1、课时跟踪检测（一） Introduction & Reading Prereading阅读理解AIn 1957, Max Vernon Mathews wrote the first computer program called Music, which enabled a computer to create sound and play it back. He was then working as an engineer at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. It enabled a large IBM computer to play a seven
2、teensecond piece of music he had written.The computer was so slow that it took an hour to play the seventeensecond piece of music. So Mathews moved the work to a tape player to play the music at a normal speed. He later said that the sound quality of the musical notes was not great, but the technica
3、l importance of the music was huge.The sciencefiction writer Arthur C. Clarke visited Bell Laboratories in the 1960s. He heard a computer “sing” the song Daisy Bell on devices (设备) and learned about the programs developed by Mathews and other engineers. Clarke noted this technology in his book 2001:
4、 A Space Odyssey, which was later made into a movie.Mathews continued creating other versions of the Music program. He became interested in how computers could help musicians outside recording studios. The Groove program he developed was the first computer program made for live performances.He also
5、developed an electronic device he called the Radio Baton, which looks like two drum sticks. It enables the user to control the speed and sound levels of orchestral music (管弦乐) played on a computer by moving the two sticks on a special electronic surface.Mathews said he believed modern musicians were
6、 not making full use of the power of computer music. He said a violin always sounds like a violin. But with his Music, the way a violin sounds is unlimited. He did not want computer sounds to replace live music, but he hoped computers would one day be considered serious instruments.语篇解读本文是记叙文。Max Ve
7、rnon Mathews把音乐与计算机结合起来，创造了魅力无穷的计算机音乐。1Why did Clarke visit Bell Laboratories?ATo make his book into a movie.BTo help Mathews develop Music.CTo satisfy his own curiosity about music.DTo gather materials for his literary creation.解析：选D推理判断题。根据第三段可知，Clarke在他的一本书里涉及了Mathews的电子音乐技术。由此可推知，Clarke主要是为文学创作获
8、取素材才去参观Bell Laboratories的。2What electronic music tools did Mathews create?ASomething used to record live music.BSomething used to create special sound.CSomething used to improve computer music.DSomething used to create computer music.解析：选C细节理解题。根据第五段可知，制作计算机音乐时，Radio Baton可以用来控制管弦乐的速度、声级等，能改进音乐。3Wha
9、t does Mathews think of his Music?AIt is more pleasant to the ear.BIt can help make more sounds.CIt will finally replace the violin.DIt is more popular than live music.解析：选B细节理解题。根据最后一段可知，一般小提琴发出的声音就是那一种，用Mathews的Music可以让它的声音有无数种，即他的Music能帮助发出更多声音。4What can we learn about Mathews?AHe is the father o
10、f computer music.BHis creation succeeded on the first try.CHe wrote Music to replace instruments.DHe changed the functions of computers.解析：选A推理判断题。根据全文可知，是Mathews首先创造了计算机音乐，并进而发展出一系列与音乐相关的电子产品，在音乐界掀起了一场革命，故他是计算机音乐之父。BThere are many words unique to Australian English.Ortotrot? I came across that word
11、 while studying at a school in North Head, Manly, New South Wales, Australia, in 1974. It is local slang (俚语) for Are you ready (to go)? and it was derived from the sound of a carriagepulling horse. At Sydney Airport, I asked the way to the train station and he told me，“Go ask that bloke over there.
12、” Bloke is used in Australia and refers to a person.Day and die sound almost alike and since “a”， “i” and “o” all sound almost the same, I have always told my friends, jokingly, that they only need 24 letters, and not 26 like the rest for us.Australian English began diverging from British English in
13、 1788. In 1827 Peter Cunningham, in his book Two Years in New South Wales, reported that nativeborn white Australians spoke with a distinctive accent and vocabulary.Australian English has many words that some consider unique to the language. One of the best known is outback, meaning a faraway area.
