1 . Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the music arts are________ at the bottom of the list. Too often, music is viewed as mere entertainment, but certainly not an education which should be first emphasized. This view is________. In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.

Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it ________ their thinking and values, as well as the social________ it came from. Rock music________ a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American________ it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity（身份，同一性）as a society.

Music provides a kind of feeling cannot be________ any other way________ can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotional meaning of the same phenomenon（现象）. We need every possible way to discover and________ to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.

The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific symbols. They are ways we human being "talk" to each other. They are the________ of civilization（ 文 明 ）through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be________ others. When we do not give children________ to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we________ from them the meanings that music expresses.

Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The________ do. Music is an important way we express the meaning and value of peace and love.

So music education is far more________ than people seems to realize.

1.

A．similarly

B．doubtfully

C．unavoidably

D．unexpectedly

2.

A．respectful

B．shortsighted

C．reasonable

D．instructive

3.

A．conveys

B．attempts

C．shifts

D．changes

4.

A．structure

B．benefit

C．content

D．environment

5.

A．calls on

B．stands for

C．makes up

D．looks through

6.

A．though

B．so

C．because

D．that

7.

A．acquired

B．understood

C．occupied

D．noticed

8.

A．Music

B．Entertainment

C．Mathematics

D．Science

9.

A．stick

B．turn

C．lead

D．react

10.

A．means

B．languages

C．features

D．achievements

11.

A．compared with

B．exposed to

C．shared with

D．drawn from

12.

A．solution

B．access

C．entrance

D．direction

13.

A．take away

B．set aside

C．draw up

D．work out

14.

A．musicians

B．teachers

C．courses

D．arts

15.

A．enjoyable

B．wasteful

C．necessary

D．negative

2 . 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

2. The words "covered in complete darkness" underlined in Paragraph 1 most probably mean ______.

A．difficult to be made	B．without any light
C．black in color	D．not known

3. Most people seem to think that a composer_______.

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

4. The author will most probably agree that composers_______.

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

3 . There have been many great violinists but none could hold a candle to Kuznetsov, a miraculous young Russian. On his emergence while still in his teens, his playing was filled with timeless wisdom beyond his years; he now holds the stage with immense authority. So it comes no surprise that he is about to add a new string to his bow. When he performs with the English Chamber Orchestra, it will be as both soloist(独奏者) and conductor. “It’s something I’ve often thought about,” he says.

Other musicians who have traded the bow or piano for the baton(指挥棒) have failed; the transition is not easy, of which he is aware. “The most crucial thing is the human chemistry between conductor and players. You must avoid at all costs being an outsider, as though saying to the orchestra,‘You make your music while I imagine mine. ’”

He is quite relaxed about not yet having his own hand-language---every conductor is different. Kuznetsov believes the connection between notes is not just physical, but also spiritual. Spiritually is, for Kuznetsov, the conductor’s key characteristic. “And it should ideally be expressed through beauty of movement,” he says. Some conductors throw themselves about, others hardly move a muscle. Where will Kuznetsov fit on that scale? “We must wait and see,” he says.

Kuznetsov himself moved straight as an arrow toward his goal. His father was an oboist(双簧管演奏者) and his mother conducted a choir, but at the age of four, young Leonid settled on the violin. “The violin is located at the front of the orchestra. It seemed very desirable to sit there and show off.” He gave his first concert at the age of five. “When I went on stage, I bowed so deeply and so long that the audience laughed---but I knew that this was what great artists always did. I felt it was an honour for the audience to listen to me.” His programme that day included Paganini variations, “which were very easy for me”.

What is his view now of the recordings he made at that age? “I didn’t have the technique I have now but across the years the intuition has not changed. I still feel every time I go on stage as though I’m newborn.”

Kuznetsov cautiously paces his own development. He didn’t give his first performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto until he felt ready for it, and he’ll let Bach’s works stay in his mind for some years.

One of Kuznetsov’s admirers wonders whether he is in danger of not hanging onto “the fearlessness of youth”. On the evidence of Kuznetsov’s bravely assured new interpretation of the Brahms Concerto, which he plays on a new CD release, I’d say that his fearlessness is in no danger yet.

1. Kuznetsov thinks ________ is most important in conducting.

A．the players’ recognition of the conductor

B．the understanding between the conductor and the orchestra

C．whether the conductor has cooperated with the players before

D．the conductor’s and the orchestra’s knowledge of the composition

2. What can be learned about Kuznetsov from the passage?

A．He isn’t as enthusiastic as before about the violin.

