【2011·四川成都4月月考】D

Violin prodigies (神童), I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. “It is very clear,” he told me. “They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.” As a result, every Jewish parent’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.

Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. “In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,” says Isaac Stern, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.

That’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.

53.  Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because ________.

A. it would allow them access to a better life in the West

B. Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent

C. they wanted their children to enter into the professional field

D. it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country（A）

54.  Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that ________.

A. are highly motivated in the education of music

B. treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development

C. encourage people to compete with each other

D. promise talented children high positions（B）

55. Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage?

A. a natural gift.                                          B. extensive knowledge of music.

C. very early training.                                  D. a prejudice-free society.（A）

56.  Which of the following titles best summarizes the main idea of the passage?

A. Jewish Contribution to Music      B. Training of Musicians in the World

C. Music and Society                                 D. The Making of Music Prodigies

 (05·湖南A篇)

We were on tour a few summers ago, driving through Chicago, when right outside of the city, we got pulled over. A middle-aged policeman came up to the car and was really being troublesome at first. Lecturing us, he said, "You were speeding. Where are you going in such a hurry?" Our guitarist, Tim, told him that we were on our way to Wisconsin to play a show. His way towards us totally changed. He asked, "Oh, so you boys are in a band (乐队)?" We told him that we were. He then asked all the usual broad questions about the type of music we played, and how long we had been at it. Suddenly, he stopped and said, "Tim, you want to get out of this ticket, don't you?" Tim said, "Yes." So the officer asked him to step out of the car. The rest of us, inside the car, didn't know what to think as we watched the policeman talk to Tim. Next thing we knew, the policeman was putting Tim in the back of the police car he had parked in front of us. With that, he threw the car into reverse(倒车), stopping a few feet in back of our car. Now we suddenly felt frightened. We didn't know if we were all going to prison, or if the policeman was going to sell Tim on the black market or something. All of a sudden, the pollen's voice came over in a loudspeaker. He said, "Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever, we have Tim here singing on Route 90.” Turns out, the policeman had told Tim that the only way he was getting out of the ticket was if he sang part of one of our songs over the loudspeaker in the police car. Seconds later, Tim started screaming into the receiver. The policeman enjoyed the performance, and sent us on our way without a ticket.

56. The policeman stopped the boys to ______.

     A. put them into prison                       B. give them a ticket

     C. enjoy their performance                     D. ask some band questions           

57. The policeman became friendly to the boys when ha knew they ____

     A. had long been at the band                 B. played the music he loved

     C. were driving for a show                   D. promised into a performance       

58. The boys probably felt ______ when they drove off.

     A, joyful               B. calm                C. nervous            D. frightened       

 (05·湖北B篇)

At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp.

       Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England ,but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour .In order to have no trouble with the police ,he had a talk with some of the police officers ,who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country ,but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London.

       One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp , but he walked as fast as he could .The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car ,and not one of them saw it .

       They reached a hill ;but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car; but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him.

       “Good evening,” said the policeman ,looking at the car.

       “Good evening,” said Rolls ,holding the lamp.

       “One of these horseless things,” said the policeman ,looking at it with interest.

       “Yes,” said Rolls, and waited.

       “I’ve often wanted a ride in one ; but of course policemen can’t buy things like that.” He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls’s face.

       “Jump in ,” said Rolls.

       “Thanks ,” said the policeman ,and did so . “Now ,”he said ,sitting down, “you can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn’t another policeman on this road for a mile and a half.”

60．The policemen were told “to look the other way” (the underlined part in Paragraph 2) so that

           .

       A．they could watch the car coming from the other direction

       B．the car could go faster than four miles an hour

       C．they could make sure no one was in the way

       D．the car would not hit them on the road

61．In what way did the policemen carry out the order from their officers?

       A．They greeted Rolls when the car came along.

       B．They walked in front of the car with a red lamp.

       C．They pretended to be attracted by something else.

       D．They stood on duty every 1.5 miles along the road.

62．The policeman who said “Good evening” to Rolls wanted to        .

