Every year on my birthday, from the time I turned 12, a white gardenia was delivered to my house.No card came with it.Calls to the flower-shop were not helpful at all.After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s name and just delighted in the beautiful white flower in soft pink paper.
But I never stopped imagining who the giver might be.Some of my happiest moments were spent daydreaming about the sender.My mother encouraged these imaginings.She’d ask me if there was someone for whom I had done special kindness.Perhaps it was the old man across the street whose mail I’d delivered during the winter.As a girl, though, I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I had run into.
One month before my graduation, my father died.I felt so sad that I became completely uninterested in my upcoming graduation dance, and I didn’t care if I had a new dress or not.But my mother, in her own sadness, would not let me miss any of those things.She wanted her children to feel loved and lovable.In truth, my mother wanted her children to see themselves much like the gardenia-lovely, strong and perfect with perhaps a bit of mystery(神秘).My mother died ten days after I was married.I was 22.That was the year the gardenia stopped coming.
(1)
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[ ]
A.
A childhood Dream.
B.
A Mother’s Love.
C.
A Graduation Party.
D.
A Special Birthday.
(2)
The mother insisted that her daughter go to the graduation dance because ________.
The China National Opera(CNO)will give a concert to celebrate its 50th birthday.
Different generations of CNO vocalists, like Li Guangxi, Yao Hong and Ma Mei, will present the concert which will feature both songs from famous Chinese operas like “The White-haired Girl” and “The Hundredth Bride”, as well as, arias of such Western opera classics as “Madame Butterfly”, “La Traviata” and “Rigoletto”.
Time/date:7∶30 pm, September 7, 8
Location:Tianqiao Theatre
Tel:6551-4787, 8315-6170
Tickets:60-500 yuan(US $7.2-60.2)
Folk music
A concert will be held to feature some recently composed traditional Chinese music works.
The concert, given by the Folk Orchestra of the China Opera and Ballet Theatre, will include such pieces as “Memory of Childhood ”, “Memorial Ceremony for God ”and “Wine Song”.
Time/date:7∶30pm, September 13
Location:Concert hall at the National Library of China
Tel:6848 –5462, 6841-9220
Tickets:30-200 yuan(US$3.6-24.1)
Moon music
A concert of traditional Chinese music will be given on the eve of the Moon Festival which falls on September 21st this year.
The concert will feature a number of famous pieces centred on the theme of the moon, such as “Moonlight”, “Spring night on a Moonlit River” and “Lofty Mountain and Flowing River.”
A number of established traditional Chinese music performers like Zhou Yaokun and Fan Weiqing, will play solos as well as collaborate with the folk music orchestra.
Time/date:7∶30 pm, September 21st
Location:Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities
Tel:6606-8888, 6606-9999
(1)
If you want to buy tickets for listening to the music “Memory of Childhood”, you will dial _________.
[ ]
A.
6551-4787
B.
6848-5462
C.
8315-6170
D.
6606-9999
(2)
Which statement is right according to the passage?
[ ]
A.
Li Guangxi, Yao Hong and Ma Mei stand for the same generation of CNO vocalists.
B.
“Rigoletto” is a famous piece on the theme of the moon.
C.
“Lofty Mountain and Flowing River” is a traditional Chinese music.
D.
Zhou Yaokun will play solos and Fan Weiqing will collaborate with the folk music orchestra.
(3)
“Madame Butterfly” is ________.
[ ]
A.
a Chinese opera
B.
a Western opera
C.
a piece of music
D.
a song
(4)
In which column of a newspaper will the article be published?