1 . I remember that it was a fall morning when the orchestra (管弦乐队) teachers came into Miss Newell’s third-grade classroom. “You have hands for the viola (中提琴),” Miss Ciano told me. I was excited because my hands were finally good for something. I told my parents I wanted to play, and naturally, they agreed.
Since I first touched the viola, I haven’t been able to put it down. Ignoring the difficulty, I am pulled closer to it each day.
Classical music is truly my best friend. It is the trusted friend of every man, woman and child. Various feelings are expressed in classical music. I discovered that when I was eleven and played a cello concerto (大提琴协奏曲) of Bach in a competition, the first movement was joyful, but the second movement was mysterious and full of pain. From the piece, I learned that music expresses not only feelings, but also sudden mood changes. By listening to classical music, I know that someone else shares these feelings. Since I am lucky enough to be able to play classical music, I am comforted by it when I am upset. It gives me a way to escape from my problems for a short period. Classical music can express my joy, sadness and anger.
Now look back at that fall day in the third grade and think how gullible I was for believing that anyone, even music teachers, could tell whether hands were perfect for a certain instrument. I’m certain they told me I had “ viola hands” not because they were fortune-tellers (算命师), but because there was a lack of violists in our district. Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it will become your friend for life.
1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the first and second paragraphs?| A．To introduce an interesting musical class. |
| B．To offer the evidence of her gift for music. |
| C．To show the importance of proper guide. |
| D．To tell the power of support from parents. |
| A．By developing social skills. | B．By improving mental health. |
| C．By broadening life experience. | D．By building close relationship. |
| A．Easily tricked. | B．Firmly loved. |
| C．Greatly challenged. | D．Secretly hidden. |
| A．Special event, sweet memory. | B．Classical music, endless friendship |
| C．Lifetime dream, great effort. | D．Happy childhood, unforgotten experience. |
2 . My husband and I are both musicians. I took it
In 2000 Holly fell ill and the doctor said she may have been left
In 2001,her right ear was fitted with a cochlear implant—electronic equipment that provides a sense of
“Holly will hear music,” I
When she
I
I feel proud of her. I was determined that her life would not be
| A．as | B．with | C．for | D．off |
| A．film | B．game | C．ball | D．instrument |
| A．partly | B．completely | C．deeply | D．slightly |
| A．sing | B．learn | C．hear | D．perform |
| A．sound | B．voice | C．music | D．noise |
| A．right | B．good | C．deaf | D．left |
| A．although | B．even if | C．because | D．unless |
| A．avoided | B．kept | C．liked | D．remembered |
| A．repeated | B．responded | C．reacted | D．reminded |
| A．suffering | B．improving | C．crying | D．complaining |
| A．entered | B．visited | C．formed | D．left |
| A．head | B．heart | C．body | D．brain |
| A．considered | B．involved | C．covered | D．contained |
| A．remind | B．forget | C．advise | D．believe |
| A．as | B．while | C．whether | D．how |
| A．points | B．situations | C．places | D．positions |
| A．sense | B．fun | C．use | D．choice |
| A．exactly | B．generally | C．simply | D．finally |
| A．specified | B．judged | C．remarked | D．defined |
| A．achieve | B．expect | C．take | D．choose |
3 . What do you think of 80s pop music? Do the names George Michael, Madonna and Michael Jackson sound familiar? Well, these are just some of the names that were well-known in the music scene of the 80s and early 90s. The 80s pop music scene was an important step to the popularity (普及) of present-day music. A new wave in the music scene was introduced, which made such music styles as punk rock, rap music and the MTV popular. Although it was an end to the old 60s and 70s styles, it was also the beginning of something big. The popularity of music videos meant that artists now replaced their guitar-based music with visual displays. A new wave of artists came on the scene and the entire industry developed quickly.
The most famous 80s pop music video is Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Introduced in 1982, few people can forget the video not only because of its never-be-foreseen images, but also because of the popularity it received. Think of how 80s pop music changed the lives of people who grew up in the 80s. Ask a young man today to tell you the names of the “New Kids on the Block” and he will start talking about the neighbor kids who just moved in. These are not the answers you might have heard in the 80s. Though today’s young men do not recognize how cool 80s pop music was, most people will always remember it for what it was and these are happy memories they will always love.
Some of the 80s pop music legends (传奇人物) include Madonna, U2, AeroSmith and of course the King of Pop Michael Jackson. Let’s not forget Prince, Tina Turner, Phil Collins and Motown’s Lionel Ritchie. Some of these musicians played music that has stood the test of time. Undoubtedly, the 80s pop music scene will live on for many more years to come.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The characters of 80s pop music. | B．What made 80s pop music popular. |
| C．80s pop music’s steps to popularity. | D．The effects of 80s pop music. |
| A．guitar-based music | B．the MTV | C．rap music | D．punk rock |
| A．it changed the lives of people | B．he sang it in a special style |
| C．it was made into a music video | D．it left people with happy memories |
| A．80s pop music is and will remain popular | B．80s pop music has many faults |
| C．80s pop music is now out of date | D．we shouldn’t forget the great musicians of the 80s |
Have you ever dreamed about being well-known
5 . A nurse’s attempt to brighten one of her patient’s spirit through music has gone viral.
