TOEFL Sample Question
작성자
CLI 아카데미
작성일
2013-04-30 18:42
조회
4477
Read the following passage. Then fill in the diagram with the information that you read.
The Origins of Jazz
Jazz, a musical genre that burst onto the American music scene early in the 20th century, changed music forever not only in the US, but throughout much of the world. Due to the genre’s many influences, indentifying where jazz comes from is not easy. However, none can deny that jazz owes its existence to the West Africans who first came to America as slaves.
Though slaves did not invent jazz, its elements can be traced back to West African musical forms that came to America with them. The West African influence was diverse: each tribe typically had its own musical tradition, with distinct harmonies and rhythms. As slave from different tribes found themselves together on the same southern plantations, these West African musical traditions converged and began to blend.
Further changing those original West African forms was the fact that slaves were not allowed to practice their native musical traditions on the plantations. Owners were concerned that the music might incite the slaves to violence. Many thought that the driving rhythms were inspired by the devil. The slaves incorporated European dance music, which was popular in America at the time, into their traditional music. During this, slaves began playing the violin, horn, and oboe, all of which are now considered traditional jazz instruments.
In addition to rhythms and instruments, a number of disparate influences that first appeared in the mid-1800s ultimately contributed to the jazz vocal tradition of the early 20th century. In the fields, slaves called back and forth to each other as they worked, in what become known as “field hollers.” African workers on the railroads and on riverboats also sang songs to pass the time. In addition, many slaves adopted Christianity and learned its traditional hymns.
In the latter part of the 19th century, each of these elements came together to form ragtime, a musical style similar to early jazz. Unlike jazz, however, ragtime was formally composed and written down on paper. It was meant to be played the same way each time, similar to the way in which classical music is played. Furthermore, ragtime was written mainly for piano. In the first ten years of the 20th century, talented musicians turned to ragtime, which was played throughout the south. In particular, ragtime was played in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was in this city that jazz finally evolved. By 1915, a musical form identifiable as jazz had emerged, with its improvisation, range of instruments, rhythms, and style.
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Converge : to come together at a point
Incite : to cause or provoke
Driving : forceful
Disparate : different
Formally : strictly, officially
Improvisation : the composition of something without preparation
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Q. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
(A) Jazz first appeared in West Africa.
(B) African tribal music has distinct rhythms.
(C) Christianity influenced the music of slaves.
(D) African music was forbidden on plantations.
A > (A) Jazz first appeared in West Africa.