Question

    Plays are an important part of British culture. The West End theatre in London is the best place to watch a professional play, but acting also takes place in every school and village hall across the country.

There are over 2,500 non-professional drama groups in the UK today and they are an active part of community life. People from all walks of life take on acting roles besides their regular jobs. They do it for fun, for the love of acting and as a way to meet new people.

Not everyone in a drama club is a skilled actor, but enthusiasm is considered to be more important than talent. Friends, family members and neighbours enjoy getting together to watch the final performance and telling the people they know to “break a leg”. It’s a great way of bringing communities together. Also, in many rural parts of Britain, non-professional theatre is the only chance people have to see plays for miles around.

Many people get a taste for acting at school. Every school puts on a play at least once per year, usually at Christmas, and parents love coming to watch their children perform. Ask any British person and they’re sure to have happy memories of being in their school’s Christmas play, whether they played the role of Mary or Joseph or perhaps even a sheep or a donkey.

Another Christmas theatre tradition is the pantomime（童话剧）. Pantomimes are a type of musical comedy for families. The audience is encouraged to participate in the performance-singing along with the music and shouting to the actors. Pantomimes are really fun to watch, especially for children.

British people love going to the theatre, professional or not, and many of them also enjoy performing. If you have the chance, go and see a play in the UK.

1.Where can British people probably see the best professional play according to the passage?

A.In the school halls. B.In every village hall.

C.In the West End theatre in London. D.In many rural parts of Britain.

2.Which is NOT the reason why people from all professions take an active part in plays?

A.To get to know more people. B.To look for the fun of life.

C.Because they enjoy performance. D.Because they don’t like their own jobs.

3.What does the underlined phrase “break a leg” mean in Paragraph 3?

A.Pay attention to safety. B.Say good luck and wish you success.

C.Wish actors good health. D.Avoid being hurt.

4.When is the best time to enjoy the play performance in the UK?

A.During the Christmas period. B.At the beginning of a school year

C.During family gatherings. D.The time when you’re visiting schools and villages.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。戏剧是英国文化的重要组成部分。不管是不是职业演员，他们中的许多人都喜欢表演。文章主要阐述了这种文化现象。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中The West End theatre in London is the best place to watch a professional play…（伦敦的The West End剧院是观看专业戏剧表演的最佳场所……）可知，在伦敦The West End剧院可以看到最好的专业戏剧。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段中People from all walks of life take on acting roles besides their regular jobs. They do it for fun, for the love of acting and as a way to meet new people.（各行各业的人除了他们的日常工作外，还会扮演各种角色。他们这样做是为了乐趣，为了对表演的热爱，也是为了结识新朋友）可知，D项“因为他们不喜欢自己的工作”并不是各行各业的人都积极参加戏剧活动的原因。故选D。

3.词义猜测题。根据上文Friends, family members and neighbours enjoy getting together to watch the final performance and telling the people可知，朋友、家人和邻居喜欢聚在一起，看最后的表演，这是一种让社区的人相聚的好方法，故当相识的人见面时应该是祝彼此好运，并预祝演出成功。故划线短语意思为“祝你好运，并祝你成功”。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据第四段中Every school puts on a play at least once per year, usually at Christmas, and parents love coming to watch their children perform.（每一所学校每年至少上演一次戏剧，通常是在圣诞节，家长们喜欢来看他们的孩子表演）可知，在圣诞节期间，戏剧表演较多，是人们欣赏戏剧的最佳时间。故选A。