Singing had always been an important part of Gloria Estefan’s life. “Since I was three years old, I sang. I sang everything,” Gloria said. “Cubans,” she added, “are a musical people”.
Gloria was born in Cuba in 1957. Her family left the country just before Fidel Castro came to power. In Miami, where the family settled, many people did not accept Cuban immigrants. In first grade, she spoke little English, but she worked hard to learn the language. Six months after she entered school, she won an award for reading in English!
When Gloria was ten, her father returned from the Vietnam War. Soon, the family realized he wasn’t well. They soon found out that he was badly ill. Her mother went back to teaching at school to support the family. Gloria cared for her father and her younger sister.
She still made the honor roll, and she still had her music, but Gloria was lonely. However, when the band leader Emilio Estefan came to speak at her high school, Gloria sang for him. He asked her to join his band. It was the beginning of the Miami Sound Machine.
Within a few months, the Miami Sound Machine was the top band in Miami. In 1978 Gloria and Emilio married.
At first, the Miami Sound Machine was known only in Miami. Then the band signed with CBS Records. Estefan and his band became stars.
Since then, the Miami Sound Machine has sold millions of records. Gloria has done more than just singing when Hurricane Andrew hit central Florida in 1992. She used only two weeks to organize an all-star concert that raised $2 million for the people who suffered in the hurricane. “We needed a party after that disaster,” she said.
Gloria said, “You have to stay true to the music you really love to do. There will always be people who will tell you, ‘that won’t work.’ You’ve got to be firm in spite of difficulties. Stick to it—that’s the main thing.”
1.Gloria’s father was ill_________.
A．when they settled down in Miami.
B．before they left their home country
C．after he returned from Vietnam War
D．as soon as she finished high school
2.According to the passage, probably Gloria did the following excep________ .
A．organizing an all-star concert for Hurricane victims
B．winning an award for reading in English
C．teaching at school to support the family
D．taking care of her father and sister
3.The underlined word “disaster” in this passage refers to __________ .
A．the concert B．the celebration C．the victims D．the hurricane
Eleven-year-old Angela was attacked by a rare 21 affecting her nerve system. She was unable to walk and her movement was 22 in other ways as well. The doctors did not hold much 23 of her ever recovering from this illness. They 24 she'd spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.They said that few, if any, were able to come back to 25 after suffering from this disease .The little girl was 26 . There, lying in her hospital bed, she would swear that she was 27 going to be walking again one day.
She was moved to a specialized 28 hospital in the San Francisco Bay area. All 29 that could be applied to her case were used. The doctors were moved by her undefeatable spirit. They taught her about imaging about seeing herself walking. If it would do 30 else, it would at least give her hope and something 31 to do in the long waking hours in her bed. Angela would work as hard as possible in physical treatments, and in exercise sessions. But she worked just as hard lying there faithfully doing her 32 , visualizing herself moving, moving, moving!
One day, 33 she was attempting, with all her might, to imagine her legs moving again, it seemed as though something 34 happened: the bed moved! It began to move around the room! She 35 out, "Look what I'm doing! Look! Look! I can do it”. I moved! I moved!"
Of course, at this very moment everyone else in the hospital was screaming, too, and running to a 36 place. People were screaming, equipment was 37 and glass was breaking. You see, it was the terrible San Francisco earthquake. 38 don't tell that to Angela. She 39 that she did it.
And now only a few years later, she's back in school, on her own 40 . No crutches, no wheelchair. You see, anyone who can shake the earth between San Francisco and Oakland can defeat a little disease, can't they?
1. A．problem B．disease C．accident D．error
2. A．spread B．avoided C．limited D．forced
3. A．thought B．idea C．opinion D．hope
4. A．predicted B．prepared C．admitted D．decided
5. A．active B．normal C．alive D．simple
6. A．fearless B．peaceful C．patient D．stainless
7. A．probably B．approximately C．sincerely D．certainly
8. A．recovery B．experiment C．practice D．exercise
9. A．schedules B．instructions C．supports D．treatments
10. A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
11. A．.admirable B．interesting C．optimistic D．appropriate
12. A．training B．imaging C．expectation D．performance
13. A．however B．after C．just D．as
14. A．useful B．regretful C．surprising D．disgusting
15. A．screamed B．laughed C．spoke D．sang
16. A．beautiful B．safe C．dangerous D．dirty
17. A．accelerating B．running C．appearing D．falling
18. A．For B．So C．But D．Or
19. A．believed B．denied C．realized D．accepted
20. A．parts B．legs C．body D．role
After a heated discussion at the meeting, a new plan came _____ being, which would have a great effect _______ the culture life of the public.
A．into；for B．to; to C．from; at D．into; on
It is suggested that another school___________ in our city.
A．should build B．be set up C．will be set up D．will build
We should try our best to keep our environment from______.
A．polluting B．polluted C．being polluted D．having polluted
--- Have you moved into your new house？
---- No. It _________at present.
A．will be decorated B．is being decorated C．is decorating D．was decorated
