Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes) Question 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
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, are 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 pictures in art. Through the study of instruments, as well preserved 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 results 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 with people learn and sing music by ear rather than from print, but research show mutual influence 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.
One more important part of music's material culture should be singled out the influence of the electronic media-radio, record player, tape recorder, television, and videocassette, with the future promising talking and singing computers and other developments. This all part of the "information revolution," a twentieth century phenomenon as important as the industrial revolution was . These electronic media are not just limited to modem nations; they have affected music-cultures all over the globe.
21. Research into the material culture of a nation's of great importance because ______. A) it helps produce new cultural tools and technology B) it can reflect the development of the nation C) it helps understand the nation's past and present D) it can demonstrate the nation's civilization
22. It can be learned from this passage that ______. A) the existence of the symphony was attributed to the spread of Near Eastern and Chinese music B) Near Eastern music had influence on the development of the instruments in the symphony orchestra C) the development of the symphony shows the mutual influence of Eastern and Western music D) the musical instruments in the symphony basis of Near Eastern music
23. According to the author, music notation is important because ______. A) it has a great effect on the music-culture as more and more people are able to read it B) it tends to standard folk sings when it is used by folk musicians ______. C) it is the printed version of standardized folk music D) it encourages people to popularize printed versions of songs
24. It can be concluded from the passage that the introduction of electronic media into the world of music ______. A) has brought about an information revolution B) has speeded up the arrival of a new generation of computers C) has given rise to new forms of music culture D) has given to the transformation of traditional musical instruments
25. Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the passage? A) Musical instruments developed through the years will sooner or later be replaced by computers. B) Music cannot be passed on to future generation unless it is recorded. C) Folk songs cannot spread far unless they are printed on music sheets D) The development of music culture is highly dependent or its material aspect
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.
. These electronic media are not just limited to modem nations; they have affected music-cultures all over the globe.
