Stan Lee, co-founder of the Marvel Universe(漫威宇宙) and co-creator of many of its most popular superheroes, died at the age of 95.
Lee was born Stanley Martin Lieber in New York in 1922. As a son of working-class Jewish immigrants from Romania, times were hard and he lived with his family in a shabby single-bedroom apartment. After graduating from high school at 16, Lieber landed a job as an assistant at Timely Comics. By the early 1940s, he was a temporary editor for the company. It was at this time that he began using his pen name---Stan Lee. In 1947, two years after returning from serving for the U.S. Army, Lee married his wife, Joan. The two began their 70-year marriage and had two children.
In the late 1950s, DC Comics breathed new life into its classic superhero and experienced a significant success with its updated version of the Flash, and later with super-team the Justice League of America.
To compete against DC Comics, Lee was given the task of creating their own group of superheroes. In 1961, Timely Comics changed its name into Marvel Comics after Atlas Comics, and that November saw the debut(首次亮相) of the Fantastic Four. Lee’s later famous and lasting creations of comic-book superheroes included Spider-Man, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man and the X-Men.
Over the course of his career, Lee was an icon of Marvel Comics. As a writer and editor and, at various points, both the publisher and vice president of Marvel Comics, Lee not only introduced interesting characters to the industry, but changed the way that comic books came together. He also created a cooperative workflow between writers and artists, which became known as the “Marvel Method”. Lee received a National Medal of Arts in 2008 for his innovations that revolutionized American comic books.
1.What do we know about Lee from Paragraph 2?
A.He served for the U.S. Army for two years.
B.He suffered from an unfortunate marriage.
C.He had a tough and struggling childhood.
D.He adopted his pen name at the age of 16.
2.What was the company called when Spider-Man was created?
A.Timely Comics B.Marvel Comics
C.Atlas Comics D.DC Comics
3.What does the underlined word “icon” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Statue. B.Agent.
C.Assistant. D.Symbol.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.Stan Lee, the Godfather of Marvel Comics.
B.The Development of Marvel Comics.
C.Stan Lee, a Superhero in Comic Books.
D.The Popular Superheroes of Marvel Comics.
Holidays in Spain not only mean visiting the tourist attractions or enjoying the thrills of bullfight, but also are charming because of the various options for entertainment in Spain.
Getting in
Reaching Spain by air from London to Barcelona takes 2 hours; London to Madrid is 2 hours and 20 minutes and to Malaga is 2 hours and 45minutes. The journey from New York to Madrid is 8 hours and 35 minutes.
Things to do
If you want affordable entertainment and leisure in Spain, go to the streets. In Spain, walking across the streets is known as the “paseo”, in which the entire Spanish families move forward clapping out flamenco rhythms. This is the best occasion to know Spanish culture better.
If you want some indoor options for fun, come to the movie houses, which are luxurious and provide the bar service. Here, you can watch films translated into Spanish and be prepared to watch horror films, cowboy films, etc. If you have a taste for drama and play, you can enjoy performances in theaters, where you can watch plays of Spanish authors as well as translations of foreign plays. There are typical nightclubs which are open till 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m., and you need to be formally dressed up.
There are circuses of very high quality and also a lot of options for sports lovers. Soccer has attained even more popularity than bullfight in Spain. Then, there are other sports like boxing, bicycle races, horse races, and in the Basque region, handball.
Tips
Though you may think that this country is warm, it can be very cold in winter, so you need proper clothing when you come here. Further, direct exposure to sunlight for long duration should be avoided to prevent sunburn and heatstroke.
1.How long does it probably take a tourist to fly to Madrid from London?
A.120 minutes. B.140 minutes.
C.165 minutes. D.515 minutes.
2.Where is the most suitable place to learn about Spanish culture?
A.The streets. B.The nightclubs.
C.The movie houses. D.The Basque region
3.What can you do in the movie houses in Spain?
A.Enjoy the thrills of bullfight.
B.Dance clapping out flamenco rhythms.
C.Experience the bar service and watch various films.
D.Watch plays written by Spanish or foreign authors.
Bats are surprisingly long lived creatures, some ________ a life span of around 20 years.
A.having B.had C.have D.to have
Please tell me how the accident _____. I am still in the dark.
A.came out B.came by C.came across D.came about
_______ Sunday, the library doesn’t open.
A.Being B.It is C.It being D.There being
______in her most beautiful skirt, the girl tried to make herself ______ at the party.
A.Dressed; noticed B.Dressing; noticed
C.Dressed; noticing D.Dressing; being noticing
