题目内容
Colin married my sister and I married his brother, makes Colin and me double in – laws.
A.what B.which C.that D.it
B
Colin was about to get off the camel ________ a child ran towards him.
| A.while | B.when | C.as | D.since |
A new report says only about half of all students in the main school systems of America’s largest cities finish high school. The report notes higher rates of graduation — over 70% —in areas surrounding the cities. Researchers studied high school graduation rates from the 2003, 2004 school year. They also identified the nation’s fifty largest cities. The largest, New York City, had a population of more than eight million. The smallest city was Wichita, Kansas. It had about three hundred and sixty thousand people.
Researchers used a system of measurement called the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates. School officials in many of the cities studied said the resulting numbers were too low. That is because different areas use different methods to find graduation rates. Critics say many methods do not give a true picture of the number of students who leave high school before finishing.
Other studies have put the national graduation rate at about 70%. But experts agree that too many students are not completing high school. They estimate the number at more than one million each year. The report was prepared for America’s Promise Alliance. The private group aims to help children receive services they need to succeed.
General Colin Powell was chairman of America’s Promise Alliance when it was formed in 1997. He attended the press conference Tuesday where the report was released. He said studies have shown that the US must do more to educate the leaders and work force of the future.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings also spoke. She said the government will propose that states use the same methods when reporting graduation rates. Alliance officials also announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates. It is to include a series of meetings to be held in every state over the next two years. The meetings will bring together elected leaders, business owners, students, parents and education officials. They will develop plans to increase the number of Americans who finish high school.
【小题1】The author wants to tell us ___________.
| A.too many Americans do not finish high school |
| B.different methods to find graduation rates |
| C.services American children need to receive |
| D.the increase of the number of Americans who finish their high school |
| A.there are 8,360,000 people in the US’ fifty largest cities |
| B.Wichita in Kansas is the smallest city in the US |
| C.50% of the people in the US don’t finish their high school education |
| D.high school graduation rates in or near the biggest cities are higher |
| A.situation | B.scene | C.image | D.mood |
| A.secretary of Education Margaret Spellings didn’t believe that number from the report |
| B.the government will stop using the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates |
| C.secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates |
| D.the low graduation rates should be paid attention to by the government and the society |
At the onset of a northern winter, many dream of warmer climates.In 1934 the Canadian-born composer Colin Mcphee did more than dream. He set out for the island of Bali.
In his book A House in Bali,Colin Mcphee described how he first gained insight into the essence of Balinese music.For about a month he had been working on transcribing a complete score to a Balinese play he had seen. It seemed impossible that so much beauty could be achieved with a scale(音阶)of only five tones.
But the distinctive embellishments(修饰音)of the music eluded him.Fortunately a young household helper and his friend decided to assist. One morning they set two objects next to Mcphee’s piano.They were gangas--metal keyed instruments.The two boys played them in what struck Mcphee as”a fast duet(二重奏) in Morse code”.
At last the composer had found the key to Balinese music.“Wait!” Mcphee would call out from the piano as the boys flew along,“Stop!Please!That bit once more!”
Patiently the boys would stop and began again.But soon they were flying again,faster than ever, amazing Mcphee with their memory and precision. Sometimes the patterns repeated.Sometimes they opened up into something new. Then, suddenly the whole duet would fly apart and the boys would burst out laughing,breaking the spell.
Although Colin Mcphee left the island in 1939,he remained spellbound by Balinese music.And its rich,distinctive sound would colour many of the compositions he would write for the next quarter century.
【小题1】From the passage we can learn that_______________________.
| A.Colin Mcphee set foot on the island of Bali in late winter |
| B.The book A House in Bali detailed how Colin Mcphee understood the life of the island |
| C.Colin Mcphee actually acquired much beauty of Balinese music |
| D.For a month Colin Mcphee had been watching a Balinese play he had seen before |
| A.attracted | B.shocked | C.disappointed | D.puzzled |
| A.the two locals played part of Balinese music once more unwillingly |
| B.Colin Mcphee eventually found the key to Balinese music |
| C.The two boys played their instruments so precisely and skillfully |
| D.The Balinese music displayed something new for Colin Mcphee |
| A.a book introducing the island of Bali |
| B.two Balinese boys playing gangas |
| C.a composer named Colin Mcphee |
| D.Balinese music touching Colin Mcphee |