1 . Sixteen years ago, while we were driving on vacation, my wife decided to pass the time by singing “The Christmas Song”. She sang it over and over again. Somehow, I decided to
When she got to the
Shocked and terrified, she
Fast forward to this year. It’s snowing outside and I was in a good mood. I started singing “The Christmas Song” and my wife then
I laughed and
As for me, though I am now the King of Lies who is never to be
| A．agree | B．mess | C．pass | D．drive |
| A．line | B．song | C．story | D．sentence |
| A．hearing | B．voicing | C．singing | D．playing |
| A．blame | B．inform | C．award | D．teach |
| A．made fun of | B．took charge of | C．broke out of | D．got ahead of |
| A．rarely | B．frequently | C．nearly | D．particularly |
| A．taste | B．flavor | C．standard | D．skill |
| A．approved | B．bought | C．denied | D．liked |
| A．wrote | B．sold | C．reminded | D．spared |
| A．nose | B．patient | C．asylum | D．arm |
| A．completed | B．ruined | C．broken | D．restored |
| A．argued | B．confirmed | C．admitted | D．announced |
| A．joyful | B．grateful | C．awkward | D．mad |
| A．lie | B．comedy | C．drama | D．show |
| A．teased | B．trusted | C．heard | D．loved |
2 . Rock ‘n’ roll is a style of music that developed in the 1950s, mainly out of an originally African American genre called rhythm and blues, as well as gospel and even country music. Usually played with electric guitars, drums, and often saxophones and pianos, rock ‘n’ roll is faster than rhythm and blues, and is known for its strong beat, simple tunes and energy.
One of the great early Black American rock ‘n’ roll stars was the songwriter and guitarist Chuck Berry. Berry was known for the energy of his performances, and songs like “Johnny Be Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven” made him famous as the “father of rock ‘n’ roll.” Another early Black American rock ‘n’ roller, who was known for his wild singing and piano playing, was Little Richard, who had hits with songs like “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.” Some people called him the “architect of rock ‘n’ roll”.
Young people loved this new rebellious style of music, and soon white musicians were recording rock ‘n’ roll songs too. Some popular early stars were Buddy Holly with his song “That’ll Be the Day”, and Jerry Lee Lewis with “Great Balls of Fire” However, the biggest star was Elvis Presley. Elvis was handsome, he sounded more like the Black rock ‘n’ roll singers, and he had a dance style that excited young people-and shocked their parents! With songs like “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock”, he became known as the “king of rock ‘n’ roll”.
In the early 1960s, a British band called the Beatles began their career singing the rock ‘n’ roll songs of stars like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Rock ‘n’ roll had become popular across the world, and by the mid-1960s it had grown into a broader, more international style of music called simply “rock”.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce a topic. | B．To express a feeling. |
| C．To recommend music. | D．To explain the difference. |
| A．His wild singing made him popular worldwide. |
| B．He was famous for his energetic performances. |
| C．White musicians like to copy his singing style. |
| D．His handsome dance could excite young people. |
| A．Rock ‘n’ roll has been so popular worldwide that everyone should love it. |
| B．Rock ‘n’ roll is played with famous instruments like electric guitars, drums. |
| C．Rock ‘n ‘roll is easy to learn for its simple tunes and faster beat with energy. |
| D．Rock ‘n’ roll features a style of resisting control, convention or normal standards. |
| A．Great Balls of Fire! The Story of Rock ‘n’ Roll. |
| B．The Biggest Rock ‘n’ Roll Star Ever—Elvis Presley. |
| C．Different Music Genres—Which is Your Favorite? |
| D．Enjoy the Strong Rhythm and Tunes of Rock ‘n’ Roll! |
1. What time do the dancers need to arrive ?
| A．6:00 am. | B．6:00 pm. | C．7:00 pm. |
| A．She is responsible for the dresses. |
| B．She answers all questions. |
| C．She controls the music and lights. |
| A．White clothes. | B．Dark clothes. | C．Light clothes. |
| A．She needs to practice more. A. She came late today. |
| B．There is a change in her role. |
4 . The Guide to the Lively Arts
Take My Candidate... Please! A Comedy With Songs
Capitol Comedy serves up a humor-filled plate of hard truths, sparing no one from left, right or center. It's all done in the spirit of fun by this troupe of exceptionally gifted sketch performers, singers and impressionists. Adults $40; Seniors $30; Students $25.
