What comes to your mind when you think of music in Austria? You might think of Mozart or the film The Sound of Music, but Austrian music started off quite
In the 18th century the Austrian royal family drew many famous musicians to Vienna, making
Opera has also been popular in Austria. Not only rich Austrians
Austria has a long and rich musical history, from folk songs and dances
1. What is the man anxious about?
A.Sitting his final exams. |
B.Going to his high school dance. |
C.Signing up for dance lessons. |
A.Cousins. | B.Schoolmates. | C.Dance teacher and dancer. |
A.She got injured. |
B.She was offered a better job. |
C.She wanted to spend more time with her family. |
3 . As the clocks strike midnight one by one on New Year’s Eve, one song will ring out more than any other from the world’s crowds — “Auld Lang Syne”, the Scots-language ode (颂歌) to friendship and good times past, which was first set to paper by the Scottish poet Robert Burns, though he claimed he was not its original author, only a documentarian of one part of an old oral folk tradition. According to historian Dr. Morag Grant, the concept of “auld lang syne” was once a Jacobite tradition.
Burns’ version quickly became popular in Scotland after it was published in 1799, and thanks to that Scottish diaspora—which carried its folk traditions to places like the States, Canada and New Zealand — snatches (音乐片段) of “Auld Lang Syne” are productive throughout history.
It was in 19th-century England that the New Year’s Eve tradition emerged. At St Paul’s in London, Scotts who went abroad would gather together and belt out the words to “Auld Lang Syne”. “To miss it in the eyes of some Scots would amount to little less than a crime,” the Edinburgh Evening Courant wrote at the time.
An increasingly connected world helped to promote the song’s spread. The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, sang it down the mouthpiece to demonstrate the new telecommunications equipment. Later, another scientist called Emile Berliner chose it as one of the first songs to be recorded on the gramophone. In 1929, the bandleader Guy Lombardo began the tradition of playing “Auld Lang Syne” from Times Square, first on radio and then on television.
From its folkloric beginnings, “Auld Lang Syne” has travelled far, shapeshifting and acquiring new meaning as it passes between people and cultures. Today, it symbolises friendship and fond memory for communities across the globe, and it becomes the second most sung song in the English language, beaten only by “Happy Birthday”. It’s quite a success for a poem written in a Scottish minority language.
1. What might be the origin of the song?A.A Jacobite concept. | B.Oral Scott folk music. |
C.A poem by Robert Burns. | D.Works of Dr. Morag Grant. |
A.Folk tradition. | B.Famous poets. | C.Settling abroad. | D.Singing fever. |
A.The Scotts’ living style. | B.The excellent performance of a band. |
C.World connection via new inventions. | D.New Year’s Eve tradition in England. |
A.The charm of friendship and memory. | B.The importance of Scottish culture. |
C.The beauty of Scottish language. | D.The impact of folk tradition. |
4 . The Music Educator Award, this year, went to Annie Ray, an orchestra(管弦乐队)director at Annandale High School.She was recognized for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities.Ray got to attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles and bring home a $10,000 prize.
Ray created the Crescendo Orchestra 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.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.The most important is to give students a chance to develop their cooperation skills, make mistakes and learn the art of refining something.Ray pushes her students to be brave, go outside their comfort zone and realize they have to learn how to make bad sounds before learning how to make good sounds.And they teach her a lot in return.” They changed my educational philosophy.I understand what it truly means to meet a student where they’re at and apply that elsewhere,” she said.
The warm reception on the ceremony was meaningful.Actually, not many people understand what exactly music educators do or how much their work matters.While her administration is supportive, that lack of understanding is a problem facing the profession in general.Another is resources.She says her school “desperately” needs new instruments.She will use some of her prize money to buy more.
Ray also plans to put some of the money towards an ongoing scholarship for students who want to pursue music when they graduate.She knows of several, those particularly interested in music, and aims to offer financial support needed to realize their musical dreams” It is hard but truly satisfying,” Ray said.“And there’s nothing else like it for them.”
1. What can we learn about Ray from the first two paragraphs?A.She hosted the award ceremony. | B.She brought music to more people. |
C.She gave away instruments to the poor. | D.She founded a local charity for children. |
A.They acquire in-depth musical knowledge. | B.They make friends with the like-minded. |
C.They gain personal growth from playing music. | D.They improve their connections with educators. |
A.The reception on the ceremony. | B.Importance of music education. |
C.Challenges for music educators. | D.Plans to obtain resources. |
A.Winning a scholarship. | B.Developing interest in music. |
C.Making musical achievements. | D.Transforming dreams into reality. |
5 . Music is an international language. The songs that are sung or played by instruments are beautiful to all people everywhere.
Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers (扬声器) and play the music loudly as they drive on the streets.
Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, politics, and activities of the American people. But most of the radio broadcast is music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in every state. Once the pop singer is heard throughout the country, young people buy his or her tapes. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
Besides pop music, there are two other kinds of music that is important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. The other is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.
1. In America, every student likes ______.A.folk music | B.country music | C.pop music | D.western music |
A.They sell cows. | B.They watch cows. |
C.They sing and dance. | D.They travel around. |
A.Three. | B.Four. | C.Five. | D.Six. |
A.Music in America | B.Music Listeners |
C.Cowboys in America | D.International Language |
6 . Mary Dickins had been a member of the audience at poetry nights before and knew “the poetry clap”. She made a polite tapping of fingers. But when she made her debut (首次演出) as a performer at the age of 62 at the legendary Bang Said the Gun night in south London, she said, “It was so wild — like nothing I had ever seen before.” The audience stamped their feet and shook shakers. “It felt transformative. I thought, ‘I’ve got to have more of this,’ ” Dickins said. Becoming a performance poet has given her a place on a stage of her own making.
All her life she has written, mostly without being seen or heard. Her mother died when she was nine, and, after she went into a care home at 13, Dickins’ writing stayed in notebooks. Really, she says, a lot of her adult life has been about getting over childhood shyness. At university — she studied education — she met her husband of 40 years, but in three years of seminars she did not say a word. Some of this results from her years at the children’s home. She says, “It gave me a sense of what it’s like to be excluded. I never fitted in anywhere.”
After she graduated, she discovered that she loved working with people with learning disabilities. She became an expert in inclusive education. “That was my niche (称心的职业),” she says. She published books and returned to the University of North London as a senior lecturer in early childhood studies.
Dickins now sees that in adulthood she has been giving herself permission to be silly. “The sillier I allow myself to be, the better the writing is,” she says. Her observations are humorous.
“Putting things into words and giving shape to your emotions is an important part of coming to terms with the things that happen in life,” she says.
Does she still feel like an outsider?
“I think I’ve made it into a virtue. I celebrate the fact that I don’t fit into a box. Finally! You have to wait till you’re 62 to feel confident!” she says. “But I have a sense of who I am and I'm proud of it. I wouldn’t be anyone else now — and it took me a long time to say that.”
1. How did Dickins feel about her debut?A.Calm. | B.Awkward. | C.Stressed. | D.Encouraged. |
A.Her immature writing style. | B.Her experience at the care home. |
C.Her struggle with her university studies. | D.Her difficult relationship with her husband. |
A.It makes her land a good job. | B.It sharpens her sense of humor. |
C.It enables her to get on well with her life. | D.It helps her overcome her learning disabilities. |
A.Mary Dickins’ New Start after 60 | B.Mary Dickins’ First Performance |
C.Mary Dickins’ Troubled Writing Career | D.Mary Dickins’ Impact on Performance Poets |
Reviewer Anna Martino, age 13
Breeze has released Pedal Street after a two-year wait, in spite of pressure from fans and the record company. Fans had been told to expect something special and this is a masterpiece. This band’s music is exceptional. The song lyrics (歌词) express emotions that are felt by everybody, focusing on topics other artists seem to prefer not to sing about. Breeze uses an interesting mix of styles including classical strings (弦乐器) and modern guitar riffs (重复段).
Thrill by Skydiggers
Reviewer Alexis Walker, age 14
Skydiggers, a Canadian rock group, have released the album Thrill, which was recorded over two years. Although some tunes are difficult to tell apart from each other in the sense that Suzi Tarrant’s voice doesn’t vary from song to song, the album will soon be permanently fixed on your playlist.
Silver Honeybees by Lena and the Lantanas
Reviewer Sam Roberts, age 16
Lena has been allowed to sing all types of songs here in order to really show what she can do. And in case you think that her new far-ranging style may not be attractive to a youthful teenage fan base, remember that her teen audience is sure to grow along with her as she makes more music. While some bands include good beats but have meaningless lyrics that make you feel slightly sick, or sing songs with meaningful words yet make a terrible sound, the Lantanas are different and a rare find.
Hungry Rock by April Sapa
Reviewer Julie Zhang, age 14
The album covers everything a teenager can feel: love, hate, acceptance and even boredom. It is an excellent combination of easy listening, even though there are several songs that could easily have been left out, resulting in a better album overall.
1. What can we learn about Pedal Street?A.It was a let-down for fans. | B.It was prepared in a short time. |
C.It is emotional and unusual. | D.It mainly consists of rock music. |
A.It attracts people of all ages. | B.It has both good words and sounds. |
C.It covers several types of music. | D.It makes you feel heartbroken. |
A.To introduce the albums. | B.To clarify a concept. |
C.To persuade the audience. | D.To appeal the customers. |
8 . A broken heart. A sad ending to a love story. That’s something most of us have experienced, or probably will. After all, it’s part of human life. But no question, the experience can be hard to get over.
