Question

Ray Charles, a black singer and pianist of the USA. He had won 12 Grammy Awards (格莱美奖) and performed at 10,000 concerts around the world. Many musicians called him simply “the Genius” (天才).

Ray Charles was born into a poor family, without a father. When he was 5 years old, his younger brother died, and around the same time, Charles started to lose his sight. By the age of 7 he was completely blind. He had already been learning the piano for a year, and when he went blind, his mother knew this would be the only way he would make any money in the future. All his life, Charles remembered her saying: “Do it right, or don’t do it at all.”

Later he went to a school for blind and deaf children. There the teachers also encouraged him to study music. Sadly, while he was still at school, his mother died. He left school and in the early 1950s Charles organized a group of players. He sang, played the piano and wrote music.

He made many classical CDs wit h famous artists such as Elton John and the Beatles.

In 2003 a film of his life Ray was made. The part of Charles was played by a younger actor and musician called Jamie Foxx. The film director brought Foxx to meet Charles. After they had been playing together for two hours, Charles, then aged 73, jumped up and said: “He’s the one ... he can do it.” A year later Charles died aged 74. The film of his life has been as popular as his songs and means that the memory of Charles’ music will live on.

1.What can we learn from Ray’s childhood story?

A. His father died when he was 5 years old.

B. He started to go blind at the age of 7.

C. He was born in a rich musician family.

D. He started to learn the piano at the age of 6.

2.Ray Charles’ mother encouraged him to play music because .

A. his father was a musician as well

B. because it would help him get used to being blind

C. it was a good way for a blind person to get money

D. his teacher thought he was a genius

3.Ray Charles went to a school for .

A. normal children B. deaf and blind children

C. talented children only D. children without parents

4.Ray Charles thought that Jamie Foxx .

A. was the right person to play him in the film

B. was a good film maker

C. was the wrong person to play him in the film

D. was a good director

5.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A. Becoming a musician. B. Childhood story.

C. The film of Ray’s life. D. Master of many styles.

Answer 1