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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2 . Recently, Google researchers published a paper describing results from an artificial intelligence(AI) tool, called MusicLM, built to create music. It is not the first AI music tool to launch. But the examples Google provides demonstrate musical creative ability based on a limited set of descriptive words. AI shows how complex computer systems have been trained to behave in human-like ways. Google engineers explain the MusicLM system this way.
First, a user comes up with a word or words that describe the kind of music they want the tool to create. For example, a user could enter this short phrase into the system: “a continuous calming violin backed by a soft guitar sound.”The descriptions entered can include different music styles, instruments or other existing sounds. Several different music examples produced by MusicLM were published online. Some of the generated music came from just one-or-two-word descriptions,such as “jazz”, or “techno”. The system created other examples from more detailed descriptions containing whole sentences. In the resulting recording, the music seems to keep very close to the description. The team said that the more detailed the description is, the better the system can attempt to produce it.
In addition to generating new music from written descriptions, the team said the system can also create examples based on a person’s own singing, whistling or playing an instrument. The researchers said the tool “produces high-quality music...over several minutes, while being faithful to the text conditioning signal”.
Although MusicLM hasn’t been released for public use, Google announced it was releasing a “high-quality dataset” of more than 5,500 music-writing pairs prepared by professional musicians called MusicCaps. The researchers took that step to assist in the development of other AI music generators.
The MusicLM researchers said they believe they have designed a new tool to help anyone quickly and easily create high-quality music selections. However, the team said it also recognizes some risks linked to the machine learning process.
1. Which instruction may help create the most accurate music by MusicLM?| A．Rock and roll. |
| B．A piano piece to uplift one’s spirits. |
| C．Eastern music. |
| D．A mixed sound of guitar and violin. |
| A．To allow the public to use MusicLM. |
| B．To display the capabilitiesof MusicLM. |
| C．To help develop other AI music generators. |
| D．To promote the MusicCaps music-writing service. |
| A．Problems about the new tool. |
| B．Advantages of using MusicLM. |
| C．Background of the research team. |
| D．Application of AI technology. |
| A．MusicCaps behave in human-like ways. |
| B．AI makes music accessible to ordinary people. |
| C．Musicians recognize the true value of MusicLM. |
| D．MusicLM creates music from written descriptions. |
3 . What’s On?
Electric Underground
7.30pm－1.00am Free at the Cyclops Theatre
Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract? If so, come early to the talk at 7.30 pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce your music.
Gee Whizz
8.30pm-10.30pm Comedy (喜剧)at Kaleidoscope
Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm for drinks and snacks(快餐).
Simon’s Workshop
5.00pm-7.30pm Wednesdays at Victoria Stage
This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.
Charlotte Stone
8.00pm-11.00pm Pizza World
Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.
1. Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?| A．Jules Skye. | B．Gee Whizz. | C．Charlotte Stone. | D．James Pickering. |
| A．The Cyclops Theatre | B．Kaleidoscope | C．Victoria Stage | D．Pizza World |
| A．It requires membership card. | B．It lasts three hours each time. |
| C．It is run by a comedy club. | D．It is held every Wednesday. |
| A．5.00pm-7.30pm. | B．7.30pm－1.00am. | C．8.00pm-11.00pm. | D．8.30pm-10.30pm. |
I love to play the piano and I greatly enjoy performing my songs, so when the annual winter recital (音乐演奏会) was canceled, I was disappointed. I had looked forward to it for a long time and had already prepared two of my best songs.
My mom had a wonderful idea, however, to turn this disappointing thing into something worthwhile. “You can perform your songs at Carriage House Senior Living,” my mom suggested brightly. “I’m sure the seniors there who do not have families to visit them that often, would really appreciate the music and you could play more than just two songs.”
I immediately thought this was a great idea. One of the things I did not like about the recitals was that I was limited to playing just a couple of songs. Playing the piano at Carriage House seemed like a win-win situation because not only could I play more songs, but I would also have the chance to cheer up the residents there with some lively tunes.
My mom called Carriage House and made arrangements for me to perform. In the coming including many old classics.
When the exciting day finally arrived, my family and I drove to Carriage House. Walking through the enormous double doors, we stepped into an entryway that overlooked the spacious grand dining room. Right at the entrance to the dining room stood the piano as if it were just waiting to make some music to liven the place up a bit. At nearly every table several gray-haired women or men were seated enjoying their dinner and the company that the crowded room provided. Despite the conversations going on at various tables, isolation hung like a dark cloud in the room.
