The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has changed not only our own lives, but the lives of those who live to entertain us.
Most US talk show hosts depend on having a live audience. Audiences laugh when hosts crack jokes (讲笑话), they cheer for guests or take part in activities with the host. But with social distancing, talk show hosts have to stay at home just like the rest of us.
I’m a big fan of talk show hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien and Stephen Colbert. Without guests to interview and audiences to interact with, they’ve had to put new twists (改变) on their shows.
Other hosts choose to bring their families or other people on board for their shows. Host Jimmy Kimmel, for example, has made videos in which he plays with his children at home.
It is kind of heartwarming to see that even famous people have to struggle with the same problems we have while they’re stuck at home. But these hosts still do their best to entertain us.
| A．I have been feeling bored and trying to find something fun to do. |
| B．They have certainly cheered me up during my time stuck inside. |
| C．This, however, has made their shows interesting in a new way. |
| D．Some of them have been doing video chat interviews with pop stars. |
| E．One of the changes I’ve seen personally has been in TV talk shows. |
| F．Do you know what your favorite talk show hosts have done in quarantine? |
| G．He even surprised a food delivery driver with a pizza to thank him for his work. |
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【推荐1】Do you really care who wins Oscars? On February 24 this year, the Academy Awards were presented to actors, actresses, directors, musicians and many other people. Usually they are the “best” and we, the Audience, are persuaded that this is true.
This year, the nominations for Best Picture include Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book. According to many people, these are great movies, as are the performers who bring the stories to life. Whoever wins the award for Best Actor or Best Actress will undoubtedly become a Hollywood star.
However, Leonardo had never won an Oscar before 2016, but that doesn’t mean that his films aren’t amazing. I only need to mention Titanic and The Wolf of Wall Street and you can clearly see that he is an excellent actor. And of course, let’s not forget Romeo and Juliet.
I’m afraid someone may wrongly apprehend my meaning. I am not saying that those who win Academy Awards are not talented people. They most certainly are talented. What I mean is that I don’t think we should judge films and actors by how many awards they have. After all, at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, Ricky Gervais compared the prizes to a doorstop and told the nominees to remember that no one cared about that award as much as they did.
So let’s not judge an actor or actress just based on what critics say. If you want to know how good an actor or actress really is, go and watch the film he or she stars in.
1. Why is Leonardo mentioned in the passage?| A．He is one of the writer’s favorite film actors. |
| B．He is one of the actors who starred in many films. |
| C．He is the leading actor in many award-winning films. |
| D．He is a good actor who didn’t win an Oscar until 2016. |
| A．Express. | B．Understand. | C．Change. | D．Show. |
| A．To see if he has won an Oscar. | B．To read what critics say. |
| C．To judge him by watching his acting. | D．To see how many awards he has won. |
【推荐2】China has entered the cinematic(电影制作的) space race. Wandering Earth, the country’s first blockbuster science fiction film, is on track to be one of the highest grossing (票房收入) films in China’s history.
The film has brought in more than 2bn yuan (£232m) in the six days since its release on February 5. So far, it is the highest-grossing film released over the holiday season, a peak time for the Chinese box office（票房收入）.
Wandering Earth is based on the work of Liu Cixin, the author of the Three-Body Problem series and the first Chinese author to win a Hugo award.
“Wandering Earth fills the gap in Chinese science fiction movies. It means that China’s science fiction movies have officially set sail,” one fan of the film wrote on the review site Douban.
The film is seen by some as the dawn of Chinese sci-fi — a genre(类型；体裁) that has long been led by Hollywood. Several other Chinese-made sci-fi films are due to debut (首映) this year, including Shanghai Fortress, about an alien invasion, and Pathfinder, which follows a spaceship that has crashed on a deserted planet.
Frant Gwo, the director of Wandering Earth, said, “2019 could be remembered as year zero of Chinese science-fiction blockbusters. It is not just about one successful movie but about multiple films.”
Critics of the film have pointed out the plot holes（剧情漏洞） and cloying of sentimentality（刻意煽情） — something Wandering Earth shares with its Hollywood peers.
In response to plot criticisms about the necessity of ejecting (喷射) Earth from the solar system, Liu said: “Of course we don’t need to escape soon. That’s why it’s a movie instead of a real-life crisis.”
