Once there was a piano player in a bar(酒吧). People came just to hear him play. But one night, a lady asked him to sing a song.
"I don't sing," said the man.
But the lady told the waiter, "I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want the player to sing!"
The waiter shouted across the room, "Hey, friend! If you want to get paid, sing a song!"
So he did. He had never sung in public before. Now he was singing for the very first time! Nobody had ever heard the song Mona Lisa sung so beautifully!
He had talent(天赋) he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar. But once he found, by accident, that he could sing well, he went on working hard and became one of the best-known singers in the US. His name was Nat King Cole.
You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel that your talent is great, but it may be better than you think. With hard work, most skills can be improved. Besides, you may have no success at all if you just sit on your talent.The lady asked the player to sing a song because _____.
A.she had paid him for this |
B.she knew him very well |
C.she wanted to have a change |
D.she enjoyed his singing |
Nat King Cole succeeded because _____.
A.the lady helped him a lot |
B.he caught the chance |
C.he continued to play in the bar |
D.he stopped playing the piano |
The words "sit on" in the passage probably mean" ___________.”
A.fail to realize | B.forget to use |
C.try to develop | D.manage to show |
From the story we know if you have some talent, you should _____.
A.hide it and wait |
B.ask others for help |
C.pay no attention to it |
D.work hard to improve yourself |
Which could be the best title (标题) for the passage?
A.Sing in the Bar |
B.Achieve Success in Life |
C.Never Lose Heart |
D.Find Your Hidden Talent |
You change the channels for the fourth time and realize that once again there’s nothing on television that gets your attention. Not a problem! Throw on some running shoes and comfortable clothes and go for a run.
One of the coolest things about the sport of running is that you don’t need expensive equipment(装备). All you need is a good pair of running shoes and a safe environment. But just because you don’t need much equipment don’t be fooled into thinking the sport of running is easy. No one wakes up and decides to run a marathon without training.
Running makes your heart, lungs, and muscles stronger. It makes you know more about your body. Running also gives you energy by increasing your oxygen(氧气) intake, so you don’t get sick easily. It can even help you keep your mind on school work because exercise helps you to think more clearly.
How do you take part in the sport if you don’t know much about it? Most schools offer cross-country and track programs, but there are also running clubs open to all ages. A simple Internet search can help you find some in your area. The programs show you how running can offer competition or just be for fun. They also teach runners to set realistic goals and take care of their bodies.
Runners have great respect for each other because they know how difficult the sport can be. If you go to a race, you’ll see people cheering for all the runners, from the first place finisher to the last place finisher. Running isn’t always about how fast you are or how far you’re going. It’s about getting out there and doing it. Taking part is more important than competition, and effort is recognized over gift.
If you’re looking for more than just a sport, running may be the perfect choice for you.Which of the following is true?
A.Running helps you win a marathon. |
B.Running helps you improve your study. |
C.Running helps you think more about yourself. |
D.Running helps you set realistic goals in your life. |
What is the most important for runners in a race?
A.Having fun. | B.Receiving respect. |
C.Trying their best. | D.Winning the competition. |
What is probably the best title for this passage?
A.Running and Runners |
B.Running: Easy or Difficult |
C.Running and Watching TV |
D.Running: a Sport or a Way of Life |
Christian Bucks may be young, but he sure knows how to be a good friend. When the York, Pennsylvania, second-grader noticed that some of his schoolmates didn’t have anyone to play with during the break time, he came up with a way to help them. He suggested having something called a “buddy bench” put in on his school’s playground.
A buddy bench is a special bench where students can sit if they are feeling bored or lonely. It’s usually brightly colored with “BUDDY BENCH” in big letters. Other students can then go to the bench and ask them if they would like to play or talk.
“We show we care about others when we ask others to play,” Christian told reporters.
Christian first learned about buddy benches when his family was considering moving to Germany. He saw a buddy bench in a handbook for a German school and thought it would be a great way to fight loneliness on the playground at his own school, Roundtown Elementary School.
Christian told Roundtown’s headteacher, Matthew Miller, about his idea at the end of last school year. Miller immediately decided to get a buddy bench. He had Christian pick out its style and bright colors.
“I was the first person who got to sit on the bench when it arrived at Roundtown,” says Christian. He hopes the bench will help “grow our dream circle of friends”.Christian Bucks suggested having a buddy bench to help ______.
A.his teachers | B.his students | C.his parents | D.his schoolmates |
Christian learned about the buddy bench ______.
