1 . It was already dark. After the jetliner
He wanted to seem organized and remain
With Farida and Zohra in Doha, the months-long, tough
But the
| A．landed | B．settled | C．appeared | D．flew |
| A．curious | B．anxious | C．depressed | D．excited |
| A．protect | B．comfort | C．meet | D．invite |
| A．waiting | B．cheering | C．laughing | D．crying |
| A．serious | B．gentle | C．kind | D．calm |
| A．lesson | B．experience | C．nightmare | D．journey |
| A．until | B．when | C．after | D．if |
| A．bottom | B．top | C．end | D．exit |
| A．hostess | B．dancer | C．singer | D．musician |
| A．fell | B．climbed | C．ran | D．rolled |
| A．broke away | B．stood up | C．looked down | D．gave up |
| A．battle | B．mission | C．struggle | D．task |
| A．arrival | B．departure | C．stay | D．delay |
| A．off | B．apart | C．out | D．away |
| A．flight | B．memory | C．sight | D．moment |
| A．amazing | B．lucky | C．delighted | D．hopeful |
| A．preserve | B．serve | C．appreciate | D．love |
| A．fortunate | B．painful | C．sweet | D．disappointing |
| A．happening | B．changing | C．coming | D．collapsing |
| A．favorable | B．appealing | C．accessible | D．popular |
2 . While most musicians work with other artists when creating their music, Holly Herndon, an American musician and sound artist who is now based in Berlin, takes a different way, working with the machine learning software called Spawn. The software uses artificial neural networks modeled after the structure of the human brain. These networks learn patterns from datasets during the training process. Based on the data, the networks create new material that includes Herndon’s own voice.
When producing her album, PROTO, Holly trained datasets to write new music. The process requires the input data of music written by people or by artificial intelligence (AI). The neural networks then produce variations of that music. “Computers surprise you in a way that an instrument doesn’t,” Holly said. So what does music sound like when composed by what is essentially a robot? It sounds like music from the future!
But Holly Herndon isn’t the only one exploring AI in composition. Machines have played an increasingly important role in music over the last century. The godfather of computer science, Alan Turing, developed the first computer generated music in 1951. Then in 1980. David Cope from the University of California, Santa Cruz developed EMI — Experiments in Musical Intelligence, a system that analyzes existing music and produces new pieces based on it.
AI might not take over the job of the “pop star” anytime soon, or will it? Miquela Sousa is a computer-generated artist with over one million followers on Instagram. “I’m a model and singer. And I’m a robot,” Miquela said. This then raises the question: Can we reproduce creativity using a computer?
Though those questions are not easy to answer, I believe the next frontier of music lies somewhere in between. I can see the path forward with a new dawn of creativity that combines human inventiveness with AI. And the next chapter of music will certainly become wonderful as music and AI become even more closely connected.
1. What plays an important role in producing PROTO?| A．Holly’s special voice. | B．The input of existing music. |
| C．Holly’s rich knowledge. | D．The use of an instrument. |
| A．To promote deep thinking on AI musicians. |
| B．To show the popularity of smart robots. |
| C．To explain the tasks of computer-generated artists. |
| D．To make comparisons between human and robotic artists. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Surprised. | C．Confused. | D．Confident. |
| A．The increasing diversity of AI music. | B．The development of musical composition. |
| C．The history of computer-generated music. | D．The combination of AI and musical composition. |
3 . People often call music a universal language, but do certain songs really cause the same mental images in our minds? Scientists at Princeton find that while music absolutely can stimulate(激发)similar mental experiences, the results also strongly suggest culture is a major factor.
A total of 622 people took part in the study. All of the volunteers came from one of three locations: two suburban college towns in the US (one in Arkansas and the other in Michigan), or the rural Chinese village of Dimen. It’s worth noting that the main language in Dimen is Dong, a tonal language unrelated to the official language of China. Locals there have little contact with Western media or culture at all. All participants listened to the exact same 32 “musical stimuli”— which were 60-second cuts of instrumental music. Half of these pieces came from Western music while the rest came from Chinese music.
After hearing, researchers asked the groups about the images they saw in their heads while listening. Incredibly, people from Arkansas and Michigan often described very similar stories, even using the exact same words frequently. Dimen listeners, on the other hand, envisioned stories that were similar to each other but quite different from the American listeners. More specifically, one track led t o Americans seeing a cowboy in the hot desert surveying an empty town. Meanwhile, Chinese participants imagined a man in ancient times reflecting on the loss of a loved one.
