Violin prodigies (神童), I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. “It is very clear,” he told me. “They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.” As a result, every Jewish parent’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.
Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. “In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,” says Isaac Stern, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.
That’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance（遗传） plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.
1. Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because ________.
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A．it would allow them access to a better life in the West |
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B．Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent |
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C．they wanted their children to enter into the professional field |
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D．it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country |
2. Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that ________.
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A．are highly motivated in the education of music |
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B．treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development |
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C．encourage people to compete with each other |
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D．promise talented children high positions |
3. Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage?
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A．a natural gift. |
B．extensive knowledge of music. |
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C．very early training. |
D．a prejudice-free society. |
4. Which of the following titles best summarizes the main idea of the passage?
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A．Jewish Contribution to Music |
B．Training of Musicians in the World |
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C．Music and Society |
D．The Making of Music Prodigies |
For centuries, the body’s blood has been linked closely with the emotions．People who show no human emotions or feelings, are said to be cold-blooded killer．For example, the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer．He seems to kill for no reason, and no emotion, as if taking someone’s life as nothing．
Cold can affect other parts of the body．The expression “get cold feet” has nothing to do with cold or your feet．The expression means being afraid to do something you have decided to do．For example, you agree to be president of an organization．But then you learn that all the other officers have resigned, and all the work of the organization will be your responsibility．You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation.
The expression “give someone the cold shoulder” probably comes from the physical act of turning your back toward someone, instead of speaking to him face to face．You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you．Or, to someone who has lied about you to others．
A cold fish is not a fish．It is a person．But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and shows no love or warmth．A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone．Someone who is a cold fish could be cold-hearted．Now a cold-hearted person is someone who has no sympathy．Several popular songs in recent years were about cold-hearted men or cold-hearted women who, without feelings, broke the hearts of their lovers．
Out in the cold means not getting something that everybody else got．A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise---he was left out in the cold．And it is not a pleasant place to be．
1.When you refuse to speak to a man and treat him in a distant way, you may express by “_________”．
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A．I give him the cold shoulder |
B．I think he is a cold-blooded man |
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C．I think he is a cold fish |
D．I’m likely to get cold feet |
2.If Sue shows absolutely no reaction to those awful pictures of starving children in Africa, you will say _________．
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A．she is a cold-blooded killer |
B．she gets cold feet |
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C．she is a cold fish |
D．she is out in the cold |
3.We can use the expression “__________” to describe a man who abandons or hurts his lover without mercy．
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A．cold-blooded |
B．cold shoulder |
C．cold feet |
D．cold-hearted |
4.The topic of this passage is about _________．
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A．the relationship between cold and our body |
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B．some expressions about friendship |
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C．some expressions connected with cold |
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D．how cold weather comes into being |
_______ progress it is, you can’t stop moving forward.
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A．Whatever great |
B．However great |
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C．No matter how great |
D．How great a |
__will I give up. I believe I can manage it.
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A．At once |
B． At no time |
C．Right now |
D．The instant |
—The terrible accident is under investigation.
—Actually, quicker action _____ those workers trapped in the mine.
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A．might have saved |
B．must have saved |
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C．need have saved |
D．could have saved |
While we were listening to the speech attentively, a voice _____ to announce the result of the election.
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A．broke in |
B．broke up |
C．broke off |
D．broke down |