       A．teach Rolls a lesson                                     B．take a free ride home

       C．have a talk with Rolls                                  D．have a car ride experience

63．After the policeman jumped into the car ,Rolls       .

       A．dared not drive the car faster than he was allowed to

       B．could drive as fast as he wished within a certain distance

       C．could drive on any road he liked for the rest of the journey

       D．drove his car as fast as he could down the hill to Cambridge

 (05·江西A篇)

He wishes the holiday season would end already . His back aches , his red suit feels like a spacesuit , his cheeks have gone tight from smiling for 12 hours —and still the kids keep coming and coming , like ants at a picnic . As Christmas becomes more commercialized (商业化) across the U. S. and Canada , so must Santas . As the holiday begins earlier each year , so must its spokesmen  .

The questions from children these days are harder than ever . Now, with thousands of children expecting a father or mother serving in Iraq or Afghanistan , the questions are as heart-breaking as they are unanswerable . For example , “Can you please bring Daddy home from the war in time for Christmas morning ?”

Santas also have a pretty good chance of getting sued (指控). A professional Santa Claus in Canada told a story : A Santa had a girl on his knee , and he commented , “You have nice eyes and nice hair .” The girl later said it was sexual harassment (骚扰) . When a Santa feels anxious , he often shows it in the same ways ordinary people do : The Santas were always seen to hang around at the dinner table when the show ended . Many of them just sleep in bed for several days and don’t see other children again .

56．In the first paragraph , “spokesmen” refers to        .

       A．businessmen                                              B．political leaders

       C．organisers of the activities                           D．Santa Clauses

57．The passage implies that the job of Santa Claus is        .

       A．well-paid                B．very hard               C．worth doing        D．dangerous

58．According to the third paragraph, Santas may sometimes be blamed for        .

       A．doing something against the law                  B．hanging around the dinner table

       C．being lazy and sleeping in bed for days      D．not playing their roles as expected

59．What would be the best title for the passage ?

       A．Christmas : Not a Good Festival for Santas

       B．Is Santa Claus Really Alive ?

       C．A Christmas Story

       D．What Does Santa Claus Do for Children ?

 (05·福建B篇)

Three months after the government stopped issuing（发放）or renewing permits for Internet cafes because of security（安全）concerns, some cafe owners are having financial（经济的）concerns of their own.

The permits were stopped suddenly three months ago by the government until new safeguards could be put in place to prevent misuse of the information superhighway, but for cafe owners it’s a business breakdown with no fix in sight.

“I handed in a request to open up an Internet café and received the conditions,” said the businessman Obeidallah. “I rented a place in the Sharafiah district at SR45,000 and prepared the place with equipment that cost me more than SR100,000. When I went to the local government after finishing everything, I was surprised to find that they’d stopped issuing permits for Internet cafes.”

Having an Internet cafe without Internet is much like having a coffee shop without coffee. “I’m avoiding closing the place, but it’s been more than three months with the situation ongoing as it is.” Obeidallah said. “Who will bear the losses caused by the permit issue?”

The decision took many cafe owners by surprise. “I asked to open an Internet café, and I was handed a list of all the things that were needed to follow through, such as a sign for the place, filling out forms,” said Hassan Al-Harbi.

“I did all that was asked and rented a place. And after the Haj vacation I went to the local government and they surprised me, saying that there are new rules that forbid the issuing of any more Internet cafe permits and that one can’t even renew his permit. I’ve lost more than SR80,000,” Al-harbi added.

As for the government, officials say a method to deal with it is on the way. But security concerns come before profit（盈利）.

60．The government stopped issuing or renewing permits for Internet cafes       .

       A．to prevent misuse of new safeguards in Internet cafes

       B．to make cafe owners earn less profit from their business

       C．to stop the use of the information superhighway on Internet

       D．to make sure of the proper use of the information superhighway

61．The government’s decision led to the fact that many cafe owners            .

