1 . Is there a friend of yours who always sings out of tune (曲调) but never realizes it? Don’t be so hard on them — they may have amusia — the inability to tell the difference in tunes.
Apart from singing out of tune, people with amusia may also find it hard to recognize music they’ve heard before without the help of song lyrics. Besides, people who suffer from Amusia can have difficulty in recognizing melodies and a total inability to tell between different musical sounds, according to Live Science. However, people with amusia can recognize common environmental sounds as well as the high and lows sounds in human voices, meaning that this inability can be specially related to music.
In many cases, people who have amusia are born with it, as 46 percent of these individuals’ family members were found to have similar conditions, according to a 2017 study. Brain imaging shows that their brains receive and respond to music pitch (音高) information, but it is not reaching conscious awareness, meaning that the mind can’t understand the information.
Scientists at the University of Otago in New Zealand also think that amusia is related to people’s special processing skills. They invited people with amusia, musicians and students from non-musical backgrounds to perform a task related to spacial imagination. They were asked to decide whether pairs of images are the same object moving around or mirror images.
The result showed that the amusia group made more mistakes than the other two groups. Amusia might be related to the way brain stores information about the high and low sounds in songs, according to the study.
Although those who aren’t confident about their singing skills often say they’re “tune-deaf”, people with amusia only make up about 1.5 percent of the population, as shown in the 2017 study. “Like dyslexics (诵读困难者) can learn how to read, those with amusia should be able to better their ability to recognize tunes if they start early enough,” Isabelle Peretz, a professor of psychology from the University of Montreal in Canada, told Live Science.
1. According to the article, what is the main difficulty faced by people with amusia?| A．Recognizing tunes. | B．Identifying human voices. |
| C．Understanding song lyrics. | D．Noticing common sounds in nature. |
| A．Amusia is common among children. |
| B．Amusia is a result of brain damage. |
| C．Many individuals with amusia are born with it. |
| D．Those who are tune-deaf often suffer from amusia. |
| A．People with amusia have strong spa cial imagination skills. |
| B．People with amusia struggle to decide the shape of images. |
| C．Amusia may be affected by one’s level of music education. |
| D．Amusia may be related to how the brain stores sound information. |
| A．Go for medical treatment. | B．Sing frequently with friends. |
| C．Learn how to read earlier in life. | D．Start to explore and learn music early. |
2 . It was a warm evening in August in 1995. Robert Blocker was driving to Yale University after being appointed as the university’s Dean (院长) of Music. He didn’t expect to see many people, but a couple of students met him and showed him around.
“When I looked at the history of the university and how people are devoted to the school’s art programs, I was honored by the chance to work there. I could not wait for the next day to start my job. And that excitement never changed because every day was different. My job as dean was not scheduled. I walked around the campus and students talked to me. I went to rehearsals (排演) by the students and teachers and got inspired by them,” he adds.
After nearly three decades as the Dean of Music at Yale, the 77-year-old retired from the position on Aug 31. Also an expert pianist, he remains a professor of piano at the music school, as well as professor of leadership strategies at Yale School of Management. Among his countless contributions as dean, Blocker developed long-term relationships with fellow musicians in China. He once toured cities, including Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, giving lectures to the youngsters.
“China is a very special place for me. I am very happy to be back after the pandemic (疫情) to meet my friends and colleagues,” Blocker says, adding that he is particularly excited about being with young students.
Yang Suxian, director of the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival, says, “He has been very supportive and has participated in the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival for years, even during the pandemic.”
Blocker’s vision of a more hopeful world is reflected in his belief that music bridges the understanding between people.
“Music brings hope. People may speak different languages and have different ideas but music speaks to each other’s heart, and that’s why we keep this work going on and why the work never ends,” he says, “Our job is to let music heal the world by allowing us to understand and find a common place in our hearts.”
