Rock and roll music developed in the United States in the early nineteen-fifties. It was based on the music called rhythm and blues that was performed by African American musicians.
Early rock and roll singers developed their own kinds of music. Elvis Presley. Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan were the most popular rock and roll musicians and band in the early 1960s. All were American. Then, in 1964, a new rock and roll group from England invaded America: The Beatles.
Some people say The Beatles’ music shook America like an earthquake. The Beatles changed rock and roll forever. Their early songs were influenced by American rock and roll musicians, including Chuck Berry. But The Beatles looked different and sounded different from any musical group before them.
The Beatles released their first album in the United States in 1964. when all of the top five records in America were by The Beatles. In 1967, they released an album called Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was one of the first “concept” albums. That is, all the songs were linked by a common story or idea.
The popularity of The Beatles led the way for more rock and roll bands from England to become popular in America. The Rolling Stones was the most important of these bands. The Rolling Stones is one of the few groups from the 1960s that is still performing and recording today. In 1965, the group recorded one of its most famous songs, Satisfaction.
By the 1970s, rock and roll music had become known as rock music. Experts say rock music regained some of the energy of early rock and roll. Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band became popular with their album Born to Run. Springsteen’s music was like the lively rock and roll music of the early nineteen-sixties. Many of his songs were about social issues. He sang about the effects of unemployment and the war in Vietnam
1. Which is the main topic of this passage?| A．The history of American music. |
| B．The development of rock and roll music. |
| C．The famous rock and roll groups. |
| D．The new forms of rock and roll music. |
| A．The Beatles’ music was as violent as an earthquake in America. |
| B．The Beatles looked different because an earthquake hit America. |
| C．The Beatles’ music had a great effect on the rock and roll music in America. |
| D．The Beatles’ music was greatly influenced by American rock and roll music. |
| A．Elvis Presley’s. | B．Bob Dylan’s. |
| C．Chuck Berry’s. | D．Springsteen’s. |
| A．One of the Rolling Stones’ albums was called “concept”. |
| B．All of the top five records in America were by The Beatles in 1964. |
| C．The Rolling Stones was the only band that became popular in America |
| D．All the most popular rock and roll musicians in the 1960s were American. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What are two things that make humans different from animals? One is language, and the other is music. It is true that some animals can sing (and many birds sing. better than a lot of people). However, the songs of animals, such as birds and whales, are very limited. It is also true that humans, not animals, have developed musical instruments.
Music is strange stuff. It is clearly different from language. However, people can use music to communicate things—especially their emotions. When music is combined with speech in a song, it is a very powerful form of communication.
If music is truly different from speech, then we should process music and language in different parts of the brain. The scientific evidence suggests that this is true. Sometimes people who suffer brain damage lose their ability to process language. However, they don't automatically lose their musical abilities. For example, Vissarion Shebalin, a Russian composer, had a stroke in 1953. It injured the left side of his brain. He could no longer speak or understand speech. He could, however, still compose music until his death ten years later. On the other hand, sometimes strokes cause people to lose their musical ability, but they can still speak and understand speech.
Why does music have such a strong effect on us? That is a harder question to answer. Geoffrey Miller, a researcher at University College, London, thinks that music and love have a strong connection. Music requires special talent, practice, and physical ability. That's why it may be a way of showing your fitness to be someone's mate. For example, singing in tune or playing a musical instrument requires fine muscular control. You also need a good memory to remember the notes.
And playing or singing those notes correctly suggests that your hearing is in excellent condition. Finally, when a man sings to the woman he loves, it may be a way of showing off.
However, Miller's theory still doesn't explain why certain combinations of sounds influence our emotions so deeply. For scientists, this is clearly an area that needs further research of sounds influence our emotions so deeply. For scientists, this is clearly an area that needs further research.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the main topic. | B．To show the author's attitude. |
| C．To analyze causes. | D．To describe a process. |
| A．is translated into a language | B．is combined with speech |
| C．is sung by some famous musician | D．is mixed with the cry of an animal |
| A．he is one of the luckiest person |
| B．he is really interested in composing music |
| C．the brain processes music and language separately |
| D．music and language are two different things for some |
| A．Effects of music on humans works. | B．A study on how music works |
| C．Reasons why music affects us. | D．Ways of using music in daily life. |
Last week, Little Apple, written and performed by the Chopsticks Brothers, won the AMA International Song Award and the duo performed the song at the 2014 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Another Chinese pop singer, Zhang Jie, won the International Artist Award.
But while fans of these singers are thinking highly of the awards(奖) and the performance by the Chopsticks Brothers at the AMA celebration, there are others who are less excited. They have questioned the value of the awards and what effect it will have on Chinese culture’s “going abroad”, saying it may leave foreign audiences with a poor impression(印象) of Chinese pop music, and even Chinese culture.
