高二英语阅读材料整理版高二英语阅读材料整理版.doc

When it was first released in the US 20 years ago, The Shawshank Redemption(肖申克的救赎)only opened at No 9 at the box office. Though it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, the movie failed to win any. But that was then. Since 2008, The Shawshank Redemption has been at the top of IMDb’s Top 250 films as voted on by users. So, how did the movie become such a lasting classic (经典)? It tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Prison for murdering two people despite his claims that he is innocent (无辜的). During his time at the prison, he befriends fellow inmate Ellis Redding. But the ugly realities of prison life are quickly introduced to Dufresne. “ Most viewers are going to identify very well with Andy,” said the Examiner website. “In today’s modern world, as things get more and more unfeeling than ever, we face our own battles of isolation (隔离) … and misplaced blame on a daily basis.” But the goal of The Shawshank Redemption is not to focus on the hopelessness of the world we live in, but to show the viewers that with strength and patience, “hope, and the preservation (维护) of that hope, is a good thing, maybe the best of things”, as Dufresne told Redding. The movie is “like a friend in the sitting-room, who talked to you and picked you up when you were down”, wrote The Guardian. For American actor Tim Robbins who played Dufresne, the true magic of The Shawshank Redemption lies in the fact that “it’s a film in which you actually see a relationship between two men which isn’t based on car chases, or scoring some women, but a sort of love which goes deeper than just friendship,” Robbins, 56, told The Guardian. 1. What can we learn about the movie The Shawshank Redemption from the first two paragraphs? A. The movie won seven Academy Awards. B. The movie was a great hit at the box office when it first came out. C. The movie presents the struggles of many ordinary American people. D. The movie is considered as one of the best ever