Nicola’s Love for Her Violin
Can love between partners with a 237-year age gap (差距) lead to the perfect match (绝配)? Nicola Benedetti thinks so. The 18-year-old 36 and her “partner, a 255-year-old Italian violin, 37 to China for the first time last weekend. She 38 in Beijing on September 15 and also performed in Hangzhou and Shanghai.
Nicola is from Scotland and 39 playing the violin when she was four years old. 40 , it was not something her parents 41 her do. She went with her sister to violin lessons and 42 it and improved very quickly.
“There are so many different things I am fond of about the 43 ,” she said. “I can’t really 44 it but I love giving live performances, I like the feeling of playing and communicating with the 45 . I love the feeling of the violin under my chin (下巴).”
However, playing violin six hours a day is not a/an 46 job. “I usually 47 in an upstairs bedroom when I’m at home.” she said. “But sometimes, when it’s 48 outside, it can be upset. The house is right on the 49 and I can see others having fun 50 I’m on my own.”
Although practising is sometimes lonely, Nicola 51 felt she was lucky. “You can’t have 52 . I am really lucky to do what I love doing,” she said. Her 53 paid off (终有回报). Nicola won BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004 at 16.
54 her performing and recording activities, Nicola is a/an 55 of UNICEF (联合国儿童基金会). She said that she would travel to Lesotho in southern Africa at the end of this year to help poor kids there.
A．singer B．writer C．pianist D．violinist
A．came B．turned C．ran D．moved
A．checked B．played C．visited D．remained
A．stopped B．requested C．started D．ignored
A．So B．And C．But D．However
A．made B．persuaded C．wanted D．got
A．noticed B．concerned C．minded D．loved
A．lessons B．violin C．performances D．show
A．explain B．imagine C．determine D．refuse
A．foreigners B．friends C．audience D．teenagers
A．boring B．easy C．wonderful D．tiring
A．work B．rest C．stay D．practise
A．cool B．sunny C．windy D．cloudy
A．river B．hill C．farm D．beach
A．while B．as C．so D．for
A．even B．still C．ever D．almost
A．anything B．something C．everything D．nothing
A．time B．music C．efforts D．action
A．Because of B．Besides C．Instead of D．Thanks to
A．adviser B．manager C．organizer D．supporter
In order to tell what I believe, I must briefly introduce some of my personal history.
The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising business career and study music. My parents, sharing my love of music, _16_____ of it as a profession. This was understandable in view of the family __17____. My grandfather had taught music for nearly forty years and earned barely enough to __18____ for his large family. My father often said it was only the hardheaded thriftiness of my grandmother that helped the family live a life. As a(an) __19___ of this example in the family, my mention of music as a profession carried with it a picture of an existence with __20____ financial rewards. My parents insisted upon college instead of a conservatory of a career of music, and so finally I went to college quite happily.
Before my graduation from Columbia, the family met with severe financial problems and I felt it my duty to __21____ college and take a job. Thus was I started a business career – which I always think of as the wasted years.
Now I do not for a moment mean to disparage business. My whole point I is that it was not for me. I went into it for __22___, and apart from the satisfaction of being able to help the family, money is all I got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. From being merely dissatisfied I became really ___23___. I knew what I wanted is to save enough to __24____ and go to Europe to study ___25__. I used to get up at dawn to practice before I left for “downtown”, disappointing my poor mother by eating a hurried breakfast at the last minute. I continued to make money, and finally, bit by bit, saved enough to __26____ me to go abroad. And, by now, the family didn’t need my help any longer. I ended my business career, feeling like a man released from prison, and sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than ever and ___27___ every minute of it.
“Enjoyed” is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived. I was a __28____ man and I was doing what I loved to do and what I was meant to do.
If I had stayed in business, I might be a __29____ man today, but I do not believe I would have made a success of living. I would have given up all those inner satisfactions, which money can never buy.
When I broken away from business, it was against the advice of all my friends and family. Most of us are so accustomed to the association of success with money__30___the thought of giving up a good income for an idea seemed rather crazy. If so, all I can say is “Ah! It’s great to be crazy.”
A．thought B．disapproved C．agreed D．disagreed
A．background B．experience C．tradition D．belief
A．offer B．support C．provide D．give
A．expectation B．intention C．cause D．consequence
A．certain B．uncertain C．sure D．ensured
A．enter B．join C．leave D．apply
A．interest B．dreams C．money D．hope
A．painful B．excited C．embarrassed D．cheerful
A．drop B．satisfy C．live D．quit
A．music B．medicine C．economy D．Business
A．let B．make C．encourage D．enable
A．spent B．enjoyed C．wasted D．used
A．free B．wealthy C．creative D．enthusiastic
A．strong B．successful C．wealthy D．satisfied
A．it B．which C．that D．as
I am my mother’s third child. When I was born, her doctor gently explained to my mother that my left arm was __16__, below the elbow(肘部). Then he gave her some __17__:“Don’t treat her any __18__ from the other girls. Demand more.” And she __19__!
