1 . Have you ever wondered why people often catch themselves singing while having a shower or making dinner? Or why karaoke has been popular since it appeared in the 1980s? We still have to understand a lot about the effects of music on our brain, but many studies already show it is good for our mind and our body alike.
The first reason you feel like singing along when o you listen to a song is that it makes you feel less lonely. Whether you are cycling home; doing your homework or cheering at your favourite pop star’s concert, singing is communication. It is like sharing a moment with the singer or the people around you. This is why babies often stop crying when they hear music and all children enjoy singing.
All types of singing can make you feel better, but group singing has the best effects on people’s lives. Singing in a group in front of a crowd builds confidence, which explains why joining a choir can decrease anxiety in depressed patients. When you sing, it’s nearly impossible to think about other things. Since you must focus on what you are doing, singing stops you being worried about stressful situations.
Singing can also improve speech development. Children learn to speak faster if they regularly sing from an early age and they are often better at communicating through language. When you sing, you need to remember words and tunes, so this activity is also an excellent way to learn a foreign language and make your pronunciation sound more natural.
You can also improve your physical health when you sing. Since you need to breathe properly, when you sing, you breathe out more carbon dioxide and take in more oxygen, which makes your body fitter and stronger against illnesses. So if you decide to take up a new hobby, singing could be the best way for you to have fun, make new friends and improve your health at the same time.
1. The first paragraph mainly says that________.| A．people prefer singing when they have a meal |
| B．singing can help us understand the brain better |
| C．we can improve our health when we sing |
| D．karaoke isn’t as popular as in the 1980s |
| A．It’s like being at the concert of your favourite singer. |
| B．It makes you feel connected to others. |
| C．You can learn a foreign language. |
| D．You may feel like a pop star. |
| A．It bothers you when you perform in a crowded building. |
| B．It makes you feel depressed in front of the audience. |
| C．It helps you solve everyday problems. |
| D．It enables you to feel more relaxed |
| A．increase their communication skills |
| B．take in more carbon dioxide |
| C．meet famous pop stars |
| D．spell words properly |
| A．It describes when people sing. |
| B．It introduces the types of singing. |
| C．It talks about the benefits of singing. |
| D．It explains why children should join a choir. |
2 . There’s that old saying: How you do one thing is how you do everything. Therefore, as you become more kind and considerate, it
I recently went to a music show with some other musicians in town (many of whom I was meeting for the first time). When I used to play with other musicians, I spent more time in my head
Because of this, our music was
Afterwards, the musicians I played with told me they felt like our hearts were
I believe that the best
| A．shows | B．ranks | C．misses | D．sinks |
| A．garbage | B．sports | C．bats | D．music |
| A．giving up | B．shaving off | C．thinking about | D．giving off |
| A．Actually | B．Recently | C．Fortunately | D．Suddenly |
| A．reform | B．advertise | C．fine | D．support |
| A．cheaper | B．better | C．worse | D．lower |
| A．tolerating | B．broadcasting | C．enjoying | D．envying |
| A．miserable | B．negative | C．universal | D．strange |
| A．tested | B．connected | C．crushed | D．submitted |
| A．happy | B．disappointed | C．nervous | D．bored |
| A．graph | B．perseverance | C．agenda | D．approach |
| A．cruel | B．open | C．bitter | D．unhealthy |
| A．candidates | B．dentists | C．musicians | D．clients |
| A．realized | B．refused | C．forgotten | D．released |
| A．rich | B．stupid | C．strict | D．caring |
3 . On Saturday, Jacob Kohut finally had breaktime during his 12⁃hour standing guard outside the U.S. Capitol. He could have spent his break resting. Instead, he sat in the back of a Humvee, teaching students via his laptop how to play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, which meant he was on double duty, as an active member of the National Guard and as a devoted school band teacher.
“I’m a soldier for the National Guard, but I’m as much a solider for music education,” he says.
When on duty, Kohut’s days began in the morning with teaching his elementary class remotely from the drill floor of DC Armory, finishing the lesson minutes before his Guard shift started at 10 a.m. Later in the day, during his break, he would go online to teach his middle school students from the back of a Humvee.
Music has always been a driving force in Kohut’s life. He was a saxophone player throughout high school, and finally earned his Doctor degree in music composition at George Mason University.
“What I really wanted was to teach,” says Kohut, who is married and has a three⁃year⁃old son. “My mom, who is a single mother, was a music teacher. That’s why I do what I do. She is such a good role model.”
Kohut’s double duty has caught the attention of parents at Canterbury Woods Elementary School.
“I just wanted to share how impressed I am with Dr. Kohut this week,” Susi Britain said. “This morning he taught the band online from DC Armory, in his tiredness — which just seems so beyond the expectations of a teacher in these circumstances.”
