A
(2021·山东新高考第一次模拟)
Every so often，someone so young does something so amazing that you can't help but wonder how he manages it.That's what happened the first time we heard Matthew Whitaker play the piano.Matthew is a jazz pianist who is blind，and since the age of 11，he's been performing around the world.
Matthew Whitaker was born at the 24th week.He weighed 1 pound and 11 ounces.His parents were told he had a less than 50% chance of survival.One of the many complications(并发症)he faced was a disease which led to blindness.
No one in Matthew's family was a musician，but his grandfather bought him his first keyboard when he was three years old.It didn't take long for Matthew to show that he had a gift.So the Whitakers decided to get Matthew a teacher，which proved to be difficult.“At the time，we got a lot of answers that he's too young and they don't know how to teach a blind child，”Moses Whitaker said.“He was three years old at the time.”
Finally，Dalia Sakas agreed to meet Matthew.Dalia is the director of music studies at a music school in New York City，a school for the visually impaired.To her surprise，Matthew could listen to a piece of music once and then play it.“Because it is rare to meet such a person and I want to make that possible.”
She did.Matthew has played in more than 200 clubs and concert halls around the world.His love of music has never been in doubt.Matthew's latest album is called Now Hear This.One critic noted that it sounded like Matthew was playing with six hands.
语篇解读 本文是一篇记叙文。Matthew Whitaker因为早产的并发症而失明，但他在钢琴演奏方面却有过人的天赋，经过了曲折的求学过程，Matthew最终取得了非凡的成就。
1．Which word best describes Matthew as a pianist?
A．Fruitless. B．Ordinary.
C．Remarkable. D．Ambitious.
C [考查推理判断。根据第一段最后一句可知，Matthew作为一名盲人钢琴家从十一岁时便开始了全球巡演，由此可知C选项“非凡的，引人注目的”符合题意。A项意为“徒然的；无成效的”；B项意为“平凡的，普通的”；D项意为“有雄心的，有野心的”。]
2．What was the root cause of Matthew's blindness?
A．His premature birth.
B．His low weight.
C．His low chance of survival.
D．A disease running in his family.
A [考查细节理解。根据第二段可知， Matthew是一个早产儿，早产带来了很多并发症，其中一种并发症导致他失明，故选A。]
3．What increased the difficulty finding Matthew a music teacher?
A．His family background. B．His lack of talent.
C．His age and disability. D．His character.
C [考查细节理解。根据第三段引号内的内容可知，老师们有很多回复说Matthew太小，且他们不知该如何教导一个盲人小孩，故可知C项“他的年龄和残疾”正确。]
4．Why did Dalia accept Matthew as her student?
A.Because she sympathized with Matthew for his experience.
B．Because she was struck by Matthew's talent for music.
C．Because she gave in to the insistence of Matthew's grandfather.
D．Because she knew how to teach a blind student.
B [考查推理判断。根据倒数第二段中的“To her surprise，Matthew could listen to a piece of music once and then play in”和最后一句话可推知，Dalia被Matthew的音乐天赋打动了，决定教他，故选B。]