       A．suffered heavy financial losses                     B．asked to open up Internet cafes

       C．continued to operate Internet cafes               D．asked the government for payment

62．The underlined phrase in the last paragraph “on the way” means             .

       A．to be studied                                              B．to be put into practice

       C．to be changed                                             D．to be improved

63．The cafe owners found the government’s decision          .

       A．surprising and unacceptable                         B．understandable and acceptable

       C．reasonable but surprising                             D．surprising but acceptable

 (05·浙江C篇)

In the course of working my way through school, I took many jobs I would rather forget. But none of these jobs was as dreadful as my job in an apple plant. The work was hard; the pay was poor; and, most of all, the working conditions were terrible.

First of all, the job made huge demands on my strength. For then hours a night, I took boxes that rolled down a metal track and piled them onto a truck. Each box contained twelve heavy bottles of apple juice. I once figured out that I was lifting an average of twelve tons of apple juice every night.

I would not have minded the difficulty of the work so much if the pay had not been so poor. I was paid the lowest wage of that time—two dollars an hour. Because of the low pay, I felt eager to get as much as possible. I usually worked twelve hours a night but did not take home much more than $ 100 a week.

But even more than the low pay, what made me unhappy was the working conditions. During work I was limited to two ten-minute breaks and an unpaid half hour for lunch. Most of my time was spent outside loading trucks with those heavy boxes in near-zero-degree temperatures. The steel floors of the trucks were like ice, which made my feet feel like stone. And after the production line shut down at night and most people left, I had to spend two hours alone cleaning the floor.

I stayed on the job for five months, all the while hating the difficulty of the work, the poor money, and the conditions under which I worked. By the time I left, I was determined never to go back there again.

49. Why did the writer have to take many jobs at that time?

A．To pay for his schooling                             B．To save for his future

C．To support his family                                 D．To gain some experience

50. The following facts describe the terrible working conditions of the plant EXCEPT_________.

A．loading boxes in the freezing cold                B．having limited time for breaks

C．working and studying at the same time      D．getting no pay for lunch time

51. What is the subject discussed in the text?

A．The writer’s unhappy school life

B．The writer’s eagerness to earn money

C．The writer’s experience as a full-time worker

D．The writer’s hard work in an apple plant

52. How is the text organized?

A．Topic—Argument—Explanation          

B．Opinion—Discussion--Description

C．Main idea—Comparison—Supporting examples                    

D．Introduction—Supporting examples—Conclusion

 (05·浙江A篇)

Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are out main customers, and it’s not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register（收款机）with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash (现金), had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.

I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.

Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. “Change it to me, ” was all he said.

What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

41. The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits_________ .

A．promised to obey the store rules           

B．forgot to take any money with him

C．hoped to have the food first and pay later   

D．could not afford anything more expensive

42. Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?

A．kind and lucky                                            B．poor and lonely

C．friendly and helpful                                     D．hurt and disappointed

43. The writer acted upon the store rules because_________ .

A．he wanted to keep his present job      

B．he felt no pity for the old gentleman

C．he considered the old man dishonest     

D．he expected someone else to pay for the old man

44. What does the writer learn from his experience?

A．Wealth is more important than anything else    

B．Helping others is easier said than done

C．Experience is better gained through practice

D．Obeying the rules means more than compassion.

 (05·重庆A篇)

My parents were in a huge argument, and 1 was really upset about it. I didn't know who I should talk with about how I was feeling. So I asked Mom to allow me to stay the night at my best friend's house. Though I knew I wouldn't tell her about my parents’ situation, I was looking forward to gelling out of the house. I was in the middle of packing up my things when suddenly the power went out in the neighborhood. Mom came to tell me that I should stay with my grandpa until the power came back on.

I was really disappointed because I felt that we did not have much to talk about. But I knew he would be frightened alone in the dark. I went to his room and told him that I'd stay with him until the power was restored. He was quite happy and said, "Great opportunity. "

"What is?" I asked.

