Beethoven is a giant of classical music. And the most influential, too—at least, when it comes to piano compositions. That's according to a study in the journal EP J Data Science.
If you're wondering how data analysis could determine something as abstract as cultural influence, it's worth remembering this: Music is the most mathematical of the art form, a lot of which is symbolic. The music is written in symbols that are connected in time.
Juyong Park is a theoretical physicist in South Korea. Park and his colleagues collected 900 piano compositions by 19 composers from 1700 to 1910. Then they used that mathematical quality to their advantage by dividing each composition into what they called “code words”, in other words, a chord. They then compared each chord to the chord or note that came after it, which allowed them to determine how creative composers were at coming up with novel transitions.
The composer with top marks for novelty was Rachmaninoff. But when the researchers looked at those chord transitions across all 19 composers, it was Beethoven who was most heavily borrowed from—meaning at least among the composers in this analysis, his influence was the largest.
Their study comes with some drawbacks. For example, the researchers only considered piano compositions in this work, and by only studying chord transitions, so their conclusions wouldn't relate to artists who were influential in other ways like Bach or Mozart. Park explained, “It's well understood that Mozart's contribution to music comes from the musical forms that he designed. That was not very well reflected by our mathematical modeling.”
As for Park, the results convinced him he has some listening to do. “Of course I listen to music. I like Rachmaninoff’s music, but I have to say I have listened to Beethoven way more than Rachmaninoff. So after this work came out, I ended up buying his whole complete collection.
1. What makes it possible to determine musical influence?| A．The symbolic nature of music. | B．The analytical function of piano music. |
| C．The abstract feature of culture. | D．The rapid development of technology. |
| A．Rachmaninoff. | B．Beethoven. | C．Bach. | D．Mozart. |
| A．To express his admiration for Mozart. | B．To compare Mozart with other musicians. |
| C．To introduce a way to design musical forms. | D．To show certain limitations of the study. |
| A．Beethoven: a Genius in Classical Music | B．Beethoven's Influence: Proved by Science |
| C．Chords: a New Way to Determine Music | D．The Art Form of Music : Written in Symbols |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Your immune system is the body’s personal army.
The immune system also learns things-this is called adaptive immunity. When your immune system is exposed to a new germ for the first time, it responds by trying to fight it off-which means you may become sick.
Experience makes your immune system stronger. The first time your body comes into contact with a certain type of germ, your immune system response may take a while. You might need several days to make and use all the germ-fighting parts you need to get rid of your infection. It takes time to hack the germ’s code and destroy it.
| A．It does not recognize specific bacteria or viruses. |
| B．It releases white blood cells and other chemicals that destroy these threats. |
| C．It is a vast and complex interconnected network of many different organs, cells and proteins that work together to protect the body from illness. |
| D．The main feature of the innate immune system is to respond quickly, which can lead to fever. |
| E．But afterward, the immune cells will remember the invader and be better equipped to fight it, should it return. |
| F．The system has two types of response: innate(先天性反应) and adaptive. |
| G．If you come across that same germ later on, your body will remember and fight it off faster, so you can get over the infection and feel better. |
【推荐2】Recently researchers are discovering that learning is easier, quicker and more long-lasting if it involves the body. To some extent, the discovery should come as no surprise. Consider that many of us probably began to understand basic arithmetic (算术)by counting on our fingers before learning to count in our head.
Conventional thinking had it that as we grew, we became more able to think abstractly, which might suggest teachers should help wean children off body gestures to prepare them for the adult world. But in truth, the physical world never really leaves our thinking. For example, when we process verbs such as lick, kick and pick, medical scanners show that the parts of our brain that control the muscles in our face, legs and hands,respectively,light up with activity.
This theory is called embodied cognition(体验认知),and it suggests that what goes on in our minds stems from(起源于)our actions and interactions with the world around us. It means that encouraging children to think and learn in a purely abstract way might actually make lessons harder for them to understand and remember.
