As a solo artist, Brightman has sold 26 million albums and two million DVDs in 34 countries. Her styles put opera, pop and jazz together. She is popular in the States but not here (Britain) - the image of her and her second husband, Andrew Lloyd Webber ( he much older, she his muse) seems for ever
The 47 - year - old 'singer talks about the new album Symphony that came out of a "very dark time", including her decision to give up trying to have children. "People have suggested I could adapt," says. "But work is central to my life now. And so I am going to put it to one side. After a while not having children becomes the norm and perhaps that might sound alarming, to parents especially, but I have never known anything different. I'm not hurt by not having children. My life and career are incredibly rich. "
Talking about growing up in a large family in Berkhamsted (father a properly developer who later committed suicide), she says : "I was gifted as a child, and very musical. I seemed to be good at anything to do with the arts. At 5 I understood the music I was dancing to and had an eye for costume." She first appeared in a West End musical at 11 and hated boarding school.
Brightman led the saucy dance troupe (辣妹三人舞) Hot Gossip and had her first hit with I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper in 1978. At 18 she married a music manager called Andrew Stewart. “I was probably in love but i can't remember. Girls change such a lot between 18 and 22, It didn't really work out." In 1981 she was spotted by Lloyd Webber. She became his leading lady in Song and Dance, Requiem and Phantom of the Opera. They married in 1984.
Brightman says she felt hostility (敌意) from the beginning. I haven’t tried to understand it. I've done very well everywhere else, especially the US, where I now live. I just accept it for what it is. The more you are away from Britain, the more you appreciate it. But I don't miss it, although 1 miss my family. Our profession can be uncomfortable but I enjoy what I do. I get on with it."
72. The first paragraph tells us that ________.
A. Brightman is very popular around the world except in America
B. Brightman's musical style is a mixture of opera, pop and jazz
C. the British people don't like her for her style of music
D. Brightman is much older than Andrew Lloyd Webber
73. Brightman decided to give up having children because ________.
A. she could adopt one
B. her life and career were unbelievably rich without children
C. she felt it normal not to have children
D. she was too busy
74. The following statements are true EXCEPT _________.
A. Brightman first appeared in a West End musical at 5
B. Brightman disliked life on the campus
C. Brightman was very gifted when she was young
D. The saucy dance troupe made Brightman famous
75. What does the author try to say in the last paragraph by quoting Brightman's words.'?
A. Brightman has to accept the fact that she is not liked in Britain '
B. Brightman lives in America but she loves her own country
C. The British coldness towards Brightman led to her hatred to her homeland
D. Brightman was at a loss why she was not welcome in Britain
I remember my math teacher Mr. Young very well. He stood out because the kids made fun d him. He was missing one of his fingers, and always pointed at students with his middle finger.
I was not very good at English and math. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not figure out why I did not understand what all the other kids found so easy to learn.
One day, I was told that if I got one more E on my report card, I would be taken to the “big person for kids”
I tried really hard for weeks. I just couldn't understand how to make different parts of members into whole things.
The day before report cards were to come out, 1 knew that Mr. Young would give me an E, just like he always did.
I went to Mr Young and told him that the orphanage (孤儿院) was going to send me to the big person if I got another E on my report card. He told me there was nothing he could do; it would be unfair to the other kids if he gave me a better grade than I had actually earned.
I smiled at him and said, "Mr. Young, do you know how the kids make fun of you because you’re missing your finger?" He looked at me, moved his mouth to one side and said nothing.
“They shouldn’t do that to you because you can't help having a finger, Mr. Young. Just like I can’t help not being able to learn numbers and stuff like that.” I said
The next day, when I got my report card, I tucked it into one of my books. While on the school bus, I opened it: Geography, B+; Mechanical Drawing, C-; English, D-l; History, C-; Gym, B+; Art, C; Math, D-.
That math grade was the most favorite one I ever received. Because I knew that someone in the world finally understood what it was like for me to be missing a finger inside my head.
59. From the second paragraph we can infer that the boy is _________ in some subjects.
A. mind-blowing (给人印象极深的 ) B. slow-witted (头脑迟钝的)
C. fun-loving D. badly- behaved
60. Where may the boy live according to the passage?
A. In an orphanage. B. In a big prison.
C. In the school dormitory. D. In his home.
61. What grade should the boy have got in the math test this time?
A. D-. B. B + C. D. D. E.
62. The underlined word "tucked" in the passage most probably means “________”.
A. stuck B. listed C. hid D. copied
63. The reason why the boy remembers Mr Young is that ________.
A. he missed one of his fingers B. he treated his students very well
C. he understood the boy D. he taught his students in a special way
第三部分：阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分, 满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
When you look at a map of the Caribbean, you will see a bunch of little islands surrounded by. Blue waters, which include places that aren't always household names like Montserrat and Anguilla.
