MRTIN LUTHUR KING Jr.－－DVOCTE OF NONVIOLENCEIn 1955, Mrtin Luther King Jr. gined ntiMRTIN

In 1955, Martin Luther King Jr. gained national recognition for his non-violent methods used in a bus boycott in Montgomery. This peaceful boycott, under Dr. King's guidance, changed the law which required black people to ride in the back of buses. After this success, Dr. King used his nonviolent tactics in efforts to change other discriminatory laws.

According to the passage, as a consequence of his protest in 1955, Dr. King became ______.

A．peaceful in his tactics

B．famous in the United States

C．frustrated in his efforts

D．successful in

In 2001, people around the world spent US $14 billion going to the movies. The U.S. domestic box office alone hit US $9 billion—a 75 per cent increase from 1991—and there are huge revenues from home video/DVD sales, rentals and spin-off merchandise. But even these profits are dwarfed by music, the largest global media sector. In 2000, sales reached US $37 billion, with music consumption high among young audiences everywhere. Video games are not far behind: global sales for 2002 were anticipated to be US $31 billion.

An Expanding Foreign Market

American media corporations earn at least half of their profits from foreign sales. And global markets are growing fast as standards of living are rising around the world. Sales of TVs, stereos, VCRs and satellite dishes are increasing, and in the last decade or two, new and expanding markets have emerged in countries that have abandoned state control of media and distribution.

Today, U.S. films are shown in more than 150 countries worldwide, and the U.S. film industry provides most of the pre-recorded videos and DVDs sold throughout the world. American television programs are broadcast in over 125 international markets, and MTV can be seen in more foreign households than American ones.

This international success has a tremendous impact not just on the recipient(愿意接受的) countries, but also on the cultural environment of the U.S. To some extent, the tail is wagging the dog: more and more, the demands and tastes of foreign markets are influencing what popular products get made in the U.S.

Action Sells: Film and Television

Nowhere is this influence more evident than in the film industry. In the U.S. and Canada, movies rated "G"(General) and "PG"(Parental Guidance) consistently brings in more revenues than R-rated films. Yet the number of G and PG films has dropped in recent years, and the number of restricted films has risen. Two-thirds of Hollywood films in 2001 were rated "R".

Film producers are unequivocal(不含糊的) about why this is so: the foreign market likes action films.

Action travels well. Action movies don't require complex plots or characters. They rely on fights, killings, special effects and explosions to hold their audiences. And, unlike comedy or drama—which depend on good stories, sharp humor, and credible characters, all of which are often culture-specific—action films require little in the way of good writing and acting. They're simple, and they're universally understood. To top it off, the largely non-verbal nature of the kind of films that journalist Sharon Waxman refers to as "short-on-dialogue, high-on-testosterone" makes their dubbing(配音)or translation relatively inexpensive.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. The film Titanic made almost US $2 billion in worldwide sales as of 2001—making it the biggest-grossing movie of all time. The British film The Full Monty was an international hits and My Big Fat Greek Wedding debunked all the profit formulas in 2002.

But such offbeat successes are hard to predict. A flick such as Die Hard or Terminator is much more of a sure thing. Most film budgets today average US $75-100 mil- lion, so Hollywood studios don't like to take chances.

All this means enormous pressure on the American movie industry to abandon complexity in favour of action films. The effect is a kind of "dumbing-down" of the industry in general. Foreign investors are much less likely to invest in films focusing on serious social themes or women's issues, or ones that feature minority casts. Such films, however brilliant, are not where the big money is. Worldwide appeal determines casting and script. decisions—and the overwhelming demand is for white actors and action.

Success breeds success, and the sheer ubiquity(无处不在) of these productions and al

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

In 2001, people around the world spent US $14 billion going to the movies. The U.S. domestic box office alone hit US $9 billion—a 75 percent increase from 1991—and there are huge revenues from home video/DVD sales, rentals and spin-off merchandise. But even these profits are dwarfed by music, the largest global media sector. In 2000, sales reached US $37 billion, with music consumption high among young audiences everywhere. Video games are not far behind: global sales for 2002 were anticipated to be US $31 billion.

An Expanding Foreign Market

American media corporations earn fit least half of their profits from foreign sales. And global markets are growing fast as standards of living are rising around the world. Sales of TVs, stereos, VCRs and satellite dishes are increasing, and in the last decade or two, new and expanding markets have emerged in countries that have abandoned state control of media and distribution.

Today, U.S. films are shown in more than 150 countries world wide, and the U.S. film industry provides most of the pre-recorded videos and DVDs sold throughout the world. American television programs are broadcast in over 125 international markets, and MTV can be seen in more foreign households than American ones.

This international success has a tremendous impact nor just on the recipient countries, but also on the cultural environment of the U.S. To some extent, the tail is wagging the dog: more and more, the demands and tastes of foreign markets? are influencing what popular products get made in the U.S.

Action Sells: Film and Television

Nowhere is this influence more evident than in the film industry. In the U.S. and Canada, movies rated "G"(General) and "PG"(Parental Guidance) consistently brings in more revenues than R-rated films. Yet the number of G and PG films has dropped in recent years, and the number of restricted films has risen. Two-thirds of Hollywood films in 2001 were rated "R".

Film producers are unequivocal about why this is so: the foreign market likes action films.

