1 . A night at the movies is always a good idea. But when you leave the theater and realize you just dropped $45 on a ticket and some snacks, you’ll wish you had been patient enough to wait until the movie came out on Netflix. The average movie ticket price in the United States in 2000 was $5.39; now, a ticket is over $9.
The main reason that movie tickets have gotten so expensive is because of inflation (通货膨胀). It was actually more expensive to go to the movies in the 70s than it is now. A ticket in 1978 cost $2.34. If you plug that into an inflation calculator, the same ticket would cost you $9.46 today. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average cost for a ticket today is $9.11.
Another reason you need to spend some of your life savings to see a movie on the big screen is that theaters are competing with streaming services that produce their own films, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. And let’s be honest, sitting at home on your sofa or in your bed is more comfortable than sitting in a cold theater.
Because of streaming technology, theaters have to do something to bring in customers. Attractions—including alcohol, reclining seats (躺椅), surround sound, and 3-D movies are all examples of that. And those upgrades come at a price, leading to more expensive tickets.
“There’s all that extra cost, and it’s really important for theater owners and companies to make that experience as enjoyable as possible,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the National Association of Theatre Owners told Marketplace. “Because you’re offering a superb experience—audience expectations are for the latest and greatest technology. Audiences are willing to pay more for a particular experience.”
1. According to the passage, what makes movie tickets so expensive?| A．The viewers are wealthier than before. |
| B．The movie theatres offer popcorns, alcohol for free. |
| C．Inflation has made the ticket price appear higher than before. |
| D．The popular movies with famous stars deserve the high price. |
| A．Netflix is always a better choice for movie viewers than theatres |
| B．with comfortable seats, theatres are more attractive than streaming services |
| C．the viewers actually pay more for the updates of the movie theatres |
| D．the theater owners and companies update the theaters to make the theatres famous |
| A．It’s unwise for viewers to pay so much to watch a movie in the theater. |
| B．The high price of a movie ticket is supposed to agree with a wonderful experience. |
| C．It’s a waste of money to provide the latest technology in the theatre. |
| D．The viewers would prefer to sit at home on the sofas or in the beds. |
| A．Behind the Increasing Price of Movie Tickets |
| B．Technological Improvement on Movie Theatres |
| C．The Competition between Movie Theatre and Streaming Services |
| D．How to Save the Viewers’ Wallets |
2 . Researchers continue to show the power behind our sense of smell. Recent studies have found, among other things, that the smell of foods like pizza can cause uncontrollable anger in drivers on roads.
The review explains that smell is unique in its effects on the brain. According to Conrad King, the researcher who carried out the review, “more than any other senses, the sense of smell goes through the logical part of the brain and acts on the systems concerned with feelings. This is why the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter.”
Smell, which decides the unbelievable complexity of food tastes, has always been the least understood of our senses. Our noses are able to detect (察觉，发现) up to 10, 000 distinct smells. Our ability to smell and taste this extremely large range of smells is controlled by something like 1, 000 genes, which make up an amazing 3% of the human genome. Researchers Richard Axel and Linda Buck were together awarded a Nobel Prize in 2004 for their ground-breaking research on the nature of this extraordinary sense. These two scientists were the first to describe the family of 1,000 olfactory (嗅觉) genes and to explain how our olfactory system works.
According to one study in the research review, smelling fresh pizza or even the packaging of fast foods can be enough to make drivers feel impatient with other road users. They are then more likely to speed and experience uncontrollable anger on roads. The most reasonable explanation is that these can all make drivers feel hungry, and therefore desperate to satisfy their appetites.
In contrast, the smells of peppermint and cinnamon were shown to improve concentration levels as well as reduce drivers’ impatience. Similarly, the smells of lemon and coffee appeared to promote clear thinking and mental focus.
However, the way genes regulate (调节，控制) smell differs from person to person. A study by researchers in Israel has identified at least 50 olfactory genes which are switched on in some people and not in others. They believe this may explain why some of us love some smells and tastes while others hate them. The Israel researchers say their study shows that nearly every human being shows a different pattern of active and inactive smell-detecting receptors (感受器).
1. What did Richard Axel and Linda Buck find out?| A．The type of food smells. |
| B．The logical part of human brain. |
| C．The nature of human olfactory system. |
| D．The relationship between food and feelings. |
| A．Bread | B．Fast food. |
| C．Pizza | D．Coffee. |
| A．Different people are sensitive to different smells. |
| B．Every person has a different pattern of genes. |
| C．Some people can recognize up to 50 smells. |
| D．There are still some olfactory genes to be found out. |
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4 . Almost everything was fantastic in the nature camp except for a girl, Elizabeth. When I saw her sitting alone in the hot sun at lunch, I asked her to eat with us under a
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Next time, if someone is unfriendly, give him a second chance. Maybe he’s going through a tough time.
