1. Why does the speaker get excited about the Screen Machine (电影放映设备)?
| A．It screens (放映) movies on a boat. |
| B．It always shows the latest movies. |
| C．It enables him to see movies easily. |
| A．30 minutes. | B．60 minutes. | C．80 minutes. |
| A．Selling tickets. | B．Showing the movies. | C．Fixing the motors. |
| A．The way of buying tickets. |
| B．The benefits of the Screen Machine. |
| C．The cost of building a mobile cinema. |
2 . Good news for all Wes Anderson fans — the US director is back with the film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar which hit Netflix, an online film provider, on Sept 27. It is a film adaptation of UK novelist Roald Dahl’s novel under the same name.
The film stars UK actor Benedict Cumberbatch as a wealthy man named Henry Sugar, who develops the ability to see through objects. At the very beginning he uses this power to cheat at cards and win big while gambling (赌博), and later turns his fortune into a global network of orphanages (孤儿院).
Dialogue style
Running for just 40 minutes, the film features Anderson’s quick-paced dialogue style. He also asked the actors to recite lines directly to the audience by looking at the camera, creating “the effect of listening to a podcast (播客) while turning the pages of a lovely picture book quickly”, commented CNN.
Visual style
Anderson’s work is immediately recognizable for his visual style as well. The “Anderson aesthetic (美学)” often uses bright color palettes (调色板) to both add visual appeal and make various ideas known to the audience, reported Yahoo News. In The Grand Budapest Hotel for example, Anderson uses a color palette of deep blues, rich greens and warm pinks to recreate an old-world European feel. In The Royal Tenenhaums the red tracksuits worn by Chaz, one of the main characters, show deep-seated anger resulting from parental trauma (创伤).
Symmetrical style
Another style is his use of symmetry (对称). Many of the shots involve (涉及) a person facing the camera, with the elements around the character set up in a sense of order and balance. Anderson explained to the media that it is out of his nature to “arrange things in a frame”, which he compares to how people can’t change the individuality of their handwriting. “You might try to write very well, but really, you have something your brain tends to do”, he said.
However, his obsessive repetition of these stylistic choices in his films has led some to question his ability to innovate (创新). In response to this, Anderson stated, “It’s not something I make any effort to do. I just want to make films that are personal but interesting to an audience.”
1. What do we know about the film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar?| A．Watching this film is actually listening to a podcast. |
| B．It reflects the unique style of the director Wes Anderson. |
| C．It is based on a real story of a wealthy man named Henry Sugar. |
| D．Its main character gains nothing in gambling in the end. |
| A．They both use colors to get various ideas across to the audience. |
| B．They both reflect deep-seated anger. |
| C．They both present an old-world European feel. |
| D．They both have colorful costumes to add to their appeal. |
| A．Out of curiosity. | B．Out of innovation. |
| C．Out of habit. | D．Out of kindness. |
| A．A film script. | B．A film lecture. |
| C．A film survey. | D．A film review. |
3 . Statistics from the China Film Administration, China’s box office revenue during the Spring Festival holiday hit a record high of 8 billion yuan, or more than 1.1 billion U. S. dollars, the milestone being achieved in the shortest time span in the history of the Chinese film industry.
Seizing a lot of attention due to actress-director Jia Ling’s weight loss of up to 50 kilograms in one year, YOLO—a comedy recounting Jia’s portrayal of an oversized woman striving to become her better self —earned 2.72 billion yuan, topping the festival box-office charts. Many people wanted to watch the comedy film with their families during this ‘festival of reunions’, because the film went far beyond expectation whose story in Yolo was so inspiring. So, it was a good thing to watch it with children.
Pegasus 2, the sequel to a 2019 blockbuster racing film by writer-director Han Han, ranked second at the box office with 2.4 billion yuan. Boonie Bears: Time Twist, the latest installment in the Boonie Bears animated film series, took the third spot with 1.39 billion yuan, and Zhang Yimou’s Article 20 ranked fourth with 1.33 billion yuan.
A report from Maoyan, one of the country’s largest ticketing services, revealed that 39.2 percent of the audiences purchased movie tickets while returning to their hometowns or traveling, which was the highest in the past four years. Industry analysts say family-friendly comedies align perfectly with the cultural atmosphere surrounding New Year celebrations. The films of this festive season focus on diverse and relevant topics that resonate with the viewers — such as family values and inspirational stories.
