As a child I never worried about losing my hearing, even though many other members of my family had done so. It seemed I was one of the ____ ones. I had a lovely voice and felt ____ about my singing. At 13,1 made my debut (初次登台)in a school production of Carlo Menotti ’ s opera and knew then that I ____ on stage.
But then I noticed that ____ I didn’t sit at the front in lectures, I would ____to hear. I went to the hospital to have a ____ test. I felt desperate，my ambitions ____ by a diagnosis of incurable nerve deafness.
However, my bravery persuaded me to ____ my plans and I went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. I kept my ____ a closely guarded secret, convinced that admitting it would ____ my career. I won roles on merit (凭成绩)，but the added fear and anxiety at auditions (试听) ____ me.
At 28, I made my debut at New Sadler’s Wells Opera. But my hearing loss was ____ I couldn ’ t hear myself sing well any more. I ’ d get a feeling of terror and want to ____ before every performance. ____ a superb technician fitted in-the-ear hearing aids, making me self-conscious and my confidence ____ I was fast learning to ____ , singing by sensation. Recording music is now a joy and acoustic (原声的)sounds through the headphones help me ____.
____ in technology mean my latest hearing aids are wireless, and my ____ is at its peak. I continue to tour the world. This year, I decided it was time to be ____ , not ashamed, and went public as the only deaf mezzo-soprano in the world.
1.A. clever B. lucky C. pitiful D. active
2.A. curious B. anxious C. awkward D. confident
3.A. belonged B. sacrificed C. survived D. trembled
4.A. though B. since C. if D. after
5.A. struggle B. hesitate C. pretend D. cease
6.A. blood B. hearing C. sight D. memory
7.A. achieved B. developed C. crushed D. extended
8.A. figure out B. stick to C. go over D. give up
9.A. background B. scores C. ambitions D. deafness
10.A. start B. further C. change D. ruin
11.A. puzzled B. consumed C. impressed D. motivated
12.A. accelerating B. compensating C. recovering D. disappearing
13.A. rest B. play C. drill D. flee
14.A. Thankfully B. Clearly C. Actually D. Generally
15.A. Faded B. grew C. counted D. helped
16.A. forget B. judge C. cooperate D. adapt
17.A. laugh B. howl C. relax D. sleep
18.A. Drawbacks B. Applications C. Improvements D. Regulations
19.A. Attention B. performance C. intelligence D. energy
20.A. Famous B. creative C. proud D. innocent
—To apply for a short-term study visa in the UK, I have to be able to speak some English, but I want to go there just to learn English.
—Oh, it’s really____.
A. a confidential source B. a catch-22 situation
C. a Pandora’s box D. a Herculean task
____ the player I came across in the stadium spoke, I hadn’t realized she was foreign.
A. Until B. Unless C. Since D. Although
____to developing the green economy, as is reported, is the driving force behind the success of the village.
A. Committed B. To have committed
C. Being committed D. Having committed
—What an amazing picture!
—The little boy ____the soldiers, and I caught them in an unguarded moment.
A. was saluting B. saluted C. had saluted D. would salute
The younger generation are raised in a more open environment, which has enabled them to develop____ their values in life.
A. in charge of B. in contrast to C. in exchange for D. in tune with
