So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to 　6　 me. But the only time he was 　7　 was Saturday afternoons at 3 p. m. Back then, I was 　8　 about the British TV show The Avengers, which was 　9　 every Saturday at 3 p. m. I let nothing take up my "Avengers" hour. So I 　10　 this amazing opportunity. Today, I don't even have a 　11　 in my house.

My sister became an engineer, but she 　12　 stopped making music. When she was in her 40s, she switched 　13　. She went back to college, got a(n) 　14　 in music education, and became a music teacher. She starts kids out on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never 　15　.

Recently, she and a pianist pal put on a recital. A big crowd of friends and family 　16　 for her. As she played, I looked around at the 　17　. Everyone was 　18　 enjoying the music. It occurred to me that I was the only person who remembered that 7-year-old kid making those perfectly 　19　 sounds and knew how far she had come, despite 　20　.

Talent is important. But enthusiasm is even more important.

【文章大意】本文是一篇记叙文。讲述了姐姐通过努力取得成功的事, 揭示了热情和毅力是成功的基础。

1. A. advance　　 B. quit　　　 C. reflect　　　 D. listen

【解析】选B。考查词语辨析。advance 前进; quit 放弃; reflect 沉思; listen听; 根据上文 How did she sound? Terrible. 可知她弹得糟糕, 但不放弃, 故选B。

2. A. inspect　 B. open　 C. attend　 D. visit

【解析】选C。考查词语辨析。inspect 检查; open打开; attend 上学; visit访问; 根据上文可知她不放弃, 想上音乐学校, 故选C。

3. A. lacked　　　　 B. spotted

C. possessed　 D. admired

【解析】选A。考查词语辨析。lack缺乏; spot弄污; possess控制; admire羡慕; 根据上文可知她缺乏天赋, 故选A。

4. A. major　　　 B. project　　

C. composition　 D. instrument

【解析】选D。考查词语辨析。major 主修课; project工程; composition作文; instrument乐器; 父母给我请钢琴老师说明我在我的乐器方面做得更好, 故选D。

5. A. patience　　 B. enthusiasm　　

C. potential　　　 D. ambition

【解析】选C。考查词语辨析。patience耐心; enthusiasm热心; potential潜能; ambition雄心; 根据上文可知老师说我有潜能, 故选C。

6. A. train　　　　 B. examine　

C. correct　　 D. challenge

【解析】选A。考查词语辨析。train 训练; examine检查; correct改正; challenge挑战; 父母找老师培训我, 故选A。

7. A. punctual　 B. skillful

C. occupied　　 D. available

【解析】选D。考查词语辨析。punctual准时的; skillful熟练的; occupied占有的; available有空的; 老师唯一的空闲时间, 故选D。

8. A. sensitive　　 B. crazy