Meryl Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film. She is regarded as one of the most talented actresses of all time. The following is a list of movies that Meryl Streep has been involved with:
Kramer vs. Krammer (1979)
In the film, Meryl plays a mother caught up in a custody dispute (拘留纠纷). Her co-star, Dustin Hoffman, said, “She’s extraordinarily hardworking. I think she thinks about nothing else but what she’s doing.” Meryl won her first Oscar for her performance in this film.
Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Meryl plays Sophie, a Polish war survivor. To prepare for the role she learned to speak German and perfected a Polish accent. Film critic Roger Ebert said, “This is one of the most astonishing and yet one of the most natural performances I can imagine.” Meryl won her second Best Actress Oscar for her performance.
Out of Africa(1985)
Meryl is Karen Blixen, a Danish woman living in Kenya in the early 20th century. The story follows Karens attempts to run a coffee plantation and her love affair with big-game hunter Denys. The film is based on the memoirs(回忆录) of the real Karen Blixen.
A Cry in the Dark (1995)
This is based on the true-life case of the disappearance of baby Azaria. Meryl plays Linda Chamberlain, a mother who is wrongly accused of killing her own child. After spending four years in prison, it was found that wild dogs had taken away the baby. Meryl won Best Actress at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.
The Bridge of Madison County (1995)
This movie is based on one of the biggest bestsellers of the 20th century (the book sold 50 million copies worldwide). Meryl plays Francesca Johnson, an Italian war bride living in 1960s Iowa. It’s about her brief affair with photographer Robert Kincaid.
Mamma Mial(2008)
This is a romantic comedy based on the stage musical Mamma Mial, featuring the music from 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA. Meryl plays Donna Sheridan, a hotel owner on the Greek island of Kalokairi. Mamma Mial made over U.S. $ 600 million worldwide. Apparently, Meryl had seen the musical in 2001 and was completely absorbed in it. She had no idea that seven years later she’d be in the movie version.For which of the following films did Meryl have to learn a new language?
| A．Kramar vs. Kramar |
| B．A Cry in the Dark |
| C．Sophies Choice |
| D．The Bridges of Madison County |
Which of the following films are based on true-life stories?
| A．Out of Africa & A Cry in the Dark. |
| B．Kramer vs. Kramer & Sophies Choice. |
| C．Sophies Choice & The Bridge of Madison County. |
| D．The Bridges of Madison County & Mamma Mia |
It can be learned from the text that the movie Mamma Mial .
| A．was first shot in 2001 |
| B．probably has audiences screaming with laughter |
| C．has won Meryl a lot of awards |
| D．is based on a popular book |
What do we know about Meryl?
| A．She enjoyed the musical Mamma Mial greatly. |
| B．Her first film was Kramer vs. Kramer. |
| C．She has won one Oscar to date. |
| D．Shes more interested in films than TV programs. |
What can be inferred from the text?
A. Mamma Mial is about the story of the pop group ABBA.
B. The Bridges of Madison County was set in Italy.
C. Roger Ebert thinks Meryls best film is Sophies Choice.
D. Dustin Hoffman speaks highly of Meryl.
When I was six, Dad brought home a dog one day, who was called “Brownie”, my brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, and then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around.
One day, as I was getting her food, she chewed up(咬破) one of Dad’s shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew Dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, “Bad girl.” She looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.
Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop a
nd ask if they could pet her. Of course she’d let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we’d be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked (吠) or tried to get away. Funny thing is that she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone.
Now many years have passed since Brownie died of old age. I still miss the days when she was with us. What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family?
| A．Look at them sadly. | B．Keep them company. |
| C．Play games with them. | D．Touch them gently. |
We can infer from Paragraph 2 that Brownie ____.
| A．would eat anything when hungry | B．felt sorry for her mistake |
| C．loved playing hide-and-seek | D．disliked the author’s dad |
Why does the author say that Brownie was more than just a family pet?
| A．She was treated as a member of the family. |
| B．She played games with anyone she liked. |
| C．She was loved by everybody she met. |
| D．She went everywhere with the family. |
Some people got frightened by Brownie when she ____.
| A．smiled | B．barked |
| C．rushed to them | D．tried to be funny |
Which of the following best describes Brownie?
| A．Shy. | B．Polite. | C．Brave. | D．Caring. |
What’s On Stage
An acrobatic show: To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the China Acrobatic Troupe(剧团) will present “The Soul of China”, where the seemingly impossible is made real. Chills will run down your spine(脊柱) as you watch breathlessly as performers take their art and their bodies to the edge.
Time: 7:30 p.m., September 13-19
Place: Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
Exhibitions
Joint Show: A group ink painting exhibition is running at the Huangshicheng Art Gallery in Beijing. About 50 works by 25 young artists including Ge Yun and Yu Yang are on display.
