1 . Hip hop is a subculture and an art movement that emerged (出现) from the Bronx in New York City during the early 1970s. Its development reflected the negative effects of post-industrial decline, political discourse, and a rapidly changing economy.

Looking back to New York City during this era, we see an economic collapse. The city’s economy was falling apart due to the decline of the manufacturing industry. Much of the middle class moved to the suburbs to escape the social and economic challenges.

Consequently, businesses closed their doors, causing many economic opportunities and sources of entertainment to disappear. As a result, urban youth turned to the streets for recreation and self-expression. The abandoned buildings and parking lots set the stage for block parties. These block parties laid the groundwork for early hip hop culture. DJs and MCs brought the music by setting up mobile “Sound Systems” introduced by Jamaican culture. Sheets of cardboard became dance floors for break-dancers, and brick walls transformed into canvases for graffiti. The emerging hip hop culture also became an outlet to deal with despair, abandonment and even violence.

Several people were influential in creating hip hop. Among the most famous ones is DJ Kool Herc, the “founding father of hip hop.” The Jamaican American made history in 1973 when he and his sister hosted the “Back to School” party in their apartment building. This historical party is recognized for launching the hip hop movement. Herc was also famous for creating a DJ technique called “break beat”-a mixing practice he adapted from Jamaican music. He noticed that people often waited for drum breaks of a record to dance. This took place when every instrument stopped playing except for the drums. Then the DJ would use two turntables (唱机转盘) to switch back and forth between two copies of the same record. The break section was also the most anticipated part of a song where people danced the most.

The DJ kept growing in popularity throughout the 1970s. He moved on to larger parks, played in clubs and inspired other DJs who helped this type of dance music to develop.

1. Why did hip hop culture emerge in the Bronx during the early 1970s?

A．Because of the economic downturn and social circumstances.

B．Because of the post-industrial economy and cultural diversity.

C．Because of the popularity of Jamaican music and dance culture.

D．Because of young people’ need for new forms of entertainment.

2. What was the foundation for hip hop culture in the beginning?

A．Economic challenges.	B．Jamaican music.
C．Community gatherings.	D．Despair and violence.

3. What does the underlined word “outlet” in paragraph 3 probably refer to?

A．A place to seek entertainment.

B．A movement for social changes.

C．A campaign for commercial purposes.

D．A channel to release negative emotions.

4. What can be known about DJ Kool Herc?

A．“Back to School” was the first party held by him.

B．He helped spread hip-hop culture by giving concerts.

C．He was well-known for the “break beat” dancing skill.

D．He was highly thought of as a pioneer of hip-hop culture.

2 . I had a lovely beautiful strange aunt named Margita. She always wore colorful clothing and had a colorful _________ to match. She graduated from The Juilliard School of Music in Manhattan, having studied _________ opera singing. She went on to teach voice at Juilliard and later _________ the world as a member of the Manhattan Opera company.

When I was young, she surprised me with an outing to see the _________ Mary Poppins. We were seated in the front row. Toward the end of the movie, the lead actor sang a cheerful song with _________, “Let’s go fly a kite, up where the air is light...”

After the first refrain(副歌), a background chorus in the movie joined in singing. _________ at this moment, my aunt popped out of her seat, turned and _________ the audience. I instantly slipped down in my seat, unsure of what was happening. Then in perfect _________, she sang along with the chorus loudly in her Julliard trained operatic voice. As she _________ her arms wide open, she graciously shared her gift with all the moviegoers. She __________ and powerfully sang the entire song with the chorus, as though she had been personally __________ to do so.

When the song was finished, the entire audience stood up and gave her a thunderous __________! I slowly slid back up in my seat and cautiously looked around me. My little self was absolutely __________ by her magnificent voice and the crowd’s cheerful response. I instantly __________ from being slightly __________ to feeling immensely proud of her. It was a wonderful surprise, a gift that life sometimes hands us.

