Ihavealwayslovedthesoundofthecello(大提琴).Iwouldgotoconcertsandwonderwhatitwouldfeelliketoholdacelloandmakesuchgloriousmusic.ButInever36 thatIcouldplayone.

OnedayrushingbetweenassignmentsI 37 knockedonthewrongdoorinanofficebuilding.A(n) 38 manwithwhitehairopenedthedoorandbehindhimwereadarkcelloandawooden 39 withthedesignofalyreonit.

ForamomentI40 whatIwaslookingfor.Iasked“Doyouplaythecello?”

“Yes”hesaid.“Doyouwanttobecomeoneofmy41 ?”

“Yes”Irespondedalmostwithout 42 .

OnmyfirstlessonItoldtheteacherHeinrichJoachimthatIhadansweredyesonimpulse(冲动)andI 43 ifIcouldbeamusician.Mr.Jassuredmethatwith 44 anddevotion totheinstrumentIcouldbecomeone.

ItoldhimthatI’dhadabeautifulvoice.Isangsolosinmychurchanddreamedofbeingasinger.ButI45 mybeautifulvoiceduringpuberty(青春期).“Thecello”Mr.Jpromised“willgiveyou46 yourvoice.”

Iboughtacelloandbegantogoforweekly 47 .Muchtomysurprisethelessonsdidnotstartwithmusicbut 48.Wechattedaboutmyjobmyinterestsandmyambitions.Oncewegottothecelloitwasnotjustameetingwitha(n) 49 .“Embraceyourcellolikeyouwouldembraceabeautifulwoman”hetoldme.Iputmyarmsaroundtheneckandmylegsaroundthebodyoftheinstrument.“Nowplay”hesaid.“Don’tjustlistentothesound. 50thesoundandthevibrations(振动)inyourhandlegsandchest.”

Imadesteadyprogress.AlongwithcellotechniquesMr.Jtaughtmeaboutscalesmelody(曲调)andharmony.Igotgoodenoughtoplaywithanamateurorchestra(乐队).

IstudiedwithhimforsevenyearsuntilIgot 51 andraisedafamily.Istoppedthelesson 52 westayedintouch.

AfterMr.Jdiedin2002IgotacallfromhissonAndrewwhosaidhehadaspecial53 forme.AlargeboxarriveddayslaterandinsidewasMr.J’s“cellochair”the54 onewiththelyreontheback.

IsitinMr.J’schairoften.IknowIcannever 55 hismusicalsoundbutIkeeptheteaon.

36.A.doubted B.agreed C.predicted D.imagined

37.A.frequently B.anxiously C.mistakenly D.cheerfully

38.A.elderly