My mother had to work to __20__ our family. There were five girls in our family and we all had to __21__. Once when I was about seven, I came out of the __22__,“Mom, I can’t peel (削……皮) potatoes. I only have one hand. “You get back to peel those potatoes, and don’t ever use that as a(n) __23__ for anything again!” Of course I could peel potatoes with my good hand, while holding them down with my __24__ arm. There was always a __25__ , and Mom knew it, “If you try hard __26__,” she ‘d say, “you can do anything.”
Once in the second grade, our teacher had each of us race across the monkey bars(高低杠). When it was my turn, I __27__ my head. Some kids __28__ . I went home crying. After work the next afternoon, Mom __29__ me back to the school ground. “ Now, __30__ up with your right arm”, she advised. She stood by __31__ I practiced, and she __32__ me when I made progress. I’ll never forget the __33__ time I was crossing the bars. The kids were standing there with their mouths open.
It was the way with everything. When I __34__ I can’t handle things, I see Mom’s smile again. She had the heart to __35__ anything. And she taught me I could, too.
A．missing B．broken C．diseased D．short
A．warning B．medicine C．help D．advice
A．badly B．differently C．well D．normally
A．did B．refused C．cried D．was
A．care B．help C．support D．feed
A．pay attention B．work out C．carry out D．help out
A．kitchen B．bedroom C．house D．school
A．idea B．change C．excuse D．explanation
A．lost B．other C．next D．longer
A．chance B．way C．time D．success
A．enough B．too C．again D．often
A．hurt B．nodded C．shook D．turned
A．cheered B．whispered C．joked D．laughed
A．drove B．took C．sent D．carried
A．pull B．jump C．stand D．rise
A．before B．as C．after D．until
A．helped B．raised C．praised D．protected
A．first B．last C．wonderful D．next
A．admit B．fear C．find D．realize
A．face B．teach C．learn D．solve
It was my first year teaching in a special needs class, and I wasn’t sure what to expect at our yearly. Special Olympics sports meeting. My 1 had some challenges, from learning disabilities to cerebral palsy（大脑性麻痹）.
Mark was one with the latter. Restricted to a 2 , he had to fight his spasms （抽筋） just to control his movements. 3 , he always had a positive attitude and greeted everyone with a huge smile.
His classmates 4 him and always took the time to make sure he was included in group activities, especially Mike, Andy and Lucas, three boys who were good at 5 . Obviously, Mark wanted to be like them, unrestricted by the limitation of his 6 and watching them moving on the playing field seemed to fill him with 7 .
When the day came, Mike, Andy and Lucas 8 well in their sports events, and gave the normally calm audience something to cheer about. Mark sat in his wheelchair on the sidelines, 9 them on.
The final event of the day was the 400 meter race. 10 was invited to either walk or run, according to their ability, around the 11 length of the track.
When Mike, Andy and Lucas reached the finish line, they 12 and turned to look behind them. At the 13 of the crowd, determined not to be left behind, was Mark. All his classmates had 14 him. He was alone on the track with over half the distance left to 15 .
Mike, Andy and Lucas looked at each other, and a silent 16 passed between them. Slowly, they jogged 17 towards their friend, cheering him on 18 he had done for them moments before.
The progress was 19 , but in the end the three star runners and Mark crossed the finish line together to the enthusiastic cries of their teachers and classmates. Seeing the look on Mark’s face as he crossed the finish line, hands upraised and laughing, I came to understand what 20 the Special Olympics, and the determined athletes who compete, so extraordinary.
Years later, I’m still cheering them on.
A．partners B．friends C．students D．classmates
A．bed B．machine C．wheelchair D．desk
A．So B．However C．Otherwise D．Therefore
A．protected B．satisfied C．respected D．loved
A．sports B．practice C．studies D．expression
A．interests B．body C．habits D．mind
A．wonder B．trust C．stress D．reset
A．trained B．played C．operated D．prepared
A．bringing B．holding C．cheering D．moving
A．Someone B．Nobody C．Anybody D．Everyone
A．entire B．different C．average D．equal
A．fell B．paused C．rushed D．rested
A．center B．front C．end D．top
A．left B．ignored C．passed D．helped
A．continue B．jog C．walk D．cover
A．demand B．thought C．action D．relief
A．back B．along C．again D．on
A．while B．although C．since D．as
A．boring B．great C．slow D．relaxing
A．leaves B．finds C．keeps D．makes
An old man lay in a hospital bed, heavily sedated（给……服镇静剂）to ease the pain from his heart attack.. The nurse arrived and said, "Your 36 is here," repeating the words several times before the 37 conscious man opened his eyes. His son was a 38 who had come back from service to 39 to his beloved father.
