You return from work on a muggy(闷热的) August evening. Your unwashed teenage son is on the sofa playing the game Fortnite, as he has been doing for the past eight hours. Not for the first time, you ask yourself: why are school summer holidays so long?
This is a more serious question than it sounds. Many children will return from the long break having forgotten much of what they were taught the previous year. One study from the American South found that this summer learning loss‖ could be as high as a quarter of the year’s education. Poor children tend to be the worst affected, since rich ones typically live in homes full of books and are packed off to summer camp.
A study from Baltimore found that variations(差别) in summer loss might possibly account for two-thirds of the achievement gap between rich and poor children by the age of 14-15. Long holidays definitely tighten the budgets of poor families, since free school meals stop and extra child care kicks in.
Youngsters will hate the idea of a longer school year. Many grown-ups will object to it, too. It would cost taxpayers more, since teachers would have to be paid for the extra days. Schools in hotter areas would spend a fortune on air-conditioning. Skeptics(怀疑者) also note that, although those rarely rested South Korean pupils do well in exams, they are often unhappy. Is that really what you want for your darlings?
More time in school doesn’t necessarily mean repeating the same old lessons. But for those falling behind, the summer could be a time for different kinds of learning: critical thinking, practical skills, financial literacy, work placements with local firms—schools should be free to experiment. Space should not be a problem. Many school buildings sit idle(闲置的) in the summer.
Well-off children often already use the summer to broaden their minds or doing summer jobs found through connections. Schools should help the rest catch up. Other public services do not simply disappear for a quarter of the year. It would be unthinkable for hospitals or the police to do so. So why do schools get away with it? Their responsibility to educate does not end when the temperature rises.
1. With the example in Paragraph 1, the author intends to .| A．show the author’s bad mood |
| B．lead in the topic of the passage |
| C．criticize the son’s bad behavior |
| D．prove the harm of long holidays |
| A．have them learning the previous lessons |
| B．pack them off to various summer camps |
| C．offer them various chances of learning |
| D．provide summer jobs in public services |
| A．The school summer holidays should be shorter. |
| B．Students are suffering summer learning loss. |
| C．Schools should arrange more practical learning. |
| D．The achievement gap between students is widened. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Do you want to join a club in our school? Here are some clubs that you might be interested in.
Chinese Culture Club
The Chinese Culture Club focuses on exploring Chinese culture. You don’t have to speak the Chinese language; you’re just required to have a true interest in the Chinese way of life. The club regularly explores Chinese culture through traditional Chinese food, movies, and celebrations. Contact Ms Huang if you would like to learn more. Meet every Thursday after lunch in Room 805.
Chess Club
Come out and join the Chess Club! We will meet to explore chess theory and strategy. We will also test our newly-acquired knowledge through competitive games. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced one, players of all levels are welcome! Meet on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm, in Room 701 with Mr Longino.
Science Club
We’ll be doing experiments and prepare ourselves for the annual Science Olympiad. All the students are welcome! Members of Science Club meet on Thursdays from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm in Room 702, with Mr Underriner.
Robotics Club
The club aims at providing the students with an opportunity to design their own robot in order to compete in the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in the late fall and winter.
Also, if you are a parent willing to help with expertise, feel free to contact Mr. Irimina. Meet on Fridays in Room 103 from 3:00 pm-4:55 pm.
Chorus(合唱队)
The Chorus is an opportunity for students to sharpen their vocal(发声的) skills and overcome stage fright. Students will sing songs, but our focus is Soul, R&B, and rock. All chorus members are expected to participate in the school musicals as well as other shows. Meet after school on Thursdays with Mr. Copeland in Room 602.
1. What is a requirement if you want to join Chinese Culture Club?| A．Being able to speak Chinese. |
| B．Knowing well about Chinese culture. |
| C．Knowing the ways to cook Chinese food. |
| D．Being interested in the Chinese way of life. |
| A．It doesn’t offer students chances to join competitive games. |
| B．It doesn’t accept students without basic knowledge of chess. |
| C．It improves students’ chess theory and ability to play chess. |
| D．It opens to students for two hours a week. |
| A．Robotics Club | B．Science Club |
| C．Chess Club | D．Chinese Culture Club |
| A．To help students design robots for a competition. |
| B．To inspire parents to take part in their children’s activities. |
| C．To organize the FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in NYC. |
| D．To raise money for scientific research done by the schools in NYC. |
| A．has a strong writing ability | B．has special talent for stage design |
| C．wants to master singing skills | D．wants to learn musical instruments |
【推荐2】Here comes 5 most popular clubs in our school! Join us, and we will help you to find your own shining points, lead you to find beauty and to create beauty, and make your campus life as fulfilling and happy as a dream.