But during the long and sometimes stressful hours of standing guard, Kohut said his teaching time offered comfort. As the 11 instruments were played by his virtual students, the familiar melody of “Ode to Joy” rang through the Humvee. In that moment, Kohut realized there wasn’t a timelier tune to teach his students
“It’s a symbol of unity and peace,” he says. “And that’s what the world needs right now.”
1. Where did the students study music from Kohut?| A．In the back of a Humvee. |
| B．At the drill floor of DC Armory. |
| C．In online courses. |
| D．Outside the U.S. Capitol. |
| A．Peace⁃loving and mild. |
| B．Enthusiastic and devoted. |
| C．Hopeful and positive. |
| D．Faithful and helpful. |
| A．He should teach the tune to his students earlier. |
| B．No tune was taught to students before. |
| C．It’s the time that he should teach the tune face to face. |
| D．The tune is the most suitable for students at that moment. |
| A．Jacob Kohut fights for the country and music. |
| B．Jacob Kohut wants to change his job. |
| C．Jacob Kohut has double duty at Canterbury Woods Elementary School. |
| D．Jacob Kohut is a virtual music teacher. |
4 . Grammy Awards don’t only go to the people who produce and perform songs. For just over a decade, they’ve also been given out to those who teach others how to make music. The Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum, recognizes those who have made a “significant contribution and demonstrate devotion to music education”.
This year it went to Annie Ray, the performing arts department chair and orchestra director at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. She was honored for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities. Ray got to attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, take selfies with pop stars and bring home both a $10,000 prize and matching grant for her school’s music program.
Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra (管弦乐队) for students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a parent orchestra that teaches nearly 200 caregivers a year to play the same instrument as their child.
She was inspired in large part by the diversity of the Annandale community, which she says represents over 60 countries, including many immigrants. “There’s a. lot of cultures that might typically clash, and they come together in this very beautiful harmony,” Ray explained. “And that’s really uniquely expressed in the orchestra classroom, where we’re just all music-ing together.”
Ray says the Crescendo Orchestra, which was born out of the pandemic, doesn’t necessarily share the social goals of a program like the Special Olympics. The focus is on teaching students how to play an instrument, through one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs. That involves tools like music scarves, egg shakers, rhythm sticks and cardboard instruments. Ray also works with a local charity to give damaged instruments a second life in her classroom.
The orchestra is about much more than just making music, however. Ray says the program gives students a chance to develop their collaboration skills, make mistakes and learn the art of refining something.
1. Which of the following is the reason for Annie Ray’s winning a Grammy?| A．Her determined effort to make music. | B．Her contribution to the high school. |
| C．Her commitment to music education. | D．Her excellence in performing songs. |
| A．Her enthusiasm for instructing music. | B．The diverse cultures of the community. |
| C．Her burning desire to win a Grammy. | D．The severe disabilities of her students. |
| A．To fix damaged instruments for a local charity. |
| B．To help students to face the pandemic bravely. |
| C．To make students familiar with music devices. |
| D．To give students need-centred music teaching. |
| A．A music teacher won a Grammy | B．A music teacher changed lives |
| C．A Grammy winner took selfies | D．A Grammy ceremony was held |
1. 活动介绍；
2. 活动反响以及你的感受。
注意：
1. 词数为80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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When I first moved to the south of America in the summer holiday before middle school, I realized that I was stepping into a completely different world. New Orleans, Louisiana, was unlike any place I had ever been to. In the French Quarter, tourists walked around all year with long skinny cups in their hands, and there was a popular game going on the streets which were crowded with cars but had few people. What surprised me more than anything, though, was the constant friendliness and compassion of the people of New Orleans.
“What can I get for you, sugar?” a waitress about my age asked me on my first day in New Orleans.
I was taken aback. The waitress did not even know me, but she treated me like family. She smiled down at me as I pointed to an item on the menu.
“Is the pasta good?” I asked her.
“It’s not my favorite,” she admitted with a smile. “But I’m more of a girl who prefers rice!” She shrugged, letting out a loud laughter.
I looked at her in shock. What was I supposed to say to that? I couldn’t believe that the waitress had just prevented me from ordering something. Actually, she had given me her honest opinion, as if we were best friends. She even told me her name—Mary. She even told me that she just worked as a part-time waitress and that she would be a high school student soon.
After a few days in New Orleans, I got used to kind reminders and polite greetings. I also realized how comforting it was to be treated like I belong wherever I went.
As soon as I settled into my new high school, I adapted myself to the school life. I was drawn to the lively music scene that New Orleans was famous for. I was a trumpet (小号) player, and I wanted to join the school music club. However, I was afraid that I was too poor in music to be qualified for the school music club.
