“I grew up on Jackson’s music and I still have all his stuff on my iPod．
I think that Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers．His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways, sad personal life．”
——Barack Obama
Michael Jackson was a singer, songwriter, dancer and celebrity icon with a vast catalog of hit records and countless awards to his credit．Beyond that, he had transfixed(使惊呆)the world like few entertainers before or since．As a solo performer, he had enjoyed a level of superstardom previously known only to Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra．
Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the 80s’, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time．
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29,1958．The fifth and youngest son of steelworker Joe Jackson, Michael displayed a talent for music and dance from an extremely young age．His father began to organize a family musical group around his three eldest sons in 1962, and Michael joined them the following year, quickly establishing himself as a dynamic stage performer．Dubbed the Jackson 5, the group signed to Motown in 1968 and issued their debut single in October 1969, when Michael was just 11 years old．I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There all hit number one in 1970, making the Jackson 5 the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the charts．Later in 1972, Jackson had his first number one solo single, Ben．In 1977, he met producer/composer Quincy Jones for the first time．With Jones producing, Jackson recorded his first solo album as an adult, Off the Wall．
Released in 1982, the Quincy Jones produced Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall：the dance and rock tracks were more driving, the pop tunes and ballads softer and more soulful, and all of it was recognizably Michael．There was no surprise that Thriller was a hit; what was a surprise was its staying power．Jackson’s duet with McCartney, The Girl Is Mine, was a natural single choice, and it peaked at number two; then Billie Jean and the Van Halen track Beat It both hit number one, for seven and three weeks respectively．
Michael Jackson died from heart disease on June 25 at age 50．
(1)
What does Barack Obama mean by saying “His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways, sad personal life”?
[ ]
A．
Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career as well as in life．
B．
Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career．
C．
Michael Joseph Jackson led a happy life．
D．
Michael Joseph Jackson gained a lot in his career, but he also suffered a lot in his life．
(2)
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
[ ]
A．
Barack Obama likes Michael Jackson’s song very much．
B．
Barack Obama and Michael Jackson are good friends．
C．
Michael is good at music as well as at dance．
D．
Michael Jackson had his first number one solo single when he was 14 years old．
(3)
Choose the right time order of the following events．
A．Barack Obama, President of the US, assessed the whole life of Michael Jackson．
b．The family musical group signed to Motown．
c．Michael joined the family musical group．
d．His father began to organize a family musical group．
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read：
For washing the car ＄5.00
For making my own bed this week ＄1.00
Going to the provision shop ＄0.50
Playing with little sister ＄0.25
Taking out the rubbish ＄1.00
Getting a good report card ＄5.00
And for sweeping the common corridor ＄2.00
Total ＄14.75
His mother looked at him standing there expecting payment．I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind．So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote：
For nine months I carried you, growing inside me No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love No Charge
Well, when he finished reading, he had big tears in his eyes．He looked at his mother and said,“Mummy, I love you．”Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the“bill”“All paid．”
(1)
What's the best title for this passage?
[ ]
A．
Part-time Job
B．
Mother's Love, No Charge
C．
Payment for House Work
D．
Greedy Mother
(2)
The write wrote the passage in order to ________．
[ ]
A．
show that children should be paid for their housework
B．
show that children should not be paid for their housework
C．
show a clever way of teaching children
D．
tell children how to spend their spare time
(3)
How do you think of the mother in the passage?
[ ]
A．
Clever
B．
Greedy
C．
Cold－hearted
D．
Selfish
(4)
From the last passage we know that ________
[ ]
A．
the boy got all the money he wanted
B．
the mother was unwilling to give the money to the boy
C．
the boy realized that it was not right to ask for money for the housework
D．
the mother was angry with what the boy said
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
