Material culture refers to the touchable, material "things" --physical objects that can be seen, held, felt, used--that a culture produces. Examining a culture’s tools and technology can tell us about the group’s history and way of life Similarly, research into the material culture of music can help us to understand the music culture. The most vivid body of "thing" in it, of course, is musical instruments. We cannot hear for ourselves the actual sound of any musical, performance before the 1870s when the phonograph was invented, so we rely on instruments for important information about music-cultures in the remote past and their development. Here we have two kinds of evidence: instruments well preserved and instruments pictured in art. Through the study of instruments, as well as paintings, written documents, and so on, we can explore the movement of music from the Near East to China over a thousand years ago, for we can outline the spread of Near Eastern influence to Europe that resulted in the development of most of the instruments on the symphony orchestra.
Sheet music or printed music, too, is material culture. Scholars once defined folk music-cultures as those in which people learn and sing music by ear rather than from print, but research shows mutual influence among oral and written sources during the past few centuries in Europe, Britain and America. Printed versions limit variety because they tend to standardize any song, yet they stimulate people to create new and different songs. Besides, the ability to read music notation has a far-reaching effect on musicians and, when it becomes widespread, on the music-culture as a whole.
Music is deep-rooted in the cultural background that fosters it. We now pay more and more attention to traditional or ethnic features in folk music and are willing to preserve the fold music as we do with many traditional cultural heritage. Musicians all over the world are busy with recording classic music in their country for the sake of their unique culture. As always, people’s aspiration will always focus on their individuality rather than universal features that are shared by all cultures alike.
One more important part of music’s material culture should be singled out: the influence of the electronic media--radio, record player, tape recorder, and television, with the future promising talking and singing computers and other developments. This is all part of the "information-revolution", a twentieth-century phenomenon as important as the industrial revolution in the nineteenth. These electronic media are not just limited to modern nations; they have affected music cultures all over the globe.
The word "phonograph" (Line 5, Para. 1) most probably means

A:record player. B:radio. C:musical technique. D:music culture.

Mathematical ability and musical ability may not seem on the surface to be connected, but people who have researched the subject—and studied the brain—say that they are. Research for my book Late—Talking Children drove home the point to me. Three quarters of the bright but speech-delayed children in the group I studied had a close relative who was an engineer, mathematician or scientist—and four—fifths had a close relative who played a musical instrument. The children themselves usually took readily to math and other analytical subjects—and to music.
Black, white and Asian children in this group showed the same patterns. However, looking at the larger world around us, it is clear that blacks have been greatly overrepresented in the development of American popular music and greatly underrepresented in such fields as mathematics, science and engineering.
If the abilities required in analytical fields and in music are so closely related, how can there be this great discrepancy One reason is that the development of mathematical and other such abilities requires years of formal schooling, while certain musical talents can be developed with little or no formal training, as has happened with a number of well-known black musicians.
It is precisely in those kinds of music where one can acquire great skill without formal training that blacks have excelled—popular music rather than classical music, piano rather than violin, blues rather than opera. This is readily understandable, given that most blacks, for most of American history, have not had either the money or the leisure for long years of formal study in music.
Blacks have not merely held their own in American popular music. They have played a disproportionately large role in the development of jazz, both traditional and modem. A long string of names comes to mind—Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, W. C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker…and so on.
None of this presupposes any special innate ability of blacks in music. On the contrary, it is perfectly consistent with blacks having no more such inborn ability than anyone else, but being limited to being able to express such ability in narrower channels than others who have had the money, the time and the formal education to spread out over a wider range of music, as well as into mathematics, science and engineering.
What is the main idea of the first paragraph

A:Mathematical ability and musical ability are related. B:Children usually take readily to their relatives’ career. C:Mathematical ability and musical ability influence each other. D:Children’s mathematical and musical abilities relate to their relatives.

