Subtler star’s shines bright
Every once in a while, a movie star comes along who has a personality that shines as brightly off screen as it does in their films. And for nearly 40 years, American actress and producer Frances McDormand has been one such movie star.
Since 1984, she has starred in more than 50 films and television shows. McDormand won her first two Oscars for her roles in the film Fargo in 1997 and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2018. Most recently, she won her third Best Actress award at the 93rd Academy Awards for her role in Nomadland. In the film, McDormand plays Fern, a poor migrant worker who lives out of her van while traveling the United States looking for odd jobs.
Although McDormand won the hearts of many early on in her career, there was a time when she didn’t enjoy being a celebrity, and even stopped speaking to the media for a number of years. During an interview with Yahoo News in 2015, she explained, “I was starting to not like the job of acting because it also involved not just the promotion of what I’d done, but myself.”
However, as she was convinced that her place in the spotlight gave her the ability to reach millions of people, McDormand decided to use that power for something positive. In the years since, she has continued to portray complex female characters that challenge ideas of what a woman is supposed to be. Also, at 63 years old, she often discusses how important it is for society to change its views about aging, especially with regard to women.
One of her biggest headline moments came in 2018 during her acceptance speech for her second Best Actress award. She used the opportunity to encourage her colleagues to be more mindful of the “Inclusion Rider”, something that actors and producers can ask for in their contracts that guarantees the movies they work on will hire a diverse crew that includes women, people in black, Asian and Latino communities, or those with disabilities.
According to Refinery29, McDormand will continue using her power to change the system that she lives and works in Hollywood.
1. Why did McDormand avoid the media?| A．She got tired of acting. | B．She disliked self-promotion. |
| C．She was fed up with fake news. | D．She suffered a failure in her career. |
| A．Her desire for power and fame. | B．Her awareness of her selfishness. |
| C．Her fear of being forgotten. | D．Her will to make a difference. |
| A．It was first proposed by Frances McDormand. |
| B．It is a necessary part of actors’ contracts. |
| C．It helps boost gender and racial diversity of movie crews. |
| D．It aims to boost employment in the film industry. |
| A．It’s never too old to learn. | B．It is unnecessary to strive for perfection. |
| C．We should use our ability to create a better world. | D．We should take responsibility for our actions. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Reflection of real culture?
Crazy Rich Asians, adapted from Singaporean-American author Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel of the same name, has become a surprisingly successful Hollywood movie and a hot topic on social media.
Without doubt, the film is a rare US film with an all-Asian actors, full of Asian elements, such as characters playing mahjong or using red decorations at a wedding. It could be said that Crazy Rich Asians reflects a new trend in Hollywood for multiculturalism(多元化). Just like fans who praised Black Panther(2018) for featuring African characters, those from Asia now have role models of their own in a Hollywood movie.
However, when we take a closer look at the film, we can see that it’s clearly produced for a Western audience. The film is about the funny story of Chinese-American professor Rachel Chu and her rich Singaporean boyfriend Nick Young and his family. According to The Paper, although the movie throws light on Asian culture, it is still a display of American values, instead of those of Asian people. It still can’t help showing the cultural traditions and lifestyle of the US. The romance story even finds its roots in Disney fairy tales. In the movie, the large houses and the fancy parties represent the lives seen in movies like The Great Gatsby (2013) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
“There are a lot of people who don’t relate to that…of course there will be lot of fain criticism(批评) about the fact that it doesn’t fully represent the entire population,” wrote Penelope Poulou of VOA News.
According to Psychology Today, the film is “not an accurate(准确的) description of most Asians nor is it meant to be”. So, although Crazy Rich Asians doesn’t completely break stereotypes(刻板印象) of Asian people, it’s still a small step in the right direction. And while it’s encouraging to see a movie about Asian people made for a Western audience, it’s obvious that there’s still a long way to go.