Science is beginning to back up the idea that actions really might speak louder than words in the classroom. Spencer Kelly, a psychologist at Colgate University in New York, has found that people spend three times as much time gesturing when the message they get across is particularly important. Kelly has also found evidence that students like a teacher better when that teacher uses arm and hand movements to emphasize points. Meanwhile, Susan Wagner Cook, a psychologist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, has found that children pick up new concepts more effectively if they are taught to mirror and repeat the gestures their teacher uses, and that lessons involving words and gestures live longer in a student’s memory than lessons using words alone.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．A study on classroom teaching. |
| B．The dark side of thinking abstractly. |
| C．The function of body language. |
| D．A new finding about learning. |
| A．Let children be aware of body gestures. |
| B．Make children stop using body gestures. |
| C．Give children an account of body gestures. |
| D．Encourage children to use body gestures. |
| A．our minds can help shape reality |
| B．it’s not easy to grasp abstract concepts |
| C．the environment matters for one’s cognition |
| D．interacting with the world improves one’s memory |
| A．Body movements can raise a teacher’s popularity. |
| B．Young students like to mirror their teacher’s gestures. |
| C．Using body gestures makes students love learning. |
| D．Body language is more powerful than spoken language. |
【推荐3】I remember when I got my first well-paid job right out of college, I still had low self-esteem (自尊) and self-doubt.
People who find true success don’t achieve it by accident. They are very intentional and do the hard work to figure out what matters to them most.
The ones who achieve true success know that life isn’t about making life easier, it’s about making yourself stronger. And the only way to get yourself stronger is to stop sitting on the sidelines letting life go by and give everything your best shot.
Keep their minds out of survival mode (模式).
There’s a special part in your brain.
| A．I still felt like a failure. |
| B．There is no easy path to success. |
| C．Take full ownership of their own story. |
| D．Live a life someone else tells you to live. |
| E．What it does is that it looks out for your survival. |
| F．The answer lies in finding time to give yourself a safe space. |
| G．The part of me that I know deep down can make an impact on the world. |
【推荐1】A. Human feet will become just one big toe.
In a lecture at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1911, a surgeon named Richard Clement Lucas made a curious prediction that the “useless outer toes” will become used less and less, so that “man might become a one-toed race” in the next century. Look and check your toes.
B. Our houses will be cleaned by hoses.
In a 1950 article titled “Miracles You’ll See in the Next 50 Years,” the New York Times’ longtime science editor Waldemar Kaempffert predicted that by the 21st century, all you’ll have to do to get your house clean is “simply turn the hose on everything.”
That’s because he imagined furniture would be made of synthetic fabric or waterproof plastic. “After the water has run down a drain in the middle of the floor” all you’d have to do is “turn on a blast of hot air” to dry everything. A mercy for housewife, right?
C. We’ll live in flying houses.
Inventor, science writer, and futurist Arthur C. Clark—who co-wrote the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey—believed that the boring houses of 1966 would be extremely different by the time we reached the 21st century. Evidently, the houses of the future would have nothing keeping them on the ground and they would be able to move to anywhere on the earth on a whim (异想天开). So easy to travel abroad!
D. We’ll eat candy made of underwear.
In Popular Mechanics, Waldemar Kaempffert predicted that all food would be delivered to our homes in the form of frozen bricks by the 21st century. “Cooking as an art is only a memory in the minds of old people,” he wrote. And, thanks to advances in cooking technology, Kaempffert predicted it would even be possible to take ordinary objects like old table cloth and “silk-like underwear” and bring them to “chemical factories to be made into candy.” No, thanks! Not at all!
1. How many toes would become useless and disappear in his left foot, according to the surgeon?| A．Five. | B．Four. | C．Three. | D．Two. |
| A．He likes it very much. | B．He thinks it acceptable. |
| C．He completely rejects it. | D．He would like to have a try. |
| A．They were all put forward by the greatest minds at their time. |
| B．Although they sounded unbelievable, they were well received. |
| C．They appeared in the same magazine almost around the same time. |
| D．They were interesting predictions about the century we are living now. |
【推荐2】Sports like figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating, and ski jumping have been part of Olympic history since the first Winter Olympics were hosted in France, in 1924. But the origins of many Olympic sports stretch back even further.
