词汇短语园地（4）

1. technique   n.（尤指艺术或科学方面的）技巧;手法，

技术

If you want to learn to paint， I suggest you study Raphaels technique.

如果你想学绘画，我建议你学习拉斐尔的手法。

Let me introduce some of the applications of this technique.

请允许我介绍一些该技术的应用程序。

2. approach   n.   接近，靠近;道路，入口;方法;步骤

v.    走进，靠近;接洽，交涉

（1） approach作名词时，意为“接近，靠近;道路，入口;方法;步骤”等。

Our approach drove away the wild animals.

我们一走近，野兽全都跑开了。

All approaches to the town were blocked.

通往这座城镇的所有道路都被封锁了。

However， we found some problems in this approach to the language teaching.

不过我们发现语言教学的方法上存在一些问题。

（2） approach作动词时，意为“走进，靠近”等。

As you approach the town， the first building you see is the church.

当你走近那座城镇的时候，首先看到的就是教堂。

Before trying to solve the puzzle， let us consider the best way to approach it.

要想解决这一难题，我们先来考虑一下如何着手才好。

3. decline   n.   下降，衰退，减少

v.    衰退，下降

（1） decline作名词时，意为“下降，衰退，减少”。

There has been a sharp decline in the sales number of this year.

今年销售量大幅降低。

We are studying the decline of ancient Rome.

我們在研究古罗马的衰落。

（2） decline作动词时，意为“衰退，下降”。

Her influence declined after she lost the election.

她落选后影响力大为降低。

4. touch   v.   触动;感动;使心动;碰到，触摸，与……接触

His sad story touched us and we nearly cried.

他的悲惨遭遇深深打动了我们，我们几乎哭了出来。

He swore hed never touch a drink again.

他发誓以后滴酒不沾。

touched   adj.   感激的，受感动的

touching   adj.   令人同情的，感人的

5. arise   v.（由……）引起（产生），呈现，发生

Some unexpected difficulties have arisen here.

这儿出现了一些意想不到的困难。

The problem may not arise， but theres no harm in keeping our powder dry.

问题不一定会发生，但有备无患并无害处。

辨析：比较arise，raise和rise

arise作不及物动词时，用来表示困难、问题、机遇等出现;raise作及物动词时，表示举起、抬起某物，还可表示抚养、养育;rise作不及物动词时，表示某物上升、升起、升高、上涨。

I was raised by my aunt on a farm.

我是在农场由姨妈抚养长大的。

The smoke was rising from the chimney.

烟正从烟囱升起来。

6. tight   adj.（控制）严格的，严密的;紧的，牢的;

排满的，塞满的

There was tight security at the airport when the leaders plane landed.

当领导人乘坐的飞机降落时，机场已做好严密的安保措施。

Ive got a very tight schedule today so I cant see you until tomorrow.

今天我的日程已经排得很满，所以明天才能见你。

7. otherwise   adv.   否则，要不然;另外，除……以外

Do as youre told， otherwise youll be in trouble.

按说的做，不然你会有麻烦的。

The soup was cold， but otherwise the meal was excellent.

除汤是凉的以外，那顿饭还是很好的。

8. devote   v.   为……付出时间/努力/金钱等;专心致力于

He has devoted his life to helping blind people.

他為帮助盲人而献出一生。

搭配：

devote... to （sth/doing sth）   把……奉献给……;

把……专用于……

I dont think we should devote any more time to this question.

我认为我们不应该在这个问题上再花费时间。

devotion   n.   献身，奉献

devoted   adj.   热爱……的;献身于……，专心于……

be devoted to   对……专注（专一）;专用于……

She is devoted to her children.

她深爱她的孩子。

Most of our meetings were devoted to discussing the housing problem.

我们大部分的会议时间都用来讨论住房问题。

9. beg   v.   请求，恳求;乞求，乞讨（尤指食物、金钱等）

He begged that he should be sent home.

他请求将他送回家去。

I beg your pardon.

请您原谅。

beg for   乞求，请求

The homeless man has to beg for money.

那个无家可归的人不得不为了钱而乞讨。

10. be bored with   厌烦

Matt was bored with the whole digging project.

马特对整个挖掘工作感到厌烦了。

Dont be afraid to tell your supervisor that you are bored with what youre doing and would like a new challenge.

不要害怕告诉上司你对目前的工作感到无聊并希望接受新的挑战。

11. take advantage of   利用

They took full advantage of the hotels facilities.

他们充分利用旅馆的设备。

You should take advantage of the fine weather to paint the fence.