1. What can we learn about Crazy Rich Asians?| A．It was on show in 2013. |
| B．It is adapted from a TV series. |
| C．It stars all-Asian actors. |
| D．It was shot in China. |
| A．describe the popularity of multiculturalism in the US |
| B．show Hollywood’s efforts in promoting multiculturalism |
| C．stress the differences between the two films |
| D．explain its influence on Crazy Rich Asians |
| A．It fails to describe real Asian culture. |
| B．It doesn’t change Americans’ stereotypes of Asians. |
| C．It has copied from The Great Gatsby. |
| D．It shows too much American elements. |
| A．Subjective. | B．Disappointed. | C．Objective. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐2】The Wandering Earth (2019)
2h5 min. |Director: Frant Gwo | Country: China | Language: Mandarin
The sun is dying, so people build giant planet engines to move the Earth to a new star system. Yet the 2 500-year journey comes with unexpected dangers and a group of young people come out bravely and fight hard for everyone’s survival.
Dumbo(2019)
1h52min. |Director: Tim Burton | Country: USA | Language: English
A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a circus(马戏团). But when the circus plans a new trip, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets under its shiny appearance.
Green Book (2018)
2h10 min. | Director: Peter Farrelly | County: USA | Language: English
An Italian-American worker becomes the driver of an African-American pianist on a tour in the 1960s. The film is based on a true friendship, which is named after The Negro Motorist Green Book, a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American travelers written by Victor Hugo Green.
Mia and the White Lion (2018)
1h38 min. | Director: Gilles de Maistre | Country: France | Language: French
Mia develops an unusual friendship with Charlie, a young white lion born on her parents’ farm in South Africa. When Charlie reaches three, Mia discovers that her father has decided to sell the lion. Hopeless, Mia has no choice but to escape with Charlie in order to save him.
1. What can we know about The Wandering Earth?| A．It tells the protection of the sun. |
| B．It is the longest of the four movies. |
| C．It tells how people save the Earth. |
| D．It is made by the USA and China together. |
| A．The Wandering Earth. |
| B．Dumbo. |
| C．Green Book. |
| D．Mia and the White Lion. |
| A．They express the same theme. |
| B．They are both based on true stories. |
| C．They are made by the same director. |
| D．They are both produced in France. |
【推荐3】Lights, camera, action! Have you ever dreamed of being a director? At age 29, Di Di already has almost 10 years of directing experience. Through the media company he founded, he makes advertising and promotional videos, including for Tsinghua University, his alma mater (母校).
For Di, becoming a director is an adventure based on interest. Majoring in journalism, he got into directing by chance. “In 2016,I came up with an idea for Tsinghua’s admissions(招生)video but couldn’t find a director,” Di said. “so I decided to be the director myself! I ended up really enjoying the process of being creative and working with a team. That was when I knew I wanted to be a director.”
While many people think that directors are experts at art, Di found that directors are, in fact, experts at management. “Only one-third of my time is spent on set. The rest of the time, I’m doing lots of planning with my clients and co-workers.” he said. This planning process includes working out the video’s theme with the client, creating a play, bringing together the visuals and text content, and also managing logistics (后勤) like where to park the cars and how to bring electricity to the set.
“Filming is an industry of high costs. Even short advertisements cost a lot of money per day. Any incident could result in the failure of the project, such as bad weather or the main character not turning up. You have to be quick to respond to any problems,” Di said. Despite the pressure, Di gets great joy from making an impact through his works. In 2019, he made a film for Tsinghua, which tells the story of a group of first-generation college students-the first to go to university in their families. It was viewed more than 15 million times on social media and became a hot top 20 trending topic on Sina Weibo. Being a first-generation college student himself, Di felt very passionate about the video’s goal of inspiring students to use their education to make a better life for their families. One month before the national college entrance exam in2020, Di released a feature film encouraging high school students to keep working hard after the exam was pushed back by one month.
