1 . High schools used to teach shop classes, in which students learned skills like woodworking. Nowadays, most schools have traded in shop class in favor of academic subjects. However, the National Science Foundation STEM Guitar Project thinks that academic subjects and carpentry (木匠活) can be combined. This organization aims to get students excited about science, math, and arts all at once, by teaching students how to make a guitar.
Experis forecast that technical skills like this one could be in great demand in the future. Unfortunately, many high schools don’t offer students access to mechanical design skills, due to the fact that they are not on the list of standardized subjects and the schools can’t scientifically assess students’ performance. But, is STEM really needed in order to build a guitar? Actually, it’s impossible to make a guitar without knowing science and math.
Joshua Cruz, a design teacher, said that building a guitar also teaches troubleshooting and problemsolving skills. He thinks the STEM Guitar Project provides opportunities to challenge students to apply their own creativity to STEM problems. “I’m still figuring out how we can apply it,” Cruz explained. “I think we’re going to use a lot of the same theories behind how strings and stringed instruments work and try and get them to make stringed instruments of their own, and thus improve their academic performance.”
Because of its effectiveness and creativity, the guitar initiative was offered the Gerhard Salinger award, which recognizes outstanding STEM school programs. “Through this project, we have become part of this community of businessmen, engineers and artisans,” said Mark French, one of the six people who received the award for his work with STEM guitar. “It’s a great group and I’m pleased to be part of it. I get to combine something I love doing with an activity that really makes the world a little bit better place. It really does help people.”
Thanks to people like Mark French, and to the STEM Guitar Project, the world is a little bit of a better, more educated, and more musical place.
1. Why are mechanical design skills unavailable to high school students?| A．Students are not excited about these skills. |
| B．Students’ performance can’t be properly evaluated. |
| C．They are not necessary for the students’ growth. |
| D．They are of no help to students’ academic performance. |
| A．The ability to find faults with others. |
| B．The skills of making a guitar independently. |
| C．The opportunity to challenge scientific theories. |
| D．The improvement of creativity and learning ability |
| A．It is offered to businessmen and engineers. |
| B．It is a part of the community of businessmen. |
| C．It recognizes outstanding STEM school programs. |
| D．It encourages people to make their own instruments. |
| A．The Combination of Skills |
| B．The Award for the STEM Guitar Project. |
| C．The STEM Guitar Project Benefits Students |
| D．The STEM Guitar Project Promotes Music Education. |
2 . Born in an unknown village in Huarong county, Hunan province, Yi had few opportunities to play instruments when he was young.
At the age of 6, when most performers have already begun studying the piano at music academies, Yi learned the traditional stringed instrument the erhu from a group of people lodging at his home. It was not until much later that he first saw a piano when he visited his cousin’s house in Huarong.
“My family was too poor to buy a piano for me, so I often used to visit my cousin, even though it took about an hour to travel the 20 kilometers to his home over rocky roads just for the opportunity to sit at the keyboard,” Yi said.
Yi first arrived in Shenzhen 19 years ago and worked in factories, on construction sites and in kitchens. He had not played a piano for nearly 30 years.
The public pianos in Huaqiangbei offered him a fresh start. On a hot summer’s day, while taking a break from work at a nearby construction site, Yi and his son passed one of the instruments. Encouraged by his son, Yi decided to give it a try.
He rubbed his hands nervously on his clothes, but the moment he placed his fingers on the keys, he felt more comfortable and his confidence returned. Although his masterly performance at the piano keyboard quickly made him an online sensation in China and overseas, Yi is not the only one to benefit from the pianos in Huaqiangbei.
Inspired by the British artist Luke Jerram, who has placed more than 2,000 street pianos in over 70 cities worldwide since 2008 with the words “Play Me, I’m Yours” printed on their sides, the public piano project in Huaqiangbei was launched by the local government in 2018.
Zhang Chen, deputy director of the Huaqiangbei subdistrict office, said: “Huaqiangbei is located in the commercial district in the center of Shenzhen. We have been trying to provide diverse facilities to bring high-quality public cultural services to the area. We are surprised that the public piano project has attracted so many people to play the instruments, and others to watch them perform.”
