1 . 读后续写

Emily White was born seventeen years ago with so many birth problems in her body. Some of her organs, bones and muscles were out of shape. No one expected her to survive. She did make it but with her strange body figure, everyone could recognize her, even from a distance.

In Emily White’s hometown, there was a yearly outdoor performance in the school auditorium (大礼堂). It had been performed for so many years and actually had become one of the most important events of the Christmas season for many of the town’s people.

Many people tried out each year for it, but so many were turned away. It can only include the most excellent people in the field.

Emily had a beautiful singing voice. Last year she went to Mrs. Owens — her music teacher to ask to join in the performance. Without letting her sing, Mrs. Owens took a look at Amy’s body and said, “Child, you just don’t fit. Everyone would stare at you and that would make you uncomfortable. It would make them uncomfortable, too.”

Without singing a single note, Emily was sent back through the door of the choral room. Hurt and upset, she decided never to try out again. But Mrs. Owens then retired.

This year, there came a new music teacher, Mr. Buttler. He heard about Emily and suggested that she have a try.

Emily didn’t want to be rejected again, so she hesitated a little about it. As Emily struggled, the door was pushed open and Mr. Buttler called, “Emily, you’re next.” Although kind of nervous, Emily did as Mr. Buttler told her to do. Mr. Buttler sat by the piano to keep Emily company. When Emily finished her testing performance, she thanked Mr. Buttler and knew the result would be posted on the door of the choral room the next day.

Emily couldn’t sleep that night. She was suffering from the feelings that she didn’t fit and the great need to be accepted. By the next morning, her stomach was even in pain because of stress.

注意：续写词数应为150左右

Paragraph 1: The next day, Emily nervously glanced at the list on the door of the choral room.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2: Finally, the day of performance came.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 . I once received an invitation to attend a presentation at the Kentucky School. On that very evening I found ________ had amazing power to change our attitude and our life.

The young musician Mr. Patrick was ________ onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His fingers ________ across the keys as if he made beautiful music himself. He then began to sing as he played, and it was wonderful. But what shocked me ________ was his magic smile．

Mr. Patrick was born with no eyes and an illness in the ________, which left him lame for life. However, as a child, he was________ with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he _________ the piano. When his mom hit any note on the piano, and within one or two ________, he’d get it. By his second birthday, he was playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. His father was overjoyed. “We _________ not play baseball, but we can play music together.”

When Patrick was at the University of Louisville, his father ________ classes with him. He was also a part of the 214-member marching band! He was a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father did it together. His father ________ the night shift in order to accompany his daytime band practice. Patrick says, “Dad is my ________.”

But even more than his ________ musical talent, it was Patrick’s “attitude of gratitude” that ________ my soul. On stage, between songs, he talked to the audience about his life and about how ________ he was with a great father. When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and ________ for over five minutes.

We all face misfortune in our lives. ________, it’s not the hardship but how we ________ to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives. During ________ times, do we spend too much time feeling ________ for ourselves, or can we, with gratitude, learn how to dance in the rain?

1.

A．interest

B．gratitude

C．confidence

D．devotion

2.

A．rolled

B．pulled

C．carried

D．dragged

3.

A．moved

B．knocked

C．danced

D．hit

4.

A．more

B．much

C．better

D．most

5.

A．arms

B．legs

C．fingers

D．ears

6.

A．equipped

B．connected

C．associated

D．combined

7.

A．saw

B．played

C．discovered

D．made

8.

A．keys

B．words

C．notes

D．tries

9.

A．need

B．may

C．must

D．should

10.

A．gave

B．found

C．attended

D．organized

11.

A．worked

B．stayed

C．refused

D．canceled

12.

A．player

B．life

C．soul

D．hero

13.

A．unforgettable

B．unbelievable

C．unremarkable

D．unpredictable

14.

A．learned

B．controlled

C．freed

D．touched

15.

A．pleased

B．blessed

C．concerned

D．embarrassed

16.

A．cheered

B．whispered

C．shouted

D．talked

17.

