“I grew up on Jackson’s music and I still have all his stuff on My iPod. I think that Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways,sad personal life.”
Michael Jackson was a singer,songwriter,dancer and celebrity icon with a vast catalog of hit records and countless awards to his credit. Beyond that,he had transfixed the world like few entertainers before or since. As a solo performer,he had enjoyed a level of superstardom previously known ——Barack Obama
only to Elvis Presley,the Beatles and Frank Sinatra.
Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the 80s’,and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29,1958.The fifth and youngest son of steelworker Joe Jackson,Michael displayed a talent for music and dance from an extremely young age. His father began to organize a family musical group around his three eldest sons in 1962,and Michael joined them the following year,quickly establishing himself as a dynamic stage performer. Dubbed the Jackson 5,the group signed to Motown in 1968 and issued their debut single in October 1969,when Michael was just 11 years old. I Want You Back,ABC,The Love You Save and I’ll Be There all hit number one in 1970,making the Jackson 5 the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the charts. Later in 1972,Jackson had his first number one solo single,Ben. In 1977,he met producer/composer Quincy Jones for the first time. With Jones producing,Jackson recorded his first solo album as an adult,Off the Wall.
Released(发行) in 1982,the Quincy Jones produced Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall:the dance and rock tracks were more driving,the pop tunes and ballads softer and more soulful,and all of it was recognizably Michael. There was no surprise that Thriller was a hit;what was a surprise was its staying power .Jackson’s duet with McCartney,The Girl Is Mine,was a natural single choice,and it peaked at number two;then Billie Jean and the Van Halen track Beat It both hit number one,for seven and three weeks respectively.
Michael Jackson died from heart disease on June 25 at age 50.
1.What does Barack Obama mean by saying “His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways,sad personal life”?
A.Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career as well as in life.
B.Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career.
C.Michael Joseph Jackson led a happy life.
D.Michael Joseph Jackson gained a lot in his career,but he also suffered a lot in his life.
2.According to the passage,which of the following is NOT true?
A.Barack Obama likes Michael Jackson’s song very much.
B.Barack Obama and Michael Jackson are good friends.
C.Michael is good at music as well as at dance.
D.Michael Jackson had his first number one solo single when he was 14 years old.
3.Choose the right time order of the following events.
a.Barack Obama,President of the US,assessed the whole life of Michael Jackson.
b.The family musical group signed to Motown.
c.Michael joined the family musical group.
d.His father began to organize a family musical group.
e.Thriller became a hit.
A.a-c-e-b-d B.d-c-b-e-a
C.b-e-a-c-d D.d-e-b-c-a
4.What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?
A.Michael Jackson’s job. B.How Michael Jackson performed.
C.Michael Jackson’s great achievements. D.Michael Jackson’s life.
I’m Adam Gun from Istanbul, Turkey. I’m in a good school. And at the age of 15, in my first year of high school. I’m a great fan of tennis and cycling. I play tennis twice a week for two hours each time. Sometimes I want to play more, but I just keep playing for hours on end, never getting tired of doing it. This is one of the rare things I love in my life, in addition to cycling.
Like tennis, I find that I’m able to ride for ever and ever. Since Istanbul is made up of large and small hills, it’s a nice challenge to ride my bike every day. Although there aren’t many cycling places in Istanbul, I’m lucky enough to live near the biggest park. It’s downhill from my house to the park and I enjoy cycling up as much as floating down, because it’s challenging.
Now I have been thinking about being a lawyer and following my father’s footsteps, but I just don’t think I’m into it. I have heard people tell me over and over again: If you want to be happy with your life, you need to like and enjoy your job. Well, I’m not sure about the fact that I will enjoy being a lawyer when I grow up. I’m just not the type of person who sits down and studies for hours. So I just need opinions on whether to become a tennis player(hopefully), to become a cyclist(hopefully) or to become a lawyer.
1.We can know that Adam Gun is satisfied with ______.
A. his friends B. his choice to be a lawyer C. his school D. his favorite tennis star
2.According to the passage, Adam Gun believes that cycling in Istanbul______.
A. need skills B. needs good preparation C. is easy but boring D. is difficult but challenging
3.What does the underlined part in the last paragraph mean?
A. I’m able to do it. B. I hate to do it. C. I’m confident about it. D. I’m interested in it.
4.What’s Adam Gun’s problem?
A. He isn’t certain about his future career.
B. He has no enough time to practise tennis.
C. His dad disagrees with his career choice.
D. He can’t concentrate on his study for hours.
Jane’s mother worked on the farm from dawn till dark, which just could make ends meet. To make Jane live a 36 life. Mother was very careful about spending money. 37 , Jane didn’t understand her. Every day Mother was busy with her 38 while Jane was studying at school, so they had little time to enjoy themselves.
One day, Mother realized Jane was unhappy and even 39 to her, so she decided to go 40 with Jane to make Jane happy.
On Sunday morning they went happily to the snowfield. Since they were 41 in white clothes, the manager advised them to buy ski clothes. He said 42 there was an accident, they might be easily 43 in their ski clothes. Mother couldn’t 44 them, so she refused.
Then they went skiing in their white clothes. They were skiing happily on the 45 when suddenly the snowfield began to 46 . It was the snowslide(雪崩). They ran a long way and 47 the snowslide finally, but they couldn’t find their way. Later, a helicopter was flying above, 48 people on it couldn’t see or hear them. Jane was 49 because she had hurt her head seriously and 50 dropped on the snow. Just then an idea struck Mother. She pierced (刺破) her wrist 51 and then bright red blood dropped down on the snowfield. A red SOS was on the snow. At last Jane 52 , but Mother died.
Every time I 53 the blood dropping onto the snowfield, I feel 54 . I believe anyone who hears the tragedy will 55 Mother for her selfless love to her daughter.
1.A. happy B. healthy C. busy D. meaningful
2.A. Moreover B. However C. Anyway D. Though
3.A. writing B. housework C. work D. research
4. A. unfriendly B. loyal C. kind D. cruel
5.A. skating B. dancing C. hiking D. skiing
6.A. all B. both C. either D. every
7.A. now that B. in case C. as though D. even if
8. A. searched B. examined C. found D. caught
9. A. pay B. manage C. afford D. stand
10. A. mountain B. farmland C. playground D. snowfield
11. A. change B. melt C. shake D. jump
12. A. escaped B. passed C. experienced D. overcame
13. A. but B. so C. since D. while
14.A. in despair B. in danger C. in peace D. in ruins
15.A. hair B. blood C. tears D. jewels
16. A. carefully B. slowly C. immediately D. hardly
17.A. cried B. died C. woke D. survived
18. A. find out B. think of C. suffer from D. come across
19. A. satisfied B. curious C. anxious D. painful
20.A. admire B. envy C. reward D. thank
When you study the local map, you’ll find this town is ______ .
A. twice as a large town as that B. twice the size of that one
C. twice as larger as that one D. twice as larger a town as that
---Do you ______ what he told you?
---Yes, in my opinion, he is honest and we all ______him.
A. believe; believe in B. believe; believe C. believe in; believe D. believe in; believe in
An important meeting will be held in the school hall. Everyone _____there on time.
A. expects to be B. is supposed to be C. looks forward to be D. is hoped to