The Little Apple phenomenon, both home and abroad, can be more easily understood and judged if we look at it from a business view rather than a cultural view. The professional promoters behind the duo have developed a clear strategy(策略) to promote the duo and their works, not just this particular song. Little Apple was originally released(发行) to promote the duo’s film Old Boys: The Way of the Dragon.
From the very beginning a marketing strategy was used to promote(提升) the song, which immediately went viral on the Internet due to its repetitive rhythm(重复的韵律)，easy-to-remember lyrics(歌词), simple and funny dance and, most importantly, grass roots (草根) nature. The video accumulated(积攒) more than 1 billion bits on China’s major video websites.
Although the song was generally disliked by music professionals who criticized(批评) it as “musical junk food”, Little Apple’s popularity nationally paved the way(为…铺平道路) for promoting the duo internationally.
1. The writer’s attitude to the song of Little Apple is ________.
| A．opposed(相反的) | B．negative(消极的) |
| C．objective(客观的) | D．critical |
| A．Little Apple | B．Chopsticks Brother |
| C．Zhang Jie | D．American singers |
| A．Little Apple’s popularity is also a success of marketing strategy |
| B．Little Apple is generally thought nothing by the AMA |
| C．Little Apple is really popular with all people in China |
| D．Little Apple was originally released as a pop play on the Internet |
【推荐3】Iggy Azalea doesn't look like a rapper (说唱乐歌手).On May 17, she attended the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, US, with pink hair and a blue coat. She looked like a model, but won big as a rapper. The Australian beat out big names like Nicki Minaj and Drake to win the award for Top Rap Artist.
It's a great achievement in many people's eyes, but Azalea knew what she wanted from the beginning. At 15 she dropped out of high school because she was only interested in art classes. She worked as a house cleaner to save money for her dream the following year. Before her 16th birthday, Azalea left her home, a tiny town in Australia, for the US, making up her mind to become a rapper. Moving from Miami to Houston to Atlanta, she started rapping in the Southern-style accent of her surroundings and her single Ignorant Art came out in 2011.From then on, she never looked back.
However, her style has caused lots of discussions. She might be one of the most polarizing artists. She raps with a southern American accent, even though she speaks with an Australian one. Many people say that she overuses black culture in her music.
Her supporters are against it. Female American rapper MC Lyte defended (为……辩护)Azalea in an interview, saying she should not be judged because of where she's from. "Hip hop is universal (全世界的), and has no color line, "MC Lyte said. Azalea herself is proud of her music. "I really want to be focused on what I'm doing, "she said in an interview." That's really dangerous when you're trying to figure out ways to entertain people and make them happy. I don't want to be a part of that."
1. After leaving for America, Azalea ________.| A．went to an art school for her dream |
| B．worked as a cleaner in the first year |
| C．never returned to her hometown in Australia |
| D．developed her Southern-style accent rap |
| A．she sings with an Australian accent |
| B．she looks like a model herself |
| C．people think her music has too much black style |
| D．people don't accept singers from Southern America |
| A．she's unwilling to become popular |
| B．her music is for entertainment |
| C．she refuses to learn from other rappers |
| D．her music is not affected by others' taste |
| A．Kind and easy-going. |
| B．Determined and confident. |
| C．Honest and serious. |
| D．Talented and friendly. |
【推荐1】As the saying goes, “All roads lead to Rome”—but was that really the case? The answer is not as easy as an unqualified “yes” or “no”. It’s a little more complicated than that.
In 2015, three researchers at the Moovel Lab dropped a uniform grid (网格) of almost 500,000 points across a map of Europe. These points were simply random spots from which to start a journey to Rome. The team then developed a method to calculate the best route to Rome using modern routes from each of those starting points. The more frequently a road was used across the different points, the thicker it was drawn on the map. Their results showed many roads led to Rome, connecting other major cities along the way, such as London, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) and Paris, which were also part of the ancient empire.
News of the map spread quickly, but it didn’t actually prove that all roads lead to Rome. If the researchers had conducted the same exercise and looked at the quickest way from those same 500,000 points to Berlin or Moscow, the map would also show similar results.
The team used computer modeling to look at most logical routes that connect two points on the landscape, and then compared that with their knowledge of Rome roads to see if they’re similar. Modern routes are often the same in most cases. In other words, many of Europe’s multi-lane highways are the successors of Rome roads.
In ancient times, roads were mainly built to ensure people could travel around within a short time. This has changed in recent years, however; newly built motorways avoid populated places to save money in acquiring land.
