In order to tell what I believe, I must briefly introduce some of my personal history.
The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising business career and study music. My parents, sharing my love of music, _16_____ of it as a profession. This was understandable in view of the family __17____. My grandfather had taught music for nearly forty years and earned barely enough to __18____ for his large family. My father often said it was only the hardheaded thriftiness of my grandmother that helped the family live a life. As a(an) __19___ of this example in the family, my mention of music as a profession carried with it a picture of an existence with __20____ financial rewards. My parents insisted upon college instead of a conservatory of a career of music, and so finally I went to college quite happily.
Before my graduation from Columbia, the family met with severe financial problems and I felt it my duty to __21____ college and take a job. Thus was I started a business career – which I always think of as the wasted years.
Now I do not for a moment mean to disparage business. My whole point I is that it was not for me. I went into it for __22___, and apart from the satisfaction of being able to help the family, money is all I got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. From being merely dissatisfied I became really ___23___. I knew what I wanted is to save enough to __24____ and go to Europe to study ___25__. I used to get up at dawn to practice before I left for “downtown”, disappointing my poor mother by eating a hurried breakfast at the last minute. I continued to make money, and finally, bit by bit, saved enough to __26____ me to go abroad. And, by now, the family didn’t need my help any longer. I ended my business career, feeling like a man released from prison, and sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than ever and ___27___ every minute of it.
“Enjoyed” is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived. I was a __28____ man and I was doing what I loved to do and what I was meant to do.
If I had stayed in business, I might be a __29____ man today, but I do not believe I would have made a success of living. I would have given up all those inner satisfactions, which money can never buy.
When I broken away from business, it was against the advice of all my friends and family. Most of us are so accustomed to the association of success with money__30___the thought of giving up a good income for an idea seemed rather crazy. If so, all I can say is “Ah! It’s great to be crazy.”
| 小题1: | | A．thought | B．disapproved | C．agreed | D．disagreed |
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| 小题2: | | A．background | B．experience | C．tradition | D．belief |
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| 小题3: | | A．offer | B．support | C．provide | D．give |
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| 小题4: | | A．expectation | B．intention | C．cause | D．consequence |
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| 小题5: | | A．certain | B．uncertain | C．sure | D．ensured |
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| 小题6: | | A．enter | B．join | C．leave | D．apply |
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| 小题7: | | A．interest | B．dreams | C．money | D．hope |
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| 小题8: | | A．painful | B．excited | C．embarrassed | D．cheerful |
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| 小题9: | | A．drop | B．satisfy | C．live | D．quit |
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| 小题10: | | A．music | B．medicine | C．economy | D．Business |
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| 小题11: | | A．let | B．make | C．encourage | D．enable |
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| 小题12: | | A．spent | B．enjoyed | C．wasted | D．used |
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| 小题13: | | A．free | B．wealthy | C．creative | D．enthusiastic |
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| 小题14: | | A．strong | B．successful | C．wealthy | D．satisfied |
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