E
Just days after the January 4 premiere (首映) of Hollywood blockbuster Avatar in China, the box offices across the country had gone beyond 100 million yuan (around $14.7 million), thanks to the enthusiasm of huge number of Chinese movie fans. China Film Group Corp. Estimates are that the total box office may finally reach 500 million yuan.
Though almost every movie theater in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai gives Avatar top billing(最优先的档期), with as many as 20 show times a day, Chinese audience still find it tough to get a ticket. In Beijing, the Wanda Movie Theater in Shijingshan, the first IMAX theater in Asia, is the first choice for Avatar moviegoers. The theater shows the 3D IMAX version of Avatar five times a day, and tickets are generally sold out a day in advance.
In Shanghai, to get an IMAX ticket for Avatar can mean waiting in freezing weather all night for a show three days later. Shanghai local media reported that on Friday, around 500 people were queuing for tickets at 8 a.m. in front of the downtown Peace Cinema, including some who had waited for 12 hours. Movie fans came equipped with quilts, wooden stools and snacks, in a scene reminding of that at train ticket windows before the New Year, when huge numbers of Chinese travel to be with family.
For the 3D version of Avatar, ticket prices varied for different theaters and time slots(场次), ranging from 60 yuan to 120 yuan. Meanwhile, illegal tickets traders asked as much as 600 yuan for the IMAX version in Shanghai. The Peace Cinema is planning to raise the ticket price for the IMAX version to as much as 200 yuan from the current 150 yuan from Jan. 14 for some time slots.
A report by the People's Daily owes the difficulty in getting tickets partly to the lack of 3D screens in China. There are only 11 IMAX commercial theaters in nine cities across China. Because of this, people are traveling long distances to see the movie. In southern China, the IMAX-equipped Dongguan Wanda theater has seen a huge coming of people from Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Wednesday afternoon, due to a technical breakdown of the system, the movie was stopped for an hour, and the sound didn't come together with the picture. In the end, the general manager of the theater had to beg forgiveness on his knees twice to lessen the angry audience who drove a long way to see the movie. The theater had to pay back each audience member the full ticket price as well as 200 yuan for traffic expenses.
The world-wide gross(总收入) for "Avatar" is now at $1.335 billion, second only to the $1.843 billion pulled in by "Titanic," another film directed by Cameron. But how long will 'Avatar' manage to hold its death grip around the number one spot?
57. The behavior of movie fans in Shanghai shows that __________.
| A. the time slots of the film are not enough |
| B. people are too enthusiastic about the film Avatar |
| C. Chinese seldom have chances to enjoy Hollywood blockbusters like Avatar |
| D. the tickets for the film are harder to get than train tickets before the New Year |
| A. the weather is freezing and the queue is too long |
| B. the cinemas have raised the ticket price for Avatar |
| C. not many 3D screens are available in China |
| D. there are many illegal tickets traders in different cities |
| A. thinks the film is sure to hold the number one spot |
| B. questions the truth of the number one spot of the film |
| C. concludes that the film Avatar is not better than Titanic |
| D. doubts whether the film can keep its popularity with the people |
| A. Hollywood Blockbuster Avatar Hitting China |
| B. Chinese People Kneeling Down for a Film |
| C. Lack of IMAX Theaters in China |
| D. Difficulty in Seeing Avatar in China |
![]()
![]()
B
Below is a web page from http://www.tvguide.com/.
Tonight’s TV Hot List: Sunday January 31, 2010
Grammy Awards 8/7c CBS
Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are ready to take home a lot of hardware tonight as they lead all artists with 10 and eight nominations. The ladies also perform, along with fellow Album of the Year nominees the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and the Dave Matthews Band. In addition, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, Pink and Zac Brown Band will also take the stage. But perhaps the most expected moment is the Michael Jackson tribute(吊唁礼物), which features the 3-D mini-movie "Earth Song" and will be highlighted by performers Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher.
Maurer 9/8c NBC
A mysterious company named Sabre, headed by an attractive, stubborn CEO (Kathy Bates), appears out of nowhere and buys out Dunder Mifflin. As Michael is unwilling to follow Sabre's new policies, Andy and Erin write a welcome song to greet the company. Meanwhile, Pam and Jim hope to get accepted into a desired local day-care center.