Material culture refers to the touchable, material "things" --physical objects that can be seen, held, felt, used--that a culture produces. Examining a culture’s tools and technology can tell us about the group’s history and way of life Similarly, research into the material culture of music can help us to understand the music culture. The most vivid body of "thing" in it, of course, is musical instruments. We cannot hear for ourselves the actual sound of any musical, performance before the 1870s when the phonograph was invented, so we rely on instruments for important information about music-cultures in the remote past and their development. Here we have two kinds of evidence: instruments well preserved and instruments pictured in art. Through the study of instruments, as well as paintings, written documents, and so on, we can explore the movement of music from the Near East to China over a thousand years ago, for we can outline the spread of Near Eastern influence to Europe that resulted in the development of most of the instruments on the symphony orchestra.
Sheet music or printed music, too, is material culture. Scholars once defined folk music-cultures as those in which people learn and sing music by ear rather than from print, but research shows mutual influence among oral and written sources during the past few centuries in Europe, Britain and America. Printed versions limit variety because they tend to standardize any song, yet they stimulate people to create new and different songs. Besides, the ability to read music notation has a far-reaching effect on musicians and, when it becomes widespread, on the music-culture as a whole.
Music is deep-rooted in the cultural background that fosters it. We now pay more and more attention to traditional or ethnic features in folk music and are willing to preserve the fold music as we do with many traditional cultural heritage. Musicians all over the world are busy with recording classic music in their country for the sake of their unique culture. As always, people’s aspiration will always focus on their individuality rather than universal features that are shared by all cultures alike.
One more important part of music’s material culture should be singled out: the influence of the electronic media--radio, record player, tape recorder, and television, with the future promising talking and singing computers and other developments. This is all part of the "information-revolution", a twentieth-century phenomenon as important as the industrial revolution in the nineteenth. These electronic media are not just limited to modern nations; they have affected music cultures all over the globe.

The word "phonograph" (Line 5, Para. 1) most probably means（）

A:record player. B:radio. C:musical technique. D:music culture.

It can be inferred that blues really became a musical pattern of its own right______

A:in the 1920s and 1930s when it evolved into classic "city" blues B:in 1912 when it entered the range of popular song C:in 1940s when some modem musical instruments were used D:in the 19th century when black American songs were widespread

Material culture refers to the touchable, material "things"—physical objects that can be seen, held, felt, used—that a culture produces. Examining a culture’s tools and technology can tell us about the group’s history and way of life. Similarly, research into the material culture of music can help us to understand the music-culture.
The most vivid body of "things" in it, of course, is musical instrument. We cannot hear for ourselves the actual sound of any musical performance before the 1870s when the phonograph was invented, so we rely on instruments for important information about music-cultures in the remote past and their development. Here we have two kinds of evidence: instruments well preserved and instruments pictured in art. Through the study of instruments, as well as paintings, written documents, and so on, we can explore the movement of music from the Near East to China over a thousand years ago, or we can outline the spread of Near Eastern influence to Europe that resulted in the development of most of the instruments on the symphony orchestra.
Sheet music or printed music, too, is material culture. Scholars once defined folk music-cultures as those in which people learn and sing music by ear rather than from print. But research shows mutual influence among oral and written sources during the past few centuries in Europe, Britain and America. Printed versions limit variety because they tend to standardize any song, yet they stimulate people to create new and different songs. Besides, the ability to read music notation has a far-reaching effect on musicians and, when it becomes widespread, on the music-culture as a whole.
Music is deep-rooted in the cultural background that fosters it. We now pay more and more attention to traditional or ethnic features in folk music and are willing to preserve the folk music as we do with many traditional cultural heritages. Musicians all over the world are busy with recording classic music in their country for the sake of their unique culture. As always, people’s aspiration will always focus on their individuality rather than universal features that are shared by all cultures alike.
One more important part of music’s material culture should be singled out: the influence of the electronic media—radio, record player, tape recorder, and television, with the future promising talking and singing computers and other developments. This is all part of the "information-revolution", a twentieth century phenomenon as important as the industrial revolution in the nineteenth. These electronic media are not just limited to modern nations; they have affected music-cultures all over the globe.
Which of the following is the main idea of the text

A:The study of the material culture of music. B:The research into the musical instruments. C:The influence of culture on music. D:Information revolution of the musical culture.

