Duke Ellington is known as one of the most important composers of his time, and his work has been enjoyed for more than 80 years by music lovers all over the world.During his lifetime Ellington turned musical sounds into many compositions, mostly in the style known as jazz.
The Early Years
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D.C.It wasn’t until Ellington was a teenager that his interest in music grew.He taught himself to play the piano by listening to local piano players.Sometime around 1916 Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties.Ellington realized that he enjoyed entertaining people with his music.He soon became a very popular musician, playing at parties and other events in the Washington area.Young adults seemed especially delighted by the modern pieces he composed.
Success in New York
In 1923, when Ellington was almost 24 years old, he joined The Washingtonians, a five-piece group of musicians in Washington, and became the group’s leader in early 1924.In 1927 Ellington and his orchestra won an engagement(雇佣期)at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club.For the next three years, his orchestra played at the Cotton Club nearly every night.
The Influence of the Cotton Club
Working at the Cotton Club encouraged Ellington’s creativity.Since the shows changed every six months, he was challenged by the need to continually develop new material.He had to compose a wide variety of music to accompany the various acts in the Cotton Club shows and to adapt that music to the strengths and weaknesses of the players in his orchestra.
By 1928 the popular nightspot began radio broadcasts.From the broadcasts Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
On the Road
As Ellington’s popularity increased, he realized that his orchestra could do well on concert tours.They left the Cotton Club in 1931 and toured America and Europe almost continually for the next 43 years.In addition to touring, Ellington made recordings and continued to compose music.
Duke Ellington played the piano, composed music, and led his famous orchestra for more than 50 years, until his death in 1974.Music lovers all over the world agree that the large quantity of music he created will be enjoyed for many years to come.
(1)
From the second paragraph, we know that Ellington _________.
[ ]
A.
could sing as well as he played the piano
B.
preferred mature audiences to young adults
C.
had a natural talent for musical composition
D.
learnt to play musical instrument from very young age
(2)
Which of the following can show us Ellington’s leadership ability?
[ ]
A.
Ellington was very popular at parties in the Washington area.
B.
Ellington took the responsibility for a band for a long time.
C.
Ellington did live radio broadcasts in New York City.
D.
Ellington continually developed new material.
(3)
We may infer from the passage that _________.
[ ]
A.
Ellington’s career took off overnight
B.
Ellington loves touring around the world
C.
Ellington could compose a wide variety of songs
D.
Ellington had a great effect on the world of music
(4)
Which of the following shows the order in which the events happened in the story? a.Ellington joined a five-piece group of musicians in Washington.
b.Ellington’s orchestra played at the Cotton Club.
c.Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
d.Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties.
Our boat floated on, between walls of forest too thick to allow us a view of the land we were passing through, though we knew from the map that our river must from time to time be passing through chains of hills which crossed the jungle plains.Nowhere did we find a place where we could have landed:where the jungle did not actually spread right down into the river, banks of soft mud prevented us going ashore.In any case, what would we have sailed by landing?The country was full of snakes and other dangerous creatures, and the jungle was so thick that one would be able to advance only slowly, cutting one’s way with knives the whole way.So we stayed in the boat, hoping we reached the sea, a friendly fisherman would pick us up and take us to civilization.
We lived on fish, caught with home-made net of string(we had no hooks), and fruits and nuts we could pick up out of the water.As we had no fire, we had to eat everything, including the fish, raw I had never tasted raw fish before, and I must say I did not much enjoy the experience; perhaps sea fish which do not live in the mud are less tasteless.After eating my raw fish, I lay back and dreamed of such things as fried chicken and rice, and ice-cream.In the never-ending damp heat of the jungle, ice-cream was a particularly frequent dream.
As for water, there was a choice:we could drink the muddy river water, or die of thirst.We drank the water.Men who had just escaped what had appeared to be certain death lose all worries about such small things as diseases caused by dirty water.In fact, none of us suffered from any illness as a result.
One day we passed another village, but fortunately nobody saw us.We did not wish to risk being taken prisoners a second time:we might not be so lucky to escape in a stolen boat again.
(1)
What they could see in the boat was only ________.
[ ]
A.
high wall
B.
villagers from time to time
C.
vast land
D.
heavy woods
(2)
They couldn’t land because ________.
[ ]
A.
the mud on the shore was too soft
B.
the forest was too thick to let them go through
C.
they could not find the mark on the map
D.
they could not find anyone to lead them out of the forest.
(3)
The passage infers that the forest was ________.
[ ]
A.
rich of fruits and animals to be served as food
B.
not very thick as they could advance slowly by cutting the branches
C.
full of various dangerous beings
D.
full of ancient trees
(4)
The most proper title for this passage might be ________.
[ ]
A.
Escape
B.
Scenes of a River
C.
How to Survive on a boat
D.
A New Experience
阅读理解:
It was at least two months before Christmas when nine-year-old Almie Rose told her father and me that she wanted a new bicycle.As Christmas drew near, her desire for a bicycle seemed to fade, or so we thought.We bought the latest rages.Baby-Sitter’s Club dolls, and a doll house.Then, much to our surprise, on December 23rd, she said that she “really wanted a bike more than anything else.”
It was just too late, what will all the details of preparing Christmas dinner and buying last-minute gifts, to take the time to select the “right bike” for our little girl.So here we were-Christmas Eve around 9∶00 p. m., with Almie and her six-year-old brother, Dylan, nested snug in their beds.Now we could only think of the bicycle and the disappointment of our child.“What if the bicycle out of clay(a kind of earth)and write a note that she could trade the clay model in for a real bike?” her dad asked.“This is an expensive item and she is ‘such a big girl,’ and it would be much better for her to pick it out.”So he spent the next four hours painstakingly working with clay to make a tiny bike.
On Christmas morning, we were excited for Almie to open the little heart-shaped package with the beautiful red and white clay bike and the note.Finally, she opened it and read the note aloud.“Does this mean that I trade in this bike that Daddy made me for a real one?”Beaming, I said,“Yes.”Almie had tears in her eyes when she replied,“I could never trade in this beautiful bicycle that Daddy made me.I’d rather keep this than get a real bike.”At that moment, we would have moved heaven and earth to buy every bicycle on the planet!
(1)
Which is the right time order of the following events?
a.The girl asked for a new bike
b.The girl opened the little heart-shaped package
c.The parents bought the girl a modern and popular doll.
d.The father made the girl a bike with clay.
e.The girl would rather keep the clay bike than get a real one.
[ ]
A.
b, c, e ,d
B.
a, c, d, b, e
C.
a, c, b, d, e
D.
a, b, d, c, e
(2)
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
[ ]
A.
The parents wanted the girl to have the clay bike forever.
B.
Tears were in the girl’s eyes because she didn’t like the present at all.
C.
The girl never lost her desire for a bike.
D.
The parents paid little attention to the daughter’s desire for a bike.
(3)
Why did Dad make the clay bicycle?
[ ]
A.
Because he wanted to buy a real one, but he had no money.
B.
Because he didn’t want to disappoint his daughter.
C.
Because he thought his daughter would like it.
D.
Because he wanted to give his daughter a surprise.
(4)
What can be inferred from the last sentence of the text?
[ ]
A.
The parents were happy and encouraged.
B.
The parents felt comfortable and relaxed.
C.
The parents were moved and felt proud of the girl.
D.
The parents felt disappointed and sorry for the girl.