Almost immediately, we were greeted by an old woman with a walker who introduced herself as Phyllis in charge of Carriage House. She welcomed me and led me to the stage.
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。
As I sat down on the bench, I pressed a key on the piano and was surprised to hear no sound.
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Nervousness melted away and I started to enjoy the performance with the old.
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5 . When you hear the beginning of your favorite song from the radio, suddenly your neck is covered in goose bumps.
It's such a thing that a group of scientists call “skin excitement”—a feeling of cold caused not by a drop in temperature or sudden scare, but by the sense of beauty. “Skin excitement” can come from a song, a painting, a moving movie scene, or even a beloved memory-pretty much anything that causes the giving out of pleasure-soaked dopamine in your brain. But it does not come for all of us.
Your favorite music uncovers a lot about your personality，and so does how you respond to that music. Studies suppose that as few as 55 percent of people experience “skin excitement” when listening to music. And if you count yourself among this group, the goose bumps on your skin aren't the only giveaway—scientists can read it in your brain, too. In a new study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Harvard researchers performed brain scans on 10 students who said they reliably got cold when listening to music, and 10 students who didn't. They found that the cold-prone brains may really be excited by stronger emotions.
Cold-prone brains are generally more likely to show stronger emotional intelligence than no-cold brains. Cold-prone minds tend to have unusual active imagination, reflect more deeply on their emotions, and appreciate nature and the beauty of music and art to a stronger degree than no-cold brains.
So, what type of music causes the chills? It seems that the type is not so important; participants in the new study reported getting cold from songs of every kind. And any song connected with a strong emotional memory of the listener can produce the most reliable results. For me, that's the song Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler, which I listened to as a kid in the car with my dad, on the way to the summer camp.
1. What can we learn about “skin excitement” in the text?| A．It helps to produce doparmine. | B．It is caused by the pain in the skin. |
| C．It can be experienced by every music listener. | D．It is the human body's reaction to something nice. |
| A．The percentage of music lovers in students. |
| B．The solutions to the goose bumps on one's skin. |
| C．The differences between cold-prone and no-cold brains. |
| D．The relationship between one's music preference and personality. |
| A．Beautiful and intelligent. | B．Emotional and dishonest. |
| C．Imaginative and sensitive. | D．Brave and strong-minded. |
| A．Responses to Music Vary among People | B．A Feeling of Cold Is Caused by Horrible Music |
| C．Your Favorite Music Reveals Your Personality | D．Favorite Music May Bring Forth Goose Bumps |
6 . How similar are language and music?
Language is part of our daily lives, no matter where we live in the world.
Both language and music have a writing system.
Both language and music have their own systems of notation. Language uses alphabets to represent sounds and create meaning.
Listening to the language someone speaks can provide valuable clues about their geographical origin. In the same way, we know that styles of music are different around the world, giving us the opportunity to explore many different cultures through their music and providing us with music for every situation.
Both share emotion.
| A．Both are expressive. |
| B．Both vary with culture. |
| C．How do you know that I am annoyed? |
| D．Similarly, music is part of many people’s lives. |
| E．Equally, music uses notes to represent pitches and rhythms. |
| F．We use language to express our thoughts. |
| G．In contrast, you probably also listen to sad music when you are feeling down. |
7 . Angela Zhang, a Mandopop(华语流行乐)star born on the island of Taiwan, recently appeared on the hot Chinese mainland produced music show Infinity and Beyond. During the show, Angela Zhang sang Yeliya Girl, a song written 34 years ago that witnessed the birth of Mandopop’s “golden age”. After the show, she talked about her music career with the Global Times and said that “Mandopop has become a global trend.”
Speaking of Mandopop’s “golden age”, Zhang told the Global Times that 1980s’ pop songs like Jeff Chang’ s Ai Ru Chaoshui (Love Like Tidewater) left a deep impression on her when she was a little girl. With this appreciation, Zhang finally broke out in the beginning of the 21st century, Mandopop’s peak on the island of Taiwan. “I think one of the great charms of that time was that each singer had a unique personal style and voice too,” Zhang told the Global Times.
Along with other stars like Jay Chou, Mandopop gained more popularity among audience around the world over the decades.
Zhang told the Global Times that the themes in Mandopop have also been shifting from love romance to inner cultivation(修养). “Music is more a reflection of the current state of society. Art and our lives are closely related,” Zhang noted. The 2006 song Invisible Wings brought Zhang some “healing” as it once actually saved a young girl’s life. When buried during an earthquake, the girl kept singing this song, which led to her final rescue.
