Public schools in Washington, D.C. provide students with musical instruments for free. When something goes wrong with an instrument, Charles West and Larry Jernigan do the repairs. Both men approach their work with a passion(激情). For them, it’s important that students have a joyful experience with music.
The two have worked together for almost 20 years. This year alone, they’ve fixed about 450 instruments. Both men are musicians and music lovers, so learning to do repairs came naturally.
“I have been a musician all my life.” says West. “I played in an orchestra here in the city. I majored in music in college. I played in an army band.”
Jernigan’s musical interests are varied. “I was formerly trained in the piano and guitar. The alto sax, and the flute, I picked up while working here.”
In addition to fixing instruments, the two also go to schools to instruct teachers and students on how to make minor repairs on their own.
West believes if children start early and stay concerned with music, it enriches other areas of their lives. “I see that in other kids. I see it in myself. I have seen it hundreds of times and it works,” he says. “They learn teamwork. They learn patience and respect.”
But West has concerns about the future of music in the electronic age.
“This instant age has taken away from the sit-down, the patience. And to learn to play an instrument, it takes patience, it takes diligence, it takes time.”
Being able to enjoy music on the job is one of the benefits of the job. Both men agree their best rewards are the students’ performances. What’s the job of West and Jernigan at school?
| A．Teaching music. | B．Writing music. |
| C．Making musical instruments. | D．Repairing musical instruments. |
They love the job because they can .
| A．earn more money | B．learn repair skills |
| C．enjoy music | D．watch performances |
Which of the following is true of the two men?
| A．They have fixed 450 instruments in the past 20 years. |
| B．They can play and repair musical instruments. |
| C．Jernigan used to play in an army band. |
| D．West was trained to play the piano. |
According to West, what can people learn from music?
| A．Teamwork and patience. | B．The value of time. |
| C．The truth of society. | D．Diligence and confidence. |
What is mainly talked about in the text?
| A．How to repair musical instruments. |
| B．Learning experiences of two repairmen. |
| C．How to prepare a musical performance. |
| D．The enjoyable job of two music lovers. |
C
Ah, Thanksgiving--- truly my favorite holiday. A day off with family and friends and football and an exorbitant amount of food .It doesn’t get much more American than that. Let's look at some interesting Thanksgiving traditions to shed light on this delicious American tradition.
How it started
The story: In the early 1620s, as the first English settlers ( called Pilgrims) arrived in America searching for a life free of religious persecution , they experienced very difficult harvests- as the climate was quite different from that of England. They eventually established (temporarily) good relations with the local Native Americans, called the Wampanoag tribe. The Wampanoag leader Squanto, along with his tribe of friendly Native Americans, helped the English settlers learn how to farm and fish in the harsh and rocky climate of Massachusetts. In 1621, they celebrated the Harvest Festival together. And the Thanksgiving tradition was born! It became an official American holiday under Abraham Lincoln amidst the turmoil of the American Civil War in 1863.
What it means now
Now, after the American colonists destroyed native cultures and sequestered them onto reservations, the current American Thanksgiving has hardly anything to do with a celebration of cordial relations between peoples. Today, we try to forget America's guilty past and celebrate our family, friends, and good health on this day. Americans celebrate Thanksgiving much like Chinese people do the Spring Festival - with family members pouring in from all directions to get reunion and break bread. We play football, watch football, and eat a hell of a lot of turkey.
American Turkey
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of America. In a letter to his daughter, he wrote that the turkey, in comparison to the eagle, was " a far more respectable bird" and a true native of America .
Additionally, he thought that bald eagles had a " bad moral character".
Presidential Pardon
The American president pardons one turkey every year. Every year since I947, the National Turkey Federation presents one live turkey to the President, and in 1987, President Ronald Reagan jokingly pardoned the live turkey. This became an official tradition in 1989. Pardoned turkeys are sent off to live the rest of their short lives. Lucky turkeys!
Black Friday
This is the most despicable of Thanksgiving traditions. A caveat(提醒)---many Americans don't take part in this activity of burning money. The Friday after Thanksgiving is called " Black Friday" , and all across America, people go out to their local stores to buy discounted everything, in packages of 36. Every year, a few people die from trampling as the doors to the store open. Thankfully, with the rise of e-commerce sites such as Amazon, people are moving more to online shopping to take advantage of Black Friday deals.Which of the following is the most extremely unpleasant tradition of Thanksgiving?
| A．American Turkey |
| B．Black Friday |
| C．Presidential Pardon |
| D．Thanksgiving decoration |
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of America because____.