So, they attract people from all walks of life.
1. What milestone has the Chinese film industry achieved during the Spring Festival holiday?| A．Earning 2.72 billion yuan. |
| B．Setting a record of 8 billion yuan. |
| C．Making 50 million U. S. dollars. |
| D．Breaking the record of 2.2 billion U. S. dollars. |
| A．Comedy. | B．Action. | C．Crime thriller. | D．Romance. |
| A．YOLO. | B．Pegasus 2. |
| C．Boonie Bears: Time Twist. | D．Article 20. |
1. What is the man dissatisfied with about the performance?
| A．The clothes. | B．The acting. | C．The music. |
| A．His sympathy for his classmate. |
| B．His admiration for the director. |
| C．His desire to go to a big party. |
| A．Continue watching the play. |
| B．Exchange their seats quickly. |
| C．Turn on the lights in the room. |
5 . Exhausted, Jia Ling ate five packs of chocolate cookies alone at night by her bed after wrapping up filming for her new film YOLO that day. “Recalling that moment, I felt so great, like a tired soldier claiming the spoils of war,” she said.
By then, she had lost an incredible 50 kilograms, and her entire image had changed. The chubby (胖乎乎的), round and cute comedian Jia Ling was gone, replaced by a cool, muscular warrior.
Audiences were shocked by her appearance on Chinese New Year’s Day, Feb.10, when the film was first released. Jia had kept everything so secretive, avoiding public appearances for a year, that her new look was only revealed when she appeared on the big screen. Conversations about her high-intensity weight loss training, along with her courage and determination, have become trending topics across China, propelling the film’s box office earnings.
YOLO, which stands for “you only live once,” is the theme Jia aims to tell in her new film. The story follows an overweight, depressed woman who becomes isolated from society. However, after meeting a boxing coach and taking up the sport, she begins to regain her passion and finds her way in life. The filming was divided into five stages. Jia had to gain 20 kilograms at first for the role, moving on to the final stage when she lost a significant amount of weight and became muscular. This method mirrors what some Hollywood stars, such as Christian Bale, have done, but Jia’s effort is jaw-dropping and takes it to an even more extreme level.
Yet, the film’s core goes beyond physical transformation. “This film is not about weight loss, nor is it much about boxing. It’s a film that tells the story of how a kind person finds her true self and learns to love herself,” Jia said.
1. What does the underlined word “propelling” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Disturbing. | B．Restoring. | C．Driving. | D．Slowing. |
| A．Generous and funny. | B．Determined and courageous. |
| C．Creative and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and enthusiastic. |
| A．A woman’s pursuit of boxing glory. |
| B．A woman’s journey through weight loss. |
| C．A woman’s struggle with social pressure. |
| D．A woman’s discovery of self-love and acceptance. |
| A．The early bird catches the worm. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．It’s never too late to change. | D．Don’t cry over spilled milk. |
6 . Two very different movies were released on July 21 this summer in the West, bringing record numbers of people into cinemas as the “Barbenheimer (芭比海默)” trend took over social media.
Barbie and Oppenheimer have been huge hits around the world, with Barbie alone making over 1 billion US dollars just 17 days after release. This makes it Wamer Bros studio’s fastest movie to reach $1 billion and the film’s director, Greta Gerwig, the first-ever solo female filmmaker with a billion-dollar film.
Barbie and Oppenheimer are an interesting pair because of how different they are from one another. Barbie is about a famous toy coming to life and facing issues of sexism and finding her own identity. Meanwhile, Oppenheimer is a serious male-driven historical film about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Manhattan Project and the development of the atomic bomb. The release of these two huge, wildly different movies on the same day led to the creation of countless memes (表情包) under the Barbenheimer hashtag. Filmgoers have even gone to see both movies one right after the other, with some dressing up in pink for Barbie going on to see Oppenheimer as well.
Meanwhile, people have found some of the “Barbenheimer” memes disturbing. Atomic bombs killed many people and they think the memes made light of a very dark time in history. But the films have brought a healthy boost to cinema ticket sales around the world, helping an industry that has faced many challenges in recent years. The increasing popularity of streaming services and the COVID-19 pandemic have kept people out of cinemas. Now, the strikes from writers and actors over concerns of pay and about the use of artificial intelligence by film studios are also having an impact. Add to that a public tired of yearly big movies about superheroes and fast cars, as declining ticket sales suggest.
