Brenda Bongos was a happy, artistic girl. She had one big ambition—to play the drums in a band. But one big problem lay in her way. To be good enough to play in a band, Brenda had to practice a lot, but she lived next-door to a lot of old people. Many of them are sick. She knew that the sound of beating drums would really get on their nerves. So, she had tried playing in the strangest places: a basement, a kitchen, and even in a shower. But there was always someone it would annoy.
One day, while watching a science documentary on TV, she heard that sound cannot travel in space, because there's no air. At that moment, Brenda Bongos decided to become a sort of musical astronaut.
With the help of a lot of time, books and work, Brenda built a space bubble. This was a big glass ball connected to a machine which sucked out all the air inside. All that would be left inside was a drum kit（成套设备） and a chair. Brenda got into the space suit she had made, entered the bubble, turned on the machine, and played those drums like a wild child.
It wasn't long before Brenda Bongos came very famous. Many people came to see her play in her space bubble. Shortly afterwards she came out of the bubble and started giving concerts. Her fame spread so much that the government suggested that she be part of a unique space journey. Finally, Brenda was a real musical astronaut, and had gone far beyond her first ambition of playing drums in a band.
Years later, when asked how she had achieved all this, she thought for a moment, and said: ''If those old people next – door hadn't mattered so much to me, I wouldn't have found a solution, and none of this would have ever happened.''
1.Why did Brenda try to play in the strangest places?
A. Because she didn't want others to hear her play.
B. Because she didn't mean to disturb others.
C. Because she didn't have her own room.
D. Because she didn’t like her neighbors.
2.Brenda started to give concerts _______.
A. after she practiced in her space bubble
B. when she became part of the unique space journey
C. after she became a real musical astronaut
D. when people came to see her in the space bubble
3.Brenda became famous because _______.
A. she was good at music and science
B. she became a real musical astronaut
C. she invented a special way of practice
D. she played well and had a talent
4.Which of the following can be used to describe Brenda?
A. Kind, hardworking and clever.
B. Brave, kind and hardworking.
C. Lovely, brave and kind.
D. Nervous, kind and clever.
5.It can be inferred from the text that: " _______".
A. He laughs best who laughs last
B. It's never too old to learn
C. Two heads are better than one
D. One good turn deserves another
Directions: Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with one word that best fits the context.
On very rare occasion can you manage to do something perfectly the first time you do it. So when you do something for the first time, it is time to give 1.the idea of perfection.
I remember the first time I drove a car after getting 2. driver’s license, I drove very slowly. I was so nervous 3.big drops of sweats rolled down my check. My driving style showed that I wasn’t4.very confident driver. Now I’m much more experienced as a driver. 5.I still don’t consider myself a perfect one, I’m much more confident behind the wheel 6.what I was when I started.
Perfection is a long process, so trying to be perfect is just a waste of time. If you set your goal7.high, you will feel discouraged when you fail to meet the goal you have set. So set an achievable goal when you do something for the first time. 8. example, if you run in your first marathon, your goal is just to pass the finishing line, rather than break a new world record.
Once upon a time there lived a king. One day, the king _______ some of his servants to dig a pond outside his palace. As soon as the pond was dug, he made a(n) _______ to his people who gathered around him, _______ that one person from each _______ should bring a glass of milk during the night, and pour it into the pond _______ the pond would be full of milk by the next morning. When hearing the order, everyone present said yes and then went home. One man was _______ to take the milk during the night, but suddenly he came up with a good idea. Since everyone would_______milk, he would just take a glass of water and pour it inside the pond. He thought it would be so _______ that no one else would _______ it. So he just poured the water into the pond and went back home. He felt rather ________, because he saved a glass of milk for his family.
The next morning, the king came to ________ the pond outside his palace with all his ministers. But much to their surprise, they saw the pond only filled with water! What had happened was that everyone was ________ just like others: "I don't have to put in milk, someone else will do it." So when it comes to helping poor people, do not think that others will take care of it. Instead, it starts with you. If you don't do it, no one else will do it. Whatever you do, be true to your words. And it will make a big difference.
1.A.encouraged B.ordered C.invited D.advised
2.A.effort B.deal C.announcement D.note
3.A.suggesting B.requiring C.supposing D.expecting
4.A.group B.school C.village D.family
5.A.so that B.even though C.as though D.now that
6.A.pleased B.determined C.eager D.prepared
7.A.bring B.drink C.add D.buy
8.A.fast B.dark C.easy D.noisy
9.A.hear B.believe C.discover D.like
10.A.worried B.surprised C.disappointed D.satisfied
11.A.visit B.dig C.decorate D.fill
12.A.imagining B.deciding C.thinking D.reminding
With economy rapidly _______,people are more and more concerned about health.
A.increased B.to increase C.increasing D.having increased
There is a lot of poisonous gases in the hall. If ____in, they can result in illness and even death.
A.breathed B.breathing C.to be breathed D.breathe
______the phone call, the construction site is crowded with workers full of joy and excitement.
A.On receiving B.As soon as receiving C.The Moment he received D.Receiving
