A
(2017·石家庄市教学质量检测二)When my sister Diane began playing the violin，she was seven.How did she sound？Terrible.But she didn't 1 ．At twelve，she asked our parents if she could 2 a fulltime music school.They said no.Actually，everyone agreed that my sister 3 talent.
I was better at my 4 ．My teacher had told my parents that I had great 5 ．So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to 6 me.But the only time he was 7 was Saturday afternoons at 3 p．m.Back then，I was 8 about the British TV show “The Avengers”，which was 9 every Saturday at 3 p．m.I let nothing take up my “The Avengers” hour.So I 10 this amazing opportunity.Today，I don't even have a 11 in my house.
My sister became an engineer，but she 12 stopped making music.When she was in her 40s，she switched her 13 ．She went back to college，got a(n) 14 in music education，and became a music teacher.She starts kids off on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never 15 .
Recently，she and a pianist pal put on a recital.A big crowd of friends and family 16 for her.As she played，I looked around at the 17 ．Everyone was 18 enjoying the music.It occurred to me that I was the only person that remembered that 7yearold kid making those perfectly 19 sounds and knew how far she had come，despite 20 ．
Talent is important.But enthusiasm is even more important.
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇夹叙夹议文，通过讲述妹妹追求梦想的经历告诉我们：天赋很重要，但更重要的是热情。
1．A．advance B．quit
C．reflect D．listen
B [根据上文的“How did she sound？Terrible”可知，“我”妹妹的小提琴演奏得糟糕透了；结合本句的“But”表示的转折意义可知，但她没有放弃(quit)。]
2．A．inspect B．open
C．attend D．visit
C [根据上文可知，尽管妹妹的小提琴演奏得很糟糕，但是她仍不愿放弃；据此可以判断，本句句意为：在十二岁时，她问父母她是否可以去全日制的音乐学校上学。attend school为固定搭配，意为“上学”。]
3．A．lacked B．spotted
C．possessed D．admired
A [根据上文的“They said no”和父母没有答应让她去全日制音乐学校学习可以判断，每个人都认为“我”的妹妹缺乏(lacked)天赋，故A项正确。]
4．A．major B．project
C．composition D．instrument
D [根据本段第三句的“So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area”可知，“我”的父母为“我”找了当地最好的钢琴老师教“我”学钢琴；据此可以判断，与妹妹相比，“我”更擅长“我”的乐器。]
5．A．patience B．enthusiasm
C．potential D．ambition
C [根据下文的“So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area”可知，“我”的父母为“我”找了当地最好的钢琴老师来教“我”学钢琴；据此可以判断，老师告诉父母说“我”很有潜能(potential)。A项意为“耐心”，B项意为“热情”，D项意为“抱负”，都与语境不符。]
6．A．train B．examine
C．correct D．challenge
A [参见上题解析。A项意为“培训，教育”；B项意为“检查”；C项意为“改正”；D项意为“挑战”。]
7．A．punctual B．skillful
C．occupied D．available
D [根据语境可知，钢琴老师只有每周六下午三点有空。D项意为“有空的”，符合语境，故D项正确。A项意为“准时的”，B项意为“技术好的”，C项意为“使用中”，都与语境不符。]
8．A．sensitive B．crazy
C．serious D．particular
B [根据本句中的“about the British TV show”可判断，“我”热衷于一档英国电视节目。be crazy about为固定搭配，意为“热衷于”，故B项正确。A项意为“敏感的”，C项意为“严肃的”，D项意为“特别的，挑剔的”，都与语境不符。]
9．A．filmed B．designed
C．aired D．commented
C [根据该句中的“every Saturday at 3 p．m.”可知，这档英国电视节目在每周六的下午三点播放。air在本句中意为“播出，播放”，属于熟词生义，故C项正确。A项意为“拍电影”，B项意为“设计”，D项意为“评论”。]
10．A．jumped at B．turned down
C．waited for D．opened up
B [根据上文的“I let nothing take up my‘The Avengers’hour”可知，“我”不让任何事情占用“我”看这档节目的时间，据此可以判断，“我”拒绝了这一机会。B项意为“拒绝”，符合语境，故B项正确。A项意为“迫不及待地接受”，C项意为“等待，等候”，D项意为“打开”，都与语境不符。]
11．A．tutor B．violin
C．musician D．piano
D [根据本段的“So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area”可以判断，由于“我”拒绝了学钢琴，所以现在家里甚至一台钢琴也没有，故D项正确。]
12．A．never B．once
C．already D．even
A [根据空后两句可知，“我”妹妹在四十几岁时上大学学习音乐；据此可知，尽管“我”妹妹成了一名工程师，但是她从未(never)停止对音乐的追求，故A项正确。 ]
13．A．attitude B．career
C．plan D．position
B [根据下文的“and became a music teacher”可知，在她四十几岁时，她改变了职业(career)，从工程师成为一名音乐老师，故B项正确。A项意为“态度”，C项意为“计划”，D项意为“地位”，都与语境不符。 ]
14．A．scholarship B．sponsor
C．degree D．assistant
C [根据句中的“She went back to college”和“and became a music teacher”可知，她重返大学学习音乐，并取得了音乐教育的学位(degree)，成了一名音乐老师。A项意为“奖学金”，B项意为“赞助人”，D项意为“助手”，都与语境不符。]
15．A．provided B．imagined
C．received D．expected
C [根据上文可知，“我”的父母认为妹妹没有音乐天赋，拒绝了妹妹上全日制音乐学校的请求，据此可以判断，妹妹做音乐老师时，给了孩子们她未曾得到(received)的鼓励和支持。A项意为“提供”，B项意为“想象”，D项意为“期望”，都与语境不符。]
16．A．voted B．feared
C．stayed up D．turned up
D [根据上文的“put on a recital”可知，妹妹和一位钢琴家举办了一场演奏会；据此可以判断，朋友和家人们都到场了。A项意为“投票”，B项意为“担心，害怕”，C项意为“熬夜”，D项意为“到达，露面”。]
17．A．students B．audience
C．spotlights D．platform
B [根据下文的“enjoying the music”可知，所有人都在欣赏妹妹演奏的音乐；据此可知，“我”环顾了四周的观众(audience)，故B项正确。A项意为“学生”，C项意为“聚光灯”，D项意为“平台，讲台”。]
18．A．obviously B．desperately
C．appropriately D．anxiously
A [根据本句中的“enjoying the music”可知，很显然(obviously)，所有人都在欣赏妹妹演奏的音乐。B项意为“极其”，C项意为“恰当地”，D项意为“着急地”，都与语境不符。]
19．A．booming B．pleasing
C．awful D．powerful
C [根据上文的“How did she sound？Terrible”可知，七岁时，“我”妹妹的小提琴演奏得糟糕透了(awful)，故C项正确。A项意为“迅速发展的”，B项意为“令人愉快的”，D项意为“有力量的”，都与语境不符。]
20．A．everything B．something
C．everybody D．somebody
A [根据本句中的“and knew how far she had come，despite”并结合上文可知，“我”想起了妹妹七岁时演奏小提琴的糟糕的声音，只有“我”知道她不顾一切(everything)走了多远。]
