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.
1.What’s the job of West and Jernigan at school?
A．Teaching music. B．Writing music.
C．Making musical instruments. D．Repairing musical instruments.
2.They love the job because they can .
A．earn more money B．learn repair skills
C．enjoy music D．watch performances
3.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.
4.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.
5.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.
International students in Christine Rhodes’ English class in Australia share their favorite places they have visited in Australia.
Canberra,
the nicest city in Australia.
Siggi Siebold from Germany
I went for a short holiday to Canberra because my son lives there. It’s the nicest city in Australia, a little bit similar to Cairns. There’re lots of big rivers and trees around the city.
The
small city of Mount Isa
Indra Ekanayake from Malaysia
I came to Mount Isa six months ago. It’s a long way from Brisbane-about 2,000 km .It’s a small city, with a population of 21,000, but it has all the basic facilities(设施)such as a hospital, six schools and supermarkets. It’s a mining city. It’s hot and gets little rain. There’re two big lakes to keep the rainwater for drinking for the city.
Lake
Moondarra and a mine
Ida Robb from Indonesia
In Mount Isa, there’s a dam called Lake Moondarra. On the weekend you can go there with your friends. People go fishing and even catch a crocodile. There’s a big mine in Mount Isa. Many people come to work in the mine and earn much money. It isn’t a beautiful green place, but many people love it.
My
impression(印象)of Sydney
Namfon Pitaxsin from Thailand
The fist time I came to Australia, I was happy. I traveled to Sydney. Four million people live there ,and many are Asians. I saw the harbor (港口)，Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House and I went to see the koalas and kangaroos in Taronga Park Zoo. After that I went to the Thai restaurants. There is a revolving (旋转的) restaurant, so you can eat and see the city.
1.Why did Siggi Siebold go to Canberra?
A．Because it’s the nicest city in Australia.
B．Because her son lives there
C．Because it is similar to her hometown
D．Because there’re lots of rivers
2.According to Indra Ekanayake, Mount Isa______
A．is a famous harbor in Ausralia
B．has a large population
C．probably doesn’t have enough drinking water
D．doesn’t have enough basic facilities
3.Where is Lake Moondarra?
A．In Canberra. B．In Mount Isa. C．In Brisbane. D．In Sydney
4.The first time Namfon Pitaxsin went to Australia, she________
A．saw some special Australian animals
B．met more Americans than Asians
C．ate in a revolving restaurant
D．enjoyed the music in the Opera House
5.How many cities does the passage mainly talk about?
A．Two B．Three C．Four. D．Five
Two years ago my grandmother was going to turn 75. My family discussed what the best way to celebrate was. Should we throw her a party? Should we take her on a trip? We remembered that she had touched so many people's lives, and there were so many people for her to consider. Then someone got the idea that we should include everyone in the celebration by turning it into a tribute(献礼) to my grandmother.
We secretly sent out letters to the people in Grandmother's address book and asked them to send a letter with a memory that they had shared with her. People sent us letters with poems, stories and pictures. The deep feeling that was shared through the response (回应) surprised us. We compiled(编辑)these letters into a memory book and amazed her with it on the morning of her birthday.
The unusual thing about my grandmother's friends was not the number that she had, but the connection they shared. In many ways this book of friendship was the greatest achievement of my grandmother's life.
I believe that developing true friendships is one of the most important things that anyone can do in one's lifetime. It is not a matter of the number of friends one has, but the quality of the bonds. If one has had at least one true friendship before dying, then one can say one has lived a successful life. I have made many friends and I believe I have begun to develop the same types of friendships my grandmother kept up over her lifetime. I only hope that I will be as successful as she has been.
1.How did the author's family celebrate Grandmother's birthday ?
A．They took her on a trip across the country.
B．They gave her a memory book of friendship.
C．They invited all her friends to her birthday party.
D．They asked all her friends to send her cards.
2.When receiving her birthday gift, the author's grandmother probably felt _____.
