Fresh out of acting school, I got a job with a touring theater company. The terms were unreasonable: $300 for a month’s work, to be ____ at the end of that month. Only one meal a day would be_____; for the rest, we were on our own.
Our first venue (演出地点) was a holiday center. The waiters ____ us from the start. They refused to give us spoons and knives at dinner, while our meal cooled. It was ____
At the second venue, we ____ to make some changes to the show for the new stage. While we practiced, I saw a table being set. I felt ____. It was midday, which ____ that they were serving us lunch. Getting lunch would mean no hot dinner because of the “one meal a day” item. We _____depended on dinner being our hot meal of the day.
We were called over to_____. The table was beautifully set. The sandwiches were generous. Afterward, I told the headwaiter that we ____ our one meal to be dinner.
Our dinner would be at six, the headwaiter said. He ____ that the “one meal a day” item in our contract (合同) was stupid and the venue would ____ us lunch and dinner daily.
We returned at six, _____and nervous because this seemed too good to be ____. We were served by a_____ waiter who sang to us. He refilled our water glasses and took orders for coffee. At the end, we tried to bus our dishes to the kitchen,_____ the headwaiter said that we didn’t have to do that and explained, “It is only _____for us if you let us do it right.”
That was 20 years ago, and I learned a ____ hat I’ll never forget: Take pleasure in ___. Be kind. Treat those who have _____to give you as well as you would treat a paying customer.
1.A.spent B.paid C.collected D.saved
2.A.provided B.shared C.made D.sold
3.A.forgot B.missed C.avoided D.disliked
4.A.understandable B.unpleasant C.interesting D.unnecessary
5.A.agreed B.seemed C.needed D.pretended
6.A.satisfied B.surprised C.bored D.tired
7.A.held B.required C.meant D.told
8.A.really B.suddenly C.finally D.probably
9.A.speak B.help C.cook D.eat
10.A.allowed B.wanted C.encouraged D.ordered
11.A.hoped B.imagined C.added D.guessed
12.A.give B.show C.find D.lend
13.A.proud B.comfortable C.patient D.thankful
14.A.right B.true C.wise D.certain
15.A.cheerful B.successful C.shy D.serious
16.A.when B.because C.but D.so
17.A.possible B.funny C.painful D.enjoyable
18.A.lesson B.skill C.fact D.task
19.A.progress B.work C.travel D.study
20.A.everything B.something C.anything D.nothing
“Gavin!” called Mr. Capshaw. “We’re leaving. Are you ready?”
1. . “Yes,” he said with a sigh (叹气).
“This will be fun. I know you’ll enjoy the performance,” Mrs. Capshaw told her son. “Afterward, we might even get to go backstage and meet Dad’s friend Joseph.”
2.. Gavin couldn’t believe how many people there were in the theater. Suddenly, the lights dimmed (变暗), and the audience (观众) began to fall silent.
Once the performance began, Gavin forgot all about his parents and the rest of the audience. 3.. They made the moves look so easy, but he could tell it was much more difficult than it appeared.
“Well, what did you think?” asked Gavin’s parents.
“That was amazing. I’m so glad we came,” he replied.
“Come on, let’s go see if we can find Joseph,” said Mr. Capshaw.
A moment later, the Capshaws were shaking hands with Joseph.
“4. ?” Gavin asked Joseph.
Joseph laughed. “I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” he said, “but I’ve also never had so much fun. Are you a performer, Gavin?”
Gavin shook his head.
“5. ?” asked Joseph. “The performing arts center is only a few blocks from here, and it offers a beginner’s class in modern dance. I know some of the teachers there. I’d be happy to introduce you if you’re interested.”
Gavin smiled. “When can I start?”
A. Gavin moved slowly down the stairs
B. Is it a lot of work to prepare the show
C. You seem very interested in tonight’s show
D. Do you think dance is something you’d like to try
E. He listened to the music and watched the dancers move
F. The Capshaws walked down the street toward the bus stop
G. About 45 minutes later, the Capshaws arrived at the theater
Smartphones, tablets and smart watches are banned (禁止) at school for all children under 15 in France. Under the ban students are not able to use their phones at all during school hours, including meal breaks.
