1 . Depending on your view, the recorder is an instrument of “incredible functions” or a tool of annoyance that has bothered primary schools for too many generations. But now, it faces extinction, with one of the UK’s top music schools reporting an 80% decline in the number of young people playing it in the last 10 years.
The instrument’s future is so imperiled that the European Recorder Teachers Association is trying to bring it back to life again so it does not leave the stage. The ERTA argues that if the recorder was good enough for the Beatles, it has a place in modern music today.
Tom Redmond, the principal of Chetham’s school of music in Manchester, said only three of its pupils practised the recorder, compared with 15 a decade ago. “More pupils were taking up the piano or other instruments,” said Redmond. “The ones that became really popular are the ones students spend more time playing alone. With the instruments being more socially based, there has been a decline, just like the recorder.”
Redmond also said that this problem extended “beyond the recorder itself” and was a mirror of the future of music. “Like removing any plant or animal from an ecosystem, removing the recorder has a huge chain effect beyond just the instrument. You need these instruments to create the inspiration for music, and without that, there is less excitement to learn music,” he said.
Chris Orton, a recorder tutor and chair of the ERTA, is leading the fight against the instrument’s extinction. He said, “The recorder is increasingly overlooked by students, and yet it has a rich history and incredible attractions. As well as making beautiful sounds, it’s an accessible instrument in that it is low-cost compared to other woodwind instruments, and it’s light and easy to carry.”
1. What does the underlined word “imperiled” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．In danger. | B．Full of hope. | C．Out of memory. | D．Beyond recognition. |
| A．Students are less excited to learn it. |
| B．Its disadvantages outweigh its advantages. |
| C．It requires more cooperation with other instruments. |
| D．Students are more likely to play high-end instruments. |
| A．Music education is essential for students. |
| B．The recorder shapes the future of music. |
| C．The recorder plays an important role in music. |
| D．Nature is a rich source of inspiration for musicians. |
| A．It needs to be improved. | B．It is inconvenient to play. |
| C．It is a priority for students. | D．It deserves more attention. |
2 . I wanted to buy something today -- until I figured out the cost versus the benefit. At that point I knew it was a completely stupid idea.
What I wanted to buy was an older car to have in addition to my four-year-old Smart Car that I absolutely like. So you wonder, why would I want to have another car as well? The reason is ... grandkids. I have several and in the Smart Car I can only have one passenger (It’s a two-seater). Besides, one of my daughters-in-law does not trust the Smart Car as a vehicle for her daughter Lily to ride in, so that’s one little girl I can’t take anywhere at all. My husband also has a car -- and a truck.
So that’s why I had the stupid idea to buy an old Toyota I found on the lot of an honest used car salesman. Thank heavens I came to my senses before I spent $ 8000 to buy it, $ 80 or so to license it and probably $ 500 to insure it for a year. It would be senseless to buy that car.
My grandkids just have to continue to come with me one by one. I can’t take two girls out to lunch or two girls shopping or pick up the brother and sister that live in the same house. As for the little one that’s not allowed to ride with me ... well, Grandpa will have to pick her up. As for me, I didn’t get money in my savings account by being totally stupid. Sure, doing things with the kids is fun, but spending that kind of money to put two or more of them in a group -- which would probably drive me crazy anyway -- is really dumb. Sometimes temptation can prove that you still have a little sense.
1. The author’s little grandkid Lily ______.| A．refused to stay with her |
| B．was not allowed to take her car |
| C．was always picked up by her husband |
| D．thought it was dangerous to drive a Smart Car |
| A．it was a used car |
| B．she couldn’t afford it |
| C．there was no need for it |
| D．the salesman was unreliable |
| A．difficult | B．stupid | C．reasonable | D．amazing |
| A．Look before you leap. |
| B．Better late than never. |
| C．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
| D．Every advantage has its disadvantage. |
Rembrandt Harmenszoon was born in the Netherlands in the city of Leiden. There were six children in his family. His parents wanted him to get a good education and provided opportunities for him to study with successful painters. Among them was the famous painter, Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam.