Friday, September 8th, 7:00 PM. Saturday, September 9th, 7:00 PM. Sunday, September 10th, 2PM.
Scott Fitzgerald Theatre 603 Edmonston Drive Rockville, MD 20851.
Visit Fscottfitzgerald. com for more details.
Listen Live at the Lincoln The U. S Army Chorus
Join the Army Chorus for a night of music under the stars with hits from the Broadway stage and screen.Bring a blanket or low-back chair and sit on the steps or plaza for a FREE hour-long evening of music as the sun sets and the monument s begin to glow.
SATURDAY, August 5th, 8:00PM.
2 Lincoln Memorial Cir, NW Washington, DC
MoreinformationatUsarmychorus.com.
Army Blues Concerts at the Capitol
Don't miss the greatest jazz band in the land! The U. S. Army Blues presents a program of jazz, swing, and big band favas. All concerts are FREE; bring a chair or blanket and enjoy world-class music under Washington, DC skies.
Friday, August 4th, 8:00 PM.
West Side of U. S. Capitol 1st St, NW, Washington, DC.
Check full schedule at Usarmyband.com.
Artists & Makers Studios support local artists!
There are over 80 local artists, 41 working studios, and 3 gallery spaces. The exhibitions include “The Coming of Middle Age” which is definitely a stunning showcase of art and history. Besides, the interactive displays will make your visit a truly immersive experience. And the entrance and parking are free!
Monday-Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM from Aug 2nd to Aug 24th.
Artists & Makers Studios 11810 Park lawn Drive Rockville, MD
Check at Artists Makers Studios.com
1. Which of the four shows do you have to pay for?| A．Army Blues | B．Take My Candidate... Please! |
| C．Listen Live at the Lincoln | D．Artists &Makers Studios |
| A．ArtistsMakersStudios.com | B．Usarmychorus.com. |
| C．Usarmyband.com . | D．Fscottfitzgerald.com |
| A．September 9th, 10:00 AM. | B．August 5th, 8:00 PM. |
| C．August 6th, 2:00 PM. | D．August 8th, 11:00AM. |
5 . If you’re on the go, use a free music streaming app to listen to your tunes just about anywhere.
Pandora
For most people, Pandora may be the best app for streaming music. Enter your favorite artist, and Pandora plays their songs along with similar artists. As you listen, rate songs so that the app will play more of the music you like. The service learns and improves suggestions based on your ratings.
TuneIn
If you love radio but want the convenience of a mobile device, check out this free app. Enter a song, and you instantly have a list of all the radio stations around the country that play the song. With a push of a button, you can listen to that radio station. TuneIn also offers a vast selection of podcasts including sports, entertainment, technology and many more.
Sound Cloud
Sound Cloud contains tons of audio uploaded by other users, including homemade audio and music. Search for music and audio, and follow other users to keep track of their new uploads. A combined 10-plus hours of audio is posted every minute, which means you can find something interesting.
LiveOne
LiveOne, previously called LiveXLive, has pre-programmed streaming radio stations for about every genre.The free version includes ads, and can’t play music on demand. You can upgrade to get those features.
i Heart Radio
If you need a radio app for your mobile device, i Heart Radio has you covered. You can create music stations based on your favorite songs. It also lets you access podcasts and look in categories like 80s and 90s hits, holiday, classical, rock, and more to find the music you like.
