The earliest films are quite different from the present ones.They were very short，lasting only one minute.To see simple action films of trains，crowds on the street and similar subjects，people needed to pay only one cent.

Later，a new method was used to produce magical effect and to tie a story together.The method was to put the beginning of one scene upon the end of the scene before.In 1903 a film was made about a train robbery.Many of the actions took place at the same time.The scenes moved smoothly from one to another.This was the earliest successful film.In that film，scenes filmed at different places and times were put together naturally.

A short time later，there appeared a whole hour of short comedy，travel and so on.These films were usually simple，rough and even vulgar.

In the beginning，actors in the films weren’t allowed to have their names known publicly.It was because producers were afraid actors would ask for more money once they became well known.But later producers found that films with popular actors in them could be sold at a higher price than those without popular actors in them.After 1910，actors were allowed to use their own names and won high fame.

51.Which of the following does not describe the character of the oldest films?

A.The actions in the films were not complex.

B.People didn’t need to pay much money to see a film.

C.The films didn’t show the people on the street to the audience.

D.The films didn’t last long.

52.From the passage which of the following statements are about the first most successful film?

a.It was made in 1903.

b.It was about a robbing happening in a train.

c.A new method was used to make the film.

d.Many actions happened at the same time but people could see them one by one in the film.

e.All the actions were filmed in a train.

f.There was no sound in the film.

g.The film lasted shorter than an hour.

A.a，b，c，d，e，f，g　　　　                     B.a，b，c，d，g

C.a，b，d，e，f　　　　                               D.a，b，c，d，e，g

53.The underlined word“vulgar”in the third paragraph means______.

A.ill mannered，in bad taste    B.gentle manned，in good taste

C.interesting                 D.educative

54.Why did producers not allow actors to make their names famous to the public in the beginning?

A.Fame is a magnifying（放大）glass.

B.Fame is the last infirmity（weakness）of noble minds.

C.The more a man has，the more he wants.

D.The more famous one is，the more he gets.

55.Which is true according to the passage?

A.The more famous the actors are，the better a film must be.

B.Since 1910 actors have been more and more famous.

C.The films at present last as long as the old ones.

D.Films began during last century.

Everyone has an ambition(志向) to travel. But those who cannot do so themselves might find it interesting to work in a travel agency (旅行社)，arranging journeys for other people. Brian Lawtey does this，working in a small travel agency in the industrial city. Most of his work is concerned with holiday，both at home and abroad. Every autumn，the agency sends out hundreds of booklets (小册子) full of attractive，colored photographs，describing the holidays that their customers will be able to have the next year. Soon，people begin to come into the office to book their holidays：perhaps a week’s skiing in Austria in January，perhaps a cruise (巡游) to the Caribbean in February，perhaps a seaside holiday in Spain in May，or a tour of Africa. Brian often has to advise people on what holidays will be suitable for them，and they always have a lot of questions. Last year，for example，a lady of eighty-two wanted to book for a mountaineering (爬山) holiday in the Alps (阿尔卑斯山)，and Brian had great difficulty in persuading her that it would not be suitable. In the end，she decided to go for a Mediterranean cruise instead.

Arranging journeys for people who have to travel abroad on business is often very complicated，but Brian enjoys this work. For example，last spring Mr. Perry，a director of a chemical firm，went on a business trip，and Brian arranged it all for him. First，Mr. Perry traveled to London by train，and stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport，because his plane left early the next morning. He flew to Frankfurt in Germany，where he spent the morning discussing business. Then he went on by train to Zurich (苏黎世)，where he stayed the night. After a meeting the next morning，he caught a plane for Tokyo，and spent three days there before going to America. He had business in Seattle (西雅图)，Chicago and New York，and stayed some time in each of those places. From New York，he flew back to London，and then got home by train. The next day he telephoned the agency to thank Brian for arranging everything so well for him.

1.Who would like to work in a travel agency?

A.People who live in an industrial city.

B.People who would like to travel but cannot.

