The film “Avatar” has received great popularity around the world. It turned out to be a great success. The film got $1 billion in ticket sales in a very short time. The story in the film happens on an alien planet called Pandora where many strange species live. Among the planet’s inhabitants(居民,栖息动物),the one that has the most similarities with humans is the Na’vi, and it is the struggle between the Ma’vi and human invaders(入侵者) that forms the story of the film.

As to the factors(因素) leading to the film’s success, many think that the entertaining feast(盛宴) for the eyes and the wonderful story shouldn’t be forgotten, but the new language invented especially for the film which provides audiences with a new experience also plays an important part.

In order to increase the truthfulness of an alien race(外星人), the film’s director James Cameron asked an expert in languages from the University of Southern California to invent a language for the Na’vi. Professor Paul Frommer combined the languages spoken among Indians, Africans and mid-Asians and worked with James Caneron for four years to create the Na’vi language based on the original 30 words that the director had already come up with.

According to Professor Frommer, the most important characteristic of the Na’vi language is that it could be pronounced. “This is an alien language but obviously it has to be spoken by human actors and actresses,” Professor Frommer told the BBC, “it has to sound natural and it should make human beings comfortable when using it.”

The language has a vocabulary of around 1000 words but Progessor Formmer hopes to enlarge the vocabulary in possible follow-ups to the film and in video games. The professor hopes that one day his creation will be as successful as the Klingon alien language from the “Star Trek”films. “There’s a translation of Hamlet into Klingon and it has received great popularity among the audiences,” says Professor Frommer,“if anything like this happens to the Na’vi language, I’d be very happy.”

1. What do we know about“Avatar” from this passage?

A. The story in it is a moving love story.    

 B. It brings the producer $1 billion in total.

C. The story in it happens on an alien planet.

 D. It talks about humans and aliens’ friendship.

2. The director of “Avatar” James Cameron had a language invented for the Na’vi to     

A. make the film a whole mystery          B. make the Na’vi more believable

C. make the Na’vi different from humans    D. make the film have specific characteristics

3. Who first created the basic words of the Na’vi language?

A. Paul Frommer.        B. An Indian.    C. James Cameron     D. Hamlet.

4. The important feature of the Na’vi language is that      

A. it can be spoken by humans         B. it has just 30 original words

C. it has a vocabulary of 1000 words.    D. it is like the Klingon alien language

5. We can infer from the passage that       

A. James Cameron will produce follow-ups to “Avatar”

B. the Na’vi language is another kind of the Klingon language

C. the director believes the Na’vi language will be popular

D. Paul Frommer hopes to add new words to the Na’vi language

 

①Isaac Stern was more than a great violin player. He was one of the most honored musicians in the world. He was an international cultural ambassador. He was a major supporter of the arts in America and in other countries. He was a teacher and activist.

②Issac Stern was born in 1920 in what is now Ukraine. His parents moved to San Francisco, California the following year. His mother began teaching Isaac the piano when he was six. He began taking violin lessons after hearing a friend play the instrument. Later, he began studying music at the San Francisco Conservatory (音乐学院). He progressed quickly. When he was 16, he played with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The next year, he performed in New York City and was praised by music critics.

③During World War II, Mr Stern played for thousands of American soldiers. It was the first time many of them had heard classical music. After the war, he was the first American violinist to perform in a concert in the Soviet Union. He also supported young musicians and cultural organizations in Israel.

④In 1979, Isaac Stern visited China. He met with Chinese musicians and students. He taught them about classical Western music. His visit was made into a film, which is called From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. It won an Academy Award for best documentary film.

⑤In 1984, Isaac Stern received the Kennedy Center Honors Award for his gifts to American culture through music. He expressed his thoughts about the part that music plays in life. He said he believed that music makes life better for everyone, especially children.

⑥Mr Stern supported and guided younger classical musicians. They include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Yefim Bronfman.

⑦Isaac Stern died in 2001 at eh age of 81. He was a major influence on music in the 20th century. He leaves the world richer with his many recordings.

1. Which of the following is the RIGHT time order for these events in Stern’s life?

a. He began learning music in an institution.

b. He received the Kennedy Center Honors Award.

c. He visited the Soviet Union.

d. He met with Chinese musicians.

e. He performed for American soldiers.

A. a,e,c,d,b     B. a,e,b,c,d     C. e,a,b,c,d     D. e,a,c,d,b

2. Paragraph 2 is mainly about ______.

A. how Stern began to learn music   B. how Stern began his musical career

C. Stern’s early education          D. Stern’s achievement in music

3. Which of the following statements about Stern is TRUE?

A. He was an activist in opposing war.

B. He was active in cultural exchanges between countries.

C. He had an interest in both playing music and making films.

D. He made a lot of money from music.

4. The Underlined word “cellist” in Paragraph 6 may refer to ________.

A. someone who supports young musicians

B. someone who wants to be a musician

C. someone who has a gift for music

D. someone who plays a certain kind of instrument

5. Which of the following shows the RIGHT structure of the text?

A.       ①                              B.       ①

↓                                         ↓

②③④⑤                                ②③④⑤⑥

↓                                         ↓

⑥⑦                                      ⑦

C. ①②③④⑤⑥                            D.    ①②③

↓                                           ↓

⑦                                      ④⑤⑥⑦

 

Mrs. Blake teaches English in a large school in the inner area of a big city on the west of coast. Even since she was a young girl,she has wanted to become a teacher. She has taught eight years now and hasn‘t changed her mind.

After she graduated from high school, she went on to college. Four years later, she received her bachelor’s degree (B A) in English and her teaching certificate(证书). Then she went to teach in the secondary schools of her state. In the summers, Mrs. Blake takes more classes; she hopes to get a master‘s degree (M A). With an MA, she will receive a higher salary and if possible.  She hopes to get a doctor’s degree as well.

The school day at Mrs. Blake‘s high school, like that in many high schools in the United States, is divided into one hour each. Mrs. Blake must teach five of these periods. During her free period, which for her is from 2 to 3 P.M.  Mrs. Blake must meet with parents, make out examinations, check assignments at al., Mrs. Blake works continuously from the time she arrives at school in the morning till the time she leaves for home late in the afternoon.

1. How long is it since Mrs. Blake graduated from middle school?

A. four years    B. eight years    C. twelve years    D. twenty years

2. According to the article,which is the right order of the degrees a person can receive after going to university?

A. a doctor‘s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a master‘s degree

B. a bachelor’s degree – a master‘s degree – a doctor’s degree

C. a master‘s degree—a bachelor’s degree – a doctor‘s degree

D. a bachelor’s degree – a doctor‘s degree—a master’s degree

3. How many degrees has Mrs. Blake achieved so far?

A. one    B. two    C. three     D. none

4. Which of the following sentences is not true?

A. Mrs. Blake teaches in the inner area of big city on the east of the United Sates

B. Mrs. Blake has turned her wish of becoming a teacher into reality.

C. Mrs. Blake is still studying in her holidays in order to get higher degrees.

D. The working hours in the school where Mrs. Blake works are similar to those of many other high schools in the states.

5. According to that third paragraph,Mrs. Blake is ______ during the school day.

A. lonely   B. free   C. funny    D. busy

 

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