“I think it’s a good thing. School is not about being on your phone,” Paris mum Marie-Caroline Madeleine told AFP. “It’s hard with kids. You can’t control what they see and that’s one of the things that worry me as a parent.”
There is no law like this in Australia, but some Australian schools have banned phones.
McKinnon Secondary School in Victoria introduced a total ban in February and Principal Pitsa Binnion said this has been a success.
McKinnon students still have a Chromebook to use in every class for day-to-day learning but they’re not allowed to use social media. Ms Binnion said at first “teachers cheered and students moaned (抱怨) ,” but now they’re seeing the advantages. “They come to school and they’re not allowed to use phones at all during the school day, including lunch breaks,” she said.
“It’s been wonderful in terms of students communicating with each other at lunchtime and not looking at their screen,” she said.
Ms Binnion also leads by example and doesn’t use her mobile phone in school. “I think anyone can do it if we’ve done it.”
Not everyone agrees with the bans. Western Sydney University technology researcher Dr Joanne Orlando wrote in online magazine The Conversation earlier this year that Australia should not ban phones in schools because it’s important to educate kids to live in the age they are raised in.
“A good education for students today is knowing how to use technology to learn, communicate and work with ideas,” she wrote. “Banning students from using smartphones is a 1950s response to a 2018 state-of-play.”
1.Why did Madeleine welcome the ban?
A. School is for studying. B. Kids behave badly nowadays.
C. Teachers find it hard to control kids. D. Her kids depend too much on phones.
2.What can we learn about the ban in McKinnon Secondary School?
A. Some teachers were against it at first.
B. Students can now see the good of the ban.
C. Students can use their phones at lunch beaks.
D. Teachers have stopped using phones at school as well.
3.What does the underlined word “Chromebook” in Paragraph 5 probably refer to?
A. A book. B. A notebook.
C. A learning website. D. A kind of computer.
4.What does Dr Joanne Orlando think of banning phones in schools?
A. It will disconnect parents and kids. B. It will cause kids to communicate less.
C. It will prevent kids being tech-minded. D. It will make education go back 60 years.
You might have noticed that the ringing sound of basketballs was almost like the beat to a song. But did you know that it could be taken seriously as music?
The music group STOMP has taken everyday objects and turned them into instruments. The music it has created is a hit all over the world.
STOMP was formed by British musicians Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas. They met in the early 1980s when they were both working as buskers, the British term for street performers. Cresswell and McNicholas were part of a busking group called Pookiesnackenburger that became very popular throughout Britain.
Cresswell was a drummer (鼓手) for the group. Because they performed on the street, he could not set up a traditional drum set. Instead, he wore one drum that hung around his shoulders. To be able to make different sounds, Cresswell began beating on everyday objects that he could find during performances. This creative drumming led to the idea for STOMP.
STOMP made its first public appearance at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre in 1991. The performers used one-of-a-kind instruments, such as empty water bottles, basketballs, and matchboxes to create music. Wearing overalls and T-shirts, they danced around on a stage made to look like a closed warehouse (仓库). STOMP was a great success, winning many theater awards and drawing huge crowds (人群).
In 1994, STOMP came to the United States and played at the Orpheum Theater in New York City. Years later it is still playing there! To celebrate its ten-year anniversary (周年纪念), the then New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg renamed the street outside the theater STOMP Avenue.
STOMP has now toured all over the United States and most of the world. One reason STOMP is so popular is that anyone can enjoy it. There are no words or story. People from all cultures can understand it, no matter which language they speak.
1.What makes STOMP a special music group?
A.There are few words in its music.
B.It usually performs in warehouses.
C.The performers wear special clothes.
D.It uses everyday objects as instruments.
2.What can we learn about STOMP?
A.It was created in 1980.
B.It was formed in Britain.
C.It was named after a street.
D.It was part of Pookiesnackenburger.
3.Who was behind the creative idea for STOMP?
A.Luke Cresswell. B.A busking group.
C.Steve McNicholas. D.Michael Bloomberg.
