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Sometimes, little things can bring big changes. Justice and Nathaniel are learning this with music. A cello and a violin brought big changes to their lives.
Justice and Nathaniel are in sixth grade. They go to a middle school named Northwest School of the Arts. They used to go to Winterfield Elementary School. Winterfield has a program with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO). The CSO program teaches kids how to play musical instruments. Justice learned to play the violin. Nathaniel learned to play the violin and the cello. They are the first students from the program to go to Northwest.
For the past six years, the CSO has given after-school music classes at Winterfield. Most of the kids in the school come from poor homes. It’s difficult for their parents to afford music lessons. The CSO wants the kids to learn about music, and it also wants them to stay out of trouble and get better grades.
The program was started to teach kids about music. It wants to help kids in other ways, too. Kids are allowed to take smaller instruments home to practice. This teachers them to take responsibility for something valuable. The program also encourages cooperation(合作). Students must spend time with children they might know outside of the program. And also, the program teaches practice habits. When students get better after practice, they learn that practice is good.
Students use the first year to explore and find a “forever instrument.” Justice tried out the clarinet and cello before picking a violin.Nathaniel liked the trumpet but decided on the cello and violin.
“When I started, it actually looked easy, but I knew it would get tougher,” says Nathaniel. “Practicing is a pleasure. I’m always trying to get a song perfect, so I’m playing 15-20-25 minutes a day.”
Thanks to music, Justice and Nathaniel got into a good middle school. Justice’s mom said she is very glad that he does well in class and that he likes it. “It makes a big difference,” Nathaniel’s dad said.
1.The word “cello” in the passage is most probably ___________.
A. a musical instrument B. an expert in music
C. a famous musician D. a music program
2.From Paragraph 2, we can learn that Justice and Nathaniel ___________.
A. are six-year-old school boys B. are learning art in a primary school
C. are middle school students D. worked for a school music program
3.Which of the following is true about the CSO program?
A. It trains music teachers for a school. B. It gives kids after-school music classes.
C. It teaches each kid to play the violin. D. It tries to raise money to help poor kids.
4.Paragraph 4 mainly talks about ___________.
A. how to become a responsible person B. the importance of cooperation
C. how to take part in the music program D. The goals of the music program
5.From the last paragraph, we know that Justice’s mom and Nathaniel’s dad ___________.
A. are both music teachers in the program B. are happy about the program
C. have different opinions about the program D. don’t think the program useful
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“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person’s life for the better, which makes everyone a better person.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April. It is a time to thank volunteers for their achievements. It is also a perfect opportunity（机会）to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization’s expectations. Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also prevents some from sharing their abilities.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★Start out slowly, don’t add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone’s life.
★Choose an organization with the same interests and common values.
★Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot and he can help you increase the confidence and completely understand the organization’s expectations.
★Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect. If one experience doesn’t work, don’t give up and you’ll surely find the right opportunity.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people’s lives. As Mason discovered during his volunteer experience, “…little things can change a person’s life.”
1.What could be the reason to stop people taking the first step?
A.They don’t have enough time. B.They are prevented by their families.
C.They fear that their abilities are shared. D.They don’t expect to become volunteers.
2.Which of the following can help people take the first step?
A.Start out quickly. B.Organize a training meeting.
C.Invite a friend to be with them. D.Join in a group with different values.
3.The underlined word “veteran” in the passage means “ ”
A.polite B.humorous C.young D.experienced
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A.To tell people to make changes in their lives.
B.To encourage people to start their volunteering.
C.How to make great achievements in volunteering.
D.How to keep on volunteering whatever happened.
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“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person’s life for the better, which makes everyone a better person.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April. It is a time to thank volunteers for their achievements. It is also a perfect opportunity (机会) to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization’s expectations (期望). Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also prevents some from sharing their abilities.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★ Start out slowly, don’t add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone’s life.
★ Choose an organization with the same interests and common values.
★ Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★ Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot, he can help you increase the confidence and completely understand the organization’s expectations.
★ Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★ Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect. If one experience doesn’t work, don’t give up and you’ll surely find the right opportunity.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people’s lives. As Mason discovered during his volunteer experience, “…little things can change a person’s life.”
1.Volunteering can help_________.
A.make a decision B.see the world clearly
C.thank other people D.make person’s life better
2.What could be the reason to stop people taking the first step?
A.They don’t have enough time. B.They are prevented by their families.
C.They fear that their abilities are shared. D.They don’t expect to become volunteers.
3.Which of the following can help people take the first step?
A.Start out quickly. B.Organize a training meeting.
C.Invite a friend to be with them. D.Join in a group with different values.
4.The underlined word “veteran” in the passage means “_________”.
A.polite B.humorous C.young D.experienced
5.What is the main idea of the passage?
A.To tell people to make changes in their lives.
B.To encourage people to start their volunteering.