1. How did Robert Blocker feel after being appointed as the university’s Dean?| A．Anxious. | B．Thrilled. | C．Terrified. | D．Challenged. |
| A．Teaching leadership skills. | B．Reviving art programs of the school. |
| C．Giving concerts when touring cities in China. | D．Organizing rehearsals for students and teachers. |
| A．To advertise the festival in Shenzhen. | B．To stress Robert’s preference for music. |
| C．To review the hardships during the pandemic. | D．To show Robert’s care about Chinese musicians. |
| A．Spreading music to the whole world. |
| B．Translating music into a common language. |
| C．Helping people to reach an agreement on music. |
| D．Guiding people to know themselves better through music. |
3 . The musician Moby once said, “Music has no form whatsoever--all it is is air moving just a little bit differently. It’s the only artform that you can’t touch.” It is true that we cannot touch music, but that does not mean that music is invisible. There is, in fact, away to “see” music.
How can we see music? Neuroscientists (神经科学家) use MRI machines to look inside the brain. These tools let them see the neurons, or braincells, which are in use when people are listening to music. Computer screens linked to MRIs show that when people listen to music, neurons light up in many parts of the brain.
Neuroscientists have ds covered that it isn’t necessary to hear music for the neurons to light up. Even when you just think about a song, these neurons light up. In addition, the same neural activity in the same part of the brain happens when people experience other pleasurable activities. For example, some of the same neurons light up when we eat something delicious or hug a love done. Negative feelings such as fear or anxiety make neurons in a different area light up. However, when an anxious or frightened person listens to pleasurable music, these neurons stop lighting up.
Why does music have so many benefits? The answer maybe because it uses so many different parts of the brain. According to neuroscientists, using many parts of the brain at one time gives your brain a good “workout.” Reading music while playing a musical instrument uses more parts of the brain simultaneously (同时地) than most other activities. It involves both physical movement and mental activity, much like playing a sport such as soccer.
So, although Moby is completely correct that we cannot touch music, it is possible to “see” music. There is still a lot to learn about the effects of music on our brain. However, there is no doubt that scientists have shown that music is an extremely powerful artform with many positive effects.
1. Why does the author mention Moby’s word?| A．To define what music is. |
| B．To call people’s attention to music. |
| C．To introduce the study of seeing music. |
| D．To confirm the invisible feature of music. |
| A．When you are worried about your exam. |
| B．When you are busy with your presentation. |
| C．When you enjoy your favorite brand of coffee. |
| D．When you miss the deadline of your homework. |
| A．The advantages of music over sports. |
| B．The reasons for the benefits of music. |
| C．The causes of the neurons lighting up. |
| D．The various healing functions of music. |
| A．Positive. | B．Critical. | C．Neutral. | D．Dismissive. |
4 . Music has existed since the beginning of time. People have always sung songs, danced to music, and played musical instruments together.
First of all, music has no borders or boundaries(界线).
What’s more, it has been proven that music plays a key role in brain development. This is because it helps with the development of language, motor skills, and emotional intelligence.
There’s nothing worse than being nervous before a big event or performance.
| A．Music is a necessary part of our lives |
| B．Music brings various communities closer |
| C．Music also has a positive effect on our memory |
| D．It really can leave us feeling worried and frightened |
| E．Music is a perfect way to help you relax and reduce your stress |
| F．It’s a universal language that connects people all over the world |
| G．The way music affects the brain is through a process called entertainment |
5 . I’d never heard of the yangqin — an 17th century Chinese stringed instrument(弦乐器) — until this past Sunday, when I had the pleasure of hearing Eastman graduate and music artist Wenzhuo Zhang 20E(MA) perform on it in a concert.
Wenzhuo, a Chinese native, began her training on the yangqin at age five. When she was only 13, Wenzhuo was awarded a scholarship to the Arts School of Hebei Province. After graduation. she placed first in the nationwide competition and was admitted into the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing, where she was awarded her bachelor’s in yangqin performance in 2005. She received her doctor’s degree from Boston University in music education in 2015 and studied at Eastman from 2017 to 2019. Wenzhuo has performed many times and won countless awards for her performances.
Before Wenzhuo performed five pieces on her yangqin, she introduced a brief historical background, and discussed its continued usage up to the present day. The yangqin was first used in Chinese folk music performance and operas. Later, under Mao Zedong, the yangqin slowly became a little popular. Performances began to be supported by the state, and yangqin performers were given a path to higher levels.
Wenzhuo performed four pieces going back to centuries ago, and one piece from the modern time. Needless to say, Wenzhuo’s performances sounded splendid. The yangqin is a unique and beautiful traditional instrument, and its sound is wonderful. It was nice to learn about the yangqin and a joy to watch Wenzhuo perform on it.