Rembrandt was very talented and studied with Lastman for six months and then moved back to Leiden and began to teach other artists even though he was only 22 years old.
Sometimes he used members of his family as models. His father was the subject of Bearded Man in Furred Oriental Cape and Robe. His son Titus is seen in Titus at His Desk, and Prodigal Son in the Tavern features Rembrandt and his wife Saskia.
One of his most famous paintings is Nightwatch which shows a group of men in their military uniforms. A war had recently ended in the country and the men were dressed up for a military practice. Nightwatch was a controversial(有争议的) piece. Some of the people in the painting were not pleased with the results because they did not have a prominent(突出的) place in the picture. When Rembrandt painted it, the colors were bright, but it became clouded with smoke and dirt and eventually became known as Nightwatch. In this painting we see Rembrandt’s use of light and shadow which makes his work so distinctive.
This great Dutch artist was very productive and popular with people. He enjoyed painting pictures of Bible characters and scenes of Bible stories. During his lifetime he produced over 600 paintings. You can see his paintings in museums and galleries all over the world today.
1. When did Rembrandt begin to teach other artists? (no more than 8 words)2. Who in Rembrandt’s family appeared in his paintings according to Paragraph 3? (no more than 10 words)
3. What makes Rembrandt’s work Nightwatch very distinctive? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the author want to tell us about Rembrandt in the last paragraph? (no more than 7 words)
5. What are you interested in? And why? (no more than 20 words)
4 . Every small child knows the panic of losing sight of its mother in the supermarket, and as the pictures show, small whales obviously feel the same way.
Taken by a British diver who was following the sperm whale(抹香鲸) calf, they show the minute the baby -- who had lost track of its mum -- found her again in the sea off the Azores .
Jumping 30 ft across the waves, the newborn slammed(猛力推) its body onto the water with joy after becoming separated from its family group in the cold waters.
But the whale calf was doing more than just jumping for joy.
Justin Hart, who took the pictures, said that young whales communicate with older ones in the ocean by creating a slamming sound which travels through the water to the ears of the adults deep below.
By jumping out of the water and slamming its 12ft long body onto the surface of the sea up to 30 times, the baby whale is telling its relatives where it is so they can regroup.
He said, ‘Sperm whales, of all the whales and dolphins, are the species that div e the deepest and for the longest time.
‘The calves have to follow what’s going on below them from the surface -- probably listening to the echo location(回声定位) clicks of the adults.
‘However sometimes the adults re-surface far out of sight of the calf, and in this situation the whales often jump out of the water causing a large bang as their bodies hit the surface. In this way, whale family can regroup.’
Sperm whales live in nearly all the world’s oceans in groups of about 15 to 20 animals and they practice communal(集体的) childcare. The calves do not have to follow their mother too closely as a sperm whale calf can take milk from any milk-producing female in its social group.
1. The underlined word“they”in Paragraph 2 probably refers to ______.| A．the whales | B．the divers |
| C．the photos | D．the mothers |
| A．found its family with his help |
| B．suffered a lot in the cold waters |
| C．lost contact with its family for days |
| D．slammed as a means of communication |
| A．The young are independent. |
| B．They are highly social animals. |
| C．They tend to live in warm sea waters. |
| D．Females take turns to care for babies. |
5 . Deanna Jump made headlines when it was announced she’d brought in a million dollars selling her lesson plans online. Despite the windfall, Jump, has no plans to quit the work she considers her calling. She spoke with us about her secrets for creating units that kids and fellow teachers can’t resist.
How did you get the idea of selling your work online?
Deanna Jump: I’ve always created my own activities and units, and I’ve always shared them with my fellow teachers. A few years ago, one of my team members said, “Your stuff is so good. You’ve got to put it on Teachers Pay Teachers.” I got started. The first year, my sales were really slow with about $300. But I thought that was great.
How has the income changed your life?