Action travels well. Action movies don't require complex plots or characters. They rely on fights, killings, special effects and explosions to hold their audiences. And, unlike comedy or drama—which depend on good stories, sharp humor, and credible characters, all of which are often culture-specific—action films require little in the way of good writing and acting. They're simple, and they're universally understood. To top it off, the largely non-verbal nature of the kind of films that journalist Sharon Waxman refers to as "short-on-dialogue, high-on-testosterone" makes their dubbing or translation relatively inexpensive.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. The film Titanic made almost US $2 billion in worldwide sales as of 2001—making it the biggest-grossing movie of all time. The British film The Full Monty was an international hit; and My Big Fat Greek Wedding debunked all the profit formulas in 2002. But such offbeat successes are hard to predict. A flick such as Die Hard or Terminator is much more of a sure thing. Most film budgets today average US $75-100 million, so Hollywood studios don't like to take chances.

All this means enormous pressures on the American movie industry to abandon complexity in favor of action films. The effect is a kind of "dumbing-down" of the industry in general. Foreign investors are much less likely to invest in films focusing on serious social themes or women's issues, or ones that feature minority casts. Such films, however brilliant, are not where the big money is. Worldwide appeal determines casting and script. decisions and the overwhelming demand is for white actors and action.

Success breeds success, and the sheer ubiquity of these productions and all their spin-off products and businesses around t

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

Police killed ______.

A．opposition activists

B．at least one protester

C．the regional grouping

D．ECOWAS

Police killed ______.

A．opposition activists

B．at least one protester

C．the regional grouping

D．ECOWAS

Grassroots organizations, like Stop Shootin’, have been flooded with offers of help and support since the killings. Yusef Ismail, its co-founder, says the group has been going door-to-door asking people to sign a pledge of non-violence. They hope to get 50000 to promise to "stop shootin’, start thinkin’, and keep livin’." The Newark Community Foundation, which was launched last month, announced on August 14th that it will help pay for Community Eye, a surveillance (监视) system tailored towards gun crime.

Cory Booker, who became mayor 13 months ago with a mission to revitalize the city, believes the surveillance program will be the largest camera and audio network in any American city. More than 30 cameras were installed earlier this summer and a further 50 will be installed soon in a seven-square-mile area where 80% of the city's recent shootings have occurred. And more cameras are planned.

When a gunshot is detected, the surveillance camera zooms in on that spot. Similar technology in Chicago has increased arrests and decreased shootings. Mr. Booker plans to announce a comprehensive gun strategy later this week.

Mr. Booker, as well as church leaders and others, believes (or hopes) that after the murder the city will no longer stand by in coldness. For generations, Newark has been paralyzed by poverty— almost one in three people lives below the poverty line—and growing indifference to crime.

Some are skeptical. Steve Malanga of the conservative Manhattan Institute notes that Newark has deep social problems: over 60% of children are in homes without fathers. The school system, taken over by the state in 1995, is a mess. But there is also some cause for hope. Since Mr Booker was elected, there has been a rise in investment and re-zoning for development. Only around 7% of nearby Newark airport workers used to come from Newark; now, a year later, the figure is 30%. Mr Booker has' launched a New York-style. war on crime. So far this year, crime has fallen 11% and shootings are down 30% (though the murder rate looks likely to match last year's high).

What happened in Newark, New Jersey on August 4th?

A．The Newark residents witnessed a murder.

B．Four young people were killed in a school playground.

C．The new mayor of Newark took office.

D．Four college students fell victim to violence.

Grassroots organizations, like Stop Shootin’, have been flooded with offers of help and support since the killings. Yusef Ismail, its co-founder, says the group has been going door-to-door asking people to sign a pledge of non-violence. They hope to get 50000 to promise to "stop shootin’, start thinkin’, and keep livin’." The Newark Community Foundation, which was launched last month, announced on August 14th that it will help pay for Community Eye, a surveillance (监视) system tailored towards gun crime.

Cory Booker, who became mayor 13 months ago with a mission to revitalize the city, believes the surveillance program will be the largest camera and audio network in any American city. More than 30 cameras were installed earlier this summer and a further 50 will be installed soon in a seven-square-mile area where 80% of the city's recent shootings have occurred. And more cameras are planned.

When a gunshot is detected, the surveillance camera zooms in on that spot. Similar technology in Chicago has increased arrests and decreased shootings. Mr. Booker plans to announce a comprehensive gun strategy later this week.

Mr. Booker, as well as church leaders and others, believes (or hopes) that after the murder the city will no longer stand by in coldness. For generations, Newark has been paralyzed by poverty— almost one in three people lives below the poverty line—and growing indifference to crime.

Some are skeptical. Steve Malanga of the conservative Manhattan Institute notes that Newark has deep social problems: over 60% of children are in homes without fathers. The school system, taken over by the state in 1995, is a mess. But there is also some cause for hope. Since Mr Booker was elected, there has been a rise in investment and re-zoning for development. Only around 7% of nearby Newark airport workers used to come from Newark; now, a year later, the figure is 30%. Mr Booker has' launched a New York-style. war on crime. So far this year, crime has fallen 11% and shootings are down 30% (though the murder rate looks likely to match last year's high).

What happened in Newark, New Jersey on August 4th?

A．The Newark residents witnessed a murder.

B．Four young people were killed in a school playground.

C．The new mayor of Newark took office.

D．Four college students fell victim to violence.