1. Which of the following is true?| A．Di was a student whose major was directing. | B．Di became a director by accident. |
| C．Little money is needed to make a film. | D．Most of Di’s time is spent on directing. |
| A．Di’s experience of directing. | B．What it takes to be a director. |
| C．How Di started to be a director. | D．Di’s views on being a director. |
| A．Planning the set. | B．Talking about the topic. |
| C．Putting visuals and texts together. | D．Preparing meals. |
| A．Weather decides how well the process goes. | B．Di’s video helps students go to university. |
| C．Di’s video makes a difference to some students. | D．Directing is a career with little pressure. |
【推荐1】I had had an unusual relationship with my mother, who passed away in June 2019. From a young age, her life didn’t turn out as she’d hoped. As a result, anger and bitterness set in and developed deep roots. After a lifetime battle with depression (抑郁) and every kind of smoke- related illness, she began showing signs of dementia (痴呆). In 2014, we moved her into an assisted living facility (疗养院), which changed her life greatly.
The ladies there made her come down for lunch and dinner. They went to her room to bring her to bingo. They signed her up when they went out for an outing. Within weeks, she was changing and enjoying her new-found social life! And the dementia allowed her to forget her anger and bitterness. She started loving things again and even made us laugh. I got the mother of my childhood back that year. After she passed away, both staff and neighbours came in to see my sister and me. They cried. They told me how they would come in to see her on their days off. They told us how she waved every time they walked by and always had a compliment (赞许). But they didn’t stop there. They gave each of us a small wooden butterfly box filled with handwritten notes about my mom.
The mom of the final two years was not the mom I had for most of my life. And these women provided memories that I will keep in mind forever.
1. How was the author’s mother before moving into the facility?| A．Fun and happy. | B．Sad but energetic |
| C．Relaxed and brave. | D．Depressed and angry. |
| A．The author didn’t look after his mother well. |
| B．The author’s mother had ahard time all her life. |
| C．Only assisted living facilities can change one’s life. |
| D．The author’s mother regained her joy in her later years. |
| A．My Memories of Mom |
| B．My Thankfulness to the Ladies |
| C．My Relationship with Mother |
| D．My Mother’s Struggle with Dementia |
【推荐2】I'm interested in the Renaissance, so I like visiting ancient Italian cities. Ferrara is called City of the Renaissance. When I learned about this city on the Internet, I decided to pay a visit to it.
The city has a certain charm and calmness, but I find it isn't as great as other Italian cities like Verona, let alone Venice or Rome. The Michelin Green Guide gives it two stars, which is right.
I first visited the city centre. The Cathedral and Castello Estense are at the heart of the city. Both have striking appearances. I visited the Cathedral first. Castello Estense is also worth visiting, which owns its name to the powerful family Este family. It was built with bricks and surrounded by a moat（护城河）. At the lower levels, the history of the city and the Este family are told through displays, and in another part the ceilings are shown through mirrors on the ground.
In the north, we can appreciate the Renaissance extension of the town, with straight streets and monumental houses. The famous Palazzo dei Diamanti lies here. When I was visiting it, it started to rain, so after taking a few photos quickly, I cut my visit there short. It had been raining for a few days. When the rain ceased, I went to visit the historical centre and the Renaissance buildings.
After leaving there, I visited several other interesting places such as palaces, churches and the narrow streets of the downtown. After four hours in Ferrara I left by train to Mantua. There I had much better time.
1. Why did the author pay a visit to Ferrara?| A．Because it is related to the Renaissance. |
| B．Because it is full of charm and calmness. |
| C．Because it is a very famous city in Europe. |
| D．Because it is strongly recommended by a website. |
| A．Unbelievable. | B．Reasonable. | C．Unacceptable. | D．Ridiculous. |
| A．The writer thought Ferrara was as great as Venice. |
| B．The writer visited Palazzo dei Diamanti for a long time. |
| C．The writer was much more satisfied with the tour in Mantua than in Ferrara. |
| D．The writer was disappointed with the visit to the Cathedral and Castello Estense. |
【推荐3】On a Saturday morning in New York, Nina Roedeler walked to Astoria Park. It was a rainy day, and not many people were out. She enjoyed the quiet. But she didn’t stay for a long time. A little before 10 am, she walked over to a van (有篷货车), pulling the doors open and looking at those black boxes, which were the reason why she was there: the dogs.
Nina didn’t have dogs growing up. She had a rabbit for a short time, but that was all her family had room for in their small apartment in Germany. It wasn’t until she moved to New York City that the wish for raising a dog took root. She visited the adoption (收养) website every day after work, looking for a right dog. And soon she adopted a cute one.
