Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.
The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test, it is not the fault of drama and music classes— they are failing because the “ academic” classes are not sufficient.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art— there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge — certainly not a good preparation for the real world.
1.Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because________.
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A．the school committee pays no attention to them |
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B．the school is afraid of losing financial support |
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C．the students are not interested in both of them |
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D．the state standardized test is more important. |
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
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A．The sufficiency of the classes determines students’ performance in the mastery test |
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B．students can be musicians and artists only if they can afford private music lessons |
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C．The school committee completely influences students’ attitude towards the arts |
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D．Quite a few students are discouraged from music and art in today’s school system. |
3.We can learn that music and art can ________.
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A．make students round-shaped people in future |
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B．provide students with analytical thinking |
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C．motivate students in creativity and expression |
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D．prevent students graduating from high school |
4.The best title of the passage can be ________.
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A．Who Killed Music and Drama? |
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B．Can Curriculum Go Without Music? |
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C．Why is Music So Important? |
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D．How To Prepare For the Real World? |
The Golden Compass is the first movie based on the Philip Pullman’s bestselling novel, His Dark Materials. It is a work of imagination that tells us about a young girl who travels to the far north to save her best friend. Along the way she meets strange creatures, like witches and so on. Finally , she saves not only her world, but also ours as well.
Lyra is a young girl among scholars in Oxford’s Jordan College. She spends most of her time with her friend Roger, a kitchen boy. Together, they share a life with no worries. However, when Lyra hears a conversation about a very tiny particle(颗粒), she is thrown into a dangerous adventure. This particle is said to unite different worlds, and is feared by many people who want to destroy it. At the same time , children began to disappear without a trace, including Lyra’s good friend, Roger. As Lyra starts this horrible struggle, and begins to search for Roger, she meets strange creatures both big and small, and bad people who are not what they seem to be. Gobblers(饕餮者) that kidnap(绑架)children appear in the most unexpected places. And a magical compass made of gold will answer any question if one is skilled enough to read it. In unbelievable danger, Lyra doesn’t know that she is doomed to win, or to lose, this battle…
With the movie The Lord of the Rings making New Line cinema over a billion dollars, it’s easy to see why they got the rights to Pullman’s His Dark Materials quickly. The books, sold more than nine million copies in the world, have a different idea from the Harry Potter series. Pullman’s imagination may look suitable for children, but it works far better for adults.
1.In the film The Golden Compass, Lyra______.
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A．is a student in Oxford’s Jordan College |
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B．is a kitchen boy |
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C．hears a conversation of Roger’s |
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D．meets many strange creatures |
2.The film is named The Golden Compass probably because______.
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A．the compass is useful enough to help Lyra |
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B．only skilled people can read the compass |
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C．the compass which is made of gold can answer any question |
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D．the compass throughout the whole story is a clue |
3.From the passage we can conclude that______.
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A．New Line Cinema won Pullman’s trust through its achievement |
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B．The Lord of the Rings is also based on one of Pullman’s novels |
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C．His Dark Materials is similar to the Harry Potter series |
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D．New Line Cinema made over a billion dollars through the Harry Potter series |
4.Which group of people will like the film The Golden Compass the best according to the passage?
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A．Children |
B．Junior students |
C．Adults |
D．Only old people |
Spring is coming, and it is time for those about to graduate to look for jobs. Competition is tough, so job seekers must carefully consider their personal choices. Whatever we are wearing, our family and friends may accept us, but the workplace may not.
A high school newspaper editor said it is unfair for companies to discourage visible tattoos nose rings, or certain dress styles. It is true you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet people do “cover” themselves in order to convey certain messages. What we wear, including tattoos and nose rings, is an expression of who we are. Just as people convey messages about themselves with their appearances, so do companies. Dress standards exist in the business world for a number of reasons, but the main concern is often about what customers accept.
Others may say how to dress is a matter of personal freedom, but for businesses it is more about whether to make or lose money. Most employers do care about the personal appearances of their employees, because those people represent the companies to their customers.
As a hiring manager I am paid to choose the people who would make the best impression on our customers. There are plenty of well-qualified candidates, so it is not wrong to reject someone who might disappoint my customers. Even though I am open-minded, I can’t expect all our customers are.
There is nobody to blame but yourself if your set of choices does not match that of your preferred employer. No company should have to change to satisfy a candidate simply because he or she is unwilling to respect its standards, as long as its standards are legal.
1.What can be inferred from the text?
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A．Hiring managers make the best impression on their candidate. |
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B．Candidates have to wear what companies prefer for an interview. |
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C．What to wear is a matter of customers’ acceptance to a great extent. |
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D．Companies sometimes have to change to respect their candidates. |
2.Which of the following is the newspaper editor’s opinion according to Paragraph2?
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A．Customers’ choices influence dress standards in companies. |
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B．Candidates with tattoos or nose rings should be fairly treated. |
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C．Strange dress styles should not be encouraged in the workplace. |
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D．People’s appearances carry messages about themselves. |
3.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
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A．Appearances Do Matter |
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B．Hiring Managers Matter |
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C．Personal Choices Matter |
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D．Employees Matter |
“Mama, when I grow up, I’m going to be one of those!” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my dream took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was exposed to more, my interests in the world of dance certainly varied but that little girl’s dream of someday becoming a dancer in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a reality: I became a member of the company dating back to 1925.
As I look back on that day now, it surely lacks any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief until I was halfway through rehearsals (排练) on my first day. I never actually expect to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely astonished. I remember shaking with excitement.
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the chance, it did not come without its fair share of challenge. Through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to pick up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme attention to detail (细节) and stress on practice that set us apart. To then follow those high-energy rehearsals with a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new meaning of the words “hard work.” What I thought were my physical boundaries were pushed much further than I thought possible. I learned to make each performance better than the last.
Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great honor of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a tradition that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow-and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.
1. How many years has the Capital Dancing Company existed when the author received the phone call from it?
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A．180 |
B．1925 |
C．2005 |
D．80 |
2.How did the author feel when she look back on that day now?
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A．strange |
B．unrealistic |
C．indifferent |
D．lucky |
3. Which of the following statement can best interpret the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?
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A．Though I was excited, I should share the chance with others. |
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B．Though I was excited, it’s fair to share the chance when there is challenge. |
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C．Though I was excited, it’s a challenge for me to share the chance with others. |
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D．Though I was excited, I know clearly where there is chance there is challenge. |
4.What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?
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A．The company values practice most. |
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B．The company extremely focus on intelligence. |
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C．The company has an inherited tradition of inspiring its members break their limits. |
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D．The company sets the members apart in order to extremely stress detail and practice. |
He got up late and hurried to his office, ________ the breakfast untouched.
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A．left |
B．leaving |
C．to leave |
D．leave |
We _________ the difficulty together, but why didn’t you tell me?
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A．should face |
B．might face |
C．must have faced |
D．could have faced |
