For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the music arts are   50   at the bottom of the list. Too often, music is viewed as mere entertainment, but certainly not an education which should be first taken into account. This view is   51  . In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.
Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it    52   their thinking and values, as well as the social   53   it came from. Rock music   54   a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical   55  . Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity as a society.
Music provides a kind of feeling that cannot be   56   any other way.   57   can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotional meaning of the same phenomenon. We need every possible way to discover and   58   to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.
The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific symbols. They are ways we human being “talk” to each other. They are the   59   of civilization through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be   60    others. When we do not give children   61   to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we   62   from them the meanings that music expresses.
Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The   63   do. Music is an important way we express the meaning and value of peace and love.
So music education is far more   64   than people seem to realize.
50. A. embarrassedly        B. doubtfully            C. unavoidably          D. unexpectedly
51. A. aggressive         B. shortsighted       C. reasonable              D. instructive
52. A. reflects               B. promotes                      C. dominates         D. changes
53. A. position                     B. benefit                        C. standard                     D. environment
54. A. takes in           B. stands for            C. makes up                 D. looks through
55. A. instruments             B. families                      C. traditions                    D. seasons
56. A. acquired             B. understood         C. abandoned                 D. noticed
57. A. Music                        B. Entertainment    C. Mathematics                D. Science
58. A. stick                        B. refer                            C. lead                                  D. respond
59. A. means               B. languages           C. features                 D. achievements
60. A. compared with       B. imposed on         C. shared with              D. drawn from
61. A. solution                 B. access                        C. entrance                         D. direction
62. A. take away          B. set aside              C. draw up                     D. work out
63. A. musicians                 B. teachers                    C. courses                           D. arts
64. A. enjoyable         B. wasteful               C. necessary                       D. negative

Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get alongswimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.

However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.

In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘Dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat’.

What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.

The significance of the research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets ─ to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.

1.The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.

A.early             B.sweetly           C.quickly            D.smoothly

2.Some cats and dogs may fight when ______.

A.they are cold to each other                B.they look away from each other

C.they misunderstood each other’s signals    D.they are introduced at an early age

3.What is found surprising about cats and dogs?

A.They eat and sleep each other.

B.They observe each other’s behaviors.

C.They learn to speak each other’s language.

D.They know something from each other’s voices.

4.It is suggested in Paragraph 4 that cats and dogs ______.

A.have common interests                   B.are less different than was thought

C.have a common body language             D.are less intelligent than was expected

5.What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?

A.We should learn to live in harmony.

B.We should know more about animals.

C.We should live in peace with animals.

D.We should learn more body languages.

 

When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak scornfully of the poor old Romans because they enjoyed the seemingly excited killing that went on in their arenas(竞技场). We may despise them because they mistook these goings on for entertainment. We may forgive them because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority(优越)really justified? Are we any less blood-thirsty? Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest? Don’t the audience who attend them hope they will see some violence? Human beings remain as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungry lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long ago.

  It really is incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men punch each other in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Any talk of ‘the sporting spirit’ is merely hypocrisy(虚伪). People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Audience are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavyweight championship match, for instance, is front page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they haven’t experienced the exquisite pleasure of witnessing continuous violence.

  Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much? You may well ask. The answer is simple: they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally—though with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight madmen imprisoned in cages, or public punishment of any of the countless other barbarous (野蛮的) practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the harsh forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is unworthy of human beings.

1.It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is ________________

A.not very high.

B.high.

C.scornful.

D.neutral

2.Why does the author mention the old Romans in this article?

A.To reveal that the old Romans first started violent sports.

B.To prove that the old Romans were not civilized.

C.To show human beings in the past knew nothing better.

D.To indicate human beings today are as bloodthirsty as the old Romans.

3.How many dangerous sports does the author mention in this passage?

A.Three.

B.Four.

C.Five.

D.Six.

4.     What does the author want to illustrate in this article?

A. By banning the violent sports, we human beings can improve ourselves.

B. By banning the dangerous sports, we can improve the law.

C. We must take positive steps to improve social welfare system.

D. Law is the main instrument of social change.

 

Can dogs and cats get along well in the same home? People who are thinking about getting a dog as a friend for their cat are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found that if the cat is taken back home before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. In two-thirds of the homes cats and dogs have a good relationship.

    However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression(侵略,好斗) and fighting were found in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body languages are just different. For example, when a cat turns its head away it means aggression, while a dog doing the same means submission(顺从).

    In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers found a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk “Dog”, and dogs can learn how to talk “Cat”.

    What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to become smarter. They can learn to read each other’s body languages, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was expected. Once familiar with each other’s body language, cats and dogs can play together, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa.

    The importance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets — to people who don’t get along well, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even countries. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.

1.The underlined word swimmingly in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. early            B. mostly               C. quickly          D. smoothly

2.Some cats and dogs may fight when ________.

A. they are cold to each other             

B. they look away from each other

C. they misunderstand each other’s body languages

D. they are introduced at an early age

3. What is found surprising about cats and dogs?

A. They eat and sleep together.        

B. They watch each other’s behaviors.

C. They learn to speak each other’s language. 

D. They know something from each other’s voices.

4.It is suggested in Paragraph 4 that cats and dogs ________.

A. have common interests                B. are less different than was thought

C. have a common body language          D. are not so smart as was expected

5. What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?

A. We should learn to get along well with others

B. We should know more about animals.

C. We should live in peace with animals.

D. We should learn more body languages.

 

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