Surviving Survivor 8/7c CBS
It 's hard to believe it's been 10 years since the first season of Survivor. But tonight ten of the game's most iconic players, including previous winners Richard Hatch, Parvati Shallow and Tom Westman, discuss the series in detail and provide insights into how the game is actually played and the impact it's had on their lives. In addition, updates on beloved former castaways, like Ethan Zohn, Rupert Boneham and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, are given.
Private Practice 10:01/9:01c ABC
So Maya's pregnant and wants to have the baby. What to do now? Dink (Stephen Lunsford), the boy who did his part to get her into this mess, has a solution: He wants to marry her. You can imagine how Sam and Naomi will feel about that. And if that won't raise the histrionic level enough for you, how about this: A couple has two dying daughters, and only one can be saved. Their choice. And Brian Benben is back, so expect more Pete-Violet- Sheldon angst.
45. Edna is crazy about pop stars, so she will most likely choose __________ to enjoy.
| A. Grammy Awards | B. Maurer | C. Surviving Survivor | D. Private Practice |
| A. a CEO | B. a company |
| C. an employee in the company | D. a piece of office equipment |
| A. a musical play | B. a game show | C. a love story | D. a cultural documentary |
| A. are loved by all viewers | B. are on the top list for the week |
| C. are broadcast on the same channel | D. are accessible on the same night |
第二部分:阅读理解(共25小题,每小题2分,满分50分)
第一节:阅读下列短文,然后从所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中选出最佳选项,并在答题纸上将该项涂黑。
A
The best Mother’s Day gift I ever received was a magnolia(木兰)tree. At first, it was a tired little thing, but it was mine, and I know I would treasure it.
Magnolia trees were my mother’s favorite. We had one in the front yard of our house when I was growing up. I can still remember Mom’s pleasure upon seeing the buds. “Oh, look,” she’d cry out every year, “the magnolia tree is going to bloom(开花)—just in time for my birthday.” And sure enough, on April 19, her birthday, the graceful pink-and-white flowers would be all over the branches, announcing the arrival of spring.
Back then, I didn’t find the blooming of a tree to be an event worthy of celebration. A new toy, a pretty dress or a trip to the amusement park—those were exciting. But my mother had a way of appreciating the smallest things as wonders. A baby’s smile, or a call from an old friend filled her with happiness.
On the first Mother’s Day following her death six years ago, I wasn’t sure how I’d manage. Reminders of my mother’s absence seemed to be everywhere.
That Sunday morning I awoke to a quiet house, with warm sun streaming through the windows. I wondered where my husband had gone with our two daughters, Kira,4, and Sophie, 9 months. As I was relaxing in bed, enjoying the peace, Kira suddenly burst through the bedroom door.
“Look outside, Mommy!” she ordered. There, in the yard, David was digging a hole. Next to him was a little tree whose roots were wrapped.
“It’s a magnolia tree,” Kira said, though I didn’t need to be told. I raised the window and called out to David. “Happy Mother’s Day!” he said.
It was. Although I didn’t have my mother any longer, I had her tree, and each year since, I’ve had her enthusiasm(激情). Now when we pull up to our house on a bright spring day, I say to my daughters, “Oh look! The magnolia’s about to bloom.” And when it does, we admire its beauty and use it as a chance to talk about my mother and her love for flowers.
What time does the magnolia bloom according to the passage?
| A. In spring. | B. In summer. |
| C. During the writer’s birthday. | D. Around Mother’s Day. |
| A. her care of children | B. her love for flowers |
| C. her devotion to family | D. her appreciation of life |
| A. the magnolia tree was just her mother’s favorite |
| B. she owned the same kind of tree as her mother once had |
| C. the same kind of tree could often remind her of her mother |
| D. the tree could take the place of her mother in her memory |
| A. describe her happy family life | B. recall her childhood experiences |
| C. show how she loves magnolia trees | D. express her love for her dead mother |