2 . The NCPA (国家大剧院) has accepted more than four million visitors with a series of 284 exhibitions covering oil paintings, music instruments, intangible cultural heritage and more. The NCPA provides you with performances and shows every day. Whenever you see a sunrise or sunset the curtain her never falls down.

Shape of Music

Shape of Music — A Cross-Sense Experience is an art exhibition jointly launched by the NCPA and the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Visual artists will create animated (动画的) works based on the feelings brought by different music pieces.

The Nutcracker

The ballet The Nutcracker is produced by the Harbin Ballet. Zhang Dandan, the famous ballet artist the head and artistic director of the Harbin Ballet, and the chief director, together with the international choreographer Peter Quanz and many other top domestic and foreign artists, create a large-scale ballet. The ballet has now had its first public performance at the Harbin Grand Theater and has achieved complete success.

Xu Li’s Impressionistic Oil Paintings

It is the first exhibition of new oil paintings by Xu Li in recent years, which gives shape to natural mountains and rivers throughout the country. He continuously pours out his appreciation and perception of the beautiful China

Pear Garden Culture-Themed ART Exhibition

About 100 traditional Chinese paintings and oil paintings are displayed under three themes — “Ancient Tone &New Tune”, “Cultural Inheritance” and “Review for More Knowledge” at the exhibition to introduce, present and spread the opera culture in the form of paintings, promoting the expression of the opera culture through the re-creation of painting art.

Booking tickets: please click here.
Working hours: 9:30AM-19:30PM (CST) on performance day

9:30AM-18:00PM (CST) for days without performances

1. If you are interested in dancing, which will you probably go for?

A．The Nutcracker.	B．Shape of Music.
C．Xu Li’s Impressionistic Oil Paintings.	D．Pear Garden Culture-Themed ART Exhibition.

2. What do “Shape of Music” and “Pear Garden Culture-Themed ART Exhibition” have in common?

A．They are available for free.	B．They are exhibition of oil paintings.
C．They are re-creation of performing arts.	D．They are related to traditional Chinese culture.

3. Which is the text most likely to be taken from?

A．A website.

B．A brochure

C．A newspaper.

D．A magazine.

3 . Hip-hop started 50 years ago as an escape from poverty and violence in Bronx, New York City. The music and style appealed to Black and Latino teenagers. As hip-hop spread throughout New York, so did the culture.

People often mix up hip-hop with rap. Rap is a musical style that combines quick recitation of rhymes with musical beats. But hip-hop is more than just music. It is a culture, and rap music is one part of it. Hip-hop also includes other activities, like breakdancing, disc-jockeying and graffiti art. In his 1993 song Hip Hop vs. Rap, KRS-One said: “Rap is something you do. Hip hop is something you live.” In the early days of hip-hop, playing music on the streets or turning a basketball court into a dance floor may have seemed like a simple invitation to have fun and party. But it actually was an answer to social and economic injustice in poor neighborhoods. It was a way to show joy and imagination even without resources and wealth.

As hip-hop and rap music grew into a force in American culture, entertainers used it to speak to their personal realities. In 1982, in the song The Message, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five criticized poverty and a lack of investment in Black communities. Several years later, Tupac Shakur complained about police violence in the song Changes. Today, hip-hop’s influence on music and other industries is so widespread that experts say it becomes difficult to measure.

There is also hip-hop’s influence on protest, resistance and political dissent (异议) around the world. From the Arab Spring and the Palestinian freedom fight to feminism and class struggles, rap music is a popular expression for calls to action. Music videos produced by artists in Africa, Europe, Asia and South America often include breakdancers, graffiti and other elements of hip-hop.

“Hip-hop took the chains off us and said, ‘No, we’re gonna say it our way,’ ” Al Sharpton, American civil rights leader, said, “It was that freedom. It was that raw, non-watered down kind of expression.”

1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about as for hip-hop?

A．Its background.	B．Its content.
C．Its diversity.	D．Its popularity.

2. What can be inferred according to KRS-One?

A．Hip-hop develops quickly in the world.

B．Hip-hop carries an attitude towards life.

C．Hip-hop makes people confused about life.

D．Hip-hop focuses on having fun and partying.

3. What was the early hip-hop?

A．A competition in dance and music.	B．A call for peaceful global relations.
C．A response to poverty and violence.	D．A trend of musical experimentation.

4. What made hip-hop powerful in Sharpton’s view?

A．It fits in with social values.	B．It’s associated with wealth.
C．It satisfies the public’s tastes.	D．It helps speak out for the poor.

4 . Here are some ways to introduce classical music to your children.

●When you read a story to your children, pick out a classical music piece that matches the emotion of the book.     1     After getting used to reading in time with the music, tell your children you have a special surprise for them. Read them the story in the new way, and they will surely be delighted!

●If your kids are always moving around, try introducing classical music to them by dancing. Instruct your children to listen to the music and dance however the music makes them feel. Parents dance with them!     2    

●Before your kids begin playtime, make a list of classical music pieces with the name of the person who wrote it.     3     Tell them something about the person they picked to listen to. Before long, your children will have a basic knowledge of the person who wrote the piece.

