I am a former elementary, school music teacher who has been teaching piano lessons for over 30 years. Though I have taught some talented students, I've also had my share of what I call “musically 1 ” pupils. One such student was Robby.
Robby was 11 years old when his mother dropped him 2 for his first piano lesson. I 3 that students begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. However, Robby said that it had always been his 4 dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, from the beginning, I thought it was a hopeless 5 . Much as Robby tried, he 6 the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to stand out.
I only knew his mother from a(n) 7 as she waited in her aged car to 8 Robby. Then one day Robby 9 coming to our lessons. I was 10 because he was a 11 advertisement for my teaching! Several weeks later, I mailed to each student's home a flyer (传单) on the upcoming recital(音乐演奏会). To my surprise, Robby asked me if he could be in it. 12 ， I agreed.
The night for the recital came. The school gymnasium was packed with 13 ， friends and relatives. I put Robby up 14 in the program because I think I could always save his poor 15 through my “curtain closer”. When he began, his 16 were light on the keys. Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people at his age!
After six and a half minutes he ended and everyone was on their feet in wild applause. Robby explained to me, “Well Miss Hondorf...actually my mom had cancer and 17 this morning. And well... she was born 18 ， so tonight was the first time she'd ever heard me play. I wanted to make it 19 ．”
I thought to myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, he was the teacher and I was the pupil, for it is Robby that taught me the meaning of 20 ．
【语篇解读】 本文讲述Robby为了表达对妈妈的爱，坚持练习钢琴的故事。
1．A.gifted B．challenged
C．interested D．bored
解析：选B 根据上文中的“Though I have taught some talented students, I've also had my share of what I call”可知，此处表示“不聪明的学生”，即在音乐上有挑战的学生。故选B。
2．A.out B．over
C．off D．by
解析：选C 根据语境可知，此处表示“Robby的妈妈送他来上第一节钢琴课”。故选C。
3．A.prefer B．admit
C．disagree D．doubt
解析：选A 根据上文中的“Robby was 11 years old”及下文中的However可知，此处表示作者倾向于让孩子早点学钢琴。故选A。
4．A.father's B．mother's
C．friends' D．teacher's
解析：选B 根据上文中的“his mother dropped him”及下文内容可知，听到Robby弹钢琴是他妈妈的梦想。故选B。
5．A.attempt B．project
C．arrangement D．adventure
解析：选A 根据下文“Much as Robby tried, he 6 the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to stand out.”可知，此处表示作者认为Robby的努力是徒劳的。故选A。
6．A.improved B．mastered
C．lost D．lacked
解析：选D 根据下文中的“basic rhythm needed to stand out”及语境可知，此处表示Robby“缺少基本的乐感”。故选D。
7．A.distance B．voice
C．appearance D．entrance
解析：选A 根据语境可知，此处表示“他的妈妈在远处等着他”。故选A。
8．A.put up B．lift up
C．bring up D．pick up
解析：选D 根据上文中的“she waited in her aged car”可知，Robby的妈妈在等着接他。故选D。
9．A.started B．stopped
C．continued D．kept
解析：选B 根据语境可知，此处表示“有一天Robby没有再来上课了”。故选B。
10．A.sad B．glad
C．disappointed D．surprised
解析：选B 根据上文语境可知，在作者眼中，Robby并不是可造之才，所以Robby不来上课了作者是高兴的。故选B。
11．A.bad B．typical
C．helpful D．weak
解析：选A 根据语境可知，在作者眼中，Robby并不是可造之才，所以这样的一个学生对作者的音乐教学是一个不好的宣传。故选A。
12．A.Instead B．Therefore
C．Somehow D．Moreover
解析：选C 根据语境可知，此处表示不知怎么地，作者同意了。故选C。
13．A.parents B．teachers
C．students D．musicians
解析：选A 根据下文中的“friends and relatives”及语境可知，此处表示“学校体育馆挤满了父母、朋友和亲戚”。故选A。
14．A.early B．late
C．first D．last
解析：选D 根据下文中的“save his poor”和“curtain closer”可推知，作者把Robby安排在最后。故选D。
15．A.music B．behaviour
C．sound D．performance
解析：选D 根据上文中的“the upcoming recital(音乐演奏会)”可知，此处表示作者可以挽救他的表演。故选D。
16．A.feet B．arms
C．eyes D．fingers
解析：选D 根据下文中的“light on the keys”可知，他的手指在键盘上轻轻地敲。故选D。
17．A.ran away B．went away
C．passed away D．died away
解析：选C 根据上文中的“my mom had cancer”及语境可知，他妈妈得了癌症，今天早晨去世了。故选C。
18．A.disabled B．lame
C．deaf D．blind
解析：选C 根据下文中的“so tonight was the first time she'd ever heard me play”及语境可推知，Robby的妈妈生下来就听不见。故选C。
19．A.important B．special
C．valuable D．worthy
解析：选B 根据语境可知，Robby说这是他妈妈第一次听他弹钢琴，他想要使它特别些。故选B。
20．A.happiness B．honesty
C．love D．duty
解析：选C 根据语境可知，Robby努力地练琴，是源于他对妈妈的爱。故选C。