Yoga Club
Yoga not only improves balance, flexibility, and joint stability, but also serves as a peaceful escape from the stress of daily life. Our students will have the chance to physically exercise while reducing some stress from their life. The club will be available to 10-16 members from grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Tuesday).
Basketball Club
Students will be able to develop their basketball skills further and have the opportunity to compete in basketball games with members from other international schools in Beijing. The club will be available to 10-16 members from grades 5 to 8, and will practice twice weekly.
Public Speaking Club
The Public Speaking Club will be centered around the personal development of students along with developing public speaking skills. The club will be interested in focusing on all skills in delivering better speeches and improving communication skills. The club will be available to 10-12 members from grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Wednesday).
Media Club
The Media Club teaches students the basics of journalism. The club engages in a wide range of activities like interviewing teachers and students, writing about big events on campus, and operating the weekly school radio broadcasts. The club will be available to 8-12 members from grades 6-12 and will meet once weekly (Monday).
Book Club
The Book Club invites students grades 6-12 who enjoy literature and reading. It’s a platform for meaningful discussions, comprehension enhancement, and good reading habits. Open to 8-15 students it gathers every Friday to make reading enjoyable and broaden horizons. It aims to nurture a deep love for literature in a welcoming environment.
1. What is the aim of the clubs?| A．Teach new languages. | B．Organize sports events |
| C．Help students find their strong points. | D．Focus on farming knowledge. |
| A．Grade 7 to Grade 12. | B．Grade 5 to Grade 8. |
| C．Grade 7 to Grade 12. | D．Grade 6 to Grade 12. |
| A．Book Club. | B．Yoga Club. |
| C．Public Speaking Club. | D．Media Club. |
Welcome back to the summer term. It felt like a really long break and students have come back well rested. On INSET day, all staff worked with educational official, John Tomsett, on some of our key classroom development areas. It’s so important that our staff continue to develop and that we always find ways to improve our classroom practice.
It was fantastic to see so many of our parents at last Sunday’s Year 7 Parents and Carers’ Evening and the Year 11 Mock Exam Results Evening this Friday. We have a series of parental events over the summer term which you are all welcome to attend. Year 10 and Year 8 have not had an in-person event this year and therefore we have put on two additional events:
Tuesday 7th June—Year 10 Parent Information Evening
This event provides you with an opportunity to meet staff and find out how to begin revision and preparation for GCSE exams.
Wednesday 22nd June—Year 8 Electives Evening
This is an evening for students to choose an extracurricular activity to support future career plans. Staff will also be about this night for discussions.
Please do download our free parent app as all communication with regard to your child will be sent by the app.
Over the Easter period, the school kept busy with a Holiday Club which saw 70 of our new Year 7 students join us for a full day of activities.
I want to extend my thanks to all our parents and carers for their support and of course our staffing body, but most of all, your fantastic young people who did so well during Ofsted’s (英国教育标准局) visit.
All the best for a restful weekend!
Angela Wallace
Headteacher
1. What did teachers do on INSET day?| A．They had a good rest. |
| B．They organized some parental events. |
| C．They carried out some teaching activities. |
| D．They took part in a professional development activity. |
| A．Year 7. | B．Year 8. | C．Year 10. | D．Year 11. |
| A．Year 8 Electives Evening. | B．Year 7 Parents and Carers’ Evening. |
| C．Year 11 Mock Exam Results Evening. | D．Year 10 Parent Information Evening. |
【推荐1】The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The three-day event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by the locals.
During the opening ceremonies, after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the sands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turn to show off their wonderful traditional culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns and beat drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses dance with their hair: their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm of their dance.
The local and visiting Italian dogs are anxious to run after hares. The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the finish Line in front of the cheering people.
Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horseback. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles（马鞍）. Some even ride upside down—their legs and feet straight up in the air—all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful!
1. The Sahara Festival is a festival which _____.| A．has a very long history in North Africa |
| B．is held in the same place on the same day |
| C．is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara |
| D．is celebrated mostly by travelers from different countries |
| A．musicians, dancers, horses and hares |
| B．camel riders, musicians, dogs and hares |
| C．horsemen, dancers, camels and dogs |
| D．musicians, officials, camels and horses |
| A．first part | B．last part | C．middle | D．whole |
| A．how animals race on the first and the last days of the Sahara Festival |
| B．how people celebrate during the three-day Sahara Festival |
| C．what takes place at the closing ceremonies of the Sahara Festival |
| D．what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival |
【推荐2】The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has declared October 15 as Global Handwashing Day in 2005.The first Global Handwashing Day is on October 15 of 2008.Activities are planned over twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap. Partners include the UN Children's Fund, American government agencies, the World Bank and soap makers Unilever and Procter and Gamble. The goal is to create a culture of hand washing with soap.