“There’s something about the results that’s really surprising, especially because people encounter music in 2022 often in a solitary way, over headphones. But it turns out, it’s still a shared experience, almost like a shred dream, although not universally shared, ”says Elizabeth Margulis, the study author.
The results paint a more complex picture of music’s power. Music can generate remarkably similar stories in listeners’ minds, but it depends on a common set of cultural experiences. So while we imagine music can bring people together, the opposite can also be true-it can distinguish between sets of people with a different background or culture.
1. What is the probable reason for Dimen being selected for the study?| A．Its unique cultural background. | B．Its close contact with US. |
| C．Its complex language system. | D．Its long tradition of music. |
| A．Exchange their comments on the scene. |
| B．Imagine musicians’ original inspiration. |
| C．Describe the picture forming in mind. |
| D．Recall personal music-related stories. |
| A．Strange. | B．Individual. | C．Outdated. | D．Polite. |
| A．Unbelievable? Music’s Effects Go beyond Cultures |
| B．Problem Solved! How Music Brings Us All Together |
| C．Amazing! Cultures Determine Our Preference for Music |
| D．Universal Language? Culture Matters When We Hear Music |
4 . National Music Theater Competition
The 2024 National Music Theater Competition (NMTC) will be held. It was launched in 2011 as the first national competition for the emerging professional music theater soloist (独唱者). NMTC has provided industry connections for past competitors and winners that have led to their success on Broadway and other venues.
Prizes (each prize only for a person)
The champion: $5,000 plus a concert at the next national conference of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), a $1,000 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard, a Career Management Services package from Stage Door Connections.
The runner-up: $2,500 plus a $500 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard.
The third place: Louise Lerch Prize; $1,000 cash prize.
The fourth place: Bill Hayes Prize; $750 cash prize.
Qualification
Singers aged from 20 to 28 as of September 15, 2023.
Entrance Procedure
Application requires a fee of $900, but for these students of NATS members the fee is $75. Application fees due to cancellation by the applicant won’t be returned. All application materials must be submitted by September 15, 2023. If you are planning to submit your application for the online round, you must complete the submission by September 15, 2023, but you’ll have 30 days after the deadline to upload your audition (试唱) videos. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Where to Audition
The preliminary (预选的) round
Live auditions: November 1 to 10, 2023 in New York City.
Online auditions: Video submission deadline is October 15, 2023.
Semifinal and final rounds
Live auditions: The semifinal round: January 3 to 9, 2024; the final round: January 15 to 20, 2024.
The semifinal and final rounds will be held in New York City as part of the 2024 NATS Winter Workshop.
1. Why was the National Music Theater Competition launched?| A．To make people like music. |
| B．To promote the leisure industry. |
| C．To popularize Broadway musicals. |
| D．To seek promising talents. |
| A．A $500 Gift Certificate and Louise Lerch Prize. |
| B．$2,500 in prize money and a Gift Certificate. |
| C．A Career Management Services package. |
| D．A chance to perform at a concert. |
| A．Being at least 28 years old. |
| B．Applying for membership of NATS. |
| C．Submitting application materials on time. |
| D．Uploading audition videos by September 15. |
| A．Competitors can enter the semifinal round on January 18, 2024. |
| B．Both online and live auditions are available in any round. |
| C．There are three rounds in the competition in total. |
| D．Application submission deadline is October 15, 2023. |
| A．To call on people to explore their potential in music. |
| B．To attract young singers to apply for the competition. |
| C．To appeal to young singers to become NATS members. |
| D．To encourage people to enter the musical industry. |
Music has strong effects on us and different music has different effects. Faster music helps us concentrate better. Lively music makes us feel more pleased. And slower music
New findings show that music around 60 beats a minute can cause the brain to synchronize (合拍) with the beat,
What type of music reduces stress greatly? A bit surprising: Drums and flutes (长笛) can have positive effects on relaxing the mind even when
How can we choose the music that is best for us? The answer depends on ourselves. We could start by
6 . You are walking down a busy street on your way to work. You pass a busker (艺人) playing a song you haven’t heard in years. Suddenly, you’re mentally reliving the first time you heard the song. The music takes you right back to where you were, who you were with and the feelings associated with that memory. This experience is known as a music-evoked autobiographical memory. It’s a common experience and it just comes to mind spontaneously. Amazing, isn’t it?