14、Another is the bush, meaning either a native forest. Bush is a word of Dutch origin: “Bosch”. However, both terms have been widely used in many Englishspeaking countries. Early settlers from England brought other similar words, phrases and usages to Australia. Bonzer, which was once a common Austral
15、ian slang word meaning “great” or “beautiful”， is thought to have been an American term. Since the 1950s, the American influence on language in Australia has come from pop culture. Australian English is most similar to New Zealand English for their similar history.Words of Irish origin are used, som
16、e of which are also common elsewhere in the Irish, such as tucker for “food”， as well as one or two native English words whose meanings have changed under Irish influence, such as paddock for “field”， which has exactly the same meaning as the Australian paddock.语篇解读：本文介绍了澳大利亚英语的独特性以及其他英语对它的影响。5The m
17、ain purpose of Paragraph 2 is to show _.Athe author wasnt familiar with Australian EnglishBthe author found it difficult to understand AustraliansCmany Australian English words are uniqueDAustralians are quite friendly to foreigners解析：选C推理判断题。作者在本段举的两个例子都是为了说明澳大利亚英语有其独有的词汇。6Why did the writer tell h
18、is friends Australians only need 24 letters?ABecause Australians speak very easy English.BBecause Australians never use “a” or “i”CBecause there are 3 letters having almost the same pronunciation.DBecause there are different ways to call the same thing.解析：选C细节理解题。根据第三段前半句可知，作者之所以认为澳大利亚人只需要24个字母，是因为在
19、澳大利亚英语中“a”，“i”和“o”这三个字母的发音很相似。7What does the underlined word “diverging” in Paragraph 4 mean?ADrawing apart.BHolding back.CWaking up. DMixing up.解析：选A词义猜测题。根据下文所述，澳大利亚英语有了自己本土的、独特的口音和词汇。由此可以推知，此处指澳大利亚英语从英国英语中分离了出来，故A项“分离”符合题意。8From the passage, we can know that _.Athe native language of Australia is
20、 EnglishBthe first settlers came to Australia in 1827CAmerican pop culture plays a part in Australian EnglishDPeter Cunningham went to visit Australia in the 1850s解析：选C细节理解题。根据文章第五段倒数第二句可知，美国的流行文化影响了澳大利亚英语。CEnglish songs have been very popular for peoplearound the world for many decades.Singers，from
21、 Elvis Presley to Ricky Martin，from the Beatles to Eminen and from Natalie Cole to Britney Spears, have all been sitting in everyones heart, even for people who dont speak English.But will you have better English skills if you listen to English songs for a long time?From my experiences, some people
22、listen to English songs for 2030 years but still havent accomplished any good English skills.Some people choose English songs to be the “main learning approach”， but most of them have failed.Listening to English songs does not help you to speak English fluently.It does help you gain some vocabularie
23、s.Most of them are unusual ones that you dont use in your everyday life.You wont learn the sentence“It is a complicate project.We really need to meet the deadline.”in any English songs.People like using English songs to practice English skills because its easy and enjoyable.They think that sitting i
24、n the car listening to English songs day by day can improve their English skills.It is not that actually.You will not improve your listening skills because normal people dont speak with melody (乐调). People dont talk like Eminens songs (well, actually, some teenagers do)You cant get yourself familiar
25、 with English pronunciation or accent just from listening to English songs.The words that they pronounce in the songs are not the words that you will hear in your everyday life.It often even confuses you more how English is pronounced.I would fully encourage you to watch English movies, listen to ra
26、dio news or other normal talks, but not music. Of course, you can consume it for fun but not the aim to improve your English skills.语篇解读：本文是议论文。作者认为“通过听英语歌曲来提高英语技能”这一做法是不可行的。文中阐述了具体原因，并给出了建议看电影或听新闻广播会帮助提高英语技能。9Whats the text mainly about?AHow English songs help people practice English skills.BWho ha
27、s made English songs popular all over the world.CWhy people wont improve their English by listening to English songs.DWhere people can find good English songs to practice their English skills.解析：选C主旨大意题。通过对全文的理解可知，作者认为“通过听英语歌曲来提高英语技能”的做法是不可行的，文中具体论述了这个做法不可行的原因。故选C。10English songs are helpful for Eng
28、lish learners if they want to _.Aspeak English fluentlyBenlarge their vocabulariesCimprove their listening skillsDlearn to express themselves in daily life解析：选B细节理解题。根据第三段第一、二句可知，听英语歌曲不会帮助你流利地说英语，但是它确实可以帮助你增加词汇量。故选B。11Which of the following wont probably appear in English songs?ACountry road, take m
29、e home.BEvery night I see you, I feel you.CIts not a big big thing if you leave me.DWe need to meet the deadline though its tough.解析：选D细节理解题。根据第三段最后一句可知，你不会在任何英语歌曲中学习到类似“这是一个复杂的项目。我们真的需要在最后期限之前完成。”这样的句子。故选D。12We can learn from the text that _.Aworldfamous singers have done a lot to help people learn EnglishBwatching English movies or listening to radio news can be a great helpCEnglish songs get people familiar with English pronunciation or accentDmost people who enjoy English songs in their car speak English very well解析：选B推理判断题。根据最后一段第一句可知，作者十分鼓励人们通过看英语电影、听广播新闻或其他正常的对话来练习英语口语而不是听音乐。故选B。