B．He was confident while giving his first concert.

C．He didn’t start to play the violin until five.

D．He plans to give Bach’s works a try first.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．It’s easy for piano or violin players to become conductors.

B．Violin players are usually those who like to show off in an orchestra.

C．The writer thinks highly of Kuznetsov’s performance as a conductor.

D．Kuznetsov hasn’t decided which conductor’s hand-language to follow.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A violinist’s understanding of music.

B．Kuznetsov’s efforts that have led to his success.

C．A violinist’s new attempts in his musical ambitions.

D．Kuznetsov’s insight into how techniques matter in performance.

4 . Music produces profound and lasting changes in the brain. Schools should add classes, not cut them. Nearly 20 years ago a small study advanced the _____________ that listening to Mozart’s Sonata could boost mental functioning. It was not long _____________ trademarked “Mozart effect” products appealed to anxious parents aiming to put toddlers (刚学步的孩子) on the fast track to the famous universities like Harvard and Yale. Georgia’s governor even ___________ giving every newborn there a classical CD or cassette.

The ___________ for Mozart therapy turned out to be weak, perhaps nonexistent, although the _____________ study never claimed anything more than a temporary and limited effect. In recent years, ___________, scientists have examined the benefits of a continuous effort to study and practice music, as opposed to playing a Mozart CD or a computer-based “brain fitness” game ___________ in a while.

Advanced monitoring ___________ have enabled scientists to see what happens inside your head when you listen to your mother and actually practice the violin for an hour every afternoon. And they have found that music ___________ can produce profound and lasting changes that ____________ the general ability to learn. These results should ____________ public officials that music classes are not a mere decoration, ready for being given up in the budget crises that constantly troubles public schools.

Studies have shown ______________ instrument training from an early age can help the brain to ______________ sounds better, making it ____________ to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to mathematics. The musically experienced are better able to ________________ a biology lesson despite the noise in the classroom or, a few years later, to finish a call with a client when a colleague in the next office starts screaming at a subordinate (下属). They can be engaged in several things at once, which is an essential skill in this era of multitasking.

1.

A．notice

B．note

C．idea

D．impression

2.

A．that

B．until

C．since

D．before

3.

A．proposed

B．pushed

C．submitted

D．subjected

4.

A．witness

B．evidence

C．symptom

D．context

5.

A．recent

B．advanced

C．original

D．latest

6.

A．however

B．moreover

C．then

D．therefore

7.

A．quite

B．once

C．often

D．much

8.

A．management

B．techniques

C．information

D．skills

9.

A．subjects

B．models

C．causes

D．lessons

10.

A．enhance

B．introduce

C．ensure

D．instruct

11.

A．convey

B．convince

C．communication

D．conclude

12.

A．urgent

B．casual

C．diligent

D．occasional

13.

A．proceed

B．process

C．prefer

D．predict

14.

A．easier

B．harder

C．tougher

D．faster

15.

A．count on

B．concentrate on

C．insist on

D．depend on

5 . Directions:Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
为迎接校庆，学校将举行班级集体舞比赛 (group dancing competition)，班长希望大家积极参加。请谈谈你是否会参加比赛以及你做出该决定的具体理由。
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Should you listen to music when you work?

Do you like to listen to music when you work?

Ask this question at a party, and you’ll probably get _________ responses. Some will say they love it, claiming that it improves their performance; others will say they find it distracting (分散注意力的) and cannot work _________ with music playing in the background.

Interestingly enough, our research has found that both of these viewpoints can be true. It just _________ on what sort of work you’re doing.

In a recent study, we brought participants into our lab to perform a variety of tasks. They included a(n) _________ task-searching through word lists and crossing out words containing the letter “a” and a more difficult task—memorizing word pairs and _________ word to its partner. Some participants completed all of the tasks in silence, _________ others completed the tasks with instrumental music that was cither loud or soft, and either simple or complex, the latter meaning music with more instruments being played. Several key findings _________ from our study.

We found that participants who listened to simple music or no music performed about the same on the easy task. However, participants who listened to _________ music performed best on the easy task.

On the contrary, participants performed worse on the more difficult task when they listened to any music, regardless of complexity or volume, compared to those who didn’t listen to any music.

How should we _________ these findings?

We suggest that people have limited mental resources from which both __________ and tasks can draw. We can become __________ and our minds may wander when these resources are not fully used. But we also can become over-excited and __________ when these resources are used up.