The main roads in ancient Rome were straight lines whenever geography allowed. These major roads were built with different layers like earth and rock, and finally big pieces of stone on the top. They weren’t flat, but had a round roof to allow proper drainage (排水). Then came other secondary dirt roads that weren’t paved. They connected smaller towns and cities, rather than offering any sort of a route to Rome.
So, was the saying in Paragraph 1 right? No, but an awful lot of important ones eventually made their way there.
1. What did the team do with the new method mentioned in Paragraph 2?| A．Drew the map of ancient Rome. |
| B．Showed the layout of cities in Europe. |
| C．Counted all the existing roads in Rome. |
| D．Found the best web of roads leading to Rome. |
| A．It connected urban areas and rural areas. |
| B．It changed the history of European roads. |
| C．It set a good example to European road styles. |
| D．It contributed to traffic rules of two runways. |
| A．Whether the roads were wide enough. |
| B．Whether the roads helped people save time. |
| C．Whether the roads helped collect rainwater. |
| D．Whether the roads were close to people’s residences. |
| A．Do all roads lead to Rome? |
| B．Why does Rome have so many roads? |
| C．Was ancient Rome an empire in Europe? |
| D．How were roads built in ancient Europe? |
The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US.It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River.It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean.The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west,and materials could pour into the east.The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city.
The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York.It cost $ 7,143,789,but it soon gained its price many times over.Between 1825,when the canal was opened,and 1882,when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped,the state collected $ 121,461,891.
For a hundred years before the Erie was built,people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton.Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clinton’s Ditch(沟)”.Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it.He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal,but they were unsuccessful.
Clinton became governor of New York in 1817,and shortly afterwards,on July 4,1817,broke ground for the canal in Rome,N,Y.The first part of the canal was completed in 1820.As the canal grew,towns along its course developed fast.The length of the canal is 363 miles.
1. We can see that the Erie Canal .
| A．joined the Great Lakes together |
| B．crossed New York from north to south |
| C．played an important part in developing New York City |
| D．was the first waterway built in the US |
| A．the Great Lakes flow |
| B．the Hudson River flows |
| C．Lake Erie flows |
| D．the Erie Canal flows |
| A．The Erie Canal brought profits of over $ 114,000,000. |
| B．It’s 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. |
| C．The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built. |
| D．Many other states helped New York build the canal. |
| A．Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends. |
| B．Clinton started building the canal before he became governor. |
| C．All parts of the canal were completed at the same time. |
| D．The construction of the canal took eight years. |
【推荐3】The Silk Road is a special name for a route(路线） that is not a road.
Recently,people have found some burnt grains, which were East Asia, at four ancient sites in Middle Asian countries.
This means that
The Silk Road affects the way we eat in different countries today,China received seeds of rice and grapes in the early days, Chinese people learnt how to make wine from rice and then also used grapes for this. At the same time, other new seeds of vegetables also came to China.
Seeds were also taken from one area to another all over the world.
| A．It is not made from silk,either. |
| B．They speak different languages. |
| C．In the West,wheat was used to make bread. |
| D．People had to learn how to grow new crops. |
| E．Cucumbers, onions and carrots were a few of them. |
| F．These countries are believed to be in the middle of the routes. |
【推荐1】Imagine the feeling of swinging at a baseball going 100 miles per hour-without leaving your living room, or being in race car as it roars down the track, while you are sitting on the couch.
These are just some of the ways that sports business leaders say virtual reality (VR) will revolutionize how people train for and experience sports. Virtual and augmented (增强的) realities are together known as mixed reality (MR). “American footballers are already using VR to better train their minds and read the field,” Ludden said. “This can allow players to perfect their skills without risking injury.”
Canadian company D-BOX Technologies designs and produces moving seats found in cinema and theme parks. It is now moving into sports, and shows its Formula One (F1) racing simulator (模拟器). The seats stimulate the force of gravity, speed and every shaking as F1 champion Lewis Hamilton zips around city streets.
A simulation seat uses pre-programed data now. Someday, though, it could use real-time information sent by the car. “They could broadcast live content through a network in pop-up theaters around the world,” Ludden said. Say you want to experience the true stress of a batter being up against major-league baseball pitcher. “You can have a heart beat added to the sensation on the seat and then you can feel it, boom, boom,” Maheu explained. “When he swings and hits the ball, you can have an impact.”
One day, fans around the world could physically experience every game from their favorite player in real time. Ludden said that current and near-future technology could create “augmented stadiums” for live audiences. Panasonic launched its “Smart Venue” plans which included the overlaying of graphics, advertisements, player statistics and replays on the field of play at a pro football game. “If you are seated in the cheap seats, you can see this really useful.” Fans may someday join in stadium wide games, using the field as a virtual gaming platform,” Ludden added.