1.| A．tall | B．shady | C．warm | D．pretty |
| A．proposal | B．help | C．symbol | D．order |
| A．turned over | B．turned in | C．turned out | D．turned down |
| A．seemed | B．appeared | C．looked | D．happened |
| A．talk | B．discussion | C．voyage | D．hike |
| A．for free | B．for ever | C．for fun | D．for certain |
| A．mistakes | B．talks | C．changes | D．promises |
| A．unless | B．though | C．until | D．since |
| A．happily | B．coldly | C．sadly | D．luckily |
| A．silence | B．pain | C．peace | D．trouble |
| A．still | B．yet | C．already | D．ever |
| A．smiling | B．crying | C．drawing | D．coughing |
| A．nicely | B．properly | C．rudely | D．naturally |
| A．ruin | B．recognize | C．repair | D．handle |
| A．enjoyed | B．planned | C．hated | D．avoided |
5 . In Mark Turin’s article “Protecting Our Public Spaces” in Issue 14, he claims that “all graffiti (涂鸦) is vandalism (故意破坏财物), pure and simple, and offers no benefit to our public spaces.” I would like to point out that many people believe that graffiti is an art form that can benefit our public spaces just as much as sculptures, fountains, or other more accepted art forms.
People who object to graffiti usually do so more because of where it is, not what it is. They argue that posting graffiti in public places is considered an illegal act of property damage. But the location of such graffiti should not prevent the images themselves from being considered real art.
I would argue that graffiti is the most important public art form. Spray paint is a medium unlike any other. Through graffiti, the entire world has become a canvas (画布). These works of art dotting the urban landscape are available, free of charge, to everyone who passes by.
To be clear, I do not consider random words or names sprayed on stop signs to be art. Plenty of graffiti is just vandalism, pure and simple. However, there is also graffiti that is breathtaking in its complex detail, its realism, or its creativity. It takes great talent to create such involved designs with spray paint. Are these creators not artists just because they use a can of spray paint instead of a paintbrush?
To declare that all graffiti is vandalism, and nothing more, is a too simplistic statement. Furthermore, graffiti is not going anywhere, so we might as well find a way to live with it and enjoy its benefits. One choice could be to make a percentage of public space open to graffiti artists. By doing this, the public might feel like part owners of these works of art, rather than just the victims of a crime.
1. Mark Turin apparently believes that graffiti ________.| A．is not an art form |
| B．is too simple to be considered art |
| C．can only sometimes be considered a work of art |
| D．should be restricted to places where it is allowed |
| A．is the only art form that is free |
| B．is best viewed on public walls rather than a canvas |
| C．provides more public benefits than sculptures do |
| D．should be judged on artistic qualities rather than places |
| A．restating his position | B．questioning the magazine |
| C．offering an answer to the matter | D．identifying the benefits of graffiti |
6 . The Intelligent Transport team at Newcastle University have turned an electric car into a mobile laboratory named “Drive LAB” in order to understand the challenges faced by older drivers and to discover where the key stress points are.
Research shows that giving up driving is one of the key reasons for a fall in health and well-being among older people, leading to them becoming more isolated and inactive.
Led by Professor Phil Blythe, the Newcastle team are developing in-vehicle technologies for older drivers which they hope could help them to continue driving into later life.
These include custom-made navigation (导航) tools, night vision systems and intelligent speed adaptations. Phil Blythe explains: “For many older people, particularly those living alone or in the country driving is important for keeping their independence, giving them the freedom to get out and about without having to rely on others.”
“But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to.”
Dr Amy Guo, the leading researcher on the older driver study, explains, “The Drive LAB is helping us to understand what the key stress points and difficulties are for older drivers and how we might use technology to solve these problems.”
“For example, most of us would expect older drivers always go slower than everyone else but surprisingly, we found that in 30mph zones they struggled to keep at a constant speed and so were more likely to break the speed limit and be at risk of getting fined. We’re looking at the benefits of systems which control their speed as a way of preventing that.”
“We hope that our work will help with technological solutions to ensure that older drivers stay safer behind the wheel.”
1. What is the purpose of the Drive LAB?| A．To explore new means of transport. | B．To design new types of cars. |
| C．To teach people traffic rules. | D．To find out older driver’s problems. |
| A．It keeps them independent. | B．It helps them save time. |
| C．It builds up their strength. | D．It cures their mental illnesses. |
| A．Ensure their safety with the help of technology. |
| B．Improve their diving skills. |
| C．Provide advice on repairing their cars. |
| D．Organize regular physical checkups. |
| A．A New Model Electric Car | B．Keeping Older Drivers on the Road |
| C．A Solution to Traffic Problems | D．Driving Services for Elders |
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8 . Motion picture, also called film or movie, series of sill photographs on film, projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light. This new art form became one of the most popular and influential media of the 20th century and beyond. In early twentieth-century France, a new form of entertainment was becoming a hit—motion pictures. People crowded into theatres for short, silent, black-and-white films that showed everyday happenings, such as a train pulling into a station. These images were dimly projected onto white sheets. Usually, there was no sound. Occasionally, men at pianos played music to match the scenes.