Hand washing can prevent the spread of disease. Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Then they can infect others.
The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs. The correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Rub for at least twenty seconds. Then, rinse well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air. Soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. It also helps to break up the grease and dirt that hold most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the likelihood that people will wash again.
Washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea by almost half. And it could reduce deaths from pneumonia and other breathing infections by one-fourth. Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year. Pneumonia is the leading cause, killing about two million children under five each year. Hand washing can also prevent the spread of other diseases.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that _______.| A．the first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2005 |
| B．many organizations support the idea of Global Handwashing Day |
| C．Global Handwashing Day was founded by many soap makers |
| D．the content of Global Handwashing Day is to wash your hand frequently |
| A．the turning points | B．schedules |
| C．the arrangement of a time | D．the necessary parts in health |
| A．hand washing is very important | B．to create a culture of hand washing with soap |
| C．germs can infect ourselves and others | D．soaps play an important role in everyday life |
| A．a soap is a kind of medicine to prevent a disease |
| B．it is important for children to wash hands in a correct way |
| C．Pneumonia kills about two million children each year |
| D．Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths. |
In other countries, meanwhile, 8th March is traditionally more about expressing an appreciation of women: it is a day on which men give presents to their wives, girlfriends and mothers, and it therefore has some similarities with St Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Back in 1911, the first IWD events in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland were certainly political. They were protests by women against forms of gender discrimination that would now be unthinkable in most parts of the world: almost nowhere were women allowed to vote, and Finland was the only country with any female members of a national parliament. The general expectation worldwide, across different continents and cultures, was that women would spend their lives largely in the home, devoting themselves to looking after their husbands and children. The rate of women who had paid employment was far lower than today, and when women did go out to work they typically earned very little, meaning they were economically dependent on men.
A century later, gender inequality in employment—particularly pay inequality—is still one of the hottest issues IWD tries to draw attention to: it remains common, of course, for women to earn less than men for doing exactly the same job.
Limited educational opportunities (there are many countries in which girls generally stay fewer years in school than boys) and domestic violence towards women have also been highlighted by events surrounding IWD in recent years.
And yet, as the IWD website notes, ______________________. As just one example, to return to the issue of women elected to office, the change over the last hundred years has been significant. Since 1911, when the small group of women in the Finnish parliament (nineteen of them, to be exact) were the only females in public office worldwide, the governments of more than fifty different countries have been led by women. In 2011, at least one country in every continent has a female leader, including high-profile examples such as Brazil (Dilma Rousseff), Germany (Angela Merkel) and Australia (Julia Gillard).
1. According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．100 years ago, women were not allowed to work outside. |
| B．IWD is equal to St Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day in some countries. |
| C．Finland was the first country with female employment. |
| D．Pay inequality is a hot issue for IWD. |
| A．prevent | B．urge | C．express | D．want |
| A．distinctive differences do exist between men and women |
| B．the achievements are beyond people’s expectations |
| C．there’s still a long way to go to achieve the set goals |
| D．alongside the ‘negatives’ there are plenty of ‘positives’ |
| A．the progress in gaining equality in the last century seems to be too slow |
| B．the concept of equal pay for equal work is completely accepted in practice |
| C．much has been achieved in gender equality, but still there is space for improvement |
| D．one or two female leaders can’t stand for women’s social status on the whole |
【推荐1】In the modern age, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for communication, networking, and self-expression. With billions of active users worldwide, these platforms have profoundly influenced the human interaction. Recent psychological studies have delved into understanding the influence of prolonged (长期的) social media usage on individual self-esteem (自尊) and identity formation.
Context and Prevalence (流行)
Social media platforms, including Weibo, WeChat Moments, Douyin, and Little Red Book, offer ways for individuals to project curated versions of their lives. While this can serve as a medium of affirmation, it also compares one’s daily life against the specially edited highlights of others, which could potentially lead to feelings of failure and unsatisfactory.
Research Findings on Self-Esteem
A study conducted among adolescents aged 13-19 showed that extreme social media use correlates with lower self-esteem scores. Participants who spent over five hours daily on these platforms demonstrated significant tendencies towards self-devaluation (自我贬低) and negative self-perception (自体感受). The study believed that the constant exposure of idealized images and lives leads to an involuntary (不自主的) comparison, often placing the individual on the lesser end of the spectrum.