Research has recently begun to explore the connections between music and evoking memories. First, music tends to accompany many distinctive life events, such as celebrations, graduations, weddings and funerals, so it can play an important role in reconnecting us with these self-defining moments. Music also often arrests our attention, due to the way it affects our minds, bodies and emotions. When music draws our attention, this increases the likelihood that it will be encoded in memory together with details of a life event. And this then means it is able to serve as an effective reminder of this event years later.
Another recent study found that more familiar music evokes more memories and brings memories to mind more subconsciously. And the reason is that we typically reengage with songs more often over our lifetime compared to films, books or TV shows.
Indeed, the power of music to connect us with our past shows how music, memories and emotions are all linked—and it seems certain songs can act as a direct line to our younger selves.
“It seems then that music appears to have the ability to reconnect us with more emotionally positive moments from our pasts. This suggests that using music therapeutically may be particularly fruitful. That will be great news for some patients.” says Kelly Jakubowski, Assistant Professor in Music Psychology, Durham University.
1. What does “spontaneously” underlined in the text probably mean?| A．Naturally. | B．Consciously. | C．Slowly. | D．Temporarily. |
| A．What music can do with one’s well-being. | B．The process of music arousing memories. |
| C．The links between musicals and memories. | D．Why music can bring back memories. |
| A．Music can strengthen people’s memories. | B．Music is only linked to a certain occasion. |
| C．Music functions better than anything else. | D．Music can be used for medical treatment. |
| A．An online survey. | B．A science report. |
| C．A book review. | D．A diary entry. |
During my teenage years, I developed a deep love for ballet (芭蕾). I would volunteer at a local dance school
One day, there was a debate about the preferred style of ballet among the teachers. Some preferred the traditional ballet, while others
In order to contribute to the dance world, I decided to open my own ballet school and make it
Creating a suitable environment for learning and dancing was important to me. I wanted my students to feel interested.
I was excited when my first group of freshman
8 . About 20 years ago, Daniel Hoffman, a classically trained violinist met a young musician playing in the town square in Marrakech, an ancient city in Morocco. They communicated in the little French they both knew, but their main common language was music. On the back of a motorbike of the fellow violinist, Hoffman weaved through the back streets of the city and then learned his first lessons in Andalusian music, the classical music of North Africa.
That experience gave birth to an idea: What would it be like to try to learn how to play different violin styles around the world in just one week? Oh. yes, and at the end of that week, play a concert. He even got a name for the concept “musical extreme sports”.
It took him almost two decades to launch that dream with a friend, who introduced him to the wonders of Kickstarter, a funding platform for creative projects. Up to now, the dream has taken the form of a new documentary currently airing on American public television stations called “Otherwise, It’s Just Firewood.”
In the documentary, Hoffman travels to County Clare, Ireland, where he takes lessons with James Kelly, a master Irish violin player, for less than a week and then performs together with him in front of an audience, many of whom are star Irish musicians.
The film is what Hoffman hopes will be the first of an eventual series of short documentaries, showing him learning to play the violin in a variety of styles, including the folk music of south India, Sweden, Greece, Romania, and West Virginia.
That would add to his extensive repertoire (全部曲目), which already includes Balkan, Middle Eastern, and Turkish styles. “The big joke is what’s the difference between the fiddle and the violin? It’s the person who plays it,” says Niall Keegan, a traditional flute player. “It’s the music you make on it that makes it Irish or English or French or classical or jazz or whatever else. It’s how we imagine it and how we create through it that make it and give it character.”
“Otherwise, it’s just firewood,” he says, words that became the film’s title.