●    4     Make sure your children listen to the music and create their picture to however the music makes them feel. Once everyone is finished, listen to the music again and explain your creations.

●You can pick out three pieces of music to play during the week.     5     At the end of the week have a listening game to see who can remember the name of the piece when you play it. Games are always a fun way to introduce learning concepts.

A．Have your children pick one.

B．Practice reading the story out loud with the music.

C．Mix up the music and see how your children react.

D．Classical music can be fun, and not boring to listen to.

E．Tell your children the name of the piece every time you play it.

F．Make sure you tell your children what the piece is and who wrote it.

G．While you and your children paint, play different classical music pieces.

5 . Here’re the best music festivals of 2024 you need tickets to.

Bonnaroo
When: June 13-16

Where: Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tenn. Bonnaroo has been a king in the festival world since 2002. This year’s headliners include Pretty Lights, Fisher and so on. The main venue（场地）, “Centeroo,” stays open 24/7, so you can jamout until the sun comes up if that’s your style. When taking a break from the music, there’re tons of activities to keep you occupied, cool off, or relax.

Coachella
When: April 12-14
Where: Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif.

The first Coachella was actually held on October 9-10, 1999. Like most festivals, fashion is a big part of the event. Headliners for Coachella 2024 include Lana Del Ray and Doja Cat. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Ultra
When: March 22-24

Where: Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida. It was first held in Miami in March, 1999. Unlike many festivals, you don’t camp on Ultra grounds and instead can book a stay at one of the nearby hotels. Who are the talented artists making an appearance? Headliners include Calvin Harris, and Afrojack, to name a few.

Hangout Fest
When: May 17-19
Where: The beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama

This three-day party came to be in 2010 and has been popular since. What’s better than your feet in the sand and live music? This year’s top performers to look out for are Odesza, and Zach Bryan. But that’s just a few names out of the long list of acts to see.

1. What is special about Bonnaroo?

A．People can hang out all night at Centeroo.

B．It’s sponsored by the local government.

C．It’s the most popular of the four festivals.

D．There’s not much going on except music.

2. Which music festival has the longest history?

A．Hangout Fest.	B．Coachella.
C．Bonnaroo.	D．Ultra.

3. What do the four festivals have in common?

A．They each last 3 days.	B．They attract famous artists.
C．They are held on the beach.	D．They are mainly for the young.

6 . How music boosts brain

Many people believe that learning an instrument contributes to better educational attainment, cognition (thinking) and intelligence scores in children. But does this musicality translate to better cognition later in life?

    1    

A recent study investigated this question by asking middle-aged and older people to complete a questionnaire on their musical experience and complete cognitive tests. The results showed musical people had better memory and executive function (the ability to stay focused on tasks and control oneself). A good memory, important for playing a musical instrument, translates to people’s cognitive performance.     2    .

Continuing to play

    3    . Currently, amateur musicians show the highest cognitive performance of participants. That’s because continuing to play an instrument brings continued brain health benefits. By contrast, having played an instrument for three years during childhood might not have that big an impact on our cognitive performance later in life.

The “Mozart effect”

The famous “Mozart effect” was based on a study published in 1993.     4    . Sadly, the current study found no association between listening to music and cognitive performance. Cognitive stimulation depends on being actively engaged in activities. Thus passively listening to music doesn’t seem to provide any cognitive benefits.

Study conclusions

Playing an instrument or singing seems to have benefits to our brain health in ageing, according to the study.     5    . The study provides no evidence for this yet and it is also not clear how the findings apply to the general population, since most people in the study were female, well-educated and well-off.

A．Better memory and musical people

B．Improving cognitive performance

C．Continued engagement in playing an instrument helps cognitive function

D．It showed that when played Mozart, students scored higher on intelligence tests

E．Similarly, executive function required when playing an instrument also improves it

F．Being musical without playing an instrument could also improve cognitive performance

G．What is yet to be established is whether this would also help prevent cognitive decline as we age

7 . Guy Noble, one of Australia’s most famous conductors, who conducted the touring concert “East Meets West”, said he’d like to learn more about Chinese music. “I’m impressed by the history and the beauty Chinese music has,” he’s said in an interview recently.

“East Meets West” concert tour in Australia was resumed this year after being postponed twice due to the pandemic. It was hosted in Canberra last Saturday, bringing audiences some well-known Chinese and Western pieces such as Jasmine Flower, Carmen, Romeo and Juliet, and The Yellow River.

While it was called “East Meets West”, music from China and the West with the same themes was brought together. Chinese singer Ya Fen and Australian singer Victoria Lambourn performed a duet (二重唱) Hope Betrayed, which was inspired by the Chinese classic novel A Dream of Red Mansions. Noble said he loved the duet as it showed completely different singing styles: traditional Chinese opera style and Western opera style. “They’re not exactly the same, but they came together,” he said.

Having been a professional conductor for more than 20 years, Noble called music an international language. He noted that most music at the concert was about love, which was also an international language. He also spoke highly of some Chinese musicians, such as pianist Lang Lang who he thought has inspired many kids in China to learn music.