注意：1．续写词数应为150个左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
One afternoon, I was surprised to see a group of students including Mary practicing jazz in the school playground.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, with Mary’s encouragement, my hesitation slowly melted away.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . In the past, music recording was primitive. A recording engineer placed microphones in front of instruments. The producer pressed record and signaled the band to play. There was a human touch to recordings, and this way of recording gave rock music its raw edge. But here we are today. Complex and advanced audio software sits in every recording studio. The higher cost and greater practicality make creating digital music common.
However, the modern recordings aren’t beneficial to a rock record. Let’s not forget, being in a band is laborious. You need like-minded musicians to rehearse for hours on end. Nowadays, this isn’t a necessity.
Programming drums on a computer is as simple as filling cells on a spreadsheet, and there you have it, a drumbeat. Only a few professionals are aware that they aren’t listening to true live drums. Such tech is even accessible on your smartphone. Whether on a train or in a bedroom, you can create a full band track without a live band.
What happened to rock music? With pop and hip hop dominating the charts, it feels like the time for bands is over. Is rock music really dying out? Is it really on its last legs, or are we just not trying hard enough?
Artists, inspired by the great rock bands, seek to put their own spin on this classic genre. The spirit of rock music still remains. One singer mixed soul and rock while one band combined indie rock with elements of techno, both with underlying rock characteristics.
The truth is that fresh rock bands are out there and you just need to dig deeper. A search through online music blogs shows a growing number of new rock bands. While rock bands are now not as popular as before and not receiving mainstream exposure, the flame still burns brightly.
1. Which words can best describe the past music recording?| A．Underdeveloped and low-cost. | B．Easy and time-saving. |
| C．Demanding and complex. | D．Digital and creative. |
| A．Low demands for music. | B．Advanced audio software. |
| C．Deep understanding of music. | D．Help from professional musicians. |
| A．To tell rock music has lost its original attraction. |
| B．To show rock music may be presented in new styles. |
| C．To stress rock music is no longer mainstream music. |
| D．To compare rock music with some other kinds of music. |
| A．Is Rock Music Going Dead? | B．Why Is Rock Music Disappearing? |
| C．A New Kind of Music Is Emerging | D．A Way of Recording Music Is Getting Accepted |
8 . Do you like Chinese traditional painting and dance ? They are two important parts of the traditional Chinese art. But what about when they meet each other?
This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and became popular.
According to CCTV, this poetic dance program was inspired by the 900-year-old Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains (《千里江山图》). Created by Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng at about 18, the painting is amazing in its sweeping size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape: “mountains and groupings of infinite (无限的) rise and fall between cloudless sky and rippling (涟漪的) water”.
When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only a drama but also an exhibition. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review. “More than a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still impress people as they did long ago.” Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows feature Chinese traditional culture and have received warm welcome. As for the reason, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.
“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mind. They accept Chinese culture and are proud of it.” Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.
1. What’s the writing purpose of Paragraph 1?| A．To show a doubtful attitude. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To describe the art world. | D．To raise a question. |
| A．Wang xizhi. | B．Zhao mengfu. | C．Wang Ximeng. | D．Not mentioned. |
| A．CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. | B．Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng. |
| C．A Chinese blue-green landscape. | D．An ancient Chinese traditional painting. |
| A．Traditional culture is accepted and loved by people. |
| B．Green mountains and rivers greatly impress people. |
| C．The poetic dance can be staged in the theaters later. |
| D．Increasing modern shows feature Chinese traditional culture. |
9 . It’s hard to say why, but it’s just true: Music is good for you. It can calm your spirit and help you vent (发泄) your anger.
The 74 participants were divided into three groups.
What are the results? The ones who received a little extra learning every week outperformed those who just continued on with their normal studies.
“That’s a big thing for kids in learning language: being able to hear the differences between words,” Desimone said in a statement. “They really benefited from that.” To the researchers, the results point to one clear conclusion:
| A．It can even be used to improve your memory. |
| B．It can bring people together and give us hope. |
| C．Music benefits students in multiple ways. |
| D．The control group simply carried on with their normal school classes. |
| E．Many studies have shown a close link between musical training and language skills. |
| F．If you’re a school administrator who wants kids to succeed, you’d better not cut those music lessons. |
| G．Even the ones who only took music lessons turned out to perform better on language puzzles than those who didn’t have extra lessons. |
1. Where was Open Tchaikovsky Competition held in 1986?
| A．In Moscow. | B．In Chelyabinsk. | C．In Berlin. |
| A．It inspired many young musicians. |
| B．It was the music event of his dreams. |
| C．It was a life-changing experience. |
| A．Rock music. | B．Pop music. | C．Classical music. |
| A．Expressiveness. | B．Smoothness. | C．Completeness. |