The elderly man 40 out to touch his son's hand and held it gently. All through the 41 ,the young soldier sat in the ward（病房）offering words of 42 to his dying dad, who said 43 but kept a weak grip of his child. 44 of the noise of the oxygen tank and the moans（呻吟声）of the other patients, the soldier remained 45 by the old man-s side.
Several times in the course of that long night, the nurse returned and suggested that the soldier leave to 4 6 for a while, But each time he would 4 7 As dawn approached the elderly man 48 His loving son rested the old man's lifeless hand on the bed and left to find the 49 . The young man waited while the nurse carried his father's body away and when she returned, offering words of 50 the soldier interrupted her.
"Who was the man?"-he asked.
51 ,the nurse replied, "He was your father."
“No, he wasn't," the young man said, 6'I've never seen him before in my life.”
"Then 52 didn't you say something'?"
“When I arrived at the ward,I knew right away there had been a(n) 53 ,”the young man explained. "But I also knew that man needed his son, and he wasn't here.I could tell he was too一54 to know who sat beside him but he needed someone there, soI just decided t0 55 him.
A．wife B．son C．brother D．cousin
A．barely B．simply C．actually D．totally
A．director B．manager C．waiter D．soldier
A．talk B．listen C．attend D．adjust
A．morning B．noon C．afternoon D．night
A．sadness B．truth C．excitement D．encoursgement
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．Free B．Unaware C．Afraid D．Tired
A．loyally B．seriously C．impatiently D．carelessly
A．walk B．chat C．rest D．exercise
A．refuse B．agree C．hesitate D．weep
A．awoke B．died C．recovered D．screamed
A．friend B．relative C．ambulance D．nurse
A．love B．anger C．sympathy D．admiration
A．Shocked B．Worried C．Frightened D．Annoyed
A．mistake B．hope C．accident D．event
A．anxious B．sick C．disappointed D．careless
A．leave B．support C．respect D．accompany
When I was six, my mother placed me in a 36.________ school. For the next nine years, I 37.______ slept in a room that 38.______ less than 30 other kids in it. So, when I was promoted to senior at the high school for my39.___ year there, I had the greatest 40._____ of rooming with just one other classmate, and the added feature of a semi-private bathroom.
We seniors also had the feature of walking around the 41._____ in special hats, we called senior bonnets, so all the other kids would know we were the 42._____ in the high school. As seniors, we frequently went on field 43._____ outside the campus, including city museums, city hall , colleges and theatres. The highlight was a senior class trip to Washington, D.C., 44.______ we sat in on a session of Congress, 45.______ the monument and many other government sites around the city.
Another 46.____ of being seniors was that many of us on athletic and other extra-curricular teams were elected to high ranking for the year. I had the honor and pleasure of47._____ captain of our state championship swim team, while my roommate was voted48.______ of the drama club.
49.______ services were on a sunny day in June. Each of us had looked forward to this moment for ten years. Now we were going out on our own to complete freedom, and we should have been flooded with joy.50.________, to my surprise, I found myself 51._____, something I hadn’t done for years. I noticed many of my 52.______, usually proud of their macho attitudes, were also wiping away tears. We knew we would never be together again as we were on that graduation day. Our senior year 53.______deep feelings of sadness for our54.______, as well as joy for our emerging into a new world 55.____the school campus.
A．teaching B．boarding C．playing D．mixing
A．never B．not C．occasionally D．frequent
A．lived B．included C．contained D．put
A．next B．first C．final D．second
A．pleasure B．sorrow C．happy D．merry
A．country B．city C．classroom D．campus
A．youngest B．lowest C．oldest D．highest
A．roads B．trips C．voyages D．travel
A．which B．that C．where D．when
A．approached B．visited C．managed D．spent
A．benefit B．disadvantage C．profit D．strength
A．being brought B．being chosen C．being taken D．being realized
A．member B．monitor C．secretary D．president
A．Graduation B．Education C．Volunteering D．Population
A．Therefore B．Fortunately C．However D．While
A．smiling B．laughing C．crying D．screaming
A．students B．classmates C．teachers D．friends
A．began with B．ended with C．bargained with D．associated with
A．loss B．result C．love D．hatred
A．over B．out C．beyond D．from
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