1.

A．language

B．personality

C．mask

D．activity

2.

A．professional

B．new

C．attractive

D．practical

3.

A．saw

B．created

C．respected

D．toured

4.

A．friend

B．program

C．movie

D．interview

5.

A．melodies

B．lyrics

C．quotes

D．comments

6.

A．Barely

B．Hopefully

C．Consequently

D．Precisely

7.

A．faced

B．embraced

C．cursed

D．gathered

8.

A．amusement

B．attachment

C．harmony

D．honesty

9.

A．raised

B．held

C．cut

D．broke

10.

A．necessarily

B．publicly

C．unbearably

D．confidently

11.

A．forbidden

B．pushed

C．invited

D．urged

12.

A．praise

B．applause

C．noise

D．name

13.

A．reminded

B．amazed

C．annoyed

D．informed

14.

A．dissolved

B．failed

C．moved

D．shifted

15.

A．embarrassed

B．relaxed

C．unconscious

D．distant

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tai Hang, a modern-looking neighborhood in Hong Kong, is home to the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance,a folk art form that    1    (perform)during the Mid-Autumn Festival for over 100 years.    2    started as a way to rid this fishing village of bad luck has become a cultural treasure.

The dragon is about 70 meters long and weighs more than 200 pounds,with its body     3     (wrap) with pearl grass.More than 70,000 incense sticks(香柱)are lit and strung along the dragon’s back and head to make the“fire”of the fire dragon.At the festival,hundreds of people work    4    turn to parade the burning dragon through the streets of Tai Hang.The     5    (strong)man among the group has    6    honor of supporting the 30-kilogram head. Dozens of performers    7    (move)the dragon smoothly up and down through the air attract rounds of cheers and    8    (applaud)from surrounding crowds.

The inheritors of the dragon dance have set up workshops to demonstrate various aspects of the traditional art from the making techniques to    9    (base)dance skills.In June, 2022,the Hong Kong Tai Hang Fire Dragon Museum was opened    10    (inspire)more people to learn more about this traditional dance culture.

4 . For more culture coverage and the new streaming services, www. vulture. com has prepared a wide range of funny things to see, hear, watch, and read.

TV: The Crown (Season Six)

Netflix, November 16.

The final season of The Crown is being divided into two parts, with four episodes on show before Thanksgiving and the remaining six landing on December 14. And, yes, those initial episodes will address the death of Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, a talented Australian actress.

OPERA: Later the Same Evening

Juilliard Opera presents. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, November 12, 15, and 17.

Composer John Musto and play writer Mark Campbell turned those moody scenes into a one-act opera that’s become a student favorite but rarely gets seen on a greater stage. It would be a once in a life time chance to have a feast for eyes.

MOVIES: Fallen Leaves

In theaters, November 17.

Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, a master of deadpan, returns with what might be his most romantic film so far — an unexpected meet up of an alcoholic construction worker and a headstrong supermarket employee.

MUSIC: Heaven Knows

Warner Records UK, November 10.

Pink Pantheress, 22, combines R&B, pop, and electronic music into relaxing but impactful tracks like “Do You Miss Me?” from December’s Take Me Home EP. This fall, her first complete studio-recorded album, consisting of 13 songs, will be released. Early tastes of Heaven Knows like “Capable of Love” and “Mosquito” suggest that we’re in for tighter hooks and longer, more ambitious compositions.

1. Which will attract those who enjoy Elizabeth Debicki’s performance?

A．Mosquito.	B．Malarkoi.
C．The Crown.	D．Fallen Leaves.

2. What do the streaming services have in common?

A．They are coming into market in November.

B．The works can be enjoyed once in a life time.

C．More details can be accessible from newspaper.

D．They are the works by the world-famous artists.

3. What do we know about Heaven Knows?

A．It is produced by Netflix.

B．It is divided into two parts.

C．It’ll be released on Nov.17.