A．Therefore

B．Thus

C．However

D．Furthermore

18.

A．appeal

B．compare

C．react

D．apply

19.

A．tough

B．modern

C．pleasant

D．happy

20.

A．great

B．proud

C．wrong

D．sorry

3 . From Mozart to pop music, tons of people enjoy listening to different types of music while they paint, write or draw. Many believe that music helps improve creativity. But an international study by a group of psychologists is challenging that viewpoint.     1    

To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal (文字的) problems designed to inspire creativity while sitting in a quiet room.     2     They found that background music significantly hurt the participants’ ability to complete tasks associated with verbal creativity.

The tasks were simple word games.     3     Then, they were asked to find a single word associated with all three that could be combined to form a common phrase or word. Participants completed the tasks in either a quiet room, or while exposed to three different types of music: music with unfamiliar lines, instrumental music, or music with familiar lines.

Dr. Melatchie and his colleagues conclude that music interferes with (干扰) the verbal working memory of the brain.     4     However, some may argue that the library background noises have seemingly no effect. The researchers explain that is because library noises create an environment of steady state that doesn’t interrupt concentration.

“    5     Instead, they demonstrate that music, regardless of the presence of its content, consistently interrupts creative performance in insight problem solving,” the study reads.

A．And this in turn holds back creativity.

B．It has something to do with the positive reaction.

C．They say that their findings indicate music actually blocks creativity.

D．Then again, they were tested while music was played in the background.

E．Before the experiment, the participants didn’t study the music they would listen.

F．For example, participants were given three words, such as dress, dial, and flower.

G．To conclude, the findings here challenge the popular view that music builds up creativity.

4 . Have you ever found yourself in this situation: You hear a song you used to sing when you were a child — a bit of nostalgia (怀旧) or “blast from the past”, as we say. But it is not a distant childhood memory. The words come back to you as clearly as when you sang them all those years ago.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied the relationship between music and remembering a foreign language. They found that remembering words in a song was the best way to remember even one of the most difficult languages.

Here is what they did. Researchers took 60 adults and randomly divided them into three groups of 20. Then they gave the groups three different types of “listen-and-repeat” learning conditions. Researchers had one group simply speak the words. They had the second group speak the words to a rhythm, or beat. And they asked the third group to sing the words.

All three groups studied words from the Hungarian language for 15 minutes. Then they took part in a series of language tests to see what they remembered.

Why Hungarian, you ask? Researchers said they chose Hungarian because not many people know the language. It does not share any roots with Germanic or Romance languages, such as Italian or Spanish. After the tests were over, the singers came out on top. The people who learned these new Hungarian words by singing them showed a higher overall performance. They did the best in four out of five of the tests. They also performed two times better than those who simply learned the words by speaking them.

Dr. Katie Overy says singing could lead to new ways to learn a foreign language. The brain likes to remember things when they are contained in a catchy 3, or memorable 4, tune 5.

Dr. Ludke said the findings could help those who struggle to learn foreign languages. On the University of Edinburgh's website Dr. Ludke writes, “This study provides the first experimental evidence that a listen-and-repeat singing method can support foreign language learning, and opens the door for future research in this area.”

1. The “song” mentioned in the first paragraph is intended to _________.

A．recall the past	B．attract the readers
C．introduce the topic	D．compare the childhood with the present

2. According to the passage which language doesn't share the same root with Germanic or Romance languages?

A．Hungarian.	B．Spanish.
C．Italian.	D．German.

3. Based on the last two paragraphs, we can conclude that _________.

A．singing is the best way to learn a language

B．the brain probably works best when the foreign language learners sing the words

C．a listen-repeat method is very effective for any language learner

D．Dr. Katie Overy and Dr. Ludke disagree with each other

4. In which situation can the finding of the research be applied?

A．A mother is going to teach her baby how to speak.

B．A child is going to have his first music lesson.

C．A student is going to learn a new English song.

D．An American is going to learn some Chinese.

