How Much Music Can You Make?
On Nov. 18, 1995, violinist Perlman, performed a concert in New York City. Stricken with polio(小儿麻痹症)as a child, Perlman painfully walked with the aid of two crutches(拐杖)to a chair in the middle of the stage. He carefully laid the crutches on the floor, extended one leg forward and the other underneath his chair, picked up his instrument and nodded to the conductor to begin.
But something went wrong. After only seconds of playing, one of the strings on his violin broke. The sound was so loud that the audience immediately knew what had happened and fully expected the concert to be stopped until another string or even another instrument could be found. However, Perlman surprised them. He closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra restarted where they had left off and Perlman played on three strings. He played with passion and power. All the time he worked out new fingering in his mind to make up for the missing string. A work that few people could play well on four strings Perlman played on three.
When he finished, an awesome silence hung in the room. And then as one, the crowd rose to their feet and cheered wildly. Applause burst forth from every corner of the concert hall as fans appreciated his talent and his courage.
Perlman smiled and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then he raised his bow to quiet the crowd and said, in a quiet tone, "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left." Disease left him with less power than he had before, yet he went on. Playing a concert on three strings is like his motto—he went on with what he had left and still made music.
And isn't that true with us? Our task is to find out how much music we can still make with what we have left, for I'm convinced that the world needs the music only you and I can make.
1.After the string on his violin broke, Perlman__________.
A. found another instrument B. stopped the concert
C. played on three strings D. changed a new string
2.The audience cheered and clapped to show their ________.
A. appreciation B. talent and courage
C. engagement D. passion and power
3.Perlman succeeded due to his ________.
A. cautiousness B. patience
C. kindness D. faith
4.The story inspires people to ________.
A. go with the flow B. share music with others
C. employ what we have D. smile and keep quiet
It was the night before the composition was due. As I looked at the list of topics, "The Art of Eating Spaghetti（意大利面条）" caught my eye. The word "spaghetti" brought back the _________of an evening at Uncle Alien's in Belleville___________all of us were seated around the table and Aunt Pat_________ spaghetti for supper. Spaghetti was an exotic（外来的）treat in __________days. Never had I eaten spaghetti, and ______of the grown-ups had enough experience to be _____ it. What laughing ________ we had about the ________ respectable method for moving spaghetti from plate to mouth. ___________，I wanted to write about that, but I wanted to _______it down simply for my own_________，not for Mr. Fleagle, my composition teacher, _______, I would write something else.
When I finished it the night was half gone and there was no _________left to write a proper composition for Mr. Fleagle. There was no choice next morning but to ________ my work. Two days passed before Mr. Fleagle returned the________papers. He said, "Now, class, I want to read you a composition, 'The Art of Eating Spaghetti'. "
My words! He was reading my words out__________to the whole class. ________ laughed, then the whole class was laughing with open-hearted enjoyment. I did my best not to show ____，but what I was feeling was pure happiness, _________my words had the power to make people _____.
1.A. memory B. thought C. knowledge D. experience
2.A. when B. where C. since D. after
3.A. cooked B. served C. got D. made
4.A. their B. past C. last D. those
5.A. none B. one C. some D. neither
6.A. careful about B. good at C. fond of D. interested in
7.A. speeches B. lessons C. sayings D. arguments
8.A. nearly B. naturally C. officially D. socially
9.A. Especially B. Probably C. Suddenly D. Fortunately
10.A. settle B. put C. take D. let
11.A. work B. story C. luck D. joy
12.A. However B. Therefore C. As for him D. Except for that
13.A. time B. excuse C. way D. idea
14.A. give up B. continue C. hand in D. delay
15.A. written B. graded C. collected D. signed
16.A. loud B. fast C. publicly D. calmly
17.A. People B. Nobody C. Somebody D. I
18.A. shock B. wonder C. worry D. pleasure
19.A. if B. for C. while D. although
20.A. excited B. satisfied C. think D. laugh
Due to the heavy traffic, he failed to ________ himself at the party on time.
A. present B. occur
C. qualify D. regard
I am considering changing my job or trying for a/an ________.
A. occasion B. recommendation
C. promotion D. population
Before leaving the house, an expression of thanks to the host would be ________.
A. in preparation B. in place
C. in possession D. in particular
If Mr. Dewey _____ present, he would have offered any possible assistance to the people there.
A. were B. had been C. should be D. was
