Lang Lang is a world-class young pianist who grew up in Shenyang. He went to a piano school in Beijing when he was just eight. “You need __21__,” his father said. “But if you don’t work hard, no fortune will come.”
What made him sad was __22__ his piano teacher in Beijing didn’t like him. “You have no talent. You will never be a pianist.” As a nine-year-old boy, Lang Lang was badly __23__. He decided that he didn’t want to be a pianist any more. For the next two weeks, he didn’t touch the piano. Wisely, his father didn’t push, but waited.
Luckily, the day came when his teacher asked him to play some holiday songs. He didn’t want to, but as he placed his fingers on the piano keys, he __24__ that he could show others that he had talent __25__. That day he told his father what he had been waiting to hear—that he wanted to study with a new teacher. From that point on, everything turned around.
He started __26__ competitions. In the 1994 International Young Pianists Competition, when it was __27__ that Lang Lang had won, he was too excited to hold back his tears. Soon __28__ was clear that he couldn’t stay in China forever—he had to play on the world’s big stages. In 1997 Lang Lang moved again, this time to Philadelphia, USA. There he spent two years practicing, and by 1999 he had worked hard enough for fortune to take over. After his __29__ performance at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, gigs in Lincoln Centre and Carnegie Hall started __30__ in, Lang Lang finally worked to reach the place where fortune spots him, and lets him shine.
21. A. exercise B. fortune C. knowledge D. wealth
22. A. whether B. why C. when D. that
23. A. hurt B. weakened C. ruined D. frightened
24. A. seemed B. admitted C. noticed D. realized
25. A. in all B. above all C. after all D. at all
26. A. receiving B. accepting C. winning D. beating
27. A. told B. mentioned C. announced D. recognized
28. A. this B. it C. that D. what
29. A. successful B. cheerful C. respectful D. meaningful
30. A. pulling B. breaking C. falling D. pouring
“Scotty!” Mr. Brown, my Year 11 English teacher, called me by my nickname (绰号) across the classroom. His eyes were bright and a secret 36 was half hidden behind the beard.
Once he finished joking over my unbearable 37 , I realized he was going to read my story aloud to the class. I turned red, feeling at once both embarrassed and 38 . I had my very 39 reading audience! Though my classmates were a ‘passive audience’, it didn’t weaken my feeling of being 40 .
After that, I came to 41 those Year 11 English classes. Throughout school I had always studied hard and achieved well in my school subjects. But creative 42 was a passion, and it was not an assignment, but a way of understanding the world and of 43 my thoughts and feelings about events and attitudes.
Mr. Brown was the first to 44 me for my writing so openly. My scores were always 19/20 or 20/20. My stories were often read out to the class. He even 45 one with the respected Head of English teachers, which was the most 46 part that is impressed on my memory. But 47 that, he offered a belief in me that no other teacher had.
My school 48 often stated, ‘Candice is a quiet achiever.’ I thought it was meant as a(n) 49 for being hard-working. I was someone that no one really 50 before, but Mr. Brown managed to 51 all that by bringing me to the attention of the world. Though it was the relatively 52 world of school, it put the seed of belief in myself that some day I could be an 53 person rather than the person who faded into the background.
I 54 touch with my teacher long ago, as we do when we move away from the school system and enter life. I wish I could tell him now how much he 55 me.
A．trick B．fear C．surprise D．smile
A．sadness B．shyness C．weakness D．kindness
A．ashamed B．calm C．thrilled D．depressed
A．unfriendly B．devoted C．small D．first
A．special B．intelligent C．famous D．diligent
A．love B．hate C．attend D．miss
A．thinking B．reading C．writing D．speaking
A．organizing B．collecting C．expressing D．hiding
A．train B．recommend C．criticize D．acknowledge
A．compared B．shared C．composed D．exchanged
A．interesting B．shocking C．challenging D．exciting
A．more than B．other than C．instead of D．in spite of
A．days B．efforts C．books D．reports
A．praise B．urge C．reason D．competition
A．believed B．noticed C．supported D．respected
A．forget B．compensate C．change D．prove
A．developed B．limited C．preserved D．disturbed
A．important B．educated C．honest D．optimistic
A．sought B．regained C．lost D．ignored
A．owed B．influenced C．satisfied D．attracted
I graduated from a small public school in Michigan. One day，Mr. Ledy，our football coach，asked me to play football. I couldn’t help36 ：me，play football? I was six feet tall and was not much __37__ a hundred pounds in weight. I thought that they might just need 38 fool to increase the number of the players. However，he was persistent(坚持的) and __39__I joined the football team. That 40 to be one of my best decisions as a kid.