DJ: Teachers in America don’t make a lot of money, so I really consider it a blessing. I have a brother who’s a quadriplegic (四肢瘫痪的人). For about 13 years, he was stuck at home unless he had a doctor’s appointment. With my first big check, we bought a van so our mother could take him around. I also give some to my community. But I still drive a Kia. I still live in the same house.
What advice would you give fellow teachers who might want to sell their lessons?
DJ: Stay true to yourself. My teaching style is reflected in my units. I don’t try to say, “Okay, how would this teacher over here do it?” and try to create something for her. Also, be a teacher first, and a seller second. Be careful to make sure that you don’t say, “Oh, my goodness, I haven’t put anything out for two months. I need to get something out.” I never think like that. I create things with my students in mind.
1. Deanna Jump’s lesson plans ______.| A．brought her great fame | B．were put online by her colleague |
| C．sold well as soon as they were put online | D．were created with the help of her colleagues |
| A．other teachers are in need of it | B．it’s successful in her classroom |
| C．it’s expected to be a good seller | D．she adopts a new teaching style |
| A．To tell how to create lesson plans. | B．To discuss Deanna Jump’s teaching style. |
| C．To show the secret for being a great teacher. | D．To offer more information about a million-dollar teacher. |
6 . Grace Choi, whose nickname is Sunny, is a gymnast in America. “I remember her doing cartwheels (翻跟头) when she was a kid,” her brother Jin says.
One night at college, Choi saw members of a breaking (霹雳舞) club dancing by accident. She was immediately attracted to the dance and came to a class. Choi’s gymnastics skills gave her an advantage. After graduating from business school, she began working in the cosmetics (化妆品) industry. But on the side, she kept breaking.
Breaking was added to the Paris Olympics program in 2020. In late 2021, Choi attended a camp. It was for the top U. S. breakers. A coach there asked those who wanted to become Olympians to raise their hands. Everyone’s hand went up except Choi’s. Working full-time while training to make the Olympic team seemed impossible.
But after finishing second at the World Games in July 2022, Choi left the cosmetics industry. In 2023, she was chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the Pan American Games.“I’m so much happier,” she says. “I feel lighter. I have more energy for the things I want to do.”
Thirty-two breakers will go to Paris. “Choi has power moves,” says Mary Fogarty, a professor of dance at York University, in Toronto, Canada. “Choi is someone who has enough material to go all the way through.” Choi struggles with self-doubt. She’ll work on her mindset. She’ll lift weights with a strength coach. And she’ll eat a healthy diet.
Choi is confident about one thing: If you give breaking a chance, you won’t be disappointed. “You feel the energy,” she says. “You feel the excitement. You feel the happiness or the anger or whatever emotion that the dancer is expressing in that moment. What’s so cool about breaking is that you get to be really you.”
1. What introduced Choi to break dancing?| A．An accidental chance. | B．Her gymnastics skills. |
| C．Her brother’s encouragement. | D．The camp for the top breakers. |
| A．Her job. | B．Her health. |
| C．Her college education. | D．Her chance of promotion. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Confident. | C．Uncertain. | D．Unexpected. |
| A．A youth is to be regarded with respect. | B．The young thirst for being famous. |
| C．Where there’s interest, there’s success. | D．Curious minds never feel contented. |
7 . One of the best essay contests of 2024, this competition sponsored by the Writer’s Digest promotes nonfiction of all kinds: “personal or political, traditional or experimental”, but your essay should be at least 1,000 words and 1,500 words at most.
Eligibility (资格):Students are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U. S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public or private school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted.
Submission:Fill out the online registration form. All fields on the online form are required, including uploading a Microsoft Word (doc. or docx.) file of your original work with a title in English which should include a comprehensive list of sources consulted. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman.
Teacher or parent: Student registration forms must have a teacher or parent name. That person may review the submitted essay and act as the key contact.
Do not place your last name or your school’s name on any of the pages of the essay.
Your essay will be disqualified if it does not meet the requirements or is submitted after the submission date of 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 1, 2024.