D．It is her first full studio album.

6 . It was a warm evening in August in 1995. Robert Blocker was driving to Yale University after being appointed as the university’s Dean (院长) of Music. He didn’t expect to see many people, but a couple of students met him and showed him around.

“When I looked at the history of the university and how people are devoted to the school’s art programs, I was honored by the chance to work there. I could not wait for the next day to start my job. And that excitement never changed because every day was different. My job as dean was not scheduled. I walked around the campus and students talked to me. I went to rehearsals (排演) by the students and teachers and got inspired by them,” he adds.

After nearly three decades as the Dean of Music at Yale, the 77-year-old retired from the position on Aug 31. Also an expert pianist, he remains a professor of piano at the music school, as well as professor of leadership strategies at Yale School of Management. Among his countless contributions as dean, Blocker developed long-term relationships with fellow musicians in China. He once toured cities, including Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, giving lectures to the youngsters.

“China is a very special place for me. I am very happy to be back after the pandemic (疫情) to meet my friends and colleagues,” Blocker says, adding that he is particularly excited about being with young students.

Yang Suxian, director of the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival, says, “He has been very supportive and has participated in the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival for years, even during the pandemic.”

Blocker’s vision of a more hopeful world is reflected in his belief that music bridges the understanding between people.

“Music brings hope. People may speak different languages and have different ideas but music speaks to each other’s heart, and that’s why we keep this work going on and why the work never ends,” he says, “Our job is to let music heal the world by allowing us to understand and find a common place in our hearts.”

1. How did Robert Blocker feel after being appointed as the university’s Dean?

A．Anxious.

B．Thrilled.

C．Terrified.

D．Challenged.

2. What is included in Robert Blocker’s work at Yale?

A．Teaching leadership skills.	B．Reviving art programs of the school.
C．Giving concerts when touring cities in China.	D．Organizing rehearsals for students and teachers.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Yang Suxian’s words?

A．To advertise the festival in Shenzhen.	B．To stress Robert’s preference for music.
C．To review the hardships during the pandemic.	D．To show Robert’s care about Chinese musicians.

4. What do we know about musicians’ job from the last paragraph?

A．Spreading music to the whole world.

B．Translating music into a common language.

C．Helping people to reach an agreement on music.

D．Guiding people to know themselves better through music.

7 . What kind of music do you like? How do you feel when you listen to your favorite music? Do you think music can make people feel better or help them to learn?

Jen Morgan is a music therapist (治疗师).     1     Jen uses music to help her patients learn new skills. She can also help patients with their speaking and their memory.

Jen uses different activities with her patients. She gets them to listen to music and sing or play along.     2     Jen might get them to clap, jump or dance. Jen also asks her patients to try to remember songs they like.

Jen writes songs and uses them in her therapy work. She says, “    3     I write songs about everything: about getting dressed, about flowers, about my favorite food — you name it! Sometimes my patients help me write songs.”

Jen loves her job as a music therapist. She says, “    4     It’s wonderful to see how music therapy can help children with disabilities. Often children are shy when I first meet them.     5     Music makes people feel good!”

A．I’m very lucky to have this job.

B．She works with children with disabilities.

C．Jen plays with children to sing and dance.

D．I’ve probably written more than 200 songs.

E．Her patients also enjoy moving to the music.

F．But they soon start having fun and enjoying the music.

G．Music makes me very powerful.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式（1-3词）。

There is no doubt that music can keep our mind at ease, and it turns out that it could also be     1     temporary reliever for physical pain.

Listening to favorite songs could reduce people’s perception of pain, and most effective pain relievers were found to be sad songs     2     (detail) bittersweet and emotional experiences, according to a new study.

The study invited 63 young adults     3     (bring) two of their favorite songs (at least 3 minutes and 20 seconds long each), and also one of seven songs that the team considered relaxing and were unfamiliar to     4     (they).

