Today, at 28, the young German Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is at the top. “She gives radiance (光芒) to the music,” wrote Geoffrey Norris in The Daily Telegraph, London.

Born in Rheinfelden on June 29, 1963, Anne-Sophie grew up in Wehr, a small town just five kilometers from the Swiss border. Her father, Karl Wilhelm Mutter, and her mother, Gerlinde, considered music lessons part of a good education. It came as no surprise when Anne-Sophie said she wanted a violin for her fifth birthday.

Her parents thought she was too young for the violin, and persuaded her to start on the piano. But Anne-Sophie has always had a mind of her own. “I longed to play the violin,” she says, “It seemed to me a much more interesting instrument.” After six months, her parents gave in.

Though the Mutters were short of money at times, they limited their daughter’s performances to one or two a year. “We are glad we went the family road,” says her father. “No outsider can ever have an effect on our daughter’s career or push her into playing more concerts than she wants to.” Later she was allowed to give six to eight concerts a year and make some recordings.

Anne-Sophie’s concerts are _________.

A. limited to one or two a year         B. thought highly of

C. accompanied on the piano by Christoph    D. appreciated by professors in London

Which sentence shows Anne-Sophie’s great talent as a violinist?

A. She wanted a violin for her fifth birthday.

B. She has always had a mind of her own.

C. Violin seemed to her a much more interesting instrument.

D. She had two famous violin teachers.

The virtue the Mutters have is that they believe __________.

A. money is not everything         

B. children should learn music

C. Anne-Sophie was too young to give concerts

D. parents have a great effect upon their children

Which of the following is right?

A. Anne-Sophie got her first prize with the help of Aida Stucki.

B. Mutter’s family had an effect on her.

C. Anne-Sophie liked to imitate others.

D. Anne-Sophie liked all the instruments.

“Keep an eye on Esther. I’ll be back in a second,” Joy Warren said to her three-year-old son Stephen, who was sitting in the back of the Buick. She didn’t like leaving the children alone in the car, but the baby was sleeping soundly. And it would only be a moment.

   She had hardly walked 40 yards when she saw the car moving. It headed straight towards the river. Unable to swim, Joy shouted, “My babies are in that car!”

Daniel Whitehead, a 17-year-old student, was walking by the river when the Buick crashed into the water just yards ahead .Without thinking, Daniel jumped in. Though a competitive swimmer, he was shocked by the icy chill.  

Two minutes earlier, Skip Womack had pulled to a halt as the Buick ran in front of him. Now seeing it hit the water and hearing Joy’s cries, Skip got out of his truck and jumped into the water. He had only one thought: If I don’t get them out, they’ll drown.

Daniel reached the car and grabbed a door handle. But the water was only four inches beneath the window, and the door wouldn’t open. With one powerful punch, Daniel and Skip broke a window. Daniel reached inside and lifted Stephen out. He placed him on his back and set out for shore. At the same time, Skip squeezed himself through the window .He managed to free Esther from beneath her seat belt. After he got out of the car with the baby, he held her over the water and swam toward the shore. All this took place just seconds before the Buick disappeared beneath the water.

Later, driving home, Skip thought of his wife and children—how close he’d come to leaving them behind. He thought of the miracle he’d lived through, and how two children were still alive because he and Daniel happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Why did Joy leave her children in the car?

A. He did not like shopping with a child in hand.

B. She didn’t like waking up her baby.

C. Stephen was big enough to take care of his sister.

D. It was icy cold outside.

Daniel and Skip, who saved the lives of the two kids, _____.

A. had been good friends

B. were two close friends of Joy Warren’s

C. were Joy Warren’s neighbors

D. were strangers before the accident

How did Daniel get Stephen out of danger?

A. He squeezed into the car and carried him out.

B. He pulled him out through the broken window.

C. He freed him from his seatbelt before he got him out.

D. He held him over the water and swam back to shore.

What happened to Joy Warren’s Buick?

A. It had four inches of water in it.

B. One of its windows could not be opened.

C. It was pulled out of water and set on the shore.

D. It sank to the bottom of the river.

How did Skip feel in his way home?

A. He felt lucky to be still alive after having saved the lives of two kids.

B. He missed his wife and children, whom he left behind in the morning.

C. He felt very thankful to Daniel, without whom he would not have made it.

D. He wondered how he and Daniel could be in the right place at the right time.

“Keep an eye on Esther. I’ll be back in a second,” Joy Warren said to her three-year-old son Stephen, who was sitting in the back of the Buick. She didn’t like leaving the children alone in the car, but the baby was sleeping soundly. And it would only be a moment.
She had hardly walked 40 yards when she saw the car moving. It headed straight towards the river. Unable to swim, Joy shouted, “My babies are in that car!”
Daniel Whitehead, a 17-year-old student, was walking by the river when the Buick crashed into the water just yards ahead .Without thinking, Daniel jumped in. Though a competitive swimmer, he was shocked by the icy chill.  
Two minutes earlier, Skip Womack had pulled to a halt as the Buick ran in front of him. Now seeing it hit the water and hearing Joy’s cries, Skip got out of his truck and jumped into the water. He had only one thought: If I don’t get them out, they’ll drown.
Daniel reached the car and grabbed a door handle. But the water was only four inches beneath the window, and the door wouldn’t open. With one powerful punch, Daniel and Skip broke a window. Daniel reached inside and lifted Stephen out. He placed him on his back and set out for shore. At the same time, Skip squeezed himself through the window .He managed to free Esther from beneath her seat belt. After he got out of the car with the baby, he held her over the water and swam toward the shore. All this took place just seconds before the Buick disappeared beneath the water.
Later, driving home, Skip thought of his wife and children—how close he’d come to leaving them behind. He thought of the miracle he’d lived through, and how two children were still alive because he and Daniel happened to be in the right place at the right time

1. 1.

   Why did Joy leave her children in the car?

   1. A.
      He did not like shopping with a child in hand
   2. B.
      She didn’t like waking up her baby
   3. C.
      Stephen was big enough to take care of his sister
   4. D.
      It was icy cold outside
2. 2.

   Daniel and Skip, who saved the lives of the two kids, _____

   1. A.
      had been good friends
   2. B.
      were two close friends of Joy Warren’s
   3. C.
      were Joy Warren’s neighbors
   4. D.
      were strangers before the accident
3. 3.

   How did Daniel get Stephen out of danger?

   1. A.
      He squeezed into the car and carried him out
   2. B.
      He pulled him out through the broken window
   3. C.
      He freed him from his seatbelt before he got him out
   4. D.
      He held him over the water and swam back to shore
4. 4.

   What happened to Joy Warren’s Buick?

   1. A.
      It had four inches of water in it
   2. B.
      One of its windows could not be opened
   3. C.
      It was pulled out of water and set on the shore
   4. D.
      It sank to the bottom of the river
5. 5.

   How did Skip feel in his way home?

   1. A.
      He felt lucky to be still alive after having saved the lives of two kids
   2. B.
      He missed his wife and children, whom he left behind in the morning
   3. C.
      He felt very thankful to Daniel, without whom he would not have made it
   4. D.
      He wondered how he and Daniel could be in the right place at the right time