Many people don't realize the importance of music education in the schools today．A new study showed, however, music education is extremely important．
In college, music education is one of the largest programs．Teachers have to learn general education materials and techniques． They must learn to play every instrument; they must learn music history and music theory; they must learn instrument repair and teaching methods; they must learn conducting and so much more．At the same time, much of our culture and tradition is absorbed in music．
Music plays a very important role in our education．
Music helps with math and science． Students learn to count, and how to multiply and divide．Students also use science to help them discover what sounds good together and what doesn't．Students also need science to understand something called the “overtone series", which is about how music is produced by vibration（颤动）and why．
Students learn a lot about languages through music．Many songs are written in other languages, including ancient ones．Students must learn to translate these works to understand what they are singing about． A song is likely to be a famous short work set to music; so students are exposed to that very often while singing．
Students learn a huge amount of cooperation （协作）of body parts through music, so parts of the body can work better together．Students must use motor（肌肉运动的）skills in order to play an instrument．Singers and wind（管乐器）players must learn breath control and be in good shape to play．
Students learn about art． Some famous pieces were written about important pieces of art, and students learn about the artists and styles as they're playing the music．
Music education also brings higher thinking to our children．It allows them to think about complex patterns．Students have to be aware of what every other musician does at every time．In that way, it develops cooperation, as well．They tend to develop more ability for learning．
As one can see, music is very important to education．According to the passage, learning music in college will be quite ．
| A．easy | B．stressful | C．attractive | D．useless |
As to the benefits from music, which of the following is NOT included in the passage?
| A．Calculation． | B．Language study． |
| C．Relaxation． | D．Cooperation of body parts． |
The underlined word "that" in Para．5 refers to“ "．
| A．the music | B．the language |
| C．the culture | D．the work |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．Science and music are extreme poles． |
| B．Only the wisest person can learn music well． |
| C．Music is good to our all-round development． |
| D．All of us know the importance of music clearly． |
It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora did. She wasn’t even four, but she 36 at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, 37 we take him home?”
I don’t remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden 38 feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her 39 , whether it was 40 in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing 41 and beggary.
A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and 42 it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I 43 us up. Nora was 44 about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how 45 our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to 46 myself to leave the house. On the way to the school, I fought an urge to turn 47 . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting at home. Why do this? 48 , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She 49 us right over.
The building was in a sad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. 50 inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.
Professionals call such a(n) 51 “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have opportunity to do something 52 that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve to needy people and 53 clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve 54 her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has 55 more?
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There are many famous museums throughout the world where people can enjoy art. Washington, D.C. has the National Gallery of Art; Paris has the Luvre; London, the British Museum. Florida International University (FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see. And it does so without building, or even a wall for its drawing and paintings. FIU has opened what it says is the first computer art museum in the United States. You don’t have to visit the University to see the art. You just need a computer linked to a telephone. You can call the telephone number of a university computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings. Robert Shostak is direction of the new computer museum. He says he starts the museum because computer artists had no place to show their works.
A computer artist can only record his pictures electronically and send the records to others to see on their computers. He can also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist needs an expensive laser printer (激光印刷) . Robert Shostak says the electronic（电子的） museum is mostly for art or computer students at school and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostake said the FIU museum will take computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge audience for the electronic museum.The main purpose of this text is to give information about_______.
A. museums throughout the world
B. an electronic art museum in Miami, U.S.A.
C. art exhibitions（展览会） in Florida International University
D. latest development of computer artTo see the art in FIU museum, you need______.
| A．floppy discs（软盘） |
| B．a computer and a printer |
| C．pictures and drawings on paper |
| D．a computer connect to the museum by telephone line |
The museum was started when______.
A Robert Shostak wanted to do something for computer scientists
B. Robert Shostak wanted to help computer artists
C. art students needed a place to show their works
D. computer scientists wanted to do something about artThe words “an audience” in the last paragraph refer to ________.
| A．art students | B．computer owners |
| C．exhibits in the museum | D．those who will enjoy art. |
We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests’ coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests liked Kelly more, the younger one, enjoying her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a unusual girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect（影响） the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being paid no attention. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying. I said, “What are you doing here, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said,” Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Why don’t they say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging（拥抱） her to make her feel better.
Now whenever I visit a friend’s home. I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (paragraph 4) means_______.
| A．show much concern about | B．have a special effect on |
| C．list jobs to be done for | D．do good things for |
We can conclude from the passage that_______.
| A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children |
| B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt |
| C．people usually like the younger children more |
| D．adults should treat children equally |
Kristen felt sad and cried because_______.
| A．the guests gave her more coats to carry |
| B．she didn't look as pretty as Kelly |
| C．the guests enjoyed her sister more than her |
| D．her mother didn’t introduce her the guests |
Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They don’t want anyone to go shopping on that day.
Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It’s 25 days before Christmas. It’s after Thanksgiving Day and often the first day of Christmas shopping. At this time, we see ads in Newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy, buy, buy!”
The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs, and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don’t need a lot of toys. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up in costumes(统一服装) to tell people that we buy too much.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate（捐赠） the food. They made posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29. The students at high schools liked the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day!Which of the following is NOT the day for people to celebrate Buy Nothing Day?
| A．November 29. | B．25 days before Christmas. |
| C．After Thanksgiving. | D．The first day after Christmas. |
People usually buy many gifts_______.
| A．before Thanksgiving | B．on Christmas |
| C．before Christmas | D．anytime |
How do people celebrate Buy Nothing Day?
| A．In California, parents and children get together to play games. |
| B．In England, people celebrate by performing plays. |
| C．In Mexico, high school students dress up. |
| D．They buy nothing and persuade others not to buy things. |
What did the students do in New Mexico for the day?
| A．They donated the food of their own. |
| B．They talked to others about it. |
| C．They made some slogans（标语口号） for it. |
| D．They organized a luxurious（奢华的） dinner. |
Left-Handers’ Day
International Left-Handers’ Day is August the thirteenth. The International Left-Handers Day, Web site says the Left-Handers Club started the holiday in 1992. It wanted left-handers around the world to celebrate. And it wanted to bring attention to the everyday problems of people who use their left hands.
One of these problems is difficulty using equipment and tools, like scissors. In general, most tools and equipment are made for people who are right-handed. The Left-Handers Club tries to educate designers and producers to consider the safety of left-handed people when producing their products.
Another problem is that many people have considered it bad to be left-handed. Some teachers and parents have tried to force children who used their left hands to use their right ones instead.
Scientists do not really know why some people are left-handed. They have believed the reason is genetic.They say the gene（基因） increases the chance of being left-handed. It appears to play an important part in deciding which part of the brain controls different activities. In right-handed people, the left side of the brain usually controls speech and language. The right side controls feelings. However, the opposite is often true in left-handed people.
Scientists believe the gene is responsible for this. The gene showed a link with left-handedness in nine to twelve percent of the population.
About ten percent of people around the world are left-handed.International Left-handers’ Day aims to（目的是） bring attention to_________.
| A．the right-handers |
| B．the everyday problems |
| C．the people who have some difficulty using equipment and tools |
| D．the everyday problems of people who use their left hands |
How many problems of people who use their left hands are mentioned?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
As to why some people are left-handed, scientists believe the reason is________.
| A．habits | B．genetics | C．parents | D．birthplaces |
______of people around the world are left-handers.
| A．About 9% | B．About 12% | C．About 9.12% | D．About 10% |