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f American youth? Just like Rock would do 50 years later?So, getting back to the piano, of all instruments. As I said before, its unique design was part of the appeal, which was well suited to the style and rhythm of Ragtime music, but there were other reasons why it was so poplar. Remember, this was the time before the advent of the automobile. The piano was a symbol of respectability, a symbol of success. Other than a house, it had represented, for many families, their biggest single purchase, and even though not everyone could afford it, everyone wanted to enjoy. So, wherever you would go, restaurants, theaters, the main instrument used for indoor public musical entertainment, was the piano. But let’s not leave out the sound quality.Few people realize how powerful the pianos used at that time were, they used the big types of pianos then, before the smaller pianos like Spinets came into fashion. The Ragtimeera pianos could produce a sound that was so full, it would even resonate through the wooden floors of any building, be it a home, concert hall or whatever! This full sound itself had the listeners actually feeling these unique and exciting piano vibrations though their feet and bones.S:Wow! I never thought of that. So… they… the piano and the ragtime style were perfect for each other.P: Well… in a sense… yes. But granted, although the piano’s sound quality was exceptional, there were benefits to using other instruments to play Ragtime. For instance, events like parades, and park concerts, required instruments that were easier to transport, like the banjo and et. Nevertheless, the piano played such a fundamental role in Ragtime. In fact, its sound quality alone contributed to piano sales peaking in 1909 roughly the midpoint of the Ragtimeera. It’s no coincidence that the number of published piano rags, or sheet music, also reached their peak their very same year.S: It’s too bad that Ragtime music isn’t still around, I kind of liked some of the music from that era.P: Well, just like all music, it went through some major transitions. It began as a fixed form of music. It always had to be played as written, but that was in the beginning. Eventually, it evolved into a form of music that’s still around today. Can you guess what? S: Hm… I’d say since its rhythm is a lot like jazz, that’s got to be it.P: You got it! You could almost say that jazz is an improvised kind of Ragtime music. So you see, because of jazz, we still have the remnants of Ragtime around.中文大意:文章介紹了一種流行于美國(guó)十九世紀(jì)的一種音樂Ragtime, 就像某一時(shí)期的Rock and Roll一樣,那個(gè)時(shí)代的年輕人非常喜歡這種音樂。此時(shí),一個(gè)女生說:“With Rock and Roll I can see why it’s popular. But when it es to Ragtime, well… I don’t get it!(有題)Ragtime為什么會(huì)流行?因?yàn)槿诤狭死∶乐尬幕?,表達(dá)了年輕人的心聲(有題)。然后講到Piano, 說piano’s sound quality 很適合彈奏Ragtime Music(有題)。那個(gè)年代大家都沒錢,就去public concert or restaurant 這些地方去聽音樂,而piano聲音夠響亮,又和Ragtime Music rhythm 配合得好, 使得 Ragtime Music and piano 相得益彰。再加上,當(dāng)時(shí)汽車還未普及,所以買Piano是當(dāng)時(shí)家庭financial status的象征(有題),所以鋼琴的銷量和Ragtime music 的流行有關(guān)系。除了流動(dòng)演出外,例如parade和 park concert, piano演奏時(shí)可能被其它樂器取代,because of transportation problem(有題)。教授說其實(shí)Ragtime 就是現(xiàn)在Jazz 的前身,只不過Ragtime 是固定的,而jazz是 improvise(有題), 因?yàn)檠葑嗾卟话闯@沓雠?,一首曲子七個(gè)人彈奏,彈出七個(gè)調(diào),Ragtime music 這種音樂影響很是深遠(yuǎn)。題目:1. What is the main idea of the lecture?Answer:(C) How does piano contribute to the Ragtime music.2. Why the music is popular?Answer: (C) it expressed the spirit of the young people.3: Two reasons of using piano of Ragtime.Answer: a. sound quality b. they reflected their wealth and social status.3. Why does the professor mention about parade and park concert?Answer: (B) to explain the piano might be replaced by other instruments sometimes.4. What does the professor say about jazz?Answer: (A) jazz is improvised form of Ragtime music.5. (replay)S: With Rock and Roll I can see why it’s popular. But when it es to Ragtime, well… I don’t get it!Answer: (D) asks for explanation.