The ancient origins of skiing
Skiing has been around since early civilization, evidenced by a 5,000-year-old rock carving showing men on skis in Norway, and the discovery of a ski dating back to 6000 B.C. found in Russia. Modern skiing can be traced back to the Scandinavians, who primarily used skis as a means of travel or for other practical purposes. Some of the first official competitions began around 1850 in Norway, with the first recorded race in Sweden held outside Stockholm in 1879.
The British are the ones who transformed skiing from its Scandinavian roots into the highly competitive sport it is now. Alpine skiing or downhill skiing is the most popular form of skiing, and it first appeared in the Winter Olympics in 1936.
The development of snowboarding
Snowboarding originated as a backyard activity known as snurfing—invented by a father to entertain children.
In 1965, Sherman Poppen of Muskegon, Michigan, was looking for something his children could use as a sled. He tied together two skis—creating a toy he named “Snurfer”. Less than a year, the toy exploded into a national craze.
Although an annual championship in Muskegon was sponsored by the makers of the Snurfer, competitors began to create their own boards. Because Poppen had trademarked the term Snurfer, they began to call the sport snowboarding instead. By 1985, snurfing fell out of fashion, but snowboarding had caught on worldwide. It finally became an official Olympic sport for the 1998 Games.
The earliest evidence of curling
The predecessor (前身) of curling is a Scottish game in the 16th century played on frozen lakes and ponds, using smooth stones from riverbeds.
Centuries later, the first curling club was founded in Scotland and received the approval of Queen Victoria in 1843. In the sport, players slide the stones toward a target—earning more points the closer the stone lands to the center. By the 20th century, curling was so widespread that it was one of the few sports played in the first Olympic Games in 1924.
1. The first recorded skiing race was held in _______.| A．Sweden | B．Russia | C．Britain | D．Norway |
| A．It became well known before 1965. |
| B．It originated from the toy “Snurfer”. |
| C．It was invented as a means of travel. |
| D．It was named by the inventor Poppen. |
| A．Snurfing and ice hockey. | B．Skating and Alpine skiing. |
| C．Figure skating and curling. | D．Snowboarding and ski jumping. |
【推荐3】Franklin K. Matthiews went on a nationwide tour to advocate (提倡) better standards in children’s literature. That was in the early 20th century. Matthiews was the librarian of the Boy Scout of America. Relatively few kids’ books were published each year at that time. That was partly because printing color illustration (插画) was expensive. Matthiews was a firm believer in the importance of children’s literacy (读写能力). His advocacy led to the start of Children’s Book Week in 1919. It is an annual celebration of books for little ones.
The Library of Congress honored its 100th anniversary last year. It digitized (数字化) a collection of dozens of children’s books published before 1924. That’s according to Perri Klass of The New York Times. Some of the newly digitized stories are classics that will likely be familiar to modern readers. Examples include an 1888 copy of Rip Van Winkle and a 1911 edition of The Secret Garden.
“Well into the 19th century, most of children’s literature in America came from Britain,” Jacqueline Coleburn tells Klass. She is the rare book cataloger at the Library of Congress. “It wasn’t till the 1830s and 1840s that we really focused on producing American books.” When they did take off in the United States, the reading material was often as creative and as fun as the books children read today. American illustrator Peter Newell published The Rocket Book in 1912. It is about a “bad kid” named Fritz. He sends a rocket flying through the floors of an apartment building. There’s an intentional hole on every page of that book. This is to reflect the rocket’s movement through the building.
The collection stresses the joyful commonalities between children past and present. Kids today will surely be amused with Fritz’s rocket carrying away an old man’s wig (假发). But at times the books cannot go with feelings. They aren’t diverse, and sometimes reflect problematic ideas of gender (性别). A Little Pretty Pocket-Book is one example. It was once sold with a ball for boys and a pincushion (针垫) for girls.
As Coleburn tells Klass, “We’re celebrating the fact that these books provide us with the opportunity to have conversations about what is proper or improper. They help us understand a different time.”