1. What do we learn about young Yi from the passage?| A．He smoothed the path to piano lessons. |
| B．He was fascinated by musical instruments. |
| C．He received musical training at the age of 6. |
| D．He familiarized himself with erhu at his cousin’. |
| A．Awkward. | B．Confident. | C．Amazed. | D．Refreshed. |
| A．The artist’s popularity. | B．The project’s origin. |
| C．The artist’s creativity. | D．The project’s challenge. |
| A．A city culture featuring the piano needs changing. |
| B．The street piano project fuels urban development. |
| C．Huaqiangbei gets in tune with its cultural ambitions. |
| D．Shenzhen takes the lead in promoting cultural prosperity. |
3 . As a child, Liu Wenwen didn’t like the suona, a “loud” traditional Chinese musical instrument, also an ancestral treasure of her family that was to become her career.
Liu says she felt ashamed. In the 1990s, people admired things that were modern and international. The suona was considered out of date. Her father’s family has performed with the suona for seven generations, while the tradition on her mother’s side of the family can be traced back to the early Qing Dynasty. Despite her unwillingness, she followed her parents to play the suona as early as 3 years old. Besides it, Liu has also learned traditional Chinese vocal music and dancing — skills that have improved her oral muscles and sense of rhyme, helping equip her to be a professional musician.
It wasn’t until 2008 that she first found suona music beautiful. That was when she entered the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to learn the instrument more systematically from Liu Ying, a professor and top player. “The music played by the professor is just amazing, and different from what I had heard before,” she says.
She loves exchanging ideas about suona playing techniques with her students. “It’s wonderful to see the younger generation carrying on this cultural tradition.” Liu Wenwen said she is pleased to see the suona regain popularity among young people, sometimes combined with jazz, opera and other art forms. This has stopped its decline in the 1990s. Her name, when mentioned on China’s social media platforms, often is followed by a video of her live performance at a concert in Sydney, Australia. Westerners were amazed by the loud, unfamiliar instrument and its colorful music. “I felt my hard work had paid off. I trained for over 20 years, probably just to win cheers and applause for traditional Chinese music on the international stage.”
1. What urged Liu Wenwen to learn to play the suona?| A．Career pressure. | B．Social trend. |
| C．Family tradition. | D．Her professor’s performance. |
| A．Her early passion for suona. | B．Her exposure to vocal music and dance. |
| C．Her learning knowledge of rhyme. | D．Her performing experiences with family. |
| A．By learning from the famous professor Liu. |
| B．By visiting Shanghai Conservatory of Music. |
| C．By combining suona with other music forms. |
| D．By watching her family performing with suona. |
| A．She is now working as a professor overseas. |
| B．She appreciates the value of her performance. |
| C．She has made a fortune after 20 years’ devotion. |
| D．She has amazed Westerners with her hard work. |
4 . By day, Robert Titterton is a lawyer. In his spare time though he goes on
Mr. Titterton is chairman of the Omega Ensemble but has been the group’s official page turner for the past four years. His job is to
“A lot of skills are needed for the job. You have to make sure you don’t turn
Being a page turner
But
Most page turners are piano students or up-and-coming concert pianists, although Ms. Raspopova has once asked her husband to help her out on stage. “My husband is the
| A．musical | B．stage | C．performance | D．practice |
| A．page turner | B．assistant | C．dancer | D．supporter |
| A．compose | B．enjoy | C．read | D．evaluate |
| A．interpret | B．sit | C．sing | D．focus |
| A．break | B．follow | C．resist | D．change |
| A．your | B．all | C．two | D．those |
| A．causes | B．inquires | C．gains | D．requires |
| A．play | B．go | C．sound | D．flow |
| A．key | B．serious | C．possible | D．obvious |
| A．deny | B．predict | C．indicate | D．mix |
| A．above | B．despite | C．besides | D．like |
| A．piano | B．stand | C．head | D．concert |
| A．last | B．first | C．worst | D．former |
| A．caught | B．trapped | C．disappointed | D．absorbed |
| A．note | B．line | C．part | D．repeat |
5 . Music has universal power. It helps people from all walks of life find their creative
Mike Ball, the founder of Lost Voices, first
As a writer and music enthusiast, Ball recognized the potential of songwriting as a
Lost Voices conducts week-long programs, sending musicians into residential treatment facilities to
Through the
| A．gestures | B．expressions | C．thoughts | D．talents |
| A．rewards | B．entertains | C．provides | D．challenges |
| A．Meanwhile | B．Otherwise | C．Instead | D．However |
| A．greeted | B．invited | C．introduced | D．encountered |
| A．writing | B．singing | C．teaching | D．recording |
| A．misunderstood | B．criticized | C．changed | D．unheard |
| A．familiar | B．positive | C．loving | D．humorous |
| A．recommendation | B．judgment | C．realization | D．creativity |
| A．frightening | B．smooth | C．plain | D．significant |
| A．engage | B．play | C．debate | D．act |
| A．watch | B．assist | C．forbid | D．command |
| A．experience | B．devotion | C．motivation | D．adventure |
| A．challenging | B．limited | C．joint | D．tiring |
| A．wealth | B．struggle | C．hope | D．peace |
| A．want | B．wait | C．remain | D．deserve |
6 . Seba Stephens is only 10 years old, but he’s a very talented musician. He plays drums, bass, guitar and piano. Recently, he earned a professional certificate (证书) in music through the Berklee Online program at the famous Berklee College of Music.
