阅读试题

George Gershwin, born in 1998, was one of America's greatest composers. He published his first song when he was eighteen years old. During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.

Many of Gershwin's songs were first written for musical plays performed in theatres in New York City. These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of his songs have remained popular as ever. Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way — from jazz to country.

In the 1920s there was a debate in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music? In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it. And in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert. The audience were thrilled when they heard his music. It made him world-famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.

In 1928, Gershwin went to Paris. He applied to study composition (作曲) with the well-known musician NadiaBoulanger, but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style.While there, Gershwin wrote An American in Paris. When it was first performed, critics (评论家) were divided over the music. Some called it happy and full of life, to others it was silly and boring. But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States. It sill remains one of his most famous works.

George Gershwin died in 1937, just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He was only thirty-nineyears old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.

阅读试题

61. Many of Gershwin's musical works were ________ .

A. written about New Yorkers 　　　

B. Composed for Paul Whiteman

C. played mainly in the countryside 　

D. performed in various ways

62. What do we know about the concert organized by Whiteman?

A. It attracted more people to theatres

B. It proved jazz could be serious music

C. It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra

D. It caused a debate among jazz musicians.

63. What did Gershwin do during his stay in Paris?

A. He created one of his best works 　

B. He studied with Nadia Boulanger

C. He argued with French critics 　　　

D. He changed his music style

64. What do we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Many of Gershwin's works were lost 　

B. The death of Gershwin was widely reported

C. A concert was held in memory of Gershwin

D. Brain cancer research started after Gershwin's death.

65. Which of the following best describes Gershwin?

A. Talented and productive　　

B. Serious and boring

C. popular and unhappy 　　　　

D. Friendly and honest

参考译文

乔治·格什温生于1998年，是美国最伟大的作曲家之一，他十八岁时发表了他的第一首歌。在接下来的20年里他写了五百多首歌。

格什温的许多歌曲最初都是为在纽约剧院演出的音乐剧而创作的。这些音乐剧是19世纪二三十年代非常流行的娱乐活动。至今他的许多歌曲仍然很受欢迎。多年来，从爵士乐到乡村音乐，人们用各种方式来唱这些歌。

19世纪20年代，在美国有一个关于爵士乐的争论。有人问，爵士乐能被认为是严肃的音乐么？ 1924年，爵士音乐家和乐队领袖保罗·惠特曼决定组织一场特殊的音乐会来证明爵士乐是严肃的音乐。在意识到他仅有几周时间来做这件事之前，格什温就同意为音乐会作曲。在这短短的时间内，他谱了一首钢琴曲，这就是管弦乐队的《蓝色狂想曲》。格什温在音乐会上弹钢琴。当听到他的音乐时，观众们都非常兴奋。这让他举世闻名，也证明了爵士乐不仅严肃也很流行。

1928年，格什温去了巴黎。他申请从师于那迪亚·布朗热作曲家，但她拒绝了他。她担心古典练习曲会毁掉他受爵士乐影响的风格。在那里，格什温写了《一个在巴黎的美国人》。当这个曲子第一次发行的时，批评家门对这种音乐产生了分歧。一些人认为它是快乐的充满活力的，但其他人则认为是愚蠢的无聊的。但它很快就在欧洲和美国流行起来。现在它依然是他最著名的作品之一。

乔治·格什温于1937年去世，几天后医生发现他患有脑癌。他去逝时年仅39岁。世界各地的报纸在头版报道了他的死讯。人们哀悼他的逝去，也哀悼他曾写的所有音乐。

答案解析

61. D 考查细节理解。根据第二段的最后一句"Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way from jazz to country. "可知，人们以各种形式演唱或演奏格什温创作的曲子。故选D。

62. B 考查细节理解。根据第三段最后一句中的"showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular"可知，B项正确。

63. A 考查细节理解。根据第四段中的"While there, Gershwin wrote An American in Pais."和" It still remains one of his most famous works."可知,A项正确。

64. B 考查推理判断。根据最后一段的第三句"Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages."可知，世界各地的报纸都对他的去世进行了报道。故选B。

65. A 考查推理判断。通读全文，尤其是第一段的内容可知，格什温18岁开始作曲，因此他很有"天赋"；他一生创作了500多首曲子，因此他是位"多产的"作曲家。