Sometimes, little things can bring big changes. Justice and Nathaniel are learning this with music. A cello and a violin brought big changes to their lives.

Justice and Nathaniel are in sixth grade. They go to a middle school named Northwest School of the Arts. They used to go to Winterfield Elementary School. Winterfield has a program with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO). The CSO program teaches kids how to play musical instruments. Justice learned to play the violin. Nathaniel learned to play the violin and the cello. They are the first students from the program to go to Northwest.

For the past six years, the CSO has given after-school music classes at Winterfield. Most of the kids in the school come from poor homes. It’s difficult for their parents to afford music lessons. The CSO wants the kids to learn about music, and it also wants them to stay out of trouble and get better grades.

The program was started to teach kids about music. It wants to help kids in other ways, too. Kids are allowed to take smaller instruments home to practice. This teachers them to take responsibility for something valuable. The program also encourages cooperation(合作). Students must spend time with children they might know outside of the program. And also, the program teaches practice habits. When students get better after practice, they learn that practice is good.

Students use the first year to explore and find a “forever instrument.” Justice tried out the clarinet and cello before picking a violin.Nathaniel liked the trumpet but decided on the cello and violin.

“When I started, it actually looked easy, but I knew it would get tougher,” says Nathaniel. “Practicing is a pleasure. I’m always trying to get a song perfect, so I’m playing 15-20-25 minutes a day.”

Thanks to music, Justice and Nathaniel got into a good middle school. Justice’s mom said she is very glad that he does well in class and that he likes it. “It makes a big difference,” Nathaniel’s dad said.

1.The word “cello” in the passage is most probably ___________.

A. a musical instrument B. an expert in music

C. a famous musician D. a music program

2.From Paragraph 2, we can learn that Justice and Nathaniel ___________.

A. are six-year-old school boys B. are learning art in a primary school

C. are middle school students D. worked for a school music program

3.Which of the following is true about the CSO program?

A. It trains music teachers for a school. B. It gives kids after-school music classes.

C. It teaches each kid to play the violin. D. It tries to raise money to help poor kids.

4.Paragraph 4 mainly talks about ___________.

A. how to become a responsible person B. the importance of cooperation

C. how to take part in the music program D. The goals of the music program

5.From the last paragraph, we know that Justice’s mom and Nathaniel’s dad ___________.

A. are both music teachers in the program B. are happy about the program

C. have different opinions about the program D. don’t think the program useful

Mr. Clarke was born in a poor family. He was in school for only two years. When he was sixteen he left the poor mountain village and walked to the capital. He had worked in a garden, in a workplace. When he reached the biggest city in the country, nobody gave him any work. He had to beg(乞讨)in the street.

One day he was looking for some food when a bag fell off a motorbike. But the rider didn’t find it and left quickly. He picked it up and found there was plenty of money in it. There was nobody except him there. He sat by the road and waited for the loser. About half an hour later an old man came back by motorbike and looked for something. The young man returned the bag to him. The old man thanked him very much and told him to work in his shop.

Mr. Clarke worked hard and watched everything carefully. He learned a lot. With the old man’s help, he had a shop. He never fooled anybody and was friendly to the shoppers. And people liked to do the shopping in his shop. Of course he got a lot of money. Now he had several shops, a beautiful house, a few cars and other valuable( 值 钱 的 )things. He went to his village and brought his parents, wife and children to the city. How happy they were all when they moved into the beautiful house!

Before Mike, their thirteen-year-old son, went to a middle school, Mrs Clarke said, “Try to be modest(谦虚的), son. Don’t tell anybody that we’re rich.” “OK, mummy,” answered the boy.

That morning the teacher told his students to write a composition “My Family”. Mike remembered what his mother had said. So he wrote, “My family is large. Here’re thirteen people in my family. They are my grandpa, grandma, father, mother, sister, two cooks, two drivers, three servants(佣人)and I. My family is poor. Our cooks, drivers and servants are all poor!”

1.Mr. Clarke went to the capital on foot when he was young because .

A. he wanted to visit the places of interest

B. he wanted to find work on his way

C. he had no money

D. there was no bus at that time

2.At first Mr. Clarke begged in the capital because .

A. he couldn’t find any work there

B. he didn’t know anybody there

C. the people there were all kind

D. he wanted to know the city well

3.As , the old man told Mr. Clarke to work in his shop.

A. he thought the young man was able

B. the young man was worth trusting (信赖)

C. the young man needed a job

D. he needed a helper

4.Mr. Clarke became .

A. a rich shopkeeper B. a poor worker

C. a kind farmer D. an able driver

5.The Clarkes were happy because .

A. they left the poor mountain village

B. they said goodbye to the hard life in the mountain village

C. they had their own shops

D. they did nothing at home

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