Imagine500 people in a tiny，dirty，unwashed courtyard. They're shouting，swearing，drinking，eating and spitting. They've never had a bath in their lives，so you can't even imagine how they smell. They're here to watch the latest show by the popular playwright，William Shakespeare.

This is probably where the theatregoing tradition in the UK started.

From the Theatre Royal in the town of Bath to the English National Opera in London，theatres in the UK can seem very grand. But look beyond the diamonds and the gowns（长袍），and you'll discover a human heart keeping British theatre alive.

Shakespeare's plays are full of rude jokes to get people laughing，but it wasn't just Shakespeare's.

"Music halls" in the 19th and 20th centuries put on cheap，funny，popular shows with lots of songs for people to sing along to.

Villages often have drama societies，and local people put on plays as a way of relaxing after work.

There's also the traditional Christmas pantomime（童话剧），usually a version of a well-known fairy tale. A woman dressed as a man plays the hero，a man dressed as a woman plays "Widow Twankey（a mad but wise old aunt who wears far too much make-up）"，and there are always lots of rude jokes and cakes being squashed（压碎）in people's faces.

In tricky financial times，community theatre became far more fashionable than fancy，expensive theatre. In London today，you can watch plays in pubs，tunnels and outdoors—partly because it saves money，but also because the new experience is exciting. And it's a way of getting to know other people.

Let's face it—life is a theatre and everyone plays a part. So why shouldn't everyone join in with theater itself？

In other words: "All the world's a stage，/And all the men and women merely players."

Who said that？The man behind English theatre，of course—William Shakespeare.

【小题1】In the first paragraph, the author mainly intends to ________.

A．complain about the poor manners of British theatre audience

B．describe how William Shakespeare was popular in his time

C．draw people's attention to the theatregoing tradition in the UK

D．introduce the history of famous British theatre

【小题2】According to the author, what has made British theatre appeal to audience throughout history?

A．The building of grand, fancy theatres.

B．The fashionable jewelry and clothes used in plays.

C．The focus on human elements such as rude jokes and popular songs.

D．The effort made to present shows with simple, everyday language.

【小题3】What can we learn according to the text?

A．Shakespeare is the first famous British playwright who wrote about common people.

B．British theatre masterpieces were born in "music halls" in the 19th and 20th centuries.

C．Community theatre is much more popular than fancy operas in the UK.

D．British theatre performances are no longer only taking place in traditional places.

【小题4】The author quotes Shakespeare's words at the end of the text to ________.

A．stress that everybody should enjoy theatre

B．prove that theatre is a great way to relax oneself

C．prove that people should treat their lives seriously

D．show that anybody can become a successful theatre actor or actress

   How do actors and actresses memorize hundreds of lines? Memorizing lines takes practice and constant repetition. However, there are a few ways to make the memorization process run smoothly and quickly.
【小题1】
For most performers, there is no quicker way of memorizing lines. To learn lines, an actor must recite the play loud over and over again. Most rehearsals(排练) encourage this by running through the lines or having a"read-through". By the time the opening night arrives, most actors have spoken their lines hundreds of times.
Listen to your cast members
Sometimes inexperienced actors spend rehearsals looking at fellow performers, waiting patiently to say their next line. 【小题2】. This will help the actors learn their lines better because the context of the dialogue is absorbing.

【小题3】

Because there is often not enough rehearsal time, many performers find ways to listen to the play's dialogue during everyday activities. They use a tape recorder or an MP3 player to listen to the lines from each relevant scene. Some actors prefer to record the lines of all the characters, including their own lines. 【小题4】. Others like recording the lines of fellow cast members, and they leave a blank space so that they can insert their dialogue while listening to the recording.
Think positively and don't panic
Most actors will experience stage fright before the opening night. Actors forget lines now and then. When it happens, however, most of the time the audience never notice. If you forget a line in the middle of your performance, don't freeze. Stay in character. Keep the scene going to the best of your ability. If unfortunately you forget a line once, you will probably never forget that line ever again. 【小题5】.

A．Record your lines

B．Practice makes perfect

C．Read lines loud and repeat them

D．Remember the lines in a short time

E．Sometimes embarrassment is the toughest method of memorization

F．Then, they not only listen carefully, but they also speak all of the lines

G．Instead, they should be listening carefully, responding in character at all times

   Cowboys, policemen, princesses and superheroes are all characters kids choose to be on any given day. Putting on a play can be a fun activity that lets them act out their favorite characters as well as use their artistic ability to create the stage.

