A music concert “Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems” jointly performed by iSING! Suzhou and the Philadelphia Orchestra was staged at Kimmel Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia on Jan. 6.
Another concert featuring Tang poetry was
The iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival
The performances were also held to commemorate(纪念) the
Yangko, a rural Chinese folk dance with a history
Yangko employs drumming, Suona, dancing and singing. Content is based
Chinese singer-songwriter Liu Shuang was on a journey to Beijing when he received a message,
The song
The elderly man lost his wife and he has not remarried, so he often visited the old ballroom and danced alone
Millions of people have been touched by the song and the story behind it.
Once there lived a girl named Melanie. The little girl was living with a dream. She wanted to be a ballet dancer. Her body was very flexible and she had a strong will power. Melanie’s parents never knew of the great dancing skills their daughter had until one day, they saw the little girl dancing with the beautiful steps of a ballerina.
“Isn’t it strange? Melanie is dancing so well without any formal training!” the mother said.
“We must give her ballet lessons to help her improve her skills,” her father said.
The following day, Melanie’s parents took her to a local dance training school. The teacher asked Melanie to dance. The little girl was happy and showed some of her favorite dance steps. However, the teacher didn’t seem interested in her performance.
“That’s OK. You can leave now!”the teacher said.
Melanie was shocked to hear this. So were her parents. They couldn’t believe their ears.
“The girl is common. She does not have the possibility to become a ballerina, ”the dance teacher said. “Don’t let her waste her time dreaming of becoming a dancer.”
Disappointed, Melanie and her parents returned home. Tears rolled down Melanie’s face. Her dreams were broken within a matter of minutes. Without confidence, Melanie never attempted to dance again. She completed her studies and went on to become a teacher in school.Life was good and she kept herself busy with family and work. However, whenever she happened to pass the school’s ballet room, memories of childhood dreams danced before her eyes.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
One day, the ballet teacher in her school was late.
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“What a performance, Melanie! You are a true ballerina!” said the ballet teacher entering the classroom.
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As a single mother, I’ve never doubted my daughter Jane’s dream to be a singer on the stage. At an early age, she was crazy about singing. Whenever she had a chance, she would sing to her heart’s content. Her sweet and charming voice tended to get people around attracted to her songs.
Living in a small city, I took several odd jobs, determined to do everything in my power to support her. Soon after Jane attended school, her music teacher Mary noticed her talent by chance and volunteered to give her some guidance on how to sing. Jane practiced so hard that before long she made great progress in singing.
Unfortunately, one noon a year later, Jane was crossing the street when a careless driver knocked her down. She was rushed to hospital. When I hurried there, the doctor told me that my daughter would probably not stand on her own feet. I froze with shock, feeling as if I had been thrown into a dark world. Weak and dizzy, I was about to fall to the ground when someone took hold of me.
It was Mary, who got the news and raced here. She comforted me, saying firmly, “Grace, Jane needs you. You must stay calm and strong.” I nodded. Having calmed down, I entered the ward with Mary.
That night, Jane recovered her consciousness (知觉) and opened her eyes. Holding her hand, I said, “My dear, everything would be fine.” Mary comforted her gently, “I know you are a strong girl, Jane. Don’t worry. We’ll be standing by you.” I was heartbroken to see tears streaming down Jane’s cheeks.
After two months, we returned home from hospital. Her teachers and friends frequently visited her. Jane eventually accepted the fact that she would have to get around in a wheelchair. Never did she refer to the subject of singing again. I knew she was a nice and understanding girl, who was afraid that talking about her original dream would upset the two of us.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
One day, however, Mary came with good news.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the host announced it was Jane’s turn, she was wheeled onto the stage.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . The Steinhardt School’s program in vocal (声音的) performance offers music-based training for a career in music theatre performance. Our curriculum is designed for the serious young musicians who are seeking a program that fully combines the study of voice with the study of acting.
The course content
In addition to voice, acting and dance as well as courses in music theatre history, our program’s music theatre specialization training takes place through an intensive series of music theatre workshops.
