UK visa?
| A．One can apply for a visa online. |
| B．One must have a face-to –face interview. |
| C．No one can get a visa without a fingerprinting. |
| D．No one needs to travel a long distance to get to a center. |
What can a visitor do if the he gets a Schengen visa?
| A．He can only visit the UK． |
| B．He can only visit 26 European countries． |
| C．He can visit the UK and France． |
| D．He can travel to any country he likes． |
What is the author’s attitude towards visiting the UK?
| A．He really supports Chinese people to visit the UK． |
| B．He suggests Chinese people visit London strongly． |
| C．He thinks it is troublesome to visit the UK． |
| D．He believes everyone should go to see the Queen and Oxbridge． |
Welcome to the entrepreneur’s Club. Don’t hesitate to contact any of the entrepreneurs (企业家) if you are interested in.
Recycled-Bath Bole Workshop
Bath Bike Workshop is a recycling social enterprise initiative, unique to Bath and aims to rake action about environmental issues by getting mire people cycling. It makes cycling as green as possible by recycling used bikes for re-use and selling them at competitive prices. It also provides affordable bike repair and servicing. All our reeycled . repaired and serviced bikes are certified safe by a qualified bike mechanic before they leave the shop. Email: info@ bath-bike-workshop, org ok.
Old Bank Antiques Centre
Antiques are the very last word in rccyeling, and at Old Bank Antiques Centre, on the London Road in Bath, we do it with style. Among out fifteen dealers is Norman kemp, who not only restores furniture but gives abandoned timber a whole new lease of life. Norman has worked as a restorer specializing in painting effects for more than thirty years, and examples of his work have been exported to many parts of the globe. 14-17 Walecot Buildings. London Road. Bath Bal 6AD. Email: alexatontague@ aol.com
Heyokah Photos
My personal photography projects are concerned with the beauty in the ordinary. I like to celebrate real people and the way they interact with their surroundings and material possession. I also etcate images for businesses and performers in a documentary style, trying to get beneath the hype (新闻炒作)and show something about who they really are. These photos are part of my recent project: Boater on the Kennet and Avon Canal. Contact: www.ehyokah.co.uk
Hannah Bartlett
The garments are a mix of tailored wools and leather. I trained as the UCA as a creative pattern cutter so I like my work to be cut in a creative way. It is important for me not to waste too much fabric so I like to make some garments out of leftovers. Email: hannanh-bartlett@botmail.co.ukIf a person is interested in clothes design, he will probably contact email.
| A．info@ bath-bike-workshop. Org.uk |
| B．alexatontaguc@ aol.com |
| C．www.ehyokah.co.uk |
| D．hannanh-bartlett@botmail.co.uk |
can both receive emails and letters from the customers.
| A．Bath Bike Workshop | B．Old Bank Antiques Centre |
| C．Heyokah Photos | D．Hannah Bartlett |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A science textbook. | B．A tourist map. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A news report. |
Supermarkets are trying out new computers that make shopping carts more intelligent. They will help shoppers find cups or toilet soap, and keep a record of the bill. The touch-screen devices are on show at the Food Marketing Institute’s exhibition here this week. “These devices are able to create value and get you around the store quicker,” said Michael Alexander, manager of Springboard Retail Networks Inc. which makes a smart cart computer called the Concierge. Canadian stores will test the Concierge in July.
A similar device, IBM’s “shopping buddy,” has recently been test-marketed at Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts. Neither device tells you how many fat grams or calories are in your cart, but they will flash you with items on sale. The idea is to make it easier for people to buy, not to have second thoughts that maybe you should put something back on the shelf. “The whole model is driven by advertisers’ need to get in front of shoppers,” said Alexander.“ They’re not watching 30-second TV ads any more.”
People can use a home computer to make their shopping lists. Once at the store, a shopper can use a preferred customer card to start a system that will organize the trip around the store. If you’re looking for toothpicks, you type in the word or pick it from a list, and a map will appear on the screen showing where you are and where you can find them. The devices also keep a record of what you buy. When you’re finished, the device figures out your bill. Then you go to the checker or place your card into a self-checkout stand and pay.
The new computerized shopping assistants don’t come cheap. The Buddy devices will cost the average store about$160,000, and the Concierge will cost stores about $500 for each device.Both of the devices canin a supermarket.
| A．make buying much more convenient |
| B．give customers second thoughts |
| C．not be driven by advertisers’ need |
| D．put something back on the shelf |
Which of the following is the correct order of shopping with the computerized shopping carts?
a. Start the system.
b. Make a shopping list.
c. Find the things you want.
d. Go to a self-checkout stand.
| A．a-b-d-c | B．b-a-c-d |
| C．a-c-b-d | D．b-c-a-d |
We can learn from the last paragraph that.
| A．intelligent shopping carts cost a large sum of money |
| B．the Concierge is more expensive than the Buddy devices |
| C．shop assistants with computer knowledge are well paid |
| D．average stores prefer the Concierge to the Buddy devices |
What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．Touch-screen in Supermarkets |
| B．The New Age for Supermarkets |
| C．New Computers Make Shipping Carts Smarter |
| D．Concierge and Shopping Buddy Make Shopping Tough |
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963—February 11, 2012)was an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Often referred to as the “Queen of Pop”or simply “the Voice”. Houston was the most awarded female actress of all time. According to Guinness World Record 22American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career award as of 2010. Houston was also one of the world’s best-selling music artists, artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.
Born in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in New Jersey, Houston began singing in a junior gospel choir at age 11.After she began performing alongside in night clubs in New York City, she was discovered by Arista Records head Clive Davis, who had an impact on her as a singer and performer.
Houston was the only artist to chart seven consecutive(连续) No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She was the second artist behind Elton John and the only female artist to nave two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards on the Billboard magazine year-end charts. How Will I Know enthralled her fans and audience and even several African-American female artists to follow in her footsteps. Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The film’s original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, I Will Always Love You became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. Three years after the release of her fourth studio album. My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She released her fifth studio album. Just Whitney, in 2002, and the Christmas-themed One Wish: The Holiday Album in 2003. In 2009. Houston released her seventh and final studio album. I Look to You.
Houston died of causes yet to be determined on February 11,2012. Later this year her film Sparkle will be released into theaters.Which of the following statements about Whitney Elizabeth Houston is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．She was born in a very wealthy family in New Jersey. |
| B．Her last film Sparkle was released before her death. |
| C．She was regarded as the most-awarded female actress of all time. |
| D．The reason why Houston died has been confirmed. |
The following topics related to Whitney Elizabeth Houston are mentioned EXCEPT her.
| A．awards | B．films |
| C．influence | D．family life |
The underlined word “enthralled” in Paragraph 3 probably means “”.
| A．allowed | B．attracted |
| C．developed | D．puzzled |
What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To call on us to learn from Whitney Elizabeth Houston. |
| B．To tell us the truth of Whitney Elizabeth Houston’s death. |
| C．To tell us the truth of Whitney Elizabeth Houston’s singer. |
| D．To describe some negative sides of Whitney Elizabeth Houston. |