While Disney animations are successful in moving their audiences, their subsidiary（子公司）Pixar is expert at creating tear-jerking movies as well.
At first sight, it is remarkable that these movies make us cry—the main characters are cartoon characters, in most cases not even human beings, who do things that could evidently never happen in the real world: toys come to life, monsters are to scare sleeping children, and helium-balloon-powered houses travel the world. How can a story so unrealistic make us care so much about their animated main characters?
The Pixar creators explained that their stories often reflect their own personal lives. Whereas the animated characters are far from real, their lives are relatable. The magical ingredient is the realistic portrayal of the complex emotional lives of the characters.
As Pixar director Pete Doctor explains: “What you’re trying to do, when you tell a story, is to write about an event in your life that made you feel a particular way. And what you’re trying to do, when you tell a story, is to get the audience to have that same feeling. While this is true for storytelling in general, it is especially important in Pixar movies, given that the basic plots of their movies cannot happen in real life.”
What makes Pixar’s highly unrealistic stories believable is the fact that they address problems that are central to our own lives. Pixar addresses real human matters such as family, friendship, death, loss, and the highly realistic emotions that such events evoke in our life.
The effect of the story thus depends on the human capacity to empathize with others: to recognize which emotions others experience, and to understand why others feel how they feel. The fact that empathy is learned and developed through life may well be the reason why these movies are entertaining for kids but rather devastating and heart-crushing for adults.
Every Pixar movie has the moment when we cry. We learn and feel with the characters through the realistic portrayal of their emotional lives. The stories appeal to our deepest emotions and, thus, make us cry. Because, essentially, Pixar stories are about us.
1. Which real issue may not be dealt with in Pixar’s movies?| A．Family conflicts. | B．Romantic love. |
| C．A political issue. | D．The betrayal of a friend. |
| A．The Pixar’s movies are not only entertaining for kids but also heart-breaking for adults. |
| B．Pixar can create touching movies because of the support from Disney. |
| C．Both the realistic emotions and real human matters are shown vividly in Pixar’s tear-jerking movies. |
| D．People can find empathy more easily in animation movies than in any other movies. |
| A．empathy of the audience |
| B．the delicate film design |
| C．the adorable cartoon characters |
| D．good taste of the audience |
| A．How to Make Unrealistic Stories Believable? |
| B．How Do Disney Pixar Movies Make Us Cry? |
| C．Why Are Human Easily Attracted by Movies? |
| D．What Makes Disney Pixar Movies Successful? |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】TYSON FROM Al features, Ms. Tyson was known for representing women of great poise struggling under great pressure.
Her life had been strewn with obstacles and marked by periods of tumult (骚乱): a childhood of desperate poverty, a deeply religious mother who considered her daughter’s career choice “immoral,” and a stormy celebrity marriage to jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in the 1980s. Also looming over her career were the persistent limitations in an entertainment industry that cast Black women in disgraceful roles as prostitutes, drug addicts and housemaids.
Ms. Tyson said she refused many such roles offered to her, making a serious promise to accept only parts of “strength, pride and dignity.” Because of her uncompromising selectivity, she was out of work for months and sometimes years at a stretch, even after her breakthrough, Oscar-nominated performance as a sharecropper ‘s(佃农) wife in “Sounder’(1972), a drama set in the Depression-era South.
“I wait for roles—first, to be written for a woman, then, to be written for a black woman,” she told the Entertainment News Service in 1997. “And then I have the bravery to be selective about the kinds of roles I play. I’ve really got three strikes against me. So, aren’t you amazed I’m still here?”
At 89, she capped her career with a Tony Award for her performance as a spirited widow in “The Trip to Bountiful,” a 2013 Broadway revival of the Horton Foote drama. She returned to Broadway in 2015 opposite James Earl Jones in a revival of “The Gin Game,” D.L. Coburn’s two-character play set in a nursing home. That same year, she was a Kennedy Center honoree, receiving the award for a lifetime of powerful performances in roles that shattered boundaries for African American women. The next year, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
1. The underlined word strewn in the second paragraph is probably closest to ________.| A．covered | B．decorated | C．associated | D．equipped |
| A．She is easy-going | B．She is serious |
| C．She is mean | D．She is honest |
| A．There’re three factors which make it difficult or impossible for Ms. Tyson to be mature. |
| B．There’re three factors which make it difficult or impossible for Ms. Tyson to be alive. |
| C．There’re three factors which make it difficult or impossible for Ms. Tyson to selective. |
| D．There’re three factors which make it difficult or impossible for Ms. Tyson to be successful. |
| A．Sounder won Tyson the nation’s highest civilian honor in 1972. |
| B．Her great achievements won Tyson the nation’s highest civilian honor in 2016. |
| C．The Gin Game won Tyson the nation’s highest civilian honor in 1997. |
| D．The Trip to Bountiful won Tyson the nation’s highest civilian honor in 2015. |
【推荐2】Starring Yi Yangqianxi and Lei Jiayin, the new series The Longest Day in Chang’an has been one of the biggest pleasant surprises for fans of TV dramas this summer. Its intense story and well-designed costumes and scenery have captured the attention of viewers, earning it high marks on review platforms.