Time: 9:00 a. m.—5:00 p.m. until September 10
Place: Huangshicheng Art Gallery, 136 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng District
Oil paintings: The Wanfung Art Gallery will host a joint show of oil painting by 10 young and middle-aged artists. On display are more than 30 of their latest works, which capture the wondrous variety of life in unique styles.
Time: 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. until September 15
Place: 136 Nanchizi Street, Dongcheng District
Literature museum: The National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature offers an in-depth study of the evolution of Chinese contemporary literature from 1919 to 1949.
Time: 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m., daily
Place: 45 Anyuan Donglu, Chaoyang District(Shaoyaoju area)
Concerts
Beijing rocks: “The Fashion Night of Chinese Rock” is set to bring rock fans out by the thousands next month. Nine Chinese rock bands will perform at the concert, including older generation bands, middle generation and some recent arrivals. The audience will be given a chance to decide what songs they want to hear, which is sure to bring a storm.
Time: September 16
Place: The Olympic Center
Belgium Orchestra：La Petite Bande, the Baroque Orehestra of Belgium, will perform in Beijing at the Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities as part of activities across the world in memory of the 250th anniversary of Bach’s death.
Time: 7:30 p.m. September 11—14
Place: Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities What do you think of the acrobatic show mentioned here?
| A．When you watch it, you will certainly feel cold. |
| B．Something strange will puzzle everyone, including scientists. |
| C．Unexpected things will make you excited and surprised. |
| D．Even the bravest ones will be too frightened to go on watching |
The most characteristic thing about the Fashion Night of Chinese Rock is that .
| A．it will let the audience choose the performers and the music |
| B．it is to bring thousands of rock fans out of their homes |
| C．it will certainly cause a rock storm throughout China |
| D．it is to be held in memory of one of the greatest musicians |
Suppose it is September 14 today, how many activities can people choose to attend?
| A．2. | B．3. | C．4. | D．5. |
On the whole, we can conclude .
| A．people in Beijing prefer modern culture to something traditional |
| B．there are usually more cultural activities in September than in any other month |
| C．most of the cultural activities in Beijing are for foreign visitors only |
| D．we can enjoy a large variety of cultural activities in Beijing |
The teaching hospital is one associated with a medical school. Teaching hospitals are large, with a range of from 300 to 200 beds. These hospitals always have interns(实习医师) and residents(住院医师) and additionally have medical students on the hospital wards. They have superb technical resources, and it is here that the most extraordinary events of medicine take place. Open-heart surgery, transplantation of kidneys, elaborate(精致的) nurseries for the newborn, support for management of rare blood diseases, and other wonderful achievements are all available here. Dozens of people may be concerned with the well-being of a particular patient. Important medical decisions are thoroughly discussed, presented at conferences, and reviewed by many personnel.
On the other hand, the quality of personal relationships at teaching hospitals is variable. Many patients feel that they are treated in an impersonal way, and that their laboratory tests receive more attention that their human and social problems. Since these institutions are on the frontier of medicine, there is a tendency to emphasize the new and elaborate procedures, when older and more modest ones might have served as well. With the inexperience of some members of the care team, there is a tendency to order more laboratory tests than what would have been ordered for the same condition in a private hospital. The sick patients are sometimes confused by having to relate to a large number of doctors and students. Medical educators are concerned with such criticisms and have to correct some of the problems. However, some excesses(超额) of technological medicine still occur in these institutions.One of the advantages of a teaching hospital is that .
| A．its first-class personnel are a guarantee of excellent medical care |
| B．its first-class medical facilities and skills make medical breakthroughs possible |
| C．the interns, residents and medical students all offer satisfactory services |
| D．its laboratory staff provide high-class professional aids for the doctors |
The passage implies that .
| A．private hospitals usually give personalized care of high quality |
| B．private hospitals have more experienced laboratory staff |
| C．teaching hospitals use patients as subjects for their experiments |
| D．teaching hospitals usually give patients improper treatment |
Treatments of some difficult and complicated cases in teaching hospital are decided .
| A．by specialists in charge of the case |
| B．by doctors and students together |
| C．on some special and important occasions |
| D．through collective efforts and serious review |
The problem that still bothers teaching hospitals frequently is .
| A．the inadequate patient care caused by irresponsible nurses. |
| B．the wrong decisions made by inexperienced doctors |
| C．improper dependence on technological medicine |
| D．the inconvenience caused by the presence of medical students |
As motorways become more and more blocked up with traffic, a new generation on flying cars will be needed to ferry people along skyways. That is the conclusion of engineers from the US space agency and aeronautical firms, who envision future commuters traveling by “skycar”.
