24、Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. Their violins sound better than any other’s. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments(樂器) like the Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. But not all old violins sound wonderful. Only the old violins from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood must be from certain kind of trees. 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 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(清漆).Varnish is what covers the wood of the violin. It makes the wood look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. But no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish.

1. The passage is about____________.

  A. making violins                           B. musical instruments

  C. scientific ideas                           D. the old Italian violins

2. Some people think that modern violins _____________.

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

  C. sound wonderful                     D. sound poor

3. Other people think the Italian violin makers_______________.

  A. were lucky                          B. did not know much about violins

  C. used many kinds of wood              D. knew something special

4. Violins made today____________.

  A. have the same size and shape 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 that the secret of the old violin was ______________.

  A. their sound       B. their color        C. their varnish      D. their music

22、The cake ___________ good. I can’t wait to eat it.

A. feels       B. sounds         C. becomes      D. smells

21、--Mum, Mary bought a parrot yesterday. Could you please buy _______ for me?

--Sure. But you must take good care of it.

A. one       B. this             C. it           D. that

20、The boy was so attracted by the computer games that he forgot ________ else.

A. anything   B. nothing        C. something      D. everything

19、It is quite hot days. And today is _____________ day.

A. hot        B. hotter        C. as hot as        D. the hottest

18、Before 2003, there was on direct airline__________ Taiwan and the mainland.

A. along         B. in              C. between           D. at

17、We’ve decided __________ the house there, for it is too small for our family.

A. to buy      B. not to buy     C. buy        D. will buy

16、Though the young singer, Yang Guang, is blind, he sings ______ most of the people.

A. as good as  B. as well as    C. best among    D. better than

15、Qingdao will spend about 80,000,000 yuan in building a bridge ________ the sea.

A. over         B. on           C. in            D. above