Question

When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to face the music," it doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has had to "face the music", especially as children. We can remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you!” And only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was!

The phrase "face the music" is known to every American, old and young. It is at least one hundred years old. Where did the expression come from?

The first explanation came from the American novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. He said, in 1851, that expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on the stage. After they got their clue to go on, they often said. "It's time to face the music." And that was exactly what they did - facing the orchestra(乐队) which was just below the stage.

An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly, or perhaps unfriendly, especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression "face the music" came to mean "having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice."

1.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. If you'd like to enjoy songs, you'll face the music.

B. When actors have to face the music, it means they have to go on stage to perform, however changeable the situation is.

C. When you have to face the music, it is probable that you have met something unpleasant.

D. If a child does something against his parent's will, maybe he'll face the music.

2.Why might an actor be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience?

A. Because the audience might be unfriendly.

B. Because he thought he might forget his lines.

C. Because he was afraid that his performance might not be perfect.

D. All the above.

3.From the passage we know that the expression "face the music" was first used by ________.

A. children B. a novelist

C. actors D. audience

4.What's the main idea of this passage?

A. Actors' behavior as they moved on to the stage.

B. The meaning and the origin of the phrase “face the music”.

C. A personal idea expressed by an American novelist, James Fenimore Cooper.

D. The feelings when we have to face the music.

Answer 1