| A．turkey was much larger in comparison to the bald eagle |
| B．his daughter liked turkey more than the bald eagle |
| C．bald eagles were true natives of America |
| D．he thought highly of the bird |
The original meaning of Thanksgiving was____
| A．to celebrate the friendly relations between the first English settlers and the local Native Americans |
| B．to praise the local Wampanoag tribe for their useful instructions |
| C．to encourage the new settlers to learn how to farm and fish in the new world |
| D．to apologize to the local Native Americans for the wrongs that the first English settlers had done |
What's the author's purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To warn people of the bad influence of Thanksgiving. |
| B．To make people aware of the potential danger of Black Friday. |
| C．To introduce some interesting Thanksgiving traditions to people. |
| D．To remind people not to forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving. |
B
If you are reading this article in class, you are probably trying to read it quickly. You have been taught to skim a scan, to look for key words so as to understand the main idea of the article and the important points in the article .Skimming and scanning is a good strategy when you are pressed for time, such as when you are taking an exam, but today, many people skim and scan everything and they have lost the ability to enjoy reading.
In response to this, something called the" slow reading movement" has become popular. The idea is that people should shut off their computers and mobile phones for half an hour or forty-five minutes each day and enjoy the pleasure reading a good book – slowly! In many cities there are even slow reading clubs where members go to a cafe, not discuss books, but to sit quietly with each other, drink coffee and just read.
Researchers have found that reading slowly, especially books of fiction, helps people concentrate, relax and think about what they are reading. It also helps people empathize. This last point is important. When you read a novel slowly ,you get to understand the characters' emotions and to see the world through their eyes.
Reading, of course, isn't easy. You have to sit still, for one thing. And it can seem boring when compared to the excitement of playing video games. But, for me, reading has been an enduring pleasure in my life. From the age of ten, when I got my first library card, I've enjoyed the company of pirates and heroes, of evil criminals and clever detectives, of thousands of interesting people I would have never met in real life. Reading provided me with escape, but it also enabled me to understand the world around me. It was an education in a classroom that had no walls.
In your classroom, you have learned to read " fast". Outside of the classroom, you should try to learn to read " slowly . You may be surprised at how much you enjoy it.When you are having an exam, it's acknowledged that ___________.
| A．reading slowly is the best way |
| B．reading word for word is a good method |
| C．reading fast is a good strategy |
| D．reading casually is a wonderful choice |
Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of " slow reading movement" ?
| A．Enjoying the pleasure of reading a good book slowly. |
| B．Helping people refresh and relax. |
| C．Understanding the characters' emotions more accurately. |
| D．Getting the main idea of the article quickly. |
It can be inferred from the passage that the writer is a person who___________.
| A．doesn't like reading fast |
| B．can't tell the difference between reading fast and reading slowly |
| C．likes to seek comfort from reading slowly |
| D．benefits a lot from reading |
Why does the writer call reading “an education in a classroom that had no walls ”?
| A．Because there is no need to build walls for the books. |
| B．Because reading enables people to better understand the world them. |
| C．Because a library card is what you need to enjoy reading in the library. |
| D．Because there are thousands of interesting people in the books who can help you escape. |
A
It was almost six years ago that my family and I waited for her at the airport. Unsure of what to expect and a little bitter about such an experience that my mother was forcing upon me, I had mixed feeling about the girl from Madrid. Today,after making many memories and discoveries, I couldn't be more thankful for what that experience taught me.
My family had the privilege to host Teresa for several summers. I became fond of her cheerful chatter, constant laughter ,and addiction to online shopping. She seldom took my unkind jokes seriously and always gave it right back to me, making our relationship closer. She could go on talking for hours about the beach outside her house, her family and friends, and her life at her school.
While several aspects were very similar to my life here, I was always left with a certain level of mystery and excitement as I wondered how the picture in my head compared with reality.
Through hard work, she became fluent in English in almost no time. While this was a big success for her, it made me ashamed as I was not forced to develop the little Spanish that I was learning in class. This experience aroused my interest in traveling to Europe - especially Spain. While l know that not everyone has this same interest in other culture, I believe that it is important for us to be willing to learn about what makes certain customs and activities significant to them As Americans, we may be some of the most arrogant(自大的 ) people about other culture, which history has proven can have disastrous consequences. By at least making the effort to appreciate what is important to them, we show respect to the people who have such culture.
Through the unique experience that in a sense I was forced into, I learned far more about the Spanish culture than I could have in any classroom. I discovered new interests that I had never considered before, and I am excited for the opportunity to experience it first-hand this summer.We can judge from the second paragraph that the girl from Madrid____________.
| A．could teach the author Spanish |
| B．always quarreled with the author |
| C．liked to talk with the author |
| D．showed great interest in the author |
The author expected to travel to Europe in order to_____________ .
| A．develop the little Spanish |
| B．inform people there of American culture |
| C．improve the skills to communicate with Teresa |
| D．have a better understanding of European culture |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Learning Foreign Languages | B．Getting Better Culture |
| C．Close Tie with Teresa | D．Hosting Teresa |
E
All the wisdom of the ages, all the stories that have delighted mankind for centuries, are easily and cheaply available to all of us within the covers of books but we must know how to avail ourselves of this treasure and how to get the most from it. The most unfortunate people in the world are those who have never discovered how satisfying it is to read good books.
