阅读理解
When asked in 1993 to
comment on accusations that the movie In the Name of the Father distorts (曲解) contemporary British and
Irish history, female lead Emma Thompson responded that she couldn't care less.
Even since the premiere (首映) in 1915 of The Birth of a
Nation, filmmakers have rewritten history to create top-dollar entertainment.
The films are very persuasive: well-made movies hold your interest
continuously, drawing your attention to "what happens next," and
pulling you forward with no time to reflect on individual scenes until the
final credits roll. The result: you don't remember much about a movie after
watching it for the first time. For this reason, movies have extraordinary
power - unmatched by any other medium - to leave you with a strong sense of
what is right and what is wrong, who is bad and who is good, even though
critical details presented in the movies may be false.
Well, so what? They're just
movies. In fact they're not just movies.
Millions of Americans are devoted history lovers, and they pack theatres every
time new movies about historical figures or events come to town. Saving private
Ryan and Titanic drew viewers and cash for months. Many high school teachers
screen movies in the classroom. Clearly countless Americans get most of their
history from television and the big screen.
Some of the industry's
finest historical and period films premiered during the past decades. But the
1960s also saw a number of politically charged history-based movies full of
factual distortions and, occasionally, outright lies. Today the trend continues
on a larger scale: many movies released in the 1990s and the first decade of
the 21*t century reflect lack of respect for solid, reliable history.
History Goes to the Movies is a source of information and, it is hoped, entertainment for everyone interested in the actual history behind a wide selection of movies grouped into twelve sections--11 covering historical periods and events and twelfth containing biographies and period films. Each movie review includes an essay on the history covered in one or more movies, and a brief plot summary. Star ratings (five stars: don't miss it) reflect each movie's historical accuracy and - to a much lesser extent — its power to amuse.
Obviously, expecting
textbook accuracy from movies would be ridiculous-and producers have delivered
a remarkable number of historically faithful movies. But some of them get too
much of their history wrong. History Goes
to the Movies is a guide, however imperfect, for readers and viewers aiming
to get it right.
(1)
Emma Thompson said ________ that In the Name of the Father was historically inaccurate.
A . it didn't matter.
B . it was upsetting.
C . It aroused her attention.
D . it wasn't obvious.
(2)
By "in fact they're not just movies" (in paragraph 2), the author means that________.
A . some movies are much more profitable than others
B . movies serve more purposes than entertaining views
C . movies tend to provide viewers with false details
D . the movies about historical figures attract history lovers
(3)
Which of the following is true of History Goes to the Movies?
A . It is aimed at those who take interest in biographies.
B . It rates a movie mainly according to how amusing it is.
C . It introduces a movie's story as well as its related history.
D . It focuses on the movies that presented history in a funny way.
(4)
The passage is mainly intended to ________.
A . criticize the film industry's favoring entertainment over truth
B . point out which films presented history in a wrong way.
C . call on film directors to show respect for history
D . introduce a book involving history-based films
答案: A
B
C
D