The first memory I have of him---of anything, really---is his strength. It was in the late afternoon in a house under construction near ours. The unfinished wood floor had large, terrifying holes whose big and opening darkness I knew led to nowhere good. His powerful hands, then age 33, wrapped all the way around my tiny arms, then age 4, and easily swung me up to his shoulders to command all I surveyed. The relationship between a son and his father changes over time. It may grow and flourish in mutual maturity. It may sour in hated dependence or independence. With many children living in single-parent homes today, it may not even exist. But to a little boy right after World War II, a father seemed a god with strange strengths and strange powers enabling him to do and know things that no mortal could do or know. Amazing things, like putting a bicycle chain back on, just like that, or building a hamster cage, or guiding a jigsaw so it forms the letter F; I learned the alphabet that way in those pre-television days. There were, of course, rules to learn. First came the handshake, a good firm squeeze accompanied by an equally strong gaze into the other's eyes. "The first thing anyone knows about you is your handshake," he would say. And we'd practice it each night on his return from work, the serious toddler in the old Cleveland Indian's cap running up to the giant father to shake hands again and again until it was firm enough. One day, I realize now, there was a change. I wasn't trying to please him so much as I was trying to impress him. I never asked him to come to my football games. He had a high-pressure career, and it meant driving through most of Friday night. But for all the big games, when I looked over at the sideline, there was that familiar fedora . And by God, did the opposing team captain ever get a firm handshake and a gaze he would remember? Then, a school fact contradicted something he said. Impossible that he could be wrong, but there it was in the book. These accumulated over time, along with... From the passage we can infer that _ . A) there was no television when the writer was learning the alphabet B) the writer's father was a god who could do many things with strength C) the writer's father lived a poor life and couldn't support his family D) they practiced shaking hands until the writer grew up
A
A "talk show" is a show organized mainly around talk. Television talk shows have been around since the dawn of radio. Thus the start of talk shows' golden age can be considered as 1948, even though television wasn't common in American homes until the 1950s. From 1949 to 1973, nearly half of all daytime programming was talk. Why are there so many talk shows? A talk show costs less than $100,000 per episode to produce whereas many of today's TV series cost more than $1 million an episode. Thus , if successful, it can produce handsome profits . Still, it takes a lot of work . Since 1948, hundreds of talk shows have come and gone, with only a few having true staying power. There are several types of talk shows , but while the styles might vary, the format is limited. What we are most used to is the informal guest-host format, in which shows'hosts welcome famous people or other talk -worthy persons for an informal discussion. The second most common format is the public issues show, in which hosts interview people in the news or experts in a given field. Shows that follow this format include both morning news programs and "issue" talk shows: The Museum of Broadcast Communications' Bernard M. Timberg notes two governing principles of all successful talk shows: The host is everything :The host has a high degree of control over their show, from subject matter to comedic atmosphere . They are also the show's brand and are responsible for it. The host can attract and refuse guests, organize their program and , in many cases, name a successor when they retire. Right here, right now: The second rule is that a talk show must be experienced in the present tense, whether it is broadcast live or taped in front of an audience earlier in the day. They should feel fresh, as if they are happening in the moment, even if the show is a 10-year -old rerun. The two formats of talk shows differ in _ . A) the atmosphere they create B) the time they are broadcast C) whether they are sent out live D) whether they invite famous guests
A
(Q).
The Firegathering 18-20 May The Firegathering festival returns to an unidentified place somewhere in the Sussex countryside this May.The ticket price is a very agreeable PS40,an amount that the organisers promise covers only the costs of staging the event.As well as the nightclub singers and dancers and circus performers,you can expect live performances from local stars.If this looks like it might be right for you,you'd be well advised to book your ticket soon;the event has sold out every year since its beginning four years ago. Sheep Music 20-22 July Sheep Music started life as a garden party and has developed into a fullscale community event.Even though the advertising has always been limited to word of mouth,the huge number of people in 2005 left organizers worried that the large crowds could ruin the festival's family feel.Luckily July sees the return of this brilliant party.The climax comes in the shape of Saturday night's fullscale parade and fancy dress ball that you just would not expect to happen in the other sleepy Welsh borders. The Big Chill 3-5 August Ten years on and The Big Chill could very well be close to becoming a big pop festival like Glastonbury.That said,the many thousands in attendance are still able to relax in the beautiful Eastnor deer park and listen to plenty of music that would otherwise pass them by.Families have always been given a warm welcome and it's fair to say that The Big Chill is probably the most childfriendly of all the mediumsized festivals.If you've never been,you should certainly go. Summer Sundae 10-12 August Although only a year old this summer,Summer Sundae has quickly inspired the imaginations of Leicesteks music lovers.Last year's event was a success,noted by more than a few mentions at the UK Festival Awards.It is set in the impressive grounds of De Montfort Hall.Although the performers are still to be confirmed,the cabins are sure to be there.These small buildings are made from wood and carpets,storage space,and can fit a family for the night. Which festival will provide accommodation for the audience? A) The Firegathering. B) Sheep Music. C) The Big Chill. D) Summer Sundae.
(A).
D