Samuel Osmond is a 19-year-old law student from Cornwall, England. He never studied the piano. However, he can play very difficult musical pieces by musicians such as Chopin and Beethoven just a few minutes after he hears them. He learns a piece of music by listening to it in parts. Then he thinks about the notes in his head. Two years ago, he played his first piece Moonlight Sonata(奏鸣曲)by Beethoven. He surprised everyone around him.
Amazed that he remembered this long and difficult piece of music and played it perfectly, his teachers say Samuel is unbelievable. They say his ability is very rare, but Samuel doesn’t even realize that what he can do is special. Samuel wanted to become a lawyer as it was the wish of his parents, but music teachers told him he should study music instead. Now, he studies law and music.
Samuel can’t understand why everyone is so surprised. “I grew up with music. My mother played the piano and my father played the guitar. About two years ago, I suddenly decided to start playing the piano, without being able to read music and without having any lessons. It comes easily to me ---I hear the notes and can bear them in mind---each and every note,” says Samuel.
Recently, Samuel performed a piece during a special event at his college. The piece had more than a thousand notes. The audience was impressed by his amazing performance. He is now learning a piece that is so difficult that many professional pianists can’t play it. Samuel says confidently,” It’s all about super memory---I guess I have that gift.”
However, Samuel’s ability to remember things doesn’t stop with music. His family says that even when he was a young boy, Samuel heard someone read a story, and then he could retell the story word for word.
Samuel is still only a teenager. He doesn’t know what he wants to do in the future. For now, he is just happy to play beautiful music and continue his studies.What is special about Samuel Osmond?
A.He has a gift for writing music. |
B.He can write down the note he hears. |
C.He is a top student at the law school. |
D.He can play the musical piece he hears. |
What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
A.Samuel chose law against the wish of his parents. |
B.Samuel planned to be a lawyer rather than a musician. |
C.Samuel thinks of himself as a man of great musical ability. |
D.Samuel studies law and music on the advice of his teachers. |
Everyone around Samuel was surprised because he _________.
A.received a good early education in music |
B.played the guitar and the piano perfectly |
C.could play the piano without reading music |
D.could play the guitar better than his father |
What can we infer about Samuel in Paragraph 4?
A.He became famous during a special event at his college. |
B.He is proud of his ability to remember things accurately. |
C.He plays the piano better than many professional pianists. |
D.He impressed the audience by playing all the musical pieces. |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.The Qualities of a Musician |
B.The Story of a Musical Talent |
C.The Importance of Early Education |
D.The Relationship between Memory and Music. |
Beijing has started a battle to get rid of "Chinglish" (Chinese English). The "Language Mandarins" of Beijing have decided that Chinglish is a disease for China's modernizing claim and must be obliterated before the city hosts the Olympic Games in 2008.
A road sign on the Avenue of Eternal Peace (Chang'an Street) ,for example, advises: "To Take Notice of Safe; The Slippery Are Very Crafty", a warning that the sidewalk was slippery(滑). Another sign in a Beijing park reads: "Little grass is smiling slightly, please walk on sidewalk. "
Li Honghai, the city official in charge of the battle, said," Linguistic perfection (语言美) is becoming increasingly important with the rise in the number of the foreigners flowing into the city."
However, not everyone shares the disdain (蔑视) of the Beijing government for the mixed language. "The choice of words is pretty much. One can either choose the verbs, adverbs, nouns or whatever one likes," explained one Hong Kong linguist on an Internet website.
So many examples exist that several Internet sites have been set up to collect Chinglish phrases. Many come from English instructions on packages such as a candle marked with "Keep this candle out of children" and a model boat—curiously named Posh Sailboat—which means, "Please don't place it in dusty play."
If the battle against Chinglish is successful, Chinese will also turn their attention to the English-language versions of newspapers, which play an even more important role in teaching right English.
The underlined word
"obliterated" refers to.
A.removed | B.exploited |
C.translated | D.beautified |
From the passage, we know that .
A.everyone shares the disdain for the mixed language |
B.all the people don't share the disdain for the mixed language |
C.Chinglish usually communicates in many cases |
D.several Internet sites have been set up to clear the Chinghsh phrases |
We can infer that the English-language version of newspapers .
A.should be in duty to teach normal English |
B.should report the above battle |
C.should be paid more attention to |
D.should collect more Chinglish phrases |
Which of the following signs is Chinglish?
A.Watch your step. Slippery sidewalk. | B.Keep off the grass, please. | C.Tourists do not enter. | D.No smoking, please. |
Ad.1 April fool’s party
On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70’s and 80’s by DJs Den & Sion.9 pm till late.
Tickets:Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan(US $6)
Time/date:9pm, April 1
Place:Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun xiliujie, Chaoang District
Tel:8454-0321
Ad.2 Language in use
Enjoy free in-house coffee, tea and beer as well as music and dancing.Practice your Chinese, make friends and have fun.
