2.Music for Humans and Humpback Whales
As researchers conclude in Science,the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species,but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain,and is far more ancient than previously suspected.
In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology,the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music,researchers present various evidence to,show that music-making is at once an original human"business",and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.
The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom,and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music,rather than random sound.Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that,even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise,the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty,and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians,and human ears,everywhere.
For example,male humpback whales,who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing,use rhythms (節(jié)奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length-a few seconds.Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音階),yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals,rather than moving forwards madly.They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music.They also use a favorite technique of human singers,the so-called A-B-A form,in which a theme is stated,then developed,and then returned to in slightly revised form.
Perhaps most impressive,humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme."This suggests that whales use rhyme in the same way we do:as a technique in poem to help them remember complex material,"the researchers write.
24.The underlined words"converge on"in Paragraph 3probably meansA.
A.tend towards
B.refer to
C.turn into
D.put forward
25.Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales?B
A.They can remember complex material.
B.They can create pleasing patterns of music.
C.They can make sounds like drums continuously.
D.They can sing along with rhythms of western music.
26.What is the main idea of the article?D
A.Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans.
B.Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales.
C.Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom.
D.Music-making it an ancient activity of both humans and animals.
27.The main purpose of the passage is toB.
A.a(chǎn)rgue and discuss
B.inform and explain
C.compare and advertise
D.examine and assess.
分析 本文屬于科普類說明文,全篇以Humpback Whales(座頭鯨)為例闡述了動(dòng)物和人類一樣具備音樂創(chuàng)作的能力.
解答 24.A 詞義推斷題.該詞在文章第三段,聯(lián)系前后文even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise,the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty可知,深入分析Humpback Whales 會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn):它們都趨向于發(fā)出那種動(dòng)聽悅耳、被大眾喜愛的聲音.故A正確.
25.B 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)第四段Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音階),yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals,rather than moving forwards madly.可知Humpback Whales 能夠靈活運(yùn)用節(jié)奏、音階,以及聲音的表現(xiàn)形式,使發(fā)聲動(dòng)聽優(yōu)美.故B正確.
26.D 主旨大意題.第二段最后一句show that music-making is at once an original human"business",and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.引出全篇要說明的話題:創(chuàng)作音樂并非專屬人類世界,動(dòng)物世界也同樣存在.接下來,全文圍繞這一觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行說明.故答案選D.
27.B 意圖判斷題.根據(jù)全文可知,前兩段提出要闡述的話題,之后以Humpback Whales 為例進(jìn)一步說明這一事實(shí).故B正確.
點(diǎn)評(píng) 閱讀理解題測(cè)試考生在閱讀基礎(chǔ)上的邏輯推理能力,要求考生根據(jù)文章所述事件的邏輯關(guān)系,對(duì)未說明的趨勢(shì)或結(jié)局作出合理的推斷;或根據(jù)作者所闡述的觀點(diǎn)理論,對(duì)文章未涉及的現(xiàn)象、事例給以解釋.考生首先要仔細(xì)閱讀短文,完整了解信息,準(zhǔn)確把握作者觀點(diǎn).