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?

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.

1.How did Handel begin to learn to compose?

2.What does the underlined word “smuggled” mean in the passage?

3. Why did Handel later settle down in Britain instead of Germany?

4.Which of the following words can NOT be used to describe Handel, as shown in the passage?

5. Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?

 (07·安徽D篇)

The summer I was ten, my mother decided to bring us to the world of art. My brother and I were not very excited when we realized what my mother meant. What she meant was not that we could take drawing classes or painting classes but that we would have to spend one afternoon a week with her at the Fine Arts Museum. Before each visit to the museum, she made us read about artists and painting styles(风格). It was almost as bad as being in school. Who wants to spend the summer thinking about artists when you could be with your friends at the swimming pool?

     First we had to read about ancient Egyptians(古埃及人) and their strange way of painting faces and then go to look at them at the museum. My 12-year-old brother thought this was so funny, but I was not interested. Later we had to learn about artists in the Middle Ages who painted people wearing strange long clothing. We had to look at pictures of fat babies with wings and curly (鬈曲的) hair and with no clothes on flying around the edges of paintings. I certainly couldn't see what was so great about art.

     On our last visit to the museum, something happened when I saw a painting by a woman called Mary. In it, a woman was reading to a child. The colors were soft and gentle, and you could tell by the mother' s expression how happy she was just to be with the child. I couldn't stop looking at this painting ! I wanted to see every painting Mary had ever made! It was really worth looking at so many paintings to find a painter who could interest me so much.

68. The aim of the mother' s plan was to _________.

   A. take them to visit the museum             B. introduce them to the world of art

   C. ask them to read about artists            D. show them different painting styles

69. What was the writer' s experience in the museum before the last visit?

   A. She came to feel her mother' s love.   

B. She liked many paintings.

   C. She hardly enjoyed herself.                  

D. She could understand the pictures of fat babies.

70. What made the writer go through a change that summer?

   A. One of Mary's paintings.                 B. A strange way of painting.

   C. Artists in the Middle Ages.                D. Her mother' s instruction.

71. From the text, we can see _________.

   A. the importance of curiosity               B. the effect of art

   C. the value of learning                   D. the power of family education

　　When a person is curious about something, it means he is interested in it and wishes to know more about it. There is 1 wrong with curiosity in itself. Whether it is good or bad 2 on what people are curious about.

　　Curiosity is always silly or wrong. Some persons with nothing to do are 3 of curiosity about what their neighbors are doing. They are 4 to know what they are eating or drinking, what they are 5 home or taking outside, or 6 they have come home so early or late. To be interested in these things is 7 because they are not at all 8 . It is none of their 9 to know what their neighbors do or are doing. Such curiosity is 10 not only foolish but also 11 . For most probably, it 12 to a small talk which often brings harm, shame or disrespect to others, and thus 13 their feelings.

　　On the other hand, there is a 14 curiositythe curiosity of wise men, who 15 at all the great things and try to find out all they 16 about them. Columbus could 17 have found America if he had not been 18 . James Watt Would not have made the steam engine 19 his curiosity about the raising of the kettle lid. All the discoveries in human history have been made 20 a result of curiosity. But the curiosity is never about unimportant things which have little or nothing to do with the happiness of the public.

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Growing up，I had a scar on my face--a perfect arrow in the center of my cheek，pointing at my left eye．I __1__ it when I was three，long before I knew that scars were a __2_ thing，especially for a girl．I only knew that my scar brought me __3__ and tenderness and candy．As I got older，I began to take __4__ in my scar，in part to stop people laughing at me，but mainly as a reaction to the thought that I should feel uncomfortable．It's true．I was __5__ the first couple of times someone pointed at my __6__ and asked，“What's that?” or called me “Scarface．” But the more I heard how __7__ my scar was，the more I found myself liking it．

When I turned fifteen，my parents-- __8__ the advice of a doctor--decided it was time to __9__ on what was now a thick，shiny red scar．

“But I don't mind the scar，really，” I told my father as he __10__ that I would have the operation during my summer vacation．And my friends，along with my boyfriend at the time，__11__ as I did，that my scar was __12__ and almost pretty in its own way．After so many years，it was a __13__ of me．But my father said it was a deformity（畸形），I don't know what __14__ me more that day：hearing my father call my scar a deformity，or __15__ that it didn't __16__ to him how I felt about it．

I did have the operation that summer．

In my late twenties，I took a long look at my scar，something I hadn't done in years．__17__，it could__18__ mirror，I felt a sudden __19__．

There was something powerful about my scar and the proud person I __20__ because of it．I have never been quite so strong since they cut it out．

1．A．got                       B．remained           C．kept                D．drew

2．A．good                 B．bad                C．strange            D．funny

3．A．trouble                B．shame               C．attention               D．reward

4．A．pride                 B．place              C．care                D．blame

5．A．uncomfortable        B．proud               C．pleased             D．disappointed

6．A．head                B．cheek                      C．mouth             D．nose

7．A．long                 B．unfortunate         C．beautiful             D．unbelievable

8．A．in                   B．at                   C．against             D．on

9．A．operate              B．talk                C．remove            D．center

10．A．suggested           B．explained           C．told                 D．ordered

11．A．felt                 B．acted            C．did                        D．hoped

12．A．unlucky            B．ugly                C．unique             D．necessary

13．A．part                 B．problem           C．memory            D．dream

14．A．interested           B．encouraged          C．hurt               D．surprised

15．A．understanding       B．realizing            C．recognizing       D．receiving

16．A．happen             B．matter             C．concerned         D．occur

17．A．Still                 B．Though            C．Thus            D．Also

18．A．cared              B．asked            C．questioned         D．mentioned

19．A．happiness           B．satisfaction          C．sadness            D．shock

20．A．respected           B．knew              C．met               D．became