你应该利用好天气给篱笆上油漆。

have the advantage of   有……的有利条件

She had the advantage of a good education.

她具有受过良好教育的有利条件。

12. rather than   而不是

I think I should have a cup of milk rather than coffee.

我想我应该喝一杯牛奶而不是咖啡。

Keep positive by talking about what you like rather than what you dislike.

谈论自己喜欢的事物而不谈自己不喜欢的，可以保持乐观的情绪。

辨析：比较rather than， other than和prefer to do... rather than do/would rather do... than do

（1）rather than意为“而不是，而没有”，常连接两个并列成分。

（2）other than意为“除了……”，一般用于否定句中。

You cant get there other than by boat.

除了坐船，你无法到那里去。

（3）prefer to do... rather than do和would rather do... than do均意为“宁愿做……而不愿做……”。

I prefer to read rather than watch TV.

我更愿意读书而不是看电视。

He would rather play than do homework.

他宁愿玩也不愿做作业。

13. come out   出版;出现;（指花朵等）开始长出，开花;

（消息等）傳出，透露;洗掉，清除

When will her new book come out？

她的新书什么时候出版？

The peach blossom came out late this year because of the cold weather.

因为天气寒冷，今年桃花开得晚。

It eventually came out that he had been stealing money from his employers.

他一直都在偷雇主的钱，这事终于暴露了。

Ive washed this shirt twice and the ink still hasnt come out.

这件衬衫我已经洗过两次了，但上面的墨水渍还洗不掉。

come about   发生

come across   偶遇

come up with   想出，提出

He could not come up with a proper answer.

他想不出一个合适的回答。

14. leave/make an impression on/upon sb   给某人留下印象

Her speech made quite an impression on the audience.

她的演说给听众留下了相当好的印象。

I am sure the film made a deep impression on everybody who saw it.

我敢肯定，这部影片给每个观众都留下了深刻的印象。

跟踪导练（一）

阅读理解

A

Welcome to Holker Hall & Gardens

How to Get to Holker

By Car： Follow brown signs an A590 from J36， M6. Approximate travel times： Windermere—20 minutes， Kendal—25 minutes， Lancaster—45 minutes， Manchester—1 hour 30 minutes.

By Rail： The nearest station is Cark-in-Cartmel with trains to Carnforth， Lancaster and Preston for connections to major cities & airports.

Opening Times

Sunday—Friday （closed on Saturday） 11：00 am—4：00 pm， 30th March—2nd November.

Admission Charges

Hall & Gardens            Gardens

Adults            ￡12.00                      ￡8.00

Groups            ￡9.00                        ￡5.50

Special Events

Producers Market 13th April

Join us to taste a variety of fresh local food and drinks. Meet the producers and get some excellent recipe ideas.

Holker Garden Festival 30th May

The event celebrates its 22nd anniversary with a great show of the very best of gardening， making it one of the most popular events in gardening.

National Garden Day 28th August

Once again opens is gardens in aid of the disadvantaged. For just a small donation you can take a tour with our garden guide.

Winter Market 8th November

This is an event for all the family. Wander among a variety of shops selling gifts while enjoying a live music show and nice street entertainment.

1. How long does it probably take a tourist to drive to Holker from

Manchester？

A. 20 minutes. B. 25 minutes.

C. 45 minutes. D. 90 minutes.

2. How much should a member of a group pay to visit Hall &

Gardens？

A. ￡l2.00. B. ￡9.00.

C. ￡8.00. D. ￡5.50.

3. Which event will you choose to see a live music show？

A. National Garden Day. B. Holker Garden Festival.

C. Producers Market. D. Winter Market.

B

In late summer or early fall the large， yellow seed heads of sunflowers will be ripening. If gardeners can keep off the birds and other wildlife trying to eat the seeds， they can have a large harvest. The bright yellow blooms will make a rainbow garden， brightening up any space.

However， planting the sunflower seeds is a skilled job. Plant seeds no deeper than the full length of itself. Smaller-sized sunflowers can be spaced a foot apart. Larger varieties will need to be spaced as far apart as three feet. This allows ripe plants enough space for the seed heads to ripen without knocking the ripe seeds off before gardeners have a chance to harvest them.

Most sunflower seeds， especially those with eatable seeds， are large enough to handle without the need for seed sorters

（分類器）. This is why sunflowers make an excellent choice for a childrens garden as well. Gardeners will want to mix plenty of soil fertilizers （肥料） into the ground as sunflowers tend to be heavy feeders.

