After retirement, learning a musical instrume...

After retirement, learning a musical instrument may be harder than ______ when you were a kid.

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Learning to play a musical instrument can change your brain, with a US review finding musical training can lead to improved speech and foreign language skills.

Although it was suggested in the past that listening to Mozart’s music or other classical music could make you smarter, there has been little evidence to show that music can boost(使增长) brain power.

But a data-driven review by Northwestern University has pulled reaserch together that links musical training to learning that spills over into (波及) skills including language, speech, memory, attention and even vocal emotion.

Researcher Nina Kraus said the data strongly suggested that the nervous connections made during musical training also prepared the brain for other aspects of human communication.

“ The effect of musical training suggests that, like physical exercise and its effect on body fitness, music is a resource that tones the brain for auditory fitness and thus requires society to re-examine the role of music in shaping individual development, ” the researchers said in their study.

Kraus said learning musical sounds could improve the brain’s ability to adapt and change and also enable the nervous system to provide constructing patterns that are important to learning.

The study, published in Nature Review Neuroscience , looked at the explosion of research in recent years focusing on the effect of musical training on the nervous system which could have impacts for education.

The study found that playing an instrument prepares the brain to choose what is related in a complex process that may involve reading or remembering a score, timing issues and coordination with other musicians.

1.What is the text mainly about ?

A. The effect of physical exercise.      B. The researcher named Kraus.

C. The benefit of musical training.      D. Musicians’ improved skills.

2.The underlined word “ auditory ” in Paragraph 5 probably means “ __________”.

A. of the body                      B. connected with seeing

C. of the mind                      D. connected with hearing

3.It was believed but not proved that listening to classical music could __________.

A. add to your intelligence            B. improve your speech

C. boost your memory               D. make you think faster

4.According to Kraus, musical training contributes to the following EXCEPT __________.

A. body fitness                     B. the way to speak

C. langugage learning               D. mental concentration

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Playing a musical instrument can be a fun and rewarding hobby. It’s a good way to express feelings and develop confidence in your abilities. 1. Here are a few questions to help you decide.

What kind of music do you like?

What you are interested in will encourage you to play. 2. Traditional orchestra musical instruments are what you hear in classical music. Modem music calls for modem instruments, like electric guitars.

Where are you going to practice?

3. Think about where and when you are going to practice, as well as the patience of the people you live with or near. Some instruments like the guitar give you the chance of playing in the night using earphones, while your housemates sleep in peace. Also, you may need to consider going to a school or a music center to practice.

4.

This is quite a big problem. A lot of instruments can be bought in different price ranges. But this doesn’t change the fact that many instruments, such as the piano, are always expensive. If you can’t afford your chosen instrument，will you be able to borrow someone else’s?

Are there any physical limitations?

If you are small and don’t like lifting heavy objects，you won’t want to carry around a cello (大提琴). If you don’t have great lung power, think twice about the saxophone. 5. But remember that with the right coaching, everyone can develop the right skills.

A. How much money can you spend?

B. How easy will it be to find a teacher?

C. Don’t let your physical shortcomings put you off.

D. A piece of music might move you more than another.

E. Talk to people who already play musical instruments.

F. Practicing the drums, for example, will drive your neighbors crazy.

G. If you want to learn a musical instrument, you might face a problem: what to play?

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you don’t prepare yourself now, retirement may be some of the most boring and dull years of your life. To have a happy, fulfilling retirement, you need to start preparing right away.

The most obvious thing for people to do when they retire is to take up a hobby. The most important step to take before retiring, though, is to make sure that you actually have started some hobbies. Once you’re retired, unless you ‘ve already started a hobby, you’ll find it very hard to get into something new. Some hobbies aren’t for everyone. Think about what you enjoy doing and start participating on a casual basis now.

Another thing many people participate in is volunteering. Not only does volunteering give you something to do, it also gives you a sense of accomplishment(成就) and can add meaning to your life .Volunteering is also rewarding in other ways, too. There are hundreds of different types of volunteer services and you’ll always be able to meet new and interesting people. Also, don’t think that volunteering is always only about helping someone for free. Many companies pay their volunteers after they’ve had enough experience and prove themselves to be valuable workers.

There are plenty of other potions, as well. Going back to school is a great way to keep yourself feeling young. Taking a vacation around the world with your loved ones is another great way to spend your retirement.

