1 . As a child, Liu Wenwen didn’t like the suona, a “loud” traditional Chinese musical instrument, also an ancestral treasure of her family that was to become her career.
Liu says she felt ashamed. In the 1990s, people admired things that were modern and international. The suona was considered out of date. Her father’s family has performed with the suona for seven generations, while the tradition on her mother’s side of the family can be traced back to the early Qing Dynasty. Despite her unwillingness, she followed her parents to play the suona as early as 3 years old. Besides it, Liu has also learned traditional Chinese vocal music and dancing—skills that have improved her oral muscles and sense of rhyme, helping equip her to be a professional musician.
It wasn’t until 2008 that she first found suona music beautiful. That was when she entered the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to learn the instrument more systematically from Liu Ying, a professor and top player. “The music played by the professor is just amazing, and different from what I had heard before,” she says.
She loves exchanging ideas about suona playing techniques with her students. “It’s wonderful to see the younger generation carrying on this cultural tradition.” Liu Wenwen said she is pleased to see the suona regain popularity among young people, sometimes combined with jazz, opera and other art forms. This has stopped its decline in the 1990s. Her name, when mentioned on China’s social media platforms, often is followed by a video of her live performance at a concert in Sydney, Australia. Westerners were amazed by the loud, unfamiliar instrument and its colorful music. “I felt my hard work had paid off. I trained for over 20 years, probably just to win cheers and applause for traditional Chinese music on the international stage”.
1. What urged Liu Wenwen to learn to play the suona?| A．Family tradition. | B．Personal interest. |
| C．Her professor. | D．Her ambition. |
| A．Follow her parents to play the suona. |
| B．Learn music history at an early age. |
| C．Play the suona with her parents on the stage. |
| D．Better her oral muscles and sense of rhyme. |
| A．By learning from the famous professor Liu. |
| B．By visiting Shanghai Conservatory of Music. |
| C．By performing the suona music in Sydney. |
| D．By hearing her family playing the suona. |
| A．She learned the value of her performance. |
| B．She earned a fortune after 20 years’ training. |
| C．She worked hard and became an international professor. |
| D．She surprised many westerners with a video of her performance. |
2 . Four places to hear live music outdoors
For those fond of live music, head outdoors where local restaurants and bars are providing fresh air entertainment. Here are 4 places on Long Island that are popular with everyone:
PORTSIDE BAR & GRILL
On Monday nights at Portside Bar & Grill join the “Portside Pirates Patio (露台) Party” where many artists perform 30-40 minutes each from 7-10 p.m.
“Playing outdoors you get more energy from the audience,” singer Maria Rose says. “They are fully engaged in the music.”
SPOTLIGHT
There may not be music at the Paramount in Huntington but the venue’s art bar Spotlight next door is delivering live music along with burgers (汉堡包) and craft cocktails at a dozen outdoor tables daily from 4-8 p.m.
“We restructured things when we heard outdoor dining is going to be big,” says manager James Visalli. Singer / Guitarist Brian Ripps was the first to kick off Spotlight’s grand re-opening by mixing cover songs with his originals.
KJ FARRELL’S
Live music is what KJ Farrell’s in Bellmore is known for and their backyard patio, which holds 40- 50 seats, has become a hotspot showcasing artists from Tuesday-Saturday from 7-10 p.m. (reservations are made in advance).
Wonderous Stories has just returned to its regular Wednesday night spot where the audience listened to classic rock covers.
GARDEN GRILL
The patio at Garden Grill has been retooled holding 100 people. Music is offered Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and Sunday 1-8 p.m. in the fresh air.
Singer / songwriter JD Leonard recently performed his own country tune, “Just Drive” and got a standing ovation (热烈鼓掌). “Everybody seemed so happy to be out here. I know I was.” he says.
1. At which time will you most probably watch Maria Rose’s performance?| A．Saturday 10 p.m. | B．Tuesday 6 p.m. |
| C．Monday 8 p.m. | D．Wednesday 9:30 p.m. |
| A．performed at weekends | B．country music |
| C．classic rock music | D．held in the open air |
| A．It hosts the “Portside Pirates Patio Party”. | B．It should be booked in advance. |
| C．It can hold an audience of 100. | D．It serves craft cocktails. |
3 . Have you experienced a condition when listening to a very loud music makes your heartbeat so fast that you can actually feel the
But why does this happen? Experiments found that the
It is believed that people who havens lower heart rate have a longer life.