4.Which shows the correct order of the following events?
a. STOMP began performing at the Orpheum Theater.
b. STOMP began performing at the Bloomsbury Theatre.
c. Michael Bloomberg named a street STOMP Avenue.
d. Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas worked as buskers.
A.d-b-a-c. B.d-a-b-c.
C.b-a-c-d. D.b-a-d-c.
“Life is about daring to carry out your ideas,” said Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner.
One of the best-known living mountaineers, now 74, Messner became the first person to climb Mount Qomolangma alone and without the help of bottled oxygen (氧气) in 1980.
He also became, in 1986, the first to reach the world’s 14 mountain tops of over 8,000 meters, again without bottled oxygen.
Along the way, he has practiced a special style of mountaineering known as alpinism, in which climbers try to reach the top with as little material (材料) and outside help as possible.
But it is an art that is increasingly getting lost — today’s climbers depend on Sherpas (local guides for climbers in the Himalayas) and ready-made routes to reach the top, Messner said.
“The true alpinist doesn’t want such help. He wants to go into the wild,” he said.
His achievements have made him a great hero, but Messner says he has gotten into plenty of dangerous situations along the way too.
“Around half of the top alpinists have died climbing,” he said.
“Of course, if I turn back more often than the others, I can increase my chances of survival,” he added. “But if I hadn’t been lucky a few times, I wouldn’t be here.”
Messner later moved on to different challenges (挑战), crossing the Gobi Desert and Antarctica.
He is also a writer and was in Frankfurt to present his latest book, “Wild”, telling the true story of a 1916 Antarctic expedition (探险).
Today, Messner spends his time making films and talks excitedly about his present one, which is set in Kenya, Africa, and tells the story of two climbers who run into trouble and are faced with life-changing situations.
After a lifetime of following his next dream, he believes film-making will be his final project.
“I was always at my best when I was learning, when I was curious (求知的),” he said.
1.What is special about true alpinists?
A.They can reach the top quickly.
B.They try to depend on themselves.
C.They follow ready-made routes.
D.They often work with local guides.
2.What helped Messner survive dangerous situations?
A.Good luck. B.Belief.
C.Good skills. D.Courage.
3.What does Messner tell us about the story of his new film?
A.It is very interesting.
B.It happens in Africa.
C.It is based on his latest book.
D.It records his true experiences.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.A new film. B.A new book.
C.A great alpinist. D.A great expedition.
It’s November now and Christmas is on the way. What would be a better way to spend time with your loved ones than sitting down to watch some classic Christmas movies?
1. The Grinch (2000)
This is a Christmas must-watch. It was originally (最初) a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss, which I would suggest reading! It’s the story of a green monster (怪兽) who wants to destroy Christmas but who in the end discovers the power of love. I promise it’s a great film with plenty of laughs along the way.
2. Love Actually (2003)
While this is not a personal favourite of mine, people in the UK love this film. It features (由……主演) famous actors and actresses such as Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman. It might be a little difficult to follow, but the heart-warming story makes it worth watching.
3. Home Alone (1990)
This is one of my favourite films of all time and I would watch it all year round if I could. It tells the story of a boy, Kevin, who is left alone in his house when his large family forget to take him on vacation. While the family are away, burglars (窃贼) try to break into the house and Kevin must protect his home by setting traps. The trips, falls and traps will have you laughing out loud as you watch a 10-year-old boy outsmart two grown men.
4. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
You can’t have Christmas in an English-speaking country without watching this film. It’s not funny like Home Alone or The Grinch, but it is really touching. It’s about a man who says he is Santa Claus, but nobody believes him except a lawyer and a little girl. The storyline may seem a little childish but you can enjoy it at any age.
1.Which movie is based on a children’s book?
A.The Grinch. B.Love Actually.
C.Home Alone. D.Miracle on 34th Street.
2.What does the author think of Miracle on 34th Street?
A.It is his favourite movie.
B.It is funny and touching.
C.It is a little difficult to follow.
D.It is suitable for people of all ages.
3.What do the four movies have in common?
A.All can make you laugh out loud.
B.All are newly-made movies.
C.All are related to Christmas.
D.All tell stories about kids.