Our worst game __41__ was the one against Crystal Falls. They beat us 56 to 6. Yeah! That was a football not a basketball _42__. We played them again when we were seniors. They __43__ us again but the score was much more _44_，30 to 20.
Coach Ledy would not let that __45__ again. He encouraged us to beat them，to pay them back. And we did so in the last game we played before __46__. I had scored 6 points alone in the game. Coach Ledy praised me. It was a huge _47 for me.
Was I a football hero? Ha! Ha! No，I couldn’t __48__ it without our team. The thing I learned through football was __49__. We won as a team and we __50__ as a team.
I think Mr. Ledy would be __51__ of me if he knew that I had broken the athletic __52__ at the University of Michigan. I’m __53__to him as I would not have today’s honor without him. I’ll __54__life’s final war with pain to win the victory；I’ll seek the lights of glory wholeheartedly and I’ll __55__ working hard so as not to let him down.
A．shouting B．screaming C．laughing D．applauding
A．up B．over C．more D．out
A．another B．other C．some D．any
A．immediately B．secretly C．personally D．finally
A．took out B．turned out C．gave off D．gave out
A．never B．once C．ever D．again
A．game B．team C．story D．score
A．won B．met C．beat D．fought
A．accessible B．comfortable C．sensitive D．acceptable
A．happen B．succeed C．spread D．develop
A．liberation B．closing C．graduation D．school
A．honor B．hope C．success D．surprise
A．take B．manage C．solve D．explain
A．courage B．devotion C．teamwork D．contribution
A．united B．appeared C．prepared D．lost
A．proud B．fond C．full D．kind
A．time B．record C．date D．ability
A．pleased B．grateful C．hopeful D．loyal
A．fight B．join C．desire D．enjoy
A．take on B．put on C．rely on D．keep on
“Now,” Mrs. Virginia DeView said, smiling, “we are going to discover our professions.” The class seemed to be greatly surprised. Our professions? We were only 13 and 14 years old! The teacher must be 36 . “Yes, you will all be searching for your future 37 . Each of you will have to 38 someone in your field, and give an oral (口头的) report.”
Each day in her class, Virginia DeView reminded us about this. Finally, I 39 print journalism. This meant I had to go to interview a newspaper reporter. I was extremely nervous. I sat down in front of him40 able to speak. He looked at me and said, “Did you bring a pencil or pen?” I shook my head. “How about some 41 ?” I shook my head again.
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Finally, I thought he realized I was too 42 , and I got my first big tip as a 43 . “Never, never go anywhere without a pen or paper. You never know what you’ll 44 into.” After a few days, I gave my oral report totally from memory in class. I got an A on the entire project.
