Clowns(小丑)also make people laugh.They often act alone or as a pair and make a different kind of fun.Clowns often don't use any words at all.It is their clothes, make-up and the way they walk that makes people laugh.Some people think clowns are only funny for children.Actually they can help people forget their problems, at least for a short moment.
Another type of people whose job is to make people laugh are comedians(喜剧演员).They often work alone or as a pair.Unlike clowns, comedians' clothes are usually not very strange.Although body language and their face are important in their shows, they do not use the make-up that clowns use.Comedians may act out a situation during their shows.We call that a sketch(短剧),but usually, their shows don't look like comedies(喜剧).What comedians have in common with the players in a comedy is their way of playing with words.Comedians make people laugh, but also think about life.At one moment in a show, you can hear the audience laughing loudly.A few minutes later everybody is quiet, listening and thinking about the comedians' words.
Typical for China is the crosstalk(相声)show, where a pair of comedians entertains the audience with word play.A crosstalk show has two speakers making many jokes and funny conversations.They may also dress up a little or act out small sketches in front of the laughing audience.Comedians of all times and many countries have a long tradition of this type of comedy.
Decide whether each of the following statements is true or false.
(1)
Clowns are only funny for children.
( )
(2)
During the show of the comedians, you can hear the audience laughing loudly all the time.
( )
(3)
Comedians play with words as the players in a comedy do.
( )
(4)
In a crosstalk show, the speakers never dress up.
( )
(5)
The underlined word“typical”in the last paragraph means“典型的”.
“Do you think we’ll win?”ten-year-old Tyrus Lucas asked his mother 1 he wrote his name on the entry(参赛作品)to Cartoon Network's toy sweepstakes.
“We can 2 ,”said his mother, a divorced mother who worked as a teacher and struggled to 3 her kids.She didn’t have much cash for 4 .A week later the phone rang.“Your son won our drawing!”a woman 5
“Great,”cried his mother, “Which 6 did he win?”
“All of them.A thousand toys!”
The next Saturday when the doorbell of their home rang, Tyrus, not 7 the surprise, opened the door and his face 8 up.“Mum,” he cried.“Cartoon Network is here?”
So were dozens of 9 kids who had run over to the cartoon-covered truck.They jumped 10 as hundreds of toys tumbled from the truck's back doors.
Tyrus thought he could 11 his whole room with them.But as he looked at the children around him, he 12 .The others in their working-class neighborhood didn’t have 13 either.
“Here,”he said, 14 a doll to a little girl.Then he handed a boy a Lite Brite.“Take 15 you want,” Tyrus told the kids-and they did, 16 him over and over.
Tyrus kept several games, but he wasn't done giving.“Why don't we give some to your 17 , Mom?” he asked.They 18 almost l00 toys to the elementary school where she worked.“The first thing my son thought of was to 19 ,”his mother says, beaming.“I’m so 20 of him.”
(1)
[ ]
A.
though
B.
as
C.
as long as
D.
so that
(2)
[ ]
A.
guess
B.
ask
C.
wait
D.
try
(3)
[ ]
A.
support
B.
promise
C.
treat
D.
consider
(4)
[ ]
A.
drawings
B.
extras
C.
food
D.
contests
(5)
[ ]
A.
declared
B.
explained
C.
celebrated
D.
praised
(6)
[ ]
A.
prize
B.
pay
C.
toy
D.
wealth
(7)
[ ]
A.
seeing
B.
helping
C.
knowing
D.
enjoying
(8)
[ ]
A.
lighted
B.
looked
C.
turned
D.
set
(9)
[ ]
A.
attractive
B.
warm
C.
helpful
D.
excited
(10)
[ ]
A.
off
B.
out
C.
clown
D.
up and down
(11)
[ ]
A.
join
B.
fill
C.
teach
D.
look
(12)
[ ]
A.
worried
B.
stopped
C.
laughed
D.
examined
(13)
[ ]
A.
much
B.
them
C.
little
D.
qualities
(14)
[ ]
A.
showing
B.
moving
C.
handing
D.
driving
(15)
[ ]
A.
wherever
B.
however
C.
whenever
D.