Implications for Identity Formation
For adolescents, a critical time of identity formation happens during the teenage years. Social media can often blur the lines (模糊界限) between personal identity and digital persona (面貌，形象). A study tracked teenagers for five years and found that heavy social media users often experienced identity confusion. Their digital avatars, formed under societal pressures, sometimes overshadowed their real personalities, leading to internal conflicts and a confusion to real selfhood.
Possible Solutions and Future Research
While the negative influence of social media on mental well-being are evident, it’s also essential to highlight its potential benefits. Platforms can help to add a sense of belonging, provide informational support, and serve as outlets for creative expression. Future research could explore potential interventions (介入，干涉) to reduce the negative effects.
In conclusion, while social media offers a huge number of opportunities and ways for expression, it’s important that teenagers approach it with awareness. The psychological landscape it shapes is hard to understand, and understanding its depths requires continued research, empathy (共鸣), and active measures.
1. What do we know about the study involving adolescents aged 13-19?| A．It took five hours for participants to take part in the study |
| B．It suggested that we should not compare our lives with others |
| C．It caused self-devaluation and negative self-perception to participants. |
| D．It showed that too much social media use resulted in low self-esteem. |
| A．Social media algorithms (算法). | B．Digital marketing tools. |
| C．Online versions of individuals. | D．Digital assistants. |
| A．They cause identity crises (危机) to them. | B．They lead to feelings of unsatisfactory. |
| C．They project version of their lives. | D．They overshadow their personalities. |
| A．Entirely negative. | B．Quite positive. | C．Mixed with caution. | D．Indifferent and neutral. |
【推荐2】By becoming the first city in the nation to ban natural gas in new low-rise buildings and homes, Berkeley did something great in mid-July. It signaled the beginning of the end of the natural gas era.
California has set a climate mandate of 100% clean, renewable energy by 2045. It won’t reach that goal unless it gets rid of natural gas. Burning natural gas emits carbon dioxide and other pollutants. In many cities, including Berkeley, buildings are the second leading greenhouse gas-emitting sector, after transportation. Now that regulations aimed at the 2045 mandate are in place for cars, trucks and coal-fired power, natural gas has to be next.
The popular image of gas cooking and heating—clean, cheap and reliable, a “bridge fuel” from coal to renewables—needs to be changed. Natural gas has produced more greenhouse gas emissions overall in the US than coal since 2015. Now natural gas emissions from the state’s 12 million buildings account for 12% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.
What’s more, natural gas is combustible, a common reason for fires and explosions. An underground gas pipe explosion in the Bay Area city in 2010 killed eight people and destroyed or damaged more than 100 homes. Gas leaks can cause not only indoor pollution but also deaths.
The case for making new buildings all-electric is overwhelming. It costs less to set up just one kind of energy—electricity—in new constructions, instead of laying gas pipes too. And the latest technologies work well: Electric heat pumps both cool and heat homes.
At least 50 other California cities will encourage all-electric new constructions in the coming months. They may not ban gas altogether in new constructions, but the aim is the same. The Berkeley measure is the beginning of an equally essential but more difficult task: re-equipping all existing buildings so that they, too, become all-electric.
1. What are emitting the largest amount of greenhouse gas now in Berkeley?| A．Heat pumps. | B．Power plants. |
| C．Motor vehicles. | D．New buildings. |
| A．It is clean, cheap and reliable. | B．It should be used in a small range. |
| C．It should be used as a “bridge fuel”. | D．It is more harmful than commonly thought. |
| A．Widely used. | B．Spoken highly of. |
| C．Able to burn easily. | D．Affordable for most families. |
| A．is practical | B．is a difficult choice |
| C．has a long way to go | D．deserves further research |
【推荐3】I recently spent half a weekend sitting on the sofa watching the Davis Cup. I thought about going for a run, but I did not want to miss the rest of the match. Soon it was starting to get dark, so I did not bother. Whenever I watch tennis, I think how nice it would be to play it regularly. But I have been thinking that for almost 20 years without actually setting foot on a court. The evidence would suggest that I'm not the only one.
When a country or city bids to host an international sporting event, it often promises that more people will take up sports as a result. London was no exception. In the end it did not turn out quite like that. Just over one-third of people in Britain take part in sports once a week. A report on Olympic legacy （后续）has said that a big change in participation levels simply has not happened.
