1 . Isadora Duncan is considered by many to be the progenitor of modern dance. To Duncan, classical ballet, with its strict rules of posture and formation, was “ugly and against nature”. She refused to accept traditional ballet steps, preferring to emphasize improvisation(即兴创作), emotion, and the human form. She said, “I spent long days and nights in the studio seeking that dance which might be the expression of the human spirit through the body’s movements.” By making connections between human emotion and the movements of dance, Duncan hoped to make dance a form of high art rather than simple entertainment. She developed free and natural movements inspired by the classical Greek arts, folk dances, social dances and natural forces. She drew on a number of sports moves, including skipping, running, jumping, leaping, and tossing. The athleticism and classical roots of her style are reflected in her innovative costume choice of a Grecian tunic(束腰外衣) and bare feet, which allowed for a physical freedom that could not be achieved in the traditional ballet costumes and pointed shoes that limited dancers. With time, she gained a very wide following and set up several schools in Europe and the United States.
Duncan’s fame, however, did not bring her wealth. In the later years of her life, her financial situation worsened, and finally she had to live in apartments rented by friends and supporters. Duncan also received criticism for some of her personal opinions.
In spite of the problems, Duncan is remembered today for her artistic achievements: the creation of modern dance and its high place among the arts. While Duncan’s own schools no longer exist, her style of dance continues to be practiced. Her life inspired novels, ballets, and films, and her likeness was included in the sculpture created by Antoine Bourdelle over the entrance of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
1. What does the underlined word “progenitor” Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Sponsor. | B．Originator. | C．Instructor. | D．Competitor. |
| A．It allowed dancers to move naturally and freely. |
| B．It included newly designed pointed shoes. |
| C．It was white and extremely simple. |
| D．It was introduced from Greece. |
| A．To explore the connection between art and wealth. |
| B．To characterize Duncan as a dishonorable person. |
| C．To prove Duncan was adored by friends and relatives. |
| D．To show Duncan lived a hard life in her declining years. |
| A．Her inspiration for artists. | B．The invention of a new-form dance. |
| C．Her special personal views. | D．The foundation of many dance schools. |
2 . Uygur musician, Sanubar will give two concerts in Beijing and Shanghai on Jan. 13 and 14, featuring songs with dutar — a traditional folk instrument, which her father loved playing at home. “The instrument was hanging on the wall at my home and my father often played it for fun. My mother always sang along and we danced together,” recalls Sanubar, who was born into a Uygur family in Xinjiang. When her father died, Sanubar, who was 8 years old, composed her first song to honor him.
One of the songs she will perform is White Horse, adapted from an old Xinjiang folk song and telling a love story. “I get inspired by poems. Poems are as rhythmic as music. So when I read a beautiful poem, I easily connect it with its sounds, which allows me to turn the poem into a song,” says Sanubar. Some other songs are selected from the Xinjiang Uygur Muqam recorded on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 by UNESCO, which includes songs, dances, folk and classical music.
Sanubar learned to play dutar at Xinjiang Arts University and, after graduation, she joined the Xinjiang Art Theater Muqam Art Troupe. From 2003 to 2005, she came to Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music to study music production. In 2010, at the age of 39, Sanubar enrolled in the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she spent four years learning to compose and got her Bachelor’s degree.
So far, Sanubar has written over 100 songs and released about 10 albums. She teaches dutar at an art school in the regional capital Urumqi. Sanubar and other folk musicians sang and danced with smiling faces. “I notice that many young people in Xinjiang are learning traditional instruments and singing old songs, which makes me very happy.” says Sanubar.
1. What originally inspired Sanubar’s music career?| A．The rhythm of poems. | B．The impact of her father. |
| C．The honor of her first song. | D．The company of her mother. |
| A．She promoted the beauty of traditional folk art. | B．She wrote many beautiful poems from old songs. |
| C．She gained reputation both at home and abroad. | D．She helped complete the Xinjiang Uygur Muqam. |
| A．Sanubar’s main achievements. | B．Sanubar’s learning experiences. |
| C．The composition of folk songs. | D．The preservation of local music. |
| A．Intelligent and sensitive. | B．Elegant and reliable. |
| C．Energetic and productive. | D．Motivated and cautious. |
3 . Top Piano Players in the World
Martha ArgerichMartha Argerich could be considered the next Beethoven, as she is one of the most outstanding pianists ever to play. Argerich preferred being on stage with others instead of performing solo; therefore, she has been performing in a concerto format since the 1980s. Argerich was not one for the spotlight, as she often avoided public appearances such as interviews; however, her great talent was all the publicity she needed, standing out during concertos and sonatas.