whatever
(16)
[ ]
A.
troubling
B.
disturbing
C.
reminding
D.
thanking
(17)
[ ]
A.
school
B.
friends
C.
students
D.
children
(18)
[ ]
A.
contributed
B.
delivered
C.
sold
D.
lent
(19)
[ ]
A.
take
B.
create
C.
give
D.
forgive
(20)
[ ]
A.
fond
B.
proud
C.
sure
D.
kind
完型填空:
“Do you think we'll win?” ten-year-old Tyrus Lucas asked his mother 1 he wrote his name on the entry(参赛作品)to Cartoon Network’s toy sweepstakes.
“We can 2 ,”said his mother, a divorced mother who worked as a teacher and struggled to 3 her kids.She didn’t have much cash for 4 .A week later the phone rang.“Your son won our drawing!” a woman 5
“Great,” cried his mother,“Which 6 did he win?”
“All of them.A thousand toy!”
The next Saturday when the doorbell of their home rang, Tyrus, not 7 the surprise, opened the door and his face 8 up.“Mum,”he cried.“Cartoon Network is here?”
So were dozens of 9 kids who had run over to the cartoon-covered truck.They jumped 10 as hundreds of toys tumbled from the truck's back doors.
Tyrus thought he could 11 his whole room with them.But as he looked at the children around him, he 12 .The others in their working-class neighborhood didn’t have 13 either.
“Here,”he said, 14 a doll to a little girl.Then he handed a boy a Lite Brite.“Take 15 you want,” Tyrus told the kids-and they did, 16 him over and over.
Tyrus kept several games, but he wasn't done giving.“Why don't we give some to your 17 , Mom?” he asked.They 18 almost l00 toys to the elementary school where she worked.“The first thing my son thought of was to 19 ,”his mother says, beaming.“I’m so 20 of him.”
(1)
[ ]
A.
though
B.
as
C.
as long as
D.
so that
(2)
[ ]
A.
guess
B.
ask
C.
wait
D.
try
(3)
[ ]
A.
support
B.
promise
C.
treat
D.
consider
(4)
[ ]
A.
drawings
B.
extras
C.
food
D.
contests
(5)
[ ]
A.
declared
B.
explained
C.
celebrated
D.
praised
(6)
[ ]
A.
prize
B.
pay
C.
toy
D.
wealth
(7)
[ ]
A.
seeing
B.
helping
C.
knowing
D.
enjoying
(8)
[ ]
A.
lighted
B.
looked
C.
turned
D.
set
(9)
[ ]
A.
attractive
B.
warm
C.
helpful
D.
excited
(10)
[ ]
A.
off
B.
out
C.
clown
D.
up and down
(11)
[ ]
A.
join
B.
fill
C.
teach
D.
look
(12)
[ ]
A.
worried
B.
stopped
C.
laughed
D.
examined
(13)
[ ]
A.
much
B.
them
C.
little
D.
qualities
(14)
[ ]
A.
showing
B.
moving
C.
handing
D.
driving
(15)
[ ]
A.
wherever
B.
however
C.
whenever
D.
whatever
(16)
[ ]
A.
troubling
B.
disturbing
C.
reminding
D.
thanking
(17)
[ ]
A.
school
B.
friends
C.
students
D.
children
(18)
[ ]
A.
contributed
B.
delivered
C.
sold
D.
lent
(19)
[ ]
A.
take
B.
create
C.
give
D.
forgive
(20)
[ ]
A.
fond
B.
proud
C.
sure
D.
kind
完型填空
When I opened my E-mail the other day, a pretty woman named Rachel appeared on my computer screen.She greeted me by name and 1 talking with great enthusiasm. 2 she stopped to smile at me or blow a kiss.She was reading 3 me an E-mail from my brother, and a lot of it was about his 4 the phone company to give him a high speed Internet connection.It was 5 .
Rachel was there 6 a new technology called Facemail.It lets you send an E-mail that gets ready to the receiver by a(n) 7 male or female form or by a clown.The software, which is free, can be 8 at www.facemail.com.
Facemail faces are 9 , and they simulate(模拟)emotions 10 those you put in your text. 11 , type in X, and Rachel blows a kiss.
