I walked to Mrs. Windsor’s house and waited outside. She was working with another student, and I was not supposed to bother them by ringing the bell. I stood against the wall and daydreamed what I’d rather be doing. I had been tutored enough to read, understand, and even write some musical compositions, but I just didn’t have a gift for it. Mrs. Windsor had offered to give me the lessons for free, so I felt my duty to try.

    The door opened and Wendy Barton came out. I walked in, sat down on the piano bench and began to sort through my sheet music. Today Mrs. Windsor introduced her niece Pasha to teach me. With a smile, Pasha sat beside me on the piano bench, opened my sheet music to the beginning page and asked me to play. I arranged my fingers on the keys. Then I frowned(皱眉) and concentrated to make the notes on the page match the finger movements. I had to admit I was a rather mechanical (呆板的)pianist.

   After about a page or two, Pasha gently put her hand on top of mine as if to calm my fingers. There was a long pause. “What are you hearing in the music?” I looked at her rather strangely and admitted I didn’t know what she meant. “Like a story. Here, let me try and you listen,” Pasha advised.

   She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting her fingers dance lightly over the keys. Then, she began to play. “See, it begins here beside some kind of river. Hear the water flowing beside you?”

   Her fingers rose and fell gently on the keys. “Now the princess appears and she’s picking flowers from the water’s edge.” A happy piece of music filled the air in time to Pasha’s dancing fingers. “Oh, but she slips!” The music changed. “And our princess is being carried off by the fast-flowing stream. Quickly, the princess’ horse sees her plight (困境) and races to the river’s edge where he swims out to let her catch hold of him. Luckily, they make it to the bank.” Pasha said.

   I played many pieces of music that afternoon, finding the stories in the music and learning that sometimes it takes a friend to pull you out of the river onto dry land again.

1. By describing herself as a mechanical pianist, the author meant  _______.

   A. she could remember the notes in a short time       

   B. she was playing the piano without emotion     

   C. her fingers couldn’t move freely     

   D. it had been a long time since she played last time

2. Which of the following can best describe Pasha?

   A. Creative.         B. Honest.           C. Humorous.        D. Brave.

3. Pasha’s magic of playing the piano lies in that she ______.

   A. imagined herself as a princess    B. knew its original background story   

   C. had a strong desire to make a friend        D. combined the music with a story

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A. A Friend Forever         B. Never Give up    

C. A Piano Lesson               D. My Favorite Piece of Music

   Every year in America, high-school students who want to go to college take a national examination called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT in a shortened way. Their score is an important factor in determining which colleges will admit them or whether any will be admitted at all. The Scholastic Aptitude Test measures one’s mathematical ability and use of the English language. Traditionally, the English part involved grammatical questions and paragraphs that test reading comprehension.

   But the SAT folks have added a single question, to be answered in an essay, hand-written on the spot. That’s an interesting way to test writing ability, but content aside, have you ever seen young people’s handwriting lately? Or anyone’s for that matter, in this age of computer keyboards? Students write numbers and sign their names on bank checks. They scribble class notes in what can generously be described as the written word.

   Yet today’s kids are asked to write, thoughtfully and clearly, for several minutes on this SAT Test. Good luck to the text scorers who must work out difficultly the scrawl (潦草的字迹) of young people who’ve been typing on computers since the age of three! Teachers insist that good handwriting can not only help one’s score on the SAT, but also, later on in life, impress potential employers. And don’t forget, we all have to turn to handwriting from time to time, as computers go down when power goes out.

   Then how to improve the handwriting? Well, with a few simple steps you can improve your hand writing.

   Position the pen. You should hold the pen between the forefinger and the thumb, then rest it near the first knuckle (指节) of the middle finger. The rest of your fingers should be curled (卷曲) under your hand and your hand should remain relaxed.

   Evaluate your writing. Make changes to your letters till you like how they look.

   Take your time. Speed is bound to make your writing messy-looking.

   Practice. Practice it a lot; it’s not enough to do it once and hope for the best. It has to be something you work at to make great improvements.

5. The underlined word “scribble” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.

    A. write quickly and roughly                       B. type simply and correctly

    C. paint clearly and neatly                         D. describe properly and well

6. According to Paragraph 3, students with good handwriting skill ________ .

    A. can pass the SAT                                

B. can develop good characters   

C. can impress their classmates                      

D. can get more job opportunities 

7. Which of the following should you avoid when improving your handwriting?

    A. Practicing writing a lot.

    B. Writing as fast as you can.

    C. Relaxing your hand when holding the pen. 

    D. Changing your letters till you like how they look.

8. The text is to present the fact that________.

    A. writing seems to be very important in the SAT

    B. those who will go to college have to take the SAT

    C. students should practice handwriting more often

    D. kids don’t know how to write in the computer age

   Paying a higher price than usual for a ticket to see a film in 3D is the annoyance of many a cinema-goer’s life.

   But there may be a benefit to doing so, as a study has found that 3D films exercise the brain and improve short-term functioning in a similar way to brain-training tests.

   The research found that people who watched a movie in 3D improved cognitive (认知) skills, compared to those who watched it in 2D.

   The research was led by neuroscientist(神经学家) Dr Patrick Fagan from Goldsmiths University in London. More than 100 people took part in the experiment, where participants watched Disney film Big Hero 6 in either standard format or RealD 3D.

   They also carried out a brain-training-style test before and after seeing a section from the film. The test covered memory, reaction times and cognitive function and the results were compared later.

