一、阅读理解
The magic of “A Moonlit Night on the Spring River”
One of China’s most famous pieces of traditional music is “A Moonlit Night on the Spring River”. It took its name from an ancient poem by Zhang Ruoxu in the Tang Dynasty. At first, this piece was mainly played on the pipa. Later, it was adapted into other different forms of music.
Many believe that this piece describes a peaceful night by a river. The moon was shining over the water, and flowers were blooming (开花) along the banks. It expresses feelings of beauty and a little sadness, as the poet might be missing his faraway hometown.
This piece is also famous for its soft, flowing melody. It requires special techniques like gliding tones—sliding between notes to sound like gentle waves. The tempo (速度) changes from slow to slightly fast, and then back to slow, just like a river’s movement.
“A Moonlit Night on the Spring River” is popular not only in China but also around the world. It helps people understand the beauty of Chinese nature and art. It is often played at important events, such as the Beijing 2008 Olympics, to share Chinese culture.
() 1. Where did “A Moonlit Night on the Spring River” take its name?
A. From a modern song.
B. From an ancient poem.
C. From a story about the Olympics.
D. From a piece of music for the pipa.
() 2. How does the music probably make listeners feel?
A. Peaceful and a little thoughtful.
B. Excited and joyful.
C. Very sad and lonely.
D. Surprised and curious.
() 3. The underlined phrase “gliding tones” in paragraph 3 means “”.
A. playing very fast
B. singing loudly
C. sliding between notes
D. stopping suddenly
() 4. Why does the author mention the Beijing 2008 Olympics?
A. To prove the music is good for sport.
B. To explain how the music was created.
C. To show the music is fast and exciting.
D. To give an example of its international cultural role.
() 5. What is the main purpose of this passage?
A. To advertise a music concert.
B. To explain how to play the pipa.
C. To tell the life story of Zhang Ruoxu.
D. To introduce a famous piece of Chinese music.