Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy. They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violin makers.

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins.

But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.

Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today.

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren’t very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!

45．This passage is about ________.

       A．making violins                                     B．musical instruments

       C．scientific ideas                                     D．the old Italian violins

46．The best violins ____________.

       A．are made with modern techniques          B．were lost  many years ago

       C．were made in Italy 200 years ago          D．were made by scientists

47．Some people think that modern violins __________.

       A．will sound better in the future                B．will sound worse in the future

       C．sound wonderful naturally                    D．will never be as old as those from Cremona

48．Violins made today ________.

       A．look the same as the old ones                B．sound the same as the old ones

       C．are better than the old ones                   D．have the same varnish as the old ones

    Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Gremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Gremona or those Italian violin makers.

    Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood．The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old．Perhaps the violin makers of Gremons knew something special about wood for violins.

    But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.

    Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today.

    There may never be other violins like the violins of Gremona．Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren’t very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!

1. This passage is about

A．making violins

B．musical instruments

C．scientific ideas

D．the old Italian violins

2. The best violins ________.

A．are made with modern techniques

B．were lost many years ago

C．were made in Italy 200 years ago

D．were made by scientist

3.  Some people think that modern violins

A．will sound better in the future

B．will sound worse in the future

C．sound wonderful naturally

D．will never be as old as those from Gremona

4. Violins made today

A．look the same as the old ones

B．sound the same as the old ones

C．are better than the old ones

D．have the same varnish as the old ones

5. Some scientists believe the old Italian violins have a special ________.

A．sound

B．shape

C．surface

D．size

    Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy. They were made in Gremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones.  No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer.

    Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Gremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Gremona or those Italian violin makers.

    Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood．The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old．Perhaps the violin makers of Gremons knew something special about wood for violins.

    But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.

    Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today.

    There may never be other violins like the violins of Gremona．Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren’t very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!

1. This passage is about

A．making violins

B．musical instruments

C．scientific ideas

D．the old Italian violins

2. The best violins ________.

A．are made with modern techniques

B．were lost many years ago

C．were made in Italy 200 years ago

D．were made by scientist

3.  Some people think that modern violins

A．will sound better in the future

B．will sound worse in the future

C．sound wonderful naturally

D．will never be as old as those from Gremona

4. Violins made today

A．look the same as the old ones

B．sound the same as the old ones

C．are better than the old ones

D．have the same varnish as the old ones

5. Some scientists believe the old Italian violins have a special ________.

A．sound

B．shape

C．surface

D．size

       Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy．They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago．These violins sound better than any others．They even sound better than violins made today．Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins．But they aren’t the same．Musicians still prefer the old ones．No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer．

Some people think it is the age of the violins．They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday．But there is a problem here．Not all old violins sound wonderful．Only those from Cremona are special．So age cannot be the answer．There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violin makers．

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood．The wood of the violin is very important．It must be from certain kinds of trees．It must not be too young or too old．Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins．

But the kind of wood may not be so important．It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way．Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully．It has to be the right size and shape．The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin．Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians．Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood．

Size and shape may not be the answer either．Scientists measured these old violins very carefully．They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape．But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one．Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny．It also helps the sound of the instrument．No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish．So no one can make the same varnish today．

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona．Their secret may be lost forever．Young musicians today hope this is not true．They need fine violins．But there aren’t very many of the old violins left．Also, the old violins are very expensive．Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!

This passage is about _______．

　   A．making violins 　　　　　            B．musical   instruments

　   C．scientific ideas 　　　　              D．the old Italian violins

The best violins _______．

       A．are made with modern techniques 　    B．were lost   many years ago

       C．were made in Italy 200 years ago       D．were made by scientists．

Some people think that modem violins ______．

       A．will sound better in the future 　   B．will sound worse in the future

       C．sound wonderful naturally          D．will never be as old as those from Cremona

Violins made today _______．

　   A．look the same as the old ones

　   B．sound the same as the old ones

　   C．are better than the old ones　

       D．have the same varnish as the old ones

Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? Many people think they have an answer.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something special about wood for violins.

But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.

Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish（清漆）, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one can make the same varnish today.

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious.

1.What would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Secrets of Cremona Violins

B．The History of Italian Violins

C．Special Musical Instruments

D．How to Make the Best Violins

2.The main purpose of the first paragraph is to_______________

A．list some facts                                  B．raise a question

C．give an opinion                                   D．offer an answer

3.What is still unclear about Cremona violins according to the writer?