Hurricane Sandy hit. Nina was shocked to learn that thousands of dogs had lost their homes. “What should I do?” she said to herself. One day she saw a post on Facebook. A dog needed to be picked up and driven to its new home. “I have a van and I can help,” Nina thought.
The organization she does the pickup for is Friends with Four Paws. It rescues dogs in Oklahoma, takes care of their medical needs, and then places them in homes across the country. Soon she spends her weekends transporting dogs all over New York; at times Nina has as many as five dogs in her van. She began calling herself “the dog transporter”.
She spends most of her time interviewing those families that want dogs and matching dogs with possible owners. Once a month she hosts Transport Day in Astoria Park, where the families can pick up their dogs. “It’s my favorite day of the month,” Nina says. “I feel like Santa Claus!”
1. What was the reason why Nina Roedeler didn’t raise a dog in Germany?| A．She preferred a rabbit to a dog. |
| B．She lived in a small apartment. |
| C．She had no time raising pets then. |
| D．She feared dogs as she was young. |
| A．She helps the owners find their lost dogs. |
| B．She helps organize Friends with Four Paws. |
| C．She drives her van to transport homeless dogs. |
| D．She provides homeless dogs with medical help. |
| A．She likes handing out gifts in the park. |
| B．She thinks it great to find dogs a home. |
| C．She thinks it interesting to interview people. |
| D．She likes helping people deal with problems. |
| A．She enjoyed the quiet there. |
| B．She used to have a walk there. |
| C．She hosted Transport Day there. |
| D．She wanted to get a homeless dog. |
【推荐1】Michelle Yeoh, a famous name in Chinese cinema, made history on Sunday night by becoming the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for best actress.
The Malaysian-born actress took home the celebrated award for her extraordinary performance in the multiversal comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The film, where Yeoh plays a struggling laundromat(洗衣店) owner who ends up saving the multiverse(多元宇宙), swept the Oscars with a total of seven awards, including for best picture and best director, making it the biggest winner of the night.
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” the actress said in her acceptance speech in Los Angeles, to emphasize that one must dream big as dreams do come true.
The actress also used her speech to honor her 84-year-old mother, Janet Yeoh. “I have to dedicate this to my mom and all the moms in the world because they are really the superheroes, and without them none of us would be here tonight,” she said.
After taking off in kung fu cinema in Hong Kong, Yeoh first appeared in Hollywood in the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. She gained international recognition for her role as a swords-woman in Ang Lee’s famous film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won three Oscars in 2001.
Yeoh has been heavily in demand since her role as a controlling matriarch(女家长) in Crazy Rich Asians(2018). She has become one of the most influential stars of Chinese descent(血统) globally, said Shen Dan, a senior critic of the Beijing International Film Festival.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once seems to be specifically crafted for Yeoh because the movie reflects her decades-long efforts to raise the cultural significance of Asian-themed films worldwide,” Shen added.
1. What can we learn about Yeoh?| A．She worked at a laundromat years ago. |
| B．She is remarkable in the latest comedy movie. |
| C．She rose to fame first in Malaysia film industry. |
| D．She is the first Chinese woman to win an Oscar. |
| A．Inspiring and grateful. | B．Productive and generous. |
| C．Ambitious and creative. | D．Courageous and enthusiastic. |
| A．The recommendation of Ang Lee. |
| B．Her mother’s continuous encouragement. |
| C．Her role in the movie Crazy Rich Asians. |
| D．Her years of accumulated learning experience. |
| A．Art is long and life is short. |
| B．Coming events cast their shadows before. |
| C．Everybody’s business is nobody’s business. |
| D．The flower of dreams will eventually bloom. |
【推荐2】Everything Everywhere All At Once star Michelle Yeoh recently made history by becoming the first Asian woman to win “Best Actress” at the Academy Awards. She won the award for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang, a middle-aged laundry owner and Chinese-American immigrant who discovers multiple versions of herself in parallel universes. In Evelyn’s attempts to save the multiverse (多元宇宙) from destruction, the film takes a mind-bending trip through different types, mixing absurdist humour with heartfelt explorations of human connection.
