Teach Yourself How to Play a Musical Instrument
If you're low on cash but interested in learning how to play a new musical instrument, consider some of these tips.
Set a goal for yourself.
1. Is it to form a rock band with your friends, play with an orchestra, write music, or to simply play for your own enjoyment? Be realistic about your goals when you're just starting to learn how to play a new instrument.2.
Research different instruments.
Choosing an instrument takes more than just picking the one that looks the most impressive.There can be many variations(变化) in range as well as other factors that affect the sound like the number of strings on a guitar or bass.3. If so, you can see which one you're most comfortable with.
Take lessons.
Consider learning how to play a musical instrument by yourself.There are plenty of books, training videos, and online resources available.They can teach you how to play most instruments.4. Take your time while learning, but set aside some time at least every week so that you practise good habits and stay motivated.Once you've mastered basic skills, you'll be well on your way to mastering your chosen instrument.
Never stop learning.
Sometimes it might be frustrating to make little progress or tiresome to keep up with practising.5. Work hard at what you want to do and always keep improving.
A．What's more, many of them are completely free.
B．Consider carefully what kind of lessons you want.
C．Think over what you would like to get out of this experience.
D．Therefore, you have got pleasure from playing the instrument.
E．However, remember you had a goal that you wanted to achieve.
F．Most importantly, before you buy, consider trying them out for a bit first.
G．It can be time－consuming at first, but the results can be even more rewarding.
From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations， human beings have been putting great effort into space research． And so far， we have achieved many successes． But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress．
The international space station （ISS） is an important step we should take in space exploration． It is not only helpful but also essential． It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time． It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe． It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars． In a word， if we want to explore space more， the first thing we should do is to set up a space station．
As the space station costs a lot of money， it is hard for one country alone to establish one． The USA seem to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone， and it has tried to do so， but not very successful． So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together． Though it is still extremely expensive， it is much cheaper than doing it alone． It is really a job that needs everyone's effort and will benefit everyone．
Led by the U．S． and Russia， the ISS is a joint project between six space agencies involving 16countries． Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation， the ISS has come to the end of a ten﹣year's hard work in construction． China has applied for participation in （taking part in） the project many times． Unfortunately all the applications were rejected， which drove China onto the path of independent development． As the Long March Ⅱ﹣F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off （leave the ground） and successfully carried the Tiangong﹣1into space on September 29， 2011， China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era．
Some West media suggested that the successful launch of Tiangong﹣1 would disturb the balance of global space power， raising concerns about "China threat"． China's space project is not designed for military purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankind's well﹣being．
1.From Paragraph 2we learn that ．
A. the necessity of building the international space station is not realized now
B. many experiments have been done in the international space station
C. the international space station is necessary for people to explore space more
D. people have traveled to Mars from the international space station
2.Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries' cooperation in building the international space station？
A. That it requires a lot of money．
B. That it needs everyone's effort．
C. That it will benefit every participating country．
D. That it is too far away from the earth．
3.The underlined word "aggregated" in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by " "．
A. united
B. scolded
C. allowed
D. forbade
4.China wants to build its space station in order to ．
A. break the balance of global space power
B. show that China can build space station alone
C. raise international concerns about "China threat"
D. make use of space peacefully for mankind's well﹣being
When I was young, my mother didn't have the money to send me to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with education.So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself.But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4：30 in the morning.
We need every one of you to develop your talents and your skills so that you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you quit on school—you're not just quitting on yourself, but you're quitting on your country. No one's written your destiny(命运) for you, because you write your own destiny. You make your own future.That's why today I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education and do everything you can to meet them.Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time reading a book.