Time/date:7 to 9 pm, March 25
Place:Language In Use Club, 2/F, Science Fortune Centre, 8 Xueqing Lu, north of Xueyuan Lu, Haidian District.
Ad.3 The “worst ” party
Organized by 0-zone productions, the party is set to be “the worst ever,” with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s.Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense.
Tickets:Free entrance
Time/date:9 pm, April 1
Place:Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colors Plaza, Chaoyang District
Ad.4 La Nuit Francaise
Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous.The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France of speaking French to gather together.
The evening features three glasses of wine and canapés for participants and a special exhibition.
Time/date:7 to 10pm, April 14
Place:Le Rendez-vous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza Chaoyang
Ad.5 Marco V
Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong’s DJ Spark.
Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style-blending deejay and successful and devoted producer.His spinning is energetic, crowd-pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor.He was ranked No 15 in this year’s international DJ MAG DJ Top 100.
Tickets:40 yuan (US $ 4.80) in advance, 50 yuan(US$6) at the door, both include a free drink.Which of the following is NOT True of Ad.1and Ad.3 ?
A.The two parties will be held on the same day. |
B.The two parties will be held at the same time. |
C.The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged. |
D.Some old music will be played at the parties. |
Which of the following is intended for the Chinese learners?
A.Marco V | B.La Nuit Francaise |
C.Language in use | D.The “worst” party |
Which of the following events takes place every month?
A.Marco V | B.La Nuit Francaise |
C.The “worst” party | D.Language in use |
We can infer that _____.
A.Marco V is a newly-established band |
B.La Nuit Francaise may be French words |
C.The “worst” party will attract a lot of college students |
D.You will enjoy free drink at April fool’s party |
Health experts have discovered that adding low-calorie vegetable soup to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight.
Because you feel full sooner, you eat less of your main course.
The soup regime(养生法)was tested by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, led by Dr Barbara Rolls.
They found that when people ate a first course of soup before lunch they reduced their total calorie intake by 20 per cent, compared with those who did not begin the meal with soup.
But those who favor creamy soups should be careful.Researchers stressed the soup must be low-calorie and based on stock(菜汤), not cream.
All of the soups tested in the study were made from identical ingredients - chicken stock , broccoli(硬花甘蓝), potato, cauliflower(菜花)and carrots.
They were mixed together to create four different textures and thickness from separate stock and vegetables through to pureed soup.
Scientists thought that thick soups with chunks of vegetables which required chewing might be more filling, but to their surprise they found all forms had the same effect.
The findings were presented to the Experimental Biology conference in Washington, DC, and the research was part-funded by the National Institutes of Health. What’s the reason that adding low-calorie vegetable soup to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight?
A.You can take in large quantities of vegetables. |
B.You can absorb high calories from the soup. |
C.You can take in low calories from the soup. |
D.You can feel full soon after having the soup. |
Which of the following can not be in the low-calorie soup?
A.chicken stock | B.cauliflower | C.cream | D.carrots |
What is the best title of this passage?
A.Vegetable Soup Helps to Lose Weight. |
B.A Scientific Research is Carrying out. |
C.A Research Done at Pennsylvania State University |
D.Findings Carried out to the Experimental Biology. |
The underlined word “favor” is the same in meaning with ______.
A.hate | B.enjoy | C.prefer | D.drink. |
Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.
One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.
Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional(偶尔) walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night. Which of the following statements is true?
A.People who like country things prefer to live outside the city. |
B.Few people who work in London prefer to live in the country. |
C.One disadvantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. |
D.The people living outside London must like gardens. |
One can use the same money for ________ in London to buy a little house with a garden in the country.
A.getting a small flat with a garden |
B.having a small flat with a garden |
C.renting a small flat without a garden |
D.buying a small flat without a garden |
When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______can share the secret of Nature.
A.who live in the country |
B.who have spent time working in the garden |
C.who work inside the city |
D.who sometimes walk in the parks |
People who like the city life would feel that _______ if they had to live outside London.
A.their life was meaningless |
B.their life was invaluable |
C.they didn’t deserve a happy life |
D.they were not worthy of their happy life |
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at that time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:
Sorry, I’m still alive! How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
A.She is miserable and unhappy. |
B.She is cheerful and humorous. |
C.She would like to live much longer. |
D.She feels she is going to die very soon. |
Jeanne Calment has a long life because of _______.
A.smoking only a little every day |
B.her giving up smoking and drinking |
C.drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day |
D.the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.The Japanese man died earlier than Jeanne Calment by one day. |
B.Jeanne Calment is tired of living so long a life. |
C.Jeanne Calment’s husband, children and grandchildren have all died. |
D.One of Jeanne Calment’s legs was once broken. |
Which could best replace the underlined word “move” in the fourth paragraph?
A.deal | B.trick | C.march | D.sport |
Why does Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive” to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
A.Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage. |
B.Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed. |
C.Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house. |
D.Because the house she rented to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid. |