C.How to make great achievements in volunteering.
D.How to keep on volunteering whatever happened.
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“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person’s life for the better, which makes everyone a better person.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April. It is a time to thank volunteers for their achievements. It is also a perfect opportunity (机会) to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization’s expectations (期望). Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also prevents some from sharing their abilities.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★ Start out slowly, don’t add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone’s life.
★ Choose an organization with the same interests and common values.
★ Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★ Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot, he can help you increase the confidence and completely understand the organization’s expectations.
★ Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★ Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect. If one experience doesn’t work, don’t give up and you’ll surely find the right opportunity.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people’s lives. As Mason discovered during his volunteer experience, “…little things can change a person’s life.”
1.Volunteering can help_________.
A. make a decision B. see the world clearly
C. thank other people D. make person’s life better
2.What could be the reason to stop people taking the first step?
A. They don’t have enough time. B. They are prevented by their families.
C. They fear that their abilities are shared. D. They don’t expect to become volunteers.
3.Which of the following can help people take the first step?
A. Start out quickly. B. Organize a training meeting.
C. Invite a friend to be with them. D. Join in a group with different values.
4.The underlined word “veteran” in the passage means “_________”.
A. polite B. humorous C. young D. experienced
5.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. To tell people to make changes in their lives.
B. To encourage people to start their volunteering.
C. How to make great achievements in volunteering.
D. How to keep on volunteering whatever happened.
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“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person's life for the better, which makes everyone a better person.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April. It is a time to thank volunteers for their achievements. It is also a perfect opportunity(机会) to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization's expectations(期望). Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also prevents some from sharing their abilities.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★ Start out slowly, don't add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone's life.
★ Choose an organization with the same interests and common values.
★ Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★ Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot, he can help you increase the confidence and completely understand the organization's expectations.
★ Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★ Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect. If one experience doesn't work, don't give up and you'll surely find the right opportunity.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people's lives. As Mason discovered during his volunteer experience, “... little things can change a person's life.”
1.Volunteering can help .
A. make a decision
B. see the world clearly
C. make person's life better
2.What could be the reason to stop people taking the first step?
A. They don't have enough time.
B. They are prevented by their families.
C. They fear that their abilities are shared.
3.The underlined word “veteran” in the passage means “ ”．
A. polite
B. humorous
C. experienced
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. To tell people to make changes in their lives.
B. To encourage people to start their volunteering.
C. How to make great achievements in volunteering.
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根据短文内容回答下面的问题。
As you’re using e-mails, remember that sending and getting letters can sometimes bring about serious trouble.
When Jim left the snow-covered streets of London for a holiday in New York, his wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel in New York, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. But he couldn’t find the piece of paper on which he had written her e-mail address. He tried his best to remember where he had put it, but failed. Unluckily, he made a mistake and sent it to an old woman. Her husband had died a few years ago. When she saw the e-mail, she gave a terrible shout and fell on the floor. Her family rushed into the room and saw the message on the computer.
“Dearest wife, everything is ready for your arrival tomorrow.
Love, Jim.
P.S. it’s hot here.”
1.Where was Jim for his holiday?
2.Why couldn’t Jim write his wife’s e-mail address correctly?
3.Was it hot in London?
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Inspiration can be a strange thing. You never know when it might hit. And sometimes, it can come from the most unexpected places.
I recently read about an author(作家) named Okorafor. When she was in college, she had a serious spine disorder(脊椎病). Okorafor was told that a simple operation(手术) could fix it.
But when she woke up from her operation, she found that she couldn't move her legs and was in great pain.
Okorafor got well later. But before she did, she saw strange things in her hospital room.
She imagined her pain as a beast(野兽)that hunted her from the shadows. But she also imagined a woman-a woman who could fly, in fact. This magical woman inspired her and helped her forget her pain. "I felt greater than myself. I felt myself become greater," she wrote in her book Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected.
We never know where we might find the inspiration to create. As a musician, most of my inspiration comes from other people's music. But I also find ideas in other places. Books, movies and even just moments in everyday life can lead to new creations.
For example, I recently watched the film Blade Runner. I've seen it plenty of times before; it's one of my favorite movies. But this time, for some reason, I saw it differently. I decided to make music that could create the same feeling as the film. It's not done yet, but the movie's setting and characters impacted the music I'm working on now heavily.
Anything can inspire us. You just have to be ready to catch inspiration when it hits.
根据短文内容选择最佳答案。
1.What happened to Okorafor after her operation?
A.She couldn't go to college anymore.
B.It took her a long time to wake up.
C.She couldn't walk and she was in great pain.
2.After he watched Blade Runner, the writer________________.
A.found that the movie's music was similar to his
B.was inspired to write new music
C.decided to make his own film
3.The underlined word "impact" in the passage means _____________in Chinese.