A．The shape．    B．The size．    C．The wood．  D．The varnish．

4.Which of the following words can best describe Cremona violins?

A．Light．       B．Shining．    C．Valuable．D．Modern

5.What can we learn from this passage?

A．Modem things are always better than ancient ones

B．Ancient things are always better than modem ones

C．Once a cultural relic is lost．it Can never be recovered

D．Varnish for violins will become more and more precious

Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? Many people think they have an answer.
Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something special about wood for violins.
But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.
Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish（清漆）, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one can make the same varnish today.
There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious

1. 1.

   What would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      The Secrets of Cremona Violins
   2. B.
      The History of Italian Violins
   3. C.
      Special Musical Instruments
   4. D.
      How to Make the Best Violins
2. 2.

   The main purpose of the first paragraph is to_______________

   1. A.
      list some facts
   2. B.
      raise a question
   3. C.
      give an opinion
   4. D.
      offer an answer
3. 3.

   What is still unclear about Cremona violins according to the writer?

   1. A.
      The shape．
   2. B.
      The size．
   3. C.
      The wood．
   4. D.
      The varnish．
4. 4.

   Which of the following words can best describe Cremona violins?

   1. A.
      Light．
   2. B.
      Shining．
   3. C.
      Valuable．
   4. D.
      Modern
5. 5.

   What can we learn from this passage?

   1. A.
      Modem things are always better than ancient ones
   2. B.
      Ancient things are always better than modem ones
   3. C.
      Once a cultural relic is lost．it Can never be recovered
   4. D.
      Varnish for violins will become more and more precious

Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? many people think they have an answer.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins.

But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.

Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish（清漆）, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. no one can make the same varnish today.

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious.

61．What would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Secrets of Cremona Violins         B．The History of Italian Violins

C．Special Musical Instruments                 D．How to Make the Best Violins

62．The main purpose of the first paragraph is to_______________．

A．list some facts                                  B．raise a question

C．give an opinion                                   D．offer an answer

63．What is still unclear about Cremona violins according to the writer?

A．The shape．    B．The size．    C．The wood．  D．The varnish．

64．Which of the following words can best describe Cremona violins?

A．Light．       B．Shining．    C．Valuable．D．M0dern．

65．What can we learn from this passage?

A．Modem things are always better than ancient ones．

B．Ancient things are always better than modem ones．

C．Once a cultural relic is lost．it Can never be recovered． 

D．Varnish for violins will become more and more precious．

Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? Many people think they have an answer.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something special about wood for violins.

But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.

Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish（清漆）, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one can make the same varnish today.

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious.

71. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Secrets of Cremona Violins          B. The History of Italian Violins

C. Special Musical Instruments           D. How to Make the Best Violins

72. The main purpose of the first paragraph is to_______________．

A. list some facts                             B. raise a question

C. give an opinion                           D. offer an answer

73．What is still unclear about Cremona violins according to the writer?

A. The shape．    B. The size．    C. The wood．       D. The varnish．

74. Which of the following words can best describe Cremona violins?

A. Light．        B. Shining．    C. Valuable．    D. Modern．

75．What can we learn from this passage?

A. Modern things are always better than ancient ones．

B. Ancient things are always better than modern ones．

C. Once a cultural relic is lost, it can never be recovered． 

D. Varnish for violins will become more and more precious．

第二卷（共35分）

阅读理解

阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A，B，C和D）中选出最佳选项。

　　Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy. They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better then any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren't the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer.

　　Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today's violins will also sound wonderful some day. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those made in Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violin makers.

　　Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons know something special about wood for violins.

　　But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.

　　Size and shape may not be the answer, either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly 'the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today.

　　There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be last for ever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They reed fine violins. But there aren't very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about $300,000 US dollars!

1．Same scientists believe the old Italian violins have a special ________.

[　　]

2．It is thought that the beat violins ________.

[　　]

A．were made in Italy about 200 years ago

B．were made in Cremona, Italy, many years ago

C．are made with modern techniques

D．are made by best violin makers

3．Some people think that modern violins ________.

[　　]

A．will sound as good or perhaps worse in the future

B．will sound better in the future

C．will never be as old as those from Cremona

D．sound wonderful naturally

4．Violins made today ________.

[　　]

A．sound as good as the old ones

B．are better than the old ones

C．look the same as the old ones

D．have the same varnish as the old ones