For many years, we couldn't talk with the deaf. These deaf people couldn't use a spoken language.

    But beginning in the 1700s, the deaf were taught a special language. Using this language, they could share thought sand ideas with others. The language they used was a language without sound. It was a sign language.

    How did this sign language work? The deaf learnt to make certain movements with their hands, faces and bodies. These movements stood for things and ideas. People might move their forefingers accross their lips. This meant "you are not telling the truth". They might tap their chin with three fingers. This meant "my uncle".

    The deaf learned to see a finger alphabet. They used their fingers to make the letters of the alphabet. In this way, they spelled out words. Some deaf people could spell out words at a speed of 130 words per minute.

    The deaf don't use the sign language andfinger spelling as much as they once were. Today, the deaf learn to understand others by watching their lips. They also learn how to speak.

Musical for the new era

    Some of the world's most famous movies, like The Sound of Music（《音乐之声》）and Singin' in the Rain(《雨中曲》), are musicals. These are both very old movies, though. It seemed as if musicals had gone out of fashion.

    But La La Land, a new musical by US director Damien Chazelle, 32, had made the genre(类型) popular again. “Brilliantly written and directed, La La Land gives movie musicals life in the 21^st century,” Peter Travers wrote for Rolling Stone.

    Starring US actor Ryan Gosling, 36, and actress Emma Stone, 28, the movie was released in Chinese mainland on Feb14. Set in the colorful world of Hollywood's film and music scene, the two characters-a jazz musician and an actress-sing and dance their way to love.

    It has made history as the first film to win seven Golden Globe(金球奖) awards. It has also been nominated(提名) for a record-equaling 14 Oscars.

    Other popular movies of today are often about violence(暴力),war, drugs(毒品) or politics. Thanks to Chazelle's creative style, original music and wonderful location(地点), La La Land has a light feel that will put you in a good mood.

    The opening scene, when hundreds of people in a traffic jam start singing , “will be studied and swooned(着迷) over for years to come,” according to Travers. “The very fact that it doesn't have a strong political message, but is still good enough to win awards, is what makes La La Land so unusual,” Nicholas Barber, wrote for the BBC. “It is intimate(亲切的) and personal and magical.”

阅读下面图表,从每小题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出一个最佳选项。

    There will be three kids movies in theaters. Let's know the main idea of them first.

    All around the world, people drink tea. But tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have very different ideas about drinking tea.

    In China, for example, tea is always served when people get together. The Chinese drink it at any time of the day at homes or in teahouses. They prefer(更喜欢) their tea plain, with nothing else in it.

    Tea is also important in Japan. The Japanese have a special way of serving(招待) tea called a tea ceremony(仪式) .It is very old and full of meaning. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in Japanese homes.

    Another tea-drinking country is England. In England, the late afternoon is "teatime".

    Almost everyone has a cup of tea then. The English usually make tea in a teapot and drink it with cream and sugar. They also eat cakes, cookies and little sandwiches at teatime.

    In the United States people drink tea mostly for breakfast or after meals. Americans usually use tea bags to make their tea. Tea bags are faster and easier than making tea in teapots. In summer, many Americans drink "iced tea". Sometimes they drink iced tea from cans, like soda.