1 . Fine Arts Students Deliver Magical Performances

As the winter holidays approach,Brookhaven School students presented an array of extraordinary performances showcasing immense talent within our fine arts community. From the band concert to the choral concerts, each event highlighted the dedication and exceptional gifts of our students.

The December 12 Eagles Band Concert filled Woodruff Auditorium with melodies that captured the festive spirit.On December 14, the Foundations Christmas Choral Concert featured spirited performances by our 7th graders. The finale of seasonal fine arts showcases occurred on December 18 in Brady Theater with the Senior Chior Concert,spotlighting high school singers.

A highly anticipated tradition,the school-wide Holiday Assembly on December 19, hosted by esteemed Fine Arts Department Chair Mr.Kaminer, embodied the true essence of the holiday season. Angelic songs filled Young Gym, followed by joyous laughter and cheers as the “best costume” winners received their awards. Even the youngest War Eagles,the children in the Brookhaven Early Learning Center, attended the celebrations.Following the event, students merrily left school for the holiday break.

Looking toward 2024, anticipation builds for the Brookhaven theater spring productions. “Something Rotten!” promises high-energy comedic performances by theater students, while “Tuck Everlasting” assures a moving portrayal by talented Foundations students. Furthermore,the Brookhaven Dance Company will hold their showcase April 11-12 in Woodruff Auditorium. Tickets will soon be available for purchase.

1. What did the students at Brookhaven School do before the winter holidays?

A．They performed magic tricks.	B．They participated in community service.
C．They gave holiday concerts.	D．They presented new theatre productions.

2. What can we learn about Holiday Assembly on December 19?

A．It was a large celebration within the school.	B．It was an award presentation for best students.
C．It featured various fun music and sports events.	D．It was held on the first day of the winter holiday.

3. What is the text?

A．A fine arts brochure.	B．A school announcement.
C．A school newsletter.	D．A concert advertisement.

3 . 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。
       “Guys, remember. This competition is extremely difficult. There will only be a few selections to make it to the final round with the judges,” the music teacher, Mr. Brooks, explained. “But I hope all of you put your best foot forward and make our academy stand out!” The teacher was talking about a state-wide competition held by the best musicians in the area.
       Shahnaz, the new student who had only come to the class two weeks before, took the teacher’s words to heart and put her heart and soul into a composition. She had learned how to play the piano for a long time and really did well in it. She wanted to prove herself.
       All the students were supposed to improve their compositions with the help of their teacher, Mr. Brooks. However, he spent most of his time guiding the few outstanding students in his class.
       He never had much to say to Shahnaz unless it was a comment about her mistakes, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to impress him. He was a good piano player and could teach her a lot. She hoped that her composition would be improved under the guidance of Mr. Brooks.
       “OK,” Mr. Brooks said during one of his lessons, “it’s time for Shahnaz to play.” Shahnaz sat in front of the piano and began moving her fingers softly. She practiced and practiced once her composition was done and could almost play it by heart.
       Finally, the piece was finished. Shahnaz looked at Mr. Brooks nervously and hoped to receive his recognition. But he just sighed “Frankly, you made many mistakes. You shouldn’t take part in the competition.”
注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。

Shahnaz left Mr Brooks’ class that day with a heavy heart, but she refused to let his words break her spirit.

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The night of the competition finally arrived.

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4 . Isadora Duncan is considered by many to be the progenitor of modern dance. To Duncan, classical ballet, with its strict rules of posture and formation, was “ugly and against nature”. She refused to accept traditional ballet steps, preferring to emphasize improvisation(即兴创作), emotion, and the human form. She said, “I spent long days and nights in the studio seeking that dance which might be the expression of the human spirit through the body’s movements.” By making connections between human emotion and the movements of dance, Duncan hoped to make dance a form of high art rather than simple entertainment. She developed free and natural movements inspired by the classical Greek arts, folk dances, social dances and natural forces. She drew on a number of sports moves, including skipping, running, jumping, leaping, and tossing. The athleticism and classical roots of her style are reflected in her innovative costume choice of a Grecian tunic(束腰外衣) and bare feet, which allowed for a physical freedom that could not be achieved in the traditional ballet costumes and pointed shoes that limited dancers. With time, she gained a very wide following and set up several schools in Europe and the United States.

Duncan’s fame, however, did not bring her wealth. In the later years of her life, her financial situation worsened, and finally she had to live in apartments rented by friends and supporters. Duncan also received criticism for some of her personal opinions.

In spite of the problems, Duncan is remembered today for her artistic achievements: the creation of modern dance and its high place among the arts. While Duncan’s own schools no longer exist, her style of dance continues to be practiced. Her life inspired novels, ballets, and films, and her likeness was included in the sculpture created by Antoine Bourdelle over the entrance of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

1. What does the underlined word “progenitor” Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Sponsor.

B．Originator.

C．Instructor.

D．Competitor.

2. What can we learn about Duncan’s costume choice?

A．It allowed dancers to move naturally and freely.

B．It included newly designed pointed shoes.

C．It was white and extremely simple.

D．It was introduced from Greece.

3. What is the main purpose of the second paragraph?

A．To explore the connection between art and wealth.

B．To characterize Duncan as a dishonorable person.

C．To prove Duncan was adored by friends and relatives.

D．To show Duncan lived a hard life in her declining years.

4. What is Duncan mainly famous for?

A．Her inspiration for artists.	B．The invention of a new-form dance.
C．Her special personal views.	D．The foundation of many dance schools.

