1 . On the bustling streets of Sydney, Australia, Dong Min, a young Chinese woman, dressed in elegant Chinese traditional clothing — hanfu, gracefully holds a dizi, the bamboo flute of China, fascinating passersby with the melodies of traditional Chinese music.
Dong Min, a talented musician was born in 1990. Seeing a female performer playing the bamboo flute on TV fired her interest in this Chinese traditional instrument at the age of 8. Soon her interest blossomed into talent. At the age of 10, winning a provincial-level Chinese musical instrument competition earned her one of only four spots for further studies in Beijing. After graduating from Minzu University of China with a major in Chinese bamboo flute in 2015, she enrolled at the University of New South Wales in Australia to study cultural leadership where she initiated street performances, featuring Chinese traditional instruments. One year later, she formed a band and founded the Sydney Meya Institute of Chinese Music to teach various Chinese traditional instruments to more people.
Apart from street performances and her institution, Dong also offers online dizi lessons to a global audience and organizes online exchange concerts for her students worldwide. “Our students range from 4-year-olds to 80-year-olds, reflecting the timeless appeal of Chinese music across generations,” Dong said.
Her effort paid off eventually. Her performances grew in popularity. Many audiences traveled all the way from cities like Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney just to attend her performances.” Many music schools now offer courses on Chinese instruments. I hope to create a platform for music enthusiasts to connect and cultivate friendships through their shared love for music. Thus, we can not only raise awareness of Chinese traditional music in Australia but also share the richness of Chinese culture through music with the international audience.” Dong Min said.
1. Which of the following is true?A.Dong Min founded the institution at 26. |
B.Dong Min taught dizi through street performances. |
C.Dong Min majored in Chinese bamboo flute in Australia. |
D.Dong Min wished to gain popularity through her performances. |
A.By analyzing reasons. | B.By providing examples. |
C.By making comparisons. | D.By following time order. |
A.Brave and humorous. | B.Gifted and passionate. |
C.Creative and stubborn. | D.Patient and experienced. |
A.Chinese Traditional Music: From China to Australia. |
B.Bamboo Flute: Chinese Instrument Shared in Australia. |
C.Dong Min: A Culture Messenger Bridging Cultures through Music. |
D.Dong Min: A Talented Chinese Girl Spreading Chinese Instruments. |
2 . The Martin County High School boys’ basketball team was in the final quarter of a nail-biter of a game at a regional tournament in Pikeville, Ky., when live music
They knew it wasn’t their school’s
Jason Johnson, Pike Central Band director, said some audience members and cheerleaders started encouraging his band to
The band members, though, seemed
As they started their first song, the Cardinals’
A.suddenly | B.again | C.still | D.secretly |
A.top | B.strange | C.small | D.original |
A.attend | B.play | C.organize | D.win |
A.made | B.tied | C.recorded | D.improved |
A.lead | B.enter | C.level | D.clean |
A.conducting | B.asking | C.thinking | D.performing |
A.grateful | B.eager | C.hesitant | D.curious |
A.cried out | B.walked away | C.got along | D.banded together |
A.ignored | B.voiced | C.refused | D.felt |
A.pressure | B.imagination | C.energy | D.control |
A.suggest | B.teach | C.replace | D.uplift |
A.For the worse | B.In the end | C.By the way | D.On the contrary |
A.favor | B.victory | C.balance | D.bonus |
A.honor | B.technique | C.duty | D.spirit |
A.heading | B.cheering | C.traveling | D.looking |
3 . The music world lost a rock and roll superstar this week when guitarist Eddie Van Halen passed away. He was only 65 years old.
