More than 50 music students of New Milford High School in New Jersey, US, got a letter from their headmaster. The letter said that the music department of the school was in big trouble. The students had to pass a test, or the department(系) would be shut down.
On a Saturday, two officials greeted the nervous students. They asked the students to play a piece by Richard Strauss. But they had to sing the words to the music – German words!
Other tasks were also difficult. One student had to sing Mary had a Little Lamb, a children’s song, in an operatic (歌剧的) voice.
After three hours of testing, students waited for the results. They met some students from the New Jersey Youth Orchestra (管弦乐团). The judges(裁判员) gave them only a passing grade.
The worried New Milford students started to realize they had no chance. “I thought it was over,” said Bryan Olsen-Santana, a junior. “The person next to me was crying. I felt bad for her. I felt bad for myself, too, because music is everything to me.”
But then the headmaster came and told them something very dramatic (戏剧性的): “Someone’s played a joke on you!”
What was going on?
The test was part of a reality TV show (电视真人秀) called “Schooled”. The students’ parents, the school and a TV network had made it together.
Everything was fake. The two “officials” were really comedians (喜剧演员). The “students from New Jersey Youth Orchestra” were from another school. There were hidden cameras. The students’ parents were hiding as they watched.
As a reward for putting up with the joke, the students got gifts: MP3 players, digital cameras and school supplies. They were all from the show’s sponsor (赞助商).
【小题1】What is the letter about?

True or False(判断下列句子是否符合短文内容，符合的用“T”表示，不符合的用“F”表示)：    Michelle was flying from Houston to London，and during the flight，she began talking to John，the man in the seat next to her．She found out that he was president of a famous jeans company based in Texas；in fact，she was wearing a pair of blue jeans from his company !But that wasn’t the most surprising thing．He had lived in San Francisco when he was in high school，and it turned out that he knew Michelle’s best friend，who also grew up in San Francisco! They continued talking．And by the end of the flight，they felt that they had known each other for much longer than eight hours．

    But back in Houston，Michelle almost forgot about the attractive man she had met on the plane．One evening，she was walking with her dog when a much larger dog came running toward them，growling．The owner was running after it，shouting．He managed to catch the dog just as it was going to attack Michelle’s dog．Michelle was very angry．“Why don’t you keep your dog on a leash(拴狗带)?”she shouted．Then suddenly，she looked at him and stopped shouting．“John?”“Michelle?”they said at the same time．Michelle said，“Do you live around here? I live on the next street．” “I don’t believe it．”John said．“In a city of two millon people，you live three blocks from me!”And in the end，as had to happen，Michelle and John began going out together-all because of seats on an airplane and their dogs．

1．Michelle and John were on the same flight from Houston to London one day．

2．Michelle was wearing a pair of blue jeans made by John’s company．

3．During their talk，they found they used to be schoolmates in San Francisco．

4．Michelle’s dog attacked John’s when the two owners happened to see each other．

5．From the story we know that Michelle and John met again in San Francisco．

6．In the end，Michelle and John decided they would never see each other again．

I was born in New York, but I grew up in San Francisco. I began to live in London 25 years ago. If I am asked now where I want to live forever, I would say London. But I will always be American.

San Francisco, like London, has many parks. Every day my sisters and I were taken to play in the parks as children. I didn't go to school. I only had three hours of formal（正式的）education when I was five. I was sent to school in the morning but came home at noon on the first day. I said I didn't enjoy it and hadn't learned anything. My parents thought that school was unsuitable（不适合的）for me. They agreed with me, so I never went back to school.

Then my mother taught me and my two sisters at home, in the way of an English lady who had good education. We learned languages and reading more than sciences and maths. Sometimes she taught us herself, but we also had other teachers. They asked us to take lessons every day. About once a week we walked to Golden Gate Park. While we were walking, my mother taught me to read music. One day I noticed a little toy train in the window of a shop and I remember now how I'd like to have it. I couldn't say "r" when I was small. My mother said if I could say an "r" well, I would have the toy train. I practiced and practiced. Then one morning I woke everybody up with my "r"s. I got the toy train. I usually get the things I want in life — but I work hard for them.

1. The writer ___ .

A. was born in San Francisco                   B. likes living in London

C. is living in New York now                 D. doesn't like America

2. The writer didn't go to school in America because ___ .

A. his mother wanted him to go to school in English

B. his parents didn't think formal education was right for him

C. his mother wanted him to play outdoors in the parks

D. he couldn't get on well with the other children

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The writer was taught by his mother and other teachers.

B. The writer had no education at all.

C. The writer didn't have lessons every day.

D. The writer walked to the park to learn languages once a week.

4. The writer got the little toy train at last because ___ .

A. his mother gave him the money

B. he tried his best to read music

C. he wanted it very much

D. his mother was pleased with his progress（进步）

5. The writer tells us ___ .

A. why children needn't go to school

B. how he grew in San Francisco

C. that children liked toys

D. that his mother didn't give him any toys

阅读理解

　　I was born in New York, but I grew up in Sam Francisco. I began to live in London 25 years ago. If I am asked now where I want to live forever, I would say London. But will always be American.

　　San Francisco, like London, has many parks. Every day my sisters and I were taken to play in the parks as children. I didn't go to school. I only had three hours of formal (正规的) education when five. I was sent to school but came home at noon on the first day. I said I didn't enjoy it and hadn't learned anything. My parents decided that school was not fit for me and I never went back.

　　My mother then taught me and my two sisters, in the way of an English lady who had good education. We learned languages and reading more than sciences and maths. Sometimes she taught us herself, but we also had other teachers. They asked us to take lessons every day. About once a week we walked to Golden Gate Park. While we were walking ,my mother taught me to read music. One day I noticed a little toy train in the window of a shop and I remember now how I'd like to have it. I couldn't say my“r”when I was small. My mother said if I could say an“r”well, I would have the toy train. I practised and practised. Then one morning I woke everybody up with my“r”s. I got the toy train. I usually get the things I want in life-but I work hard for them.

(1) The writer ________.

[　　]

A. was born in San Francisco

B. is living in New York now

C. likes living in London

D. doesn't like America

(2) The writer did not go to school in America because ________.

[　　]

A. his mother wanted him to go to school in England.

B. his parents did not think formal education was right for him.

C. his mother wanted him to play outdoors in the parks.

D. he couldn't get on well the other children

(3) Which of the following is TRUE?

[　　]

A. The writer was taught by his mother and other teachers.

B. The writer had no education at all.

C. The writer didn't have lessons every day.

D. The writer walked to the park to learn languages once a week

(4) The writer got the little toy train at last because ________.

[　　]

A. his mother gave him the money for it

B. he tried his best to read music

C. he wanted it very much

D. his mother was pleased with his progress

(5) The writer tells us ________.

[　　]

A. why children needn't go to school

B. how he grew up in San Francisco

C. that children liked toys

D. that his mother didn't give him any toys