When someone says , “Well , I guess I’ll have to go to face the music,” It doesn’t mean he is planning to go to a concert . It is something far less pleasant , like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this or that , and why you did not do this or that . Sour （刺耳）music , indeed , but it has to be faced .
The phrase “to face the music” is familiar to every American , young and old . It is at least 100 years old . Where did the expression come from ?
The first information comes from the American writer James Fenimore Cooper . He said—in 1851—that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings （侧）to go on stage . After they got their clue（暗示）to go on , they often said , “It’s time to go to face the music.” And that is exactly what they did —face the orchestra（管弦乐队）which was just below the stage .
An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly or perhaps unfriendly , especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out .
So, “to face the music” came to mean : having to go through something , no matter how unpleasant the experience might be , because you knew you had no choice .
The other explanation comes from the army . Men had to face inspection（检阅）by their leader . The soldiers worried about how well they looked . Was their equipment clean—shiny enough to pass inspection ? Still , the men had to go out , and face the music of the band , as well as the inspection . What else could they do ?
1．The phrase “to face the music” was first used by______________.
A．all the Americans
B．the American writer James Fenimore Cooper
C．American actors
D．the American orchestra
2．An actor might feel frightened or nervous when going on stage .One of the reasons is that ______________.
A．his performance might not satisfy most of the audience
B．he might not remember what he should say on stage
C．he had to face the unfriendly audience
D．the audience might be mostly his friends
3． “To face the music” is also used to mean that soldiers were not willing______________.
A．to be examined about their equipment
B．to be found weak
C．to show themselves by their leader
D．to be inspected by their leader
4．This passage is mainly about______________.
A．the meaning of the phrase “to face the music”
B．how to deal with something unpleasant
C．the origin（起源）of the phrase
D．how to go through difficulty
三、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。
In one way of thinking , failure is a part of life . In another way , failure may be a way towards success . The “ spider story” often told , Robert Bruce , leader of the Scots in the 13th century , was hiding in a cave from the English . He watched a spider spinning a web . The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock . He tried six times without success . On the seventh time he made it and went on to spin his web . Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone on to defeat the English …Edison , the inventor of the light bulb , made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one .
So what ? First , always think about your failure . What caused it ?Were conditions right ? Were you in top form yourself ? What can you change so things will go right next time ?
Second , is the goal(目标)you’re trying to reach the right one ? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be . Think about this question .“ If I do succeed in this , where will it get me ?” This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn’t be doing anyway .
The third thing is to bear in mind that failure is a part of life . Learn to “ live with yourself” even though you may have failed . Remember , “You can’t win them all .”
1．This passage deals with two sides of failure . In paragraph 1 , the author talks mainly about
_____________
A．the value of failure B．how people would fail
C．famous failures D．the cause of failure
2．The lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce seems_______________.
A．productive B．straight forward C．sad D．deep
3．The author tells you to do all things except______________.
A．to think about the cause of your failure
B．to check out whether your goals are right for you
C．to consider failure as a part of life
D．to bear in mind that you will never fail in your life
4．Which of the following is NOT true ?
A．Bruce and Edison were successful examples .
B．Failure may be regarded as a way towards success .
C．Edison learned a lot from the lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce .
D．One may often raise a question whether his goals are worth trying .
第二节 完形填空（共20小题，每题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）中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。
When I lived in South America , I could speak Spanish very well .When I came back to the United States I couldn’t 36 many opportunities to speak 37 . One of my friends gave me some 38 . She said that I could go back to school to 39 Spanish or that I could get a job 40 I would meet some Spanish speaking people . I was very 41 . I did both !
I signed up 42 a Spanish course at the community college . 43 I couldn’t understand Mr Garcia , the Spanish teacher , but 44 a few weeks I could
45 most of what he said . But I still needed help with my 46 ——I couldn’t speak Spanish without a strong American 47 . When I spoke to Mr Garcia about my
48 , he said that I could go to the language lab 49 my pronunciation and that I would 50 him and his family at the weekend . They could really help me 51 my pronunciation , he said .
Well , I went to the Garcia’s 52 one Sunday afternoon and met Mrs Garcia and the three Garcia’s children . Mrs Garcia asked me 53 I could help her with the children in the afternoon after school . I was 54 !This was just what I needed ! I would be able to study Spanish in school 55 improve my pronunciation with the Garcia children every afternoon .
36．A．find B．give C．look D．hope
37．A．English B．French C．Spanish D．Chinese
38．A．plans B．questions C．answers D．advice
39．A．teach B．study C．speak D．work
40．A．where B．which C．when D．that
41．A．worried B．lucky C．unlucky D．afraid
42．A．in B．at C．for D．on
43．A．As a result B．As usual C．At last D．At first
44．A．before B．soon C．after D．later
45．A．understand B．speak C．tell D．say
46．A．homework B．lessons C．grammar D．pronunciation
47．A．sound B．accent C．voice D．noise
48．A．problem B．question C．worry D．mistake
49．A．to practiceB．practicing C．to practise D． practising
50．A．visit B．tell C．telephone D．invite
51．A．develop B．improve C．exploit D．examine
52．A．office B．school C．shop D．house
53．A．that B．if C．what D．why
54．A．satisfied B．surprised C．worried D．disappointed
55．A．otherwise B．but C．and D．or
．Did you have trouble_________the entrance to the hill ?
A．in finding B．to find C．with finding D．find
--- What is your hobby , Jack ?
--- Collecting stamps . What about you ?
---_________.
A．I’d like to say B． I won’t say anything
C．I enjoy fishing D． I am too
．_________breaks the law should be punished .
A．Who B．Whoever C．No matter who D．Anyone