A.in a textbook | B.from his father |
C.in a handbook | D.from his headteacher |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.The buddy bench can help to develop friendships. |
B.The buddy bench is designed and made in Germany. |
C.Students can realize their dreams on the buddy bench. |
D.Students love the style and the color of the buddy bench. |
Survey: What’s your favorite restaurant? |
|
Lola Lopez |
Jim Janssen |
“I’m an actress. There’s a small French restaurant near my apartment. It’s my favorite. The service is great. The food is always cooked well and served beautifully. And the atmosphere is very romantic…” |
“I’m a high school student. I’m interested in fast food. Chicken, burgers, fish, French fries — I love it all. My mom says I should eat healthier food but it tastes so good! Also, I’m not rich and the price of fast food is just right for me.” |
Gina Mangino |
Raul Sanchez |
“I’m a housewife. With three kids, I look for a place that has good food at a reasonable price. I look for a place that’s comfortable for children and serves the food quickly. That’s why I like Sam’s Chinese restaurant.” |
“I’m a doctor. I can’t remember the last time I ate out… maybe that’s because my wife and I really like to cook. Instead of eating out, we look through a cookbook and cook at home.” |
Jim Janssen is ______.
A.an actress | B.a doctor | C.a student | D.a housewife |
______ likes a French restaurant very much.
A.Lola Lopez | B.Jim Janssen | C.Gina Mangino | D.Raul Sanchez |
Gina Mangino likes the restaurant which ______.
A.offers fast food | B.serves the food quickly |
C.offers cookbooks | D.serves the food beautifully |
Christmas Love
Each December, I promised to make Christmas a relaxed and peaceful experience. I didn’t spend too much time on card writing, endless cooking and decorating. Yet still, I found myself tired, unable to enjoy the valuable family moments, and of course, to understand the true meaning of .
Christmas came again. My son, Nicholas, was in primary school that year. It was a very season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Celebration.” All the parents were invited to be present at their show.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working. Unwilling to his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She told me there’d be a dress rehearsal(彩排) the morning of the presentation. All unable to be present that evening were welcome to come then.
So, on the of the dress rehearsal, I arrived ten minutes early. Around the room, I saw several other parents. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas”, I didn’t anything other than fun. So, when my son’s class rose to sing “Christmas Love”, I was a little bit surprised by its title.
Nicholas was excited, as were all of his classmates. Those in the front row held up large letters, one by one, to out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on all the children presented the complete message “Christmas Love”.
The show was going smoothly, until suddenly, a small, quiet, girl in the front row held the letter “M” upside down — totally not knowing her letter “M” appeared as a “W”. The audience(观众) laughed at this little girl’s . But she had no idea why they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, holding her “W”. The laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A sudden came over the audience and eyes began to widen. At that moment, we understood why we were there and why we the holiday.
For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: “CHRIST WAS LOVE”.
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任务型阅读阅读短文,按要求完成各题
Minoru Yamasaki was a well-known American architect(建筑师).He was born in 1912 in Seattle.Washington.His parents came from Japan.
Minoru went to college to study architecture.Every summer he worked in a fish factory to help pay for college.Often he worked from four o’clock in the morning until midnight.He slept in a room with 100 other men.Later in life.Yamasaki remembered these times and was always good to his workers.
Yamasaki sometimes dreamed about his work.Once he woke up at three o’clock in the morning.He got up and started to draw the building that was in his dream and he still remembered.Yamasaki used a new design for the buildings.These buildings are now the Century Plaza Hotel,and Tower in Los Angeles,California.
Yamasaki was different from other architects.His buildings give people a feeling of peace and happiness.Many of his designs have pools of water,flowers,and windows on the roof to let in light.He always designed buildings to please people.He wanted to give them a place away from the busy ways of modern life.
Yamasaki worked for several companies.But his success began when he started his own company.In 1956,he won the Architect’s First Honor Award for his design of an airport in St.Louis.Missouri.He won two more awards over the next five years.In l962,he designed the World Trade Center in New York.It is very famous.
In l993,a bomb exploded(炸弹爆炸)in the World Trade Center.But the buildings did not fall down because they had a good design.
Yamasaki had strong opinions about his buildings.They had to be built his way.He refused to change the design of his buildings,even if he lost a job.
Minoru Yamasaki died in l986.He designed more than 300 buildings.People will enjoy the design and beauty of his buildings for a very longtime.根据短文内容完成句子填空(每空限填一个单词)。
In the first paragraph the writer of the passage tells us ____________ and ____________ Minoru Yamasaki was born.根据短文内容完成句子填空(每空限填一个单词)。
The buildings that Minoru Yamasaki designed are different from the other architects’ because his buildings always make people feel______________ and ______________根据短文内容回答问题。
From which sentence in the passage can we know Yamasaki had strong opinions about his buildings?把短文中画底线的句子译成汉语。
根据短文内容用一个完整的英文句子(限8个词以内)回答问题。
Minoru Yamasaki was a well—known American architect.What is he famous for?