Best of all, they will be able to use their favorite line “ look at me” as the audience sits down to enjoy the production.

Help your kids decide on a play they would like to act out. Use the Internet or the library to find scripts (剧本) for older reading kids. For younger kids, they can act out a favorite story or a fairy tale. Of course, you could always help them write their own scripts.

Decide how many characters are needed. Invite neighbors and friends to be in your play or let your kids play more than one character. Make sure you teach them to change the way they look, move and speak so the audience can tell the difference.

Search for costumes and props (道具) supplies. Find clothes from your closet or attic (阁楼) , or go to a garage sale. Help everyone make a mask or put on makeup to represent their characters.

Get creative. Make tickets, invitations, movie posters and props for your kids’ play. You can even decorate a curtain and hang it in front of the stage. Set up chairs for the audience.

Choose your music. Pick something that goes with the theme of the play. Ask someone to play the piano or have the kids make up songs and help them make homemade instruments.

Rehearse the play. The more the play is practiced, the better it will be. Try starting early in the summer and practicing once a week. Set out a snack after rehearsal and make it light-hearted and fun. Then perform the play at the end of the summer vacation.

Invite the audience to sit down and enjoy the play.

【小题1】Which of the following characters may not be chosen by kids?

A．Policemen.	B．Princesses.
C．Superheroes.	D．Beggars.

【小题2】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Putting on a play can improve kids’ imagination.

B．Kids of different ages should choose the same script.

C．A kid can act out different characters in the same play.

D．Different costumes and props are not important on stage.

【小题3】The underlined word “ Rehearse” has the closest meaning to “___________”.

A．research	B．review
C．practice	D．remember

【小题4】Which is the best title for the passage?

A．How to Help Kids to Put on a Play

B．How to Give Kids Useful Advice on Performances

C．How to Get Kids Interested in Performing

D．How to Teach Kids to Show Their Character

   Letters as a way of communication have long given way to phone calls and WeChai messages.

But a TV show，Letters Alive，is helping bring this old way to keep in touch back into the present.

Letters Alive took its idea from a UK program with a similar name，Letters Live，which was first shown in 2013.Both shows feature famous actors and actresses，but there is no gossip，no eye-catching visual effects or any regular showbiz（娱乐业）activities. Instead，it's just one person walking up to a microphone and reading a letter.

But these are not just any letters. They are selected from a wide time span（时间跨度）and different subjects. There is，for example，a passionate letter that famous painter Huang Yongyu wrote to playwright Cao Yu 30 years ago to criticize his lack of creativity. There is also a heartfelt note from the Spring and Autumn Period written by two ordinary young soldiers to their elder brother to report their lives in the war z0ne，Every letter is like a small piece of history. By hearing them being read，it's as if we were sent back in time to experience a moment that we would otherwise never have had the chance to.

"Letters Live makes us pause and imagine the lives behind the letters，"UK actor Benedict Cumberbatch told The Guardian. "It allows people from all ages and all walks of life to experience a moment of time in someone else's life for a brief moment."

Compared to published texts，letters also come with a personal touch.

One example from Letters Live was a note of thanks from the mother of a dying child to J.K. Rowling，author of the Harry Potter books. It read；"Mrs Rowling，cancer threatened to take everything from my daughter，and your books turned out to be the castle we so desperately needed to hide in."

According to Guan Zhengwen，the director of Letters Alice，it is this kind of humanity behind every letter that strikes a chord（引起共鸡）with the audience. It is also what made the show a big hit in China ever since it first aired on Dec 31 on TV.

"It's a thing of the past that entertainment shows establish themselves only with pretty faces，"Guan told Sohu News. "Showbiz is starting to switch to a focus on wisdom and intelligence.”

【小题1】What do you know about the TV show Letters Alive from this passage？

A．Any letters can be read in this TV show.

B．It is exactly the same as the LK program Letters Live.

C．The program brings the old way of writing letters back to life.

D．There is much gossip and visual effects in the program.

【小题2】What effect do letters have according to the audience?

A．They help cure a dying child of her cancer.

B．They make people forget their past experience.

C．They reflect the whole history of the world.

D．They allow people to experience others' life.

【小题3】Why is the TV show Letters Alive very popular according to its director?

A．It features famous actors and actresses.

B．People can find many regular showbiz activities.

C．Letters have been completely replaced by social media.

D．The humanity behind every letter makes the audience touched.

【小题4】What does the underlined word in the last paragraph mean?

A．Quit.	B．Appreciate.
C．Change.	D．Criticize.