One of the most famous buildings in the United States is Carnegie Hall, the home of classical and popular music concerts in New York. Carnegie Hall is known not just for its beauty and history, but also for its amazing sound. It has been said that the hall itself is an instrument. It takes the music and makes it larger than life.
Carnegie Hall is named after Andrew Carnegie, who paid for its construction. He was a wealthy man who also gave a lot of money to schools and public libraries. Construction on Carnegie Hall began in 1890 and the official opening night was on May 5, 1891.
The hall was owned by the Carnegie family until 1924 when it was sold to Robert E. Simon. The building became very old and in 1960, the new owner made plans to destroy it and build an office block. Isaac Stem led a group of people who fought to save Carnegie Hall and finally, the city of New York bought it for $5 million. It was then fixed up between 1983 and 1995.
In 1986, people realized that Carnegie Hall had never kept proper records of its history. Advertisements and stories in newspapers about how Carnegie Hall needed help to recover its history led people to send in old concert programmes and information from all over the world. Over 12,000 concert programmes were received and with these it was possible to make a proper record of Carnegie Hall’s concert history.
Carnegie Hall is actually made up of several different halls, but the Main Hall, now called the Isaac Stern Hall, is the most famous. Most of the greatest performers of classical music since the time the hall was built have performed in the Main Hall, and its reception areas are decorated with signed photographs of these musicians. The hall itself can hold an audience of 2,804 in five levels of seating. Visitors to the top level have to climb up 105 steps to get there!
Because the best and most famous musicians of all time have played at Carnegie Hall, it is the dream of most musicians who want to be great to play there. This has led to a very old joke which is now part of Carnegie Hall’s history. Question: “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” Answer: “Practise, practise, practise.”What do music lovers expect in Carnegie Hall?
A.Musical concerts presented by first class performers. |
B.Exhibits and photographs of historical events. |
C.Musicians practicing for opportunities to play. |
D.People dancing merrily at parties. |
What is the correct order of the following events?
a. Robert E. Simon bought it in 1924.
b. Carnegie Hall got its name.
c. Carnegie Hall recovered its history.
d. New York City paid $5,000,000 for it.
e. Construction on Carnegie Hall began in 1890.
A.a; c; b; d; e; | B.e; d; c; a; b | C.e; b; a; d; c | D.a; e; c; d; b |
How long did it take Carnegie Hall to be fixed up?
A.9 years. | B.10 years. | C.11 years. | D.12 years. |
How did Carnegie Hall recover its concert history?
A.Through newspaper reports. |
B.Through old concert programmes. |
C.Through old photographs. |
D.Through old jokes. |
Why do you think the Main Hall is now called the Isaac Stern Hall?
A.Because Isaac Stern is a famous musician. |
B.Because Isaac Stern built the Main Hall. |
C.Because Isaac Stern saved Carnegie Hall. |
D.Because Isaac Stern made up the Carnegie Hall joke. |
Many people tend to complain about not having good friends in their lives. Sadly, they seem to think that their own company is not enough to make them happy. Nothing could be further from the truth though. In order to get along with others, the first thing you need to do is learn to get along with yourself. Only in this way will you succeed in developing healthy, solid relationships with others.
Listen to your inner voice. Remember that inner voice that keeps whispering to you what you really want and need as well as what you do not really want and need. It is about time you started listening to it. In order to get to know yourself in depth, it is important to learn and accept what you want and what you do not want.
Learn to enjoy your own company. You will be surprised to find out how many things you can do by yourself and actually have fun in the process. Reading romantic novels, poetry or science fiction is only a few of the things that you can do by yourself, which not only can offer you hours of enjoyment, but also the chance to get to know yourself better.
Satisfy yourself. Pay special attention to your personal hygiene(卫生). Do your hair and nails often and experiment with new styles. Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly to stay in good shape. No matter how busy your daily schedule is, always find at least an hour per day for yourself, when you can either relax doing absolutely nothing, or doing something that you enjoy.
Learn to respect your own boundaries. Find out what your boundaries are and learn to respect them. You are the only one who knows what you can and what you cannot accept;no one else can point that out to you, or force you to compromise(妥协).If you want to have a good relationship with others, you should first .
A.get into the habit of living alone |
B.make many friends in society |
C.always tell the truth |
D.learn to be your own best friend |
What is the purpose of listening to your inner voice?
A.To keep a good state of mind. |
B.To know more about yourself. |
C.To enjoy the time by yourself. |
D.To form a relationship with others. |
In order to please yourself, the writer gives some suggestions EXCEPT .
A.eating healthily |
B.exercise regularly |
C.experimenting with new hair style |
D.keeping on struggling |
The underlined word “boundaries” nearly means “ ”.
A.weaknesses | B.aims | C.ambitions | D.limits |
What is the structure of the passage?
Farmer John and Farmer Bob were neighbors. For more than 30 years, they had been getting along very well.