Leif Ove AndsnesKnown for his appealing performances of Edvard Grieg’s works, Andsnes has won praise for his performances at some of the world’s most famous concert halls. Andsnes has certainly made his mark in Norway, as he is the founding director of Norway’s Rosendal Chamber Music Festival. Because of his unique voice and interesting approach, he was praised by The New York Times as a “pianist of authoritative elegance, power, and insight.”
Alfred BrendelKnown for his beautiful interpretations of Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert and Mozart, Alfred Brendel was considered one of the greats. He played in various concertos throughout his career and became known for his interpretive coldness in recreating these works. Brendel was considered one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, as he made his mark in the classical music industry. Brendel was self-taught and learned his love of piano at an early age.
Arthur RubinsteinArthur Rubinstein was certainly one of the greats. His career began in the early 20th century when he began to come into contact with some of the world’s most important composers, such as Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and Jacques Thibaud. He made various trips worldwide and visited nearly every continent, where crowds met him with great praise and encouragement.
1. What does the female pianist focus on in her career?| A．Skills in hosting concertos and sonatas. | B．Cooperation with other musicians. |
| C．Close relationships with the media. | D．Unique ways to interpret music. |
| A．Martha Argerich. | B．Leif Ove Andsnes. |
| C．Alfred Brendel. | D．Arthur Rubinstein. |
| A．He was the director of a Norwegian festival. |
| B．He made a difference in classical music. |
| C．He was the best musician of the 20th century. |
| D．He got in touch with some famous composers. |
4 . Louis Wain’s Cute Cats
Louis Wain was one of the most popular illustrators (插画师) in the history of England. Born in 1860, Wain was well-known for his anthropomorphic (拟人化的) pictures of cats and his work helped to upraise the profile and popularity of our feline (猫科的) friends to extraordinary heights. Before Wain, cats in England were often thought of without respect but his work humanised them and helped to show them as something to be liked, admired and even loved. “He made the cat his own,” H. G. Wells once remarked. “He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world.”
In his early years, Wain aimed at becoming a press artist. He specialised in drawing animals and country scenes and had work published in several journals including the popular Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. It wasn’t until 1884, when Wain was twenty-four, that he sold his first drawing of a cat to The Illustrated London News. Two years after this he got his first real taste of success when he was appointed to illustrate a children’s book. His illustrations seem a lot more traditional when compared to his later work. Yet even in these early examples, we can see signs of his ability to give a cat a personality and a playful nature.
Despite the happiness seen throughout his work, the tale of Wain’s interest in cats is sadly a heartbreaking one. In 1883, Wain married Emily Richardson. Not long after the couple married, Emily became unwell. Over the course of her illness, Wain drew their cat as a way to keep her spirits up. There must have been even more reason for joy when a few months later Wain was appointed again by The Illustrated London News to draw more illustrations based on their cat. His work, A Kitten’s Christmas Party was hugely popular and a great success. It set Wain on the road to artistic greatness and wealth but sadly he was unable to enjoy this achievement as a few months later Emily passed away.
The loss of his wife had a huge impact on Wain and he became increasingly more inward-looking. As his success went from strength to strength, he continued to struggle with anxiety and depression, and despite his professional accomplishments, his personal life was never quite the same again.
1. What did people in England think of cats in early times?| A．They thought cats were respectful. | B．They saw cats as their great friends. |
| C．They thought cats were like humans. | D．They regarded cats as negative creatures. |
| A．He created persons like cats. |
| B．He achieved his first success at the age of 26. |
| C．He had always dreamt of being a cat illustrator. |
| D．He drew animals and country scenes for The Illustrated London News. |
| A．She made Wain earn a lot of money. |
| B．Her death changed Wain’s mental state. |
| C．She married Wain because she liked his illustrations. |
| D．She became unwell after A Kitten’s Christmas Party was released. |
| A．Ability | B．fortune | C．emotion | D．personality |
5 . Charlie Watts of the British music group the Rolling Stones died on Tuesday at a hospital in London. Watts played the drums for the very successful band for almost sixty years. His publicist, Bernard Doherty, said the musician “passed away peacefully” surrounded by his family.