Sunflowers can be slow starters and the tiny new plants dont seem to grow very rapidly. Gardeners should protect the new plants as they begin to grow. Once they get going， sunflowers are able to outgrow many weeds， making them easier to grow in the home vegetable garden than many other plants.

Most pests and diseases are not a bother to the sunflower， however， more than one gardener has said that their lovely looking plants were ravaged overnight by hungry squirrels， mice or birds. To preserve （保护） their harvest， gardeners can cover the ripening seed head with stockings or net cloth to help keep the destroyers off the seeds.

Planting sunflower seeds is easy and can help even the smallest gardener feel successful in their gardening attempts.

4. Why should sunflowers be planted with enough space in between？

A. To prevent birds from eating their seeds.

B. To protect the ripe seed heads before harvest.

C. To give them enough sunlight.

D. To help them grow stronger.

5. Why do people tend to choose sunflowers for childrens gardens？

A. Sunflowers can make their garden more beautiful.

B. The seeds are easy to plant and unnecessary to sort.

C. Sunflowers dont need too much soil fertilizer.

D. Tiny new sunflowers can grow very fast.

6. What does the underlined word “ravaged” in Paragraph 5 mean？

A. Destroyed. B. Covered.

C. Surrounded. D. Removed.

7. What is the text mainly about？

A. How to plant sunflowers.

B. Ways to preserve sunflowers.

C. Different kinds of sunflowers.

D. Tips on making your garden bright.

跟蹤导练（二）

阅读七选五

It is not as simple as opening the door and hitting the track in winter. There are a few things you can do to ensure you are getting the most out of your run and， importantly， not doing more harm than good.

Warm up and cool down.

1       Your muscles need some time to warm up when its cold， so take it easy when you set off and do a few stretches once youre finished.

Drink water.

You might not feel hot， but thats because sweat evaporates （蒸发） more quickly into the chilly， dry air. So be sure to drink water before， during and after cold?-weather workouts.       2       A belt bottle conveniently attaches to your waist so you dont have to carry it and can have a drink whenever you feel like it.

3

Running in cotton is a bad idea. Wear thin， breathable layers of synthetic （合成的） clothing that help protect you from the wind and snow， but still let out heat and moisture. Wear a hat and gloves so your circulatory system can distribute warm blood to the rest of your body.       4

Run into the wind.

5       Obviously， it will be an easier passage home with some extra help from Mother Nature. But， more importantly， you wont have the wind in your face for the second half of your run， when you are more likely to be sweating and catch a chill.

A. Dress right.

B. Keep warm.

C. Dont go too fast， too soon.

D. Start and finish in the same way.

E. Dont wait to drink water until you feel thirsty.

F.Head out into the wind and come home with it at your back.

G.On really cold days， wear a mask or scarf over your mouth to protect your face.

1.                2.                3.                4.                5.

完形填空

I opened my eyes to find doctors standing by my hospital bed. They had some1news.

They told me that my brother Adams healthy cells were beginning to2in my bone marrow （骨髓）. I was showing3of progress. I was able to walk around4without assistance， and my blood counts were going in the right direction.

It was “graduation” day. The5were sending me to the Hope Room， a halfway house sponsored by the American Cancer Society. I would live there for the next three months，6by my boyfriend， Seamus.

Rolling out of the7in a wheelchair， I took my first breath of8air in weeks. But before I could enjoy this moment， my mother helped me put on a face mask. I shot her an9look， but I know she was10. For the immediate future， anywhere I wanted to go in public I would need to wear gloves and a11 . No subways， no crowds. However， I can12my freedom， even if cancer continues to limit my choices. My new13means not being waken up every couple of hours by a nurse with14in her hand. Its not seeing doctors with their masks and their caring， and not being15to an IV （靜脉注射） machine 24 hours a day.

Freedom now is being able to eat a home-cooked16and then fighting to keep it down. Freedom also means being17with my loving mother and boyfriend. Freedom is the18to take the medicines on time. Freedom also means returning to the hospital several times a week to19follow-up examinations. But all is well20 . I love every one of my family and I love Seamus.