Later, with the introduction of colour and sound, the silent film soon disappeared. Colour and sound introduced a new world into the cinema and steadily grew more effective. It can be used to produce a powerful dramatic impression. Moving images at theatres are now no longer novel, but back at the beginning of the art form, surprises lurked around every corner. During the initial showings of basic silent movies, some people in the audience screamed in fear, reacting to what they saw as if it were happening in real life. Moviegoers were known to even leap out of their seats due to the trains on the screen. At that time, few people understood what motion pictures were, so audience members could easily be fooled.
Today, people crowd into theatres for the latest 3D movies. Even older movies, such as the popular Star Wars series, are being re-released in 3D. Moviemakers are excited about the ability to involve the audience more directly in the story or film. In addition, theatres invest tens of thousands of dollars on high-quality audio systems so that everything from the safest whispers to the largest explosions sounds clear and realistic. Sound, dialogue, and music are used in combination not only with one another but also with the visual image. They can overlap and vary in intensity in a flexible and complex pattern with those high-quality audio systems.
What will movies be like 100 years from now? Will audience be able to smell scents in the films, taste the food that characters are eating, or even become part of the stories themselves? Only time will tell.
1. What can we know about the motion pictures in early 20th century France?| A．They were in color. |
| B．They were the main form of entertainment. |
| C．They greatly appealed to people then. |
| D．They often had background music. |
| A．Because the movies were too scary. |
| B．Because they didn't see trains in real life. |
| C．Because the old theaters were too crowded. |
| D．Because audiences were unfamiliar with the movies. |
| A．To re-release more old movies. |
| B．To develop movie-making technologies. |
| C．To improve movie-goers' experience. |
| D．To make the explosions safe. |
| A．To explain how realistic movies are today. |
| B．To tell something about future movie plans. |
| C．To introduce the history of movie technology. |
| D．To compare movie theatres over the last century. |
9 . People all need friends because nobody wants to be lonely and a friend can help you in good and bad times.
Always Honest
Honesty is important to keep a relationship alive. A true friend always tells you the truth.
Always There for You
There are always periods in your life when you have problems or difficulties.
Always Respectful
Always Understanding
| A．Everyone likes to make friends. |
| B．Sometimes a good friend will be against you. |
| C．It may be hard sometimes but lying can destroy a friendship. |
| D．It is possible that some problems will arise between you and your friend. |
| E．A true friend will always have time to listen to your problems and give advice. |
| F．A true friend will always respect your opinions no matter whether he/she agrees or not. |
| G．You've made friends since childhood, but you still don't know who your true friends are. |
10 . Emily Harrington climbed her way into the history books last week, becoming the first woman to free-climb the Golden Gate route（路线）of Yosemite National Park's EI Capitan in less than one day. EI Capitan is considered one of the most difficult rock climbing places in the world. She topped the 3,000-foot mountain last Wednesday in 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51seconds.
Free-climbing-the method Harrington used-requires climbers to use their hands and feet to push themselves up, but they wear ropes and other protective equipment in case of a fall. However, it is not without its dangers: One of Harrington's climbs on El Capitan last year landed her in the hospital.
This year it was not all plain sailing. As Emily began her climb a little past 1:30 a. m, she kept telling herself: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." At one especially difficult point in the climb, as her hands, covered with sweat, reached for her next move, she fell over and knocked her head against a rock. The injury wasn't serious, but Harrington, bloody, tired and defeated, considered stopping. After taking a rest and putting a bandage（绷带）on her forehead, Harrington got back to work. She reached the top at 10:30 p.m., welcomed by close friends and her husband-to-be, Adrian Ballinger.
"I think the reason it was successful was kind of a mixture of finally being prepared enough, finally having the experience required, having the fitness and the training, as well as a little bit of luck," Harrington said.
Harrington celebrated the moment, like many would, with a bit of Champagne. Now that one life dream is out of the way, Harrington said she and Ballinger plan to take a break from the "big goals" for a while.
1. How does Emily make a history?| A．By going across a park in 21 hours. |
| B．By becoming a woman free-climber. |
| C．By reading a number of history books. |
| D．By free-climbing a mountain in one day. |
| A．Introduce the topic of the text. |
| B．Give description of a relaxing sport. |
| C．Add information about free-climbing. |
| D．Discuss possible dangers of climbing. |
| A．Told herself to slow down. |
| B．Continued to climb after a while. |
| C．Turned to her close friends for help. |
| D．Rested against a rock for several hours. |
| A．To have a rest | B．To set big goals. |
| C．To celebrate her success. | D．To take up new sports. |
| A．Calm and creative. | B．Clever and lucky. |
| C．Kind and imaginative. | D．Brave and determined. |
