The Making of “Tipping Point”

Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which a film star flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras. ___71___ Their recent television advertisement, the most expensive in British history, cost ten million pounds, and it features(突出), not the rich and famous, but villagers from the mountains of Argentina.

The advertisement features a game of dominoes. It begins in a darkened room with several thousand dominoes(多米诺) set up on a specially-designed table. Then the falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger objects to fall. Dominoes knock over books, which in turn knock bigger objects such as suitcases, tyres, and even cars. The final piece in the chain reaction is a huge tower of books. ___72___

The place chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the mountains in Argentina. ___73___ The journey could take up to ten hours. Asked why this remote destination for the shoot, the director said that even though it was the most difficult location they could have picked, it was perfect.

___74___ Twenty six truckloads of objects were brought in. They were all chosen to suit the town and fit in with the people’s way of life. They included 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars. Setting the objects up took skill and patience. Some of the sequences(场景) had to be reshot 15 times, though the sequence in which six cars fell over was successfully shot in just one take.

Filming in this location was not without its difficulties. Firstly, being so remote, it was hard to obtain resources. The second problem was the high altitude. Iruya is situated 3000 metres above sea level and the film crew was not used to working in such conditions. ___75___

Director Nicolai Fuglsig said: “Despite all the challenges, the cast was fantastic and it was a really amazing experience.” Whether or not the effort pays off is another matter entirely.

A. Creating this film was no easy task. 

B. They drop off to show a glass of Guinness.

C. Preparations for filming took well over a month.

D. Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness.

E. They needed to be arranged so they would fall over easily.

F. It was also hard working with the villagers who had no experience of film-making.

G. The film crew had to drive along 48 kilometres of dirt roads and cross twelve rivers.

Narasimha Das is on his way to feed 169,379 hungry children. Das is in charge of a kitchen in Vrindaban. The town is about a three-hour drive from India’s capital, New Delhi. Das gets to work at 3:00 a.m. Thirty workers are already working to make tens of thousands of rounds of bread. It will be brought to 1,516 schools in and around Vrindaban.

A Growing Problem

Going to school is difficult for more than 13 million children in India. They must go to work instead, or go hungry. That’s why India began the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the largest school-lunch program in the world. A free lunch encourages children to come to school and gives them the energy they need for learning. The program began in the 1960s.

The kitchen in Vrindaban is run by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. It is one of the lunch program’s biggest partners. “Just $11.50 can feed one child for an entire year,” said Madhu Sridhar, president of the Akshaya Patra Foundation.

Lunch Is Served!

The Akshaya Patra food truck arrives at Gopalgarh Primary School. Since the program started, the number of underweight children has gone down. The children get foods they need — as long as they finish what’s on their plates.

68. The kitchen in Vrindaban supplies food to _____.

A. the poor                     B. the old 

C. college students          D. school children

69. Why is it difficult for children to go to school in India?

A. Because there are not enough teachers.

B. Because there are not enough schools.

C. Because they have to work to make money.

D. Because their parents refuse to send them to school.

70. Which of the following about the Mid-Day Meal Scheme is NOT true?

A. It is run by Narasimha Das.

B. It has been carried out for about 50 years.

C. It is to encourage children to go to school.

D. It is the largest school-lunch program in the world.

ABORIGINAL is a term used to describe the people and animals that lived in a place from the earliest known times or before Europeans arrived. Examples are the Maori in New Zealand, the Aborigines in Australia and the Indians in America. They all share the fact that they were pushed off their land by European settlers.
Maori
The Maori were the first people to go to New Zealand, about 1,000 years ago. They came from the islands of Polynesia in the Pacific. They brought dogs, rats and plants with them and settled mainly on the Northern Island. In 1769, Captain James Cook from Britain took possession of the Island and from that time British people started to settle. The Maori signed an agreement on land rights with these settlers, but in later years there were arguments and battles between them.
Aborigines
The native people of Australia came from somewhere in Asia more than 40,000 years ago. They lived by hunting and gathering. Their contact with British settlers began in 1788. By the 1940s almost all of them were mixed into Australian society as low-paid workers. Their rights were limited. In 1976 and 1993 the Australian Government passed laws that returned some land to the Aborigines and recognized their property rights.
American Indians
Long before the Europeans came to America in the 16th and 17th century, the American Indians, or Native Americans, lived there. It is believed that they came from Asia. Christopher Columbus mistook the land for India and so called the people there Indians. The white settlers and American Indians lived in peace at the beginning, but conflicts finally arose and led to the Indian Wars (1866-1890). After the wars, the Indians were driven to the west of the country. Not until 1924 did they gain the right to vote.

64. The similarity among Maoris, Aborigines and American Indians is that _________.

A. they lost their vote right after European settlers’ arrival

B. they lost their land after European settlers’ arrival

C. they were driven out of their country after European settlers’ arrival

D. they were not treated as citizens until recently

65. Before European settlers arrived, we can infer that the Aboriginals had lived _________ life.

A. a miserable     B. a bitter         

C. a peaceful      D. a troublesome

66. Which of the following was first interrupted by the Europeans?

A. Maoris.        B. Aborigines.      

C. American Indians.    D. Not mentioned.

67. The passage mainly tells us _______.

A. the war between aboriginal people and white settlers

B. the history of Maoris, Aborigines and American Indians

C. the present unfair treatment to aboriginal people of the world

D. European settlers were the enemy of all aboriginal people

Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests they both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.

