More than 50 music students of New Milford High School in New Jersey, US, got a letter from their headmaster. The letter said that the music department of the school was in big trouble. The students had to pass a test, or the department(系) would be shut down.
On a Saturday, two officials greeted the nervous students. They asked the students to play a piece by Richard Strauss. But they had to sing the words to the music – German words!
Other tasks were also difficult. One student had to sing Mary had a Little Lamb, a children’s song, in an operatic (歌剧的) voice.
After three hours of testing, students waited for the results. They met some students from the New Jersey Youth Orchestra (管弦乐团). The judges(裁判员) gave them only a passing grade.
The worried New Milford students started to realize they had no chance. “I thought it was over,” said Bryan Olsen-Santana, a junior. “The person next to me was crying. I felt bad for her. I felt bad for myself, too, because music is everything to me.”
But then the headmaster came and told them something very dramatic (戏剧性的): “Someone’s played a joke on you!”
What was going on?
The test was part of a reality TV show (电视真人秀) called “Schooled”. The students’ parents, the school and a TV network had made it together.
Everything was fake. The two “officials” were really comedians (喜剧演员). The “students from New Jersey Youth Orchestra” were from another school. There were hidden cameras. The students’ parents were hiding as they watched.
As a reward for putting up with the joke, the students got gifts: MP3 players, digital cameras and school supplies. They were all from the show’s sponsor (赞助商).
| A．The headmaster would come back next term. |
| B．The school didn’t have money to run. |
| C．The music department was in big trouble. |
| D．The students had to give up music. |
| A．they were not good at music |
| B．the judges were very strict |
| C．they thought they couldn’t pass |
| D．it would decide the future of the music department |
| A．their school failed the test |
| B．he likes music very much |
| C．the test was just a joke |
| D．the girl next to him was sorry for herself |
| A．顺利的 | B．假扮的 |
| C．受欢迎的 | D．便捷的 |
| A．money | B．MP3 players |
| C．digital cameras | D．school supplies |
You want to know about my staying in America, right? Well, to tell you the truth, it is really an eye-opening experience to study here.
In China, I had English classes five times a week since fifth grade. However, I didn’t know how different textbook English could be from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut.
When I first studied English, I was told to say,” I am fine” when people say “How are you?” But in the US, I found that people say, “I am good” or “I’m tired”.
One day, someone greeted me with “What’s up?” It made me confused . I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn’t know what to say.
Since then, I have discovered more and more differences between Chinese and US cultures.
To my surprise, US girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun to get a tan(晒黑). However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin paler, or “whiter”.
I was also surprised by how hardworking US students are. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard and that’s it. But here, a “good” student gets good grades, does a lot for the public and plays sports or music.
The kids here are so talented, I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports. What does the word “confused” in the fourth paragraph mean in Chinese ?
| A．困惑 | B．憧憬 | C．悲痛 | D．后悔 |
A good US student spends his / her time ______ .
| A．only in doing homework |
| B．on studies, sports or music and public work |
| C．only in working for the public |
| D．only on sports or music |
Which of the following is NOT true ?
| A．The writer is now in US. |
| B．American girls love to have white skin. |
| C．US students are talented and hard working. |
| D．The writer regrets that he gave up playing the piano. |
Jeff Keith has only one leg. When he was 12 years old ，Jeff had cancer . Doctors had to cut off most of his right leg.
Every day Jeff puts on an artificial(人造的)leg. The leg is plastic. With the plastic leg Jeff can ski ，ride a bicycle ，swim and play soccer. He can also run.
Jeff made a plan with his friends who had plastic legs, too. They decided to run across America. They all wore special T-shirts. On it was “Run ,Jeff, Run ,Jeff Keith's Run Across America.”
When he was 22 years old，Jeff Keith ran across the United States from the east to the west. He started running in Boston. Seven months later ，he stopped running in Los Angeles . He ran 3200 miles. Jeff wore out 36 pairs of running shoes and five plastic legs. Jeff stopped in cities on the way to Los Angeles. In every city people gave Jeff money .The money was not for Jeff ，but for American Cancer Society .The Society used the money to know more about cancer .
On the way to Los Angeles Jeff talked to people about cancer. Jeff is disabled ，but he can do many things. He finished college and is studying to be a lawyer .Jeff says, “People can do anything they want to do .I want people to know that I ran not only for disabled people ，I ran for everybody.”Jeff's right leg was cut off because of the______.
