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Acting is such an overcrowded profession that the only advice that should be given to a young person thinking of going on the stage is “Don't!” But it is useless to try to discourage someone who feels that he must act, although the chances of his becoming famous are small. The normal way to begin is to go to a drama school. Usually only students who show promise and talent are accepted, and the course lasts two years. Then the young actor or actress takes up work with a play company, usually as assistant stage manager. This means doing everything that there is to do in the theatre: painting scenery, looking after the furniture, taking care of the clothes, and even acting in very small parts. It is very hard work indeed. The hours are long and the salary is tiny. But young actors with the stage in their blood are happy, waiting for the chance of work with a better company, or perhaps in films or television.

Of course, some people have unusual chances which lead to fame and success without this long and dull training. Connie Pratt, for example, was just an ordinary girl working in a bicycle factory. A film producer happened to catch sight of her one morning waiting at a bus stop, as he drove past in his big car. He told the driver to stop, and he got out to speak to the girl. He asked her if she would like to go to the film company to do a test, and at first she thought he was joking. Then she got angry and said she would call the police. It took the producer twenty minutes to tell Connie that he was serious. Then an appointment was made for her to go to the company the next day. The test was successful. They gave her some necessary lessons and within a few weeks she was playing the leading part in a film, which made her well-known overnight throughout the country. Of course, she was given a more dramatic name, which is now world-famous. But chances like this happen once in a blue moon!

1．The main reason why young people should be discouraged from becoming actors is that____.

A．actors are very unusual people

B．the course at the drama school lasts too long

C．acting is very hard work

D．there are already too many actors

2．An assistant stage manager's job is difficult because he has to____.

A．do all kinds of stage work

B．work for long hours

C．wait for a better opportunity

D．have a talent for acting

3．“Young actors with the stage in their blood are happy” means____.

A．they don't care if their job is hard

B．they like the stage naturally

C．they are born happy

D．they are easily satisfied

4．Connie Pratt thought the film producer was joking, for she____.

A．didn't know who the man was

B．never wanted to become an actress

C．couldn't believe what the man said

D．had no interest in art

5．The phrase “once in a blue moon” in the last sentence means____.

A．immediately

B．unexpectedly

C．slowly

D．rarely

1．【答案】D

【精析】文章第一句话就谈到了这一点：“Acting is such an over-crowded profession...”其中的一个关键词组是“over-crowded profession”（拥挤不堪的职业），即从事演员这个职业的人太多了，故选D项。

2．【答案】A

【精析】由文中第一段第六句话“This means doing everything that there is to do in the theatre: painting scenery, looking after the furniture, taking care of the clothes, and even acting in very small parts.”可知，A项正确。

3．【答案】B

【精析】由“in their blood”的字面意思“在他们的血液中”可知，本句指的是“天生喜欢舞台的演员”，故B项正确。

4．【答案】C

【精析】由文章第二段“Connie Pratt, for example, was just an ordinary girl working in a bicycle factory.”和“He told the driver to stop, and he got out to speak to the girl. He asked her if she would like to go to the film company to do a test, and at first she thought he was joking.”可知，Connie Pratt起初只是一名工人，一次偶然的机会被一名导演发现，并邀请她演电影。这对于Connie Pratt来说很意外，因此她认为那个男的在开玩笑，她不能相信他的话，故C项正确。

5．【答案】D

【精析】本题考查习语“once in a blue moon”，意为“千载难逢地”，与once for a long同义，另外根据上下文也可推断出是“很少见”的意思，故选D项。