1. Why did Matthiews make a nationwide tour?| A．To push for the equality of education. |
| B．To call attention to children’s literature. |
| C．To collect information on children’s bestsellers. |
| D．To explain the necessity of starting Children’s Book Week. |
| A．Leave out. | B．Deal with. | C．Go against. | D．Contribute to. |
| A．It’s unavoidable to include something improper. |
| B．It’s difficult to tell proper books from improper ones. |
| C．There have been no better celebrations than those of 2019. |
| D．The old books allow readers to learn about beliefs in different times. |
| A．Americans have brought literature back to life |
| B．Britain is home to American children’s literature |
| C．Popular children’s books have been recorded in American literature |
| D．Classic children’s books have been digitized by the Library of Congress |
Wetlands act like giant sponges（海绵） during storms.They soak up extra storm water and afterward release it slowly back into the water cycle.This helps prevent flooding. Towns where people have drained wetlands have found that in a big storm，their streets and homes are often flooded because there are no wetlands to soak up the excess water.
Wetlands also act as giant filters where pollutants are absorbed and dissolved over time.Though wetlands can become polluted from dumping，wastewater，and fertilizer runoff from farm fields，they are able to process some pollutants over time because of all the microorganisms and plants living there.
Wetlands are especially important for providing homes and breeding grounds to millions of birds，fish，and amphibians worldwide. Many wetlands have become national wildlife refuges（避难所），where you can go to take pictures and look at birds and animals.
The Everglades are a huge wetland that once covered more than four million acres of southern Florida. Sometimes called the “river of grass”，the Everglades are a shallow sheet of water that slowly flowed across a grassy plain. In the late 1800s people began draining parts of the Everglades for development. Roads were built and towns sprang up.The Everglades shrank to half its original size. Cities like Miami grew up where once there was a thriving wetland. Sewage and waste from the cities were pumped into the remaining wetlands. Over time scientists began to see the importance of the Everglades. Even with its smaller size，the Everglades filtered the pollutants coming from the cities，absorbing the worst of it like a sewage treatment plant. During storms the Everglades protected the cities from storm surge flooding. They also are just a great place to visit and see wildlife.
1. The first paragraph is intended to tell us________.
| A．wasted land used to be wetlands |
| B．people didn’t know the importance of wetlands before |
| C．wetlands used to be left undisturbed |
| D．wetlands can be used for building |
| A．They absorb extra water from storms. |
| B．They become large or small in size. |
| C．They absorb pollutants and dissolve them. |
| D．They are made of soft soil. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．the threat to wetlands |
| B．the protection of wetlands |
| C．the development of wetlands |
| D．the importance of wetlands |
| A．some wetlands can be used to build cities or towns |
| B．wetlands in the world are disappearing fast |
| C．wetlands play an important role in the ecosystem |
| D．wetlands are especially important to wildlife |
【推荐2】Before you make friends, you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kind of things they do.
The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy to smile at first, but remember most people will stay away from an angrylooking face.
One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about them. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person?
Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who's their favourite singer, where do they live, what do they do after school, are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation too. When someone asks you a question, do have an answer for him. There's nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than a shrug (耸肩) for an answer.
Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember, everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them.
1. This passage gives advice on ________.| A．how to make friends | B．what kind of person you can make friends with |
| C．how to start a conversation | D．the importance of a smile |
| A．who smile at everyone | B．who share the same interests |
| C．who are fond of talking | D．who say nice things to them |
| A．Which football player do you like best? | B．How do you go to school every day? |
| C．What are your hobbies? | D．How old are you? |
| A．who is always smiling | B．who seems to be friendly |
| C．who praises them | D．who points out their shortcomings |
【推荐3】The best London hotels near Oxford Street
An expert guide to the top London hotels near Oxford Street—eight minutes' walk or less— including the best hotels for their family-friendly services and budget accommodation.
