2．A nickname is a shortened form of a person's name．A nickname can also be a descriptive name for a person，place or thing．Many American cities have nicknames．
Los Angeles has several nicknames．One is simply the city's initials，L．A．It is also called the City of Angels because Los Angeles means"the angels"in Spanish．
Los Angeles often has warm，sunny weather．So another nickname is City of Flowers and Sunshine．New York is called The Big Apple．So Los Angeles is sometimes called The Big Orange because of the fruit that grows in that city's warm climate．
The American motion picture （电影） and television industries are based in Los Angeles．So it is not surprising that it is called The Entertainment Capital of the World．Many films are made in the area of Los Angeles called Hollywood．Millions of people visit the area．No trip to Los Angeles is complete without seeing the word"Hollywood"spelled out in huge letters on a hillside．
Many movie stars live in Los Angeles．The city is sometimes called Tinseltown．This nickname comes from the shiny，bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry．
Another nickname for Los Angeles is La-La Land，using the first letters of Los and Angeles．This means a place that is fun and not serious，and maybe even out of touch with reality．
The city of Los Angeles is part of Los Angeles County．There are many smaller cities in the county．Beverly Hills，with its rich people，is one of them．So is Pasadena，with its Rose Parade each New Year's Day．
A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice，an area on the west side of Los Angeles．A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there．
46．What's the purpose of the first paragraph？C
A．To tell us what a nickname is．
B．To prove that nicknames are popular．
C．To lead us into the topic to be presented．
D．To tell us some people's nicknames．
47．Which of the following is NOT the nickname for Los Angeles in the passage？D
A．L．A． B．City of Flowers and Sunshine．
C．The City of Angels． D．The Big Apple．
48．Why is Los Angeles called The Entertainment Capital of the World？D
A．Because Los Angeles often has warm，sunny weather．
B．Because many movie stars live in Los Angeles．
C．Because there are many smaller cities in the county．
D．Because the American motion picture and television industries are there．
49．The underlined part"out of touch with reality"in Paragraph 6can probably be replaced by"C"．
A．real B．false
C．fantastic D．practical
50．Which of the following statements is NOT true？B
A．Pasadena is famous for its Rose Parade each New Year's Day．
B．If you want to watch unusual-looking people，you can go to the Italian city of Venice．
C．The word"Hollywood"spelled out in huge letters on a hillside is popular with people．
D．Because of the unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry，Los Angeles is called Tinseltown．
分析 文章大意：本文讲的是绰号是一个人名的简称，也可以是一个人、一个地方或者是一样东西的描绘性的名字．许多美国的城市有绰号，其中洛杉矶有许多绰号，它被叫做天使之城，也曾被称为花和太阳之城、世界娱乐之都等等．
解答 46．C 推理判断题．根据文章第一段以及后面讲到的洛杉矶的几个绰号可以看出第一段的作用是引出话题，因此第一段起的作用是引出下文，总领全文．所以答案选C．
47．D 细节理解题．根据文章第三段中New York is called The Big Apple可知是纽约被称为"大苹果"，A、B、C三项都是洛杉矶的绰号，因此答案选D．
48．D 细节理解题．根据文章第四段中The American motion picture （电影） and television industries are based in Los Angeles．So it is not surprising that it is called The Entertainment Capital of the World可知美国的电影和电视产业植根于洛杉矶，因此它也被称为"世界娱乐之都"，所以答案选D．
49．C 词义猜测题．根据文章第六段第二句话This means a place that is fun and not serious…可知洛杉矶被称为 La-La Land意思是这个城市非常有趣，也不严肃，甚至脱离了现实，因此答案选C，fantastic意思是"奇异的；空想的；异想天开的；古怪的；不可思议的；不切实际的"．real"真实的"；false"错误的"；practical"实际的"．
50．B 细节理解题．根据文章倒数第二段最后一句话So is Pasadena，with its Rose Parade each New Year's Day可知A项正确；根据文章最后一段A good place for watching unusual-looking people is Venice，an area on the west side of Los Angeles．A system of waterways designed after the Italian city of Venice has been built there可知在洛杉矶也可以看到按照意大利城市威尼斯设计的一个水路系统，而不是到意大利去看，因此答案B是错误的．根据文章第四段最后一句No trip to Los Angeles is complete without seeing the word"Hollywood"spelled out in huge letters on a hillside可知好莱坞很受人们欢迎，因此答案C正确．根据文章第五段Many movie stars live in Los Angeles．The city is sometimes called Tinseltown．This nickname comes from the shiny，bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry可知D项正确，根据题干要求，因此答案选B．
点评 本篇文章是历史文化类阅读理解．这是高考常考题材，要求考生在通读全文，把握大意的基础上，结合题目要求及语境做出正确的选择．
