Duke Ellington is known as one of the most important composers of his time, and his work has been enjoyed for more than 80 years by music lovers all over the world. During his lifetime Ellington turned musical sounds into many compositions, mostly in the style known as jazz.
The Early Years
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D. C. It wasn’t until Ellington was a teenager that his interest in music grew. He taught himself to play the piano by listening to local piano players. Sometime around 1916 Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties. Ellington realized that he enjoyed entertaining people with his music. He soon became a very popular musician, playing at parties and other events in the Washington area. Young adults seemed especially delighted by the modern pieces he composed.
Success in New York
In 1923, when Ellington was almost 24 years old, he joined The Washingtonians, a five-piece group of musicians in Washington, and became the group’s leader in early 1924. In 1927 Ellington and his orchestra won an engagement（雇傭期）at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. For the next three years, his orchestra played at the Cotton Club nearly every night.
The Influence of the Cotton Club
Working at the Cotton Club encouraged Ellington’s creativity. Since the shows changed every six months, he was challenged by the need to continually develop new material. He had to compose a wide variety of music to accompany the various acts in the Cotton Club shows and to adapt that music to the strengths and weaknesses of the players in his orchestra.
By 1928 the popular nightspot began radio broadcasts. From the broadcasts Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
On the Road
As Ellington’s popularity increased, he realized that his orchestra could do well on concert tours. They left the Cotton Club in 1931 and toured America and Europe almost continually for the next 43 years. In addition to touring, Ellington made recordings and continued to compose music.
Duke Ellington played the piano, composed music, and led his famous orchestra for more than 50 years, until his death in 1974. Music lovers all over the world agree that the large quantity of music he created will be enjoyed for many years to come.
小題1:From the second paragraph, we know that Ellington ____________.
A．could sing as well as he played the piano
B．preferred mature audiences to young adults
C．had a natural talent for musical composition
D．learnt to play musical instrument from very young age
小題2:Which of the following can show us Ellington’s leadership ability?
A．Ellington was very popular at parties in the Washington area.
B．Ellington took the responsibility for a band for a long time.
C．Ellington did live radio broadcasts in New York City.
D．Ellington continually developed new material.
小題3:We may infer from the passage that ____________.
A．Ellington’s career took off overnight
B．Ellington loves touring around the world
C．Ellington could compose a wide variety of songs
D．Ellington had a great effect on the world of music
小題4:Which of the following shows the order in which the events happened in the story?
a. Ellington joined a five-piece group of musicians in Washington.
b. Ellington’s orchestra played at the Cotton Club.
c. Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
d. Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties.
e. Ellington’s orchestra went on concert tours.
A．d-b-a-e-cB．d-a-b-c-eC．a(chǎn)-d-b-c-eD．a(chǎn)-d-b-e-c

小題1:C
小題1:B
小題1:D
小題1:B
略
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

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A．AllB．OneC．SomeD．None
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A．hearing B．masteringC．understandingD．noticing
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A．bowls B．pottery C．cupsD．clay
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A．dropped B．cooled C．comeD．fallen
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A．rubs B．cleans C．brushes D．paints
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A．brightB．earth C．blackD．deep
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A．beforeB．whenC．that D．until
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A．working B．painting C．puttingD．taking
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A．worried B．a(chǎn)nxiousC．happyD．proud
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A．promises B．wants C．hates D．enjoys
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A．sendingB．receivingC．makingD．exchanging
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A．broke inB．settled downC．turned upD．showed off
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A．blamedB．lovedC．forgottenD．a(chǎn)ffected
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A．presentB．firstC．recentD．previous
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A．hardlyB．instantlyC．regularlyD．occasionally
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A．strengthB．independenceC．importanceD．safety
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A．kept up withB．caught up withC．came up withD．put up with
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I made my sandwich that afternoon while waiting for Cassie.   39   the butter-cream gave me an idea.
“I have a brilliant design for our   40  container!” I said when Cassie arrived. “We can 41 the egg with some butter-cream.”
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I couldn't believe it. Of course we'd had our little   43  in the past, but she'd never called any of my ideas “  44  ” before.
“Then I’ll build mine and you build yours!”
  45  words had been out, our friendship was challenged.
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After four rounds, only Cassie and I were   49 . I let go of my box. I heard someone say “ew” after seconds. Had my egg broken? I raced down the   50 . The sidewalk was dotted with egg shells(蛋殼) from those   51  drops. Finally I found my little Egg-cellent Egg Cream.
“That looks like egg drop soup, Laura,” Cassie said. She was holding her Egg Force One. My 52  raced. Had she won? I looked at her basket.   53 .
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Cassie looked at me, and her glare（瞪眼） 55 . I laughed. She smiled…
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A．patientlyB．silently C．togetherD．a(chǎn)lone
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A．functionB．goalC．reasonD．result
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A．rolled downB．pushed againstC．thrown atD．dropped over
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A．SpreadingB．BoilingC．BakingD．Holding
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A．butterB．sandwichC．creamD．egg
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A．protectB．replaceC．carryD．mix
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A．followedB．coveredC．a(chǎn)ttachedD．supported
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A．ideasB．fightsC．worriesD．challenges
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A．wrongB．stupidC．brilliantD．scientific
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A．SinceB．WhileC．ButD．And
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A．explainB．denyC．a(chǎn)dmitD．prove
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A．ThereforeB．AnywayC．OtherwiseD．Besides
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A．leftB．wantedC．chosenD．discovered
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A．stepsB．wayC．wallD．sidewalk
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A．intendedB．unexpectedC．failedD．desired
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A．eyesB．handsC．feelD．heart
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A．a(chǎn)roundB．outC．inD．down
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