1. What do we know about the instrument?| A．It is very expensive. |
| B．It is familiar to the public. |
| C．It is very easy for people to learn. |
| D．It is a Chinese traditional instrument. |
| A．She could perform on her yangqin at age 5. |
| B．She took first prize in national competition. |
| C．She got her doctor’s degree in yangqin performance in 2015. |
| D．She was admitted to the Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing at age 13. |
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
| A．Just so so. | B．Annoying. | C．Successful. | D．Disappointing. |
1. 写信目的；
2. 音乐会简介；
3. 碰面时间和地点。
注意：写作词数应为80字左右；
请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Susan,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
In a story that fits a Hollywood script (剧本), two strange neighbors connected through music and formed an unusual bond by playing the piano together through a wall.
Giorgio Lo Porto is an Italian living in London, England. While he’s never met his neighbor, he knows his new neighbor is a pianist.
His curiosity sets off a series of online videos recording their growing friendship.
Lo Porto then says that he’s left a note telling his neighbor that he loved his music and included a request: Could you play “My Heart Will Go On?” As music starts playing in the background, he posts “I guess it’s a yes.”
In the next video, not only does Lo Porto play the piano, he’s also invited his neighbor to a duet (二重奏). Although he hasn’t played for a while, it appears that his relationship with his neighbor lights up his lost passion for the instrument (乐器).
In another video, Lo Porto begins playing “River Flows Through You,” and stops. At the very moment, his neighbor picks up where he left off.
And just like that, the two started a weekly duet “meet up,” as they played back and forth through the wall.
With every note, Lo Porto’s curiosity about his neighbor’s identity (身份) increased, until one day he took the leap to meet him.
With much expectation and thousands of fascinated online users, Lo Porto revealed (透漏) that he finally met his melodic neighbor.
“Well, today I have met my neighbor. It was better than expected. His name is Emil...” Lo Porto posted.
It turns out that Emil is a 87-year-old native of Poland who recently lost his wife to COVID. He was in between homes as he waited for his house to be sold.
As Lo Porto explained, Emil played the piano at 2 PM every weekend “because his wife loved it.” Playing it “keeps him closer to his wife and away from the painful reminder” of her absence. Lo Porto promised Emil that he would continue their duets till he moved out.
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。
Paragraph 1:
After that, they kept in touch by phone.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
However, bad news came.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| A．At 5:15 | B．At 6:00 | C．At 6:40 |
| A．The one with a dancer. |
| B．The one with a pianist. |
| C．The one with three guitarists. |
10 . The Best Bands of All Time
Queen
Sales: 147.6 million
Since 1970, Queen have not a stopped touring and creating new music. Their name is Queen but they’re the king of rock and pop rock. Their songs are still played today, and they’ve created 15 albums(唱片). We Will Rock You is their most famous song.
U2
Sales: 110.3 million
U2 formed as a group of friends in secondary school in Dublin, Ireland before any of them had any experience with music. So far, they’ve won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. The U2 Tour of 2009 to 2011 broke the record for being the highest-attended concert tour in history. Pride (I the Name of Love) is meaningful in memory of Martin Luther King.
The Rolling Stones
Sales: 100 million
The Rolling Stones got started in 1962 and of the top 5 highest-attended tours, four of them belong to this band. Part of their success is due to them staying true to the traditional style like R & B, soul, and rock. They even won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues album. I Can’t Get No Satisfaction is named the greatest rock song ever, with all the elements(元素) of rock and roll.
The Beatles
Sales: 279.8 million
The Beatles had a short run of only 10 years from 1960 to 1970, but they’re still the best-selling artists of all time by far. The UNESCO recognizes January 16 as the World Beatles Day. Each member of the band and the band itself have an asteroid(小行星) named after them. Can’t Buy Me Love and Yesterday are their classic songs.
1. Which band does We Will Rock You belong to?| A．The Rolling Stones. | B．The Beatles. | C．U2. | D．Queen. |
| A．keep the traditional music style |
| B．have never stopped creating new music |
| C．wrote a song to honor Martin Luther King |
| D．are the earliest and longest rock band ever |
| A．They are all high school students. | B．They once discovered an asteroid. |
| C．They have the biggest sale in albums. | D．They won the most Grammy Awards. |