She said that Mandopop is now receiving more notice from the world with inspirations and treasures from our roots. “Our Chinese culture has lasted for more than 5,000 years and it is necessary to continue to pass it down. They are our roots,” said Zhang.
1. When did Angela Zhang refer to Mandopop’s global impact?| A．On a music show. | B．During the 1980s. |
| C．When talking about her music albums. | D．When interviewed by the Global Times. |
| A．It peaked 34 years ago. | B．Its themes remained the same. |
| C．Jeff Chang was the most popular then. | D．Singers of the time had their own styles. |
| A．Yeliya Girl. | B．Ai Ru Chaoshui. |
| C．Invisible Wings. | D．Infinity and Beyond. |
| A．Mandopop’s Golden Age | B．Mandopop’s Global Popularity |
| C．Angela Zhang’s Incredible Songs | D．Angela Zhang’s Life Experiences |
8 . A recent story on TikTok showed how two neighbors found companionship (陪伴) and a new spirit in life during COVID-19, thanks to a shared love of the piano.
The heartbreaking story started when Giorgio Lo Porto heard his neighbor playing the piano through their dividing wall. Lo Porto is an Italian living in London. He reached out to his neighbor and left a note, saying if he or she could play My Heart Will Go On. The mystery neighbor agreed, suggesting they play together. Over time the music between two complete strangers became a regular weekend engagement(约会).
A week later, the pair finally met and “it was better than expected,” shared Lo Porto. The mystery pianist happened to be a78-year-old Polish man named Emil. “He lost his wife in December due to COVID-19 and all he has been left is the piano. And he plays at 2 p.m. every weekend because his wife loved it,” shared Lo Porto.
While Emil didn’t want to appear on any of the videos, he did share his thankfulness to Lo Porto for keeping him motivated during a most emotional and lonely time.When the pair offered each other company, Emil also inspired Lo Porto to continue writing his own song. And Emil reported being happier after playing music with Lo Porto and was thankful to those who watched their performance.
The bittersweet story shows the unbelievable influence two complete strangers can have on each other. Emil moved out at the end of February. Lo Porto wrote, “Dear Emil, you changed my life. You gave me back my passion (激情)，and we shared that with the world. You’ll be in my heart. I’ll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you’ve been mine too. Bye, Emil.”
1. What happened after Lo Porto left a note for Emil?| A．Emil helped with Lo Porto’s studies. |
| B．Emil started to share his music online. |
| C．They worked together to create new mu sic. |
| D．They performed music together through the wall. |
| A．To remember his wife. |
| B．To improve his piano skills. |
| C．To express his thanks to Lo Porto. |
| D．To cheer people up during COVID-19. |
| A．They missed their ordinary life in the past. |
| B．They encouraged each other through music. |
| C．They wished to spend more time with their families. |
| D．They wanted to become famous by posting their music online. |
| A．We should be independent in difficult times. |
| B．Young people should do their part to help the old. |
| C．We all can be the light of somebody if reaching out. |
| D．People should take some time to enjoy their hobbies. |
During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 — 476 BC), there was a musician,
Indeed, the guqin — the favored instrument of Confucius — was
In April, when President Xi Jinping
When Emily was 16, she had a dream of becoming a professional singer, a dream that was as bright as the stars in the night sky. Emily’s parents, though supportive, often reminded her of the importance of her studies. This made Emily feel torn (为难) between her passion and her responsibilities
Each day, Emily trained herself for hours. She would sing in the mirror, imagining every audience was fully attracted by her singing. The sound of her voice filled the empty room, giving Emily a sense of purpose and fulfillment (成就感).
When she learned about the local singing competition, Emily felt a spark of excitement in her heart. She chose a song that reflected her emotional journey and practised it over and over again. The lyrics spoke to her heart, allowing her to relive (回味) moments of joy, heartbreak and growth.
Finally came the day of the competition. With butterflies in her stomach, Emily could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she walked onto the stage. As the music began, Emily closed her eyes and let her voice flow out. She could hear the audience gasp (倒吸气) as she hit the high notes, and she felt a sense of connection with them that she had never experienced before.
注意：1. 续写词数应为80词左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答；
3. 写作提示：第一段可写出 Emily比赛时的表现；第二段可写出 Emily 获奖后的表现和感悟。
As she sang, Emily’s emotions poured out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the judges announced Emily as the winner, she felt a wave of joy washing over her.
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