JAMES Brown, the legendary US singer known as the “Godfather of Soul”, died Christmas morning, 2006. he was 73.
Brown was one of the major musical influences of the last
50 years. He provided the basis for mu
ch of black music and
most of pop music with his early hits like. “Please, Please,
Please”. He essentially created funk（“疯客”音乐）with
mid-1960s songs such as "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag".
It won him a Grammy Award as best rhythm-and-blues song,
and it was only the beginning of Mr. Brown's rhythmic
breakthroughs. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Michael Jackson and Prince. Rap stars of recent years, such as Fat Boys and Publ
ic Enemy, have all borrowed his lyrics and rhythms.
Brown's songs in the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as "Hot Pants" and "Make It Funky", mixed the sophistication(复杂) of jazz-style arrangements with raw funk. With these songs, Brown established himself as the godfather not just of soul, but of all subsequent styles of dance music: funk, disco, hip hop.
"He made soul music a world music," said Al Sharpton, who toured with Brown in the 1970s and imitates his hairstyle to this day. "What Brown was to music in terms of soul and hip hop, rap, all of that, is what Bach(巴赫, 德国作曲家) was to classical music. He put everybody on a different beat, a different style of music."
Amid the civil rights movement of the 1960s Mr. Brown used his fame and music for social messages. He released "Don't Be a Dropout" in 1966 and met with Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey to promote a stay-in-school initiative. Two years later "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" insisted, "We won't quit movin' until we get what we deserve." The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．black music in the US |
| B．James Brown's unique music styles |
| C．James Brown's contribution to American music |
| D．great musicians in the US in the last 50 years |
The author intends to tell us by the last paragraph that ______.
| A．James Brown was proud of being a black |
| B．James Brown was also active in political movements |
| C．the then Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey was one of Brown's fans |
| D．no children dropped out of school because of James Brown's social influence |
Which of the following indicates that Brown's career began to take off?
| A．His rapid-footed dancing. |
| B．His three years in prison. |
| C．His tour around the country with Al Sharpton. |
| D．His mid-1960s songs such as "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". |
James Brown has influenced all American music types EXCEPT ______.
| A．classical music | B．rhythm-and-blues |
| C．Rap | D．hip hop |
When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at hospital.
On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him spread butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned toast."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He took me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's really tired. And besides – a little burned toast never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. What I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. This good quality is the base of any relationship --- husband-wife or parent-child or friendship! As far as I’m concerned, I’m not the best engineer as expected. However, I have made my efforts. That’s enough.
So learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life. Burnt toast isn’t a deal-breaker! Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket but into your own.When his mother put the burnt biscuit on the table, the author _____.
| A．wanted to see how his father reacted |
| B．pretended not to notice it |
| C．pretended to enjoy the burnt food |
| D．stopped his father eating the burnt toast |
We can infer from the passage that the author’s mother .
| A．She was not good at cooking. |
| B．She hardly had time to cook at home. |
| C．She felt sorry for the burnt food. |
| D．She spent more time on breakfast than dinner. |
How did the author feel when his father said he loved burnt toast?
| A．Moved. | B．Puzzled | C．Surprised. | D．Disappointed. |
According to the text, to get a happy life, one should______ .
| A．give help to people in need | B．try to be a perfect person |
| C．learn from one’s mistakes | D．learn to be understanding |
Finding true happiness is a universal aspiration (渴望). We all want it, but can we all have it? Genuine happiness is written all over our faces when we are truly contented, and, likewise, a forced smile does nothing to hide underlying sadness.
Believing that everyone can create their own lasting joy, Matthieu Richard has been declared the Happiest Man in the World. Richard earned his “happiest man” status after a series of laboratory tests in 2004. Richard has shared his thoughts on happiness with a worldwide audience. As an experienced speaker, he has explained his insights into happiness to everyone, from students to corporate groups. Looking inwards to find joy rather than relying on outer conditions, he believes, is the way to achieve well-being.
“It’s quite clear that the outer conditions are not enough. The way we interpret those outer conditions in our inner experience is what determines either a sense of well-being or misery. We love to go jogging for fitness and we do all kinds of things to remain beautiful, yet we spend surprisingly little time taking care of what matters most: the way our minds function. It’s the essential thing that determines the quality of our experience.” Besides this, Richard stresses that it is not what’s happening around us that makes us unhappy, but rather the way we choose to react to it.
The pursuit of happiness is becoming a modern obsession（痴迷）. As life becomes more complex, our ability to process our reactions to various outside influences comes under strain. “Genuine happiness” he says, “doesn’t mean pleasant feelings one after the other. It’s more like a series of qualities that we can develop as skills — like openness, genuine love, compassion, inner strength and inner peace.”Richard has been declared the Happiest Man in the World _______.
| A．because he has shared his thoughts on happiness with a worldwide audience |
| B．after he has explained his insights into happiness to everyone |
| C．after a series of laboratory tests |
| D．because he tries his best to achieve happiness and well-being |
According to Richard, what is the best way to achieve well-being?
| A．Interpreting those outer conditions in our inner experience. |
| B．Looking inwards to find joy rather than relying on outer conditions. |
| C．Spending little time taking care of what matters most. |
| D．Reacting to various outside influences in the modern world. |
What determines the quality of our experience?
| A．The way our minds react to outer conditions. |
| B．Insights into happiness that we hold. |
| C．The constant pursuit of happiness in our life. |
| D．Those outer conditions affecting our happiness. |
How can we pursuit happiness?
| A．Go jogging for happiness. |
| B．Do everything to remain beautiful. |
| C．Make sure that our minds are functioning normally. |
| D．Develop necessary qualities. |
Beginning college is exciting: new ideas to explore, new challenges to be met and many decisions to be made; your future begins here.