Noble admitted his knowledge of Chinese culture was limited. He said that conducting the Canberra concert was “an experience that I’ve enjoyed”, which made him more interested in discovering the background and history of the music, as well as the stories behind it. Noble is ready to create more things that can involve dance or calligraphy or some of the other aspects of Chinese culture, and put them together with music.

1. What does the underlined word “resumed” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Restarted.	B．Expanded.
C．Paused.	D．Concluded.

2. Why did Noble enjoy Hope Betrayed?

A．Because it impressed him with its history.

B．Because it was inspired by a classic novel.

C．Because it showed two performing styles.

D．Because it was performed by an Australian.

3. What can we learn about Noble from the text?

A．He is an amateur conductor.

B．He speaks highly of all Chinese musicians.

C．He has a wide knowledge of Chinese culture.

D．He intends to integrate more Chinese elements into music.

4. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．Guy Noble: A Famous Australian Conductor

B．An Australian’s Passion for Chinese Culture

C．Music: A Bridge to Understanding Each Other

D．The Cooperation Between Foreign Musicians

8 . As is a very common phenomenon, students are listening to music while studying or doing homework. In libraries, many choose to isolate themselves from the outside wearing headphones, and the same is true of some offices. Whether or not there is isolation, however, what these people have in common is that they see music as a tool that can improve concentration and productivity in general.

But is it true? Does music really help us focus better on what we’re doing, whether it’s memorizing text, studying complex topics, or writing projects?

Scientific studies have been carried out on this subject for many decades among other things, because if music can be used to improve the performance of students or workers, this information can be very useful for organizations able to finance this type of study.

For example, the results of a study were published in 1972 and it was designed to try to better understand the relationship between listening to melodies and changes in productivity. Through a series of observations, there was an increase in the performance of workers when listening to music from loudspeakers.

However, this study was the daughter of its time, and was only used to study a very specific and representative working context of the time: that of factories. Workforce tasks were repetitive, predictable and boring, and the music acted as a stimulant of mental activity. As the work was more rewarding and enjoyable, the productivity results were also better.

Other research that took place later served to reinforce (加强) the idea that music improves the performance of routine tasks. This was good news, but what about the most complex and creative jobs — those which cannot be carried out by machines? What about studying complex academic programs, which cannot be memorized literally but need to be understood and mentally worked on?

1. How does the author find the idea that music can improve concentration?

A．Curious.

B．Opposed.

C．Supportive.

D．Doubtful.

2. What was the finding of the study in 1972 about listening to music?

A．It didn’t make any difference.	B．It improved workers’ efficiency.
C．It held back the creative workers.	D．It made workforce tasks more boring.

3. What was the shortcoming of the study in 1972?

A．The lack of researchers.	B．The short time of research.
C．The limitation of times.	D．The small number of participants.

4. What would be talked about in next paragraphs?

A．How listening to music affects creative jobs.

B．Whether listening to music helps routine tasks.

C．Why people like listening to music when working.

D．What kind of music helps people improve their performance.

9 . If you are a regular theatergoer, you may be interested in the following shows.

Musicals/Six

SIX, the most uplifting piece of new British musical theatre, is holding court at London’s Vaudeville Theatre. The New York Times considers that SIX is pure entertainment! This sell-out fascinating Tudor take-off has an incredibly strong and powerful message: Boundary-pushing and genre-redefining.

Booking period: 29 Sep. 2021-2 Apr. 2023

Plays/A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic)

Matthew Warchus’ big-hearted production of Charles Dickens’ immortal classic returns to The Old Vie, adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne. Starring Tony Award-winning actor Owen Teale (Game of Thrones, Line of Duty) as Ebenezer Scrooge, The Old Vic’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL fills the auditorium with music and merriment. A unique staging entertains the audience in this uplifting story.

Booking period: Sat 12 Nov. 2022-Sat 7 Jan, 2023

Musicals/My Fair Lady

The multi-award-winning production of MY FAIR LADY is now playing at the London Coliseum, the first major West End revival of Lerner&Loewe’s much-loved musical for 21 years.

MY FAIR LADY tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry. Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined tor transform her into his idea of a “proper lady”. But who is really being transformed?

Booking period: Now-27, Aug. 2022

Dance & Opera/The Yeomen of the Guard

As part of the English National Opera’s 2022/23 season, The Yeomen of the Guard is coming to the London Coliseum for a limited time only. The unfairly imprisoned Colonel Fairfax has a mutual attraction to the young daughter of the righteous Sergeant Meryll. Phoebe wishes Fairfax to be released so they can have the wedding she desires, and seeks the help of Jack Point.

Booking period: 3 Nov.-2 Dec, 2022

1. Which show’s booking period ends last?

A．SIX.	B．A Christmas Carol.
C．My Fair Lady.	D．The Yeomen of the Guard.

2. What do SIX and My Fair Lady have in common?

A．They are musicals.	B．They are lifting stories.
C．Their tickets are sold at half price.	D．They are multi-award-winning productions.

3. Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A magazine.	B．A newspaper.
C．A website.	D．A theater review.