A．disappointed and lonely B．sorry and sad
C．surprised and pleased D．nervous and excited
3.The underlined word “bonds” in the last paragraph probably means________
A．relationships B．works C．successes D．celebrations
4.According to the passage, the author probably agrees that _____.
A．the more friends you have, the better
B．friends are more important than family
C．understanding leads to greater success
D．true friendship is very important to us
5.Which of the following words can best describe the author's grandmother ?
A．Famous B．Great. C．Polite D．Pleasant
Read the passage carefully and then translate the underlined sentences into English or Chinese. Write your answer on your answer sheet.
Howard Carter is one of the most famous explorers the world has ever known. He was brave and loved to visit and explore new places. During his life, he discovered many amazing things.1.他天资聪颖，对家乡之外的世界充满了好奇心when he was very young.
Howard Carter never went to school, but learnt to draw from his father. 2.By the 1920s, he had become an explorer, searching for the tombs of the Egyptian kings. He discovered a great fortune in jewels and gold, along with the preserved bodies of dead kings. 3.这些经过处理的遗体就是为人所知的木乃伊. In 1922, Howard Carter made his most amazing discovery of all, in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt, where he found the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
However, not long after the tomb had been opened, people in Carter’s team began to fall ill and die strangely.4.Within seven years, 21 people who had something to do with the opening of the tomb died.
Some people say the deaths were just coincidence. 5.Others believe that they were in connection with a mummy’s curse. However, still others believe that there is a scientific explanation, because inside the tombs there are many viruses.
Complete the passage below with the correct forms of the given words and phrases in the column (two are extra).
Last summer holiday, Colin and Toby spent a few weeks traveling in Africa. The two British brothers chose Africa as their tourist 1._____ because they considered it to be a place of mystery and2.________. They made sure that they 3.______ everything well before they started their adventure.
Their first extraordinary experience was riding camels through the Sahara Desert. In the desert, they were more than pleased to see the 4._____ stars on clear nights. Then, they traveled down the River Nile and experienced the exciting white-water rafting in the 5.___ water. Afterwards, they went on a trip to see wild animals in Kenya. During the weeks of walking in Kenya, Colin and Toby felt lucky to have prepared a large backpack 6._____ to carry the supplies of water and food. As they were very curious to see the wild animals up close, they brought guns with them7._____ the animals came too close. Then, they moved on to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and enjoyed the splendid scenery there.
8.___, Colin and Toby’s adventure in Africa lasted for about a month. Tired but delighted, they knew that they would bear it in mind forever.
An amazing teacher
Years ago a John Hopkins professor gave a group of graduate students this task: Go to the slums（贫民窟）. Took 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and 31 their background and environment, then 32 their chances for the future.
The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys, and collecting much data， concluded that 90 percent of the boys would 33 some time in prison.
Twenty-five years later 34 group of graduate students was given the job of 35 the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys---by then 36 ---were still there, a few had died, some had moved away, but they got in touch with 180 of the 37 200.They found that only four of the group had ever been sent to 38 .
Why was it that these men, who had lived in a breeding place of crime, had such a surprisingly good record? The researchers were 39 told,“Well, there was a teacher…”
They pressed（追问）further, and found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for retired teachers. How had she had this brilliant 40 on that group of children? Could she give them any reason why these boys should have remembered her?
“No,” she said,“No，I really couldn’t.”And then， thinking back 41 the years, she said musingly（沉思地）,42 to herself than to her questioners,“Ｉloved those boys…”
1. A．look into B．make up C．show up D．result in
2. A．control B．arrange C．desert D．predict
3. A．cost B．spend C．take D．waste
4. A．others B．the other C．another D．other
5. A．cursing B．convincing C．applying D．testing
6. A．teachers B．students C．men D．professors
7. A．native B．rare C．recorded D．discouraged
8. A．slums B．society C．prison D．school
9. A．continually B．optimistically C．curiously D．officially
10. A．reflection B．harmony C．effect D．existence
11. A．before B．after C．in D．over.
12. A．less B．more C．better D．worse