5 . 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。

Hip hop is getting its very own museum in its birthplace in New York State. The Bronx, the permanent home of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, set to open in 2023, is    1     (celebrate) the history of hip hop, which was created by    2     (Africa)Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans.

Rocky Bucano is the museum's director. He noted that until now there hasn't been a physical place that is devoted to     3     (preserve) hip hop history and culture. He said that the museum started as     4    idea about eight years ago when some hip hop singers hoped the stories of hip hop could be     5     (accurate) told and passed down.

When the museum     6     ( finish) , the 5, 570-square-meter space will have interactive (互动的)exhibits, live shows, film screenings and conferences. One room will have a high-tech console(控制 台 )     7    interactive characteristic will take visitors on a hip hop history trip based on their reactions    8    different characters in a game.

The exhibits will include hip pop    9     ( music)Kurtis Blow's original beatbox machine, and the first and second rap    10     ( record)ever released.

6 . 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

7 . Do you have difficulty falling asleep at night? If so, here is a piece of advice for you：listen to some soft music.

    1     . This works for sleepers of all ages，and even for those with sleeping problems. Soft music can help us fall asleep faster，wake up less during the night and feel more rested in the morning. You may not notice the effects overnight，though.     2     .

Why can soft music help us sleep better?The reasons aren’t clear yet. It may have something to do with the relaxing effect of a good song. Music can have real physical effects，too. Soft music can lower our heart rate and slow down our breathing.     3     .

Scientists say that for most people，music that has 70 beats per minute works best.     4     . Familiar songs work well，too. You may need to experiment to make your own playlists. If you are not sure how many heats a song has in a minute，you can find out by entering its title into songbpm. com. And remember to get the volume right.     5    . Otherwise，you may be woken up by the sudden silence.

It is very important to get enough high-quality sleep. Before you go to bed tonight，play some soft music. Then，just prepare to be rocked off to dreamland!

A．This prepares us for sleep

B．Make sure that the final piece is one that slowly fades out

C．It would take as many as three weeks to see any improvements

D．Therelore，folk music is something that anyone can understand

E．Classical，jazz and folk music are usually more effective than other musical styles

F．Scientists have found that soft music can help to improve sleep quality and quantity

G．Music plays a more important role in our life than just being a source of entertainment

8 . Music makes you more creative.    1    , they come up with more creative solutions, according to researchers. It may be because music improves your brain’s flexibility. Another reason may be that it relaxes you enough for the creative juices to flow. But don’t play music   too loudly.

Music can help during surgery.     2    . After surgery, it helps reduce pain. An analysis   of 73 studies confirmed that listening to music before, during or after surgery reduces anxiety and pain levels, which in turn means less pain medication.

    3     Studies have found that when you’re running, biking or walking, you’ll go farther with music on. Music relieves your discomfort and motivates you to stay on. The effect is so obviously great that the author of a review examining the psychological effects of music   on exercise called music “a type of legal performance-improvement drug”.

Music aids sleep. Listening to music before bed can help you fall asleep faster and wake up less often during the night.     4    . In one study, seniors with sleep problems who listened   to 45 minutes of soft slow music before bed reported a 35 percent improvement in their sleep.

Music gets you to ignore the passing of time. Scientists have shown repeatedly that people judge a period of waiting shorter when music is playing. Businessmen use that to their advantage, playing music so you stay longer and spend more. For instance, more drinks and food are sold in bars and restaurants when music is played.     5    , grocery sales increase by 38 percent.

A．In this case, you’ll feel more relaxed in the morning

B．And if the background music is slow

C．Then you play a piece of brief music

D．When people listen to happy music than when they sit in silence

E．When music is played varying from a tune to another

F．Music makes you get rid of the idea of quitting a workout

G．Listening to music before surgery has been shown to ease anxiety

9 . Music for Life Learning music is important for the educational and personal development of young people!

Learning an instrument: how do pupils choose?

All our teachers are highly qualified and experienced musicians, and pupils can learn to play a wide range of instruments, from the keyboard to the drums(鼓). We have open days when new pupils who are unsure which instrument to choose can come to the centre. They are able to speak to teachers about which instrument might be best for them, and they can also see and hear classes in action.