Prizes:$1,000 to the writer of the winning essay, in addition to an all-expense paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference! The runner-up wins a writing coaching package valued at $650 and the third, a diversity editing package valued at $350.
1. Who can participate in the contest?| A．A Chinese teenager. | B．A high school teacher. |
| C．An American tenth-grader. | D．A professional writer. |
| A．Uploading a Word version of the original work. |
| B．Writing personal name on the first page of the entry. |
| C．Filling in the application form and posting it in time. |
| D．Making sure of the words of the entry beyond 1,500. |
| A．A free trip. | B．A cash prize. |
| C．A diversity editing package. | D．A writing coaching package. |
8 . The production of the cement (水泥) used in concrete is a major contributor to worldwide CO2 emissions. Since we use it a lot in building things, this is a serious problem. But there’s good news: Scientists have made a new kind of concrete that can trap CO2 instead of letting it out. It is a greener way to build things.
The concrete is made by D Company, cooperating with other companies, and is named G-concrete. Here’s how it’s made: A special cement mixture is placed in a curing chamber (养护室) and CO2 is then pumped into the chamber to be absorbed. The absorbed CO2 is then stuck inside the concrete, and will not be released. Crucially, it’s also just as strong as regular concrete.
“Generally, concrete hardens through a chemical reaction between cement and water,” the company explains. “But in G-concrete, over half the cement is replaced with a material we call γ-C2S. Instead of reacting with water, γ-C2S reacts with the CO2 in the air to harden. After mixing the materials needed to create G-concrete, the concrete can be placed in a location with high CO2 levels so it can absorb the CO2 and harden, trapping the gas inside. For example, a thermal power plant (发电厂) or other facilities that produce carbon-heavy waste gases can redirect the gases into a special chamber, where concrete products made with G-concrete can be placed to absorb the CO2 in the gases.”
Obviously, greener concrete is a good thing in itself. And under the right conditions, this could be used to create net-zero buildings, but if it’s not affordable and practical to produce, it’s not going to be widely adopted.
On that note, signs are actually quite hopeful. A representative of the company told us that the cost of producing G-concrete is about three times higher than standard concrete currently used. Work is being undertaken on further reducing this cost and the company believes it will become a lot more affordable in the near future.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Cement production. | B．Building construction. | C．CO2 emission. | D．Concrete use. |
| A．It is environmentally friendly. | B．It is produced in thermal power plant. |
| C．It is harder than regular concrete. | D．It is replaced by a cement mixture. |
| A．Practical function. | B．Production cost. | C．Marketing strategy. | D．Gas emission. |
| A．The Chemical Reaction Behind Concrete Hardening |
| B．G-concrete: A New CO2-absorbing Building Material |
| C．The Environmental Impact Of Traditional Cement Production |
| D．The Economic Possibility Of The Building Material — G-concrete |
9 . For the arts “to mean more, to more people,” as Arts Council England (ACE) argues that they should, would be excellent. Music, drama, dance, visual arts, poetry and literature are among the most precious human achievements. To live in a country in which these are more widely shared and enjoyed would be proof that we are making progress. The point is not to entertain or educate people, or bring communities together. Nor is it all about boosting jobs and investment. Imagination has intrinsic (内在的) value, and research carried out by ACE in the course of preparing its 10-year strategy showed that people from all walks of life value and get pleasure from cultural activities.
Positioning itself as a development agency, ACE will now hope to win government backing for a change of direction that orients it away from the biggest and most prestigious national institutions and towards the towns, villages and grassroots organizations that should be similarly deserving of attention. There, it envisions a role for itself “building the identity and prosperity of places,” bringing professional artists together with voluntary groups, particular in areas that have previously not been well represented on the cultural map.
ACE’s chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, quotes the first world war centenary (百年纪念) project devised by the artist, Jeremy Deller, and theatre director, Rufus Norris, as the model of what he wants his organization to be about. By dressing up volunteers as soldiers, and orchestrating their encounters with members of the public in settings across England, the artists succeeded in “dissolving the barriers between artists and audiences.”
