三、阅读理解。
主题群:做人与做事
子主题:坚持逐梦
语篇类型:记叙文
难度:★★
I was 11 years old when I asked my mum for piano lessons in 2010. We were in the economic crisis(经济危机). She said a polite "no".
That didn't stop me. I searched for the measurements(尺寸) of a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click 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 touching a real piano. Once my mum saw that I was serious, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.
I still remember the first lesson. I was struck by how real the sound of the piano was. I passed Grade One after eight lessons. Once I started secondary school, we couldn't afford lessons again. But I passed Grade Three, and then Grade Five, practising only on my piece of paper.
One evening, when I was about 13, my mum said she had a surprise for me. It was an electronic keyboard, bought with more borrowed money. It was the first time I had played for her. She got a shock.
My school didn't offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians. But I had to pass a difficult test. Some of the questions involved an evaluation of the composer or when some pieces were written. I felt stressed. To my amazement, I was offered a place.
At Purcell, I spent two years working as hard as I could. I performed to raise money and saved enough to buy my first piano. When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize and senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. I feel proud. It's been 10 years since I drew my paper piano, and I'm at one of the world's leading music schools.
Surprisingly, I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano—what we call mental practice. The paper piano helped arouse my curiosity about how music works.
1. Why did the author's mother buy ten lessons for him at last?
A. Because she thought the author had a gift for the piano.
B. Because she was moved by his first wonderful performance.
C. Because she became rich and had enough money to pay for them.
D. Because she realized that the author really wanted to learn instead of playing.
2. According to the passage, we think the author may be .
A. generous B. humorous C. strong-willed D. impatient
3. What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Think twice before you do B. A paper piano leads to success
C. Success comes from Mum's love D. Piano lessons are important