While some of the names may not be familiar, the fact is that the Caribbean is a popular vacation region. Those little clots on the map often turn out to be island paradises. There are more than 7,000 islands, islets, and reefs in the area, many of which are lightly populated and stunningly beautiful.
The biggest challenge you might face in planning your trip is choosing where in the Caribbean to go. All of the nations feature excellent weather. Most feature beautiful beaches. You can enjoy the waters in most of the Caribbean nations and as is often the case with island nations, you will be welcomed warmly by the locals. Here are some resources to help you.
Unless you can walk on water or you cruise the Caribbean, the best way to visit is to fly. Some destinations have more frequent and cheaper flights than others. You should do some comparison shopping on flights to the Caribbean. And if you are planning on flying there during the Christmas holiday weeks it's important to book as early as possible because prices will just keep going up as they get closer.
The Caribbean offers a wide variety of accommodation options. Check out the Caribbean hotels that are available to get a better idea of the various options. If you are on a tight budget then, the Caribbean could be challenging, as there are only a few cheap hotels and hostels that might help you save some money.
Many people see the Caribbean from a cruise ship. There is no shortage of cruises that will take you through the region. Cruise and Vacation Travel Packages is the place to go to find the cruise or vacation package that is right for you.
56. The Caribbean is popular with tourists because ________.
A. the area has a small population B. the area has a long history.
C. there are many beautiful islands there D. tire area is very developed
57. The underlined word "they" in the fourth paragraph refers to _________.
A. prices of air tickets B. tourists to the Caribbean
C. flights to the Caribbean D. the Christmas holiday weeks
58. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The weather in all of the Caribbean nations is fine.
B. Most of the Caribbean hotels are cheap.
C. The local people of the Caribbean are very friendly.
D. It is hard to choose a destination in the Caribbean.
第二节：完形填空(共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
It was almost Christmas. We wrote to my father, asking him to 36 an artificial tree for us and _37 it to us in several smaller boxes. Two days before Christmas we were in a 38 . All of the boxes that my father had sent us arrived except for the one with the tree 39 . We decided to wait one more day.
Meanwhile, in Bremerhaven, a young mail clerk 40 a box under a counter. He 41 that someone would be without a tree for Christmas. Although he was closing up and there was no 42_ on Christmas, he processed the mail and got it to Mannheim.
After putting the 43 on the proper shelf, he headed to the snack bar. The place was 44 and he ended up sharing a table. Two men were speaking and the clerk discovered that one of his 45 at the table was working in Mannheim. He said to the man, "You could 46 play Santa for someone in Mannheim tonight if you'd like to." The man 47 to deliver it and the two walked to the mail room to 48 the package.
At home in Mannheim, we were busily 49 to think up some way to put our tree together, but couldn't 50 a workable solution. We were ready to give up 51 the door bell rang. There stood a stranger holding a long 52 carton, our tree trunk. We invited him in, 53 it was Christmas Eve and he was 54 to get home to his own family.
The next day as we watched our little boy's eyes light up at the 55 of our beautiful tree, I whispered a little prayer: "Bless the stranger who brightened up our Christmas with his kindness."
36. A. sell B. buy C. deliver D. bring
37. A. send B. pass C. carry D. take
38. A. surprise B. hunger C. pleasure D. panic
39. A. leaf B. trunk C. stand D. branch
40. A. watched B. caught C. spotted D. broke
41. A. directed B. whispered C. realized D. confirmed
42. A. delivery B. customer C. money D. letter
43. A. present B. tree C. mail D. package
44. A. crowded B. small C. noisy D. normal
45. A. friends B. colleagues C. relatives D. companions
46. A. really B. confidently C. kindly D. patiently
47. A. overcame B. agreed C. astonished D. struggled
48. A. fetch B. transform C. post D. consult
49. A. solving B. explaining C. trying D. worrying
50. A. come across B. come back to C. come upon D. come up with
51. A. while B. when C. as D. since
52. A. slim B. beautiful C. thick D. heavy
53. A. but B. so C. because D. or
54. A. in surprise B. it, the, way C. in a hurt7 D. in lime
55. A. sight B. back C. corner D. scene
President Obama is letting Congress write the details of his plan for ________ he calls health insurance reform.
|
A．as |
B．what |
C．that |
D．all what |
. Now everyone is concerned about how to conquer the economic crisis _______ is very important for us to be able to preserve our standard of living.
|
A．which success |
B．its success |
C．the success of which |
D．the success of it |
