Question

【题目】When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the arts are unavoidably at the bottom of the list. Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. Too often it is viewed as mere entertainment, but certainly not an education priority(优先). This view is short－sighted. In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.

Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it reflects their thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from. Rock music represents a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our characters and values. It give us identity as a society.

Music provides a kind of perception(感知) that cannot be acquired any other way. Science can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotive(情感的) meaning of the same phenomenon. We need every possible way to discover and respond to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.

The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific symbols. They are ways we human beings “talk” to each other. They are the language of civilization through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries and our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be shared with others. When we do not give children access to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we take away from them the meanings that music expresses.

Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be humans. The arts do. Music is an important way we express human suffering, celebration, the meaning and value of peace and love. So music education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.

【1】According to Paragraph 1, students ________.

A. regard music as a way of entertainment

B. disagree with their parents on education

C. view music as an overlooked subject

D. prefer the arts to science

【2】In Paragraph 2, the author uses jazz as an example to ________.

A. compare it with rock music

B. show music identifies a society

C. introduce American musical traditions

D. prove music influences people's lifestyles

【3】Which can explain how the sun rises and sets?

A. Music. B. Science.

C. The arts. D. Technology.

【4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Music education deserves more attention.

B. Music should be of top education priority.

C. Music is an effective communication tool.

D. Music education makes students more imaginative.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】B

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】本文属于政治经济文化类阅读。本文介绍了作者认为艺术教育尤其是音乐教育是相当重要的，作者认为艺术尤其是音乐是人类表达情感的重要方式 ，人们应该对音乐加强认识。

【1】A

细节理解题。根据第一段第三句“Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important.。Too often it is viewed as mere entertainment...” 人们似乎说音乐很好听，但并不重要，它往往被视为单纯的娱乐。分析句意可知选A正确。

【2】B

细节题解题。根据第二段“The jazz influence... is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions.”…引入爵士乐的影响显然是美国的,因为它来自美国音乐传统。以及第二段最后一句“It gives us identity as a society.” 它赋予我们一个社会的身份。可知，音乐可以识别一个社会，故选B。

【3】B

细节理解题。根据第三段第二句“Science can explain how the sun rises and sets.” 科学可以解释太阳是如何升起和落下的。分析本句可知答案为B。

【4】A

主旨大意题。在文章第一段最后一句“In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.” 事实上，音乐教育对所有学生都是有益的和重要的。及最后一段“Music is an important way we express human suffering, celebration, the meaning and value of peace and love. So music education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.”音乐是我们表达人类痛苦、庆祝、和平与爱的意义和价值的重要方式。所以音乐教育比人们似乎意识到的要多得多。综观全文可知阐述了音乐的内涵、音乐的功能和音乐的重要性，所以音乐课是需要我们特别重视的。故选A