Therefore, it is used as a
| A．light | B．shallow | C．heavy | D．mild |
| A．nature | B．anxiety | C．respect | D．security |
| A．integrated | B．changed | C．linked | D．marked |
| A．compared | B．adapted | C．exposed | D．opposed |
| A．style | B．beauty | C．fantasy | D．effect |
| A．formed | B．developed | C．translated | D．made |
| A．brings out | B．brings up | C．brings about | D．brings in |
| A．enjoyable | B．unbearable | C．unforgettable | D．beneficial |
| A．helpful | B．joyful | C．grateful | D．doubtful |
| A．Interestingly | B．Similarly | C．Absolutely | D．Unbelievably |
| A．limit | B．competition | C．fame | D．risk |
| A．speeds up | B．holds up | C．slows up | D．puts up |
| A．selflessness | B．calmness | C．loneliness | D．restlessness |
| A．learning | B．relaxation | C．permission | D．cooperation |
| A．hardens | B．touches | C．saddens | D．heals |
Although Emily’s singing was very pleasant to hear, lacking of courage, she never dared to sing in front of strangers.
One summer, the neighborhood where she lived would hold a singing competition. Her best friend, Lucy, came to invite her to participate in the competition, but Emily said. “I’m afraid to take part in it.” Her mother said, “It’s okay, just do it bravely.” Emily followed her mama’s advice and decided to give herself a try. The day came. Emily and Lucy went to the competition site. But she was too frightened to walk onto the stage. She had been waiting until others finished singing. She shakily forced herself to stand on the stage. She started to sing, but her voice was so low. What’s worse, she was so nervous that she forgot the lyrics after singing a few words. Being laughed at by others, embarrassed and shy, she ran away from the stage.
Some naughty boys ran after her and said, “Emily, coward (胆小鬼)! Emily, coward!” Emily didn’t argue with them. What she wanted was to go back home as quickly as she could. Finally, she rushed into the house, hugged her mom and cried sadly.
“Well, my poor girl. Don’t cry. Tell me what happened to you,” asked her mom. Emily looked up at her mother and told her what she had experienced.
Listening to her, her mom cupped her face and said, “It doesn’t matter, girl. As long as you practice singing more in front of strangers, you will become braver little by little. So, my girl, don’t be beaten by a failure. You can go out to practice singing every day. No matter who is listening to you, go on singing and never stop. I believe there will be a harvest for you.”
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
Emily followed her mom’s advice and walked into the park where many people were singing and dancing.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2
The second year, the neighborhood held the singing competition again.
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5 . It is difficult for a teacher to decide whether to allow students to listen to music in the classroom. Every time students need to write an essay or work on a problem, they say, “Can I put my headphones on? I think better that way.” But is that really true? Does music help concentrate?
Research offers little to back up the idea that listening to music improves concentration. In one small study, 133 students performed reading tasks while listening to either light music, hip hop, or no music at all. Students who performed the reading tasks in silence scored the highest. Music with a higher intensity (强度) like hip hop was more distracting and had a bad effect on task performance.
Volume (音量) plays a more important role than the type of music. The study found that the louder the music, the worse the performance in concentration. The type of music didn’t matter. Data from the study showed once again that silence was the best environment to improve concentration.
However, music has a positive effect on work performance. Studies have showed that listening to music leads to positive changes in mood, as well as creativity. In fact, in music-listening cultures, which students are certainly part of, there’s actually a change in mood when the music is taken away.
It’s hard to convince my students that music doesn’t help with their concentration. Taj, a senior told me, “I wouldn’t be able to concentrate if I were listening to music and trying to read. However, when I write, I feel like music helps me concentrate deeply. I don’t have writer’s block. It’s easy for me to put my words on paper.”
“Maybe not with reading, but when it comes to math, listening to music certainly helps,” Danela told me. “You could actually be singing along with what you’re listening to and doing well in math.”
1. What does the underlined word “distracting” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Making it difficult for someone to concentrate. |
| B．Causing great excitement. |
| C．Making someone want to do something. |
| D．Making someone feel frightened. |
| A．Students do well in reading tasks while listening to music. |
| B．Music can’t improve people’s mood and creativity. |
| C．Different types of music lead to different performances. |
| D．The volume of music affects concentration. |
| A．They believe music doesn’t help concentrate. |
| B．They use music to help with their paper-writing. |
| C．They can’t focus on reading while listening to music. |
| D．They don’t listen to music while doing math problems. |
| A．Should Students Listen to Music? | B．Does Music Help Concentration? |
| C．Is Music Related to Reading? | D．Can Music Change Mood? |
6 . We know music is very important in our daily life. Do you notice music playing at any of those places when you go somewhere? Today most stores, stations, restaurants and other places play music. You might even hear music in an office or on a farm?
Scientists believe that music influences the way people behave. They think that the sound of western classical (古典的) music makes people feel richer. When a restaurant plays classical music, people spend more money on food and drinks. When the restaurant plays modern music, people spend less money. Without music, people spend ever less.
