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
New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate and enter the new year with a smile on your face. This year, there’re plenty of local activities for all ages and interests, so the smiles will come easily.
BLUE CONCERT
Blues band the Coyotes is playing at the Dance Barn，at 8 Barn View in Sudden Valley, The show will start at 9 p. m. and benefit the charity Bikers Fighting Cancer. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 224-2308 for more information.
NEW YEAR’S LAUGHS
Ring in the New Year and laugh out the old one at the Upfront Theatre Comic improvisers will hit on all the highlights of the year with The Last Laugh of 2008. The 9 p. m. show will cost $15 and is open to all ages. The 11 P. m. show is to 21 and older and costs $18, which includes a champagne (香槟酒) toast. Call 733-8855 for more information.
MAZE
For a fun activity earlier in the evening，walk the labyrinth (迷宫) at the Leopold Crystal Bellroom. Wander through the maze, based on the French Chartres Cathedral, for free from 4 to 9 P. m. Call 752-0048 for more information.
COUNTRY DANCING
At the Bellingham Eagles Hall, live local music will help get the dance started at 8 p. m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and free for kids 12 and younger. For more information, call 676-1554.
1. In what way do these activities have in common?
A. They’re all held in the same day. B. They’re all held by the same organization.
C. They’re all organized for children. D. They’re all about the dancing and music.
2. Which of the following activities may be free for Tom aged 16?
A. COUNTRY DANCING. B. NEW YEAR'S LAUGHS.
C. MAZE. D. BLUE CONCERT.
3. If you want to know something about the Coyotes at 8 Barn view, you'd better call .
A. 676-1554 B. 733-8855 C. 752-0048 D. 224-2308
4. Which of the followings will be the highlights of NEW YEAR'S LAUGHS?
A. Wander through the maze. B. The champagne toast.
C. Its live music. D. The Last Laugh of 2008.
5. It can be inferred from the text that .
A. $10 is enough to book a ticket to Blue Concert B. you can read the text on a telephone book
C. all these activities are international ones D. New Year’s Laughs will hold shows three times
四、阅读理解 （2分×15=30分）阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。
Talk about a real-life hero! Ten-year-old Larry Champagne from St. Louis，Missouri, hit the brake (刹车) on a runaway school bus. He saved himself and 20 other kids on board from disaster.
It all happened in one terrible accident. On the way to school, the bus driver, Ernestine Blackman, suddenly fell ill. Seeing the car was running away, the other kids started to scream, but Larry ran to the front and stopped the bus.
“At first I thought, ‘We’re going to die,’” says Larry, “but after I pressed the brake, I felt safe.”
Larry’s speedy reaction made news all over the country. He appeared on TV shows as a hero. The bus company gave Larry a big gift. His school hung a medal of honor around his neck.
“My grandmother always tells me to do what’s right,” says Larry. He thanked his brother, Jerrick, 9, who “helped me get the bus driver up” during the emergency（紧急情况）. How did he know how to stop the bus? Larry is something of a mechanic（机械师）. He helps his grandfather work on his old truck. “He gets his hands dirty,” says his grandfather. One thing is for certain: Larry knows where to find the brakes.
1. What did Larry do to save the runaway bus?
A. He parked it for the sleeping bus driver.
B. He helped all the kids climb out through the windows.
C. He dialed 911. D. he pressed the brake.
2. When did Larry finally feel safe?
A. When the kids finally stopped screaming. B. When the police officers arrived.
C. Once he pressed the brake, and the bus stopped. D. When the bus driver started driving again.
3. Larry got the following as praise for his hero action Except .
A. appearing on TV shows B. a scholarship from his school
C. a big gift from the bus company D. a medal of honor
4. Larry thanked his brother Jerrick for .
A. helping him get the bus driver up B. helping him work on his old truck
C. teaching him how to find the brake D. teaching him how to stop the bus
5. The underlined sentence“Larry is something of a mechanic” tells us that .
A. Larry’s job is a mechanic B. Larry knows something about machines
C. Larry is a robot D. Larry knows nothing about machines
三、单词拼写：请根据括号内汉\英语提示或已给的首字母写出单词的正确形式。（1分×10=10分）
1. He e____________ us for hours with his stories and jokes
2. Tibet is a ____________（多山的） province .
3. U______________, my computer system broke down again .
4. The learner of a second language has many difficulties to ___________(克服).
5. We were a____________ that she behave so rudely at the party.
6. The little boy a_________ himself by drawing pictures on the ground .
7. To our surprise , he made no ____________（解释）of his absence.
8. Those who have not known _________ (hungry) can never imagine what it is.
9. The play was so _______ (humour) that the audience laughed all through it.
10. The news that Tom, an excellent student, had ________ (failure) his exams surprised us all.
二、完形填空 （2分×15=30分）
Charlie Chaplin was the first international star of the modern art of movies. He was especially beloved for his Little Tramp 21 . He was the first screen artist to write, 22 and perform in his own films; in fact, in some cases, Charlie Chaplin even wrote the music for his movies. He was also the first artist to use his work to pass a 23 of equality and justice(正义) for all — 24 for the "little guy". Charlie Chaplin's career and life made 25 the first global icon (偶像); his too-small hat, his too large shoes and his trademark moustache were instantly recognized by audiences from Chicago to China, from Iowa City to India. And they 26 are today. All of these make Charlie Chaplin the first citizen of our global village.
Chaplin, a native of London, was born in 27 on April 16, 1889 to music hall performers. Chaplin only saw his 28 twice until the age of seven. The man 29 him and his mother about a year after Chaplin was 30 . During Chaplin's earliest years, his mother was a(n) 31 and performer. Then her voice gave out, her stage career 32 , and she began actively attending Church of England services. At the age of 33 , Chaplin's mother was considered as the insane and sent to Cane Hill lunatic asylum (疯人院), and the court sent Charlie and his brother to live with his father, 34 had by then stopped all payments of child support.
Charlie Chaplin lived with his father only a short time 35 his mother was released from the lunatic asylum and then picked up Charlie and his brother, to live with her once again.
21. A. character B. behaviour C. personality D. gentleman
22. A. act B. shoot C. direct D. edit
23. A. possibility B. message C. culture D. promise
24. A. generally B. widely C. especially D. totally
25. A. him B. them C. us D. it
26. A. really B. still C. always D. ever
27. A. happiness B. luck C. poverty D. peace
28. A. brother B. teacher C. mother D. father
29. A. taught B. left C. loved D. expected
30. A. born B. young C. ill D. old
31. A. actor B. artist C. dancer D. singer
32. A. ended B. began C. broke D. continued
33. A. eight B. seven C. nine D. ten
34. A. which B. what C. he D. who
35. A. then B. when C. before D. until
Fear is something that you are born with. You can’t ______yourself of it completely but you can ____ certain fears under certain conditions. .
A. break; get rid of B. get; overcome C. overcome; rid of D. rid; overcome
