Isaac Stern was more than a great violin player.He was one of the most honored musicians in the
world, an international cultural ambassador.And he was also a teacher and activist.For more than sixty
years, Mr.Stern performed excellent music.He performed in concerts around the world and on
recordings.
     Isaac Stern was born in 1920 in Ukraine.His parents moved to California the following year.He
began
taking violin lessons after hearing a friend play the instrument.Later, he began studying music at the
San
Francisco Conservatory(舊金山音樂學(xué)院). He progressed quickly.When he was sixteen, he played
with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.The next year, he performed in New York and was
praised by music critics.
     Isaac Stern became one of the busiest musicians of his day.He played more than one hundred
concerts a year.He also became one of the most recorded musicians in history.Isaac Stern also
supported artistic
development and freedom.
     In 1979, Isaac Stern visited China.He met with Chinese musicians and students.He taught them
about
classical Western music.His visit was made into a film.It is called From Mao to Mozart:Isaac Stern
in
China.It won an Academy Award for best documentary film.
     In 1984, Isaac Stern received the Kennedy Center Honors Award for his gifts to American
culture
through music.He expressed his thoughts about the part that music plays in life.He said music is
an
important part of a civilized life.He said people need music as much as they need bread.
     Isaac Stern died in 2001 at the age of eighty－one.He was a major influence on music in the
twentieth century.He leaves the world richer with his many recordings.

1. What did Isaac Stern think of music?
A. Necessary.        
B. Difficult.
C. Entertaining.  
D. Interesting.

2. The passage mentioned Isaac Stern's visit to China mainly to __________.
A. encourage people to develop the international relationship
B. advise the readers to take up music
C. introduce more achievements of Isaac Stern
D. show he acted as an international cultural ambassador

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Isaac Stern?
A. He was born in California in the 1920s.
B. He had visited many countries to advertise his recordings.
C. He played less than one hundred concerts in all.
D. His excellent music life lasted over 60 years.

4. From the passage, we can infer that __________.
A. Isaac Stern influenced the culture in the 20th century a lot
B. Isaac Stern was one of the most active musicians of his day
C. Isaac Stern was so busy that he couldn't spare time to educate the youth
D. Isaac Stern led a rich life in his later life

5. What will be the best title for the passage?
A. Isaac Stern and the awards he got
B. Isaac Stern's life of pursuing music
C. Isaac Stern:one of the most honored musicians
D. Isaac Stern's visit to China

     When I was learning calligraphy(書法), my teacher told me a story.
     A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practiced handwriting with old
sheets of newspaper complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the
calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, "Try to use the best paper. Maybe you'll write
better."
     The student did as he was told. It really worked.He made headway not long afterwards and felt
curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered, "When you used old
newspaper to practice handwriting, you would think you were writing a draft. It didn't matter if you
wrote badly as old newspaper was plenty in supply.In that case you wouldn't pay much attention to it.
Now you use the best paper and you'll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity
of chances and you'll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you'll do the handwriting much more
attentively than practicing. Of course you've made rapid progress."
     Indeed, we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless "old newspaper". We don't care if we
scrawl and waste it, thinking that it will come endlessly-the "old newspaper" is inexhaustible. In such a
mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.
     Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life
there's no chance for us to draft. That's because what we call "draft" actually is the answer sheet we
write that cannot be changed.
     Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of the best paper.

1. The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought ________.

A. the student would practice more carefully on the best paper
B. it was comfortable to write on the best paper
C. the student had enough money to buy the best paper
D. the student could write more on the best paper

2. The student didn't make much progress at first because ________.

A. he didn't follow his teacher's advice
B. he was too poor to buy better paper to write on
C. he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft
D. he was not used to the calligrapher's teaching manner

3. We learn from the passage that ________.

A. the student finally gave up
B. the student made rapid progress by practicing more carefully
C. the calligrapher was strict with his students
D. old newspaper is not useful

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. What teachers say is always true.
B. Success calls for attentiveness.
C. Handwriting is easy to practice.
D. New things are always better than old ones.

5. The writer wants to tell us that ________.

A. there are some good ways to practice handwriting
B. life is like old newspaper
C. we should learn from the student in the story
D. life will not give us a chance to draw a draft

     Three Central Texas men were honored with the Texas Department of Public Safety's Director's
Award in a Tuesday morning ceremony for their heroism in saving the victims of a serious twocar
accident.
     The accident occurred on March 25 when a vehicle lost control while traveling on rainsoaked State
Highway 6 near Baylor Camp Road. It ran into an oncoming vehicle, leaving the occupants trapped
inside as both vehicles burst into flames.
     Bonge was the first on the scene and heard children screaming. He broke through a back window
and pulled Mallory Smith, 10, and her sister, Megan Smith, 9, from the wreckage.
     The girls' mother, Beckie Smith, was not with them at the time of the wreck, as they were traveling
with their baby sitter, Lisa Bowbin.
     Beckie Smith still remembers the sickening feeling she had upon receiving the call informing her of
the wreck and the despair as she drove to the scene.
     Bozeman and Clemmons arrived shortly after Bonge and helped rescue the other victims and
attempted to put out the fires.
     "I was nervous,"Bozeman said. "I don't feel like I'm a hero. I was just doing what anyone should do
in that situation. I hope someone would do the same for me."
     Everyone at the accident made it out alive, with the victims suffering from nonlifethreatening injuries.
Mallory Smith broke both femurs, and Megan had neck and back injuries. Bowbin is still recovering
from a broken pelvis, ankle and foot.
     The rescuers also were taken to the hospital and treated for cuts and smoke breathing, Bonge said.
     In addition, Bozeman got to meet accident victim Anthony Russo in the hospital after the accident,
where Russo presented him with a glass frame inscribed with "Thank you", Bozeman said. Those
involved in that fateful encounter on Highway 6 credited God blessing for bringing them together.
     "Whatever the circumstances, Tuesday's ceremony provided a time to be grateful for those who put
their lives on the line for the lives of complete strangers, "Beckie Smith said, "We're calling it The
Miracle on Highway 6."

1. What's the main idea of the passage?

A. Three persons were awarded for rescuing victims in a car accident.
B. Three ordinary people were regarded as great heroes.
C. Several victims were carried to safety from the burning cars.
D. A car accident occurred on rainsoaked State Highway 6.

2. Who saved Megan Smith from the damaged car?

A. Clemmons.      
B. Anthony Russo.
C. Bozeman.                  
D. Bonge.

3. Which of the following can be used to describe Bozeman?

A. Kind.              
B. Modest.
C. Excited.            
D. Smart.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Luckily,no one received too serious injuries in the accident.
B. All the victims received slight injuries in the accident.
C. The rescuers were taken to the hospital to visit the victims.
D. The injured will soon recover from their injuries.

5. It can be inferred from what Beckie Smith said that ________.

A. she regarded the accident as a wonder
B. she was frightened by the serious accident
C. she thought highly of the rescuers
D. she called on others to learn from the rescuers