These could look much like the concept skycar shown in the picture, designed by Boeing research and development. However, such vehicles could be some 25 years from appearing on the market. Efforts to build flying vehicles in the past have not been very successful. Such vehicles would not only be expensive and require the skills of a trained pilot to fly, but there are significant engineering challenges involved in developing them. “When you try to combine them you get the worst of both worlds: a very heavy, slow, expensive vehicle that’s hard to use,” said Mark Moore, head of the personal air vehicle(PAV) division of the vehicle systems program at Nasa’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, US. But Boeing is also considering how to police the airways-and prevent total pandemonium(吵杂狂乱的喧闹)-if thousands of flying cars enter the skies.
“The neat, gee-whiz part is thinking about what the vehicle itself would look like,” said Dick Paul, a vice president with Phantom Works, Boeing’s research and development arm. “But we’re trying to think through all the consequences of what it would take to deploy(散开) a fleet of these.”
Past proposals to solve this problem have included artificial intelligence systems to prevent collisions between air traffic. Nasa is working on flying vehicles with the initial goal of transforming small plane travel. Small planes are generally costly, loud, and require months of training and lots of money to operate, making flying to work impractical for most people. But within five years, Nasa researchers hope to develop technology for a small plane that can fly out of regional airports, costs less than $100,000(£55,725), is as quiet as a motorcycle and as simple to operate as a car.
Although it would not have any road-driving capabilities, it would bring this form of travel within the grasp of a wider section of people. The new technology would automate many of the pilot’s functions. This Small Aircraft Transportation System(Sats) would divert pressure away from the “hub-and-spoke(中心辐射型)” model of air travel. Hub-and-spoke refers to the typically US model of passengers being processed through large “hub” airports and then on to secondary flights to “spoke” airports near their final destinations.The best title for this text would be .
| A．Developing Skycars | B．The Traffic Jams in the Sky |
| C．How to Guide Flying Cars in the Sky | D．What Flying Cars Will Look Like |
The underlined word “envision” in Paragraph 1 most probably means “ ”.
| A．see | B．expect | C．think | D．announce |
When engineers develop the skycars, they have to deal with the following difficulties except .
| A．how to fly out of regional airports |
| B．how to prevent the disorder of the airways |
| C．how to reduce expenses and the vehicle’s weight |
| D．how to fly the skycars to enter skies |
Now Nasa researchers’ aim is to .
| A．make big flying cars |
| B．work out the plan——how to transform small plane travel |
| C．develop a new kind of small plane different from the traditional one |
| D．build a new kind of small plane with road-driving abilities |
Why not an island get-away?
Newfoundland
Price
From £1080 per person in June 2005
We went with:
Frontier Canada frontier-travel. Co. uk/Canada
About this trip
John Cabot had set sail looking for a new trade route for Asia, when he landed in Cape Bonavista. Clearly he felt this barren desolate landscape could provide this, so he claimed it for its potential and so began the rise of the British Empire.
Newfoundland is the most easterly point in North America and was Britain’s first overseas colony until 1949, when it became part of Canada. It’s roughly the size of England and Craig’s journey by camper van or RV (recreational vehicle) took in just a small part of the island called the Bonavista Peninsula.
First stop was the tiny fishing port of Keels to stock up for the journey ahead. There’s a long standing love affair between Newfoundlanders and cod. The seas off the Newfoundland coast were once the richest cod fishing grounds in the world, attracting fishermen from all over Europe. Many settled, establishing these coastal villages known locally as outports.
An hour’s drive down the coast is the town of Bonavista, where Craig met up with retired fisherman, Wilson Hayward. He told Craig how the landscape used to lie, and described the peculiarities of the language and accents in the area. There’s a different language in every bay.The title “Why not an island get-away?” _________.
| A．invites people to take a holiday trip to Newfoundland |
| B．informs people that the island is moving away from where it used to be |
| C．tells people that they can buy the island at the price of £1080. |
| D．asks people to visit the website frontier-travel. co.uk/Canada |
From the context we can conclude that “Frontier Canada” is the name of _________.
| A．a tourist guide |
| B．a kind of fish found around the island |
| C．a tourist agency |
| D．someone who has already booked the trip |
When John Cabot first discovered Cape Bonavista he was actually on a voyage to find ____.
| A．North America | B．Asia |
| C．South America | D．the British Empire |
According to the passage Newfoundland is now part of _________.
| A．UK | B．Canada | C．Europe | D．Bonavista |
In the past the Newfoundlanders mainly lived by _________.
| A．teaching languages | B．making camper vans |
| C．looking after retired fishermen | D．fishing cod |