In James Cameron’s fantasy films, such as Avatar and The Abyss, the unexplored is decorated in color and filled with alien danger. But on his dive to the deepest place on Earth, which took place on a Sunday last month, reality proved far different: white, deserted, and dull.
“I felt like I literally had gone to another planet and come back,” Cameron said after returning from the cold, dark place in the western Pacific Ocean, nearly 7 miles (11km) below the surface. “It was a very fantastic day.” Cameron is the first person to explore the deepest valley in the ocean since two men made a 20-minute trip there in 1960.
He spent about three hours gliding through the icy darkness, brightened only by lights on the one-man sub(潜水艇). This deepest section of the Mariana Trench is so untouched that at first it appeared dull. But there’s something strangely interesting about the first pieces of video that Cameron shot — a sense of aloneness.
“It’s really the sense of isolation, realizing how tiny you are down in this big, black and unexplored place,” the Titanic director said. The wordless minute-long video, released by sponsor National Geographic, shows Cameron’s sub gliding across what he calls “the very soft, almost gelatinous(胶状的) flat plain.”
To Cameron, the main thing was to appreciate being there. “There had to be a moment where I just stopped, and took it in, and said, ‘This is where I am; I’m at the bottom of the ocean, the deepest place on Earth. What does that mean?’” Cameron told reporters during a conference call. The trip was only about half as long as planned because Cameron’s battery ran low. He said he would return and film it in 3D for later viewing.
“I see this as the beginning,” Cameron said. “It’s not a one-time deal and then moving on. This is the beginning of opening up this new frontier.”
小题1:Why did Cameron dive to the deepest place on Earth?
A．To study ocean creatures in the deepest valley.
B．To prove his strong will and perseverance.
C．To get support from National Geographic.
D．To open up a new frontier.小题2:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Cameron’s fantasy film, Avatar was inspired by his dive to the deepest place on Earth.
B．Cameron glided through the icy darkness alone by lights of the one-man sub.
C．Cameron didn’t stay at the bottom of the ocean as planned because he was worn out.
D．Cameron felt bored when he went to the deepest valley in the ocean.小题3:The underlined sentence in the passage means that ______.
A．he appreciated and took pride in being at the bottom of the ocean
B．he was disappointed because the trip was only about half as long as planned
C．Cameron wanted to show the public he had been to the deepest place on Earth
D．he wouldn’t stop exploring the deepest place in the future小题4:According to the passage, which of the following words best describes Cameron?
A．Generous.
B．Diligent.
C．Self-centered.
D．Adventurous.小题5:What’s the best title of the passage?
A．James Cameron’s Fantasy Films.
B．The First to Explore the Deepest Place on Earth.
C．A Dive to the Deepest Place on Earth.
D．Crazy Cameron.