Seba and his family live in Memphis, Tennessee — a place famous for music. He grew up with music all around, but he especially loved the drumming of Stewart Copeland from the band The Police.
Before he turned three, his parents asked him what he wanted for his birthday. “Drums!” he answered. His parents weren’t sure, but after seeing him play the drums at a local music store, they decided he was serious. They bought him a junior drum kit. It was a huge step. “He didn’t stop playing — ever,” said his dad, Everett.
In just a few months, his drum teacher reported that Seba was learning extremely quickly and needed a higher level of training. He was still four.
Seba’s parents encouraged him to explore music in other ways. Seba learned bass, guitar and piano. He faced challenges. “I couldn’t see over my drum set,” he said. He also had trouble finding a good bass that was small enough,
In 2020, Everett got special permission for Seba to join a summer music program at Berklee as an 8-year-old boy. Seba studied bass in an online program. To keep up, he had to practise up to 36 hours a week.
After the intense summer, Everett thought Seba might want a break. He was wrong. Instead, Seba asked his parents to home-school him so he could keep going to Berklee during the school year. His parents had to make some big changes to make the plan work, but they agreed.
Last May, Seba became the youngest person ever to receive a professional certificate from Berklee. The certificate is equal to about four college-level classes.
1. What is Stewart Copeland?| A．A teacher. | B．A drummer. | C．A pianist. | D．A soldier. |
| A．Three years old. | B．Four years old. |
| C．Eight years old. | D．Ten years old. |
| A．No time to practise. | B．Many things to learn. |
| C．Difficulties in finding proper instruments. | D．The requests made by the teacher. |
| A．The Musical Journey of a Famous Musician |
| B．An Online Program at Berklee College of Music |
| C．A Teenage Drummer Inspires Kids’ Music Education |
| D．A 10-year-old Drummer Earns Certificate From Berklee |
7 . Watching a movie can be a magical experience, but do you know that the music in the films we watch has always been an important part of creating that magical experience?
The first commercial film with sound came out in 1927.
As sound-on-film technology developed, composers were hired to create original music for films. Like music written for an opera，film music serves to advance the story and the action.
Music has a language of its own. The right piece of music can improve and sometimes even change a viewer’s ideas of what is taking place onscreen. Most of the time, music is used to stress the action onscreen, improve the mood of a scene, foreshadow action that is about to take place or even show the emotion of a character.
| A．So, how is the film music created? |
| B．Without it, it would be hard to imagine the scene. |
| C．An opera composer must follow the text of the opera. |
| D．Usually, composers and filmmakers don’t want to overshadow a film. |
| E．So the next time you watch a movie, pay close attention to the music. |
| F．The music in a film makes you cheer for the hero and cry at the drama. |
| G．Since then, music has been powerfully linked to the movie-watching experience. |
8 . A recent research study suggests that learning music doesn’t make you smarter.
For a while, there was an idea found on the Internet and in various magazines that suggested that babies could become smarter if they listened to Mozart, or to other classical music. Inspired, some parents bought classical CDs for their babies in the hope that this would boost their intelligence. But this so-called “Mozart Effect” has been challenged repeatedly.
But is taking music lessons surely different from just listening to music? Wouldn’t taking music lessons make kids smarter? That’s exactly the question that many researchers over the years have tried to answer. Some of their studies concluded that it does, and some found that it doesn’t. For example, one study showed that music education did not improve reading skills, while another one found a small effect of music on young children’s ability to learn words.
