I am a music store owner. One day, when I was cleaning the instruments in my store, I saw an old man come in. His short steps dragged on the carpet. “Is 77 too old to learn the banjo (班卓琴)?”  he asked.
“You can learn to play it well,” I replied, holding back my doubts. My mind told me I was giving false encouragement. I reached the instructor’s schedule and gave the rates, the available time and the additional information that he would need. To my surprise and delight, the old man, Carl, began banjo lessons three days later with my most patient teacher.
With nothing to do at home but practice, Carl made surprising progress. After breakfast he practiced for his required half hour. While waiting for lunch he picked up his banjo again for just a couple of minutes. Since TV was difficult for him to see and hear, he often played the banjo in the evenings. Carl was always early for lessons so it was a surprise that he didn’t arrive one Tuesday.
The next morning I listened to the answering machine with sadness. “Carl’s in hospital,” the voice recorded.
Two months later, I shared the newspaper obituary with the banjo teacher. We both shed tears for a surprisingly clever banjo student.
Several months later, a woman came into the store carrying a plant. “This is for Carl’s banjo teacher,” she said. “I’m his wife, Mary.”
“Why did Carl want to play the banjo?” I asked. Mary took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Carl was at some show when he was 10 years old. He came close to the stage to watch the performers. When they were packing up their instruments, the banjo player said to Carl, ‘You want to see this up close?’ Carl climbed up on the stage and from then on he wanted to play the banjo.” Carl had waited 67 years to realize a dream! Mary gave the plant to me. “Thank you for the best six months of his life,” she said.
68. In Paragraph 2, the author’s reaction to Carl’s question showed that he ______.
A. was willing to help                   
B. didn’t want to encourage Carl
C. didn’t want to give him false encouragement 
D. encouraged Carl though he had doubts
69. How did Carl learn to play the banjo well?
A. By working hard.                    B. By taking short cuts.
C. By asking his wife to help him.        D. By finding the best teacher.
70. The underlined word “obituary” in Para.5 means a notice that _______.
A. announces somebody has died    B. announces somebody is needed
C. announces a good piece of news  D. announces a gift for somebody

I am not just a successful architect（建筑师）. I also like to play the piano. In my spare time I often turn some dry musical symbols into beautiful music.
Many years ago, while I was in a university studying architecture, I worked in a workshop. During the break I found an old piano in the corner of the room. With the allowance of the boss I sat down to have a try. Following my fingers the keys danced brilliantly and at the same time beautiful music flew out and then to every part of the room. All my workmates suddenly stopped talking and made their ears ready for my music.
After graduation, I began to devote myself to my profession. All my musical talent was wasted into zero. Then one evening we went to a concert at which Mr. Stevenson, one of the ordinary workers in my company, sang us some beautiful songs. His musical talents made us all surprised. We all enjoyed ourselves with his beautiful voice so much that we even thought him a professional singer. I was also reminded of my musical talent.
I began to train in a training center. My teacher was strict with me. He encouraged me to train every weekend and each time he asked me to play better than the last. Now I can proudly say I am also a successful pianist because every time I played on the stage fresh flowers and warm clapping would come from my audience. So I say, my friends, don’t busy yourself with your work too much. Find some time to develop your potential talent（潜能） and your life will become more wonderful

1. 1.

   What did the author do in his spare time?

   1. A.
      He played music
   2. B.
      He worked here and there
   3. C.
      He stayed at home practicing his lessons
   4. D.
      He read for his profession
2. 2.

   After graduation, why did the author waste his music talent？

   1. A.
      He realized that his music talent was nothing at all
   2. B.
      His workmates did not like him to play music
   3. C.
      He went on with his further study
   4. D.
      He was too busy with his work
3. 3.

   According to the passage, the author is not only a successful architect but also a good______.

   1. A.
      worker
   2. B.
      pianist
   3. C.
      singer
   4. D.
      basketball player
4. 4.

   What is the author’s aim in writing this passage？

   1. A.
      He wanted to tell us that he is successful both in work and life
   2. B.
      He wanted to tell us to develop our potential talent instead of busying ourselves with our work only
   3. C.
      He wanted to tell us that the concert is very important to his life
   4. D.
      He wanted to tell us that he was very welcome in his company
5. 5.

   Why did the author have himself trained on piano?

   1. A.
      Because he lost his job
   2. B.
      Because his salary was too low
   3. C.
      Because he wanted to became a famous artist
   4. D.
      Because he was inspired by his workmate

I am a music store owner. One day, when I was cleaning the instruments in my store, I saw an old man come in. His short steps dragged on the carpet. “Is 77 too old to learn the banjo (班卓琴)?”  he asked.