Why isn't there a big increase in people taking part in sports after most sporting events? Perhaps it is a mistake to assume an automatic link between watching sports and playing it. While the games are on, they actually encourage people to do just the opposite — to spend whole sunny days not out playing sports, but inside sitting on the sofa with the curtains shut to stop the sun shining on the TV screen and spoiling the view. We don't expect half the audience of a hit musical to apply to drama school the next day, yet we seem to expect it of sporting events.
We might have sat on the sofa doing an impression of Usain Bolt's bow — and — arrow signature pose. But how many of us have been inspired by watching him sprint （短跑）100 meters? The high-level performances on show only remind people that they could never match the elite （精英）athletes in their sporting achievements even if they trained full time.
Maybe participation in sports is not the right legacy to expect after a major sporting event. It's not so much that the Olympics failed to get people to participate but rather that this was never going to be the result. The Olympics can do many things, but maybe this cannot necessarily be one of them.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The author prefers playing tennis to running. |
| B．The author watches tennis matches very rarely. |
| C．The author hasn't played tennis in nearly one fifth of a century. |
| D．The author didn't go for a run because the match lasted longer than expected. |
① it takes people a longer time to play sports than watch it
② watching sports actually discourages people from going out
③ sporting events make people aware that they could never be as good as elite athletes
④ people are too busy to get into the habit of taking part in sports
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．①④ |
| A．how to make people do more sport |
| B．the things that I he Olympics can do |
| C．the disadvantages of watching big sporting events |
| D．whether big sporting events make us do more sport |
One of the nice things about surrendering (屈从)to the fact that life isn’t fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have . We know it’s not “life’s job ”to make everything perfect :it’s our own challenge .Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand ; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn’t fair doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary , it suggests that we should .When we don’t recognize or admit that life isn’t fair ,we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves .Pity ,of course ,is a self –defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone ,except to make everyone feel worse than they already do .When we do recognize that life isn’t fair, however ,we feel compassion (热情)for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches .The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact .You may be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action.
1. The writer thought of his friend’s question as a good one because .
| A．he also wanted to know who held such an opinion |
| B．it made him recall something during his childhood |
| C．like his friend , he also thought life was unfair |
| D．he learned something from the question as a youngster |
| A．it’s nice to accept the injustice of life | B．it’s nice to surrender to life |
| C．we should not feel sorry for everything | D．we should not surrender to life |
| A．negative | B．positive | C．self-pity | D．indifferent |
| A．A Helpful Action: Try to Feel Compassion | B．A Good Question: Why Life Isn’t Fair |
| C．Do Our Best to Improve Ourselves | D．Surrender to the Fact That Life Isn’t Fair |
【推荐2】About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled(注册) my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.
In the teacher’s office, and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: “ Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)? Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”
Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? No, no, it can’t be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.
My son could not follow the teacher’s directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was disrupting
the class. Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet? He was angry: “ Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”
No, I didn’t speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn’t want him to forget his native language. Well, wrong answer!
What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all times? “ Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and sent them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?”
Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of “ those people.” Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.
As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual(双语的)。
Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places- something very basic and obviously lacking in the “educator” I met in New Jersey.
1. The teacher asked the author to his office________.| A．to work out a study plan for Scola | B．to get Scola enrolled in kindergaten |
| C．to discuss Scola’s in-class performance | D．to find a language partner for Scola |
| A．positive | B．critical | C．casual | D．passive |
| A．geography | B．medicine | C．history | D．education |
【推荐3】Most people want to know how things are made. They honestly admit, however, that they hardly know a thing when it comes to understanding how a piece of music is made. Where a composer begins, how he manages to keep going----in fact, how and where he learns his trade----all are covered in complete darkness. The composer, in short, is a man of mystery.
One of the first things the common man wants to know about is the part that inspiration plays in a composer's work. He finds it difficult to believe that composers are not much interested in that question. Writing music is as natural for the composer as eating or sleeping for all. Music is something that the composer happens to have been born for.
The composer, therefore, does not say to himself: "Do I feel inspired?" He says to himself: "Do I feel like working today?" And if he feels like working, he does. It is more or less like saying to himself; "Do I feel sleepy?" If you feel sleepy, you go to sleep. If you don't feel sleepy, you stay up. If the composer doesn't feel like working, he doesn't work. It's as simple as that.
1. What would be the best title for the text?| A．Composer: a man of mystery | B．Practice makes good music |
| C．Relation between sleeping and music | D．Music: product of nature |
| A．difficult to be made | B．without any light |
| C．black in color | D．not known |
| A．finds it difficult to write music |
| B．considers it important to have a good rest |
| C．should like to talk about inspiration |
| D．never asks himself very simple questions |
| A．are born with a gift for music. | B．are people full of mystery |
| C．work late at night for their music | D．know a lot about eating and sleeping |