One of the best-loved American writers was William Sydney Porter, or O.Henry. From 1893 he lived with his family in a house in Austin, Texas, which is now a museum. Visitors to Austin can see the house. It was saved from destruction (破壞) and turned into a museum in1934. The museum is a good way to learn about the interesting life of the American writer.
William Porter rented this house in Austin and lived there with his wife Athol and daughter Margaret for about two years. Many objects in the museum belonged to the Porters. Others did not. An important piece in the room is the original photograph over here. It was taken there in the house about 1895. The piano there goes back to the 1860s. His wife took lessons on it when she first moved to Austin.
Porter did not start his career as a successful writer. He worked at a farm, land office and bank. He also loved words and writing. The museum has a special proof of Porter’s love of language --- his dictionary. It is said that he had read every word in that dictionary.
Later William Porter was forced to leave Austin because he was charged with financial wrongdoing at the bank and lost his job. Because he was afraid of a trail (審判), he left the country secretly. But he returned because his wife was dying. After her death, he faced the trial and became a criminal. He served three and a half years in a prison in Ohio.
William Porter would keep his time in prison a secret. But there was one good thing about it. It provided him with time to write. By the time he was freed, he had published 14 stories and became well known as O.Henry.
Porter later moved to New York City and found great success there. He published over 180 stories in the last eight years of his life.
小題1:O.Henry’s house in Austin has been well kept up till now so that ____.
A. Americans can explore their history
B more visitors will be attracted to Austin
C. visitors can learn about O.Henry’s life
D. it can show the way of life in the 1860s
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A．It was hated by Porter’s daughter.
B．It has a long history of about 150 years.
C．Porter’s wife gave music lessons on it.
D．Porter usually created music on it.
小題3:How does the museum prove (證明) Porter was fond of language?
A．With a dictionary he used.B．With the records they keep.
C．Using the books they wrote.D．Using the photograph they keep.
小題4:Why did Porter escape from Austin?
A．He didn’t want to lose his job.B．He didn’t want to make trouble.
C．He meant to save his wife’s life.D．He was charged with a crime.
小題5:From the last two paragraphs we know that _______.
A．Porter became famous suddenly
B．Porter spent his time in prison writing
C．Porter suffered a lot from his time in prison
D．life in prison provided what he could write for Porter

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Last July, my 12-year-old car died on California's Santa Na Freeway. It was an hour before sunset, and I was 25 miles form home. I couldn't reach anyone to pick me up, so I decided to take a bus. Not knowing the routes, I figured I'd just head east.
A bus pulled up, and I asked the driver how far she was going. "Four more lights," she said. There was another bus I could take form there. This clearly was going to be a long night.
She dropped me off at the end of her route and told me which bus to look for. After waiting 30 minutes, I began to think about a very expensive taxi ride home. Then a bus pulled up. There was no lighted number above its wind-shield. It was out of service. But the door opened, and I was surprised to find that it was the same driver.
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“You’ll drive me home in the bus?” I asked, perplexed(迷惑的).
“No, I’ll take you in my car,” she said.
“It’s a long way,” I protested(抗議).
“Come on,”she said. “I have nothing else to do.”
As we drove from the station in her car, she began telling me a story. A few days earlier, her brother had run out of gas. A good Samaritan picked him up, took him to a service station and then back to his car. “I’m just passing the favor along.”she said.
When I offered her money as a thank-you, she wouldn’t hear of it. “That would not make it a  favor,” she said. “Just do something nice for somebody. Pass it along.”
小題1:The writer thought that he would have a long night because
A．it world be long before he could take another bus
B．no driver would give him a ride
C．he didn’t know the routes
D．he perhaps would have to take a taxi
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A．very quiet and peacefulB．dark without street lights
C．neither clean nor beautifulD．a(chǎn) little unsafe
小題3:The writer wanted to take a taxi home at the end of the route because         .
A．no bus would come
B．a(chǎn) taxi ride would be more comfortable
C．he became impatient and a bit worried
D．he knew the driver would never return
小題4:The bus driver drove the writer home later because       .
A．she happened to go in the same direction
B．she wanted to do something good for other people
C．her brother told her to do so
D．she wanted to earn more money
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A．world do as she didB．would keep her in memory
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It’s great fun to explore new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
·Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you’ll have to move to the back seat.
·Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass(指南針), a raincoat, a cellphone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is not in getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
See if your school or a club organizes orienteering(越野識途比賽) activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.
小題1: Sitting beside the driver, you should _______.
A．direct the driver when necessary
B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn
C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable
D．Keep looking at the map to find a place to go to
小題2: Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?
A．To get information when in danger.
B．To be saved in case of an accident.
C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.
D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members.
小題3: Orienteering activities can _______.
A．make people work fastB．help people stay healthy
C．help people organize other activitiesD．make people get prepared for sports.
小題4: The text mainly talks about _____.
A．the fun of explorationB．what to bring for exploration
C．the way to use a map in explorationD．how to prevent getting lost in exploration.

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