Hooray for Hollywood(b) | 星光云集好莱坞(b)

by Marcus Maurice

Sometimes known as Tinseltown and Hollyweird, Hollywood is one of the most famous places in the world.

不论是被当作星光闪闪的花花世界，还是充斥着光怪陆离的地方，好莱坞堪称是世界上最知名的地点之一。

Every visitor that goes to Hollywood makes sure to wander along the Walk of Fame. This is an 18-block sidewalk museum dedicated to the legends of the silver screen, television, radio, and audio recordings. More than 2,400 superstars have been given stars on the Walk of Fame, with the first batch of 1,550 dedicated in 1960. In 1984, a fifth category, live theater, was added so that the heavyweights in theater wouldn't be forgotten. Many people have stars in more than one entertainment category. However, Gene Autry, a performer from the 1930s, is the only person to have a star in all five categories.

With so many celebrities inducted into the Walk of Fame, there are a lot of strange stories that go along with them. Muhammad Ali, the former boxing champion of the world, has the only vertically-placed star because he requested that his name not be walked on. Famous Hollywood dogs like Lassie and Rin Tin Tin have stars, along with Mickey Mouse and his friends and even modern-day cartoons like the Simpsons.

Some of the stars, which weigh nearly 140 kilograms and are cemented into the ground, have been stolen. Vandalism to the stars is also a frequent occurrence as sometimes people use markers or chisels to deface them. Recently, security cameras have been installed along some parts of the Walk of Fame to deter further destruction. Over the years, Hollywood has changed into a place to honor those involved in the entertainment industry as well as the home for movie studios, movie stars, and the Walk of Fame.

1.  Why is the story about the HOLLYWOODLAND sign used in the first paragraph of Day 1?

(A) It was the most modern sign at that time.

(B) Its strange origin fits in with the oddities that happen in present-day Hollywood.

(C) To show how the sign has evolved over the years.

(D) It's used to introduce an article about the world's most famous signs.

2.  What is distinctive about the Capitol Records Building?

(A) It was built to depict the way popular music was sold at the time.

(B) It was the first 13-story office building in California.

(C) It was the last building ever built for a record company.

(D) It was built to hold movie premieres.

3.  Who is someone that would NOT receive a star on the Walk of Fame?

(A) Actors and actresses.

(B) Radio DJs.

(C) People who compose music for movies.

(D) Celebrity photographers.

4.  Why would it be difficult to steal a star from the Walk of Fame?

(A) Every star has a security guard.

(B) To do so would be an insult to all actors and actresses.

(C) They are extremely heavy and hard to take away.

(D) Since most of the stars have been vandalized, they are hard to recognize.

每位造访好莱坞的游客必定会到星光大道一游。这里就像是涵盖 18个街区的博物馆，用来表扬电影界、电视圈、广播界和录音方面的杰出人才。超过 2,400 位大明星在星光大道上拥有星星，其中最早的 1,550 颗星星于 1960 年颁发。在 1984 年新增了第 5个类别――舞台剧，以表彰不该被遗忘的剧场界重量级人物。有许多人拥有不止一种娱乐表演类别的星星。不过，1930年代的表演工作者金‧奥崔是唯一在 5 个类别都荣获一颗星星的人。

有这么多名人进入星光大道，其中也伴随了许多光怪陆离的事。前世界拳王穆罕默德‧阿里拥有唯一一颗直立的星星，因为他不要让人踩过自己的名字。著名的好莱坞狗儿莱西和叮叮，以及米老鼠和他的朋友，或甚至今日的卡通人物如辛普森家庭也都有自己的星星。

星星重量将近 140 公斤，并且用水泥镶嵌到地上，但有些却遭人盗走。破坏星星的事件也频传，因为有时有人会用麦克笔或凿子破坏星星的外观。最近，星光大道上的某些地段沿线装设了监视录像机，以遏止破坏事件重演。多年来，好莱坞已经变身成为一个表彰演艺人员的地方，以及电影制片厂、电影明星和星光大道的家。

答案：1. (B)2. (A)3. (D)4. (C)

For Your Information

说到好莱坞，很多人马上想到中国戏院，这个位在好莱坞大道上的地标，是许多来自世界各国影迷追星的第一站，奥斯卡金像奖在 1944 至 1946 年间都于此颁发。创办人 Sid Grauman 是个中国迷，戏院里有很多东西都是远从中国运来，所以就取名为中国戏院。（数据源：TVBS、维基百科）