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John Otway

    John Otway has been playing music and making records in the UK for more than 40 years. Over the years he has released more than ten albums. He has played at hundreds of concerts. He has written two autobiographies. He has worked with some of the country's best musicians and he has even made a film about his life. But despite all of this, most people have never heard of him.

    Otway released his first record in 1972, but it was the punk movement a few years later that really gave him his big chance. Otway wasn't the greatest musician but his songs were always fun, and his performances on stage were always entertaining—there was a good chance he would fall off the stage at least once in each show. The punks liked him, and in 1977 he had a small hit when his single Really Free made it to No. 27 the charts in the UK. Otway really enjoyed his success but unfortunately, no more came. Not one of his records over the next 30 years was a hit.

  Although he never had much commercial success, Otway had a lot of very loyal fans. When someone asked him what he would like for his 50th birthday, his reply was: “A second hit.” His fans went out and bought as many copies of the new single Bunsen Burner as they could. And in October 2002, Otway finally saw his wish come true. In the charts that featured international superstars like Will Young and Oasis, Bunsen Burner made it to No. 9.Many high street shops refused to sell the record, saying that Otway was too old and unattractive for the teenage market. Otway didn't care. He celebrated his success with an appearance on TV's biggest music show Top of the Pops.

   These days John Otway continues to play his music around the country, and there are always plenty of people who are happy to go and watch him perform. He's a great example to anyone who loves making music. You don't have to be young, good­looking (or even very talented) to enjoy a long career in the music business.

1£®From Paragraph 1, we know that ________.

  A£®John Otway has released hundreds of albums

 B£®John Otway never worked with best musicians

  C£®John Otway has written hundreds of autobiographies

 D£®John Otway is not well­known in the UK as a musician

2£®John Otway saw his wish come true when he released ________.

  A£®Really Free  B£®Bunsen Burner

  C£®Top of the Pops  D£®his first record

3£®Why were some street shops unwilling to sell his single Bunsen Burner?

  A£®They thought it was terrible.

  B£®It wasn't a very big hit.

  C£®John Otway didn't want them to have it.

  D£®They thought teenagers would not like to buy it.

4£®What can we learn from the passage?

  A£®Musicians have to be young and attractive.

  B£®Success isn't important in our life.

  C£®We should be determined to do what we love.

  D£®Musicians do much better as they get older.