Eddie Van Halen was a founding member of the band Van Halen. He formed the group in 1974 with his brother Alex, who played the drums. Van Halen released (发行) its most popular single, the song Jump, in 1983. Jump rose to the top of Billboard Magazıne’s list of Hot 100 songs and stayed there for five weeks. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio lists Jump among its “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”. Eddie Van Halen released at least 15 record albums with his band over the years, selling more than 80 million around the world. In 2007, Van Halen entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Van Halen brothers were born in the Netherlands. Their father was a professional musician. Their mother was from Indonesia. In the 1950s, some Netherlanders did not support the mixed-race (混种族) marriage, so the family moved to the United States. They settled in southern California. Eddie and Alex Van Halen had to learn English in their new land. Both brothers studied piano for years before getting interested in rock and roll.
As a child, Eddie was considered musically gifted. Eddie told a reporter he did not learn to read music. He said he would watch his teacher play and memorize his moves. He also said that he never took a class on playing the guitar, although he studied under Eric Clapton for a time. His father was among the first to recognize Eddie’s guitar skill. “You’ve got it, kid,” Eddie’s father said to him early on.
Eddie’s guitar playing was hard and fast. He was energetic while performing, often jumping like an acrobat (杂技演员) as he played. He was known for the way he tapped on the guitar strings with both hands. It influenced many musicians that followed.
1. What’s Paragraph 2 mainly about?A.Eddie’s band. | B.Eddie’s Jump. |
C.Eddie’s life story. | D.Eddie’s achievements. |
A.To make a good living. | B.To escape racial prejudice. |
C.To receive better education. | D.To experience different cultures. |
A.Determined. | B.Energetic.. | C.Intelligent. | D.Hardworking. |
A.To remember a famous musician. |
B.To express sadness for a superstar’s death. |
C.To praise Eddie Van Halen for his contributions. |
D.To show the excellence of Eddie Van Halen. |
Have you ever imagined singing together with hundreds of people while at home alone? It can be realized
Award-winning
The virtual choir is a wonderful way for people to sing with one voice,
5 . I remember that it was a fall morning when the orchestra (管弦乐队) teachers came into Miss Newell’s third-grade classroom. “You have hands for the viola (中提琴),” Miss Ciano told me. I was excited because my hands were finally good for something. I told my parents I wanted to play, and naturally, they agreed.
Since I first touched the viola, I haven’t been able to put it down. Ignoring the difficulty, I am pulled closer to it each day.
Classical music is truly my best friend. It is the trusted friend of every man, woman and child. Various feelings are expressed in classical music. I discovered that when I was eleven and played a cello concerto (大提琴协奏曲) of Bach in a competition, the first movement was joyful, but the second movement was mysterious and full of pain. From the piece, I learned that music expresses not only feelings, but also sudden mood changes. By listening to classical music, I know that someone else shares these feelings. Since I am lucky enough to be able to play classical music, I am comforted by it when I am upset. It gives me a way to escape from my problems for a short period. Classical music can express my joy, sadness and anger.
Now look back at that fall day in the third grade and think how gullible I was for believing that anyone, even music teachers, could tell whether hands were perfect for a certain instrument I’m certain they told me I had “viola hands” not because they were fortune-tellers (算命师), but because there was a lack of violists in our district. Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it will become your friend for life.
1. According to the passage, in what way does classical music help the author?A.By developing social skills. | B.By improving mental health. |
C.By broadening life experience. | D.By building close relationship. |
A.Easily tricked. | B.Firmly loved. |
C.Greatly challenged. | D.Secretly hidden. |
A.Special event, sweet memory. | B.Classical music, endless friendship |
C.Lifetime dream, great effort. | D.Happy childhood, unforgotten experience. |
6 . It is universally believed that playing an instrument or singing in a choir may boost your brain. Generations of parents have told their children to practice their musical instruments. Parents have good reason to keep on top of their children’s musical education, since learning an instrument is not only associated with better educational achievement but also cognition (认知) and even intelligence scores in children. But does this musicality contribute to better cognition later in life?
A new study in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry investigated this question by asking middle-aged and older people to complete a questionnaire on their lifetime musical experience before completing cognitive tests. The results showed that musical people had better memory and ability to stay focused on tasks and plans than those with less or no musicality.