The performance opportunities
Besides the work in classrooms and studios, the program offers performance opportunities in fully-staged productions under the guidance of professional directors, conductors, musical directors, and designers. Our guest artists are drawn from New York’s community of professional artists who count Broadway, regional theatre and national tours among their credit. Undergraduate and graduate students also benefit from the extraordinary opportunities available through the diverse offerings of a major university in the cultural capital of the world, New York City.
The graduation
Students specializing in music theatre make their public appearance in their final term as they are presented to New York’s agents, casting directors, directors and producers in their graduation showcase designed to evaluate the work of each student and help them make their first professional contacts in the industry.
The contact details
Telephone: 217-998-5156, 217-998-5157
Undergraduate Inquiries: Professor Dianna Heldman
Graduate Inquiries: Dr. Ana Flavia Zuim
1. Who is the program intended for?| A．University teachers. |
| B．Famous singers. |
| C．Musical students. |
| D．Professional directors. |
| A．Put on a show. |
| B．Evaluate their work. |
| C．Meet a producer. |
| D．Change their appearance. |
| A．Fashion. |
| B．Education. |
| C．Economy. |
| D．Technology. |
7 . We are born to dance. Dancing changes the way we feel and think, and increases self-worth.
As a dance psychologist and teacher, I have witnessed the ways dancing has changed the lives of hundreds of people. Then I set up the Dance Psychology Lab so that I could combine my knowledge in psychology with dance, using science to study the relationship between movement and the brain. What I found was extraordinary: people with Parkinson's disease（帕金森病）and dementia（痴呆）getting a new chance to live longer；an increase in the self-worth of teenagers；reductions in sadness and anxiety in adults；increases in social bonding between people；and fundamental changes in the way people think and solve problems. All because of dancing.
Dancing stimulates the link between the body and the brain. The emotional high we get from dancing is due to dopamine（多巴胺）.This brain chemical plays a role in how we feel, and low levels are associated with feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, pain and mood swings. Dancing is a great way to overcome these negative feelings because the exercise and our emotional responses to the music we're hearing can increase the release of dopamine in different parts of the brain. As dopamine levels go up, we can shake off some of those negative feelings and float into an excited state.
Scientists suggest that the best time to learn a dance routine is before you go to sleep. This is because the brain builds new knowledge structures while we sleep, and it is these structures that strengthen our ability to learn and remember information.
In our lab experiments, we found that people who did 20 minutes of improvised（即兴的）dancing became more creative when answering creative-thinking tasks. For example, before dancing, participants could generate about four or five alternative uses for a common object such as a brick or a newspaper, but after dancing they could generate seven or eight.
1. Why does the author build the Dance Psychology Lab?| A．To change how people think and feel. | B．To help people increase their self-worth. |
| C．To find out different social relationships. | D．To study how dancing influences the brain. |
| A．Dopamine levels go up. | B．Their intelligence is raised. |
| C．Sleep quality is improved. | D．Parkinson's disease and dementia are cured. |
| A．In the morning. | B．Before sleeping. |
| C．While working. | D．In the evening. |
| A．Dancing helps with our creativity. |
| B．Dancing creates more activities. |
| C．Dancing attracts more participants. |
| D．Dancing inspires us to use more objects. |
8 . For over a decade, Zubin Kanga, a pianist, composer and technologist, has changed the limits of the forms of musical performances. He has both organized and performed shows that have pushed barriers, with motion sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), live-generated 3D visuals and virtual reality among the technological advancements used to unlock new possibilities of music and performances.
Kanga’s approach to employing cutting-edge technology was first informed by the relative limitations of his chosen instrument. “The piano is a very accurate technology,” he says. “From the early 20th century till now it hasn’t really changed at all. It’s an amazing instrument, but it does have certain limitations in terms of the types of sound you can create.”
One of the early works is Steel on Bone, composed by Kanga himself. He performs the piece using MiMU multi-sensor gloves. “I can put up one finger, and that’ll produce a particular sound,” Kanga explains. “And then I can control that sound just by moving my wrist through the air — I can do that with lots of different gestures.”
