作文范例：The Hazards of Moviegoing

xiao4zhu

The Hazards of Moviegoing







Introductory paragraph



I am a movie fanatic(狂热者,入迷者). My friends count on(依靠) me to know movie trivia(琐事)(who was the pigtailed little girl in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial? Drew Barrymore) and to remember every big Oscar awarded since I was in grade school(小学) (best picture 1994? Forrest Gump). My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies. While I love movies as much as ever, the inconvenience of going out, the temptations of the theater, and the behavior of some patrons(顾客) are reasons for me to wait and rent the video.







First supporting paragraph



To begin with, I just don’t enjoy the general hassle(困难，麻烦) of the evening. Since small local movie theaters are a thing of the past, I have to drive for fifteen minutes to get to the nearest multiplex(多放映场的电影院). The parking lot(停车场) is shared with several restaurants and a supermarket, so it’s always jammed. I have to drive around at a snail’s pace until I spot another driver backing out. Then it’s time to stand in an endless line, with the constant threat that tickets for the show I want will sell out(卖完，销售一空). If we do get tickets, the theater will be so crowded that I won’t be able to sit with my friends, or we’ll have to sit in a front row gaping up at(张口结舌地看) a giant screen. I have to shell out(交付, 支付) a ridiculous(荒谬的, 可笑的) amount of money—up to＄8—for a ticket. That entitles me to sit while my shoes seal themselves to a sticky floor coated with spilled soda(溢出的苏打), bubble gum(泡泡糖), and crushed Raisinets.







Second supporting paragraph



Second, the theater offers tempting(诱惑人的) snacks that I really don’t need. Like most of us, I have to battle an expanding waistline. At home I do pretty well by simply not buying stuff that is bad for me. I can make do with snacks like celery and carrot sticks because there is no ice cream in the freezer. Going to the theater, however, is like spending my evening in a Seven-Eleven that's been equipped with a movie screen and comfortable seats. As I try to persuade myself to just have a diet Coke, the smell of fresh popcorn dripping with butter soon overcomes me. Chocolate bars(巧克力块、条) the size of small automobiles seem to jump into my hands. I risk pulling out my fillings as I chew enormous mouthfuls of Milk Duds. By the time I leave the theater, I feel disgusted with myself.







Third supporting paragraph



Many of the other patrons are even more of a problem than the concession stand. Little kids race up and down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious(欢闹的) noises. Adults act as if they were at home in their own living room. They comment loudly on(热烈地讨论) the ages of the stars and reveal plot twists that are supposed to be a secret until the film's end. And people of all ages create distractions(分心的事). They crinkle(使起皱) candy wrappers(糖果包装纸), stick gum(口香糖) on their seats, and drop popcorn tubs(桶) or cups of crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough(咳嗽) and burp(打饱嗝), squirm(蠕动) endlessly in their seats, file out(鱼贯而出) for repeated trips to the rest rooms or concession stands, and elbow(用肘推搡着) me out of the armrest on either side of my seat.







Concluding paragraph



After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the theater, resisting unhealthy snacks, and dealing with the patrons. The next day, I arranged to have premium movie channels installed as part of my cable TV service, and I also got a membership(成员资格) at my local video store. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I'll be more relaxed watching box office(票房, 票房收入) hits in the comfort of my own living room.