3 . Music is a language which speaks to everyone—from the day we are born we hear music of some kind of our lives. But there are as many different kinds of music as there are different languages, and it is impossible to describe them all. Here are just a few well-known types.
Classical music is serious Western European music from the Middle Ages to the present (1500 to today) and it is often written for a large orchestra, or for a small group of players. Many instruments can be used. A lot of classical music is also written to be sung as opera. Classical music is very popular and schools often teach this type of music.
Jazz developed in the Southern States of North America at the beginning of this century. The black people of these states, who were originally slaves from Africa, had their own rhythms. Jazz brought classical music and African rhythms together.
Blues was originally black country music from the Southern States at the beginning of this century. It is slow, usually sad music which is often sung by one person with a guitar.
Rhythm and Blues(R&B) developed from the Blues in America in the 1940s. It became faster and more complex and used more instruments, eg. Saxophone, guitar, piano, drums. The music was often about city life and white musicians started playing it as well.
Musicians developed Rock and Roll from Rhythm and Blues in the 1950s and it became popular with young people. It spread to Europe in the 1960s and is now known in most countries. A lot of pop music comes from Rock and Roll.
Pop music developed from Rock and Roll in America, Britain and Europe in the 1960s and is now in every country. The name is used for most commercial music, which we can buy on records and hear on “pop radio”. It is usually played by groups who often use electronic instruments and make videos to go with their records.
1. A classical piece of music which is sung in a theater is called ________.
| A．opera | B．jazz | C．Blues | D．Rock and Roll |
2. Pop musicians often make ________ to go with their records.
| A．films | B．tapes | C．videos | D．radios |
3. ________ started in the Southern States of North America.
| A．Rhythm and Blues | B．Jazz and Blues |
| C．Rock and Roll | D．Pop music |
4. Rock and Roll became popular with ________ in the 1950s.
| A．the young | B．the old | C．the middle-aged | D．teenagers |
5. The passage is mainly about ________.
| A．that music is an international language | B．how music is spread around the world |
| C．a few different kinds of music and their history | D．how jazz was developed in America |