Scientists also believe that loud, fast music makes peoples eat faster. Some restaurants play fast music during their busy hours. This makes people eat faster and leave quickly. Restaurants can make more money in this way.
Some scientists think that music makes you think and learn better. They say that music helps students to be more active. It is true that people learn better when they are relaxed. And listening to music can help you relax.
Next time you hear music somewhere, be careful. It might influence the way you do things.
1. According to the text, scientists believe that music can_________.| A．affect people’s behavior | B．help us to form good habits |
| C．develop our interest in food | D．influence natural environments |
| A．Light music. | B．Rock music. |
| C．Sweet music. | D．Soft music. |
| A．slow in action | B．care about manners |
| C．active in study | D．worry about studies |
| A．Music and Behavior | B．Good and Bad music |
| C．Types of Music | D．Music in Restaurants |
1.写信目的;
2.音乐会时间、地点、内容;
3.期待回复。
注意：1.可以适当增加细节，使行文连贯;
2.写作词数应为80左右。
参考词汇：folk music concert民乐演奏会
Dear Linda,
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Yours,
Li Hua
8 . A Night at the Opera
St. James’s Piccadilly, London | |
| Performing | London Concertante |
| Ticket type &.Cost(face value) | BAND A £36.00 BAND B £29.00 BAND C-Restricted view £21.00 BAND D-Very restricted view(Gallery seating)£16.00 |
| Timings | Saturday, 9th September 18:45-Doors open 19:30-Concert begins 21:30-Doors close |
ABOUT
London Concertante presents an extraordinary evening at the opera with a lot of the finest opera music, including works from Puccini, Verdi. Rossini, and Mozart-some of the best from Madame Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, Cosi fan tutti and so much more. Presented by Candlelight with some of the country’s greatest opera singers, this truly is an evening not to be missed.
The UK-based chamber orchestra (室内乐团), London Concertante, regularly performs up to one hundred concerts per year, making it the busiest ensemble(乐团) of its kind in the country. Regularly selling out places such as St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Southwark Cathedral, the ensemble performs in some of the most impressive places around Britain and abroad, with recent tours taking them to the USA, Finland, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Spain and France. With their numerous recordings reaching great critical approval, the ensemble is continually regarded as one of the finest groups in Europe since their founding in 1991.
REFUND POLICY
We are really sorry but we are not able to offer refunds for our events. However, if the event cannot go ahead for any reason, including Covid-19 restrictions, it will be rescheduled and moved to an alternative date and your tickets will also be transferred to the new date.
1. How much should a couple pay for seats with restricted view?| A．£32. |
| B．£48. |
| C．£58. |
| D．£72. |
| A．It regularly performs the finest British opera music. |
| B．It usually works with the greatest popular singers. |
| C．It performs over 100 concerts yearly in the USA. |
| D．It becomes the busiest chamber orchestra in the UK. |
| A．Get their refunds fully. |
| B．Attend it on a rescheduled date. |
| C．Enjoy another orchestra’s performance |
| D．Transform their tickets into gallery seating ones. |
9 . Music Chamber Orchestra: The Orchestra plays at Memorial Hall at 1406 Elm Street, which offers several concerts from March through June. Call 723-1182 for more information.
Symphony Orchestra: At Music Hall and Riverbend. For ticket sales, call 381-3300. Regular season runs from September through May at Music Hall and in summer at Riverbend in the open air.
Riverbend Music Theater: At 6295 Kellogg Ave. A large outdoor theater with the closest seats under cover(price difference). Big name shows all summer long! Phone: 232-6220.
College Conservatory of Music(CCM): Performances are on the main campus of the university, usually at Patricia Cobbett Theater. CCM organizes a variety of events, including performances by the well-known LaSalle Quartet, CCM’s Philharmonic Orchestra and various groups of musicians presenting Baroque through modern music. Students with I. D. cards can attend the events for free. A free schedule of events for each term is available by calling the box office at 556-4183.
Opera at Music Hall: At 1243 Elm Street. The season runs from June through August with additional performances in March and September. The Opera honors “Enjoy the Arts” membership discounts. Phone: 241-2742.
1. What do Symphony Orchestra and Riverbend Music Theater have in common?| A．They have world-famous singers. | B．They have summer outdoor concerts. |
| C．They offer concerts from March to June. | D．They perform concerts in the same place. |
| A．723-1182. | B．381-3300. | C．232-6220. | D．556-4183. |
| A．College Conservatory of Music. | B．Chamber Orchestra. |
| C．Opera at Music Hall. | D．Riverbend Music Theater. |
| A．The woman should learn the guitar. |
| B．The woman should change her mind. |
| C．The woman should give up the violin. |
