III. Reading Comprehension （35分）
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
There was a man who played the piano in a small bar. There were not too many ___46___, but because he was a good piano player, some people ___47___ came in every night just to hear him play. But one night, a patron (老顾客) told him he didn’t want to hear him play but to sing a song.
The man said, “I have never done that before in public. I think I’m ___48___ at playing the piano.” But the customer ___49___. He told the waiter, “I’m ___50___ listening to the piano day after day. I want to hear something new and I want that guy to sing.”
The waiter ___51___ across the room, “Hey, buddy! If you want to get ___52___, sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!”
So in order no bring some money home that night, the piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And ___53___ had ever heard the song Mona Lisa sung before ___54___ that night by Nat King Cole, and it surprised all, including the ___55___ himself.
He had talent he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but ___56___ he had to sing, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.
You, too, have skills and ___57___. You may not feel as if your “talent” is particularly ___58___, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence, most skills can be ___59___. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you possess. The ___60___ is not “What ability do I have that is useful?” It is rather “How will I use whatever ability I have?”
46. A. waiters B. players C. singers D. customers
47. A. never B. still C. ever D. only
48. A. better B. nicer C. easier D. sooner
49. A. agreed B. worried C. insisted D. charged
50. A. familiar with B. fond of C. used to D. tired of
51. A. complained B. shouted C. explained D. served
52. A. changed B. fired C. paid D. praised
53. A. nobody B. anybody C. somebody D. everybody
54. A. since B. after C. until D. when
55. A. waiter B. singer C. patron D. owner
56. A. unless B. although C. because D. if
57 A. advantages B. characters C. abilities D. principles
58. A. different B. surprising C. famous D. great
59. A. improved B. wasted C. recognized D. impressed
60 A. decision B. difficulty C. question D. solution