However, you will find college life is different from your previous school environment. Many of us can be easily defeated by the details of running a well-balanced life. While some of us may have the know-how, I guess there are more of us who can benefit from learning about the experiences of others who have walked the college halls before you.
The following you may find useful about life on campus:
• Plan well. There are so many new things to do at a new college or university. Give yourself time to make new friends and became familiar with the campus, but don’t forget why you are there. Give some time for social activities and manage your time wisely.
• If you don’t have a “system” for planning your time now (like a day timer, a computer data book), get one. Most of all, don’t depend on your memory.
• Don’t miss the guidelines. The restrictions, rules and regulations of all kinds can usually be found in your student’s handbook. Consider them well-balanced food for thought. What dates are important? What pieces of paper need to be handed in? What can / can’t you do in your student residence（住处）? Who has the right for what? What do you need to complete to graduate?
• Write the word “STUDY” on the walls of your bedroom and bathroom, and maybe it will help to write it on a piece of paper and stick it on the telephone, TV and the kitchen table. Consider this — you are paying thousands of dollars for your course. You pay every time you have to repeat or replace a course.
• Build your identity. This is the time for you to decide what to do and what not to do. Take as much time as you need to explore new ideas. Do not be afraid of the beyond. This is learning to make good choices.What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To offer advice on college life. |
| B．To explain why college life is exciting. |
| C．To describe the importance of college life. |
| D．To persuade you to go to college. |
According to the passage, why is it exciting to begin college life?
| A．Because you will have more freedom at college. |
| B．Because you will no longer be afraid of the beyond. |
| C．Because you prepare for your future career and life there. |
| D．Because professors there will provide you with many new ideas. |
The underlined word “know-how” refers to _________.
| A．an understanding of college communities |
| B．practical knowledge concerning college life |
| C．college halls where rules and regulations are presented |
| D．an environment completely different from the one you’re used to |
According to the passage, college students _________.
| A．needn’t learn from those who went to college before them |
| B．should spend as much time as possible on social activities |
| C．should know what they have rights for on campus |
| D．are supposed to repeat or replace at least one course |
An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow(乌鸦) rested on their window.
The father asked his son, “What is this?”
The son replied “It is a crow.”
After a few seconds the father asked his son the second time, “What is this?”
The son said, “Father, I just now told you; it is a crow.”
After a little while, the old man again asked his son the third time, “What is this?”
At this time some expression of anger was felt in the son’s tone when he said to his father, “It is a crow, a crow.”
A little later, the father again asked his son the fourth time, “What is it?”
This time the son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? Although I have told you so many times? It is a crow. Are you not able to understand this?”
A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old diary which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. The following words were written in it:
Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa. When a crow was sitting on the window, my son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel angered. I rather felt affection for my innocent(单纯的) child.
So ……
If your parents reach old age, do not look at them as a burden, but be kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.How many times did the father asked his son the same question?
| A．Twice. | B．Three times. |
| C．Tour times. | D．Twenty-three times. |
What was written in the diary mainly shows_________.
| A．the son’s foolishness | B．the father’s loneliness |
| C．the father’s love for his son | D．the son’s curiosity |
After reading the diary, the son most probably felt_________.
| A．very disappointed | B．even angrier |
| C．rather happy | D．deeply ashamed |
What lesson should we learn from the passage?
| A．We should be considerate to our parents. |
| B．It’s important to be a great father. |
| C．We should form the habit of keeping a diary. |
| D．Old diaries have extraordinary values. |
The morning had been a disaster. My tooth was aching, and I’d been in an argument with a friend. Her words still hurt: “The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place. Can’t you see things from my point of view?” I shook my head stubbornly（固执地）and felt the ache in my tooth. I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday, but the pain was really unbearable. I started calling the dentists in the phone book, but no one could see me immediately. Finally, at about lunchtime, I got lucky.
“If you come by right now,” the receptionist said, “the dentist will fit you in.”
I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car. But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist. What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice? Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?
In the dentist’s office, I sat down and looked around. I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried. The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice-cold one.
When I told her my fears, she laughed and said, “Don’t worry. The dentist is very good.”
“How long do I have to wait for him?” I asked impatiently.
“Come on, he is coming. Just lie down and relax. And enjoy the artwork,” the assistant said.
“The artwork?” I was puzzled.
The chair went back. Suddenly I smiled. There was a beautiful picture, right where I could enjoy it: on the ceiling. How considerate the dentist was! At that moment, I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.
What a relief!Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?
| A．Upset. | B．Nervous. | C．Satisfied. | D．Cheerful. |
What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?
| A．The laughing assistant of the dentist. |
| B．The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists. |
| C．The surroundings of the dentist’s office. |
| D．The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice. |
What did the author learn from her experience most probably?
| A．Strike while the iron is hot. |
| B．Put oneself in others’ shoes. |
| C．Have a good word for one’s friend. |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |