Nowadays, we needn’t look far to find something new to watch. So why do so many of us choose to watch films we’ve already seen, even knowing every line of the script?
A survey revealed rewatching films we’ve already seen countless times is common. Some titles were mentioned repeatedly — Back To The Future, Top Gun, and musicals like The Rain. In 2016, a website surveyed 1,169 people to list the 25 most rewatched films — with Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz and The sound of Music taking the top spots.
Finding which movies we watch again and again is easy. Exactly why we do it is less clear. Obviously we love them and think they deserve our attention. One said, “Some films are what I think ‘complete’ and are so familiar that you can stop and start at any point. They are deeply satisfying and you can lose yourself in them.”
While that might explain the second, third, or fourth viewing, what keeps us coming back to a movie when we already know every detail, and there are so many other new films to choose from?
One explanation is that watching something familiar takes up less mental energy. We don’t have to concentrate to work out what’s going on. Instead, we just sit back and relax. When faced with diverse choices, it’s easier to return to an old film that we believe won’t disappoint us.
A psychological phenomenon, “the mere exposure effect” — in which we develop a preference for something familiar — could also be a good explanation. So the more we watch, the more we want to watch.
A 2012 study on cultural “re-consumption” found that rewatching movies can also make us reflect on how we’ve grown a measuring stick for how much our lives have changed. Perhaps that’s one of the biggest reasons why we return to films, to recall not only for a time in history but for a time in our lives.
【小题1】What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．There are few good movies people can choose from. |
| B．People often watch movies many times to memorize lines. |
| C．People like to enjoy some movies once and again. |
| D．Star Wars, Top Gun and The sound of Music are top hits. |
| A．it makes viewers much more comfortable to rewatch the films |
| B．familiar movies can remind people of impressive experiences |
| C．viewers find it hard to select a better film than familiar ones |
| D．it is those well-produced movies that always appeal to viewers |
| A．Negative. | B．Objective. | C．Disapproving. | D．Cautious. |
It has been shown that watching English movie trailers (预告片) can improve your English vocabulary and thinking skills.
The first step is to find them. Go to YouTube and do a search for something like “official trailer”.
Make sure the video you choose offers closed captions (字幕), which you will use later. You can find the closed caption mark at the bottom of the video. It may be listed as “CC” or something else. Keep in mind that trailers more than five or seven years old may not offer closed captions on YouTube.
Next, watch the video at a normal speed without closed captions. Try to understand what the story is about overall. Then watch it again to seek more details.
| A．So choose newer videos. |
| B．Several film trailers will appear. |
| C．They may sound a little strange at a slower speed. |
| D．With this method, you are testing your English skills. |
| E．Then watch the video again, this time with closed captions. |
| F．Besides, try using your notebook as you learn English in your everyday life. |
| G．Now let’s talk about steps you can take to get the most out of watching them. |
According to the Los Angeles Times, the move “signals the beginning of the decline for the daytime talk show.” More women are working full-time jobs, and people are turning to cable (有线电视) and pre-recorded shows for their entertainment.
It may be that Oprah isn’t quitting so much as moving on. She has created the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), and will most likely move her show to the network. If audiences around the world need Oprah, they well know where to look.
Oprah Winfrey was born to a single teenage mother in a small town in rural Mississippi, US. As a child, she lived with poverty and abuse. But she got a job at a local radio station, where her honesty, emotional style won her many fans. She quickly rose through the ranks of radio and television before launching her own production company and starting her own show.
Oprah’s talk show was not the first of its kind, but it quickly became the best and most popular. It made talk shows popular, and others jumped in to start similar shows. But while other talk shows turned ugly, featuring guests who argued and attacked each other with chairs, Oprah rose above the mess.
“Part of her power lies in the fact that her life story resonates (产生共鸣) with her audience, as a kind of version of the American dream,” writes Kevin Connolly, a reporter with the BBC.
She became a star because of the way she opened up about her problems to her audience. She shared her own struggles with relationships and weight. She focused on self-help. Connolly believes “something in her honesty and her sometimes painfully emotional directness struck home with a certain type of American.”
【小题1】Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The stop of Oprah’s show reflects the decrease of audience. |
| B．Oprah hosted her show for about 25 years. |
| C．American talk show was pioneered by Oprah. |
| D．Oprah used to be a radio presenter. |
| A．Oprah could deal with the guests fighting very well. |
| B．Oprah’s show stood out with her unique style. |
| C．Oprah turned a deaf ear to other people’s quarrel. |
| D．Oprah’s fame rose because lots of people watch her show. |
| A．Oprah always shares people’s life stories in her show |
| B．the audiences are touched by Oprah’s honesty and frankness |
| C．Oprah’s life story reflects the truth of American dream |
| D．some audiences are inspired by Oprah’s show |
| A．always volunteers to help those who need help |
| B．has practiced presentational skills since she was young |
| C．believes that one should rely on himself to solve problems |
| D．calls on women to work full-time jobs |
The TV series, The Longest Day in Chang'an, which was shown on Chinese online platforms last summer became a hit soon. Since then, it has been shown on partnering streaming platforms and TV networks abroad. Some websites overseas also offered the program to their users paying for it—the first time a Chinese series was broadcast as paid content abroad.
“I was amazed by the overseas audience's love for this show，” Cao Dun, director of The Longest Day in Chang'an, told Beijing Review. “I was worried that they wouldn't understand the complex political structure of the Tang Dynasty. But in reality, the show is prompting foreign audiences to research Tang Dynasty's history to better understand the plot.”
The unique culture in ancient China is not a barrier but a bridge to connect with foreign audiences. In the TV series, every figure is given enough space to flesh out his or her character. Telling stories of ordinary Chinese people that resonate (引起共鸣) with the audience might be the way to communicate with the world. “The success of the TV series shows that beauty is a universal language crossing borders，” he told Beijing Review.
His ambition is to distinguish Chinese dramas from the TV shows in the rest of the world. “The TV series is a step in my plan to tell Chinese stories to the world，” Cao said. “After describing the impressive beauty of the Tang Dynasty, I am looking for several plays that tell stories of today's China. I don't want to copy any country's production. Chinese dramas have to be built on our rich culture and Chinese people's everyday life，” Cao added.
【小题1】What do we know about the TV series?| A．It was first put on overseas. |
| B．It can be appreciated for free. |
| C．It was very popular once it was shown. |
| D．It is about the development of the Tang Dynasty. |
| A．Requiring. | B．Reminding. |
| C．Informing. | D．Encouraging. |
| A．Recognition of beauty. |
| B．Stories of ordinary people. |
| C．Diversity of Chinese culture. |
| D．Personalities of every figure. |
| A．To make a successful TV series. |
| B．To tell Chinese stories to the world. |
| C．To show China's different nationalities. |
| D．To learn the ancient political structure. |
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