A.影响 B.熏陶 C.诱导
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Before Okorafor got well, she lost her mind and went crazy
B.The book Finding Creativity in the Unexpected was written by a magical woman.
C.The writer's inspiration comes from other people's music, books, movies and moments in everyday life.
5.The writer wrote this story to tell us _______________________.
A.how our imaginations work in real life
B.how he was inspired to create music
C.how inspiration can come from surprising places
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Nick and his friends were talking about things that can bring them luck (运气). "I have a lucky red pen," said Andrea. "I have a lucky penny(便士)," said Manuel. Every time I want to do really well in tests, I carry my lucky penny." Nick thought for a moment, and answered, "My blue socks." "Blue socks?" the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark.
The next day Nick would have a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn't find his blue socks to wear to school. "Mom!" shouted Nick. "Where are my blue socks? I will have a Chinese test, and I need to wear them." "Don't be silly," Nick's mom said. "They need to be washed." "When I wear them, I get a good grade," Nick said. "Did you prepare for your test?" asked Mom. "Yes." "Then don't worry about it. Just do your best," Mom encouraged. Nick was worried about his test because his lucky socks would not help him.
A few days later, Nick's teacher told him that he got 95 in his test. Nick was so excited that he couldn't wait to tell Mom how well he did in his test. Mom said, "It wasn't the blue socks that made you successful. It was made by yourself."
1.________brings Andrea luck.
A. A lucky penny B. A red pen
C. A pair of socks D. None of the above
2.Why didn't Nick wear his blue socks?
A. The socks needed to be washed.
B. The socks were worn out.
C. One of the socks was missing.
D. The socks were too old.
3.Why did Nick worry about his test?
A. He was unprepared for his test.
B. He lost his lucky socks.
C. His mother didn't wash his socks.
D. His lucky socks would not help him in the test.
4.How did Nick feel when he knew his mark?
A. Bad. B. Worried.
C. Nervous. D. Excited.
5.What can we learn from the story?
A. Lucky things can bring us luck.
B. We can do things well by ourselves.
C. We should find our lucky things.
D. It's hard to find a lucky thing
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阅读下面短文，按要求完成各小题。
Nick and his friends were talking about things that can bring them luck. “I have a lucky red pen,” said Andy. “I have a lucky coin,” said Peter. “Every time I take a test, I carry my lucky coin.” Nick thought for a moment, and said, “My blue socks.” “Blue socks?” the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark.
The next day Nick had a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn’t find his blue socks. “Mom!” shouted Nick. “Where are my blue socks? I have a Chinese test today, and I need to wear them.”
“Don’t be silly,” Nick’s mom said. “They need to be washed.” “When I wear them, I get a good grade. ” Nick said.
“Did you prepare for your test?” asked Mom.
“Yes.”
“Then don’t worry about it. Just do your best.” Mom encouraged.
A few days later, Nick’s teacher told him that he got 95 in his test. Nick was so excited that he couldn’t wait to tell Mom he did well in his test. Mom said, “It wasn’t the blue socks that made you success. In fact, it was made by yourself.”
1.Who could get luck from a red pen?(根据短文内容回答问题)
2.Why was Nick sad the next day?(根据短文内容回答问题)
3.Was Nick’s good mark made by the blue socks or by himself?(根据短文内容回答问题)
4.从文中找出与下面句子中画线部分意思最接近的短语。
Nick was so excited that he couldn’t wait to tell Mom he did well in his test.
5.In this passage, the underlined word “it” refers to ________.
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阅读下面短文，按要求完成各小题。
Nick and his friends were talking about things that can bring them luck. “I have a lucky red pen,” said Andy. “I have a lucky coin,” said Peter. “Every time I take a test, I carry my lucky coin.” Nick thought for a moment, and said, “My blue socks.” “Blue socks?” the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark.
The next day Nick had a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn’t find his blue socks. “Mom!” shouted Nick. “Where are my blue socks? I have a Chinese test today, and I need to wear them.”
“Don’t be silly,” Nick’s mom said. “They need to be washed.” “When I wear them, I get a good grade. ” Nick said.
“Did you prepare for your test?” asked Mom.
“Yes.”
“Then don’t worry aboutit. Just do your best.” Mom encouraged.
A few days later, Nick’s teacher told him that he got 95 in his test. Nick was so excited that he couldn’t wait to tell Mom he did well in his test. Mom said, “It wasn’t the blue socks that made you success. In fact, it was made by yourself.”
1.Who could get luck from a red pen?(根据短文内容回答问题)
2.Why was Nick sad the next day?(根据短文内容回答问题)
3.Was Nick’s good mark made by the blue socks or by himself?(根据短文内容回答问题)
4.从文中找出与下面句子中画线部分意思最接近的短语。
Nick was so excited that he couldn’t wait to tell Mom he did well in his test.
5.In this passage, the underlined word “it” refers to ________.