Most teens like to sing pop songs. But Yan Kai, 16, loves old songs, some of which may be 100 years old.
Yan is a Senior 2 student at Beijing Star Art School. He is mad1 about Taiping Geci, an old Chinese folk art. He began learning Taiping Geci three years ago. “I feel very good when I sing,” he said. “Taiping Geci has beautiful melodies2 and lyrics3.”
Taiping Geci started in Beijing during the Qing Dynasty. It tells stories of many kinds, such as wars and great people from old dynasties. Singers use a pair of bamboo pieces to make music.
Yan Kai was born in Tianjin. His parents are folk art lovers. He first saw a folk art show when he was a kid. At the age of 13, he began to study Taiping Geci with an old folk art actor. Every morning when he gets up, he begins shouting. He does exercises like somersaults4. “Sometimes it is difficult and boring,” he said. “But I know I have to go on.” Taiping Geci is only popular in Beijing. Now not many people know about it.
Yan hopes to be a great singer and let more teenagers know about this old art. “Many pop singers dont sing clearly. Sometimes I cant even understand what they are singing. But I enjoy singing Taiping Geci,” said Yan.
【生词注释】
1. madadj. 着迷的，发疯的, 狂热的
2. melodyn. 曲调, 歌曲
3. lyricn. 歌词
4. somersaultn. 翻筋斗
1. What kind of art does Yan Kai enjoy?
A. Pop songs.
B. Taiping Geci.
C. Only melodies.
D. A pair of bamboo pieces.
2. How many years has Yan Kai studied Taiping Geci?
A. One.
B. Two.
C. Three.
D. Four.
3. Yan Kais greatest dream is to be .
A. a folk music lovers
B. a great actor by playing bamboo music
C. a music teacher
D. a great singer about Taiping Geci
4. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Pop music is very popular with teenagers.
B. Yan is a Senior 1 student at Beijing Star Art School.
C. Yan Kais parents are pop music singer.
D. Taiping Geci is not only popular in Beijing but all over the country.
An 8yearold girl named Betty looked with interest at the violin lying near her feet.She wanted to start playing it. Violin music floated through her head and she smiled to herself. “Mom, I want to learn to play the violin now!” Her mom thought and was silent. Parents should try to give their children an opportunity to learn an instrument. If your kids want to learn an instrument, let them! Music helps children learn.
Everyone can learn, but the speed at which one learns something is different for different people.Apparently1, if you allow your child to play an instrument or take him to singing lessons, it helps to increase the speed at which he learns. If you as a parent are always trying to find out ways to improve your childs intelligence, this is one easy way that your child will improve. Music will increase the speed at which your child can solve problems because learning how to play an instrument or sing makes your child think and helps them to be more coordinated2. While learning an instrument, your child uses the same abstract3 reasoning skills that he uses in maths. There are even some schools in the US that make music a required part of the curriculum4 to help their students improve their scholastic5 scores.
Playing an instrument or singing will help your child gain confidence. He will feel proud of himself that he can sing or play an instrument. Music will also help him to be more outgoing6 because he might want to perform for his family members or friends. The most important thing is that music will keep your child busy and let him be involved with something that is educational instead of just sitting in front of the television. Lastly, since music is something that is enjoyable and relaxing, it will help to lessen your childs stress during school days.
As you can see music has many positive effects on your child, make music a part of your childs life, and make it a part of your life too!
【生词注释】
1. apparentlyadv. 显然地
2. coordinatevt. 使协调; 使调和
3. abstractadj. 抽象的
4. curriculumn. 课程
5. scholasticadj. 学校的,学校教育的
6. outgoingadj. 对人友好的; 开朗的
1. Bettys mother was silent probably because she .
A. thought Betty was too young to learn violin
B. knew learning violin would cost them a lot of money
C. was afraid learning violin might affect Bettys lessons
D. didnt want Betty to become a violinist in the future
2. What is the main idea of the 2nd paragraph?
A. Why music is popular with children.
B. Why music can help children learn well.
C. Why music can improve childrens scholastic scores.
D. Why children must learn music in schools.
3. The underlined word “intelligence” in the 2nd paragraph probably means “ ”.
A. the ability to learn, understand, and think about things
B. the ability to communicate with others
C. the ability to coordinate his efforts with society
D. the ability to create or make new inventions
4. It can be inferred that .
A. the author is a music teacher/educator
B. Bettys mother is not a music fan
C. Betty already has a violin in her house
D. Betty doesnt do well in her lessons
The story of how the song “Happy Birthday to You” came to be, began as a sweet one, that later soured. Two sisters, Mildred Hill, a teacher at the Louisville, Kentucky Experimental Kindergarten, and Dr. Patty Hill, the headmaster of the same school, together wrote a song for the children, entitled “Good Morning to All.” When Mildred combined her musical talents, as the local expert on spiritual songs, and as the organist1 for her church, with her sisters expertise2 in the area of Kindergarten Education, “Good Morning to All” was sure to be a success.
The sisters published the song in a collection entitled “Song Stories of the Kindergarten” in 1893. Thirtyone years later, after Dr. Patty Hill became the head of the Department of Kindergarten Education at Columbia Universitys Teacher College, a gentleman by the name of Robert H. Coleman published the song, without the sisters permission. To add insult3 to injury, he added a second verse4, the familiar “Happy Birthday to You.”
Mr Colemans addition of the second verse made the song become well known and, gradually, the sisters original first verse disappeared. “Happy Birthday to You,” the one and only birthday song, had altogether replaced the sisters original title, “Good Morning to All.”