Watts was respected worldwide for his muscular style of drumming, which he combined with elements of jazz, a favorite music of the artist. He joined the band early in 1963, just a few months following its first public performance.
To the world, he was a rock star. But Watts often said that the experience was tiring, unpleasant, and even frightening. “Girls chasing you down the street, screaming... horrible!... I hated it,” he told The Guardian newspaper. In another media report, he described the drumming life as a “cross between being an athlete and a total nervous wreck (神经兮兮的人)”.
Charlie Watts was born in London on June 2, 1941. From childhood, he was crazy about music-jazz, especially. He fell in love with the drums after hearing the music of Chico Hamilton. Watts was not a rock music fan at first. He shared a home with the Stones’ leaders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards because he did not have to pay for the housing. “Keith Richards taught me rock and roll,” Watts said. “We’d have nothing to do all day, and we’d play these records over and over again.”
The Stones had searched for months to find a permanent drummer. Richards has spoken about how much the band wanted Watts to join. The guitar player said the band members cut down on expenses so they could pay Watts a good wage. Watts said he believed at first the band would be lucky to last a year. “Every band I’d ever been in had lasted a week,” he said. “I always thought the Stones would last a week, then a fortnight, and then suddenly, it’s 30 years.”
1. What does the underlined word “muscular” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Aggressive. | B．Complex. | C．Fashionable. | D．Powerful. |
| A．He enjoyed the fame and attention. |
| B．He had a strong dislike for fans and music. |
| C．He found the experience exhausting and intolerable. |
| D．He considered himself lucky to be a part of the band. |
| A．To save accommodation costs. |
| B．To practice playing the guitar. |
| C．To learn rock and composition. |
| D．To be the drummer of the band. |
| A．Watts was unwilling to join the band for low wages. |
| B．The band’s success depended on a talented drummer. |
| C．A band usually lasted for a few months in those days. |
| D．The band’s popularity was beyond Watts’ expectations. |
6 . Do you have a hobby that you have loved for a long time? Carlos Santana does! Carlos Santana has loved music from a young age. Music has been his passion. At age 5, he started playing the violin. At age 8, he began playing the guitar. Santana worked hard to develop his musical talent, especially on the guitar. He became one of the most famous Mexican American musicians in history.
Santana grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, playing music in many bands. Even though his family moved to San Francisco in the 1960s, he visited Mexico often. He was inspired by Mexican blues music as well as American rock music. He combined many different types of music to create a unique style.
He got his big break in 1969 at the Woodstock music festival.Woodstock was a huge music festival that around 400,000 people attended. Many people did not know who Santana was before his performance. But they knew who he was after it! Many people said Santana was one of the highlights of the three-day festival. They said his guitar playing was incredible! It was full of passion and soul.
Santana and his band began producing hit after hit, including “Oye Como Va” and “Evil Ways”. The band’s songs show off a unique musical style, combining Latin and rock rhythms. Santana has won 10 Grammy Awards throughout his career. He has had or contributed to many great songs and impressive performances.
Carlos Santana wanted children to have the opportunity to discover their passions, like he did. He and his family created the Milagro Foundation, which helps children succeed by giving money to the arts, education, and health. Today, Carlo s Santana continues sharing his musical talent with people all over the United States and beyond.
1. Carlos Santana’s career began to take off after __________.| A．his family moved to San Francisco | B．the Woodstock music festival |
| C．he started to play the violin | D．he began playing the guitar |
| A．The band’s songs became very popular. |
| B．The band went through a lot of failures. |
| C．It took the band much time to produce songs. |
| D．The band’s performances were different from others. |
| A．To support children to succeed in education. |
| B．To help children explore their hobbies. |
| C．To share his musical talent with others. |
| D．To raise money for organizing music festivals. |
| A．Music: A Lifelong and Important Hobby |
| B．The Unique Musical Journey of a Guitar Legend |
| C．The Rise of Mexican American Music Talents |
| D．Milagro Foundation: Inspiring the Next Generation |
7 . Sakamoto Ryuichi, who died on March 28 after a long battle with cancer, once described his musical method thus: “I open my ears to the world.” But what Mr. Srakamoto heard, few others could. As a member of the Japanese techno-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra, he helped pioneer modern electronic music. As a composer, he brought the work of directors such as Bernardo Bertolucci to life. His passing brought about mourning from the whole music world.
