課文內容
詞匯： music 詞匯: 音樂
Are you one of those people who find the world of Western classical music a bit snobbish and inaccessible? The Proms – or the BBC Promenade Concerts to give the world’s largest music festival its full name - might help you change your mind.
For eight weeks every summer, the Royal Albert Hall in London opens its doors to all-comers and puts on a music show that is varied and wide-ranging. Some music lovers want to get as close as possible to the conductor. They are happy to stand up to listen to orchestras and soloists playing symphonies, overtures and concertos by the world’s top composers – all for just ￡5.
The festival has been going since 1895 and has always tried to be informal and relatively cheap. The Prommers – the classical music groupies who like to stand – typify this relaxed ethos. Before performances, they shout out jokes and every time the lid of the piano is lifted they shout “heave” in unison.
One of the highlights of the Proms is the Last Night, which has a worldwide screening. Popular classics are played while the Prommers wave flags and sing along to the catchy tunes. The Last Night is so popular with audiences that a ballot has to be held - several months in advance - so that everyone who wants a ticket has a chance of getting one. But it has been criticised by some for being too British and jingoistic.
In recent years the Proms have grown so that they now include simultaneous screenings in other British cities, lunchtime concerts, talks, children’s Proms, film and rock music, musicals, Indian classical music, and even tunes from the BBC series “Dr Who”. The expanding offer is proving popular with audiences old and new. Perhaps classical music isn’t quite so elitist, after all.
詞匯表
snobbish 勢利的，自傲的
inaccessible 難以接觸的，難懂的
to change one's mind 改變某人對某事的看法
all-comers 所有來者
wide-ranging 范圍廣的
a conductor （樂隊）指揮
an orchestra 管弦樂隊
a soloist 獨唱者，獨奏者
a symphony 交響樂，交響曲
an overture 序曲，序樂
a concertos 協奏曲
a composer 作曲者，作曲家
a groupie 樂團迷，狂熱追隨者
to heave 舉起
in unison 齊聲，一致地
a screening 播放
catchy 瑯瑯上口的
jingoistic 極端愛國主義的，大國主義的
elitist 精英化的，高級的
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。
1. What do some people think of classical music, according to the author?
2. Do the Proms offer a large selection of music?
3. How do the Prommers shout when the piano lid is lifted?
4.?Why has the Last Night of the Proms received some negative comments?
5. Why does the author think the widening of the range of the Proms may improve the image of classical music? ?
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. He's a bit __________. He only mixes with people who own smart cars and have lots of money.
jingoistic ? ? ?snobbish ? ? ?inaccessible ? ? ? informal
2. My boss is often criticised __________ being out of touch with the rest of her staff. ?
about ? ? ?over ? ? ? at ? ? ? ?for
3. This box is really heavy. It's going to take two of us to __________ it into the back of the car. ?
find ? ? ?give ? ? ? heave ? ? ? ? open
4. If I hear a __________ tune on the radio I often find it stays in my head for weeks. ?
catchy ? ? wide-ranging ? ? ?screening ? ? ?relaxed
5. The conference ran smoothly. All the delegates were provided with a __________ translation of the speeches. ?
informal ? ? ? elitist ? ? ?popular ? ? ?simultaneous
答案
1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。
1. What do some people think of classical music, according to the author?
Some people might think it is snobbish and inaccessible.
2. Do the Proms offer a large selection of music?
Yes, they are varied and wide-ranging.
3. How do the Prommers shout when the piano lid is lifted?
They all shout together – in unison.
4. Why has the Last Night of the Proms received some negative comments?
Because some critics think it is too British and jingoistic.
5. Why does the author think the widening of the range of the Proms may have helped to improve the image of classical music?
Because it may make classical music seem less elitist.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. He's a bit snobbish. He only mixes with people who own smart cars and have lots of money.
2. My boss is often criticised for being out of touch with the rest of her staff.
3. This box is really heavy. It's going to take two of us to heave it into the back of the car. ?
4. If I hear a catchy tune on the radio, I often find it stays in my head for weeks.
5. The conference ran smoothly. All the delegates were provided with a simultaneous translation of the speeches.
