Question

    We pick the upbeat tunes for parties and workouts, and save the low-key songs for romantic or sad moments. It’s hardly a new idea that music is mixed with our emotions. But how have our favorites changed over the decades, and what do these changes say about America’s shifting emotional landscape (景象)?

Researcher E. Glenn Schellenberg set out to examine songs popular in America during the last five decades, using a selection from Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 charts, hoping to learn how emotional cues (提示) in music, such as tempo (slow to fast) and mode (major or minor key), have changed since 1960.

The most striking finding is the change in key. Songs written in a major key tend to sound warm and high-spirited, while songs in a minor key can sound darker and more melancholic (忧郁的). Over the last few decades, popular songs have switched from major to minor keys. Broadly speaking, the sound has shifted from bright and happy to something more complex. The study also finds America’s popular songs have become slower and longer. Even more interesting, is that our current favorites are more likely to be emotionally ambiguous, such as sad-sounding songs being fast or happy-sounding songs being slow.

A possible explanation for the changes is that the more contemporary music reflects the hardships that our society has gone through. However, Schellenberg believes that the steady increase in length and decrease in tempo doesn’t support the idea of growing difficulties fully because it would mean our problems have increased steadily over the last fifty years. He suggests that popular songs have become more complex over time because Americans are becoming more diverse and individualized in their musical tastes.

Though we can only guess about the specific causes of this evolution in music, Schellenberg’s initial observations have helped to open the door to research on the link between emotion and music consumption. Perhaps someday we’ll learn more of the secrets behind the music we love and the times we live in.

1.Why did Schellenberg start the study?

A.To change music styles. B.To explore changes in music.

C.To select America’s favorite music. D.To examine the creation of music.

2.What can we learn from the findings?

A.Older songs were often more sad-sounding.

B.Popular songs have become warmer and shorter.

C.Recent hits are likely to be longer and more complex.

D.Current favorites tend to be composed in a major key.

3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A.The influences of the study. B.The diversity of musical tastes.

C.The causes of the music changes. D.The features of America’s society.

4.What is the author’s attitude to the study?

A.Positive. B.Doubtful.

C.Disapproving. D.Ambiguous.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.C

4.A

【解析】

本文为一篇说明文。介绍了美国音乐音乐中的情感因素是怎么变化的以及变化的原因。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二自然段最后一句话hoping to learn how emotional cues (提示) in music, such as tempo (slow to fast) and mode (major or minor key), have changed since 1960.(希望了解自1960年以来音乐中的情感线索是如何变化的，如节奏（从慢到快）和模式（主调或小调）)可知Schellenberg研究的目的就是探寻音乐的情感会发生什么变化。所以Schellenberg开始这个实验的目的就是为了探索音乐的转变。故此题选B。

2.

推理判断题。根据第三自然段Broadly speaking, the sound has shifted from bright and happy to something more complex. The study also finds America’s popular songs have become slower and longer.(从广义上讲，声音已经从明亮和快乐转变为更复杂的声音。研究还发现，美国流行歌曲变得越来越慢、越来越长)可知，当下的流行音乐很复杂。同时，美国的流行乐要慢一些长一些。因此我们可以推断出当下美国的热门金曲的风格有些复杂，还有点慢和长。故此题选C。

3.

主旨大意题。根据第四自然段第一句话A possible explanation for the changes is that the more contemporary music reflects the hardships that our society has gone through. (对这些变化的一个可能的解释是，更现代的音乐反映了我们社会所经历的苦难。)可知，这里主要是在讲音乐变化的原因，后文Schellenberg的研究结果也只是对音乐变化的另一种原因。所以我们可以推断出这段话的主要内容就是讲音乐转变的原因。故此题选C。

4.

推理判断题。根据最后一自然段Though we can only guess about the specific causes of this evolution in music, Schellenberg’s initial observations have helped to open the door to research on the link between emotion and music consumption. Perhaps someday we’ll learn more of the secrets behind the music we love and the times we live in. (虽然我们只能猜测这种音乐演变的具体原因，但舍伦伯格的初步观察为研究情绪与音乐消费之间的联系打开了大门。也许有一天我们会学到更多关于我们热爱的音乐和我们生活的时代背后的秘密。)可知，作者相信在未来们生活的时代背后的秘密。可以推断出作者对于研究是积极的态度。故此题选A。