阅读理解
In spite of the uncertainty of the economy, the movie industry has been stricken by a box-office
outburst. Suddenly it seems as if everyone is going to the movies, with ticket sales this year up 17.5
percent, to $1.7 billion.
And it is not just because ticket prices are higher. Attendance has also jumped, by nearly 16 percent. If
that pace continues through the year, it would amount to the biggest box-office increase in at least two
decades.
Americans, for the moment, just want to hide in a very dark place. People want to forget their troubles,
and they want to be with other people. Helping feed the outburst is the mix of movies, which have been
more audience-friendly in recent months as the studios have tried to adjust after the discouraging sales of
more serious films.
As she stood in line at the 18-screen Bridge theater complex here on Thursday to buy weekend tickets
for
"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience," Angel Hernandez was not thinking much about escaping
reality. Instead, Ms. Hernandez, a Los Angeles parking lot attendant and mother of four young girls, was
focused on one very specific reality: h
er wallet.
"Spending hundreds of dollars to take them to
Disneylandis ridiculous right now," she said. "For $60
and some candy money I can still be a good mom and give them a little fun."
A lot of parents may have been thinking the same thing Friday, as "Jonas Brothers" sold out more than
800 theaters, and was expected to sell a powerful $25 million or more in tickets.
The film industry appears to have had a hand in its recent good luck. Over the last year or two, studios
have released movies that are happier, scarier or just less depressing than what came before. After poor
results for a rush of serious dramas built around the Middle East, Hollywood got back to comedies.
1.Which of the following is not a reason for the improvement of the movie industry?
A. A growing number of people are going to the cinema.
B. People are richer with the development of economy.
C. More comedies are made than serious films.
D. People have to pay more to watch a movie.
2.Ms. Hernandez purchased the movie tickets because _____.
A. she tried to escape reality
B. she was a crazy movie fan
C. she was fond of Disneyland
D. she wanted to please her kids
3.According to the text, which of the following number is not used to describe the shooting up of the
movie industry?
A.17.5%
B. $1.7 billion
C. $60
D. $25 million
4.The passage is developed mainly by _____.
A. presenting the effect and analyzing the causes
B. following the order of time
C. describing problems and drawing a conclusion
D. making comparison of ideas