The emphasis on participation- on culture as something that more people should actually do- is newer. This is the difference between being in a play or a band and buying tickets to watch them, and for ACE to play a more active role in promoting the former would be beneficial. This begins in childhood, and ACE clearly hopes that the government will think again about policies that have seen music, drama and other arts subjects systematically downgraded in favour of science, technology and maths.
To what extent the vision is realized will depend in part on whether ACE’s ambitions catch the government’s interest sufficiently to influence the upcoming spending review, and provide a counterweight to the scorn (轻视) that is regularly poured on the humanities. Around £400m has been cut from local government arts budgets since 2010, and ACE cannot plug this gap. The closure of youth clubs and live music venues, and growing financial pressures linked to the property market, are among other reasons for this worrisome narrowing of opportunities. So far Boris Johnson has offered few signs that he has in mind a starring role for the arts in post-Brexit Britain, although 2022’s Festival of Brexit is one such event. ACE’s plan should boost the profile of all those, in government and outside, who are arguing for more.
1. The purpose of making arts available to more people is to __________.| A．enlighten people from all walks of life |
| B．consolidate various communities |
| C．create job opportunities for artists |
| D．maximize the natural value of art |
| A．national institutions |
| B．commercial centers |
| C．local governments |
| D．towns and villages |
| A．Audiences with little education can also gain pleasure from cultural activities. |
| B．Artists and audiences can create and enjoy the arts together without barriers. |
| C．The soldiers and volunteers should vividly show scenes about the First World War. |
| D．Science, technology and maths are more important than humanities and arts nowadays. |
| A．For the arts to get revitalized more extensive efforts are needed. |
| B．The current British government has done enough to promote arts. |
| C．ACE should narrow the financial gap left by the local government. |
| D．Many performing venues have closed due to the rising property market. |
10 . When Emma woke up, she knew it was going to be one of those days. She felt unwell — a cold had taken hold of her. Still, she needed to brave the storm of responsibilities at work. Emma dragged herself out of bed and got ready for work. Then she put on her raincoat and went out into the pouring rain. As she walked, she fought against the bad weather. Emma’s umbrella was almost useless as it was raining cats and dogs. Then like a bolt from the blue, the wind blew it inside out. She was immediately wet from head to toe. She said to herself in a quiet voice. “What a day to forget my rain boots!”
At the office, the day was as stormy as the weather. She had a mountain of tasks. Handling endless emails and phone calls should have been a light wind. But before long, she was desperate to take a break so she could get a second wind.
Then, at exactly the moment, her coworker Alex came to her rescue. Alex was not a fair-weather friend but was always ready to lend a hand. With a warm smile, he offered to help Emma. Having Alex assist her was like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Their laughter and good-fellowship as they completed their tasks made the hours pass quickly.
On her way home, Emma reflected on the day, which had ended up being surprisingly pleasant. She realized that every cloud did indeed have a silver lining. Today, that silver lining had been her wonderful colleague, Alex.
When Emma arrived home, she decided to send Alex a heartfelt message of appreciation. She wrote, “Thanks for being my ray of sunshine in this rainy day!” It was a simple message, but it carried a lot of meaning.
That night, listening to it rain cats and dogs outside, Emma couldn’t help but smile. She had weathered the storm with Alex’s help.
1. Why did Emma get totally wet?| A．Because she forgot to take her umbrella. |
| B．Because she didn’t wear her raincoat. |
| C．Because her rain boots were broken. |
| D．Because the wind was too strong. |
| A．They finished the assignments with joy. |
| B．They took a break to refresh themselves. |
| C．They talked about the weather while performing tasks. |
| D．Alex came to rescue Emma because she was in danger. |
| A．Grateful and warm. | B．Pleased and amused. |
| C．Shocked and confused. | D．Confident and determined. |
| A．Save for a rainy day. | B．Hard work pays off. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