“I would never have said to my mom, ‘Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?’” says Ballmer. “There was just a complete gap in taste.”

Music was not the only gulf. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits.

Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent—child activities, from shopping to sports, involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue into adulthood.

No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, “To my mother, my best friend.”

But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents. “There’s still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening,” says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College. “In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents.”

Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic(民主的) process that encourages everyone to have a say.

“My parents were on the ‘before’ side of that change, but today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the  ‘after’ side,” explains Mr. Ballmer. “It’s not something easily done by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”

60. The underlined word gulf in Para.3 most probably means _________.

A. interest     B. distance    C. difference    D. separation

61. Which of the following shows that the generation gap is disappearing?

A. Parents help their children develop interests in more activities.

B. Parents put more trust in their children’s abilities.

C. Parents and children talk more about sex and drugs.

D. Parents share more interests with their children.

62. The change in today’s parent-child relationship is _________.

A. more confusion among parents

B. new equality between parents and children

C.1ess respect for parents from children

D. more strictness and authority on the part of parents

63. By saying “today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the ‘after’ side.” the author means that today’s parents _________.

A. follow the change

B. can set a limit to the change

C. fail to take the change seriously

D. have much difficulty changing their ideas

When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that my life has its _______ too.

  One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and the air is so that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.

  Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment(娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising --- and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.

Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is , when you are in your teens(十几岁)or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.

56. Which of the following words can be put into the blank in the first paragraph?

  A. dangers   B. adventures   C. problems   D. fun

57. What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?

  A. Staying on the farm.        B. Moving to the countryside.

  C. Leaving home for the city.      D. Running away from the school.

58. Which of the following is true about the writer?

  A. He is very old now.      B. He is in good health.

  C. He prefers driving a car.    D. He lives in the city now.

59. In the passage, the writer tries to __________.

  A. express his opinions about way of life 

B. describe his life in the countryside

  C. an interest in the outside world    

D. persuade the reader to live in the city

             

The “Doorman”

On a trip to California, my family stopped for lunch. As we walked toward the entrance to the restaurant, a man, with a __36__ beard and dirty hair, jumped up from a bench and opened the door for us. Regardless of his __37 __ ,he greeted us in a friendly way.

Once inside, my daughters whispered, “Mom ,he __38 __ ” After we ordered our lunch, I explained, telling the kids to look __39__the dirt. We then watched other customers approach the restaurant but many __40 __ him. Seeing this rudeness truly upset me. The day I became a mother, I had resolved to set a good __41__ for my children. Yet sometimes when things didn’t go right, being a good example was __ 42__When our meal arrived,I realized I had left the car-sick pills in the truck. With the windiest trip ahead, the kids needed them, so I __43__ myself from the meal and went to get them.

Just then, the “doorman” was opening the door for a couple. They rushed past him without even acknowledging his __ 44__ Letting them in first, I said a loud “thank you” to him as I __45 ___ .

When I returned, we talked a bit. He said he was not allowed inside __46__ he purchased food. I went back and told my family his __47__Then I asked our waitress to add one soup and sandwich. The kids looked __48 ___as we had already eaten,but when I said the order was for the “doorman”,they smiled. When it was time to __49__ our trip, I noticed the “doorman” enjoying his meal. Upon seeing me, he stood up and thanked me heartily. He then__ 50 __his hand for a handshake and I gratefully accepted. I suddenly noticed the tears in his eyes—tears of __51__

What happened next drew great astonishment :I gave the “ doorman” a __ 52__! He pulled away, with tears __53 __ down his face.

Back in truck, I fell into deep thought. While we can’t choose many things in life, we can choose when to show gratitude. I said thanks to a man who had __54__ held open a door for me, and also said thanks for that __55__ to teach my children by example.

36. A. heavy        B. long              C. messy            D. grey

37. A. service B. appearance C. status D. attitude

38. A. smokes B. smiles C. sniffs D. smells

39. A. beyond       B. over              C. around            D. into

40. A. hated        B. ignored            C. missed            D. refused

41. A. target        B. rule              C. record            D. example

42. A. stressful      B. accessible          C. awkward          D. tough

43. A. excused      B. freed             C. prevented          D. withdrew

44. A. company      B. presence C. effort D.  attempt

45. A. quitted B. marched C. exited D. approached

46. A. before        B. unless            C. though            D. since

47. A. story        B. deed              C. experience         D. demand

48. A. concerned     B. shocked           C. puzzled           D. bored

49. A. make        B. start              C. take              D. continue

50. A. extended      B. washed           C. raised            D. waved

51. A. approval      B. affection           C. sympathy          D. gratitude

52. A. hug         B. nod              C. lift               D. clap

53. A. slipping       B. streaming          C. rushing           D. breaking

54. A. firmly        B. constantly          C. simply            D. politely

55. A. journey B. wisdom C. opportunity D. coincidence

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