Passage Two
Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music.
The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs.
By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953.
By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

What does "Both styles" in Line 3, Paragraph 1 refer to（　）

A:Country music style and the musical style of the Southeastern states. B:The musical styles of the Southwestern states and the Southeastern states. C:The Southwestern musical style and Texas musical style. D:The styles of blues and the black rural dance musi

Passage Two
Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music.
The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs.
By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953.
By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

What does "Both styles" in Line 3, Paragraph 1 refer to（）

A:Country music style and the musical style of the Southeastern states. B:The musical styles of the Southwestern states and the Southeastern states. C:The Southwestern musical style and Texas musical style. D:The styles of blues and the black rural dance musi

Passage Two Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music. The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs. By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953. By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

What does "Both styles" in Line 3, Paragraph 1 refer to（）

A:Country music style and the musical style of the Southeastern states. B:The musical styles of the Southwestern states and the Southeastern states. C:The Southwestern musical style and Texas musical style. D:The styles of blues and the black rural dance music.

Passage Four We lost two superstars in 1977. Neither man’s admirers have been able to understand the success of the other one. And this tells us something of the difference between the generations that the two singers represent. There were similarities between Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley. Both reached fame while young and became very rich. Although neither one had any musical education, both developed their own musical styles, which were first criticized by the critics and later studied as new forms in the art of popular song. Both men had successful movie careers despite a total lack of acting ability. Both were creations of the microphone, which made it possible for singers with weak voices to be heard beyond the third now. With Bing the microphone was usually hidden; but Elvis brought it to the stage. The difference between the two men reflects the changing values in American life Crosby’s music was soothing( 令人舒畅的) , Presley’s was disturbing. Crosby was singing to wartime America. His audiences had all the disturbance they could handle in their private lives, they did not want to buy more at the record shop and the movie theater. Crosby’s admires always said how “relaxed” and “natural” he was. When Presley began his career, the whole country had become relaxed and easygoing. Its young people, who had no memory of trouble times, found it boring. They were hungry for excitement. They welcomed Elvis, who was certainly not the kind of young man their parents would admire. Presley was load and vulgar( 粗俗的) —— and be was bringing something new and exciting. It is probably too simple to explain each man in terms of changes in the economic and political situation. Something in the culture was also changing. In which aspect the singers are similar to each other

A:Their songs were widely used in movies B:They became famous in late year of their lives C:Their musical styles are recognized by the critics D:Neither of them received any formal musical education

Musical Training Can Improve Communication Skills American scientists say musical training seems to improve communication skills and Language retardation(延迟).They found that developing musical skill involves the_________ (51)process in the brain as learning how to speak .The scientists believe that could _________ (52)children with learning disabilities . Nina Krauss is a neurobiologist at Northwestern University in lllinois .She says Musical training _________ (53)putting together different kinds of information, such as hearing music ,looking at musical notes, touching an instrument and watching other musicians .The ________ (54) is not much different from learning how to speak .Both involve different senses . She further explains musical training and learning to _________ (55)each make us think about what we are doing .She says speech and music ________ (56) through a structure of the nervous system called the brain stem .The brain stem ________ (57) our ability to hear .Until recently, experts have though the brain stem could not be developed or changed.________ (58) Professor Krauss and her team found that musical training can improve a person’s brain stem activity. The study involved involved individuals with different levels of musical ________ (59).They were asked to wear an electrical device that measures _________ (60) activity. The individuals wore the electrode while they watched a video of someone speaking and a person playing a musical instrument---the cello(大提琴).Professor Krause says cello have sound qualities similar _________ (61)some of the sounds that are important with speech .The study found that the more years of training people had, the more_________ (62) they were to the sound and rhythm of the music. Those who were Involved in musical activities were the same people in whom the ________ (63) of sensory events was the strongest. It shows the importance of musical training to children with learning ________(64).She says using music to improve listening skills could mean they _________ (65) sentences and understand facial expressions better .

A:physical B:musical C:speech D:brain