1. Where does Hoffman’s idea of musical extreme sports come from?| A．His exploration of the local music. |
| B．His cooperation with the young violinist. |
| C．His sightseeing tour on a motorbike seat. |
| D．His constantly changing taste in violin styles. |
| A．help Hoffman to become a master violin player |
| B．are funded by American public television stations |
| C．introduce different styles of musicians around the world |
| D．record Hoffman’s experience in learning various violin styles |
| A．the power of diversified artistic expression |
| B．the pleasure in learning traditional music |
| C．the technique of instrument playing |
| D．the importance of famous artists |
9 . Last week, three days of cold rain had everyone in our house feeling a bit bad-tempered, especially my kid, who couldn’t go out to play. Then the music app on my phone recommended a station called “Rainy Day Jazz.” As the soft piano played, my daughter and I hugged closely, feeling comfortable and relaxed. Suddenly, our day was enjoyable. It turned out that Rainy Day Jazz was just the thing we needed.
Life — especially life with young children — can often feel very busy and rushed. One of the great benefits of music is that it offers a safe and dependable place to feel our feelings. When we are afraid, sad, or happy, we can invite music in. Kids can be great at expressing their emotions, but they don’t always have the ability to regulate them and move through them. When kids engage with music, a sense of emotional security is increased, allowing them to feel safer to fully experience their feelings.
Music has been a community practice throughout human history. Studies show that in early childhood, playing music in groups can increase cooperation skills and a sense of social belonging. In Pinkalicious and Peterrific, an educational children’s TV series, Peter is eager to share his musical experiences with others. Together, Pinkalicious and Peter make up their own happy song to sing and play, which cheers up the whole town.
Music is for everyone. Lots of parents feel like they don’t have enough talent for music. Actually, they should let go of their insecurities about what they think music should be. Kids will love singing, dancing, and playing music with you no matter how it sounds. What’s the most important is to get them emotionally engaged.
Ready to rock and roll? Here are some ways your family can interact with music. Make music accessible. You can empower your child to use music as an emotional support by giving them access to the tools they need. Talk about music. You can help your child explore the relationship between music and emotions by talking openly about your own relationship with music. Get your bodies moving. Children experience music in their bodies — not just in their minds! Music and movement are partners.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Kids are able to adjust their emotions. | B．Kids do well in showing their feelings. |
| C．Music benefits children in many aspects. | D．Music is a safe way to experience emotions. |
| A．Music creates connection. | B．Playing music brings fun. |
| C．Cooperation skills are vital. | D．Children are eager for music. |
| A．Get rid of unnecessary worry. | B．Become more skilled in music. |
| C．Purchase expensive instruments. | D．Get to know their own limitations. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
10 . Why do you like the music you do? You would think that it is because of the music itself. But that’s only half the story. Surprisingly, the other half of the story doesn’t have much to do with music at all. By analyzing the public personalities of famous musicians, and the personality traits of their fans, a group of researchers found that people prefer the music of artists whose public personalities are similar to their own.
In three separate studies of more than 80,000 people, the researchers looked at several factors, personality ratings of 50 of the most famous musicians, listener reactions to music, and the lyrics in the artists’ music. The musicians studied were different, ranging from Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Elton John. Whitney Houston, The Rolling Stones to Beyonce, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, and Ozzy Osbourne.
The results from the three studies show that the fit in personality between the listener and the musician predicts musical preferences. It’s important to note that the public personalities of the musicians were measured, not their real personalities. The findings show how music gives fans a sense of pride and belonging to a social world. Even more, the results shed light on the evolutionary origins of music, which say that music evolved as a way to communicate groups’ characteristics which helped group members decide whether or not to work with each other. All of those make the findings a major advance in this area of research.
The findings are showing us how music can be “a common denominator” to bring people together. They can also pave the way for a new approach for record companies to attract audiences. Besides, the findings can be applied to situations involving mental health. For example, in times of stress and uncertainty, listeners can seek music of artists with similar personalities to themselves and feel understood and a sense of connection.
1. What are the key factors that influence listeners’ preference according to the researchers?| A．The lyrics in the music |
| B．The styles of the music. |
| C．The listeners’ former experiences. |
| D．The musicians’ public personalities. |
| A．They have shown the social power of music. |
| B．They can make people improve their personalities |
| C．They encourage musicians to produce better music. |
| D．They can help listeners develop better taste in music. |
| A．A. secret. | B．A. purpose. |
| C．A similarity. | D．A skill. |
| A．The importance of listening to popular music. |
| B．The methods of treating mental illness with music. |
| C．The reasons for the progress of the music industry. |
| D．The potential applications of the research findings. |
| A．Health | B．Culture |
| C．Education | D．Science |