1. A. valuable B. exciting C. interesting D. bad

2. A. work B. fight C. decline D. disappear

3. A. actions B. signs C. features D. manners

4. A. simply B. quietly C. slowly D. properly

5. A. friends B. doctors C. parents D. relatives

6. A. cared for B. operated on C. dealt with D. taken up

7. A. school B. office C. hospital D. home

8. A. fresh B. dusty C. thick D. thin

9. A. frightened B. delighted C. embarrassed D. annoyed

10. A. kind B. right C. polite D. worried

11. A. hat B. scarf C. coat D. mask

12. A. create B. abandon C. enjoy D. share

13. A. idea B. freedom C. need D. choice

14. A. books B. bills C. flowers D. pills

15. A. devoted B. addicted C. connected D. applied

16. A. meal B. salad C. dessert D. snack

17. A. bored B. patient C. angry D. familiar

18. A. possibility B. ability C. skill D. responsibility

19. A. receive B. settle C. arrange D. avoid

20. A. considerate B. useful C. amazing D. worth

跟踪导练（三）

阅读理解

A

“Auld Lang Syne” is a song that everyone happily sings， which marks the start of a new year. No one ever seems to know the words or what they mean， but in America， its as much a part of New Years tradition as wine. But why？

The lyrics to the song come from a poem written by the great Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. The title， “Auld Lang Syne”， is believed to be an old Scottish way of saying “a long time ago”. The opening lines of the song “Should auld acquaintance be forgotten and never brought to mind？ Should auld acquaintance be forgotten， and auld lang syne？” mean we should have a drink in honor of whatever is passing， and remember old friends.

When the Scots moved to America in the 19th century， they brought the song with them. But it was the Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo who made it more popular. In 1965， he explained to a reporter of Life Magazine how he himself came to link the song with New Years Eve： “Auld Lang Syne is our theme song—and was long before anyone ever heard us on the radio. In part of western Ontario， where there are a large number of Scots， it was traditional for bands to end every dance with Auld Lang Syne. We didnt think it was known here.” If you want to see Guy Lombardo in action， check out his final show on the eve of 1977.

1. The title “Auld Lang Syne” probably means ___ .

A. a new year B. a music band

C. old friends D. a long time ago

2.American people sing “Auld Lang Syne” when New Year is coming .

A. in memory of the past B. for good luck

C. in honor of Robert Burns D. for family get-together

3. Who made the song “Auld Lang Syne” more popular in the US？

A. Robert Burns. B. Guy Lombardo.

C. The Scots. D. The Americans.

4. What is the text mainly about？

A. The start of a new year.

B. The development of a band.

C. The history of American music.

D. The popularity of Auld Lang Syne.

B

A study of 500，000 songs released （發行） in the UK between 1985 and 2015 showed that pop music had decreased in happiness and increased in sadness.

In a report published in the journal Royal Society Open Science， researchers at the University of California examined hundreds of thousands of songs and classified them by their mood. “‘Happiness is going down， ‘sadness is going up， and at the same time， songs are becoming more ‘danceable and more ‘party?like，” co?author Natalia L. Komarova told The Associated Press.

The study found songs in 2014 like Stay with Me by Sam Smith， Whispers by Passenger and Unmissable by Gorgon City have a “low happiness” trend. However， tracks from 1984 like Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen， Would I Lie to You？ by Eurythmics and Freedom by Wham have a “high happiness” trend. “The public seems to prefer happier songs， even though more and more unhappy songs are being released each year，” the researchers wrote.

Apart from the emotional trends， researchers discovered that dances and pop were the most successful styles of music and that there was a “clear downward” trend， with the popularity of rock beginning in the early 2000s. “So it looks like， while the overall mood is becoming less happy， people seem to want to forget it all and dance，” Komarova wrote in an email.

It was also found that the “maleness” of songs—the frequency of male singers in popular music—had decreased during the last 30 years. “Successful songs are characterized by a larger percentage of female artists compared to all songs，” they wrote.

This discovery appears at a time when the conversation around sex equality in the music industry is at its height， with more male artists and songwriters.