Not surprisingly, we typically need to use fewer of our mental resources when we perform easy tasks, whereas demanding tasks require more brainpower. However, because we might be less __________ during easier tasks, there’s a greater risk of drifting off. Music might give us the extra __________ we need to overcome the monotony (单调). However, difficult tasks already demand lot of our resources. Listening to music can become too much.

So best __________ should appear when we strike “sweet spot,” which may depend on the type of music and the type of task.

1.

A．fixed

B．similar

C．various

D．positive

2.

A．effectively

B．immediately

C．exactly

D．happily

3.

A．depends

B．focuses

C．carries

D．takes

4.

A．unpleasant

B．familiar

C．impossible

D．easy

5.

A．matching

B．realizing

C．suggesting

D．creating

6.

A．until

B．while

C．since

D．when

7.

A．faded

B．appeared

C．survived

D．responded

8.

A．dull

B．reliable

C．necessary

D．complex

9.

A．make up for

B．make out

C．make use of

D．make up

10.

A．music

B．work

C．study

D．culture

11.

A．surprised

B．bored

C．afraid

D．proud

12.

A．interested

B．distracted

C．attracted

D．worried

13.

A．disgusted

B．embarrassed

C．frightened

D．engaged

14.

A．obstacle

B．push

C．opportunity

D．rule

15.

A．action

B．program

C．performance

D．problem

7 . 读下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题
1. What is most probably the man?

A．A biologist.	B．A psychologist.
C．An artist.	D．A reporter.

2. What does the woman’s research show?

A．Talents play a role in children’s overall development.

B．Typical parental involvement is not as important as we thought in children’s intellectual development.

C．Arts training will improve children’s performance in other subjects.

D．Children need to be assigned to different groups according to their ability.

3. Which of the following is true about the woman’s recent research?

A．Its subjects are young children.

B．It shows what skill is essential to math.

C．It illustrates why abstract reasoning is important.

D．Its results help explain why parents turn to arts education.

4. According to the woman, how does music enhance children’s mathematics skills?

A．By helping activate children’s brain.

B．By helping raise educator’s awareness.

C．By helping children learn how to learn.

D．By helping scientists find a rich environment.

8 . 从方框里选择合适的词语的适当形式填空。

A.advisable     B.appreciate     C.encounter D.concert     E.usually AB.earn     AC.transportation AD.love     AE.accessible     BC.independently       BD.mission

The New York subway system is one of the largest in the world, ferrying nearly eight and a half million people around the city every week. Riders find more than    1    below the streets; among the dirt and the screech of the trains,there is also music.The subway system is like a free    2    hall,offering almost every kind of music.

You never know what you might    3    ,depending on the day of the week and the particular station.At a subway platform below Pennsylvania station one afternoon recently,Rawl Mitchell, an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago,was playing the steel drums. He said he's been performing in the subway since the mid-1990s. “The people do    4    the music,"he said."They stand around listening and if it pleases them,they applaud and put their money in the case or whatever.They    5    clap and say things like 'It's nice.' They offer me some positive feedback.”

Singer-songwriter Rosateresa, who often sings on a station at 14th Street, has been at it almost as long.She moved from Puerto Rico to study classical voice several decades ago."My    6    is to sing like the jilguero,a Puerto Rican bird, which wakes up the sun,” said Rosateresa.

Mitchell and Rosateresa both perform    7    ,outside the transit authority's official "Music Under New York” program, which sponsor 150 performances each week, by more than 200 individuals and groups.

Like Rosateresa and Mitchell,Musicians who participate in “Music Under New York"    8    only whatever people choose to give.Opera singers Tom McNichols and Patricia Vital,part of a group called“Opera Collective",said they    9    performing in the subways, though it isn't lucrative. "Music in general is not about money, and 'Music Under New York' is definitely more about making opera     10     than it is about making a living,"McNichols said.

9 . An expert on the effects of music on exercise, Dr Costas Karageorghis, claims that listening to music while running can boost performance by up to 15%. To put this theory to the test, I took part in a special Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon, which had groups of musicians playing at various points along the route.

As I lined up at the start with almost 4,000 other runners, a singer sang an inspiring song for us. It may explain why I got off to a good start. I only came eighth in the end, though, even though I’d just spent six months training hard.     1     However, it turns out that all the training may have affected my response to the music; according to the research, the benefits of listening to music decrease with the level of intensity of the running.

“Elite athletes,” says Karageorghis, “tend to focus inwardly when they are running.” According to him, most other runners look for stimulus and distractions from what is going on around them. “Judging by your time,” he says, “you are one of the former.” It is true. Apart from the song at the start, when I was standing still, I can barely remember the music played along the course. The first act I passed, a folk group, made me smile, and at one point I found myself running in time to the beat of some hard rock.     2     I can’t say they help my performance very much. But what did other runners make of the music?