Each person underwent 7-minute blocks where they     5     (instruct) to stare at a monitor screen while listening to their favorite music, one of the seven relaxing songs, or a noisy,     6     (random) scrambled   (搅乱的) version of both songs and the relaxing song they had chosen, which now lacked their original structure. All the while, the researchers stuck a hot object — similar     7     the pain of a boiling hot teacup on your skin-to the participants’ left inner forearms.

When rating their experiences, people were     8     (likely) to report feeling less pain when listening to their favorite songs compared with hearing the unfamiliar relaxing song or scrambled songs,     9     the researchers suggested was evidence of music being more than a     10     (distract) from an unpleasant experience.

9 . 阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法和上下文连贯的要求，在空格中填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的适当形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卷上的相应位置上。

Lion dance is very popular in China. As a well-known folk activity    1     is traditionally believed to bring prosperity and good luck, lion dance is often seen performed at festive occasions. Accompanied by the sound of beating drums, dancers     2     (dress) up in lion costumes jump back and forth, showing stunning Kung Fu and acrobatic(杂技的) skills. Crowds bursting into applause in response to the performance of this special kind of dancing always help create     3     festive atmosphere that fills the air.

In the 1990s, high-pole lion dancing     4     (introduce) and promoted in Nanhai of Foshan City. Different     5    traditional lion dancing, it has its own unique rules.     6     (performer) do not jump around on the ground but on poles ranging between one to three meters high. Besides, the space between poles also     7     (vary). The poles are often set up where dancers’ skills could be showed while at the same time the audience can enjoy a safe    8     satisfying watching experience. It’s not easy    9     (balance)well while performing the dance of a fierce lion so     10     (active) on poles. That’s why compared with the traditional one, the high-pole lion dance is more challenging and dangerous.

10 . Although the piano keys come in black and white, the music it produces is full of color. Chinese pianist Tian Jiaxin explores creative performances and crossover cooperations with traditional Chinese music, with the hope of bringing the music of the East to the Western world.

Tian attended regular school instead of studying at a music school in her childhood. This enabled her to absorb China’s rich culture and understand the bigger picture later in her pursuit of a career as a professional pianist. “There’s so much to grasp when explaining a piece. What we`re conveying is not only the notes, but the culture behind the music,” Tian said.

As a Chinese pianist, Tian is looking to add more depth to her performances, stressing the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures. “No matter which country I am performing in, I always include Chinese music in my program. With Western pieces, I hope to show the world that a female musician from China can perform the music that they are familiar with and love.” Tian says that she believes her mission is to make China heard on a wider stage.

Tian believes that music is developing over time and that music from different ages has its own unique meaning. “I’ve found that people’s understanding of Chinese music is often limited to certain pieces like Jasmine Flower,” Tian said. “However, there are so many great pieces of Chinese music that are unacquainted outside of China. So, I always try to feature both the time-honored classics of Chinese music and the newly created pieces,” she added.

“Chinese music has the magic to cause resonance(共鸣) with the audience and convey the various and deep culture of Chinese civilization,” Tian said.

1. What can we learn about Tian Jiaxin from the first two paragraphs?

A．She went to music school at a young age.

B．She adapted some well-known Chinese pieces.

C．She is a professional pianist known for her unique style.

D．She believes the culture behind each piece should be conveyed.

2. Which of the following best explain “unacquainted” underlined in paragraph 4?

A．Unknown.

B．Unpopular.

C．Unacceptable.

D．Unlimited.

3. What does Tian say about Chinese music?

A．It is setting the fashion.	B．It develops at a low speed.
C．It delivers rich culture of China.	D．It holds little appeal for foreigners.

4. What can be the most suitable title for the text?

A．Differences Between Eastern and Western Music

B．Chinese Cultural Fueling International Music Trends

C．A Pianist Combing Chinese Music with Western Keys

D．A New Generation of Artists Promoting Chinese Culture