Duke Ellington is known as one of the most important composers of his time, and his work has been enjoyed for more than 80 years by music lovers all over the world. During his lifetime Ellington turned musical sounds into many compositions, mostly in the style known as jazz.
The Early Years
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D. C. It wasn’t until Ellington was a teenager that his interest in music grew. He taught himself to play the piano by listening to local piano players. Sometime around 1916 Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties. Ellington realized that he enjoyed entertaining people with his music. He soon became a very popular musician, playing at parties and other events in the Washington area. Young adults seemed especially delighted by the modern pieces he composed.
Success in New York
In 1923, when Ellington was almost 24 years old, he joined The Washingtonians, a five-piece group of musicians in Washington, and became the group’s leader in early 1924. In 1927 Ellington and his orchestra won an engagement（雇傭期）at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. For the next three years, his orchestra played at the Cotton Club nearly every night.
The Influence of the Cotton Club
Working at the Cotton Club encouraged Ellington’s creativity. Since the shows changed every six months, he was challenged by the need to continually develop new material. He had to compose a wide variety of music to accompany the various acts in the Cotton Club shows and to adapt that music to the strengths and weaknesses of the players in his orchestra.
By 1928 the popular nightspot began radio broadcasts. From the broadcasts Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
On the Road
As Ellington’s popularity increased, he realized that his orchestra could do well on concert tours. They left the Cotton Club in 1931 and toured America and Europe almost continually for the next 43 years. In addition to touring, Ellington made recordings and continued to compose music.
Duke Ellington played the piano, composed music, and led his famous orchestra for more than 50 years, until his death in 1974. Music lovers all over the world agree that the large quantity of music he created will be enjoyed for many years to come.
【小題1】From the second paragraph, we know that Ellington ____________.

A．could sing as well as he played the piano
B．preferred mature audiences to young adults
C．had a natural talent for musical composition
D．learnt to play musical instrument from very young age
【小題2】Which of the following can show us Ellington’s leadership ability?
A．Ellington was very popular at parties in the Washington area.
B．Ellington took the responsibility for a band for a long time.
C．Ellington did live radio broadcasts in New York City.
D．Ellington continually developed new material.
【小題3】We may infer from the passage that ____________.
A．Ellington’s career took off overnight
B．Ellington loves touring around the world
C．Ellington could compose a wide variety of songs
D．Ellington had a great effect on the world of music
【小題4】Which of the following shows the order in which the events happened in the story?
a. Ellington joined a five-piece group of musicians in Washington.
b. Ellington’s orchestra played at the Cotton Club.
c. Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
d. Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties.
e. Ellington’s orchestra went on concert tours.
A．d-b-a-e-cB．d-a-b-c-eC．a(chǎn)-d-b-c-eD．a(chǎn)-d-b-e-c


【小題1】C
【小題1】B
【小題1】D
【小題1】B

解析

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2013屆江西省上饒中學(xué)高三第一次月考英語(yǔ)試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and any number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!
Bedford Castle was built initially as a fortress to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse after the people in the local towns and villages had already been subdued. It was erected in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, although it was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later. This was when it was rebuilt as the castle, of which the ruins exist today!
There is a long history behind the castle that involves several kings as a result of the Duke of Bedford being an ardent royalist. Bedford Castle repeatedly offered the kings of England refuge against various storms in the form of onslaughts from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound and the castle that preceded it.
The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it so enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!
【小題1】What do we know from the first paragraph?

A．The royals pay regular visits to Bedfordshire.
B．Bedfordshire had it fair share of royal visit.
C．Most of the ancient buildings are in use today.
D．Bedford Castle represents the history of the county.
【小題2】 The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______ .
A．first of all
B．a(chǎn)t the beginning
C．for one particular purpose
D．for a short time
【小題3】The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______.
A．to seek temporary protection
B．to visit the Duke of Bedford
C．to enjoy the beauty of nature
D．to escape from the bad weather
【小題4】Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire？
A．It is the major heritage in that region
B．It reflects the history of Bedfordshire
C．The ancient castle is well worth visiting
D．The castle is still in good condition
【小題5】The purpose of writing the text is _______.
A．to introduce Bedford Castle
B．to tell the history of Bedfordshire
C．to attract tourists to Bedfordshire
D．to show where the kings used to go

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2014屆廣東省惠州市高二上學(xué)期期中考試英語(yǔ)試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

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B．self-control in kids tends to determine their future

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