As a single mother, I’ve never doubted my daughter Jane’s dream to be a singer on the stage. At an early age, she was crazy about singing. Whenever she had a chance, she would sing to her heart’s content. Her sweet and charming voice tended to get people around attracted to her songs.
Living in a small city, I took several odd jobs, determined to do everything in my power to support her. Soon after Jane attended school, her music teacher Mary noticed her talent by chance and volunteered to give her some guidance on how to sing. Jane practiced so hard that before long she made great progress in singing.
Unfortunately, one noon a year later, Jane was crossing the street when a careless driver knocked her down. She was rushed to hospital. When I hurried there, the doctor told me that my daughter would probably not stand on her own feet. I froze with shock, feeling as if I had been thrown into a dark world. Weak and dizzy, I was about to fall to the ground when someone took hold of me.
It was Mary, who got the news and raced here. She comforted me, saying firmly, “Grace, Jane needs you. You must stay calm and strong.” I nodded. Having calmed down, I entered the ward with Mary.
That night, Jane recovered her consciousness (知觉) and opened her eyes. Holding her hand, I said, “My dear, everything would be fine.” Mary comforted her gently, “I know you are a strong girl, Jane. Don’t worry. We’ll be standing by you.” I was heartbroken to see tears streaming down Jane’s cheeks.
After two months, we returned home from hospital. Her teachers and friends frequently visited her. Jane eventually accepted the fact that she would have to get around in a wheelchair. Never did she refer to the subject of singing again. I knew she was a nice and understanding girl, who was afraid that talking about her original dream would upset the two of us.
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。
One day, however, Mary came with good news.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the host announced it was Jane’s turn, she was wheeled onto the stage.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The combination of music and study has long been
Now a study shows that the
Dr. Sarah claimed the research demonstrated that the idea that music could improve performance was wrong. “Writing an essay is a complex task. You
3 . Adele’s new album, “30”, is finally available. Last month, hundreds of millions of us streamed its first single, “Easy On Me.” This song arouses feelings not easily put into words, but we can probably agree it is a sad song.
Let’s start with a biological theory. When we experience real-life loss, or empathize (体会) with another’s pain, certain hormones are released within us.
Psychologically, a key reason we enjoy sad songs is that they profoundly move us. Feeling moved can come from us suddenly feeling closer to other people. Indeed, when we have listened to “30”, we may turn to reaction videos to see how others feel.
Ultimately, we listen to Adele’s songs when we want to recall, reflect, or belong. They let us feel her sadness, share our suffering, and connect with others. To all of us, Adele’s songs say:
| A．You are not alone in your pain. |
| B．Music speaks louder than words. |
| C．These help us to tackle loss and pain. |
| D．We can also think at the spiritual level. |
| E．Few people are aware sad music makes us feel good. |
| F．This lets us share an emotional experience with others. |
| G．This may make us better prepared for when real loss strikes. |
4 . Tina Leverton was 62 when she bought her first pair of ballet shoes. She said putting her feet into the soft leather was very emotional. She said: “I’ve waited a long time for it.”
A few days later, Leverton took her first ballet class after seeing an advertisement in a newspaper. It showed older women dancing in a class near Leverton’s house. “As I came in the door, I found a big smile on my face. From the minute I started, I felt like coming home.”
Leverton had longed to dance as a child. Sadly, her parents couldn’t afford ballet classes, for they were first-generation Indian immigrants, struggling to make a living in the UK. Her father was a train driver on the underground in London and her mother held two cleaning jobs. Nonetheless, she harboured her dream of being a ballerina (芭蕾舞女演员).
At her present age, a grand plie-lowering to the floor with bent knees-seemed to be out of the question. It took her three months to master the move: leaping and landing on one foot. ”I love the struggle and the challenge of learning something new. People in their 60s have a lot of self-limiting beliefs: ‘I can’t do it,’ ‘I’m not good enough.’ And maybe they’re not good enough. But it doesn’t matter,” she said.
Ballet has been transformative. At a medical appointment a few months after Leverton’s first class, a nurse measured her at 163cm, half an inch taller than she had thought. She attributes (归因) the difference to improved posture. Her muscle tone has improved and her lower back pain has stopped. Dancing has also brought new friends. She met a group of older, more independent women and worked together towards a team award with the Royal Academy of Dance. And then, of course, there is the joyful feeling. “Ballet is all the therapy (治疗) I’ll ever need,” said Leverton.
1. How did Leverton feel after taking her dance lesson?| A．Tired. | B．Confused. | C．Shocked. | D．Thrilled. |
| A．Her family was badly off. | B．She wasn’t able to leap high. |
| C．Her family laughed at her dream. | D．She had to focus on classes. |
| A．A team award. | B．Money and fame. |
| C．Friendship and joy. | D．A medical treatment. |
| A．Hard work pays off. | B．Never too old to pursue dreams. |
| C．Interest is the key to success. | D．Money isn’t everything. |
Sally had longed to become a dancer since three. However, a terrible car accident made that ambition nearly come to an end overnight in 2011. Sally, then a 15-year-old high school student in California was injured severely in the accident that left her paralyzed(瘫痪的) from the waist down. For most people, that would have dashed any hope of a dancing career. But for Sally, it was just the beginning of new life. Instead of being a barrier, her wheelchair made her more courageous. “I wanted to prove to my community and to myself that I was still‘normal’,”she said with a determined look,“Whatever normal meant.”