"To talk, you and I ” he said. "To hold a private little meeting about what we’re going to do with your mom and dad, and what we're going to do with ourselves now that we're in the situation we are in. "

"But we can't do anything about it. Grandpa," I said, surprised that here was someone with whom I could share my feelings and someone who was in the same " boat" as I was.

And that's how the most unbelievable friendship between my grandfather and me started. Sitting Acre in the dark, we talked about our feelings and fears of life — from how fast things change, to how they sometimes don't change fast enough. That night, because the power went out, I found a new friend, with whom I could safely talk about all my fears and pains, whatever they may be-Suddenly, the lights all came back on. "Well," he said, " I guess that means you'll want to go now. I really like our talk. I hope the power will go out every few nights!"

56.1 wished to get out of the house because ____

A. I was angry about my parents' quarrel       

B. I found nobody to share my feelings with

C. I wanted to escape from the dark house       

D. I planned to tell my friend about my trouble

57. Grandpa was happy to see me because _____.

A. he could discuss the problem with me   

B. he had not seen me for a long lime

C. he was afraid of darkness             

D. he felt quite lonely

58. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. The grandchild was eager to leave.     

B. They would have more chats.

C. The lights would go out again.       

D. It would no longer be dark.

 (05·上海B篇)

“Come in, Kim. Have a seat, please,” said Bill Williams, the manager. “this was Kim's first experience with an assessment. After only six months he was due for a raise if this assessment was satisfactory.

“Kim,” began Bill Williams, “I am very pleased with the quality of your work. I have nothing but praise for your devotion and your hard work. My only concern is that you are not active enough in putting forward your suggestions.”

“But,” replied Kim, “I have always completed every assignment you have given me. Mr. Williams.”

“I know that, Kim. And please, call me Bill. But what I expect is for you to think independently and introduce new ideas. I need more input from you—more feedback on how things are going. I don’t need a “yes man”. You never tell me what you think. You just smile as though everything is fine.”

“But,” said Kim, “I feel that since you are my superior, it would be presumptuous of me to tell you what to do.”

“I’m not asking you to tell me what to do, but what you think we could do. To make suggestions, I employed you because I respect your experience in this field, but you are not communicating your thoughts to me.”

“Yes. I see. I’m not accustomed to this, but I will try to do as you say…Bill.”

“Good, then, I expect to hear more from you at staff meetings or at any other time you want to discuss an idea with me.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Mr. Will…Bill.”

69. Kim is the sort of employee who_______.

   A. does not speak out his own ideas            B. is not devoted to the job

   C. laughs too much over work                D. can not finish his work on time

70. The word “presumptuous” in the middle of the passage is closest in meaning to “_____”.

   A. full of respect                           B. too confident and rude

   C. lacking in experience                      D. too shy and quiet

 (05·天津C篇)

The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim' s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer

broke the quiet. He' d dreamt of the cave last night. The purring (轻微颤动声) of the freezer had been the sea.                                         

Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He' d eat after he' d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.

He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches-

but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she' d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table:

Gone to Michael' s. Back tonight, Tim.

The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway

up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and

sweet.

The sand hills still breathed heat from yesterday' s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.

The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea. The

sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world.

Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.

He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious (神秘的) now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way...

43. What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?

A. He left the house quietly.

B. He had breakfast at home.

C. He left a note on the freezer.

D. He put a sweater in his schoolbag.

44. "He settled for some biscuits” ( in Paragraph 3 ) means that Tim_______.

A. had to leave the biscuits on the table

B. liked biscuits better than sandwiches

C. had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches          

D. could only find some biscuits in the kitchen

45. What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?

A. The height of the first rocks.

B. The ups and downs of the waves.

C. The change in the position of the sun.

D. The vast stretch of the sunlit beach.

46. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?

A. The sea looked like a piece of gold.

B. Seabirds flew away when Tim arrived.

C. Tim was the only person on the beach.

D. The sky got dark as Tim reached the cave.

47.In the story, Tim' s mood (心情) changed from_________.

A. loneliness to craziness

B. anxiousness to excitement

C. helplessness to happiness

D. eagerness to nervousness