“Piano lessons” for life

河北乐亭第一中学 胡金莹

罗比是“我”钢琴培训班的一名学生，他天生没有音乐天赋，但出于对母亲的爱和一种执着的精神，他创造了钢琴演奏的奇迹，让“我”永生难忘。

题材文章词数教育与生活4 7 2 难度 ★★★体裁建议用时记叙文8′

I am a former elementary school music teacher.I've always added my income by teaching piano lessons.Over the past 30 years I have found that children have many levels of musical ability.Some children weremusically challengedpupils，one of whom was Robby.

From the beginning，I thought he was hopeless because he lacked the sense of tone.But，he carefully reviewed what I required all my students to learn.At the end of each weekly lesson he'd always say， “My mom's going to hear me play someday.”

Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons.I didn't want to call him because he was a bad advertisement for my teaching！

Several weeks later I mailed to the students a flyer on theupcomingrecital （独奏会）.To my surpriseRobby asked me if he could be in the recital.I told him that the recital was forcurrentpupils and he really did not qualify.He said that his mom had been sick and unable to take him to piano lessons，but he was still practising.

“Miss Hondorf...I've just got to play！ ” he insisted.I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital.Maybe it was his persistence （坚持不懈）or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it would be all right.

The night for the recital came.The high school gymnasiumwas packed withparents，friendsand relatives.Therecitalwentoffsmoothly.Then Robby came up on stage.His clothes were wrinkled （有皱纹的）and his hair looked like he had run an eggbeater through it.“Why didn't hedress uplike the other students？ ” I thought. “Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night？”

Robby pulled out the piano and he began.I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen Mozart'sConcerto in C Major.I was not prepared for what I heard next.His fingers were light on the keys.They even danced nimbly（敏捷地）on the ivories.Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people of his age.

After six and a half minutes he finished and everyone was on their feet in wildapplause.In tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy.“I've never heard you play like that Robby！ How did you do it？”

Through the microphone Robby explained，“Well Miss Hondorf...remember I told you my mom was sick？ Actually，she had cancer and passed away this morning.Well...she was born deaf，so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play.I wanted to make it special.”

There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening.That night，he was the teacher and I was the pupil，for it is he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love.

Reading Check

1.How did the author feel when Robby was absent from class？ （within 2 words）

2.Why was the author surprised when Robby went on the stage？ （within 10 words）

3.What did the author learn from Robby？ （Any answer is possible.）

Language Study

Ⅰ.Complete the passage with the vocabulary given.

1.musically challenged五音不全的

2.upcomingadj.即将来临的

3.to one's surprise令某人吃惊的是

4.currentadj.现在的

5.be packed with挤满

6.go off进行

7.dress up乔装；打扮

8.applausen.鼓掌

Robby was one of the students who learned to play the piano with me.However，he had great difficulty playing the piano well because he was 1._______.One day， there was a（n）2______._recital for my 3._______students.4_______._，Robby wanted to join in as usual although I had told him that he didn't qualify.When the night for the recital came，the gym 5._______many people.Allthe students 6._______well except Robby.However，he gave us a surprisingly excellent performance that everyone present cheered with 7______._.

Ⅱ.Sentences for writing

1.“介词+关系代词”引导的非限制性定语从句

有些孩子五音不全，罗比就是其中的一个孩子。

Some children were musically challenged pupils， _______________________was Robby.

2.never置于句首时构成的部分倒装句式

我从来没听到过莫扎克的曲子被他这个年龄的人演奏得这么好。

______________Mozart played so well by people of his age.

3.“It is/was+被强调成分 +that+其他”构成的强调句式。

那天晚上，他是老师，我是学生，因为是他教给了我坚持不懈和爱的意义。

That night，he was the teacher and I was the pupil，for ______________________taught me the meaning of perseverance and love.