It is difficult to say exactly how the music we call “rock” or “rock and roll” began. Its roots (根源) go back to many different countries and many different kinds of music and many musicians.
Rock music developed mainly from the interaction (相互影响)of black African and white European music. The Europeans and the African slaves (奴隶)who came to America during the seventeenth century each had their own different kinds of music. Black Africans used heavy drumbeats,a rough singing voice,and the calling of a melody (旋律)and answer of a chorus. The white Europeans,mostly English and Scots,used a stronger melody,a less heavy beat,and instruments such as guitars,horns,and fiddles. The history of rock and roll is the history of how rock changed from these two traditions.
From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, musicians in the southern United States developed two new forms of music: the blues,usually played by blacks,and country music, played by whites. Black musicians sang the blues with a guitar. This music was similar to work songs:stories of troubles and pain, with lines that were repeated several times. The word “rock and roll” probably came from the black churches in the South, where people sang and danced to the strong rhythms, which they called “rocking and reeling”. At the same time, whites were playing country music, which was mostly traditional dancing music and slow songs that told sad stories. The singers played with string instruments such as fiddles and guitars.
During this time blues and country musicians had some influence on each other, but the influence grew stronger after phonograph records (留声机唱片)became popular in the late nineteenth century. The birth of the electric guitar changed country and blue music in the 1940s. The sound of the electric guitar would become the sound, of rock and roll. No one thinks of early rock and roll without thinking of Elvis Presley,the“King of Rock and Roll”.Rock music continues to develop and change, but the heart and soul of rock is the same heart and soul that Elvis expressed.What’s the best title for the passage?
A.Different Kinds of Music |
B.The Beginning of Rock and Roll |
C.Elvis’s Contribution (贡献)to Music |
D.Rock and Roll Is Developing |
Which of the following doesn’t describe black Africans’ music style?
A.They used heavy drumbeats. |
B.They sang in a rough voice. |
C.They used instruments such as guitars, horns, and fiddles. |
D.They used the calling of a melody and answer of a chorus. |
Which of the following describes country music?
A. Country music is usually played by blacks. |
B.People sang spiritual music and danced to the strong rhythms, which they called “country music”. |
C.Country music was traditional dancing music and slow songs that told sad stories. |
D.Country music was similar to work songs. |
Which of the following NOT right according to the passage?
A.In the seventeenth century, many visitors went to America from Europe and Africa. |
B.Rock music developed mainly from the interaction of black African and white European music. |
C.Musicians in the southern United States developed two new forms of music: the blues and country music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. |
D.Blues and country musicians had some influence on each other during a time in history. |
Victoria Middle School Report Student: Jenny Brown
Math |
B |
good work all year |
Chinese: |
A |
does well this year |
English: |
A+ |
very interested in it and does a very good job |
Science: |
C |
A little weak in this subject |
Computer: |
D |
not really interested and needs to improve |
Sports: |
A |
captain of girls’ soccer team, and also on the basketball team |
Total Grade |
B |
Date:1/4/10 Signed: Ms DingWhose school report is it?
A.Victoria’s | B.Ms Yang’s |
C.Jenny Brown’s | D.We don’t know |
Which subject of the following was Jenny best at?
A.Math | B.Chinese | C.Science | D.English. |
How did Jenny do in sports?
A.Well | B.So-so | C.Very badly. | D.Badly. |
From the report, we can know that Jenny.
A.is good at computer |
B.does well in Chinese |
C.like science better than math |
D.is the captain of the basketball team |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Jenny is very interested in English. |
B.Jenny is the best student in her class. |
C.Jenny doesn’t do well in math at all. |
D.Jenny does well in all the subjects. |
The students were having their chemistry(化学)class. Miss Li was telling the children what water was like. After that, she asked her students. “What’s water?” No one spoke for a few minutes. Miss Li asked again, “Why don’t you answer my question? Didn’t tell you what water is like?”
Just then a boy put up his hand and said, “Miss Li, you told us that water has no color and no smell. But where to find such kind of water? The water in the river behind my house is always black and it has a bad smell.” Most of the children agreed with him.
“I’m sorry, children.” said the teacher, “Our water is getting dirtier and dirtier. That’s a problem.”Miss Li was telling the children what _________ was like.
A.water | B.air | C.earth | D.weather |
Most of the children __________ the boy.
A.agreed with | B.wrote to | C.heard from | D.sent for |
The water in the river has color and smell because it is getting _________.
A.more and more | B.less and less |
C.cleaner and cleaner | D.dirtier and dirtier |
We can see walls everywhere in the world. But the Great Wall of China is the biggest of all. The Chinese call it. “The Ten-thousand-Li. Great Wall.” It’s in fact (事实) more than 6,000 kilometers long. It’s 4-5 meters wide. In most places, five houses or ten men can walk side by side. When you visit the Great Wall, you can’t help wondering (疑惑) how the Chinese people were able to build (建造) such a great wall thousands of years ago. Without any modern machine (机器), it was really very difficult to build it. They had to do all the work by hand. It took millions of men hundreds of years to build it.
The Great Wall has a history of over two thousand years. The kings began to build the first parts of it around two thousand seven hundred years ago. Then, Qin Shihuang had all the walls joined up (连起来). He thought that could keep the enemy (敌人) out of the country.
Today the Great Wall has become a place of interest. Not only Chinese people but also people from all over the world come to visit it.The Great Wall is the biggest of all walls in _______.
A.China | B.Europe(欧洲) | C.the world | D.Asia (亚洲) |
How long is the Great Wall ?
A.It’s less than six hundred kilometers. |
B.It’s more than six million kilometers. |
C.It’s six thousand kilometers. |
D.It’s over six thousand kilometers. |
It took ________ men _________ years old to build the Great Wall.
A.millions, millions | B.hundreds of, hundreds of |
C.millions of, hundreds | D.hundreds of, millions of |
The Great Wall was built ________.
A.by people all over the world |
B.without any modern machines |
C.with some other countries’ help |
D.by all Chinese Kings. |
Your seat number is ___________.
A.9, Row 6 | B.6, Row 9 | C.9, Row 1 | D.6, Row 1 |
If you are late for the play, you’d better ___________.
A.walk around |
B.call up your friends |
C.make much noise |
D.walk into the theatre quietly |
You should ____________ at the theatre.
A.use cameras and videos |
B.sell your ticket |
C.check your seat number |
D.talk with your friends freely |
Here is a 2-way student exchange. Fred, 19 , spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In turn, George’s son Mike spent a year in Fred’s home in America.
Fred knew little German when he arrived. But after 2 months of studying, the language became easy for him. School was very different from what he had looked forward to and it was much harder. Students stood up politely when the teacher came into the room. They took 14 subjects while American students usually took 6 in the US.
Family life, too, was different. The father’s word was the law(法律) . All the children had to do their activities with their family. Fred also missed having a car. In Germany, you should walk to go out to have a good time.
At the same time, in America, Mike was forming his own ideas. He says,’ American schools are too easy for our level but I have to say that I like it a lot in Germany , we do nothing except study. Here we take part in many other activities.
Differences between American school life and German school life |
||
Items |
American students |
German students |
Class rules |
They don’t have to stand up when their teacher come in |
They have to __ |
____ |
They do their own things alone. |
They have to listen to their __ |
School ___ |
They have six and they are very easy for them |
They have 14, but the lessons are much more _ |
Going out |
They can _ |
They have to ___ |
School activities |
They have____ |
They have to ___ |