钢琴家朗朗是世界古典音乐新一代领军人物，被誉为“当今世界最年轻的钢琴大师”.
Lang Lang, called “Chinese Mozart”, one of the best-known Chinese pianists in the world, was born in Shenyang in 1982. He began to take piano lessons at the age of three. He played the piano at least 20 hours a week at that time. At the age of five, he won the Shenyang Piano Competition. Four years later, his father took him to Beijing to study at the Beijing Central Music Conservatory(中央音乐学院). When he was 11, he won the first prize at the Fourth International Young Pianists Competition in Germany. In 1996, he went to the United States to study music. Soon he became famous all over the US, and then around the world.
The road to success has never been easy. Lang Lang’s father even stopped his job in his police office. For over ten years, he followed Lang Lang everywhere he went, not only as a father, but also as a manager, tutor and friend, while his mother stayed in Shenyang to make money. In spite of(尽管) giving on average over 150 performances around the world every year now, he still finds time to practice and learn new works. Lang Lang considers himself lucky and believes he should give something back. He has helped the children in poor areas a lot.
【小题1】How old was Lang Lang when he went to Beijing to study?

What’s your favorite cartoon? It may be difficult for you to decide. But for pianist Lang Lang, Tom and Jerry is the best one.
When Lang was two years old, he saw Tom play the piano. This was his first time to enjoy western music and this experience encouraged him to learn to play the piano.
His talent at the keyboard has taken him from Shenyang to the world. Lang became a good piano student at three. Ever since, the boy has been doing better and better. In 1997, the 15-year-old boy studied at a famous American music college.
Lang’s performances are energetic. He is well-known for making facial （面部的）expressions and moving around while playing the piano.
The road to success has never been easy. Lang’s father stopped his job to look after him, while his mother stayed in Shenyang to make money. But Lang thinks himself lucky and believes he should give something back. He has helped the children in poor areas a lot.
【小题1】What made Langlang first enjoy western music?

Mary was an operator (接线员) 911 in Los Angeles. One Thursday morning, she was surprised to get a call from a young child who said, “Mom my ill, Mom my ill, ” again and again. Mary hurried to find the address of the call. She called the police, in a minute, the policemen and doctors arrived at the house. They broke the door open, they couldn’t believe their eyes. The little child was so young that maybe she could not walk！She was sitting beside her mother and holding her mother’s hand. Tears (眼泪) were running down her face. T he doctors gave the woman some medicine and soon she woke up. Late r she told people,  “ Everyone was surprised that my daughter could call 911. One Monday I tried to teach her how to call 911, but she couldn’t do it.” Mary was surprised，too. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a two-year-old child call 911.”

1.What did Mary do every day？  

A. She answered the telephone calls.  

B. She talked with the policemen and the doctors. 

C. She played with the children.  

D. She dealt with emergencies（紧急情况）.  

2.How did she feel when she answered the little girl’s call？  

A. She was worried.                 B. She was sorry．  

C. She was surprised.                 D. She was happy.  

3.How did the police and the doctors get into the house？  

A. They went in through the windows.   

B. They broke the door open.  

C. They didn’t go in.   

D. The women was outside. They didn’t need to go in.  

4.How could the little girl learn to call 911？  

A. She learnt it by herself.        

B. She asked others to call 911. 

C. Her mother taught her one Monday. 

D. Her mother often taught her.  

5.How old was the little girl？  

A. Only two.          

B. She was nine.  

C. She was five.      

D. She couldn’t walk, so she must be less one. 

Joyce was born in a poor family. Next Friday would be her mother’s birthday. Joyce wanted to buy something for her mother, but she had no money. As an 8-year-old girl, she couldn’t do part-time jobs. What could she do to make enough money for her mother’s birthday present?
Suddenly she had an idea. Usually, she would go straight to school, but this morning, she didn’t. She walked along the streets, picking up cardboard（纸板）, plastic（塑料）bottles and cans（易拉罐）. When it was time for school, she hid them in the backyard and ran to school as quickly as possible.
Eight days later, she decided to sell all the things she had collected because the next day was her mother’s birthday. She had to sell them and buy a birthday present for her mother. In the shop, she bought a beautiful hair pin for her mother.
When her mother got the present, she said with tears in her eyes,“This is the best present I’ve ever received.”
【小题1】How old was Joyce?
A. Seven.           B. Eight.        C. Nine.         
【小题2】Why couldn’t Joyce buy a present for her mother at first?
A. Because she had no money.
B. Because she didn’t know what her mother liked.
C. Because she didn’t love her mother at all.
【小题3】What was Joyce’s idea?
A. Doing part-time jobs.   
B. Collecting waste things and selling them.
C. Asking her best friend for help.
【小题4】How long did Joyce collect the waste things?
A. A week.      B. A month.    C. More than a week.
【小题5】 How did Joyce’s mother feel when she got the present?
A. Very sad.      B. Very happy and moved.     C. Very surprised.