5. Why do the researchers examine lots of songs？

A. To find songs for dances and parties.

B. To choose songs for a journal.

C. To know better about songs.

D. To release more songs.

6. Whose music style tends to bring you more happiness？

A. Gorgon Citys. B. Sam Smiths.

C. Natalia L. Komarovas. D. Bruce Springsteens.

7. What can we learn about songs over the past 30 years？

A. Rock became popular in the early 2000s.

B. Fewer songs were written by female artists.

C. Fewer unhappy songs came to light every year.

D. Pop music were more popular with male singers.

8. What can be a suitable title for the text？

A. Pop Music Is Getting Sadder

B. Music Calls for Sex Equality

C. Pop Music Has a Long History

D. Music Industry Is Going Down

跟蹤导练（四）

完形填空

Some myths are stories told since ancient times to explain the causes of natural happenings. The Greek myth that explains why there are changes of1is about Demeter， the goddess of the harvest. She had a daughter， Persephone， whom she loved very much. Hades， god of the underworld， fell in love with Persephone， and he2Zeus， the ruler of the gods， to give Persephone to him as his3 . Zeus did not want either to disappoint Hades or to4Demeter， so he said he would not agree to the marriage， but neither would he5it. Hades， therefore， decided to take the girl without6 . When Persephone was picking flowers in the garden， he seized her and took her to the underworld. When Demeter7what happened to Persephone， she became so8that she caused all plants to9growing. People were in danger of10 . But Demeter was11not to let crops grow until her daughter， Persephone， was returned to her. Zeus， still not wanting to12Hades， decided upon a condition for Persephones13 . She could go back to her mother if she had not14anything while she was in the underworld. Demeter15it because she did not know that Persephone had eaten several pomegranate （石榴） seeds in the underworld. When Zeus16this， he agreed that Persephone could spend part of the year with her17 ， but he added that since she had eaten the seeds， she must spend part of the year in the underworld. And so it18that when Persephone is in the underworld， Demeter is sad and therefore will not let the19grow. That is why we have winter when plants do not grow. When Persephone returns， Demeter is20 —— it is spring， and plants begin to grow again.

1. A. periods B. seasons C. time D. history

2. A. advised B. asked C. reminded D. ordered

3. A. wife B. lover C. partner D. assistant

4. A. satisfy B. frighten C. upset D. threaten

5. A. forbid B. forgive C. admit D. receive

6. A. arrangement B. warning C. reason D. permission

7. A. remembered B. ignored C. wondered D. knew

8. A. scared B. tired C. angry D. serious

9. A. finish B. forget C. stop D. avoid

10. A. starving B. disappearing C. freezing D. fighting

11. A. expected B. determined C. used D. believed

12. A. charge B. disappoint C. promise D. punish

13. A. return B. change C. marriage D. journey

14. A. stolen B. found C. eaten D. heard

15. A. appreciated B. refused C. doubted D. accepted

16. A. discovered B. studied C. forgot D. considered

17. A. daughter B. mother C. god D. husband

18. A. works B. remains C. happens D. begins

19. A. seeds B. people C. flowers D. crops

20. A. shocked B. friendly C. surprised D. happy

语法填空

The worlds longest sea bridge， the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge， links Hong Kong and Macao to mainland China.1took over a decade to construct. A few artificial islands were built in the Pearl River Delta2（provide） the supports for the bridge. There is36.7-kilometer underwater tunnel in the middle of the bridge，4allows ships to sail through the Delta. The bridge will5（great） cut the time it takes to travel from mainland China to Hong Kong and Macao.

Its believed that up to 29，000 cars6（cross） the sea link daily around the year 2030. Hong Kong will become a lot more accessible for goods and trade，7（attract） more business， so this bridge is8（benefit） to its economy. The bridge will be open to people to drive across it. However， car9（own） will not be able to drive across the bridge unless they have a special permit. Most people will take a shuttle bus. Compared with driving a car， this will be much10（cheap）.

1.                2.                3.                4.                5.

6.                7.                8.                9.                10.

短文改錯

One day， Dad and I was taking a walk by the lake when a boy rode by at a very high speed. Suddenly， we heard the loud scream. We turned around and saw the boy struggle in the lake， crying out help. Dad and I ran towards him quickly and had pulled him out of the water. However， the boy rode away immediate without saying “Thank you”. I felt disappointing at his behavior. To my surprise， the boy came back with hot drink and dry towels several minutes later. While seeing this， I knew I had misunderstood her and felt ashamed of myself.

跟踪导练（五）

阅读理解

There are some songs you can listen to over and over again. But why？ Music experts gave these explanations for why we keep playing them again and again.

One of the main reasons certain songs resonate （产生

共鸣） with us is the way we connect them with a part of ourselves. A songs lyrics， beats and other characteristics can show different feelings and attitudes. Each time we re-experience our favorite music， were sort of strengthening our sense of who we are， where we belong and what we value.

Pablo Ortiz， professor of music composition at the University of California， Davis， also noted that certain songs can connect us to a time in our past because they carry a certain feeling. “Whenever you listen to a song that you used to listen to when you were 15， for example， the feeling about that period in your life comes back completely，” he said. “The sound is abstract （抽象的） enough to go directly to the part of your brain that governs the feeling.”