A.TBB. an accident C. cancerD. hurtJeff's friends ran across America with him .They all have no ______
| A．T-shirts | B．legs | C．shoes | D．bicycles |
The sentence “I ran for everybody ”means ______
| A．he wants to get more artificial legs |
| B．people can do anything they want to |
| C．some disabled men will become lawyers |
| D．disabled people can also run |
"Can I see my baby?" asked the happy new mother. When the baby was in her arms, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The baby was born without ears.
Time proved(证明) that the baby’s hearing was very good though he had no ears. He got on well with his classmates. But one day, he said to his mother, tears in his eyes, "A big boy called me a freak (畸形的)."
The boy’s father asked the family doctor. "Could nothing be done?"
"I believe I could graft (植入) on a pair of outer ears if they could be got," the doctor said. They tried to find a person who was helpful for the young man.
One day, his father said to the son, "You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But we must keep it a secret who the person is."
The operation(手术) was a great success, and a new person appeared. His cleverness and hard work made him a very successful person. He married and lived a happy life.
He once asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? I could do enough for him or her."
"I do not believe you could, "said the father." The agreement was that you are not to know...not yet."
For years they kept it a secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’s body. Slowly, the father raised the thick, brown hair. To his surprise, the son found his mother had no outer ears.
"Mother said she was glad she never needed to cut her hair," his father said in a low voice, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?”The mother was surprised to see her baby for the first time because the baby__.
| A．had no outer ears | B．was born without hair |
| C．was in her arms | D．could not hear her |
The sentence"...a new person appeared." means"______."
| A．a new baby was born in the hospital | B．a stranger came into the hospital |
| C．a new doctor took care of the boy | D．the boy began to live a new life |
Why did the boy’s mother never cut her hair?
| A．Because she liked her thick, brown hair. |
| B．Because her work didn’t allow her to do that |
| C．Because the hair was good for her health |
| D．Because she wanted to keep the fact a secret |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The boy couldn’t hear without ears at first. |
| B．The boy didn’t know the truth (真相) until his mother died. |
| C．His parents often encouraged him to work hard. |
| D．His classmates were always making fun of him. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Clever Boy | B．Kind Parents | C．Great Love | D．An Ear Operation |
He came again the next day and worked until it was time to leave. His name was Jerry. He was 12 and had been at the Children’s Home(孤儿院)since he was only four. I thought of him. He was honest(诚实). For example, the handle (柄) of the ax (斧)broke one day. Jerry said the Children’s Home would mend it. I handed him some money to pay for it. He wouldn’t take the money. "I’ll pay for it, mama. I broke it. I didn’t hit the wood in the right place. "
"But Jerry, no one hits the wood in the right place all the time. And it was a weak handle. I’ll speak to the seller. " It was only then that he would take the money.
Another thing about Jerry was that he would do those little but helpful things. The things would not be badly needed but would make life so much easier. For example, he found a hole near the fireplace. "I’ll put some wood in the hole, mama. Then when a sudden storm(暴风雨)comes up, you can stay warm. "
One cold day, Jerry sat close by me near the fire. We watched the fire bum. He suddenly talked of something he had never talked of before. "You look like my mother, especially(特别) next to the fire"
But you were four, Jerry, ’when you came to live at the Children’s Home. Do you still remember your mother?"How long had Jerry lived at the Children’s Home by the time he met the writer?
| A．One year. | B．Four years. | C．Eight years. | D．Twelve years. |
How did Jerry feel after he broke the handle of the ax?
| A．Sorry. | B．Happy. | C．Angry. | D．Lucky. |
What did the writer think of Jerry? He was.
| A．clever, honest but lazy | B．honest, helpful and worked hard |
| C．honest, warm - hearted and strange | D．careful, honest and weak |
The sentence underlined (划线的)means that.
| A．you should be more careful next time |
| B．anyone can hit the wood in the right place |
| C．I always hit the wood in the right place |
| D．people hit the wood sometimes in the wrong place |
Which is right?
| A．Jerry lived with his parents at times. |
| B．The writer was really Jerry’s mother. |
| C．Jerry liked the writer and the writer liked him, too. |
| D．Jerry did not like to live with his mother. |
---Happy New Year!
----_________!
A. The same to you. B. That’s all right. C. Thank you.