The story takes place during the Lantern Festival in Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty. The leading character Zhang Xiaojing has been sentenced to death. Before the killing, he is appointed by Li Bi, the young chief of the intelligence department, to stop a group of suspected terrorists called the Wolf Squad and protect Chang’an.
One of the main attractions of the drama has been its recreation and presentation of the ancient city of Chang’an.To give viewers the feeling that they are traveling in the city, the show’s director Cao Dun has been making use of single shot scenes that show what the crowded market would have been like during the Lantern Festival in Chang’an. The cast has also been a major draw. They have been an irreplaceable part of the drama. These experienced actors provide the foundation for the drama.
The drama includes some impressive and important plot elements, such as watchtowers in the city that are manned by sharpshooters who can hit any target in their range. The production team even came up with a detailed secret communication system that these watchtowers use to communicate with each other. Another innovation is the use of screen notes to explain terms that the audience would be unfamiliar with, such as the term “bu liang ren”, which the audience may mistakenly think refers to a villain(坏人)in the drama. An explanation appears on the screen to tell the audience that “bu liang ren” are specialists trained to catch evil guys. It’s really helpful.
1. According to paragraph 2, what do we know about Zhang Xiaojing?| A．He ends up being killed by suspected terrorists. |
| B．He is appointed as chief of the intelligence department by Li Bi. |
| C．He is still sentenced to life imprisonment though he is innocent. |
| D．He is chosen to defeat the suspected terrorists though he faces a death sentence. |
| A．make viewers experience the feeling of traveling in the city |
| B．let the audience have a good trip in Chang’an |
| C．have the audience understand the history well |
| D．show what Chang’an is like |
| A．The people who are thought to have committed a crime. |
| B．The people who are expert at arresting bad men. |
| C．The people who have no family or possessions. |
| D．The people who are referred to as villains. |
| A．The explanation for screen notes. |
| B．The introduction of the communication system. |
| C．The innovation elements of the drama. |
| D．The audience’s assessments of the drama. |
【推荐3】Do you want to entertain yourself at home with some old beach movies? Now I’d like to introduce some to you.
The Shallows (2016) Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Blake Lively plays a medical student enjoying a little beach fun after her mom’s passing. She surfs some waves before a shark appears and traps her on a tiny rock in the shallows. The two play a game of brains that’ll keep you anxious. In the end, the girl lives on and heads right back out to surf again.
Cast Away(2000) Directed by Robert Zemeckis
This is the film that made the beach volleyball character Wilson a household name. The volleyball ball becomes Chuck Noland’s best friend in this film about living, loneliness, and never losing hope. The man lives for years alone on a desert island after he survives a plane crash. Tom Hanks dropped some weight to play the character.
Point Break (2015) Directed by Ericson Core
Keanu Reeves is at his best as Johnny Utah, the ex-footballer turning FBI agent on the hunt for bank robbers. Patrick Swayze is amazing as Bodhi, the robber who wants to avoid getting caught just long enough to surf the biggest wave of all time. The best scene takes place on a stormy beach.
Teen Beach Movie (2013) Directed by Jeffrey Hornaday
Two surfing lovers, Brady and McKenzie, whose relationship is nearing to a close, find themselves swept into a violent(猛烈的) wave that sends them into a beach movie musical in the 60’s. As a TV Movie, TBM looks very Disney. Kids love it and so do the adults!
1. What do The Shallows and Point Break have in common?| A．They came out at the same time. |
| B．They include run-after and escape. |
| C．They make the audience lighthearted. |
| D．They focus on protecting the beaches. |
| A．Tom Hanks | B．Patrick Swayze |
| C．Blake Lively | D．Chuck Noland |
| A．It is shown on TV. | B．It is a cartoon movie. |
| C．It is set on a beach. | D．It is about friendship. |
【推荐1】When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden, carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier, far happier.
These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society,” said George Vaillant, the psychologist who made the discovery. “And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.”