Years later, I was in college looking around for a new career, but with no success. Then I 45 Virginia DeView and my desire at 13 to be a journalist. And I called my parents. They didn't 46 me. They just reminded me how 47 the field was and how I had run away from competition all my life. This was true. But journalism did something to me; it was in my 48 . And it gave me the freedom to go up to total strangers and ask what was 49 .A．cautious B．mad C．optimistic D．enthusiastic
A．universities B．families C．professions D．lives
A．interview B．describe C．admire D．face
A．considered B．rejected C．expected D．picked
A．hardly B．nearly C．naturally D．eagerly
A．preparations B．newspapers C．drink D．paper
A．reliable B．grateful C．tense D．amazed
A．student B．journalist C．candidate D．writer
A．look B．turn C．break D．run
A．called B．remembered C．recognized D．evaluated
A．answer B．urge C．stop D．persuade
A．funny B．competitive C．ordinary D．mysterious
A．blood B．body C．life D．opinion
A．coming in B．coming out C．going up D．going on
A．creating B．recalling C．covering D．writing
A．flights B．crashes C．budgets D．schedules
A．hit B．caught C．impressed D．seized
A．for B．with C．of D．to
A．hurt B．realized C．adjusted D．asked
A．respect B．support C．thank D．envy
I have learnt a lot about Chinese life and culture while teaching in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and found them very interesting．
First, family life is quite 1 in China． In the USA, many young people 2 home after they finish their education and start working． However, in China, it is 3 for people to live with their parents until they get married． 4 , many of my Chinese friends told me that their 5 lived with them and helped take care of them when they were children． It seems that Americans think independence is more important 6 the Chinese think family relationships are more important．
Bargaining is another 7 that I have tried to learn． In the USA, prices are 8 and you can’t ask for a lower price． However in some small Chinese stores and tourist places, you are 9 to bargain． My Chinese friends taught me to ask for 40 percent or 50 percent 10 the original price． If the salesperson doesn’t agree to my price, I should 11 to leave and he might let me come back and sell me the item． It is a skill that you have to 12 if you live in China．
Tipping hasn’t been easier to 13 ． In the USA, many people in the service 14 want to get 15 money for serving customers． Tipping is not a part of Chinese culture． 16 I tried to tip a taxi driver． He looked a little 17 and refused to take the money．
In dinners, perhaps what surprises an American visitor most is that some of the Chinese hosts like to put food into the plates of their 18 ． Actually, this is a 19 of true friendship and politeness． My Chinese friend told me if I didn’t want to eat it, I should just 20 the food in the plate．
A．unique B．different C．private D．harmonious
A．come B．build C．leave D．abandon
A．regular B．true C．common D．usual
A．Also B．However C．Therefore D．Although
A．parents B．relatives C．babysitters D．grandparents
A．while B．since C．when D．as
A．way B．custom C．lesson D．habit
A．made B．agreed C．charged D．set
A．expected B．taught C．suggested D．required
A．up B．away C．off D．on
A．promise B．pretend C．decide D．hope
A．tolerate B．understand C．practise D．consider
A．adjust to B．turn to C．refer to D．stick to
A．area B．department C．branch D．industry
A．easy B．extra C．pocket D．prize
A．Often B．Once C．Sometimes D．Before
A．excited B．satisfied C．frightened D．confused
A．own B．children C．neighbors D．guests
A．signal B．mark C．sign D．feature
A．leave B．remain C．put D．taste
Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside other traditional 35 such as maths and languages.
The class sits in a circle with their eyes shut and they count from one to ten: someone starts, the 36 voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side.
The aim of the game is to 37 for an opportunity to shout out the 38 without clashing (相撞) with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, 39 of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in. But by the fifth 40 , they develop a rhythm (节奏) . The message gives other people space but also claims your own. This is a requirement for social well-being.
Unlike schools in other nations, German schools do not usually have school sports teams or seek to build school spirit. Many teens admit they are 41 and confused, but school is not usually the place to find relief.
The Willy Hellpach School in Heidelberg is the first in the nation to develop a happiness 42 It is 43 for 17-19years old students to prepare for university entrance exams. "The course isn't there to make you happy," Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned pupils, " 44 rather to help you discover the ways to become happy. "
Cooking a meal together will be one of the class 45 , along with improving body language under the 46 of two professional actresses.
The course is taught for three periods a week. Despite the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter.
"In the first period, we had to each say something 47 about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people or teasing," said Fanny, 17.
The message is that self-esteem (自尊) improves 48 too.
Research by the school shows it is not the first to start happiness classes and they also exist at some US universities, but are mainly based on positive thinking, using 49 from studies of depression.
"That would be too one-sided for us. We want to show how decent (好的) food or exercise can help too," the principal said.
A．subjects B．objects C．customs D．habits
A．sweet B．next C．last D．loud
A．look B．see C．find D．listen
A．name B．person C．number D．treasure
A．all B．few C．most D．none
A．round B．limit C．sheet D．zone
A．happy B．lonely C．curious D．pleased
A．movement B．class C．course D．approach
A．intended B．made C．managed D．applied
A．and B．but C．so D．or
A．tests B．exams C．exercises D．homework
A．guidance B．lookout C．permission D．cooperation
A．backward B．positive C．negative D．rude
A．atmosphere B．achievement C．happiness D．score
A．inspections B．instructions C．motives D．findings