Who is responsible for buying the instruments?

Parents usually have to provide instruments. But parents of beginners are advised not to buy an instrument until they are told that a place is available. They should also find out from the teacher the most suitable type of instrument to get.

When and where do lessons take place?

Lessons are available in many schools, usually during the day. If there is no lesson available for a particular instrument in a particular school, other arrangements can be made at one of our music centres for lessons on Saturday afternoons or weekday evenings.

How are pupils taught?

Pupils can learn in small groups, in classes or individually, depending on their needs. Small groups of three pupils have lessons that last thirty minutes. Class lessons last forty-five minutes and have at least ten pupils. Individual lessons are offered only to pupils who have some experience.

Starting young: when can pupils begin?

Children are never too young to become interested in music. We have special “Musical Youth” classes for children from the age of 3 to 8. These are designed to encourage young children to enjoy music through a variety of activities including singing, musical games, listening and movement. “Musical Youth” classes take place on Saturday mornings with groups of about 18 children. A parent or other adult must attend each session, and they are encouraged to sit with their children and help them with the activities.

1. What can we learn from the passage?

A．New pupils can see classes on an open day.

B．Pupils can learn special instruments on Sundays.

C．Parents must accompany pupils during the learning process.

D．Teachers at the centre can provide the right instruments for pupils.

2. What is the best choice for children with some experience?

A．Lessons for groups of ten.	B．Individual lessons.
C．Lessons for small groups of three.	D．Special “Musical Youth” classes.

3. The passage is intended for _____.

A．teachers	B．parents
C．musicians	D．pupils

10 . One of the most popular beliefs in parenting is the so﹣called Mozart effect， which says that listening to music by the Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart can increase a child's intelligence． Some pregnant women have even gone so far as to play Mozart recordings on headphones pressed against their bellies． And it's not hard to see how Mozart's name became associated with accelerated development． He was history's greatest child genius， performing astonishing music for kings and queens at an age when many of us were content with tuneless singing "I'm a Little Teapot"．

So， if you have kids or you're expecting to have them， how seriously should you take the Mozart effect？ Will the child who doesn't listen to Mozart in the cradle （摇篮） be limited to an ordinary life？ Are you a bad parent if your kids don't know about any works of Mozart？

Relax． There is no scientific evidence that listening to Mozart improves children's cognitive abilities． The whole idea comes from a small study done in 1993， which found that college students who listened to Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major （K 448）showed some improvement in a test of spatial （空间的） skills． This finding was later described as something extremely amazing by a musician， Don Campbell， in a book． Campbell's claims about the super powers of Mozart's music were repeated endlessly in the media and fueled a craze for Mozart﹣based enrichment activities． In 1998， for example， the governor of Georgia in the USA requested funds to send classical﹣music CDs to all parents of newborns in the state．

Since then， scientists have examined the claim that Mozart increases intelligence and found no evidence for it． The original experiment with college students was reviewed in 1999， and the increase in the students' spatial skills was found to be negligible． In 2007 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research asked a team of experts to examine the scientific literature regarding Mozart and child development， and they found no reason to believe that it increased intelligence．

1. People relate Mozart to children's intelligence development because he　 　．

A．owned extraordinary music talent.

B．could perform music as a child.

C．offered music to pregnant women.

D．was an royal Austrian composer.

2. What can we know about the small study in 1993？

A．It added to the popularity of Mozart's music．

B．It found no evidence for supporting Mozart effect．

C．It helped college students make academic progress．

D．It urged Georgia's governor to spread classical music．

3. What does the underlined word "negligible" probably mean？

A．Sudden．

B．Insignificant．

C．Average．

D．Steady．

4. What can be the best title for the text？

A．New Findings： Mozart Effect to Be Proved.

B．Secrets Uncovered： History of Mozart Effect.

C．Does Listening to Mozart Make Kids Smarter？

D．How Does Mozart Improve Kids' Intelligence？