The researchers of the new study, Giovanni Sala (Fujita Health University) and Fernand Gobet (London School of Economics), looked at the data behind 54 carefully selected studies, and after carefully comparing the data from different papers, they concluded that children who took music lessons did not score higher on tests that measure their intelligence or academic ability than kids that didn’t learn music.
If music doesn’t make you smarter, how does that explain other research that shows that music lessons help students’ school performance? It seems like there is something about music lessons that makes students able to perform better in their other classes. That doesn’t have to be intelligence, and it’s likely not. Music lessons could have helped in different ways: They could have led to a change in homework habits, they could have increased confidence, or they could have improved social skills. And finally, they also mention that music education could still be very beneficial to students’ performance in non-music subjects if the music is combined with these classes. So feel free to keep making music, and keep encouraging children to learn music.
1. What can we learn about the “Mozart Effect”?| A．It is most likely to be ineffective. |
| B．It was first presented by Mozart. |
| C．It helps parents take good care of their children. |
| D．It will draw more and more researchers’ attention. |
| A．Listening to music benefits kids a lot. |
| B．Whether music education suits all kids remains unknown, |
| C．Listening to music fails to help kids in language learning. |
| D．Whether taking music lessons makes kids smarter is controversial. |
| A．They did 54 small studies in all. |
| B．They observed children in music classes. |
| C．They examined plenty of previous research. |
| D．They did a long-term survey of musical students. |
| A．Intelligence determines one’s school performance. |
| B．Music lessons should be encouraged for children. |
| C．A student’s intelligence can be increased with effort. |
| D．Students should avoid listening to music while studying. |
9 . Our ancient nomadic(游牧的)ancestor would often sing or dance to show others where to find food. In my family, we’ve always had music around us too and this influence is starting to
What is most joyous about our shared
At that point, I felt like music would be the way to
Through
| A．slow down | B．come back | C．pay off | D．run out |
| A．refused | B．needed | C．agreed | D．started |
| A．excited | B．young | C．happy | D．different |
| A．arrangement | B．ability | C．taste | D．choice |
| A．understanding | B．style | C．love | D．training |
| A．family | B．company | C．group | D．community |
| A．low | B．surprised | C．angry | D．afraid |
| A．guessed | B．dreamt | C．accepted | D．heard |
| A．helped | B．changed | C．attracted | D．supported |
| A．success | B．luck | C．power | D．joy |
| A．hold on | B．call out | C．get through | D．pay attention |
| A．wondering | B．learning | C．communicating | D．deciding |
| A．answer | B．education | C．excuse | D．opportunity |
| A．games | B．history | C．examples | D．music |
| A．bigger | B．newer | C．closer | D．richer |
10 . Everyone has their favourite Bond songs with the 007 movies offering so many different musical outings over the years from classic rock and pop to soul and even dance. Let us know in the comments.
Golden Eye — Tina Turner
Golden Eye (1995)
Golden Eye sees a cat-like Turner wandering about throughout its sound stage, flashing her claws where necessary. Its sweeping arrangement and sentimental brass (感伤的铜管乐) contribute to a powerful vocal performance. The strings are mixed with horns that sound like a passing train. This is effortless singing from Turner and her amazing control is a joy to hear.
Tomorrow Never Dies — Sheryl Crow
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
This rock/pop little number has always felt rather clear to the listeners. It is a bit Bond-aping (邦德式模仿) rather than creating something new all by itself, which is what it should ideally be aiming for. Crow gives it her all with her soft voice.
You Know My Name — Chris Cornell
Casino Royal (2006)
Right from the brilliantly exciting intro, the whole track just sounds so strong, as if it was chiseled (镌刻) out of the very finest stone. A lot of this is down to Chris Cornell’s powerful and deeply rich voice. One of the greatest singers of his generation, he absolutely nails this track.
Writing’s On The Wall — Sam Smith
Spectre (2015)
The title theme that most people can’t actually remember. By all accounts, Sam Smith’s Writing’s On The Wall was written very quickly, and frankly, it shows. Far from being a terrible song, it just lacks basically everything that a Bond theme needs. Sure, it certainly feels empty.
1. Who gives an impression of joy to hear through his/her voice?| A．Tina Turner. | B．Sheryl Crow. |
| C．Chris Cornell. | D．Sam Smith. |
| A．Sweet. | B．Strong. | C．Gentle. | D．Terrible. |
| A．Golden Eye. |
| B．Tomorrow Never Dies. |
| C．You Know My Name. |
| D．Writing’s On The Wall. |