   “You can learn to play it well,” I replied, holding back my doubts. My mind told me I was giving false encouragement. I reached the instructor’s schedule and gave the rates, the available time and the additional information that he would need. To my surprise and delight, the old man, Carl, began banjo lessons three days later with my most patient teacher.

    With nothing to do at home but practice, Carl made surprising progress. After breakfast he practiced for his required half hour. While waiting for lunch he picked up his banjo again for just a couple of minutes. Since TV was difficult for him to see and hear, he often played the banjo in the evenings. Carl was always early for lessons so it was a surprise that he didn’t arrive one Tuesday.

   The next morning I listened to the answering machine with sadness. “Carl’s in hospital,” the voice recorded.

   Two months later, I shared the newspaper obituary with the banjo teacher. We both shed tears for a surprisingly clever banjo student.

   Several months later, a woman came into the store carrying a plant. “This is for Carl’s banjo teacher,” she said. “I’m his wife, Mary.”

   “Why did Carl want to play the banjo?” I asked. Mary took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Carl was at some show when he was 10 years old. He came close to the stage to watch the performers. When they were packing up their instruments, the banjo player said to Carl, ‘You want to see this up close?’ Carl climbed up on the stage and from then on he wanted to play the banjo.” Carl had waited 67 years to realize a dream! Mary gave the plant to me. “Thank you for the best six months of his life,” she said.

68. In Paragraph 2, the author’s reaction to Carl’s question showed that he ______.

    A. was willing to help                   

B. didn’t want to encourage Carl

    C. didn’t want to give him false encouragement 

D. encouraged Carl though he had doubts

69. How did Carl learn to play the banjo well?

  A. By working hard.                     B. By taking short cuts.

  C. By asking his wife to help him.          D. By finding the best teacher.

70. The underlined word “obituary” in Para.5 means a notice that _______.

  A. announces somebody has died     B. announces somebody is needed

  C. announces a good piece of news   D. announces a gift for somebody

Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read The New Testament（《新约全书》）on tape .

         But it  21  a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a child, I stuttered（结巴）so badly that I was completely  22  to speak in public.

          23  when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to my school. He was a retired college professor. English was his favorite subject and  24  was his deepest love. He held a book of poems as if it were a crystal,  25  pages as if uncovering treasures. When he heard that our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he felt  26  for not being a part of our school sooner.

         When he  27  that I not only loved poetry but was  28  it, we became closer. There was, however, one  29 -- Professor Crouch could not stand the  30  that I refused to read my poems to the class.

    “Jim, poetry is  31  to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and  32  .

         One day he   33  me .

         After handing in a poem, I waited for his  34  . It didn’t come. Instead one day as the students had gathered together, he  35  me , “Jim, I don’t think you wrote this poem.”

         I stared at him in disbelief. “Why,” I started,  36  flooding me. “of course I did !” “Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it from  37  .”

         By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up to the front. For a moment I stood there  38  Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way   39  !

         Afterwards, Professor Crouch encouraged me to read other writers’ poetry before the public. I discovered I did have a(n)  40  and found my classmates actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

1.A．lasted       B．took    C．spent  D．wasted

2.A．impatient B．disabled      C．unable         D．impossible

3.A．But  B．Then   C．Besides        D．However

4.A．archaeology     B．art       C．architecture        D．poetry

5.A．drawing   B．turning        C．writing         D．finding

6.A．regretful  B．thankful       C．relieved      D．annoyed

7.A．decided   B．recognized C．learned       D．proved

8.A．reading    B．reciting        C．publishing   D．writing

9.A．problem  B．promise       C．agreement  D．difference

10.A．matter   B．fact     C．idea    D．belief

11.A．said        B．found C．prepared    D．meant

12.A．turned away  B．sat down     C．talked back D．gave in

13.A．greeted B．scolded       C．tricked         D．comforted

14.A．help       B．idea    C．reward       D．comment

15.A．challenged     B．attracted     C．noticed        D．talked

16.A．pride      B．anger  C．excitement D．joy

17.A．heart      B．beginning    C．mind   D．memory

18.A．panic      B．disappointed       C．breathless   D．aimless

19.A．down     B．up       C．around        D．through

20.A．voice      B．sound C．appearance         D．interest

       Perhaps I am courageous, but that's because I've had some inspiring teachers. I'll tell you about one of them. Many years ago, when I worked    1   a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza  2  was suffering from a rare and serious disease, Her only chance of   3    (recover) appeared to be a blood transfusion (???) from    4     five-year-old brother, who   5     (survive) the same disease and developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy      6       he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for a moment      7      taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza."

     As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister,   8    (smile). But then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked at the doctor and asked with    9    trembling voice, "Will I start to die fight away?"

     Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor. He thought he was going to have to give her   10    his blood.