四、阅读理解
CLASSICAL ERA
The term “classical” is often used to tell the difference between serious music and popular music. The symphony（交响乐）developed in this period. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there were two most famous composers. Mozart was a talented composer and performed all over Europe at six. He wrote the famous opera The Magic Flute. The German composer Beethoven was completely deaf for the last 10 years of his life but continued to compose some of the greatest music in the world. “Symphony No. 5” is one of them. His late works moved towards the Romantic movement.
ROMANTIC MOVEMENT
From about 1820, composers started using new harmonies（和声）and forms to create music full of different emotions（情绪）. Composers cared more about creating dramas, painting pictures in sound, or telling stories.
The Russian composer Tchaikovsky was unhappy in his personal life, which brought great emotional depth to his music. He wrote many well-known works, including “1812 Overture”.
MODERN MUSIC
In the 20th century, there were great changes in serious music. The music composed by Stravinsky was difficult for people to understand. Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” caused a sensation at its first performance in Paris in 1910. It was a big success. The music was so different and powerful that it made the young composer famous across Europe. The German composer Stockhausen challenged listeners’ ideas about music. In “Zyklus”, for example, he let the drummer start playing from any page of the music, and then play it in their own order.
COMPUTER COMPOSITION
Computers can help composers write music. The composer can use an electronic instrument to enter the melodies into the computer, where they can be stored, changed, and printed out.
（
D
）1. According to the passage, what information can be put on the timeline?
A. ①—“The Firebird”; ②—Mozart
B. ①—“Symphony No. 9”; ②—Stravinsky
C. ①—The Magic Flute; ②—Chopin
D. ①—“Symphony No. 5”; ②—Stockhausen
（
C
）2. What do you know about Tchaikovsky and his music?
A. His music is always happy and joyful.
B. He composed worse when he was sad.
C. His personal feelings influenced his music.
D. He only composed music about his own life.
（
D
）3. What does the underlined phrase “caused a sensation” mean according to the text?
A. It was forgotten at once.
B. It was a piece of modern music.
C. Everyone found it easy to understand.
D. It created great excitement and surprise.
（
C
）4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Great Composers
B. Composers’ Role in Music
C. A Brief History of Musical Styles
D. How Composers Create Music