The company that develops the Facemail is sure there are broad 12 uses.
The reason E-business is not popular, the company says, is 13 buying over the Internet lacks the human touch.But 14 you went to the Nike website and Michael Jordan greeted you by name, 5 on you and personally closed the sale? And it is talking with Whirlpool(惠普公司)about using the technology in a computer screen on a fridge.Then if Mom can’t be home 16 the kids get back from school, she can leave a(n) 17 with a voice and image telling them what there is to eat.
Facemail could get hot fast. 18 , I’m a fan.But Facemail should be used with 19 .The clown looks lively and funny at first.But if you select the clown, put a few 20 words in an E-mail and add some angry emotions, you’ve got a Psycho mail(疯人型电子邮件).
(1)
[ ]
A.
enjoyed
B.
started
C.
appreciated
D.
loved
(2)
[ ]
A.
For some time
B.
As usual
C.
Now and then
D.
At a time
(3)
[ ]
A.
to
B.
about
C.
at
D.
with
(4)
[ ]
A.
hoping
B.
making
C.
letting
D.
getting
(5)
[ ]
A.
cool
B.
cold
C.
mad
D.
strange
(6)
[ ]
A.
in place of
B.
in honor of
C.
thanks to
D.
in spite of
(7)
[ ]
A.
ugly
B.
familiar
C.
possible
D.
attractive
(8)
[ ]
A.
downloaded
B.
sold
C.
seen
D.
made
(9)
[ ]
A.
alive
B.
valuable
C.
lifelike
D.
priceless
(10)
[ ]
A.
taken on
B.
based on
C.
put on
D.
looked on
(11)
[ ]
A.
Such as
B.
In that case
C.
For example
D.
On top of that
(12)
[ ]
A.
education
B.
technology
C.
art
D.
business
(13)
[ ]
A.
why
B.
how
C.
that
D.
what
(14)
[ ]
A.
even if
B.
what if
C.
as if
D.
then if
(15)
[ ]
A.
waited
B.
worked
C.
carried
D.
dropped
(16)
[ ]
A.
before
B.
while
C.
once
D.
when
(17)
[ ]
A.
news
B.
information
C.
supper
D.
note
(18)
[ ]
A.
Firstly
B.
Directly
C.
Personally
D.
Fortunately
(19)
[ ]
A.
interest
B.
care
C.
attention
D.
fun
(20)
[ ]
A.
rude
B.
polite
C.
happy
D.
true
完形填空
Cheerful Charlie was a very special boy.When he was still in his mother's tummy(肚子), she had had an accident, which 1 that Charlie couldn't walk.But that had never been a(n) 2 for him; he had always been happy.When he became older, they had started calling him Cheerful Charlie because of his joyful and 3 nature.He really brightened everything up for those around him.
There wasn't a postman, or a taxi driver who wasn't 4 to see Charlie.“Cheer up, Mr Postman, that way you'll 6 more letters today!” he would say, or “That was great, Mr Taxi Driver.You 6 that thing better than anyone else.” He also had great ideas and 7 for everything; and he shared them so 8 that, just about every day in that town, someone did a great job, or 9 something new, thanks to Charlie's ideas.
One day, though, he came up against a real 10 .A young boy came to town on his holidays.He was known as Waterworks and was a real crybaby.No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some 11 to be sad:“I don't have many sweets…my parents didn't buy me that toy…” Everything seemed so bad to him.But Cheerful Charlie wasn't going to be 12 , and he kept spending more time with Waterworks, 13 trying to cheer him up, just as he did with everyone.
Then, one day, when they were together in the street, someone 14 a pie from a window above by chance, and it landed 15 on Charlie's head.He got such a fright that he couldn't even move his lips.He was speechless, and 16 Waterworks was just about to cry, he 17 Charlie's happy words so much that he finally said, “Wow, Charlie, that's a nice clown mask(小丑面具)you just 18 !”
On saying those words, Waterworks felt so 19 that he finally understood why Charlie was always so happy and cheerful.He realized that he was so used to Charlie's enthusiasm that he couldn't help but see the fun 20 of everything.