实用英语综合教程第一册课文选读2

UNIT 2

Text A

PRE-READING TASK

Exercise 1

Before reading the passage,decide whether the statements are True or False.

1. Rock and Roll comes mainly from black African music.

2. An electric guitar is a necessary instrument in Rock and Roll music.

3. The King of Rock and Roll is John Winston Lenon(约翰.列农).

Now read the passage to check your answers.

Rock and Roll

1. It is difficult to say exactly how the music we call "rock" or "rock and roll" began. Its roots go back to many different countries and many different kinds of music and musicians.

2. Rock music developed mainly from the interaction of black African and white European music. The Europeans and the African slaves who came to America during the seventeenth century each had their own different kinds of music. Black Africans used heavy drumbeats,a rough singing voice,and the calling of a melody and answer of a chorus. The white Europeans,mostly English and Scots,used a stronger melody,a less heavy beat,and instruments such as guitars,horns,and fiddles. The history of rock and roll is the history of how rock evolved from these two traditions.

3. From the seventeenth to the twentieth century,musicians in the southern United States developed two new forms of music: the blues,usually played by blacks,and country music,played by whites. Black musicians sang the blues accompanied by a guitar. This music was similar to work songs: stories of troubles and pain,with lines that were repeated several times. The words "rock and roll" probably came from the black churches in the South,where people sang spiritual music and danced to the strong rhythms,which they called "rocking and reeling". At the same time,whites were playing country music,which was mostly traditional dancing music and slow songs that told sad stories. The singers were accompanied by string instruments such as fiddles and guitars.

4. During this time blues and country musicians had some influence on eac

5. No one thought that this young man with the guitar would change popular culture. But after he recorded two blues songs in Memphis,everything changed. He sang throughout the South,and teenagers went crazy over his amazing voice and his attractive performances. His music was an exciting mixture of white country and black blues. With his long hair and tight pants,he became a teenage idol. In two years,he was a national phenomenon.

6. Elvis's career then went downhill. He went into the army,then stopped performing and made a series of bad movies. He continued to record,but his music rarely had the life of his early songs. He remained the symbol of rock and roll,however,not only in the United States but also around the world. He died in 1977,at the age of 42,but his music did not die with him. Rock music continues to develop and change,but the heart and soul of rock is the same heart and soul that Elvis expressed.

New Words

root

n. 1. cause,central part or base 根源，根本

2. 根，根茎

v. to (cause to) be fixed or unmoving 使扎根，使固定

musician

n. 音乐家，作曲家

interaction

n. 相互作用，相互影响

drumbeat

n. 鼓的一击(声)

melody

n. 歌曲，旋律，曲调

chorus

n. something said or sung by many people at one time 合唱，齐声

mostly

ad. 几乎全部地，多半

instrument

n. an object used to help in work 仪器，器具，乐器

guitar

n. 吉它，六弦琴

horn

n. 1. (管乐器)喇叭，号，管，(角制的)号角

2. (牛、羊、鹿等动物的)角，触角

fiddle

n. 小提琴(非正式名称)，提琴类乐器

evolve

v. to (cause to) develop bit by bit (使)发展，(使)进化

tradition

n. 传统

accompany

v. 1. to make supporting music for 为...伴奏

2. to go with,as on a journey 伴随，陪同

similar

a. like or alike,partly or almost the same 相似的，类似的

spiritual

a. 1. 宗教的，神圣的

2. 精神(上)的，心灵的

rhythm

n. 节奏，节拍

reel

v. 摇晃，摇摆

string

n. 1.(乐器的)弦

2. 线，细绳

influence

n. 影响，感化

phonograph

n. 留声机，唱机

popular

a. enjoyed or liked by many people 大众喜爱的，流行的

driver

n. a person who drives 驾驶员，司机

graduate

v. 毕业

n. 毕业生

culture

n. 文化，修养

teenager

n. a young person of between 13 and 19 years old (13至19岁的)青少年

crazy

a. 1. widely excited; very keen or interested 着迷的，狂热爱慕的

2. mad; ill in the mind 发疯的，疯子的

amazing

a. causing great surprise or wonder 令人惊异的

attractive

a. 有吸引力的，引起注意的

performance

n. 1. 演出，表演

2. 行为，工作

mixture

n. 混合，混合物

tight

a. closely fastened,firmly fixed in place 紧的，紧固的

pants

n. (pl.) trousers 裤子

teenage

a. 青少年的，十几岁的少年的

idol

n. someone or something admired or loved too much 偶像

phenomenon

n. 1. 奇迹，杰出人物

2. (pl. phenomena) 现象

career

n. 生涯，专业

downhill

ad. 如下坡路般，趋向衰退

perform

v. 1. 演出，表演

2. to carry out (a piece of) work 完成，执行

movie

n. a film 电影

rarely

ad. not often 很少，难得

symbol

n. 象征

Phrases and expressions

go back to

追溯到

such as

例如，比如

come from

产生于，生于

be similar to

和...相似

have influence on/upon

对...有影响

grow up

长大，成长

not only...but also...

不但...而且...

at the age of

在...岁时

Proper Names

Scot

苏格兰人

Elvis Presley

埃尔维斯.普莱斯利(1935-1977，美国摇滚乐歌手)

Memphis

孟菲斯(美国城市)

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