Does music have the power to help us sleep better? According to a recent research, it does. Using an experiment in
These benefits
Does the type of music matter? There were no
Why would music have these beneficial effects? So far, little research
2 . How similar are language and music?
Language is part of our daily lives, no matter where we live in the world.
Both language and music have a writing system.
Both language and music have their own systems of notation. Language uses alphabets to represent sounds and create meaning.
Listening to the language someone speaks can provide valuable clues about their geographical origin. In the same way, we know that styles of music are different around the world, giving us the opportunity to explore many different cultures through their music and providing us with music for every situation.
Both share emotion.
A.Both are expressive. |
B.Both vary with culture. |
C.How do you know that I am annoyed? |
D.Similarly, music is part of many people’s lives. |
E.Equally, music uses notes to represent pitches and rhythms. |
F.We use language to express our thoughts. |
G.In contrast, you probably also listen to sad music when you are feeling down. |
3 . I thought I knew a lot about Hamlet. I had been always full of
A.complaint | B.hope | C.confidence | D.fear |
A.Dealing with | B.Agreeing with | C.Starting with | D.Ending with |
A.recently | B.completely | C.hardly | D.suddenly |
A.heard | B.saw | C.tasted | D.smelt |
A.but | B.and | C.therefore | D.besides |
A.moved | B.ashamed | C.tired | D.surprised |
A.mind | B.TV | C.stage | D.radio |
A.masks | B.costumes | C.colors | D.meanings |
A.terrible | B.sad | C.unique | D.common |
A.low | B.high | C.soft | D.sweet |
A.silent | B.noisy | C.simple | D.dark |
A.energetic | B.weak | C.slow | D.competitive |
A.fighting | B.leaving | C.waiting | D.clapping |
A.performance | B.book | C.film | D.lecture |
A.write | B.recognise | C.share | D.forget |
4 . For more culture coverage and the new streaming services, www. vulture. com has prepared a wide range of funny things to see, hear, watch, and read.
TV: The Crown (Season Six)
Netflix, November 16.
The final season of The Crown is being divided into two parts, with four episodes on show before Thanksgiving and the remaining six landing on December 14. And, yes, those initial episodes will address the death of Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, a talented Australian actress.
OPERA: Later the Same Evening
Juilliard Opera presents. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, November 12, 15, and 17.
Composer John Musto and play writer Mark Campbell turned those moody scenes into a one-act opera that’s become a student favorite but rarely gets seen on a greater stage. It would be a once in a life time chance to have a feast for eyes.
MOVIES: Fallen Leaves
In theaters, November 17.
Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, a master of deadpan, returns with what might be his most romantic film so far — an unexpected meet up of an alcoholic construction worker and a headstrong supermarket employee.
MUSIC: Heaven Knows
Warner Records UK, November 10.
Pink Pantheress, 22, combines R&B, pop, and electronic music into relaxing but impactful tracks like “Do You Miss Me?” from December’s Take Me Home EP. This fall, her first complete studio-recorded album, consisting of 13 songs, will be released. Early tastes of Heaven Knows like “Capable of Love” and “Mosquito” suggest that we’re in for tighter hooks and longer, more ambitious compositions.
1. Which will attract those who enjoy Elizabeth Debicki’s performance?A.Mosquito. | B.Malarkoi. |
C.The Crown. | D.Fallen Leaves. |
A.They are coming into market in November. |
B.The works can be enjoyed once in a life time. |
C.More details can be accessible from newspaper. |
D.They are the works by the world-famous artists. |
A.It is produced by Netflix. |
B.It is divided into two parts. |
C.It’ll be released on Nov.17. |
D.It is her first full studio album. |
5 . 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.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. |
A.It explains why Chinese art enjoys popularity. |
B.It shows us art can come to life through dance. |
C.It highlights the beauty of Chinese traditional art. |
D.It tells us the passion for Chinese traditional painting. |
6 . 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. |
7 . 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 |
The xiao, a traditional bamboo instrument, is now attracting more and more attention with
“From the Tang Dynasty on, usually the xiao was used for the purpose of
In Shen’s view, compared with others, the xiao is an
Since it is so simple that you can hardly make any changes on it, you can only change yourself to make your music performance better and better.
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. |
10 . Have you ever faced a time when things looked dark and you had no hope at all?Yes, I have. But the
Two years ago, I was told I had a serious
Music gave me happiness. When I listened to music, it made my spirits fly like a kite in the wind. Music gave me strength and
I hope
A.friend | B.song | C.music | D.doctor |
A.accident | B.disease | C.cold | D.trouble |
A.longer | B.more | C.better | D.worse |
A.angry | B.alone | C.lonely | D.bored |
A.and | B.but | C.so | D.or |
A.songs | B.doctors | C.books | D.friends |
A.many | B.a little | C.much | D.a few |
A.refused | B.began | C.expected | D.hoped |
A.medicine | B.knowledge | C.inspiration | D.idea |
A.took | B.caught | C.showed | D.brought |
A.brave | B.happy | C.strong | D.hard |
A.However | B.Besides | C.Luckily | D.Actually |
A.no one | B.none | C.some | D.most |
A.go along | B.go through | C.take in | D.come over |
A.us | B.him | C.her | D.you |