1. What’s the Chinese meaning of the underlined word?| A．非常成功的事物 | B．非常成功的人 |
| C．外星人 | D．英雄人物 |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Negative. |
| C．Positive | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Shanghai Fortress | B．Wandering Earth |
| C．Pathfinder | D．Avatar |
| A．The theory. | B．The ending. |
| C．The special effects. | D．The plot holes. |
【推荐3】Chinese audiences seemed not to have been satisfied with the third season of the highly anticipated food documentary A Bite of China.
Even though the series has maintained high viewership ratings since its comeback last week, much higher than other programs aired at the same time, the ranking on Douban, a social networking website featuring films, literature and events, slipped to 4.2 out of 10, as of Tuesday, compared with 9.3 and 8.4, respectively, for the first two seasons.
Picky viewers complain that some of the narration is not accurate, while others pinpoint misleading content. At the same time, food blogger @barbara questioned whether it is appropriate to give a close-up shot of the poisonous plant Nandina(南天竺)in a food program.
A Bite of China, which debuted in 2012, became hugely popular nationwide for its quality introduction of some rarely-known and mouth-watering domestic cuisine. In the new show, however, watchers are not satisfied with “irrelevant” food references, such as lipsticks made of Chinese traditional medicine and martial arts master.
The first episode introduced a hand-made iron frying pan from east China’s Shandong province, which prompted thousands of Chinese Internet users to buy one from China’s leading e-commerce website Tmall in the next few days. Sales of the pan at “Zhensanhuan” surged 6,000 times compared with a year ago, according to Beijing Youth Daily.
In response to overwhelming criticism and questions, A Bite of China production crew responded on Weibo that they seek innovation despite the risks following the first two phenomenal seasons.
“It is unavoidable to make comparisons with the first two, and some audiences may not accept the changes,” the crew said. “We explore the culture and civilization behind food, and give food a historic touch. That’s why we feature culinary(烹饪的)tools, feast and rituals, as well as a healthy diet to show Chinese wisdom and philosophy, which has not been shown in any food programs before.”
1. Why does the passage mention Nandina?| A．Because some of the narration is not accurate. |
| B．Because it may be improper to give a close-up shot of a poisonous plant. |
| C．Because it is misleading content. |
| D．Because it is not attractive at all to most picky viewers. |
| A．some mouth-watering domestic cuisines |
| B．food-unrelated items |
| C．some rarely-known cuisines |
| D．the increasing sales of the pan at “Zhensanhuan” |
| A．It makes comparisons with the first two episodes. |
| B．It tells the story of some martial arts related to food. |
| C．It receives overwhelming criticism and questions from audience. |
| D．It focuses on cooking tools, rituals and healthy eating. |
| A．'A Bite of China III' Draws Criticism from Audiences |
| B．'A Bite of China III' Maintains High Viewership Ratings |
| C．'A Bite of China III' Changes for the Worse |
| D．'A Bite of China III' Explains its Purposes |
【推荐1】While many people will turn to computer programs to help kickstart their child’s brain, there are also TV shows for young children. They will learn without realizing it!
WordGirl
This show, which first ran on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), is perfect for children who could use help to expand their vocabulary. The show follows a young superhero as she protects Fair City while also subtly teaching children how to use new words.
Arthur
This show started back in 1996 and it is still going on today. PBS has a great track record with children’s shows and Arthur is probably their finest work. This shows Arthur and his friends as they learn all about the world around them. The show touches on important themes of family, friendship, and education. Over the years there have been some famous actors on the show as well — Matt Damon, Art Garfunkel, Joan Rivers and more.
Dinosaur Train
Kids love dinosaurs and that’s just a fact. Let your children learn about our ancient friends with this lovable, exciting, and educational TV show. The computer-generated imagery (CGI) is well done and the colors pop off the screen. The show follows along as a steam train travels through time in order to soak in each era of dino-life, teaching us along the way.
Nature
Nature does a great job teaching children about the world around them. This show was first started in 1982 and it is still running on PBS to this day. Kids will learn everything there is to know about nature all over the world. Nurture your child’s fascination with the environment and the world will be better for it!
1. Which of the shows has featured some superstars?| A．WordGirl. | B．Arthur. | C．Dinosaur Train. | D．Nature. |
| A．By following a young superhero. |
| B．By watching a show started in 1996. |
| C．By following the journey of a steam train. |
| D．By observing the environment around them. |
| A．They are useful for social skills. | B．They are educational to children. |
| C．They are available on the same channel. | D．They are good for parent-child relationship. |
In this program, five celebrity fathers traveled to six countryside locations across China, including some villages in Beijing, Yunnan, Shandong, Hunan, Heilongjiang and a desert in Ningxia. They took care of their kids without the help of the kid’s mothers. At the same time, they also took part in different kinds of activities with their kids together, such as cooking, fishing and selling goods.