But how about being musical without playing an instrument? According to the study findings, singing can result in better executive (决策的) function but not memory, suggesting that playing an instrument has additional brain health benefits. Why singing would help us with our executive function is not clear and requires further investigation. However, singing has a strong social benefit when done in choirs, and there is good evidence that being involved in social activity is good for our brain health.
Playing an instrument or singing seems to have benefits to our brain health in ageing, according to the study. What is yet to be established is whether this would also help prevent future cognitive decline (下降) or dementia. 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.
1. What does the new study center on?A.The cognition improvement by singing in a choir. |
B.Musical people’s ability of keeping focused on tasks. |
C.Academic progress of children playing an instrument. |
D.Musicality’s effect upon better cognition later in life. |
A.Catherine who sings in a choir. | B.Sam who was born in a music family. |
C.Mary who played the piano for years. | D.Jack who is eager to get music education. |
A.Proved. | B.Started. | C.Announced. | D.Admitted. |
A.Objective. | B.Opposed. | C.Unclear. | D.Supportive. |
7 . I remember that it was a fall morning when the orchestra (管弦乐队) teachers came into Miss Newell’s third-grade classroom. “You have hands for the viola (中提琴),” Miss Ciano told me. I was excited because my hands were finally good for something. I told my parents I wanted to play, and naturally, they agreed.
Since I first touched the viola, I haven’t been able to put it down. Ignoring the difficulty, I am pulled closer to it each day.
Classical music is truly my best friend. It is the trusted friend of every man, woman and child. Various feelings are expressed in classical music. I discovered that when I was eleven and played a cello concerto (大提琴协奏曲) of Bach in a competition, the first movement was joyful, but the second movement was mysterious and full of pain. From the piece, I learned that music expresses not only feelings, but also sudden mood changes. By listening to classical music, I know that someone else shares these feelings. Since I am lucky enough to be able to play classical music, I am comforted by it when I am upset. It gives me a way to escape from my problems for a short period. Classical music can express my joy, sadness and anger.
Now look back at that fall day in the third grade and think how gullible I was for believing that anyone, even music teachers, could tell whether hands were perfect for a certain instrument. I’m certain they told me I had “viola hands” not because they were fortune-tellers, but because there was a lack of violists in our district. Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it will become your friend for life.
1. What’s the main cause of the author’s interest in playing the viola?A.Interesting musical classes. | B.Beautiful viola sound. |
C.Teachers’ proper guidance. | D.Parents’ strong support. |
A.By developing social skills. | B.By giving emotional comfort. |
C.By broadening life experience. | D.By building close relationship. |
A.Easily tricked. | B.Firmly loved. | C.Greatly challenged. | D.Secretly hidden. |
A.Special Event, Sweet Memory. | B.Classical Music, Endless Friendship. |
C.Lifetime Dream, Great effort. | D.Happy Childhood, Unforgotten Experience. |
1. What does the woman think of drums?
A.They are loud. | B.They are exciting. | C.They are boring. |
A.When he is famous. |
B.Once he gets good at drums. |
C.After he has enough money. |
A concert
Ancient Chinese musical instruments
The concert, co-initiated by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and co-organized by Chinese Musicians’ Association and Brazil China Friendship Association, invited
This event was part of 2024 “China Today” Arts Week that was first launched in 2004 by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. During the past two decades, the art festival
1. To whom does the speaker give this talk?
A.Singers. | B.Students. | C.Teachers. |
A.Protect their voice from hurt. |
B.Consider how strong their ambition is. |
C.Take advantage of opportunities to perform. |
A.To show a different path for singers. |
B.To let singers value their good voices. |
C.To encourage singers to get over anxiety. |
A.She avoids singing in the studio. |
B.She is extremely nervous on stage. |
C.She prepares in her car before recording. |