The London EDITION
Soho, London, England
This place is just off Oxford Street in leafy Fitzrovia. It will suit those who want more than a bed for the night. The multi-functional lobby makes a great entrance, though it's the restored ceiling, old not new, that really grabs the attention. The picture- lined restaurant is an equally successful space. The rooms are a bit like being inside a luxurious cigar box, with their wood-panelled walls and artful fur sofa covers that add a feeling of warmth.
The Langham, London
Marylebone, London, England
An advert from the late 19th century declares that the Langham is situated in the "most healthy, convenient and fashionable position in London. " Today this still holds true； the hotel is right in the centre of London. This is one of London's oldest grand hotels. Everything feels as if it has been running the way it should for a long time. Expect enormous vases of fresh flowers in public areas, oriental furnishings and marble baths in the rooms. This is also home to Michel Roux Jr's Roux, which does tasty French cuisine.
The Grazing Goat
Marylebone, London, England
The hotel is located on New Quebec Street, a quiet road lined with clothing shops and beauty salons about three minutes' walk from Oxford Street. There's something of a village feel to this area of London that is difficult to correspond with the tourist groups moments away—but it's most welcome. Rooms have Egyptian cotton beds, Aesop toilets and walls in the color of moss green and steel blue. The food menu offers seasonal British foods with the latest trendy ingredients.
1. In The London EDITION, customers are most likely to be attracted by its .| A．multi-functional lobby | B．restored ceiling |
| C．luxurious cigar box | D．wood-panelled walls |
| A．They are old grand hotels. | B．They serve delicious French cuisine. |
| C．They offer fresh flowers in their bedrooms. | D．They are located in Marylebone, London. |
| A．The London EDITION. | B．The Langham, London. |
| C．The Grazing Goat. | D．All the above. |
【推荐1】Forty years ago, when Marilyn Loden, then 31 and a manager at a telephone company, made a speech at the 1978 Women's Exposition, she didn't know that a phrase she came up with on that day would still be alive after all these years. "It seemed to me there was an invisible barrier to advancement that people didn't recognize," Loden said at the expo when talking about how hard it was for women to climb the career ladder. And that barrier, according to her, could all be boiled down to one phrase-" glass ceiling".
Since then, there have been major advances in gender equality. We've seen women achieving bigger and bigger things in cinema, education, politics and even business. But sadly, there's one field that's still run mainly by men: science.
That's why it was inspiring when Zhang Miman, 82, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was given a L'OreaI-UNESCO For Women in Science award on March 22.
According to China Daily, the number of women working in science around the world has increased by 12 percent in the past 20 years. But even so, the glass ceiling is still there. Indeed, less than 30 percent of researchers are women, and only 3 percent of Nobel Prizes for Science have been awarded to women.
Of course, it has little to do with the stereotype (思维定势) that "women are bad at science". In fact, a study found that nearly half of the "highly qualified" scientists and engineers in the US are women.
"Since so few are in the upper ranks, there aren't female instructor to guide women through challenges and support them for promotions," wrote Tara Weiss on Forbes.
May 24 marks the 40th anniversary of the phrase "glass ceiling". Even though the ceiling is still there, things are changing. And with Zhang winning her award, one more crack has been added to the ceiling.
1. Why does the author introduce Marilyn Loden at the beginning of the text?| A．To attract readers' attention. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To make Loden well-known. |
| D．To amuse readers with Loden's story. |
| A．the good news for women to be promoted. |
| B．the shortest way for women to succeed. |
| C．the unseen barriers for women to advance. |
| D．the unknown advantages for women to develop. |
| A．Women scientists have very high status in the world. |
| B．Women are naturally not good at science at all. |
| C．Women's liberation in science still has a long way to go. |
| D．Women don't like challenges in career. |
| A．To praise Zhang Miman. |
| B．To remember Marilyn Loden. |
| C．To encourage women to break the barrier. |
| D．To introduce a phrase "glass ceiling". |
【推荐2】The clock always seems to be ticking rather too fast in the doctor’s office and the queue of patients outside the door seems to be pressing rather too hard. Some say it’s high time for the model of short, sharp one-to-one appointments to give way to shared medical appointments (SMAs).