Mr. Sakamoto was born in Tokyo in 1952 and took to music early. He graduated from one of Tokyo’s top colleges of music, where he studied Western classical music, and explored an interest in the traditional music of Japan’s Okinawa as well as in that of India and Africa. Early in his career, Mr. Sakamoto trained his ears on the sound of technology. Yellow Magic Orchestra, a group he formed in 1978,used synthesisers(合成器)in instrumental songs intended for dancing - a novel combination at the time. “Errors or noises absorb me and I wonder if new musical currents could come from this imperfection,” Mr. Sakamoto said. That was exactly what happened: Mr. Sakamoto’s music helped inspire what would later become techno and hip-hop. Then he turned towards the sound of nature. He listened to the wind blowing, the water dropping, the rocks moving and the leaves falling, which he introduced into his music.
Unusually for a Japanese musician, Mr. Sakamoto used his fame to speak out on social and political issues, including environmental preservation and nuclear(原子核的)power. In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami rocked northeast Japan and set off a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. In the wake of the disaster, Mr. Sakamoto travelled often to the region to support local residents.
In 2014, the cancer shook Mr. Sakamoto’s life. But even that could not weaken his longing to hear more. In the next few years, he composed the score for “The Revenant”, and produced a film about sound called “Coda”.
1. What’s paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The style of Sakamoto Ryuichi’s music. |
| B．Sakamoto Ryuichi’s comments on music. |
| C．Sakamoto Ryuichi’s contributions to music. |
| D．The influence of Sakamoto Ryuichi’s music. |
| A．He liked nature scenery. |
| B．He got inspired from noises. |
| C．He created techno and hip-hop. |
| D．He became interested in music at college. |
| A．Intelligent and frank. | B．Talented and caring. |
| C．Generous and enthusiastic. | D．Determined and humorous. |
| A．A musician: making sounds into music |
| B．Sounds of nature: sources of music composition |
| C．Yellow Magic Orchestra: memories of generations |
| D．Sakamoto Ryuichi: speaking out for the common people |
8 . Born in 1887 in a Russian-Jewish town, Chagall started painting at the age of 19. Disappointed with the colors of traditional Russian art, he loved to paint with strong blues, reds and yellows.
So in 1911, he moved to Paris, France, where artists from around the world were creating novel art forms and he acquired fresh ways of painting eagerly. He stayed true to his childhood memories. While others chose modern subjects, he painted scenes of fantasy based on an older, farmer-like way of life. Blue dogs, yellow skies and red trees were all creations of his imagination.
Chagall went through two world wars and personal sufferings. In 1941, because his family were Jewish, the Chagalls had to leave France to escape the Nazis during World War Ⅱ. In 1944 came another blow. Chagall’s beloved wife Bella died of an illness. Despite the hardships, his passion for painting never faded. In the 1950s, he returned to France and continued to make his dreamlike paintings.
One day, during a walk in a village, he discovered a 700-year-old church (教堂), where he saw a stained-glass (彩色玻璃) window that contained a green horse. It looked as if Chagall might have created it himself. Here was a sure sign, he thought, that he should create his own stained-glass windows.
Then Chagall devoted all his energy and time to the work. As we know, many stained-glass windows are made of flat colors, but Chagall used various techniques to create the effects he wanted. He made flexible use of bright colors, putting light into the works. He painted images on glass, then had them fired to high temperatures, making the lines and colors part of the glass.
Chagall created the stained-glass windows for churches and other buildings around the world until his death in 1985. He gave them as gifts to the world and often refused payment. Today, people are still amazed at how his stained-glass creations shine and change with the sun.
1. Why did Chagall choose to go to Paris?| A．To learn new painting skills. | B．To publicize his new ideas about art. |
| C．To experience the colorful local life. | D．To participate in modern art exhibitions. |
| A．Desire to let in more sunlight. | B．Intention to improve the quality of glass. |
| C．Encouragement from some famous artists. | D．Inspiration from an ancient church window. |
| A．Chagall’s working attitude. | B．The images Chagall created. |
| C．Chagall’s artistic experiences. | D．The features of Chagall’s works. |
| A．Imaginative and honest. | B．Generous and easy-going. |
| C．Creative and strong-willed. | D．Energetic and traditional. |
9 . Ask an art historian about 15th-century Italian art and they’ll probably bring up Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper or the early career works of Michelangelo. Meanwhile, assessments of the Florentine sculptor Donatello often pale in comparison with praise of his superstar contemporaries. Donatello deserves better, argues an ambitious new exhibition. On view through July 31 at two museums in Florence, Italy, “Donatello: The Renaissance” tries to place the sculptor at the center of the era, writes reporter Elisabetta Povoledo for The NewYork Times.