Why is the show so popular? “It reflects (折射) social reality. In big cities, fathers are always busy earning money and making achievements in their career. They don’t spare more time with their kids.” said Xie Dikui, general director of the show. As the father of a 3-year-old daughter, Xie said that he found his own heart being touched as he made it. “Although these fathers are busy, they are able to spare time for their kids. We can do better than them.”
This also happens in some rural areas in China. More and more men from rural areas are now working in big cities, leaving their kids at home under the Grandparents’ care.
“I have a son and a daughter in my hometown.” said Xu Canyong, a 33-year-old man working in Shantou, Guangdong Province. “They come to live with me only during summer and winter vacations. I miss them very much. I want to have them live with us in Shantou, but the cost of living here is too high.” said Xu.
1. Five celebrity fathers have ever traveled to _______ with their kids.
| A．Beijing, Hunan and Heilongjiang |
| B．Hunan, Heilongjiang and Tibet |
| C．Yunnan, Ningxia and Hong Kong |
| D．Yunnan, Shandong and Gansu |
| A．the five fathers are all famous stars |
| B．there are many beautiful sights in it |
| C．Xie Dikui is a popular director in China |
| D．it reflects the problems about family education |
| A．the TV show Where Are We Going, Dad? |
| B．the fact that fathers have less time with their kids |
| C．the trip of five celebrity fathers with their kids |
| D．the relationship between Xie Dikui and his daughter |
| A．he can’t afford to live there together |
| B．he has no time to look after his kids |
| C．Shantou is too far from his hometown |
| D．his kids are used to living with their grandparents |
| A．fathers will raise the kids instead of mothers |
| B．the five celebrity fathers will give up their own jobs |
| C．in some rural areas, more and more kids live with their grandparents |
| D．Mr. Xu often goes back to his hometown during summer and winter vacations |
【推荐3】One of the most popular street food found in China is no doubt the barbecue. A new program, called Chinese Barbecue, tells the story of this popular food cooked over hot coals on just about every street corner in cities and towns across the country. Barbecued meat is an important part of people’s nightlife.
Shown on June 20, the program has had more than 25 million clicks on the video site bilibili.com. To find the most popular barbecue stalls (摊位), the production team travelled to more than 500 locations in 30 cities across the country. Some viewers compare Chinese Barbecue to Midnight Diner, a Japanese TV program telling stories from late night informal Japanese bars.
“I’m happy to hear this comparison because Midnight Diner is a good program, and we share the same topic― night food,” Chinese Barbecue’s director Chen Yingjie said. “However, they are quite different.” He said that Midnight Diner focused more on food itself, though there was some conversation while people were eating. However, the night food scene of Chinese people means joy and a more lively atmosphere. People eating these barbecue snacks develop a feeling of connection, which can be a cure for loneliness.
The barbecue, regarded as the most ordinary and common night street snack, is different from home-made food by mothers as that is a symbol of family and kinship. The barbecue is where you go to become connected to people in society. And unlike official business lunches, during which people are rather polite, the barbecue lets people relax with old friends and new friends, leaving a lasting impression of friendship.
The world, as a whole, holds deep-rooted good feelings toward the barbecue, either for the taste or the warmth produced by fire. “What we should do is to present the Chinese barbecue just the way it is because with its special ingredients(食材)，ways of cooking and more importantly, the special environment and people, the world will recognize it and might fall in love with it just as we do.” said Chen.
1. What do we know about Chinese Barbecue?| A．It has been becoming very popular on the Internet. |
| B．It is thought highly of by most of the foreign tourists. |
| C．It mainly talks about the most famous Chinese food. |
| D．It shows the colorful nightlife in large cities of China. |
| A．It showed more kinds of food. | B．It focused more on the diners. |
| C．It showed the eating habits. | D．It was less popular than Midnight Diner. |
| A．The importance of the barbecue to family. | B．The influence of the barbecue on people’s manners. |
| C．The influence of the barbecue on people’s lifestyle. | D．The role of the barbecue in people’s relationship. |
| A．To show the feature of Chinese food. | B．To research a special way of cooking. |
| C．To help the world understand China. | D．To introduce the history of the barbecue. |
