Warner Brothers is an American company that produces movies and television shows. It started as a small family business operated by four brothers — Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner. In nineteen-oh-three, the brothers began their business by traveling throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania showing movies using a projector (放映机). By nineteen-oh-seven, they opened a movie theater in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Within ten years, the Warner brothers started producing movies, and moved that part of the business to California.

　　In nineteen eighteen, their first complete picture was called “My Four Years in Germany.” The film was based on a book by the United States’ ambassador to the court of Kaiser Wilhelm. In nineteen twenty-five, they began to work to include the technology for sound in their movies.

　　Two years later, Warner Brothers Pictures released the first major movie with sound, or “talking picture.” It was called “The Jazz Singer” and it was a huge success. In the nineteen thirties, the company made several films that were highly praised, including “Little Caesar,” “The Public Enemy”, “The Gold Diggers” and “Forty-Second Street.”

　　The Warner Brothers’ success continued in the nineteen forties with movies like “The Maltese Falcon,” and “Casablanca.” Movies during this time starred popular actors like Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Gary Cooper and Bette Davis. The company continues to produce popular movies today.

　　By the nineteen seventies, the Warner Brothers studios had also become well set up in television. In nineteen ninety, Warner Communications combined with Time Incorporated to form Time Warner Incorporated.

In two thousand one, the company combined with America Online. The company now includes film production, cable television networks, music and publishing. This year, the company announced a deal with the CBS Corporation to form a new television broadcast network. The CW began broadcasting this month.

1.According to the text, at the beginning of their business the four brothers __________.

A．started a movie theater

B．started to produce films

C．were projectionists

D．settled their business in California

2.The Warner Brothers produced its first talking picture in ___________.

A．1918             B．1925             C．1927             D．1930

3.According to the text, which of the following is not sound film?

A．The Maltese Falcon

B．Casablanca

C．Forty-Second Street

D．My Four Years in Germany

4.We can see from the text that ___________.

A．The Warner Brothers has closed.

B．The Warner Brothers has expanded（扩张） its business greatly since it was set up.

C．The CW doesn’t belong to the Warner Brothers.

D．People in the U.S. can’t buy music records produced by the Warner Brothers.

Warner Brothers is an American company that produces movies and television shows. It started as a small family business operated by four brothers — Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner. In nineteen-oh-three, the brothers began their business by traveling throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania showing movies using a projector (放映机). By nineteen-oh-seven, they opened a movie theater in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Within ten years, the Warner brothers started producing movies, and moved that part of the business to California.
　　In nineteen eighteen, their first complete picture was called “My Four Years in Germany.” The film was based on a book by the United States’ ambassador to the court of Kaiser Wilhelm. In nineteen twenty-five, they began to work to include the technology for sound in their movies.
　　Two years later, Warner Brothers Pictures released the first major movie with sound, or “talking picture.” It was called “The Jazz Singer” and it was a huge success. In the nineteen thirties, the company made several films that were highly praised, including “Little Caesar,” “The Public Enemy”, “The Gold Diggers” and “Forty-Second Street.”
　　The Warner Brothers’ success continued in the nineteen forties with movies like “The Maltese Falcon,” and “Casablanca.” Movies during this time starred popular actors like Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Gary Cooper and Bette Davis. The company continues to produce popular movies today.
　　By the nineteen seventies, the Warner Brothers studios had also become well set up in television. In nineteen ninety, Warner Communications combined with Time Incorporated to form Time Warner Incorporated.
In two thousand one, the company combined with America Online. The company now includes film production, cable television networks, music and publishing. This year, the company announced a deal with the CBS Corporation to form a new television broadcast network. The CW began broadcasting this month.
【小题1】According to the text, at the beginning of their business the four brothers __________.

　　　 My favourite great book is The Adventure of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.Tom lives with his aunt Polly in a quiet street of St. Petersburg, Missouri.He's a lively and clever young boy, and he finds himself in many exciting adventures (冒险).He runs away with his two friends, Huck Finn and Joe, to an island in the middle of the Mississippi River for several days.With Huck he goes looking for treasure, with Becky he gets lost in a cave.And finally, they find a box of gold.

　　　 My favourite scene in the book is when everyone thinks Tom is dead.He decides to go to his own funeral.He hides and watches for a time, and then suddenly he appears.Everyone is surprised to see him but they're also pleased to see him alive.

　　　 Tom is the hero of the story, but there are other important characters.Huck is an outsider (外来者) and every?one is afraid of him.Becky is pretty with fair hair, Joe is Tom's best friend, and Injun Joe is the bad man of the story.

　　　 The theme of the story is about children growing up.It describes how strangers are seen in small towns of America.Finally, it talks about freedom, social rules and how people are punished (惩罚) for bad behaviour.

　　　 Why do I think The Adventure of Tom Sawyer is a great book? Mark Twain wrote the story in 1876, but it's still read and loved by people all over the world today.And although it's only a story, Twain wrote it in the everyday English of the southern states of America in the 19th century, so it sounds very real.Today it's thought to be one of the greatest books in American literature.Go on—read it! I know you'll enjoy it, too.

(　　)6.Where does Tom run away with his two friends?

A.To a quiet street.　　 B.To a small town.

C.To an island. D.To a forest.

(　　)7.Who is the bad man in the story?

　　　 A.Huck Finn. B.Injun Joe.

C.Becky. D.Polly.

(　　)8.How did people feel when Tom appeared at his own funeral?

　　　 A.They were surprised and pleased. B.They were surprised and sad.

C.They were worried and excited. D.They were frightened and happy.

(　　)9.The whole book is mainly about ________.

A.freedom and social rules B.children's bad behaviour

C.the growth of young children　 D.strangers in American small towns

(　　)10.The writer writes the article to ________.

A.ask us to read the book B.tell us how popular the book is today

C.tell us when Mark Twain wrote the story D.tell us why the story sounds very real