“This is an extremely unusual exhibit, since Donatello is a father of the Renaissance,” Donatello scholar Francesco Caglioti tells The Times. Arturo Galansino, director of the Palazzo Strozzi, takes the argument one step further, telling The Wall Street Journal’s J. S. Marcus that the exhibition identifies Donatello as “the inventor of the Renaissance.”
Donatello’s masterpieces we repaired with works by Filippo Brunelleschi, Giovanni Bellini, Michelangelo and Raphael to showcase his significant impact on generations of Italian artists. “Some exhibitions are once in a lifetime, but this show is the first time in history,” said Galansino earlier this month.
While some people think of Michelangelo’s marble (大理石) David (1501―1504) as an incomparable work, Donatello actually sculpted one of the statue’s key inspirations: a bronze (青铜) David. Created between 1435 and 1450, likely for the Medici family, the sculpture was conceived (构思) independently of any architectural surroundings. Scholars, therefore, consider Donatello’s David the first of such a style in Renaissance history.
Besides, Donatello’s Madonna influenced similar works by Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Just as Donatello has been relatively overlooked in favor of his contemporaries, Gentileschi and a handful of other Renaissance women artists are just starting to get their due—a trend evidenced by a recent exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
“Donatello: The Renaissanc” follows the artist’s life and work, moving through his early years in his native city and a long-term residency in Padua. By the end of his life, Donatello’s work was primarily financed by the powerful Medici family.
1. What does the new exhibition intend to do?| A．Restress Leonardo da Vinci’s achievements. |
| B．Retell the stories of artists in the Renaissance. |
| C．Rediscover Italian art in the contemporary context. |
| D．Rethink the key role Donatello played in his time. |
| A．It is historically significant. | B．It is more comprehensive than others. |
| C．It has met with lots of criticism. | D．It has presented a completely new art form. |
| A．It disappointed the Medici family. | B．It was a copy of the marble David |
| C．It was created two hundred years ago. | D．It inspired Michelangelo to some extent. |
| A．Fall into disfavor. | B．Receive recognition. |
| C．Reshape their styles. | D．Suffer discrimination. |
10 . This was going to be a year of great jazz centennials (百年纪念) for 1920 marked the birth of several jazz musicians who either changed the course of the music or deeply enriched it. So let’s raise a glass to some of them:
Charlie Parker(August 29, 1920-March 12, 1955)
Of all the jazz languages that coursed through the 20th century, no one did more than Parker, for he developed complex improvisational methods that transformed the way musicians understand harmony and dissonance. The fact that Parker also happened to be a most influential saxophone player broadened the scope of his achievements.
Dave Brubeck (December 6, 1920-December 5, 2012)
Early in his long career, pianist-composer Brubeck was laughed at by some jazz lovers. How could a musician so popular among the masses possibly have anything to offer those who considered themselves “masters”? The joke was on them, of course, as Brubeck’s music was filled with new ideas in rhythm, embracing elements of Western classical music. No one played the piano quite the way Brubeck did.
Clark Terry(December 14, 1920-February 21, 2015)
Some musicians are at least as important for the influence they have on others as for the music they create themselves. Trumpet masters such as Miles Davis have credited Terry for having encouraged them in the earliest days of their careers. Terry’s work on trumpet affected those trumpeters and uncounted others.
Peggy Lee(May 26, 1920-January 21, 2002)
Singer-songwriter Lee proved that a vocalist needn’t shout to be heard around the world. Her soft vocals delighted jazz devotees and brought the music to huge audiences across the decades, thanks to hit recordings such as “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?” There were no vocal skills involved. Instead, Lee taught the jazz world the beauty of saying everything with a few well-chosen notes.
1. Who changed the way musicians understand harmony and dissonance?| A．Charlie Parker. | B．Dave Brubeck. | C．Clark Terry. | D．Peggy Lee. |
| A．He played music for a longer time. | B．They didn’t recognize his excellence. |
| C．He played the piano in a traditional way. | D．They had nothing to learn from him. |
| A．Her unique piano playing. | B．Her great influence on others. |
| C．Her beautiful singing voice. | D．Her mixture of western music. |