1. Which app recommends music based on users’ feedback?| A．Pandora. | B．TuneIn. | C．Sound Cloud. | D．LiveOne. |
| A．Users can download music. | B．Users can listen to podcasts. |
| C．Users can follow sports news. | D．Users can create radio stations. |
| A．It includes user-recorded works. | B．It stores audio and music for hours. |
| C．It provides a powerful search function. | D．It helps users find music to their taste. |
Wandering sounds, irregular rhythms and a carrier of gentle emotions. This is the musical language of guqin, a seven-string instrument
The earliest piece of guqin in China, unearthed in Hubei province,
The guqin has been embraced by musicians for centuries, the most popular one
7 . We listen to music every day. Some music hits our hearts. Some music makes us full of joy. Some music makes you burst into tears.
·Music makes us express our emotion.
You usually play the music that reflects your thoughts or your emotions.
·Music makes learning more pleasant.
Music is an extremely unique way to develop the capability of memorizing. The best example to prove this sentence is that we can easily learn something in the form of songs.
·
It helps us in improving our mind by making it more artistic. No matter what the great invention is, it requires art. Creativity is fulfilled by music. Music is an art of beauty.
·Music improves your fine reasoning skills.
During a study of children, it was shown that if children are exposed to three or more years of musical training, these same kids performed better. This was the result. They had better listening and speaking skills than those who had none.
| A．Music is the key to creativity. |
| B．Music makes our mind enjoyable. |
| C．Enjoying music can change our memory. |
| D．This way our brain conveys the thoughts without speaking a word. |
| E．The children even tested better for vocabulary and reasoning skills. |
| F．In order to analyze functions of music, let’s see the benefits it brings. |
| G．The reason behind learning a song quickly is that our mind enjoys music. |
8 . When Carol Howard’s Alzheimer’s disease (老年痴呆症) worsened, often she couldn’t recognize her husband. “But if she heard a 1960s Simon &. Garfunkel’s song playing, Howard could sing every word effortlessly,” her husband says.
This ability of music to call up vivid memories is a phenomenon well known to brain researchers. It can bring back intense memories from years past-for many, more strongly than other senses such as taste and smell-and cause strong emotions from those earlier experiences.
“Music can open forgotten doors to your memory,” says Andrew E. Budson, MD, an expert at Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System. “Music can take you back in time and fire up your brain and get it going,” he says. “We all have the familiar experience of going back to our hometown, visiting our high school and feeling the memories come flooding back. Music can do the same things. It provides an emotional setting that allows us to recall all those memories.”
“Music activates different parts of the brain, making it an especially versatile (多功能的) tool,” says Amy Belfi, principal investigator in the Music Cognition and Aesthetics Lab at Missouri University of Science and Technology. “We can use it to improve mood, to help us learn, to socially bond with other people. It becomes part of our identity.”
Some experts also see a role for music, which can ease anxiety. Frank Russo, professor of psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University, says he believes this ultimately will be possible. He is chief scientific officer of a company that is developing a music player that uses artificial intelligence to create an individualized play list designed to guide a patient from a state of anxiety to one of calm.
“One of the really challenging things for caregivers is the anxiety,” says Russo, whose research focuses on the relationship between neuroscience (神经系统科学) and music. “Music has a real opportunity here.”
1. Why is Carol Howard mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To lead in the topic of the text. | B．To show her passion for music. |
| C．To show concern for her disease. | D．To show the charm of a 1960s song. |
| A．By telling a story. | B．By providing figures. |
| C．By conducting experiments. | D．By showing the experience of recalling. |
| A．It promotes peace of mind. | B．It changes our habits. |
| C．It makes us more addicted. | D．It defines our identity. |
| A．It’s reliable. | B．It’s critical. | C．It’s hopeful. | D．It’s trendy. |
9 . At the age of seven I started taking violin lessons. I practiced half an hour every day, went to lessons once a week, and played in a group concert from time to time. Like most kids, I’m not a big fan of practising. If my parents hadn’t been there to make me practice, I probably would have put down my violin and never have picked it up again.