“For Steel on Bone, I’m actually playing inside the piano with these steel knitting (编织) needles, and getting all these interesting effects on the strings. Then I’m using samples of them. Sometimes I’m using live delays and operating them. The sound can change depending on how my hands are moving. It allows me to make a very theatrical piece, and people can see this immediate connection between how I’m moving — these very big, almost conductor-like gestures through the air — and the way the sound is changing,” said Kanga.
This is just the start, and Kanga goes on to be enthused with the use of motion sensors to make music, the possibilities that AI offers composers as a tool, and how virtual reality could transform performances and more.
1. What do technological advancements do for music and performances?| A．Remove music barriers. |
| B．Bring new performance forms. |
| C．Popularize musical performances. |
| D．Make performances professional. |
| A．To indicate its stability. |
| B．To prove its rare accuracy. |
| C．To show it has a long history. |
| D．To clarify why he uses technology. |
| A．By moving his hands in the air. | B．By pressing the piano keys. |
| C．By beating the steel knitting needles. | D．By making very small gestures. |
| A．Technology: When It Replaces Music |
| B．Virtual Reality: Future of Performances |
| C．Zubin Kanga: When Music Meets Technology |
| D．AI Music: From Composing to Performing |
9 . Music is present in any part of the world, and it is appreciated and felt everywhere. Without its presence, life could be boring. Studies show that music is good for your body and mind.
Music can increase pain management. Listening to music can help increase your pain tolerance (耐痛性).
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●Music can reduce anxiety and depression
●Music can improve self-expression and communication. Self-expression and communication are an important part of the human experience, especially when it comes to basic emotional and mental health needs.
| A．Music can improve heart health. |
| B．Music can increase your heartbeat rate. |
| C．Here are some benefits of music treatment. |
| D．They are two common pains in your daily life. |
| E．It has been proved to be helpful for anxious and depressed people. |
| F．Listening to music can also help decrease the strength of your pains. |
| G．For kids weak in both areas, music treatment can help develop their relative skills. |
10 . Throughout all the events in my life, one in particular sticks out more than the others. As I reflect on this significant event, a smile spreads across my face. As I think of Shanda, I feel loved and grateful.
It was my twelfth year of dancing, I thought it would end up like any other year: stuck in emptiness, forgotten and without the belief of any teacher or friend that I really had the potential to achieve greatness.
However, I met Shanda, a young, talented choreographer (编舞者). She influenced me to work to the best of my ability, pushed me to keep going when I wanted to give up, encouraged me and showed me the real importance of dancing. Throughout our hard work, not only did my ability to dance grow, but my friendship with Shanda grew as well.
With the end of the year came our show time. As I walked to a backstage filled with other dancers, I hoped for a good performance that would prove my improvement. I waited anxiously for my turn. Finally, after what seemed like days, the loudspeaker announced my name. Butterflies filled my stomach as I took trembling steps onto the big lighted stage. But, with the determination to succeed and eagerness to live up to Shanda, expectations for me, I began to dance. All my troubles and nerves went away as I danced my whole heart out.
As I walked up to the judge to receive my first place shining, gold trophy (奖杯), I realized that dance is not about becoming the best. It was about loving dance for dance itself, a getaway from all my problems in the world. Shanda showed me that you could let everything go and just dance what you feel at that moment, After all the doubts that people had in me, I believed in myself and did not care what others thought. Thanks to Shanda, dance became more than a love of mine, but a passion.
1. What did the author think her dancing would be for the twelfth year?| A．A change for the better. | B．A disappointment as before. |
| C．A proof of her potential. | D．A pride of her teachers and friends. |
| A．By offering her financial help. | B．By entering her in a competition. |
| C．By coaching her for longer hours. | D．By awakening her passion for dancing. |
| A．Proud. | B．Nervous. | C．Scared. | D．Relieved. |
| A．Success lies in patience. | B．Fame is a great thirst of the young. |
| C．A good teacher matters. | D．A youth is to be treated with respect. |