But research shows there are ways to deal with heartaches. Listening to sad music is a useful one. It can help you begin to feel joy and hopefulness about your life again. It can arouse (激发,唤醒) the interest to connect with others.
Sad music can help uplift you from your broken heart. A recent study from Germany found the emotional (情感的) influence of listening to sad music is an access to feelings of empathy (共情), and a hope for positive connection with others. That, itself, is psychologically healing (愈合). It draws you away from concentration on yourself, and possibly towards helping others in need of comfort.
Another experiment, from the University of Kent, found that when people were experiencing sadness, listening to music that was “beautiful but sad” improved their mood. In fact, it did so when the person first consciously accept the situation causing their sadness, and then began listening to the sad music. That is, when they intended that the sad music might help, they found that it did.
These findings link with other studies that show accepting your sad situation emotionally leads to healing and growth beyond it. It seems unbelievable but it does help. For example, a research from Comell University, published in Psychological Science, found that accepting discomfort about a life experience or new situation, and viewing it as a step towards growth and change, encourages people to find a pathway through it, beyond it. As Churchill famously said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” That discomfort points you towards creating a plan, a new action. It fuels hope.
1. What does the author think of “having a broken heart” in life?A.Unavoidable. | B.Unbearable. | C.Inspiring. | D.Helpful. |
A.Listen to a sad song. | B.Avoid unwise actions. |
C.Find support from others. | D.Face the discomfort bravely. |
A.By listing numbers. | B.By giving advice. |
C.By sharing personal experiences. | D.By showing research findings. |
A.Ways to deal with challenges | B.Music matters a lot. |
C.Sad music helps a broken heart | D.Advice on living a healthy life |
9 . An orchestra is attempting to bring people living with dementia (痴呆) back into the present. The work being done by Manchester Camerata has never been more important, given that there are about 900,000 people with the condition in the UK, a number that is predicted to nearly double by 2040.
People with dementia often find listening to music can reignite old memories from long ago. Much more overlooked, though, is the impact that making music can have on the present. While some with dementia can often feel trapped in the past, some researchers believe the act of creating music—as well as listening to it—can help to reconnect then to the here and now.
A new BBC documentary—Dementia, Music and Us—follows the work of Manchester Camerata and its principal flautist (长笛手) Amina Hussain. who, also a professional music therapist, leads classes across the north-west of England that have been described as life-changing. Classes for the community consist of improvisation (即兴创作), singing, and writing their own music.
Keith, 62, was diagnosed with dementia when he was 53. Like many, he really struggled to come to terms with his new reality. He found the sessions to be genuinely life-changing. “I think the thing that saved us was the first ever music group we went to because from that group it opened other groups up for us.” he said. “The workshops make you smile, enjoy life and it just brings the best out of you.”
Researcher Dr Dowlen is seeking to better understand the “in the moment” benefits of music-making for people with dementia. She believes the improvisational music workshop experience allows people to “create something that is held now in the moment.” She added, “Improvisational music-making is particularly important for people with dementia, especially when it comes to building their confidence and their self-esteem.”
1. Why is the work being done by Manchester Camerata important?A.Music is an important part of daily life. | B.Music is an effective cure for dementia. |
C.More people are pursuing a musical career. | D.A growing number of people live with denentia. |
A.Keep alive. | B.Bring back. | C.Push away. | D.Take up. |
A.He has become more socially active. | B.He has adapted to life with dementia. |
C.He has demonstrated his music talent. | D.He has recovered his long-lost memory. |
A.They bring mixed results, | B.They enjoy great popularity. |
C.They promote people’s welfare. | D.They need to focus on the moment. |
10 . At the age of 12, I withdrew into my bedroom with my guitar. I had neither musical talent — many
The world favors achievement while
The seeking of accomplishment always
A.added | B.tailored | C.expected | D.failed |
A.Besides | B.Instead | C.Therefore | D.However |
A.fruitless | B.matchless | C.effortless | D.senseless |
A.wished | B.allowed | C.required | D.invited |
A.masked | B.rooted | C.set | D.stuck |
A.waited for | B.passed by | C.departed from | D.stayed with |
A.exchange | B.reason | C.foundation | D.priority |
A.relationship | B.difference | C.balance | D.similarity |
A.ignoring | B.avoiding | C.assessing | D.defending |
A.origin | B.process | C.decision | D.reward |
A.lack | B.need | C.rush | D.dream |
A.amazes | B.concerns | C.frightens | D.discourages |
A.adventurous | B.dangerous | C.memorable | D.horrible |
A.impression | B.performance | C.scene | D.harmony |
A.pursued | B.accepted | C.interpreted | D.analysed |