Described as a historic moment for the movie industry. “‘Barbenheimer’ will go down as one of the biggest and unexpected milestones in the history of cinema,” Paul Dergarabedian at Comscore told CNN.
1. What made Barbie a significant achievement for Wamer Bros?| A．Representing male-driven films. | B．Reaching $1 billion in record time. |
| C．Addressing issues about identity. | D．Greta Gerwig becoming the director. |
| A．They both feature female characters. | B．They were released on the same day. |
| C．They have opposite disturbing memes. | D．They explore completely different themes. |
| A．They have caused a decrease in streaming service. |
| B．They have stimulated cinema ticket sales globally. |
| C．They have motivated people to avoid the cinemas. |
| D．They have sparked controversy regarding sexism. |
| A．Increasing costs of film production. |
| B．Conflicts with social media platforms. |
| C．Filmgoers’ preference for superhero movies. |
| D．Disapproval from writers and actors over Al use. |
7 .
| “Critic’s Pick. The movie is extremely emotional(like a Toni Morrison novel or a Mary Oliver poem).” LISA KENNEDY, THE NEW YORK TIMES Raven Jaskson *2023 *U.S. *97 minutes |
2023 Gotham Award Nominee for Breakthrough Figure(Raven Jackson)
One of the most visually striking, profoundly moving American moviemaking debuts(首次亮相) in years, Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is an eye-catching immersion into a young woman’s inner world, filmed and edited with an extraordinary attention to the tiniest detail. This impressionistic journey skips ahead and back through decades to tell the story of Mack, whose upbringing in rural Mississippi is touched by grace, dotted with heartbreak, and always carried high in the sky by the surrounding natural beauty. As she ages, she loses loved ones and gains others, while making decisions that change the course of her life, and that of her beloved sister. Relying on sounds and images to tell her story, and employing minimal dialogue, Jackson has created something breathtakingly quiet and ultimately transporting a spiritual respect to the moments, feelings, and connections that make a life. An A24 release.
Show Times:November 7—November 15
12:15 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM
Please note:*Open caption screenings of the film will play on November 8—November 13
12:15 PM 6:15 PM
*Audio description available at all screenings.
1. According to the passage, Raven Jackson is a(n)____________.| A．critic | B．director | C．actor | D．editor |
| A．Mack’s life is full of ups and downs. |
| B．All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is highly thought of. |
| C．New technology is used to create some thrilling scenes. |
| D．Mack, the leading role, is brought up in the countryside. |
| A．11/7 at 6:15 PM | B．11/11 at 12:15 PM |
| C．11/12 at 8:15 PM | D．11/14 at 6:15 PM |
1. What does the man like doing?
| A．He likes acting. |
| B．He likes watching plays. |
| C．He likes singing. |
| A．Once a week. |
| B．Every other Thursday. |
| C．Three times a week. |
| A．He dislikes the way the group works. |
| B．Hard courses take up most of his time. |
| C．He hasn’t been in a play for a long time. |
| A．To see the rehearsal. |
| B．To study his courses. |
| C．To perform on the stage. |
| 导演 | Peter Jackson |
| 主演 | Naomi Watts(饰片中女主角 Ann Darrow——女演员), Jack Black (饰片中男主角 Carl Denham——制片人) |
| 故事梗概 | Ann失业了，但遇到 Carl 后运气改变。他们去一个遥远的岛上，想拍一部关于传说中名为 King Kong 的巨型黑猩猩的电影，到达后发现King Kong真的存在。为了名利，Carl 将King Kong供人观赏，由此带来了一场灾难 |
| 评价 | 演员表现出色，Jack的角色起初滑稽，但随着他对King Kong的剥削，这一角色的深度逐渐显现；Watts显示出她的多才多艺；特技效果令人惊叹。总之，这是一部非常优秀的电影。 |
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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1. Where did Mary grow up?
| A．In Los Angeles. | B．In New York City. | C．In London. |
| A．She saw a Harrison Ford movie. |
| B．She saw her loved actor. |
| C．She acted in her first film. |
| A．She didn’t want Mary to be like her. |
| B．She didn’t take Mary seriously. |
| C．She told Mary to make her own decision. |
| A．They have the same eyes. |
| B．Their noses look alike. |
| C．They have the same skin color. |
