CLOZE［15 MIN.］
Decide which of the choices given below would correctly complete the passage if inserted in the corresponding blanks. Mark the correct choice for each blank on your ANSWER SHEET.
More and more of us are___26___the TV networks. That’s not news, of course; there have been countless stories on their___27___audience. But I didn’t realize how far out I had dropped___28___ I glanced at the Nielsen ratings of the top 71 shows. Of those 71 programs, I had not watched___29___ one. In fact,I could count only five that I had ever seen in my entire life. And of those five, there isn’t one I watch___30___ . Hard as it might be to believe, I have never seen “ The Cosby Show,” which has the top rating. Despite its popularity, I don’t like happy family shows. Theyre___31___ . If I watch a family show, I prefer something lifelike, such as “ Death of a Salesman.”___32___the second-rated program,“A Different World”, I’ve never heard of it. If I want to see a different world, I’ll drive to the West Side of Chicago. I___33___watch “ Cheers”, which is still in the top ten, but gave it up after Dianc left and Sam began lusting after a career-crazed yuppie. I didn’t think even Sam could sink that low. Am I the only person in America who has never watched a segment of “Dallas”? A while ago, I recalled somebody important was killed on the last episode of the season and almost everybody in America was caught up in the hype. I watched wrestling that night; I’ll bet the acting was___34___ . It’s not___35___I’m snobbish——I enjoy TV trash as much as the next slob. But the___36___ of truly trashy trash has declined. I was one of the first writers in America to recognize the greatness of Robin Leach’s “ Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”But the last time I looked, he was gushing about some one-eyed Turk with the worlds largest collection of dead butterflies. Not my idea of high living. So, what do I watch? I still turn to the networks,___37___ I have learned to exploit and cheat them. For example, I like football, but seldom watch it___38___ , Instead, I___39___it and later play it back on my VCR, fast-forwarding through all the commercials, the announcers’ babble, the half-time drivel and even the huddles. By doing this, I can see all the action in about 20 minutes.I also watched movies, but only on some cable channels,___40___ the networks.
26. A. tuning outB. tuning in toC. turning downD. turning up
27. A. up-showingB. growingC. impatientD. shrinking
28. A. byB. whenC. untilD. as
29. A. evenB. onlyC. almostD. more than
30. A. seriouslyB. constantlyC. nightlyD. regularly
31. A. cruelB. optimisticC. unrealD. pessimistic
32. A. AboutB. As forC. ConsideringD. Watching
33. A. used toB. was used toC. wouldD. ought to
34. A. betterB. goodC. worseD. awful
35. A. thatB. whyC. the wayD. which
36. A. qualityB. ratingsC. productionD. audience
37. A. andB. butC. thereforeD. because
38. A. aliveB. liveC. myselfD. completely
39. A. watchB. go overC. tapeD. copy
40. A. neverB. orC. norD. and