题目内容
A monument was set up at the centre of Tian’men Square ______ those who devoted their lives to our country.
A. in praise of B. in place of C. in memory of D. in need of
C
1685 was a very good year for German composers. Within the space of a month, two of the greatest were born: Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.
Handel’s father was a barber and surgeon, which sounds like a strange combination today, but back then those occupations went hand in hand. Even though Handel was very interested in music, his father didn’t think that was a good way to earn a living, so he wanted his son to be a lawyer. The story goes that Handel smuggled a quiet piano into the house so that he could practice in secret.
One day, Handel went along when his father went to shave a duke. While his father was working, Handel sat down and played the duke’s organ. The duke was so impressed that he convinced Handel’s father to let his son study music, and Handel finally got to learn how to compose.
Handel soon discovered that what he liked most was opera. In fact, he was so passionate about opera that he even fought a duel (决斗) over it with one of his friends. Since Italy was the place to learn about opera composing, Handel went off to Italy to study. When he got home, he got a job as court composer for a German prince.
Having landed such a wonderful job, Handel immediately asked his boss for time off. He wanted to go to England, where he’d heard that there weren’t nearly enough composers to satisfy the British taste for Italian opera.
After great success writing opera in London, Handel came back to Germany. Then fate played a funny trick on Handel and his boss. The Queen of England died, and it just so happened that the prince Handel worked for was next in line to the British throne. When he arrived in London as King George, followed Handel, his court composer in Germany.
In addition to serving the King, Handel became one of the most successful opera composers of his time. And he also produced them and traveled all over Europe to hire the best singers. There are stories of battles with rival opera producers and of fights between rival singers. Handel apparently had quite a temper.
If you ever go to London, look for Handel’s grave in Westminster Abbey, where there’s a wonderful monument to him.
【小题1】How did Handel begin to learn to compose?
A.His father was sure of his future success. |
B.His performance impressed a duke. |
C.He begged his father to send him to Italy. |
D.He practiced hard and taught himself music. |
A.bought secretly | B.took secretly |
C.carried in advance | D.possessed personally |
A.Because he could find better jobs in London. |
B.Because he enjoyed greater fame in London. |
C.Because his boss became King of Britain and brought him along. |
D.Because London was a wonderful place to learn about opera. |
A.bad-tempered | B.talented | C.enthusiastic | D.optimistic |
A.Handel was born in the same year with Bach. |
B.Many people worked both as a barber and a surgeon. |
C.Handel quit his job to learn about opera in Italy. |
D.Handel was buried in London and was built a monument. |
Nobel, who was born in Stockholm, is a great scientist famous for his dangerous experiments.
Nobel studied in the USA and then Russia between 1850 and 1859. After his return, he started researching into bombs. As is known, bomb is dangerous to life, but Nobel was working under that condition. Once a big explosion in his lab completely destroyed the lab and caused some deaths. After that he had to experiment on a boat in a lake. He received criticism and satire(讽刺), but he proceeded with the work rather than losing heart. From 1860s to 1880s, Nobel made many achievements and his inventions were first used in building roads and digging tunnels. Most of the bombs were safer and more possible to be controlled. Even at the end of the 20th century, we still used his methods.
Nobel had many patents in Britain and other European countries. He was quick to see industrial openings(机会) for his scientific inventions and built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries. Indeed his greatness lay in his outstanding ability to combine the qualities of an original scientist with those of a forwardlooking industrialist.
But Nobel’s main concern was never with making money or even with making scientific discoveries. Seldom happy, he was always searching for a meaning to life, and from his youth, he had taken a serious interest in literature and philosophy. His greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars, and thus peace between nations, and he spent much time and money working for this cause. To follow his will, a fund was set up to encourage people to make great progress in physics, chemistry, physiology(生理学), medicine, literature and peace. That’s the Nobel Prize which means great honor to a scientist.
1.Through his early experimental work, it is evident that ________.
A.Nobel was a man of strong will |
B.Nobel was a man of gift |
C.Nobel seldom got on well with his work |
D.Nobel had his heart in his work |
2.In fact, his inventions were first used in ________.
A.a war to kill and injure his fellow men |
B.building roads |
C.digging tunnels |
D.both B and C |
3.Based on the passage, Nobel, as a scientist, ________.
A.took a single interest in science |
B.took a serious interest in money |
C.took no interest in literature |
D.took a serious interest in literature as well as in science |
4.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.His wonderful will surely provided other scientists with a large sum of money. |
B.In leaving behind a wellmeant will, Nobel succeeded in setting up a permanent monument for his interests and ideals. |
C.Nobel made a glorious will so that he might be remembered and respected after his death. |
D.Nobel expressed his wish in his will that a monument should be put up in memory of him. |