   According to the research, which was carried out in partnership with science group Thrill Laboratory, participants experienced a 23 percent increase in cognitive processing, as well as an 11 percent increase in reaction times.

   Dr Fagan said that the results showed enough of an improvement in brain function to suggest that 3D could play a part in improving brain power in the future.

   “These findings are more significant than you might think,” he said. “It is a fact that people are living longer and there is a noticeable decline in cognitive brain function in old age which can worsen future quality of life. There has never been a better time to look at ways to improve brain function. The initial results of this study show that 3D films may potentially play a role in slowing this decline.”

   A second part of the experiment involved those watching the film being fitted with headsets that scanned brain activity and this too showed heightened (加强的) activity when watching 3D. According to the results, participants were seven percent more engaged with what they were watching, adding to argument that 3D movies are more like watching real-life--- something Professor Brendan Walker from Thrill Laboratory agreed with.

   “As Professor Brendan Walker’s test concluded, 3D films are more attractive and heighten the senses--- this, in turn, makes the brain run at quicker speeds,” Dr Fagan said.

9. According to the research, people watching a movie in 3D ________.

 A. have a good exercise for their brain    

 B. lose their short memory of its plots

 C. are willing to pay a high price for tickets   

 D. react the same way as those watching it in 2D

10. What can be learned from the research?

A. Watching 2D films limits brain function.

B. 3D would be a contributing factor in improving brain power.

C. The test was carried out after the whole film was viewed.

D. The participants took the brain-training-style test once.

11. Paragraph 8 is mainly about________.

A . the application of 3D.             B. the disadvantages of 2D films.

C. the change in brain function.        D. the significance of the study.

12 .The text is most likely to appear in ________.

A. a sports newspaper                B. a biology textbook   

C. a science magazine                D. a film review

Register in person, by phone 264-8833, or by mail. Use form given.

178 IN Winchester St, Chicago

Basic Photography This is an eight-hour course for beginners who want to learn how to use a 35mm camera. The teacher will cover such areas as kinds of film, light, and lenses(镜头). Bring your own 35mm camera to class. Course charge: $50. Jan.10,12,17,19, Tues. & Thurs. 6:00~8:00 p.m. Marianne Adams is a professional photographer whose photographs appear in many magazines.

Understanding Computers This twelve-hour course is for people who don’t know very much about computers, but need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and can’t do, and how to use them. Course charge:$75. Equipment charge:$10. Jan.14,21,28, Sat. 6:00~10:00 p.m. Joseph Saimders is Professor of Computer Science at New Urban University. He has over twelve years of experience in the computer field.

Typing This course on week-days is for typing. You are tested in the first class and practice at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours. Bring your own paper. Course charge:$125. Materials charge:$25. Two hours each evening for two weeks. New classes begin every two weeks. This course is taught by a number of business education teachers who have effectively taught typing courses before.

Oil Painting Oil paint is easy to use once you learn the basics. When you enroll(注册) in this oil painting course, you will learn to draw and paint using many oil painting techniques under complete guidance and instruction. Together---with the teacher’s knowledge and your passion---we’ll unlock your creativity and develop your potential! Course charge: $35. Jan. 5,12,19,26, Thurs. 2:00---5:00pm. Ralf Ericssion has taught beginners to masters and he has learned that everything builds on just a few basic concepts that he will show you here.

13. Of all the courses mentioned in the text, the shortest one is____.

A. Understanding Computers        B. Basic Photography    

C. Oil Painting                   D. Typing

14. There are typing courses____.

  A. from Monday to Friday                  B. on Saturdays and Sundays

  C. from Monday to Saturday            D. on Tuesdays and Thursdays

15. If you want to take the oil painting course, you should ____.

  A. know that oil painting is not so easy to learn            

  B. master some basic oil painting techniques beforehand 

  C. contact the teacher Ralf Ericssion for your enrollment         

D. have free time on the afternoon of every Thursday in January

How to Win a Debate Competition

    Debating doesn’t mean that you can end up arguing with your opponents(对手).   16   The following tips on how to win a debate will further help you out.

1.   17 

    This is very important. If you already know the debate topic that you are going to debate on, learn as much about it as you can. Research on it and then form opinions about it. Only if you know something in and out, will you be able to talk convincingly on it.

2. Be confident.

    When you are putting your point in front of your opponents as well as the audience, be sure of yourself. Along with the words, your body language, voice modulation (语调) and eye contact, will play a major part in your success in debating.   18 

3. Give real life examples.

    While debating, make use of very simple language, which your audience can understand very easily. Give as many real examples as you can when making a point.   19    Thus, the judges and audience will find you much more convincing.

4. Be descriptive.

    To win any debate, there is something about the human mind that you should be aware of. The thing with us humans is that if we see something, we believe and remember it much more than something we merely hear!   20   Tell you point of view in such a way that they can actually “see” what you are saying. If you are somehow able to pull this off, there is no doubt that you will be the winner of the debate competition!

    Follow the tips mentioned above, and with time, you will see yourself winning over your judges and audience.

A. Be well prepared.

B. Promote dialogue instead of arguing with your opponents.

C. Try to paint a picture in the mind of your judges and audience.

D. So participate in as many debating contests as you can.

E. To prove your point, tell something you or someone else has personally experienced.

F. So practice with friends or in front of the mirror so that you are certain of your ability.

G. Your main purpose is to convince your audience what you are saying is right.