SMAs are doctor-patient visits in which a group of patients receive patient education and counseling (咨询), physical examination and medical support in a group setting. Typically, SMAs are designed to have one or more doctors attend to a group of patients who share a common illness or medical condition. In contrast to one-to-one visits, SMAs provide a longer appointment time-frame as well as the opportunity for patients to have improved access to their physicians and meanwhile pick up additional information and support from peers.
However, doctors who have pioneered the shared appointment approach report that there are significant challenges involved. Dr. Sumego, director of shared medical appointments, Cleveland Clinic, identifies culture change as the most significant challenge. Physicians and nurses are trained in a model of personal service and privacy; the SMA approach is a fundamental challenge to those fixed ideas. They need shared goals and a way of testing the innovation against agreed standards. Dr. Sumego says, “The physicians may be worried about the possible chaos and efficiencies that are marketed. They also have to make the patients understand what their appointment is, and what the expectation is.”
“So, if an organization was looking to start shared medical appointments, I would advise them to start the buy-in from a few champion physicians, develop the work-flow and develop some experience. Provide some support behind what that best practice should look like. Create some standards so that, as the concept spreads, you can employ that experience to start the next shared medical appointments and the next.”
1. What is the purpose of the SMA approach?| A．To conduct medical research. |
| B．To promote doctor’s reputation. |
| C．To improve medical service. |
| D．To meet patients’ expectation. |
| A．Personal service. |
| B．Fixed ideas. |
| C．Inadequate equipment. |
| D．Shared goals. |
| A．It is currently being questioned. |
| B．It is impractical in some areas. |
| C．It will enjoy wide popularity soon. |
| D．It should be carried out step by step. |
【推荐3】Dan studied the tracks on the ground. For the third night in a row, the adult bear had returned. Was she here because she was just looking for an easy meal? Or was she here because of the baby bear locked in the pen? If that was the reason, what did she want with the cub?
Dan thought about the cub. He knew there was a lot the cub could learn from an adult bear. He did not want to disturb or interfere with the bears getting to know each other. But the cub had been brought in injured. As the cub’s guardian, Dan had a responsibility to make sure that the cub was safe. Perhaps he had been hurt by this very bear. On the other hand, what if the adult were friendly? She could teach the cub things he had to learn if he were to live in the wilderness. Dan decided it was worth taking a chance. He would let the adult bear near the cub. But he would be ready for trouble, if this turned out to be a mistake.
That night, Dan waited in the shadows near the pen. In his hand was a big flashlight. If the adult bear tried to hurt the cub, he would try to scare her off with the light. If that did not work, he had a loud horn with him. He thought that the sudden noise from the horn would drive her away.
Dan did not have to wait very long. Soon there was a rustling in the woods. Then the adult proclaimed her presence with a low growl and emerged from behind a tree. She was quick in movement and healthy. Dan hoped she would scare easily.
As soon as the cub heard her a frightening low noise, he became active and started toward the fence in an awkward run. When the two bears met at the fence, the adult stood and put her front paws against it. The cub tried to do the same, but tottered and fell forward. The adult bear snorted. Dan was not sure what the snort meant. Then the cub stuck his nose through the fence in a friendly greeting. How would the adult respond? Dan’s heart raced. He raised the flashlight and the horn, ready to act.
The adult leaned forward and gently rubbed her nose against the cub. Dan lowered the flashlight. Everything was going to be fine.
1. The author writes this passage chiefly for the purpose of_______.| A．showing people how to behave at the zoo |
| B．informing the reader about extinct animals |
| C．persuading the reader to give money to zoos |
| D．entertaining the reader with a story about bears |
| A．help people remember the story |
| B．find out if the reader can answer them |
| C．get the reader interested in the story |
| D．see how much the reader knows about bears |
| A．Walked proudly with its head high. |
| B．Moved in a way that was not steady. |
| C．Walked with heavy steps in an angry way. |
| D．Moved lightly as if it was dancing. |
| A．He saw the adult bear was not going to hurt the cub. |
| B．He wanted to scare away the adult bear. |
| C．He was concerned about what might happen. |
| D．He wondered if the two bears would get along well. |