Ultimately, though, the key to a happy retirement is simply keeping yourself busy and doing whatever you love. If there’s nothing you love doing now, then you’ll find that once you have a vast amount of free time, your life will be pretty empty. Now is the time to find out what you want to do when you retire.

1.Why does the author suggest starting a hobby before retirement?

A. Because we are likely to have difficulty starting a hobby after retirement.

B. Because we are gong to have a vast amount of free time after retirement.

C. Because we will only have a limited choice of hobbies after retirement

D. Because not every one of us has already started some hobbies already.

2.What can we learn about volunteering from the text?

A. We can make devoted friends through volunteering.

B. It can help companies find hard-working workers.

C. One can even make some money by volunteering.

D. Almost everyone is willing to help in some way.

3.Which of the following can best explain “a happy retirement”?

A. Travelling around the world every year.

B. Going back to university for further study.

C. Having plenty of free time for one’s hobbies.

D. Living a busy life and doing what one enjoys doing

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

You may think that sailing is a difficult sport, but it is really not hard to learn. You do not need to be strong. But you need to be quick. And you need to understand a few basic rules about the wind.

First, you must ask yourself, “Where is the wind coming from? Is it coming from ahead or behind or from the side?” You must think about this all the time on the boat. The wind direction tells you what to do with the sail.

Let’s start with the wind blowing from the behind. This means the wind and the boat are going in the same direction. Then you must always keep the sail outside the boat. It should be at a 90° angle to the boat. Then it will catch the wind best.

If the wind is blowing from the side, it is blowing across the boat. In this case, you must keep the sail half way outside the boat. It should be at a 45°angle to the boat. It needs to be out far enough to catch the wind, but it shouldn't flap(摆动). It shouldn’t look like on a flagpole. If it is flapping, it is probably out too far, and the boat will slow down.

Sailing into the wind is not possible. If you try, the sail will flap and the boat will stop. You may want to go in that direction. It is possible, but you can’t go in a straight line. You must go first in one direction and then in another. This is called tacking. When you’re tacking, you must always keep the sail inside the boat.

1.What should you consider first while sailing?

A. Sailors’ strength.

B. Wind directions.

C. Size of sail.

D. Wave levels.

2.What does the word “It” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. The sail.        B. The wind.        C. The boat.        D. The angle.

3.What do you have to do when sailing against the wind?

A. Move in a straight line.

B. Allow the sail to flap.

C. Tack the boat.

D. Lower the sail.

4.Where can you probably find the text?

A. In a tourist guidebook.

B. In a physics textbook.

C. In an official report.

D. In a popular magazine.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may think that sailing is a difficult sport, but it is really not hard to learn it. You do not need to be strong. But you need to be quick. And you need to understand a few basic rules about the wind.

First, you must ask yourself, “Where is the wind coming from? Is it coming from ahead or behind or from the side?” You must think about this all the time on the boat. The wind direction tells you what to do with the sail.

Let’s start with the wind blowing from the behind. This means the wind and the boat are going in the same direction. Then you must always keep the sail outside the boat. It should be at a 90° angle (角度) to the boat. Then it will catch the wind best.

If the wind is blowing from the side, it is blowing across the boat. In this case, you must keep the sail half way outside the boat. It should be at a 45° angle to the boat. It needs to be out far enough to catch the wind, but it shouldn’t flap (摆动). It shouldn’t look like on a flagpole. If it is flapping, it is probably out too far, and the boat will slow down.

Sailing into the wind is not possible. If you try, the sail will flap and the boat will stop. You may want to go in that direction. It is possible, but you can’t go in a straight line. You must go first in one direction and then in another. This is called tacking. When you are tacking, you must always keep the sail inside the boat.

1. What should you consider first while sailing?

A. Sailors’ strength.    B. Wave levels.

C. Wind directions.　     D. Size of sails.

2. What does the word “It” underlined in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. The boat.    B. The wind.

C. The sail.    D. The angle.

3. What do you have to do when sailing against the wind?

A. Move in a straight line.    B. Allow the sail to flap.

C. Lower the sail.　　　　     D. Tack the boat.

4. Where can you probably find the text?

A. In a popular magazine.    B. In a tourist guidebook.

C. In a physics textbook.    D. In an official report.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Nothing in this world is a gift．________ has to be learned must be learned the hard way．

A． Whatever         B． No matter what                                 C． Whichever       D． No matter which

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

What musical instrument does the man play?

