無私的鋼琴家
——哈莉特·斯塔布斯

江蘇 雷利平

主題語境：音樂 篇幅：294詞 建議用時：5分鐘

1The Queen's Birthday Honors mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK.Every year,a list of honorees are published on the Queen's official birthday in June.Harriet Stubbs,a concert pianist from the UK,was recognized for services to the community in West London during COVID-19,as she performed 250 daily free concerts in London's W8 during 2020 and 2021.

2Whenthecoronavirusbegantospread,Stubbs returned to London from New York City,intending to stay a week—which turned into a year and a half.She was planning to record an album that mixed David Bowie's songs with classical pieces.While locked down in London,she practiced and people would stop outside her window to listen.

3“I thought,what about if I just do it at the same time every day and leave my window open intentionally,because we've all lost routine?And what if it is just something that happens at the same time every day?”she told ABC News.

4So,she began playing every day at 5 pm with her window open.She advertised the informal concerts locally.As restrictions were lifted,the crowd grew larger and larger,with her occasionally coming out to serve drinks and meet her fans.Stubbs ended up performing 100 concerts in 100 days before taking a break.Then she returned and did another 100 concerts in 100 days.According to her website,she performed 250 total shows.

5“People stood outside in the middle of December,with masks on,in the rain,to listen to music through a window,which was distorted(失真的)with a busy intersection of traffic—if that doesn't tell us how much we need music as human beings,I don't know what does,”Stubbs said.

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Detail 1.Why was Stubbs recognized on the Queen's Birthday Honors List?

A.She donated many items.

B.She had great piano skills.

C.She gave free performances.

D.She published amazing books.

Detail 2.What inspired Stubbs to play the piano with her window open?

A.Being locked down.

B.Losing all her routine.

C.Seeing people stop to listen.

D.Planning to record an album.

Gist 3.What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A.The experiences Stubbs had.

B.The contributions Stubbs made.

C.Stubbs'process of being famous.

D.Stubbs'commitment to piano career.

Inference 4.Which of the following can best describe Stubbs?

A.Talented and energetic.

B.Adaptable and modest.

C.Ambitious and elegant.

D.Devoted and responsible.

Language

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Difficult sentences

1.When the coronavirus began to spread,Stubbs returned to London from New York City,intending to stay a week—which turned into a year and a half.當新型冠狀病毒開始傳播時，斯塔布斯從紐約回到倫敦，打算待一周，結果卻待了一年半。

【點石成金】該句的主干為Stubbs returned to London from New York City；When coronavirus began to spread為時間狀語從句；intending to stay a week為現在分詞結構作狀語；which turned into a year and a half為定語從句，修飾a week。

2.While locked down in London,she practiced and people would stop outside her window to listen.在倫敦被封鎖時，她練習，人們會在她的窗外駐足聆聽。

【點石成金】該句的主干為she practiced and people would stop outside her window，是由and連接的兩個并列句；to listen為不定式作目的狀語；While locked down in London為時間狀語從句的省略，省略了she was。