2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

My husband and I had purchased the piano so our son and daughter could take piano lessons. But I had a secret dream that I did not share with anyone: I wanted to learn to play the piano and so that I could sit on a piano bench and perform one day.

Days later, I passed our announcement board, which listed items for sale, various jobs, and at the bottom, someone was offering piano lessons.

My voice trembled (颤抖) when I called the number the next day. When the tutor named Melody learned that I was the student, she hesitated. She had never taught a busy adult learner, but she was willing to try if I was determined to learn.

When my first lesson ended as arranged, Melody opened the door to her next student, a six-year-old boy full of enthusiasm. Melody introduced us and told me his name was Jeff. “I’m going to learn to play the piano,” he told me. No doubts or insecurities got in the boy’s way. His enthusiasm struck me, and on my way home, I whispered, “I’m going to learn to play the piano.”

However, I wasn’t a star pupil. I didn’t have instant recall on how to read music. Getting both hands to cooperate was difficult and then I was introduced to the pedal (踏板). Maybe I had been just too psychologically stressed out. Consequently, Melody blamed me for not practicing enough. Therefore, I had to look at my tight schedule to see where I could make time to improve myself.

The following week, Melody told me I would need to participate in the December performance and that I had to play by memory. I would have one month to memorize two pieces and I hadn’t even seen them yet! I was in despair and wanted to give up. “It’s the conventional (依照惯例的) way,” Melody said to me in a firm voice, “and even Jeff is memorizing the pieces he is playing. Think why you came here!”

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Her words suddenly had reminded me of my secret dream.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On the day of the performance, I stepped slowly onto the stage.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . So far this winter, a theater in the Alps has staged more than 60 unique concerts. Winter temperatures in the remote mountain village can drop high below zero. Performers wear down jackets and play ice instruments. In fact, almost everything from drums and guitars to horns and harps at the music festival is carved from ice even the stage the musicians play on. The audience sits on ice chairs and benches and claps their hands to listen, both to praise the performers and to keep themselves warm when the air flows through.

The musical instruments used were almost entirely made by an American ice artist, Tim Linhart. Since he created his first musical instrument out of ice more than a decade ago, he has already carved various ice instruments, including violins, violas, timber drum sets, xylophone, double bass, mandolin and cello. He also created his own large wind instrument, which uses the vibration of an ice tube to produce sound when the air flows through.

Linhart makes the different parts of the ice instrument and then uses a liquid mixed with snow to glue them together, with a metal support placed where the strings need to be. A violin can usually be made in two or three weeks, while larger instruments can take more time and efforts, sometimes taking months to make.

An ice instrument has a clearer sound than a wooden instrument. However, ice instruments are more easily broken or damaged than ordinary instruments. The temperature in the ice theater changes depending on the number of people in the audience. This also changes the temperature of the ice instruments, which in turn affects the 1 sound they produce. Musicians need to tune their instruments frequently during performances.

Although playing an ice instrument is not easy, Linhart believes that ice and snow are good materials for making instruments. The only downside is melting when the temperature is above freezing.

1. What is special about the music festival?

A．It attracts only the locals.	B．It usually lasts two months.
C．It has to be held in the cold.	D．Its audience have to dress up.

2. What does the underlined word “vibration” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Temperature.

B．Shaking.

C．Length.

D．Opening.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us about ice instruments?

A．Strengths and weaknesses.	B．Production methods.
C．Specific materials.	D．Different varieties.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To promote an idea.	B．To explain a theory.
C．To share an event.	D．To introduce a finding.

7 . What is the history of music festivals

Outdoor music festivals have become a fixture of summertime for many adults. Many different types of music now have their own festivals, often attracting large audiences.     1     While music festivals appear to be a relatively recent development, their history goes back much further.

The earliest known music festival occurred during the Pythian Games in the 6th century BC. These games took place every four years and were similar to the ancient Olympic games.     2     These festivals were opportunities for contests and games to take place. Musical performances also became common as part of the entertainment.

In the early 19th century, the Bayreuth Festival became one of the first formal and annual musical festivals. This festival began as an occasion to promote the composer Richard Wagner, who wanted to popularize his music.     3     Wagner did become a well-known artist from the period. For later festivals, this showed artists that music festivals could be highly effective to promote their work.

    4     Perhaps the first formal rock festival was the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, which brought that band to the attention of American audiences. Another early festival was the lsle of Wight Festival in 1968. It started as an event with about 10,000 people and featured many famous performers.

Throughout the early 1970s, open-air concerts became more popular. Music festivals were part of larger events at that time. But by the mid-twentieth century, promoters found music festivals holding their own weight in bringing in money. Then music festivals became well established as part of summer culture.     5    

A．However, the result disappointed him.

B．The festival was effective in achieving this.

C．Today, it’s hard to imagine summer without musical festivals.

D．What put music festivals on the map was Woodstock in 1969.

E．Some large festivals are attended even by hundreds of thousands.

F．By the late 1960s, Rock bands began to organize their own music festivals.

G．By the Middle Ages, music festivals became more common in towns across Europe.

9 . Four best pieces of festive music

Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach

One of the festive classics is Bach’s Oratorio, which was composed for the Christmas of 1734. It's divided into six parts — each with its own sound and story — that would have been performed separately on feast days during the Christmas season. Profound and reflective. it contains some of the most moving choruses you’ll ever hear.

The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn't recognize the playful opening notes of the “The dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”. The tale of a toy soldier who comes to life，The Nutcracker is a firm Christmas mainstay and a master class in musical storytelling. Delightful and imaginative，the piece is the bread and butter of ballet companies around the world.

Messiah by George Frideric Handel

Handel’s crowning achievement is widely considered to be one of the most performed pieces during the holiday season around the world. Famous for its rousing “Halleluiah” chorus, the oratorio was surprisingly not intended for Christmas originally: Handel wrote it with the Easter Lent (四旬斋) in mind.

A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin

Britten This contemplative (冥想的) choral piece was inspired by English poetry from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems, which Britten purchased while on a five-week voyage from New York to Britain in 1942. Featuring beautiful chants and heavenly harp parts, the piece feels both modern and ancient.

1. Who created the piece for the Christmas of 1734?

A．Johann Sebastian Bach.	B．Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
C．George Frideric Handel.	D．Benjamin Britten.

2. Which piece was favored by ballet companies?

A．Christmas Oratorio.	B．The Nutcracker.
C．Messiah.	D．A Ceremony of Carols.

3. What can we know about the piece Messiah?

A．It was inspired by an English poem.	B．It was created by Benjamin Britten.
C．It was meant for Christmas originally.	D．It was George Frideric Handel's masterpiece.