In her eyes, Normal meant dancing, so Sally did it in her wheelchair right alongside her nondisabled high school dance team. “Half of my body was taken away from me, and I have to move it with my hands,” Sally said. “It definitely took a lot of learning and patience.”
After graduation, Sally expanded her dance network to include women who had the same situation as her. She met people online who had suffered various spinal cord injuries (脊髓损伤), and invited them to dance with her by sharing her determination. “It was such an amazing experience.” Hoping to reach more people in a larger city, Sally moved to Los Angeles in 2016 and formed a team of dancers with disabilities called DREAM. “I want to show that dance is dance, whether you’re walking or you’re rolling.”
In Sally’s dancing team, there was a girl Ella aged 12, who had been feeling depressed since the terrible accident. Having known about the girl’s situation, Sally made efforts to seek every chance to help the little girl find back the confidence to live. Thanks to Sally’s continuous efforts, the little girl recovered physically and mentally day by day. The other day, an invitation to a national dancing competition arrived. After a heated discussion, they reached an agreement that they would recommend Ella to the competition on behalf of the team.
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。
On hearing the decision, Ella felt more than worried.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The audience stood up and clapped for Ella’s excellent performance.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6 . What’s On?
Electric Underground
7.30pm－1.00am Free at the Cyclops Theatre
Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract? If so, come early to the talk at 7.30 pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce your music.
Gee Whizz
8.30pm-10.30pm Comedy (喜剧)at Kaleidoscope
Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm for drinks and snacks(快餐).
Simon’s Workshop
5.00pm-7.30pm Wednesdays at Victoria Stage
This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.
Charlotte Stone
8.00pm-11.00pm Pizza World
Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.
1. Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?| A．Jules Skye. | B．Gee Whizz. | C．Charlotte Stone. | D．James Pickering. |
| A．The Cyclops Theatre | B．Kaleidoscope | C．Victoria Stage | D．Pizza World |
| A．It requires membership card. | B．It lasts three hours each time. |
| C．It is run by a comedy club. | D．It is held every Wednesday. |
| A．5.00pm-7.30pm. | B．7.30pm－1.00am. | C．8.00pm-11.00pm. | D．8.30pm-10.30pm. |
7 . Language is part of our daily lives, no matter where we live in the world. Similarly, music is a part of many people’s lives.
Both language and music have a writing system
In English we record language using the alphabet, which is a collection of letters. Similarly, we use notes to keep a record of music. Just as you are reading this collection of letters on the paper and find meaning in it, musicians read notes and create meaning in the form of music which we can hear.
Both vary with culture
Both share emotion
How do you know that I am angry?
| A．Different culture makes different music. |
| B．Both language and music play a huge role in our lives. |
| C．You can guess where someone is from by listening to their language. |
| D．By reading pieces of text or music, we are able to share experiences through time. |
| E．In contrast, you have probably also listened to sad music when you were feeling down. |
| F．Of course, you may be able to see it in my face, but you will know for sure through my words. |
| G．We have all used music to express our emotions, often combining it with language in the form of song lyrics. |
1. How many foreign students are visiting in the speaker’s school now?
| A．About 13. | B．About 20. | C．Over 30. |
| A．To attract more foreign students. |
| B．To exchange ideas about culture. |
| C．To help foreign students enjoy their time. |
| A．Before September 15th. |
| B．In the last week of September. |
| C．In the first week of December. |
| A．In the library. | B．In the garden. | C．On the playground. |
9 . Beethoven was born over 250 years ago, yet his music is still played daily around the world. Beethoven wrote many famous pieces of music, but he’s probably best known for his nine symphonies (交响曲). Before Beethoven died in 1827, he began a 10th Symphony, but never finished. What he left behind were some notes about the piece and a few “sketches” (草图) — short bits of written music.
In 2019, a special team of musicians, computer scientists, and historians was formed. Their goal: to try to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony to celebrate his 250th birthday. The team wanted to come as close as possible to producing the symphony that Beethoven meant to write.
The team trained an AI to help with the symphony. They turned every piece of music that Beethoven ever wrote into a form the computer could understand. By feeding the program all of Beethoven’s music, the AI could look for the way Beethoven wrote. Other members of the team studied Beethoven’s notes and sketches, and attempted to find out what Beethoven was planning to do.
One early test told the team they were on the right track. They took a few minutes of music created by the AI based on Beethoven’s sketches, and played it for Beethoven experts, musicians, and reporters. No one could tell which parts had been written by Beethoven and which parts the AI made up. Finally, the AI connected the little musical bits into a symphony. It took the team over two years to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony-40 minutes’ music.
So Beethoven now has a 10th Symphony. And though Beethoven didn’t write it all, the team feels sure that the music is very much like what he might have written, if he’d had the chance.
1. What is the purpose of the team?| A．To train an AI to create music. | B．To finish Beethoven’s 10th Symphony. |
| C．To celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday. | D．To find out what Beethoven wrote. |
| A．The challenge of the team. | B．The functions of the AI. |
| C．The technology the team used. | D．The great efforts the team made. |
| A．It’s created by the AI entirely. | B．It’s played for the public at first. |
| C．It’s like Beethoven’s original. | D．It took two years to practice. |
| A．Science. | B．Sports. | C．Health. | D．Education. |
1.音乐的重要性;
2.最喜欢的音乐类型;
3.说明理由。
注意：写作词数应为80左右。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
