I. Vocabulary Skills（2 points）
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Complete the following statements by choosing the best from the answers A, B, C, or D. ( 0.4 points each)
1．At all hours, the media offer language learners “real-life” audio visual instruction and practice in aural comprehension.
the answers to test questions
understanding spoken language
hospital and health information
real-life experience
2． High-quality TV programming —a good plan of shows about various fields of study—can increase people’s knowledge and improve their thinking abilities.
scientific and medical shows
academic lecture courses
choice and organization of shows
movies with good music
3． Television and video provide almost everyone with good entertainment—a pleasant way to relax and spend free time at home.
relaxation through exercise
amusement or pleasure
fun through serious study
freedom from worry and tension
4． Images of violence on the screen scare people, giving them terrible nightmares when they sleep.
bad conditions
behavior that hurts people
dark, stormy weather
physical disabilities
5． The talk shows of “trash TV” make instant “stars” of real people with strange or immoral ideas, who tell their most personal secrets, shout angrily, and attack one another.
valuable programs
shows without quality
negative effects
normal life stories
II. Reading Comprehension (5 points)
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Complete the following sentences by choosing the best from the answers A, B, C, or D. (1 point each)
A
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Everyone makes mistakes, or so the saying goes. But have you ever heard about mistakes in Hollywood? When most people think of Hollywood, they think of blockbusters (very successful movies), high-paid actors, glitz, and glamour. But according to one Website, many Hollywood movies are full of mistakes. Some are technical errors. For instance, in a scene of the science-fiction adventure film The Matrix, when the main character steps out of his car, the viewer can clearly see the camera crew in the car window. In another scene, the same character is typing on his computer, yet the computer screen is blank. Other movie mistakes are historical. For example, the epic Gladiator, an Oscar winner, is known for having lots of historical errors. Throughout the movie, the gladiator Maximus refers to his home in Spain, and the other characters call him \”the Spaniard.\” However, in 180 A.D., when the movie takes place, Spain as a country or even as a concept didn\’t exist yet. At another point in the movie, Maximus says that his homeland of Spain has \”the best horses.\” But horses weren\’t brought to the Iberian Peninsula until the invasion of the Moors (North Africans) in 711 A.D, more than 500 years after the movie takes place. The historical drama Titanic, another Oscar winner, also has its share of historical blunders. The Titanic sunk in the year 1912. So why is one of the characters wearing a digital watch? In fact, movie watchers have found over 100 mistakes in The Matrix, Gladiator, and Titanic. Can you think of any errors in your favorite films?
B
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How susceptible are you to advertising? Has a TV commercial or magazine ad ever made you buy the product that was advertised? If so, perhaps you have been subjected to subliminal advertising. Subliminal advertising is a kind of advertising that appeals to the subconscious. The word \”subliminal\” comes from the Latin \”sub\” meaning \”lower,\” \”beneath,\” or \”under,\” and \”limen\” meaning \”threshold,\” (the level at which something begins to happen). Thus, subliminal advertising stimulates your brain at a level below conscious perception. You cannot see, hear, or perceive subliminal ads, but they may affect you just the same.
There are two main types of subliminal ads. The first involves flashing messages quickly during a commercial or film. The messages appear and disappear so rapidly that the mind cannot process them consciously, but it might receive them passively, at a subconscious level. James Vicary, a market researcher, first introduced this kind of subliminal advertising in 1957 when he flashed the words \”Eat Popcorn\” and \”Drink Coca-Cola\” every five seconds during a movie. The messages couldn\’t be seen, yet Vicary claimed that the moviegoers\’ brains could perceive them: Coke sales went up by 18% and popcorn sales by over 50%. More recently, the same type of subliminal advertising was used in a negative ad for a political campaign. In the ad, the word \”rats\” flashed up briefly during the part of the ad describing one party\’s healthcare plan. The purpose was to associate that opposing party with the negative word \”rats.\” The second kind of subliminal advertising involves hiding or incorporating images into visual advertisements. A well-known example is on a package of a famous brand of cigarettes. Some say that if you look closely you can see the image of a man who is sexually aroused. In fact, a lot of subliminal advertising involves sex, coming from the idea that \”sex sells.\” One media researcher claims that everything from crackers to alcohol to soda has used subliminal sexual imagery to appeal to buyers.
Although studies show that consumers believe strongly in the power of subliminal ads, no one can prove the effects of subliminal advertising. Psychologists and others who study subliminal stimuli have not been able to show that subliminal advertising actually works. Many advertising researchers believe that traditional ads, in which a powerful image is used to sell a product, are more effective than subliminal advertising. All the same, it still remains a controversial topic, one that is on the mind of buyers and sellers alike.
6． What is the best title for the Paragraph A?
The Success of Hollywood: Movie Madness.
Hollywood Bloopers: Mega Movie Mistakes.
History or Hollywood? Hollywood Interprets Famous Historical Events.
7． What is the best title for the Paragraph B?
The Effect of Advertising on the Human Brain.
Sex Sells: This History of Sex in Advertising.
Subliminal Advertising: What Is It? Does It Work?
8．The Moors invaded Spain ______ the movie Gladiator takes place.
before
after
since
9． Another word for mistake is ______.
error
blunder
A and B
10．The subconscious is the part of the brain that _______.
actively notices and remembers information
passively notices and remembers information
does not notice or remember information