I met Moira when I was 11 at an Irish music party. Moira hosted the party that night, playing the violin, singing and dancing. She made sure that everyone in the room got involved and had a great time. I immediately fell in love with the music she played and the energy that she brought to it. Just a few days after that party, I took my first lesson with Moira, and I continued taking lessons with Moira throughout middle school.
When I started playing the violin with Moira, playing music became something that I loved. She introduced me to so many types of music, from Irish to Old Time, to Cajun music. Moira also taught me to play the guitar. Soon we started performing together and were shocked to discover that people actually wanted to hear us! When I began to play the violin, practicing was something that I did at home in my living room, but under Moira’s influence it quickly became something that I did everywhere. I played on street corners, at festivals, at the beach, at parties, at weddings, and late at night in my friends’ kitchens.
Moira took the music out of the classroom and brought it to life. Her passion was not only for playing music, but also for sharing it. My time with Moira allowed me to grow both musically and personally. I have met so many special people and had so many memorable experiences. Moira has proven to be the most important influence in my musical development, and also my invaluable friend.
1. How did the author feel about violin practice at the beginning?| A．Interesting. | B．Challenging. | C．Inspiring. | D．Unexciting. |
| A．The writer was proud of Moira’s achievements in music. |
| B．The writer became a popular local violinist. |
| C．The writer spent all her spare time playing the violin. |
| D．The writer had more self-confidence in terms of performing. |
| A．Classroom was not a suitable place for Moira to practice any more. |
| B．Moira helped the writer a lot with her personal life experience. |
| C．Moira played a significant role in the writer’s musical progress. |
| D．Moira was very thankful for the writer’s musical support. |
| A．My Way to Success | B．My Invaluable Friend |
| C．Middle School Musical | D．How I Learned the Violin |
10 . Donatella Flick was the winner of the competition’s 17th part. She wanted to find young conductors at the beginning of their careers and make sure they had tools to enable them not to give up until they succeed.
“It’s so important to train young talents and give them the opportunities to succeed,” she said, reflecting on founding the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition 33 years ago.
That was why, she emphasized, the prize went beyond the cash award — which was a healthy £15,000 — and offered the winner the opportunity to assist the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) for a year. They could work with some of the world’s finest conductors and lay foundations for a successful conducting career.
Flick was born Princess Donatella Missikoff. Since 1917, Flick has successfully built a career and reputation as an artist. She now organizes charitable foundations and project all over the world.
With the Competition, she was motivated by finding more talents in unexpected places — before diversity and inclusion spread through different industries as new “buzzwords”.
“One way to do this was to broaden the range for applications, so we opened up entries to conductors from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland in 2018. Since then, I’ve been very pleased to see conductors from those countries reach the list of competitors,” she said. “One of the major changes that I’ve been very happy to see is that more women are applying for the Competition now than when we started in 1990, and I hope this continues in future competitions.”
In view of the fact that only four of the 20 conductors — that was 20 percent — who qualified for the 2023 competition were women, it was clear that a gender imbalance persisted.
“I think we have a new generation of female conductors emerging, and I would deeply encourage them to apply to the Competition if they’re at the start of their careers,” Flick said, still hopeful.
1. Why did Flick found the Conducting Competition?| A．To become famous. | B．To continue her family tradition. |
| C．To train the future stars of conducting. | D．To promote the finest conductors’ careers. |
| A．By introducing them to some world-class orchestras. |
| B．By supporting them financially. |
| C．By equipping them with conducting tools. |
| D．By providing more opportunities for them. |
| A．The range for applications is broadened every year. |
| B．More females intend to take part in it now. |
| C．Youths worldwide engage themselves in conducting. |
| D．Males account for 80% of the qualified conductors. |
| A．Kind and ambitious. | B．Generous and brave. |
| C．Sensible and creative. | D．Energetic and productive. |