1. What does the underlined phrase “read the field” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Get off the playing field. | B．Judge the situation on the field. |
| C．Build up a football court. | D．Ask players to play on the spot. |
| A．Enjoy live content in any theater. |
| B．Program the simulation seats in advance. |
| C．Experience the real time game with the player. |
| D．Control the force and speed of the baseball. |
| A．The origin of VR. | B．The expectations of audiences. |
| C．An advertisement platform. | D．A future stadium. |
【推荐2】The most hated day of the week is misunderstood. When the Boomtown Rats, an Irish band, released “I Don’t Like Mondays” in 1979, the song became an instant hit.
What many do recognise all too well is the difficulty of gathering the energy to get out of bed on Monday mornings in order to face the week ahead. Many bosses argue that starting off the week in person in the office creates good energy. However, plenty of employees beg to differ.
A paper published by the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that people tend to be more ill-mannered on Mondays, and grow more polite as the week unfolds. The authors have diagnosed a new condition, Mondayitis, which is defined. as “a systemic illness with collections of symptoms including tiredness, light-headedness, dry mouth and headache”. These symptoms typically appear on the first working day after a period off work, which could be a weekend or a longer holiday. They can lead sufferers to call in sick, decide to work from home or, if they do show up in the office, come across as detached (冷漠的) and unavailable. Mondayitis appears to be infecting other days of the week.
However, the covid-19 pandemic has led many people to re-evaluate their work-life balance. A lawyer in London who spends weekends working on cases likes to ease into the formal workweek with an elegant breakfast in a fancy restaurant. A broader movement is promoting the idea of a four-day work week, one arrangement of which would make Monday part of the weekend. Less ambitiously, and more realistically, asocial-media campaign for “bare-minimum Mondays” argues for a gentle start to the week.
You may have prepared or merely enjoyed a more elaborate meal than a sandwich. You may have gone for a walk in the park or simply lay in bed. Either way, you almost certainly cleared your head. When revived and spirited, you will have a fresh start.
1. What does the underlined part “beg to differ” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Approve. | B．Object. | C．Submit. | D．Complain. |
| A．They are ill-mannered but ready to help others. |
| B．They may suffer from tiredness or light-headedness. |
| C．They tend to infect others with their bad performance. |
| D．They want to come to the office rather than work from home. |
| A．Start to work early. | B．Grab a quick meal. |
| C．Take a walk in the park. | D．Have a tight schedule. |
| A．To tell us ways to tackle Mondayitis. | B．To explain how to gain work-life balance. |
| C．To offer tips on how to keep fit on weekdays. | D．To persuade us not to work too hard on Mondays. |
【推荐3】Educators today are more and more often heard to say that computer literacy is absolutely necessary for college students. Many even argue that each incoming freshman should have his or her own microcomputer. What advantages do computers offer the college students?
Any student who has used a word processor will know one compelling reason to use a computer: to write papers. Although not all students feel comfortable composing on a word processor, most find revising and editing much easier on it. One can alter, insert, or delete just by pressing a few keys, thus eliminating the need to rewrite or re-type. Furthermore, since the revision process is less difficult, students are more likely to revise as often as is necessary to end up with the best paper possible. For these reasons, many freshman English courses require the use of a word processor.
Computers are also useful in the context of language courses, where they are used to drill students in basic skills. Software programs strengthen ESL(English as a Second Language ) instruction, as well as instruction in French, German, Spanish, and other languages. By using these programs on a regular basis, students can improve their skills in a language while proceeding at their own pace.
Science students take advantage of computers in many ways. Using computer graphic capabilities, for example, botany( 植物学） students can represent and analyze different plant growth patterns. Medical students can learn to interpret computerized images of internal body structures. Physics students can complete complex calculations far
more quickly than they could without the use of computer.
Similarly, business and accounting students find that computer spreadsheet programs are all but important to many aspects of their work, while students pursuing careers in graphic arts, marketing, and public relations find that knowledge of computer graphic is important. Education majors learn to develop grading systems using computers, while social science students use computers for analyzing and graphically displacing their research results.
It is no wonder, then, that educators support the purchase and use of microcomputers by students. A useful tool, the computer can help students learn. And that is, after all, the reason for going to college.
1. The word"literacy" (Line 1,Paragraph 1) means _________.| A．the ability to read and write | B．the ability to use |
| C．literature | D．the knowledge of language |
| A．revise papers |
| B．retype papers |
| C．reduce the psychological burden of writing papers |
| D．improve the writing skills of a student |
| A．to learn something | B．to perfect themselves |
| C．to improve computer skills | D．to make the best use of computers |
| A．persuade the educators to increase computer use in their own classroom |
| B．analyze advantages and disadvantages of computer use among college students |
| C．identify some of the ways that computers benefit college students |
| D．describe how computers can be used to teach foreign languages |