A. The piano.　　 B. The violin.　　 C. None.

高二英语短对话中等难度题查看答案及解析

Often people receive a guitar, mandolin, or some other musical instrument as a birthday or Christmas gift. There's joy everywhere. The giver of the gift knows how much the receiver wants to learn this instrument and the receiver is actually holding it in his hands instead of longing for it through the shop window.

Finding an instructor that fits into a busy work schedule is hard enough, but once you decide on a lesson plan, then you must consider the practice time, how to practice, what to practice—and let's face it...not all people learn something the same way. So in order to learn a musical instrument, how much practice time is enough and what kind of practice is right for you?

There is no set amount of time that anyone should practice a musical instrument. When I was in programming classes, I could have studied nightly for 5 hours each night. It would have taken me years to learn the art of computer programming. Though I'm attracted by the systematic logic of it, my talent is towards another thing. However, on the other hand, if I spent an hour every couple days with a passionate hobby like playing the violin, not only would the time fly quickly...I'd also be learning at a much greater speed since the built-in passion is the motivation for advancement.

So as much as it's important to practice, a step back is to first find the harmonious instrument that fits you as a person; as development of your personality. If you're learning the guitar because it's cool....obviously that's the modern-day mindset, however, you might not be actually linking your talent for musical satisfaction with your most creative advantages you have to offer.

It's been my experience that every person has a certain level of musical talent. My pleasant challenge has been to assist them in this adventure and actually locate their best abilities as quickly as possible. Then and only then can we match learners with instruments and truly begin a fun and exciting walk down the road of happiness and contentment, where music, ability, personality and soul all meet. Once this piece of the mystery puzzle is in place, I've never had to work at motivating a learner to practice...

1.In the author's opinion, which of the following is the most important when learning a musical instrument?

A. The amount of time for practice.　　 B. A scientific learning method.

C. A good music instructor.　　 D. The strong fondness for music.

2.In paragraph 3, how does the author try to make readers accept her opinion?

A. By talking about her personal experiences.

B. By comparing two different learning goals.

C. By pointing out the faults in what she does.

D. By discussing the advantage of music learning.

3.What do we know about the author?

A. She writes pop music.

B. She's a music instructor.

C. She advertises for music lesson.

D. She's a musical instrument collector.

4.Which of these questions does the passage answer?

A. Does practice make perfect?

B. Does talent make a difference?

C. Does a lesson plan really fit you?

D. Does hard work make up for lack of talent?

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

A music festival is a community event focusing on live performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme. On the list are the music festivals for fans around the world. Find your favorite now!

Field Day

January 1, 2018. Sydney

Field Pay means New Year’s Day for young people in Sydney. Seen as the city’s original multi－stage party,, it’s a gathering of friends coming together for a great fun - filled first day of the year. There’s an air of hope and positive energy on a perfect summer’s day.

The Envision Festival

February 22 – 25, 2018, Uvita

The Envision Festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that aims to provide an

opportunity for different cultures to work with one another to create a better community. The festival encourages people to practice art, music, dance performances, and education. Meanwhile, our connection with nature is expected to be strengthened.

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival

March 2 - 4, 2018, Phoenix

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is Phoenix、musical cele ra ,on of community culture. Since its founding in 2004 f it is the only 100% non – profit music festival designed to support, entertain and educate the community. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year from around the country, and it is an opportunity to experience true culture.

The Old Settler’s Music Festival

April 19 - 22, 2018, Dale

The Old Settler’s Music Festival is a nationally known music festival for American music. The festival is held in the country of Texas at the height of the wild flower season. The Old Settler’s Music Festival offers great music and activities for the whole family.

1.In which city can people enjoy a fun New Year’s Day?

A. Phoenix　　 B. Uvita.

C. Sydney　　 D. Dale

2.What is special about the McDowell Mountain Music Festival?

A. It encourages people to receive education.

B. It is not aimed at making money.

C. It provides an opportunity for friend gathering.

D. It focuses on cultural exchanges.

3.Which festivals are connected with nature?

A. Field Day and the Envision Festival.

B. The Envision Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

C. The Old Settler’s Music Festival and the McDowll McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

D. The Envision Festival and the Old Settler’s Music Festival.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析