Vaillant’s study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men’s mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.
The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly manifest. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out. Working — at any age — is important. As Tolstoy once said, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.”
1. What do we know about John?| A．He enjoyed his career and marriage. | B．He had few childhood playmates. |
| C．He received little love from his family. | D．He was envied by others in his childhood. |
| A．a description of personal values and social values |
| B．an analysis of how work was related to competence |
| C．an example for parents’ expectations of their children |
| D．an explanation why some boys grew into happy men |
| A．recording the boys’ effort in school | B．evaluating the men’s mental health |
| C．comparing different sets of scores | D．measuring the men’s problem solving ability |
| A．Common but abstract. | B．Normal but annoying. |
| C．Clear and definite. | D．Sudden and rapid. |
【推荐2】When raindrops fall to the ground in summer, a familiar scent always follows. Many people call this the “smell of rain”. However, rain is made up of odorless (无味的) water. So, where does this smell come from?
The pleasant smell has long been an interest of scientists since Australian scientists first documented the formation of petrichor in 1964. According to scientists, some plants produce oils during dry periods.
Yet, it’s the second reaction that creates the most petrichor. It occurs when chemicals produced by bacteria in soil are released.
Lots of animals are sensitive to geosmin but human beings are extremely sensitive to it. When it rains after a long period of dryness, drops of water hit the ground. Geosmin is then released from the surfaces.
| A．And when it rains, these oils are released into the air. |
| B．The smell of petrichor is quite pleasant to the human nose. |
| C．There are a group of microorganisms widely found in soils. |
| D．Rain can refresh the soil specially when it rains heavily. |
| E．Scientists found the distinctive smell doesn’t come from rain. |
| F．The pleasant smell always comes into being with the flow of air. |
| G．It is further spread around its surroundings with the aid of wind and rain. |
【推荐3】The prevalence of melanoma (黑素瘤) has been rapidly rising around the world for nearly a century. While some of the increase may be due to better detection, researchers also believe it’s because we’re spending more time outdoors in the sun, vacationing to warmer climates during the winter and using tanning beds. That rise is concerning, since melanoma is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer.
Most of us know to cover up and apply sunscreen on hot, sunny days, but when fall arrives, we tend to drop those habits. Experts warn that’s a mistake. Though there’s less need for sun protection after summer ends, exposure to UV rays still adds up.
What precautions you should take to defend against melanoma during the cooler months depends on where you are in the world. That’s because the further away you are from the equator, the more UV rays weaken in the winter. “In southern England or Canada, the daily dose of UVA on a clear summer day is 6.5 times higher than on a clear winter day,” says Professor Brian Diffey of the British Association of Dermatologists. “People in those countries typically receive only about 5% of their annual UV exposure in the winter months.”
But no matter where you are, even during colder, lower risk months, it’s a mistake to put your sun-protection habits on ice. “It’s important to wear sun-screen when there is a lot of glare from the snow,” says Victoria Mar, director of the Victorian Melanoma Service at Alfred Hospital in Mel-bourne, Australia.
Finally, you should monitor your moles (痣). “Early detection of melanoma is vital for successful treatment,” says Diffey. If it’s caught before it spreads to other parts of the body, the patient will have 99% of chance to survive for five years. If it’s caught late, that can drop to 25%. Warning signs are a mole that’s changing size, shape or colour, or one that’s asymmetrieal-sometimes referred to as “ugly duckling” moles. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor.
1. What’s the main cause of the rise of melanoma?| A．The climate change. | B．Better detection. |
| C．More exposure to the sun. | D．The increase of skin cancer. |
| A．Applying sunscreen in summer. |
| B．Wearing sun-screen when there is snow. |
| C．Using sunscreen during lower risk months. |
| D．Dropping sun-protection habits in winter. |
| A．Prevention is better than cure. |
| B．Health is better than wealth. |
| C．A disease known is half cured. |
| D．When the sun comes in, the doctor comes out. |
| A．Detect Melanoma | B．Beware Winter Rays |
| C．Monitor Your Moles | D．Spend Less Time Outdoors |
【推荐1】As it turns out, comfort food, instead of comforting you, may actually be linked to your mental comfort but cause you to become depressed. One of the main reasons for eating junk food is stress eating, but now new research has also suggested it's harming your mental health too.
Junk food, fast food and so-called “healthy snack options” are all big business nowadays because they provide convenient options for people on the go. The decision when choosing a snack of going for what you want, over what you need, plays an important part in your overall mental health.
