Question

【题目】Although Zhang Bichen, a 25-year-old songstress with a powerful yet delicate voice, took the crown of this year’s The Voice of China, runner-up Parhat Halik, 32, seems to have impressed more of the audience with his husky(沙哑的), natural and, most of all, distinguished sound.

Despite his unmistakable voice, Parhat Halik’s music is also special. Generally, it’s rock — but influenced and mixed by different styles within the genre. Read on and find out where Halik’s music gets its inspiration.

Blues rock

Representative artists: Guns N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, John Maye

Blues rock combines improvisation (即兴创作) with rock ’n’ roll style. It began to develop in the mid-1960s in Britain and the US, when rock bands such as the Rolling Stones experimented with music from older African-American blues musicians. It borrows the idea of instrumental combo（小型乐队）from blues but is played at a faster tempo and louder volume, distinguishing it from the blues. The sound is created with the electric guitar, piano, bass and drums.

As the root for several contemporary rock styles, such as heavy metal and hard rock, blues rock had a rebirth in the early 2000s, with artists including John Mayer and The Black Keys.

Folk rock

Representative artists: Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds

As the name indicates, folk rock is a genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. Also developed in the mid-1960s, folk rock was pioneered by the US band The Byrds, who began playing traditional folk music and Bob Dylan-penned material with rock instruments, in a style heavily influenced by The Beatles and other British bands.

The genre was most popular among teenagers and college students at the time, because it includes both rock ’n’ roll’s free spirit and the more serious, culturally authentic and socially aware sounds of folk music.

Soft rock

Representative artists: Bryan Adams, Eagles, Elton John, James Blunt

Compared to hard rock’s loud and aggressive nature, soft rock, or light rock, uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer and less threatening sound. Derived from folk rock, it uses acoustic instruments（原声乐器）and puts more emphasis on melody and harmony.

Although the genre gets quite a bad name among hardcore rock fans, who see it as “wimpy”(软弱无力), it doesn’t mean soft rock is without merit (优点). Soft rock songs often deal with themes like romantic relationships and everyday life in a thoughtful and complex way hard rock simply couldn’t.

【1】Which of the artists playing traditional folk music and Bob Dylan-penned material with rock instruments first?

A. The Beatles. B. The Byrds

C. Eagles. D. Guns N’ Roses.

【2】We can learn from the passage that ______________.

A. the Rolling Stones ignored African-American musicians’ work

B. soft rock focus more on melody and culture awareness

C. blues rock gained a second birth in the 2000s

D. all the three rock styles developed in America

【3】What is hardcore rock fans’ attitude towards soft rock?

A. They quite admire it.

B. They can hardly tolerate it.

C. They are indifferent to it.

D. They misunderstand it.

【4】What’s the main purpose of the text?

A. To help readers become rock ’n’ roll artists

B. To inform the readers of the result of The Voice of China

C. To introduce some common rock music to the readers

D. To offer the readers some suggestions of composing rock music

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】B

【4】C

【解析】

试题分析:本文通过寻找中国好声音亚军歌手哈利克的音乐灵感介绍了三种摇滚乐流派。

【1】 细节推断题。从文中Folk rock部分folk rock was pioneered by the US band The Byrds, who began playing traditional folk music and Bob Dylan-penned material with rock instruments, in a style heavily influenced by The Beatles and other British bands. 摇滚民谣是由美国乐队Byrds开创,开始演奏传统民间音乐而且鲍勃·迪伦用摇滚乐器写材料，风格深受英国乐队披头士和其他英国乐队的影响。故选B。

【2】细节分析题。排除法。选项A，从文中Folk rock部分the Rolling Stones experimented with music from older African-American blues musicians. 滚石乐队从旧的非洲裔美国人的蓝调音乐家试验音乐。故A错误；选项B，从文中Soft rock部分it uses acoustic instruments（原声乐器）and puts more emphasis on melody and harmony.它使用原声音乐，更注重旋律与和声，故B错误；选项D，Blues rock：It began to develop in the mid-1960s in Britain and the US蓝调摇滚乐起源于英国和美国；Folk rock：folk rock was pioneered by the US band The Byrds 民间摇滚乐其原本于美国；Soft rock：Derived from folk rock可知也起源于美国。故D错误。而选项C，从Blues rock：blues rock had a rebirth in the early 2000s,在2000年初蓝调摇滚音乐获得了重生。故选C。故选C。

【3】细节分析题。在文中Soft rock部分Although the genre gets quite a bad name among hardcore rock fans, who see it as “wimpy”(软弱无力), 虽然流派在硬核摇滚乐迷中得到坏名声,乐迷们认为它是软弱无力的，可知他们几乎受不了比较轻柔的摇滚乐。故选B。

【4】主旨理解题。结合全文，作者主要介绍了三种摇滚乐流派：蓝调摇滚乐，民间摇滚乐和较轻柔的摇滚乐，介绍他们的起源，代表艺术家等等。故选C。