Lang Lang is a world-class young pianist who grew up in Shenyang. He went to a piano school in Beijing when he was just eight. “You need __21__,” his father said. “But if you don’t work hard, no fortune will come.”
What made him sad was __22__ his piano teacher in Beijing didn’t like him. “You have no talent. You will never be a pianist.” As a nine-year-old boy, Lang Lang was badly __23__. He decided that he didn’t want to be a pianist any more. For the next two weeks, he didn’t touch the piano. Wisely, his father didn’t push, but waited.
Luckily, the day came when his teacher asked him to play some holiday songs. He didn’t want to, but as he placed his fingers on the piano keys, he __24__ that he could show others that he had talent __25__. That day he told his father what he had been waiting to hear—that he wanted to study with a new teacher. From that point on, everything turned around.
He started __26__ competitions. In the 1994 International Young Pianists Competition, when it was __27__ that Lang Lang had won, he was too excited to hold back his tears. Soon __28__ was clear that he couldn’t stay in China forever—he had to play on the world’s big stages. In 1997 Lang Lang moved again, this time to Philadelphia, USA. There he spent two years practicing, and by 1999 he had worked hard enough for fortune to take over. After his __29__ performance at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, gigs in Lincoln Centre and Carnegie Hall started __30__ in, Lang Lang finally worked to reach the place where fortune spots him, and lets him shine.
21. A. exercise B. fortune C. knowledge D. wealth
22. A. whether B. why C. when D. that
23. A. hurt B. weakened C. ruined D. frightened
24. A. seemed B. admitted C. noticed D. realized
25. A. in all B. above all C. after all D. at all
26. A. receiving B. accepting C. winning D. beating
27. A. told B. mentioned C. announced D. recognized
28. A. this B. it C. that D. what
29. A. successful B. cheerful C. respectful D. meaningful
30. A. pulling B. breaking C. falling D. pouring