Adam Bull usually runs marathons with no music and little crowd support. “    3    With the upbeat bands, you find yourself running to the beat, which helps. It brings out people to cheer you on.” Rosie Bradford was also a convert. “As we ran past one band and they started playing These Boots Were Made for Walking, everybody suddenly went faster.”

The only person I found who was less than happy with the music was Lois Lloyd. “There wasn’t enough of it, and I found it wasn’t loud enough, so I ran with an MP3 player,” she said. “    4    ” Karageorghis is not surprised when I tell him. “There are many advantages to using your own player, rather than relying on the music on the course,” he says. “It gives you a constant stimulus, rather than just an occasional one, and you can tailor the playlist to your taste.”

One runner told me there was a direct correlation between the quality of the music on the course and how much it helped. But quality, of course, is subjective. I remember feeling annoyed as I ran past one band playing Keeping On Running.     5    Of course, the music was not only there to help runners break their personal bests (although sadly it was unable to help me beat time), but to provide a sense of occasion, draw out the crowds and create a carnival atmosphere.     6     As I left, people were beginning to relax after the run, listening to an excellent rock band. It was a fitting way to end the day.

A．I need my music all the time.

B．I think they knew why I found the music here so distracting.

C．I enjoyed that for a few moments, but both of them came and went in a flash.

D．Along with some spring sunshine, it certainly achieved that.

E．Someone else, though, may have found it uplifting.

F．I was, in fact, taking my running pretty seriously at that time.

G．The music here has been great for my performance.

10 . Many high achievers credit music with opening up the pathways to creative thinking. And their _______ suggest that music training sharpens other qualities, such as collaboration, the ability to listen, and a way of thinking that weaves together _______.

Will your school music program turn your kid into a Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft (guitar)? Or a Woody Allen (clarinet)? _______. These are singular achievers. But the way these and other visionaries process music is _______. As is the way many of them _______ music’s lessons of focus and discipline to new ways of thinking and communicating—even problem solving.

Look carefully and you’ll find musicians at the top of almost any _______. Woody Allen performs weekly with a jazz band. The television broadcaster Paula Zahn (cello) and the NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd (French horn) attended college on music scholarships. Microsoft’s Mr. Allen has a rock band. Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, played saxophone in high school. Steven Spielberg is a clarinetist and son of a pianist. The former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn has played cello at Carnegie Hall.

“It’s not a(n) _______,” says Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Mr. Greenspan was a professional clarinet and saxophone player. “I can tell you as a statistician, the probability that that is mere chance is _______.” The cautious former Fed chief adds, “That’s all that you can judge about the facts. The crucial question is: why does that _______ exist?”

Paul Allen offers an answer. He says music “reinforces your confidence in the ability to ________.” Mr. Allen began playing the violin at age seven and switched to the guitar as a teenager. Even in the early days of Microsoft, he would pick up his guitar at the end of marathon days of programming. The music was the emotional analog to his ________, with each channeling a different type of creative impulse. ________, there is “something pushing you to ________ what currently exists and express yourself in a new way,” he says.

The veteran advertising executive Steve Hayden ________ his background as a cellist for his most famous work, the Apple “1984” commercial depicting rebellion against a dictator. He adds that his cello performance background helps him work ________: “Ensemble playing trains you, quite literally, to play well with others, to know when to solo and when to follow.”

1.

A．rules

B．reports

C．commitments

D．experiences

2.

A．people

B．ideas

C．enemies

D．arguments

3.

A．Probably not

B．You bet

C．It depends

D．Very likely

4.

A．odd

B．threatening

C．intriguing

D．shocking

5.

A．reduce

B．apply

C．switch

D．leave

6.

A．branch

B．culture

C．industry

D．country

7.

A．problem

B．evidence

C．coincidence

D．clue

8.

A．extremely low

B．unusually high

C．incredibly mysterious

D．highly relevant

9.

A．example

B．connection

C．solution

D．demand

10.

A．listen

B．create

C．program

D．dominate

11.

A．project

B．pastime

C．addiction

D．day job

12.

A．In both

B．On the other hand

C．By contrast

D．For example

13.

A．go over

B．look beyond

C．stick with

D．give in to

14.

A．credits

B．describes

C．criticizes

D．regards

15.

A．independently

B．intuitively

C．collaboratively

D．skillfully