5 . It’s happened to all of us: a song comes on the radio, and we are immediately transported back to a time in our past.     1    

There are a few things that connect tunes with our memories. Music is often a necessary element of many important life events, and it is also very effective in arresting our attention.     2     Besides, the emotional nature of music helps make it particularly memorable.

We often become familiar with a piece of music because we hear it as background music. The more familiar a piece of music is, the more effective it is in bringing back memories.     3     The reason is that we are far more likely to hear a song over and over again than to watch a film or a TV programme in the same way.

Tiffany Jenkins, writing for a culture column, has a different opinion:     4     She tells us how throughout history oral cultures have passed important knowledge from generation to generation through songs because of this characteristic. The rhythm (韵律) and rhyme in lines of songs all serve as memory aids.

    5     This fact corresponds with what many experts call the “reminiscence bump (怀旧性记忆)”, where older adults (over forty) have increased recollection of events that occurred during their adolescence and early adulthood.

It’s clear that our memories and music are closely linked — to the point that music is being used to help Alzheimer’s disease sufferers access memories that they thought they had lost.

A．Familiarity is important.

B．Music itself is easy to remember.

C．But what makes music so effective in doing this?

D．Our musical preference usually forms during our teens.

E．This applies to music more than other cultural products.

F．Pop music especially can be connected with an important memory.

G．Music and these life events are likely to be linked together in our memories.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Driven by a great passion for guqin,     1     is an ancient Chinese instrument, Li Xiangting, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing     2     (devote) nearly 70 years to mastering and promoting it since his first encounter with it.

In 1958, Li became the only gugin major in the Traditional Chinese Instruments Department. Given that guqin was     3     (relative) unknown, Li was often ignored. Everyone considered it out of date,     4     he thought it deserved an important position and was determined to make it     5     (appreciate) by everyone.

In order to introduce it     6     a global audience, Li innovated while honoring the instrument’s rich traditions. Later, he also produced teaching videos,     7     (publish) books, and released albums, significantly boosting the instrument’s     8     (popular).

In the following years, more enthusiasts and musicians like Li worked on the art. With     9     (they) efforts, the UNESCO recognized the art as an intangible (非物质的) heritage of humanity in 2003. Moreover, his daughter, Li Pengpeng, has followed in her father’s footsteps,     10     (serve) as an ambassador in promoting traditional Chinese culture.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Playing an instrument or singing in a choir may boost your brain. For generations, parents     1     (encourage) their children to practice playing musical instruments. Parents have good reason to prioritize their children’s musical education. Learning an instrument is not only associated with     2     (good) educational attainment but also with improved cognitive (认知的) abilities and intelligence (智力) scores in children.

The results of a recent study     3     (investigate) this question showed that musical people had better memory and the ability to stay     4     (focus) on tasks than those with less or no musicality.

However,     5     made a difference among those who played an instrument was whether they continued to play     6     had only played in the past. Current amateur musicians exhibited the highest cognitive performance among participants.

Continued engagement     7     cognitively stimulating activities, like playing an instrument, is likely     8     (lead) to sustained brain health. In contrast, playing the recorder for only three years in primary school may not     9     (significant) impact our cognitive performance later in life.

Given the overall benefits of learning an instrument or participating in a choir, engaging in such a cognitive     10     (stimulate) as we age could be beneficial.

8 . The Music Educator Award, this year, went to Annie Ray, an orchestra(管弦乐队)director at Annandale High School.She was recognized for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities.Ray got to attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles and bring home a $10,000 prize.

Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra for students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a parent orchestra that teaches nearly 200 caregivers a year to play the same instrument as their child.Ray also works with a local charity to give damaged instruments a second life in her classroom.

The orchestra is about much more than just making music.The most important is to give students a chance to develop their cooperation skills, make mistakes and learn the art of refining something.Ray pushes her students to be brave, go outside their comfort zone and realize they have to learn how to make bad sounds before learning how to make good sounds.And they teach her a lot in return.” They changed my educational philosophy.I understand what it truly means to meet a student where they’re at and apply that elsewhere,” she said.

The warm reception on the ceremony was meaningful.Actually, not many people understand what exactly music educators do or how much their work matters.While her administration is supportive, that lack of understanding is a problem facing the profession in general.Another is resources.She says her school “desperately” needs new instruments.She will use some of her prize money to buy more.

Ray also plans to put some of the money towards an ongoing scholarship for students who want to pursue music when they graduate.She knows of several, those particularly interested in music, and aims to offer financial support needed to realize their musical dreams” It is hard but truly satisfying,” Ray said.“And there’s nothing else like it for them.”

1. What can we learn about Ray from the first two paragraphs?

A．She hosted the award ceremony.	B．She brought music to more people.
C．She gave away instruments to the poor.	D．She founded a local charity for children.

2. What do students benefit most from the orchestra?

A．They acquire in-depth musical knowledge.	B．They make friends with the like-minded.
C．They gain personal growth from playing music.	D．They improve their connections with educators.

3. What is paragraph 4 of the text mainly about?

A．The reception on the ceremony.	B．Importance of music education.
C．Challenges for music educators.	D．Plans to obtain resources.

4. What does Ray find satisfying according to the last paragraph?

A．Winning a scholarship.	B．Developing interest in music.
C．Making musical achievements.	D．Transforming dreams into reality.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the record called The Hard Way?

A．The music was hard to play.

B．Peter named it without any meaning.

C．It reflects Peter’s performing career.

2. Where did Peter perform at first in London?

A．In the halls.

B．On the streets.

C．In the bars.

3. Which style of music does the record feature?

A．Jazz.

B．Pop.

C．Blues.

4. In which country will the tour end?

A．France.

B．The UK.

C．The US.