C.Ambitious people.

D.People who go on holidays abroad.

2.When do the customers come into the office to book their holidays?

A.Early in the morning.

B.Every year.

C.In January.

D.Shortly after receiving the booklet.

3.Those who cannot travel themselves might find it interesting to work in a travel agency　　　 .

A.arranging trips for other people

B.arranging trips for themselves

C.booking trips for other people

D.describing the holidays for other people

4.Mr. Perry telephoned the agency to thank Brian because　　　 .

A.Mr. Perry arranged everything so well for Brian

B.Brian arranged everything so well for Mr. Perry

C.the agency sent Mr. Perry abroad on business

D.Brain helped him in the travel agency

5.How was Mr. Perry’s journey arranged?

a. To fly to Tokyo. 　　　　　　　 b. To Frankfurt by plane.

c. Back home by train. 　　　　　 d. Fly back to London.

e. To Zurich by train. 　　　　　 f. Have business in Seattle，Chicago and New York.

g. To London by train.

A.g，b，a，f，e，d，c　　　　　　　 B.c，g，a，b，e，f，d

C.g，b，e，a，f，d，c　　　　　　　 D.f，e，a，b，g，c，d

 

__71__　　 But today, airlines have quitted those requirements because they can't find enough qualified pilots.

__72__　　　 But qualified pilots are few in the United States. Every year there are more planes being flown. At the same time, 12 to 15 foreign countries are recruiting (招募) American pilots.

As a result, pilots are earning spectacular salaries. The going rate for skilled pilots is well over $180,000 a year. Some pilots can earn about $320,000 plus free housing working for foreign airlines.

__73__　　　 They fear the number of crashes will increase. Each year, more and more pilots with less than 2,000 hours of experience are being hired. Airlines are also bringing on board many more pilots who are older than 50, although law requires pilots to retire at the age of 60.

Being an airline pilot is a difficult job that requires people to make life and death decisions under pressure. Some pilots crack under the pressure.

__74__　　 Air Force pilots have to spend at least six years in the Air Force. The Air Force invests millions of dollars to train each.

__75__　　 Congress may organize a research group to study the country's pilot needs.

A．A few years ago, a pilot had to have perfect eyesight and a college degree if he or she wanted to land a job with an American airline.

B．Twenty years passed and he returned to his hometown.

C．The military is also having a hard time keeping pilots.

D．Experts say this problem is going to get a lot worse.

E．Airlines must hire up to 62,000 new pilots in the next decades.

F．There are only a few large cities which have put such high?tech cards into use.

G．Because of the shortage, some people say unqualified pilots are being allowed to fly planes.

 

Below is adapted from an English dictionary

figure/`fīg? / noun,verb ●noun 1. [C, often pl.] a number representing particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade /sales figures 2. [C] a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3. [pl] (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc 4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly 6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it 7. [C] the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one’s figure 8. [C] a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating [IDM] be/become a figure of fun: be/become sb. that others laugh at cut a…figure: (of a person) to have a particular appearance He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket. put a figure on sth.: to say the exact price or number of sth.

s a fine figure of man/woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) ●verb 1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning. 2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn’t seem to figure at all. 3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth.: We figured that attendance at 150,000. [PHRV] 1. figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel? 2. figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven’t figured on his getting home too late. 3. figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost? [IDM] It/That figures! (informal): That seems reasonable, logical and what I expect.

60. I didn’t really mean my partner is a snake; it was just a ______.

A. figure of eight　 B. figure head　　 C. figure of speech　 D. a fine figure　　　　　　

61. ---She was coming late again.　　　　 ---______! That’s typical of her.

A. It figures her out　　　　　　　　　 B. It figures　　　

C. It cuts a poor figure　　　　　　　　 D. She is a figure of fun

62. What does “watch my figure” in the sentence “Don’t tempt me with chocolate; I am watching my figure.” mean?

A. add the numbers　 B. have sports　 C. try not to get fat　 D. watch games