However, before Yeoh landed the role, she was not a big name in Hollywood. In fact, many critics have incorrectly described her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once as her breakthrough, despite she beginning her acting career in the 1980s. Although Yeoh did find mainstream success upon starring in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, her role in EEAAO has truly given the actor the fame she finally deserves.
Before Yeoh made it to Hollywood, she appeared in many Hong Kong action movies, performing most of the stunts (特技) by herself, even though she had never been formally trained to do so. Her first role came in 1984 with The Owl vs Bombo. However, her leading role in 1985’s Yes, Madam saw Yeoh become a star of Chinese cinema. It was the 21st-highest-income film of the year in Hong Kong, and Yeoh’s performance, particularly the fight scenes, was praised.
However, Yeoh has actively spoken out against Hollywood’s lack of accessibility for women of colour, also pointing out her inability to find roles as she has grown older. Thus, over the decades, it was really hard for Yeoh to gain success in Hollywood, although her recent Oscar win is sure to finally send her to even greater, well-deserved heights.
1. What can we learn about the film Everything Everywhere All At Once?| A．It features self-exploration. |
| B．All the actors have been awarded in Oscar. |
| C．It has become the annual best-seller around the world. |
| D．It is about a common people’s road to become an Oscar winner. |
| A．A trouble maker. | B．A black sheep. |
| C．A social butterfly. | D．A major player. |
| A．She lacks experience in martial arts. | B．She has never gained success in Hollywood. |
| C．She has put great efforts into her own stunts. | D．She prefers to play Chinese characters in her life. |
| A．The characters in Hollywood are hard to play as she grows older. |
| B．The market of martial arts films in Hollywood is getting weak. |
| C．She is faced with inequality of colour and age in Hollywood. |
| D．Hollywood dislikes actresses with an outspoken character. |
【推荐3】Benjamin Spock was a famous doctor for children. He completed his medical degree at Columbia University in New York City and began to treat babies and children in 1933. During the next ten years he continued to fit the theories about how children develop with what mothers told him about their children. What he found gave birth to his first book The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.
Before Dr. Spock’s book appeared, the most popular guide to raising children was Psychological Care of Infant and Child, whose writer was John B. Watson. He urged extreme firmness in dealing with children. The book warned parents never to kiss, hug or physically comfort their children.
Dr. Spock’s book was very different. He gave gentle advice to ease the fears of new parents. Dr. Spock said his work was an effort to help parents trust their own natural abilities in caring for their children. He emphasized that parents’ “natural loving care” for their children is most important.
Dr. Spock based much of his advice on the research and findings of the famous Austrian psychoanalyst (精神分析学家), Sigmund Freud. “I was interested in how children grow emotionally. And I think Freud has given us a very good explanation of development. ”
Dr. Spock’s book discusses the mental and emotional development of children. It urges parents to use that information to decide how to deal with their babies when they are crying, hungry or tired. For example, Dr. Spock dismissed the popular idea of exactly timed feedings for babies. Baby care experts had believed that babies must be fed at the same times every day or they would grow up to be demanding children.
Dr. Spock said babies should be fed when they are hungry. He argued that babies know better than anyone about when and how much they need to eat. He did not believe that feeding babies when they cry in hunger would make them more demanding.
750, 000 copies of the book were sold during the year after its release.
1. What may contribute to Spock’s first book?| A．His fame. |
| B．His mother |
| C．His discovery. |
| D．His education. |
| A．Covering professional theories. |
| B．Offering expert suggestions. |
| C．Including comprehensive contents. |
| D．Building up parents’ confidence. |
| A．Parents should hug babies regularly. |
| B．Parents should warn babies of danger. |
| C．Parents should follow Watson’s opinions. |
| D．Parents should feed babies when necessary. |
| A．An introduction to Spock and his book. |
| B．Stories about Spock as a famous doctor. |
| C．Differences between two baby care books. |
| D．Influences of Spock’s book on other experts. |