Alex Collazo is a nurse for Penn Pennington, a 67-year-old longtime musician who is
Shortly after arriving, the musician--who, for the past 30 years, has
“I admitted him to the hospital and we got to
Pennington told the nurse about his
On Sunday, Pennington was feeling
The 67-year-old called the
This is what people in the
| A．targeting | B．studying | C．battling | D．reporting |
| A．temporary | B．severe | C．stable | D．familiar |
| A．incomes | B．levels | C．voices | D．spirits |
| A．played | B．struck | C．hidden | D．stared |
| A．saved | B．doubted | C．met | D．recognized |
| A．training | B．talking | C．waiting | D．wondering |
| A．strange | B．real | C．right | D．down |
| A．love | B．evidence | C．standard | D．excuse |
| A．frankly | B．fortunately | C．specifically | D．suddenly |
| A．bring in | B．turn to | C．point at | D．deal with |
| A．guilty | B．free | C．tired | D．well |
| A．created | B．picked | C．heard | D．bought |
| A．performance | B．adventure | C．competition | D．interview |
| A．reasons | B．purposes | C．rules | D．comments |
| A．discovery | B．moment | C．delay | D．reward |
| A．punctually | B．inadequately | C．automatically | D．economically |
| A．basic | B．great | C．wild | D．tough |
| A．imagine | B．prove | C．forget | D．admit |
| A．sports | B．education | C．arts | D．health |
| A．sympathy | B．trust | C．judgement | D．curiosity |
6 . Top Music Festivals
The festival season is just kicking off, and there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months.
Pitchfork Music Festival
Anyone who likes indie (独立的) music and up-and-coming artists will have an amazing time at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park. It is an indie rock heaven where you can explore more underground and lesser-known bands than at the other big Chicago summer festival, Lollapalooza.
Date: July 14-16
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Music Type: Indie rock
Price: $126-$2,700
Essence Music Festival
No matter what time of the year it is, New Orleans is an amazing place if you love live music. The Essence Music Festival is a celebration of well-known artists like Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, and Mary J. Blige.
Date: June 29-July 2
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Music Type: R& B, soul, rock
Price: $75-$365
Sziget Festival
Budapest knows how to hold a party, and Sziget is one of the biggest celebrations of music and culture in all of Europe. You can expect to find favorite artists like Bad Religion and Mac DeMarco playing here during this three-day festival.
Date: August 9-11
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Music Type: Eclectic, Indie rock
Price: $70-$296
Flow Festival
The Flow Festival is a great excuse to explore the city of Helsinki. Artists including Lana Del Rey and The XX will be playing, among many others. Come to this festival to enjoy yourselves with an earth-friendly belief.
Date: August 11-13
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Music Type: Rock, soul, jazz
Price: $106-$199
1. What do the music festivals have in common?| A．They are given in the open air. |
| B．They are held in the USA. |
| C．They include rock music. |
| D．They take place from July to August. |
| A．Essence Music Festival. |
| B．Sziget Festival. |
| C．Flow Festival. |
| D．Pitchfork Music Festival. |
| A．It has the longest cultural tradition in Europe. |
| B．It is home to many well-known bands. |
| C．It is a city of high living cost in all of Europe. |
| D．It is good at organizing parties. |
7 . You dash through a crowded railway station, tripping over bags, spilling (泼出) your coffee, only to have the doors slide shut in your face, leaving you breathless on the platform as the train pulls away.
But at least, if you’re in France, someone may be playing the piano for you. But it won’t be performed by a paid musician, or even a street entertainer playing for coins. It will just be a random passer-by, jamming for the fun of it on one of the pianos that the national railroad company, S. N. C. F., has fixed in nearly 100 stations across France. They are free for anyone to play, and travelers from all walks of life have taken to doing just that.
Gares & Connexions, the S. N. C. F. division that manages its stations, rents the instruments from the producer, Yamaha: which maintains them and tunes them every month or two. The first one was set up in the Gare Montparnasse in Paris in 2012.
The music, mixed with the sounds of shouting passengers, screaming trains and rolling suitcases, gives French stations a special soundscape. The amateur musicians have included Irish soccer fans and even babies. In 2014, Gares & Connexions and Yamaha organized a nationwide contest called Your Turn to Play, asking participants to submit videos of themselves using one of the pianos. It drew nearly 900 entries.
Isn’t the railroad company taking a big chance? Apparently not: “None of the instruments has been vandalized to this day, or even merely damaged,” said Claire Foumon, a spokeswoman for Gares & Connexions. “They are shared and respected by all.”
So if you miss a train in Paris; Bordeaux or Marseille one day, perhaps someone will be playing a favorite piece that will ease your pain. Or perhaps you’ll sit down and play your annoyance away yourself.
1. Why did Gares & Connexions fix pianos in railway stations?| A．To advertise Yamaha’s products. | B．To make stations more attractive. |
| C．To let travelers have a relaxing trip. | D．To help street artists make a living. |
| A．The contest has proved a hit. | B．The pianos are very popular. |
| C．Railway stations are crowded. | D．Everyone can be an amateur musician. |
| A．Selected carefully. | B．Checked regularly. |
| C．Reserved in advance. | D．Destroyed on purpose. |
| A．Miss a train yet catch a tune | B．A soundscape in the memory |
| C．The role of piano in French life | D．An amazing train with a piano bar |
