B
Giving children music lessons is more than enjoying beautiful melodies; it can greatly improve their language skills.
Many studies have proven that learning an instrument helps with language development, yet people long wondered whether it came from general cognitive progress or direct changes in language processing. Recently, expert Edward Harrison carried out a study on 74 Chinese kindergarten children. These native Mandarin speakers were divided into three groups. The first group attended 45-minute piano lessons three times a week. The second group received extra reading training, while the third group attended only daily regular classes. Six months later, all children took tests to distinguish(辨别) similar words by tone, consonants and vowels. The results showed that kids with piano lessons performed far better in word recognition than those with extra reading. Besides, both groups gained obvious advantages over the ordinary control group. By monitoring brain activity, researchers found piano learners were more sensitive to tonal changes. Music training improved this ability, which further helped them tell words apart.
In fact, music education worked better than extra reading. Therefore, Desimone suggested that schools should pay more attention to and invest in music courses.
()3. What did previous(先前的) studies show?
A. Instrument learning helps language ability.
B. Language is a side effect of cognitive skills.
C. Extra reading is needed to improve language skills.
D. Learning an instrument slows down language processing.
()4. What can we learn about Harrison's study?
A. All kids had extra training for six months.
B. The control group took additional reading classes.
C. Piano learners beat reading group in word distinction.
D. Children in three groups spoke different languages.

3. A 4. C

【分析】
第3题需定位题干关键词“previous studies”，回到原文找先前研究的结论，再逐一核对选项；第4题需定位Harrison研究的相关细节，对比选项与原文内容的匹配度，排除错误选项得出答案。
【解析】
3. 定位原文第一段第二句“Many studies have proven that learning an instrument helps with language development”，可知先前研究证明学习乐器有助于语言发展，对应选项A。B选项原文未提及语言是认知技能的副作用；C选项额外阅读是后续分组的训练，并非先前研究结论；D选项与原文“helps with language development”相悖，故排除B、C、D，选A。
4. 定位Harrison的研究内容：三组分别为钢琴课组、额外阅读组、常规课组，六个月后测试结果显示“kids with piano lessons performed far better in word recognition than those with extra reading”，对应选项C。A选项第三组仅上常规课，并非所有孩子都有额外训练；B选项控制组是常规课，不是额外阅读组；D选项所有孩子都是普通话母语者，故排除A、B、D，选C。
【答案】3.A 4.C
【知识点】英语阅读理解，细节理解题
【点评】本题为英语阅读理解的细节类题目，解题关键是准确定位原文对应信息，区分不同研究的内容，仔细核对选项与原文的匹配度，难度适中，只要学生能细心查找原文细节即可正确作答。
【难度系数】0.7

完形填空
Elara and I are good friends, but once something unpleasant happened when we both tried for roles in Alice in Wonderland.
Elara really 1 to be Alice and I was sure she could get the role. However, it 2 that I was picked to be Alice and Elara only got the part of the March Hare. “Do you want to practise together with me?” I asked. “Sorry, I’m busy this week,” said Elara, 3 looking at me, “And I will always be busy.”
That night at dinner, my parents noticed I was not that 4 about getting the lead role. They wondered what happened. “Well, Elara was not picked to be Alice, but I was. She was unhappy. Maybe she will throw away our 5.”
My father said, “Don’t worry about it. I think this is a 6 for you to be an extra-good friend.”
“Dad’s right,” said my mother. “Sometimes 7 our friends do well, we may have feelings of envy(嫉妒) and don’t know how to act. Try giving 8 a little time, space and understanding, and she will change her mind soon.”
Over the next week, I tried my best to give Elara some 9. Then one day, on the way to our practice, I 10 her. “I just want to say, you’re such a great actor when acting as the March Hare,” I smiled. She seemed happy and 11 how she understood the role. When I asked her to help me with my role, she agreed and smiled, too. She 12 said sorry to me for acting that way at first. Later, we became 13 to each other.
I’ve learned that people often have a 14 time dealing with envy and disappointment. If you have similar 15, you could try taking my parents’ advice. Give your friend a little time, space and understanding. This might be the perfect time to be an extra-good friend.
()1.A.promised B.hoped C.forgot D.chose
()2.A.turned out B.found out C.carried out D.tried out
()3.A.till B.from C.like D.without
()4.A.excited B.careful C.nervous D.worried
()5.A.energy B.treasure C.friendship D.courage
()6.A.game B.chance C.story D.dream
()7.A.before B.whether C.unless D.when
()8.A.them B.him C.her D.it
()9.A.advice B.space C.fun D.trouble
()10.A.met B.left C.answered D.thanked
()11.A.faced B.missed C.explained D.supported
()12.A.even B.never C.almost D.seldom
()13.A.stricter B.quieter C.luckier D.closer
()14.A.smart B.great C.careless D.difficult
()15.A.activities B.mistakes C.experiences D.interests

1.B 2.A 3.D 4.A 5.C 6.B 7.D 8.C 9.B 10.A
11.C 12.A 13.D 14.D 15.C

【分析】
本文是一篇关于友谊的记叙文，讲述作者与朋友Elara竞争《爱丽丝梦游仙境》的角色，作者获得主角Alice，Elara只得到三月兔的角色，Elara起初因嫉妒疏远作者，作者听从父母建议给予朋友空间与理解，最终两人关系更亲密的故事。解题时需结合上下文语境、词义辨析、固定搭配逐一分析每个空的选项，确保符合逻辑与语义。
【解析】
1. 考查动词词义辨析：Elara真的希望成为Alice，hoped（希望）符合语境，故选B。
2. 考查固定搭配：turn out表示“结果是，最终”，此处指最终作者被选上Alice，故选A。
3. 考查介词：Elara说“抱歉，这周忙，而且一直忙”，没有看作者，without（没有）符合语境，故选D。
4. 考查形容词：父母注意到我对主角角色不那么兴奋，excited（兴奋的）符合语境，故选A。
5. 考查名词：我担心Elara会抛弃我们的友谊，friendship（友谊）符合语境，故选C。
6. 考查名词：爸爸说这是成为更好朋友的机会，chance（机会）符合语境，故选B。
7. 考查连词：当朋友做得好时，我们可能会产生嫉妒，when（当……时）引导时间状语从句，故选D。
8. 考查代词：此处指代Elara，用her，give her time and space符合语境，故选C。
9. 考查名词：我尽力给Elara空间，space（空间）符合前文父母建议，故选B。
10. 考查动词：在去练习的路上遇到Elara，met（遇见）符合语境，故选A。
11. 考查动词：她解释自己如何理解三月兔的角色，explained（解释）符合语境，故选C。
12. 考查副词：她甚至为一开始的行为道歉，even（甚至）加强语气，符合语境，故选A。
13. 考查形容词比较级：后来我们关系更亲密，closer（更亲密的）符合语境，故选D。
14. 考查形容词：人们处理嫉妒和失望是困难的，difficult（困难的）符合语境，故选D。
15. 考查名词：如果你有类似的经历，experiences（经历）符合语境，故选C。
【答案】
1.B 2.A 3.D 4.A 5.C 6.B 7.D 8.C 9.B 10.A 11.C 12.A 13.D 14.D 15.C
【知识点】
完形填空词义辨析、上下文语境理解、固定搭配
【点评】
本文贴近学生日常生活，围绕友谊与情绪处理展开，既考查词汇运用能力，又传递了维护友谊的正向价值观，解题需结合语境逻辑与词汇知识，难度适中，适合学生练习。
【难度系数】
0.6