Readingis pleasure of the mind, which means that it is a little like a sport: your eagerness and knowledge and quickness make you a good reader. Reading is fun, not because the writer is telling you something, but because it makes your mind work. Your own imagination works along with the author's or even goes beyond his. Your experience, compared with his, brings you to the same or different conclusions, and your ideas develop as you understand his.
Every book stands by itself, like a one family house, but books in a library are like houses in a city. Although they are separate, together they all add up to something, they are connected with each other and with other cities. The same ideas, or related ones, turn up in different places; the human problems that repeat themselves in life repeat themselves in literature, but with different solutions according to different writings at different times. Books influence each other; they link the past, the present and the future and have their own generations, like families. Wherever you start reading you connect yourself with one of the families of ideas, and in the long run, you not only find out about the world and the people in it; you find out about yourself, too.
Readingcan only be fun if you expect it to be. If you concentrate on books somebody tells you “ought” to read, you probably won't have fun. But if you put down a book you don't like and try another till you find one that means something to you, and then relax with it, you will almost certainly have a good time — and if you become, as a result of reading, better, wiser, kinder, or more gentle, you won't have suffered during the process.For a reader, the most important is to__________.
| A．buy some cheap books easily. |
| B．get benefits from the books. |
| C．collect and treasure the books |
| D．promote good books. |
Why is reading fun according to paragraph 2?
| A．The write tells a lot to readers. |
| B．Books are easy to understand. |
| C．Readers can be encouraged to think and imagine. |
| D．Readers can choose whatever to read. |
What benefits can we get from reading in the long term?
①finding out about the world;
②finding out about people in the books;
③finding about readers themselves;
④finding out about other books;
⑤finding out about sports
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．②③④ | D．③④⑤ |
What of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．The pleasure of reading |
| B．The ways to make reading fun |
| C．How to improve your reading level |
| D．Reading good books |
D
More than 40 countries, including Russia and Taiwan, have agreed to be founding members of China's proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. However, two of the world's largest economies, the United States and Japan, have held off at this time.
China proposed the bank last October as a way to finance roads, bridges, ports and other needed infrastructureprojects in Asia. The time limit for joining as a founding member was March 31. In only a few months, the number of countries seeking membership nearly doubled. They came from Africa, Europe, South America, Asia and the Pacific. Some European powers added themselves to the list. They include Britain, Germany, France and Italy. Other important economies include South Korea, Australia and Russia.
Taiwan also sought to become a founding member. But it is not clear how China will react. Taiwan and China do not have diplomatic ties. But, relations have improved since the election of President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008. The two sides also are working on details of a trade agreement. However, popular opposition in Taiwan to mainland China's increased influenceon the island remains very strong.
The U.S. and Japan have said they are concerned about the governance of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or AIIB. The United States has urged countries to consider details about the bank's governance and standards -- itssocialand environmental policy -- before joining. Critics say the AIIB threatens the work of existing development banks such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank.
Yet, the Asian Development Bank itself noted in a recent report that the need for infrastructure projects in Asia is great. The institution, led by the U.S. and Japan, estimated last May that the Asia Pacific area needed $800 billion each year in infrastructure development.
Experts are watching to see how China will take its leadership role in the new bank. The AIIB is expected to start with $100 billion in capital, mostly from China. Some experts point to the high interest in membership. Shi Yinhong is a political scientist at Renmin University in Beijing. He says China's leading part in the bank comes withbenefitsand costs.
In other words, while China has gained from the effort to develop the AIIB, it will also have to satisfy other bank members and multi-national institutions. Officials at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank say they are looking for ways to cooperate with the AIIB.What does the underlined phrase in the first paragraph mean?
| A．turned down | B．subscribed to |
| C．thought over | D．turned a blind eye |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The bank proposed by China aims to finance needed infrastructureprojects in the world. |
| B．There is no time limit for joining as a founding member. |
| C．Many countries in the world actively applied to seek membership. |
| D．China has given a definite attitude toward Taiwan. |
In what aspects do The United States and Japan show worry for AIIB?
| A．Regulation and running |
| B．Raising money and investment |
| C．The number of joining countries |
| D．China’s influence in it |
What can be inferred according to Shi Yinhong?
A. China won’t consider its benefits in AIIB.
B. China won’t play a leadership role in AIIB.
C. China will bring out its role with benefits and costs.
D. China will drop out of AIIB after its foundation