But whatever you decide to do, I want you to commit to it.I want you to really work at it.I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work—that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star.No one's born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work.You're not a good athlete the first time you play a new sport.You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song.You've got to practise.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph？
A. The writer's home was very rich.
B. The writer's mother was a teacher.
C. The writer was born in a poor family.
D. The writer didn't like reading books.
2.What does the writer want everyone to do by improving their talents and skills？
A. To quit on their country to earn more money.
B. To help solve the most difficult problems.
C. To write their own new destiny by working as a TV star.
D. To spend some time writing books about their own life.
3.Why does the writer call on everyone to set his/her own goal？
A. Because everyone's future is determined by themselves.
B. Because eyeryone's future is to do simple work.
C. Because everyone should do their homework.
D. Because everyone should pay attention in class.
4.How can people realise their great dreams？
A. By rapping.
B. By playing basketball.
C. By being a reality star.
D. By working hard.
He was once referred to as the Picasso of poetry.Beloved by Chileans (智利人) of all classes, he is one of the most widely read and respected poets in history.He is Pablo Neruda who was born in 1904 and died in 1973.
Born with the name Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, he was a tall, shy and lonely boy.He loved to read and started to write poetry when he was ten.The American poet Walt Whitman, whose framed picture Neruda later kept on his table, became a major influence on his work.
However, his father did not like the idea of having a poet for a son and tried to discourage him from writing.To cover up the publication of his first poem, he took the pen name Pablo Neruda.
In 1924 Neruda gained fame with his most widely read work “Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair”．Yet his rich experience as a diplomat(外交官) and an exile made him go beyond the theme of love.His work also reflected the political struggle of the left and development of South America.He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Neruda loved the sea which he saw as creative, destructive and forever moving.He found inspiration in the power and freedom of the waves and the seabirds on the coast.“I need the sea because it teaches me，” he wrote.“I move in the university of the waves.” He loved how the sea forever renewed itself, a renewal echoed(回荡) in his work.
1.Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto took the pen name Pablo Neruda because____.
A. literary greats usually used the pen names
B. his father encouraged him to use the name
C. he wanted to prevent his father knowing the publication
D. he was greatly influenced by other poets
2.Which of the following is NOT the theme of his works？
A. Love.
B. Political struggle.
C. Social reform.
D. The development of South America.
3.The last paragraph mainly tells us ____.
A. the sea gave Neruda vast writing inspiration
B. the beautiful scenery along the Chile coast
C. Neruda's poems were widely read overseas
D. Neruda loved to write his poems near the sea
For a 400－year－old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romance languages you were supposed to learn in high school.And with tickets costing as much as $145 a performance, opera goers also had a certain appearance in people's mind: rich, well－dressed and old.
But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience.
Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to associate opera with the common people.That means no formal suits, old－styled theatre or bank－breaking ticket prices.And because young people don't or won't come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such usual places as parks, libraries and public schools.
The Houston Grand Opera's choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas”， shortened versions of child－friendly operas.This summer's production is Hansel & Gretel.By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level.The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists' Training Program.
1.Which is the main idea of this passage？
A. Opera is famous for its long history.
B. Opera is only performed for rich people.
C. Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive.
D. Young people are not interested in opera.
2.The underlined phrase in the second paragraph means____.
A. breaking up the old rules
B. changing the dresses
C. making the audience at ease
D. advertising themselves
3.Opera companies prefer to perform short versions because ____.
A. they can be performed in public libraries
B. short versions are easy to perform
C. it is hard to find long versions
D. they can make people interested
4.The San Francisco Opera employs students in order to____.
A. celebrate its 75th anniversary
B. reduce the costs
C. attract young people
D. make Cinderella popular
目前，校校园内浪费现象严重，为创建节约型校园, 请你根据下面表格中的信息写一篇演讲稿，号召同学们从我做起，改变不良习惯，杜绝浪费。
浪费现象 | 1、水、电 2、餐厅的食物 3、纸张、书本 |
造成危害 | 1、浪费资源 2、形成坏习惯，不利于品德养成 3、浪费金钱，增加父母经济负担 |
措 施 | （内容请自己添加） |
注意：1、词数：100左右；
2、可根据内容要点适当加入细节，以使行文连贯；
3、开头和结尾已给出，但不计入总词数。
4、参考词汇：
经济负担: financial burden 品德：moral
Dear classmates,
May I have your attention, please? Now I’d like to make a speech here.
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