I was 11 when I asked my mum for piano lessons. As she'd been in____16____difficulties, she said a polite “no”.
That didn't____17____ me. I drew a keyboard onto a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would____18____ notes on an online keyboard and “play” them back on my paper one — keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. I spent six months playing without____19____a real piano. As my mum found I was____20____about it, she bought me 10 lessons with borrowed money.
After eight lessons, I____21____grade one and scored high. By the time I started secondary school, we couldn't____22____lessons again, so I returned to my paper keyboard, kept practising and passed grades three and five.
For the grades above that, there was an____23____that you add a certain sensitivity into your playing. To take advantage of practising on our school's grand piano, I____24____wake up at 5:30 a. m. to get there_____25_____and play until lessons started. I'd skip lunch and then practise after school_____26_____the caretaker kicked me out. At home, I'd have dinner, do three hours of revision, and then _____27_____practice until l: 00 a. m.
My school didn't offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians. The audition (试镜) was extremely_____28_____,and I felt extremely nervous. To my amazement, I was offered a _____29_____.
I had been thought to have started playing too_____30_____to reach conservatoire (音乐学院) level but when I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize. I realized that I wasn't _____31_____everyone else. I am now at the Guildhall School in London with a scholarship. I feel_____32_____: it's been 10 years since I drew my paper piano and I'm at one of the world's leading conservatoires.
The fun thing is that I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano:_____33_____we call mental practice. It_____34_____ key areas of the mind that are less readily accessed by piano playing alone. The paper piano helped encourage my_____35_____about how music works.
16. A. social B. educational C. financial D. political
17. A. protect B. frighten C. embarrass D. discourage
18. A. take B. click C. sign D. observe
19. A. seeing B. touching C. enjoying D. choosing
20. A. serious B. careful C. hesitant D. nervous
21. A. fell behind B. dropped out C. got through D. put off
22. A. offer B. teach C. overlook D. afford
23. A. expectation B. attitude C. opinion D. opportunity
24. A. would B. might C. could D. dared
25. A. in patience B. in time C. in peace D. in need
26. A. although B. since C. until D. if
27. A. technical B. mental C. mechanical D. physical
28. A. fascinating B. boring C. frightening D. challenging
29. A. course B. reward C. certificate D. place
30. A. soon B. late C. hurriedly D. suddenly
31. A. above B. against C. behind D. beyond
32. A. lucky B. proud C. ambitious D. grateful
33. A. what B. how C. that D. why
34. A. builds B. covers C. determines D. unlocks
35. A. prediction B. memory C. curiosity D. invention
【答案】16. C 17. D 18. B 19. B 20. A 21. C 22. D 23. A 24. A 25. B 26. C 27. B 28. D 29. D 30. B 31. C 32. B 33. A 34. D 35. C
