MELReview

Action movies get our hearts pumping -- or, at least the good ones do. Much like any physical activity, the commotion in an action sequence keeps us engaged in the present, letting our minds take a much-needed rest. When Sarah Conner fought with the menacing metallic skeleton at the end of " Terminator ," my focus was so invested in the moment, I forgot to breathe. Usually, the plot points are relatively simple, the happy ending is guaranteed and the scenes take you from a warm-up to great intensity, giving you an outcome that's a rush of adrenaline. (Much like ... well ... another physical activity that both sexes enjoy).

As the saying goes, girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Meanwhile, boys are apparently made of some icky random stuff (including puppy dog tails and mollusks). In a fight to the death, who do you think would come out on top? (The tails of puppies, anyone? That's hard core.) Ever since Ripley took on the out-of-this-world namesake in " Alien ," women have been kicking butt in movies. The truth is, women like being thought of as strong and like seeing that represented on the big screen. We know we can't be Arnold, but we take pride that we're not the vexingly sissyish Kate Capshaw character in " Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ", either.

Whether playing brawn ( Jodie Foster in " The Brave One "), brains ( Diane Kruger in the " National Treasure " series) or both ( Carrie-Anne MossThe Matrix "), in a cinematic world that mostly portrays women as straight love interests and ingénues, action heroines prove that women can be a powerful presence. And as Angelina Jolie so amply demonstrated in " Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ," women don't have to deny their feminine virtues to break a sweat. We value our femininity, but we also respect someone who respects herself. in "

**__QUIZ__**
In the article shows above: 1. Find 2 Adjectives 2. Find 2 Countable Nouns 3. Find Noun Clause with "that" 4. Find Two clauses joined by a conjunction

Explain why the tense is wrong and give the correct use. 5. I had been born in 1988. 6. I ate when the phone rang.

Fill in the blank with the correct tense. 7. My tooth (BLANK) (to hurt) since yesterday. 8. The painting (BLANK) (to paint) by Monet.

Fill in the blank with the correct tense for these conditional sentences. 9. If I (BLANK) (to go) to Hawaii, I would go surfing. 10. If I had gone to class, I (BLANK) (to take) notes.

Determine what kind of clause each of these are: 11. I know that she wants to go shopping. 12. I know my neighbor, who likes to garden, is home.