Then their good relationship broke. It began with a small thing, then bitter words, and then weeks of silence. One morning Farmer John woke up to find a stream between the two farms. “It must be Bob,” John thought.
Then one day there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a carpenter(木匠) standing at the doorway.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work,” the carpenter said.
“I do have a job for you,” John said. “Look across the stream at that farm. That’s my neighbor Bob. He dug a stream between the two farms. I want you to build a fence—an 8-foot fence. I don’t want to see his place or his face any more. I don’t have such a neighbor!”
The carpenter said, “I think I know what to do, sir, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
Farmer John helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide. There was no fence there at all!
It was a bridge! And the neighbor, Bob, was coming across, with his hand outstretched(伸出). “Hi, John! You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!”
Then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hands. “I’m terribly sorry for what I have said and done. We should be good to each other,” said Farmer Bob.
Then they turned to see the carpenter, who was ready to go. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I have a lot of other jobs for you,” said Farmer John. “I’d love to stay,” the carpenter said, “but I have more bridges to build.”Just before the carpenter came, John and Bob each other.
A.didn’t speak to |
B.were friendly to |
C.often fought with |
D.never had bitter words with |
Farmer John asked the carpenter to build a fence because .
A.he wanted to protect his farm |
B.he didn’t want to do it himself |
C.he wouldn’t like to see Bob |
D.he wanted to find him something to do |
What does the sentence “You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!” mean?
A.John was great to build this bridge. |
B.John was not good at building bridges. |
C.John was foolish to build such a bridge. |
D.John should build the bridge earlier. |
What do you think of the carpenter?
A.Shy. | B.Wise. | C.Proud. | D.Careless. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.What a Big Fence! | B.Farmer and Bridge |
C.Three Kind Men | D.A Fence or a Bridge? |
To get cash out in the 21st century, you won’t need a bank card, a PIN(个人识别编号) or even have to move a finger. You will simply have to look the cash machine straight in the eye, declares National Cash Registers, a multinational company that makes automated teller machines, or ATMs. NCR has shown its first example machine that is believed to be the future of banking. Instead of asking you for your PIN on a screen, the Super Teller-Stella for short, asks you orally through a loudspeaker to look straight ahead while an infrared camera turns to your head, then your eye, and finally takes an infrared photograph of your iris(虹膜). For identification(识别) purposes, an iris picture is better than a fingerprint, with around 256 noticeable characteristics compared with 40 for fingerprints. This means that the chances of someone else being recognized in your place is about 1 in 1020. Once you’ve been identified, Stella greets you by name and says: “Would you like cash or a statement?” An infrared port allows the machine to send a bank statement straight to your pocket computer. What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.A new medical instrument |
B.A new type of talking machine |
C.A new type of cash machine |
D.National Cash Register |
What is this new machine called?
A.Stella | B.ATM | C.PIN | D.NCR |
When you want to get cash out in the 21st century, you will _______.
A.need a bank card | B.have to put in your PIN |
C.move your finger | D.just look directly at the teller machine |
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time – about eight hours after you wake up – your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern. They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problem such as heart disease.
Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap – even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.Why do people feel sleepy in the early afternoon according to the text?
A.They eat too much for lunch. |
B.They sleep too little at night. |
C.Their body temperature becomes lower. |
D.The weather becomes a lot warmer. |
If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?
A.About 12:30 pm. | B.About 1:30 pm. | C.About 2:30 pm | D.About 3:30 pm |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.Just for a Rest | B.All for a Nap |
C.A Special Sleep Pattern. | D.Taking Naps in Warmer Climate. |
TAIBEI - Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island’s “China rush”, seeking education on the Chinese mainland.
According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate(研究生)programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available,” Netbig.com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year.
The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland colleges and universities. “Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net.com vice-president Ingrid Huang said.“I believe it will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people,” said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master’s degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies.
A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since “there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there”. “They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations,” said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.
At present, Chinese Taibei doesn’t recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates(证书)from selected universities.More Taiwanese students study on the Chinese mainland because ___________.
A.Taiwan will reunite with the mainland sooner or later |
B.the fees asked for are lower than those of Taiwan |
C.what they have learned on the mainland will bring them a bright future |
D.there are many famous universities for them to choose |
Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that their children ___________.
A.could receive better education |
B.could learn more about the policy there |
C.could do well in the business operations |
D.could make more friends there |
The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to __________.
A.Netbig.com |
B.Chinese education on the mainland |
C.the Chinese job market |
D.the university |
The author wrote the article to tell us ______________.
A.more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland |
B.the number of Taiwanese students going to universities on the mainland had been increasing year after year |
C.education on the mainland is more attractive compared with that of Taiwan |
D.Taiwan and the mainland should cooperate with each other in every field. |
Which is true according to the passage?
A.Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland |
B.The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing in the next few years. |
C.Chinese Taibei doesn’t help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland |
D.Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland. |