Researchers at Cardiff University believe that reaching for unhealthy snacks when the stress of time-sensitive commitments, such as work or study, limits your choices of snacks, won’t only destroy your fitness goals, but it can also negatively affect your mental health.
Scientists provided crisps, chocolate or a piece of fresh fruit to test subjects before measuring their effects on mental comfort. The results were amazing. Those snacking on crisps and chocolate showed greater symptoms(症状) of depression, anger and emotional disorders in only 10 days. The increase was an unbelievable 47% in depressive parts. The subjects that snacked on fruit experienced none of these symptoms. In fact, on the contrary, they became 32% less anxious.
While the researchers didn't point out exactly why the fruit group felt so much happier, the answer may lie in fruit’s ability to increase the brain’s production of serotonin, which is commonly known as a feel-good neurotransmitter(神经递质) that can help to bring about a happier state of mind and reduce anxiety.
The best results you can take away from the study is that when you’re hungry you should always be well prepared with healthy snacks that will not only fill you up but will also positively affect your mental health and keep you focused all day long.
1. The underlined part “comfort food” in the first paragraph probably refers to “________”.| A．tasty food | B．junk food | C．nutritious food | D．healthy food |
| A．They are always very busy. | B．They like their delicious tastes. |
| C．They have no other good choices. | D．They need to improve their mental health. |
| A．Pineapples. | B．Candies. | C．French fries. | D．Chocolate. |
| A．How to choose healthy food? | B．Are snacks harmful to health? |
| C．Is comfort food really comforting? | D．What's the best choice for pressure relief? |
【推荐2】Assume that you already know what bad habits you want to change, such as being late, overeating, compulsive shopping, lack of exercise, etc. To break any habit, you need to make up your mind and commit yourself to making the change. How can you do this? First, it’s important to be honest with yourself about your bad habits.
After you decide to make a change, look at yourself. You should try to figure out what is causing the bad habit repeatedly. Maybe you are late because you like the attention you receive when you arrive late. Or perhaps you want to control others by setting the time.
Then set a realistic goal for change.
| A．If you focus on one goal at a time |
| B．You didn’t develop your bad habit overnight |
| C．It’s also helpful to talk to people around you |
| D．After you know the reasons behind a bad habit |
| E．Congratulate yourself on the small positive changes |
| F．This will motivate you to continue on the road you are taking |
| G．You will need to monitor yourself and meanwhile track your progress |
【推荐3】Currently, video calls are becoming familiar challenges as the COVID-19 forces workers to communicate from their homes and offices.
Now scientists have revealed why we tend to end up raising our voices at our workmates: as video quality falls, we speak louder and vary our gestures (手势) in an attempt to make up.
“The gestures we make while talking, as well as other visual signals, are truly important and integrated aspects of how we communicate,” said Dr. James Trujillo, the first author of the research at Radboud University, in the Netherlands.
Trujillo said previous research had shown that when we cannot hear someone well, we speak louder, while the team’s recent work shows that when a video call is very noisy, people make their gestures more noticeable. Trujillo and his colleagues reported in a journal how they analyzed video calls between 20 pairs of participants, who sat in separate rooms and chatted freely to each other over a Zoom-like video call for 40 minutes. Over the course of the call, the quality of the video was changed in 10 steps between excellent and completely unclear, with half of the pairs experiencing improving video quality, and half experiencing it in the opposite way. The video quality during the call at each step was the same for both participants. The research tracked the participants’ gestures and aspects of their speech.
The team added that when gestures were not being used, speech was unaffected by decreases in visibility. However, when gestures were used, volume increased by up to five decibels (分贝) as video quality deteriorated, and then remained at this higher level as video quality decreased further—in other words, when gestures ceased to be useful at all.
“They know that the gestures being produce are vital to their communication, but their partner is going to have a harder time seeing them. So they increase the strength of the other signal — speech.” he said.
1. Why do we tend to raise our voices on video call?| A．Due to the poor video quality. |
| B．In the hope of curing our poor hearing. |
| C．In an attempt to avoid making gestures. |
| D．For the sake of generating interest in the topic. |
| A．Recent findings agree with previous ones. |
| B．Participants made the video call in equal measure. |
| C．Integrated factors make for effective communication. |
| D．Dr. James Trujillo is the first person to look into the topic. |
| A．Turned better. | B．Grew unstable. |
| C．Became worse. | D．Remained unchanged. |
| A．Lift up, we can’t catch you | B．Cheer up, we won’t fail you |
| C．Shut up, we can’t reach you | D．Speak up, we can’t see you |
