题目内容
Happiness is one of the most precious things in life. _______ it, a man will feel that his ill fate has taken charge of him and the world is utterly dark and dreadful. As a result, too many people _______ of happiness as their ultimate goal of life. What is happiness? Many people think that when they become rich and successful, happiness will _______ follow. Let me tell you that nothing is further from the truth. The world is full of very rich people who are as _______as if they were living in hell. Besides, we have read stories about movie stars who _______suicide or died from drugs. It is _______ that money is not everything.
Happiness is not an end _______ in itself but is more of a way of life. If you’re waiting for happiness to _______, it’s likely that it never will! The only time to be happy is right now! When you’re always wanting something more and always looking forward to a time when you’ll be “happy”, you’ll never _______ that goal. Happiness is not a set of accomplishments or the ________ of material things. You must accept that life will always have ________ and things will not always go your way. Instead of feeling disappointed when things don’t ________ the way you’d hoped, you’d better feel ________ for the experience. ________ dreaming of a brighter, happier and richer tomorrow, you’d better make today as wonderful as you can.
Happiness is not some state we will one day reach for good, but a ________ process of honest, productive work which makes a real contribution to others and makes you feel you are a useful and ________ person. Just as a famous saying goes, “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.” Happiness is a ________ decision that you can make right now. Thinking of the future and having aspirations is essential to ________ a happy and fulfilled life.
In a word, ________ waiting for happiness to arrive and simply decide to be happy! It’s not some great goal or destination, but a journey and a ________.
1.A. For B. Without C. Before D. After
2.A. think B. refer C. regard D. consider
3.A. naturally B. constantly C. eventually D. deliberately
4.A. puzzled B. changeable C. disappointed D. miserable
5.A. condemned B. claimed C. committed D. commanded
6.A. possible B. obvious C. strange D. difficult
7.A. dream B. promotion C. goal D. success
8.A. show up B. swell up C. speed up D. split up
9.A. analyze B. arrive C. distinguish D. reach
10.A. distribution B. evaluation C. combination D. accumulation
11.A. rewards B. appreciation C. challenges D. fantasy
12.A. carry out B. work out C. let out D. figure out
13.A. grateful B. guilty C. sympathy D. sorry
14.A. On top of B. In spite of C. On account of D. Instead of
15.A. serious B. humorous C. continuous D. various
16.A. worthy B. modest C. kind D. generous
17.A. reasonable B. conscious C. proper D. temporary
18.A. spending B. wasting C. leading D. consuming
19.A. remember B. prevent C. try D. stop
20.A. lifestyle B. criterion C. demand D. target
Music is a Universal Language
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Longfellow
Everyone has the inborn ability to understand and enjoy music. There are many theories as to why this is, but it has become a part of human beings. Since the beginning, humans have expressed themselves through music. Simple tribal rhythms evolved into many types of more complex music, including classical, rock, jazz, and R&B. While the styles between these many types of music may vary, everyone is able to understand and relate to them.
What are the essential parts of a language? Every language uses vocabulary, or a set of words, to create sentences that convey messages. The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions. Music is exactly the same way. Twelve tones, or notes, are combined to create phrases that also convey emotion. Music can even be written, like most other languages. Conversations even take place in music. Two saxophonists can play melodies back and forth, expressing different styles and feelings, building off of each other, responding to each other. Music changes over the years like other languages. Most people who speak fluent English cannot read one of Shakespeare’s plays because the language has changed so much. Music is also affected by time, and over a long period, many new types of music and instruments have emerged to create different sounds and convey different messages. There are so many similarities between vocal language and music that they must be same.
I recently had a chance to experience conversation through music. In 2008, I traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a high school jazz exchange where many students from all over Asia came together to share their talents. Everyone was mixed into different small groups to prepare for a concert at the end of week. Few people spoke fluent English so vocal communication was very tough. However, it wasn’t needed. Everyone seemed to understand each other simply through the music and there were few times where direct translation was needed. At the performance, every group played for a live audience. They all sounded phenomenal and it felt like they were in perfect time and harmony. During my group’s performance, I was able to improvise with a Korean boy who spoke very little English. But we managed to have a conversation through our instruments, building off each other’s riffs until we were creating our own melody on the fly. It was a great experience.
Because of the many similarities that music shares with other languages, it is a very effective way to communicate with others. Music brings us together, connects us with other people, and allows us to express ourselves in ways that are different from speech and writing. It has the ability to convey emotions and messages to the core of people, which is why Henry Longfellow is absolutely correct when he states that “music is the universal language of mankind.”
Music is a Universal Language
Introduction | ● Human beings have the ability to appreciate music since they were 1.. ● Despite the different types2. from simple tribal rhythms, everyone is able to understand music. |
3. between language and music | ● The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions, 4. does music. ● Like most other languages, music even has its 5. forms. ● Both language and music have gone 6. many changes over the years. ● Conversations even take place in music. ● Time also has a great 7. on music. New forms of music and instruments come up to convey different messages. |
My chance of 8. conversation through music | I participated in a high school jazz exchange in Philippines in 2008, where students came from all over Asia. While there were language 9. between us, we still managed to communicate well by music. |
Conclusion | Music is a very effective way to communicate with others. Just as Henry Longfellow 10. it, “music is the universal language of mankind.” |