D
Wrting artieles about films for The Front Page was my first proper job. Before then I had done bits of reviewing --- novels for other newspapers, films for a magazine and anything I was asked to do for the radio.That was how I met Tom Seaton, the first arts editor of The Front Page, who had also written for television.He hired me, but Tom was not primarily a journalist, or he would certainly have been more careful in choosing his staff.
At first, his idea was that a team of critics should take care of the art forms that didn’t require specialized knowledge: books, TV, theatre, film and radio.There would be a weekly lunch at which we would make our choices from the artistic material that Tom had decided we should cover, though there would also be guests to make the atmosphere sociable.
It all felt like a bit of dream at that time: a new newspaper and I was one of the team.It seemed so unlikely that a paper could be introduced into a crowded market.It seemed just as likely that a millionaire wanted to help me personally, and was pretending to employ me.Such was my lack of self-confidence.
Tom’s original scheme for a team of critics for the arts never took off.It was a good idea, but we didn’t get together as planned and so everything was done by phone.It turned out, too, that the general public out there preferred to associate a reviewer with a single subject area, and so I chose film.Without Tom’s initial push, though, we would hardly have come up with the present arrangement, by which I write an extended weekly piece, usually on one film.
The space I am given allows me to broaden my argument --- or forces me, in an uninteresting week, to make something out of nothing.But what is my role in the public arena? I assume that people choose what films to go to on the basis of the stars, the publicity or the director.So if a film review isn’t really a consumer guide, what is it? I certainly don’t feel I have a responsibility to be ‘right’ about a movie.Nor do I think there should be a certain number of ‘great’ and ‘bad’ films each year.All I have to do is put forward an argument.I’m not a judge, and nor would I want to be.
67.What do we learn about Tom Seaton from the first paragraph?
A.He encouraged Mark to become a writer.
B.He had worked in various areas of the media.
C.He met Mark when working for television.
D.He prefers to employ people that he knows.
68.The weekly lunches were planned in order to       .
A.help the writers get to know each other
B.provide an informal information session
C.distribute the work that had to be done
D.entertain important visitors from the arts
69.What does the author mean when he says that Tom’s plan ‘never took off’ in Paragraph 4?
A.It was unpopular.    
B.It wasted too much time.
C.It wasn’t planned properly.
D.It wasn’t put into practice.
70.Which of the following best describes what Mark says about his work?
A.His success varies from year to year.
B.He prefers to write about films he likes.
C.He can freely express his opinion.
D.He writes according to accepted rules.

You’re rushing to work and a man ahead of you collapses on the sidewalk. Do you stop to help? In a study of by-standers, it was found that some people avert their gaze and keep on  walking rather than stop and get involved.

“There is a tendency to decide that no action is needed.” says a psychologist. “The first thoughts that pop into your mind often keep you from offering help. In order to take action, you have to work against them.” Here are some common thoughts that might prevent you from helping.

● Why should I be the one? I’m probably not the most competent(有能力的) person in this crowd. You might think someone older or with more medical knowledge should offer assistance.

● What if he doesn’t really need my help? The fear of embarrassment is powerful; no one wants to risk looking foolish in front of others.

● No one else looks concerned- this must not be a problem. We can follow the people around us, but most people tend to hold back their emotions in public.

“If you spot trouble and find yourself explaining inaction, force yourself to stop and evaluate the situation instead of walking on,” says the psychologist. “Then retry to involve other people; you don’t have to take on the entire responsibility of being helpful. Sometimes it’s just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying, ‘It looks like we should do something.’ Or asking someone if an ambulance has been called and, if not, to call for one. Once you take action, most people will follow you.”

1.Which is NOT the common thought that stops you from helping others?

A.I’m not the very person capable of setting the problem.

B.It looks like we should do something.

C.It must not be a problem as no one else is concerned.

D.He doesn’t really need my help.

2.According to a study of by-standers, what will some people do when a man ahead falls down on the sidewalk?

A.They will call for help and then walk away.

B.They will stop and offer help.

C.They will turn away their eyes and go on walking.

D.They will laugh at him.

3.We learn from the last paragraph that if we spot trouble,           

A.we should call the ambulance as soon as we can.

B.we should take on the whole responsibility and do something alone.

C.we should stop and evaluate the situation and try to make other people follow.

D.we should turn to other people and ask them to take on the responsibility

4.In order to offer others your timely help, you need to        

A.ask others for help and call the police

B.get along well with the passers-by who spot the trouble

C.go directly to the police station

D.work against the first thoughts that prevent you offering help

5.The main purpose of the text is to tell readers        

A.to give others a hand

B.to be more competent

C.not to risk looking foolish

D.to stop and evaluate the situation

 

While watching the Olympics the other night, I came across an unbelievable sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of courage.

The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started, so they were disqualified. That left only one to compete. It would have been difficult enough, not having anyone to race against, even though the time on the clock is important.

I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that something was wrong. I’m not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was evident that the man was not out for gold – his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. The crowd started to laugh. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor.

I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out.

But in those few awful strokes, the crowd had changed.

No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shout “Come on, you can do it!” and he did.

A clear minute past the average swimmer, this young man finally finished his race. The crowd went wild. You would have thought that he had won the gold, and he should have. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors.

Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to Sydney.

In a competition where athletes remove their silver medals feeling they have somehow been cheated out of gold, or when they act so proudly in front of their competitirs, it is nice to watch an underdog.

1.From the passage we can learn that the young man        .

A.made his turn to start back pitifully

B.was skillful in freestyle in the game

C.swam faster than the average swimmer

D.was not capable enough to win the medal

2.The crowd changed their attitudes because         .

A.they felt sorry for the young man

B.they were moved by the young man’s courage

C.they wanted to show their sympathy

D.they meant to please the young man

3.According to the passage, “it is nice to watch an underdog” probably means         .

A.it’s amazing to watch an ordinary man challenging himself

B.it’s amusing to watch a man with awful swimming skills

C.it’s cheerful for athletes to act proudly before their competitors

D.it’s brave enough for some athletes to remove the silver medals

4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A.The event started with three men, two of whom were disqualified later.

B.The crowd started to laugh at the athlete’s arms waving in an attempt at freestyle.

C.The athlete, as well as the author, is an expert swimmer.

D.The swimming event is a show of courage rather than a fierce competition.

5.What’s the best title for the passage?

A.Compete for Gold!

B.Try again!

C.Break a Record!

D.Go for it!

 

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