There will be a week of training with real opera singers who would teach us about opera and how to sing, as well as making costumes and props（服装道具）. When I arrived on the first day we started learning one of our songs. It would be the opening song of the show. Later that day we could audition for a part in the story.

Over the next few days we started making our props and costume with the special designers. The prop making was fun but was VERY sticky! When everything was made we started to rehearse（排演） with our masks. We were put into two singing groups, Aslant’ s army and the Queen’s army.

There were four teachers with us during the week who helped us to learn about opera. They told us lots of interesting things, including how important your muscles are when you are singing and all about breathing properly. I loved the sound of different voices used in opera. 

In the evening, we performed in front of a large crowd outside the forum in Norwich（挪利其广场）which made me feel a bit nervous—but I got over my nerves and I really enjoyed it. I think everybody did very well, especially the people who had to sing solos（独唱）.

On the last song of performance（演出）, everyone was really strong and did his best and I think everyone had a great time.

The opera boot-camp was a great week for me. It was so much fun and I really hope that Opera Brava comes back again.

  1. We can learn from the passage that the training lasted for        . 

     A. two days             B. four days           C. seven days          D. ten days

  2. What did they do on the first day of the camp? 

     A. They made costumes and props.          B. They learned one of their songs.

     C. They rehearsed with their masks          D. They were taught how to sing

  3. What did the writer think of the performance?

     A. It was nervous.                                  B. It was important.

     C. It was difficult.                                  D. It was a success.

  4. The passage is mainly about          . 

     A. an opera boot-camp                            B. an opera show

     C. an interesting song                             D. opera

Have successful people ever felt sad? Do they have any “secrets” to success? The answers to these questions can be found in US president Barack Obama’s “back to school” speech. Here is an excerpt(摘录) from his speech.

I know that sometimes, you hope that you can be rich and successful without any hard work—that your ticket to success is through pop music or basketball or being a TV star, when chances come, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. Not all the homework will seem rather important to your life ,but you should try your best. And you may not succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures (the opposite of success). JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was turned down 12 times before it finally came out. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots (投篮) during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures beat(打败) you—you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time.

No one’s born being good at things. You become good at things through hard work.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to tell when you don’t know something, and to learn something new.

And even when you’re struggling(奋斗), even when you’re discouraged (泄气), and you feel other people have given up on you.but you should remember, don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

1.Some of the most successful people in the world have are the ones who’ve had the______ failures.

A. fewest       B. most          C. saddest        D. valuable

2.What can be found in US president Barack Obama’s “back to school” speech ?

A. secrets to success.

B. being successful is easy. 

C. your failures beat you.

D. Asking for help is a sign of weakness.

3.Why does Barack Obama mention (提到) JK Rowling and Michael Jordan in the third paragraph?

A. To compare these two famous persons.

B. To explain that the more failures he has, the more successful he is.

C. If you want to be successful, you should fail first.

D. To show that failure is the mother of success.

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. No one can be successful without working hard.

B. Failure can be good if you treat it in a right way.

C. Those who believe in themselves shouldn’t ask others for help.

D. One should try his best to make his dream come true.

5.Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined sentence?

A. One shouldn’t ask questions because it is a sign of strength.

B. One should believe in himself though he will face much difficulty.

C. One doesn’t have to work hard when he has failed several times.

D. One doesn’t have to ask for help because it is a sign of weakness.

Life comes in a package. This package includes happiness and sadness, failure and success, hope and despair. Life is a learning process. Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us a better person. With each passing day we learn to deal with various situations.
Love plays a main role in our life. Love makes you feel wanted. Without love a person could become cruel. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who show us with love and care. They teach us about what is right and wrong, good and bad. But we don’t always care about it. It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands others’ feelings.
Happiness can bring people a peaceful mind. No mind is happy without peace. Sadness is the cause of the death of a loved one or the failure. But all of these things will pass away.
Failure is the path to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way. Success brings in money, pride and self-respect.
Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope builds in patience. Life teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hour, because after every night there is a day.
Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is out of our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be bright or dark. So the only choice is to work hard today, so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow.
【小题1】We usually have to accept _______ if we want to be successful.