Laura Taylor， a composer and sound designer， offered insight into how some songs are intentionally designed to make you play them more and more. “While we are doing recording， we keep the stereo （立體声的） field a little more narrow. When we get to the sing-along part， theres a wall of guitars or a wall of keyboards. These help create a simple melody that doesnt take a lot of effort to engage with.”

Whatever the reason behind your most frequently played music， its likely that those songs make you feel something. People love to listen to songs repeatedly because that helps them recover a certain feeling. It could be sadness or happiness. Songs always help.

1. What can we learn about music from Paragraph 2？

A. It contributes to mental health.

B. It inspires us to develop better taste.

C. It is connected to our sense of identity.

D. It can improve our personal relationships.

2. What is Pablos explanation for music repetition？

A. It helps our brains work better.

B. It often occurs among younger people.

C. It reminds us of some certain moments.

D. It makes people forget some bad experiences.

3.How could people create catchy songs that may be played repeatedly？

A. By adding humor to the lyrics.

B. By bringing in voices of children.

C. By reducing the use of instruments.

D. By making them easy to sing along with.

4. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Importance of Having a Hobby

B. The Characteristics of Popular Music

C. How to Choose Music Suitable for You？

D. Why Do We Love Repeating the Same Songs？

阅读七选五

Being a teenager can be tough. “Troubled” and “rebellious （叛逆的）” are often labels that people give kids in their teens. There are even scientific theories explaining that the likelihood of teenagers taking is due to the fact that their brains arent fully developed yet. 1

But a new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University may have finally cleared up this misunderstanding. 2 They simply are easily attracted by new things and are eager to explore the world.

The adolescents lack experience. 3 This personality trait （特征） is called “sensation seeking”， which is shared by a lot of people and usually peaks during adolescence.

Instead of being something to worry about， sensation seeking is actually necessary， since the process of learning usually goes hand in hand with taking risks. “Teenagers need to build experience so that they can do a better job in making the difficult and risky decisions in later life. ‘Should I take this job？ or ‘4” said Valerie Reyna， co-author of the study.

“5 If they dont make a mistake in their teenage years， they will have no life experience when they turn 18 and step out of their parents protection and into a world thats unknown to them. Kids need the freedom to test out boundaries while still in a safe environment，” wrote Ann Robinson， editor of The Guardian.

A. Should I marry this person？

B. Adolescents should do as follows.

C. It turns out that teenagers are fine.

D. In other words， they just cant help it.

E. What can parents do to help the kids？

F. Theres something scarier than taking a risk.

G. Therefore， they keep trying things out for the first time in their life.

1.                2.                3.                4.                5.

跟踪导练（六）

阅读理解

George Gershwin， born in 1898， was one of Americas greatest composers. He published his first song when he was eighteen years old. During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.

Many of Gershwins songs were first written for musical plays performed in theaters in New York City. These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of his songs have remained popular as ever. Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way—from jazz to country.

In the 1920s there was a debate （辯论） in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz， some people asked， be considered serious music？ In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it. And in that short time， he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert. The audience were thrilled when they heard his music. It made him world-famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.

In 1928， Gershwin went to Paris. He applied to study composition with the well-known musician Nadia Boulanger， but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style. While there， Gershwin wrote

An American in Paris. When it was first performed， critics

（评论家） were divided over the music. Some called it happy and full of life， to others it was silly and boring. But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States. It still remains one of his most famous works.

George Gershwin died in 1937， just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He was only thirty-nine years old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.

1. Many of Gershwins musical works were .

A. written about New Yorkers

B. performed in various ways

C. composed for Paul Whiteman

D. played mainly in the countryside

2. What do we know about the concert organized by Whiteman？

A. It caused a debate among jazz musicians.

B. It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra.

C. It proved jazz could be serious music.

D. It attracted more people to theaters.

3. What can we learn about Gershwin during his stay in Paris？

A. He studied with Nadia Boulanger.

B. He created one of his best works.

C. He argued with French critics.

D. He changed his music style.

4. What words can best describe Gershwin？

A. Serious and boring.

B. Friendly and honest.

C. Popular and humorous.

D. Talented and productive.

書面表达

音乐被公认为全人类共同的语言，是我们生活中必不可少的一部分。请你写一篇关于音乐的英语短文，谈谈你对音乐的认识。内容包括：

1﹒音乐的重要性;

2﹒你所知道的音乐类型;

3﹒你最喜欢的音乐类型及理由。

注意：

1﹒词数100左右;

2﹒可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。