2017英语专业八级阅读理解练习（11）

2017英语专业八级阅读理解练习（11）

　　As Michael Jackson made the unfortunate transition from pop-music icon to tabloid staple，one of the most common lines of attack was on his ever-changing appearance, the way his skin dramatically lightened in color, and his face altered in structure.

　　What's most tragic about Jackson's death, aside from the fact that it comes as he was mounting a comeback to include a sold-out 50-show residence at London's 02 Arena，is that what people will remember about him is his changing face. What they should remember：The way he changed the face of pop music.

　　Jackson first came to prominence as the pint-size nucleus of his family band, the Jackson 5. He quickly became the focal point of the group because of his popular cuteness and, of course, that voice. What was so remarkable about the young Michael was his ability to communicate youthful innocence’ or premature wisdom, or sometimes both at the same time. It was no small feat for the same preteen to credibly deliver shrewd stories of love and loss like “I Want You Back" and "The Love You Save", as well as he carried off cutesy soul ditties like “ ABC" and "Rockin' Robin". He led the group to four No. 1 singles.

　　But his watershed moments came after he came out of his awkward teenage years. At 20, Jackson starred in the film version of The Wiz, at which point he met Quincy Jones, who agreed to produce his fifth solo album, Off the Wall. The record was a mature, sexy blend of pop soul with a heavy, danceable disco groove. Having spent his earlier years trying to straddle vocal adolescence，he effortlessly became an adult. It certainly helped that Jackson was so adept at using that voice, and that he had a set of amazing songs to work with, among them "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and “Rock With You", in which Jackson sings lyrics that perfectly describe his own gifted footwork："When you dance, there's a magic that must be love.“

　　As stunning an artistic statement as Off the Wall was, it did little to prepare anyone for the cultural phenomenon that was his subsequent album, Thriller. Jackson’s goal was to create an album in which every song was a hit. He didn't quite accomplish that, but he did create a classic pop album that fans zealously snatched up (to the tune of an estimated 100 million copies worldwide to date) and that solidified his status as the King of Pop. Debate still rages about whether Off the Wall or Thriller is stronger as an album. But the sea change Jackson created with Thriller had less to do with the music than with the medium.

　　At the height of MTV, Jackson became the first black artist to create a fan base using his image rather than in spite d it. His grasp of performance and presentation remains without parallel.

　　Jackson's subsequent albums failed to reach the heights of Thriller. But Jackson retained his knack for spectacle. Every music video he released was a major event, which is why MTV's lifetime-achievement statue at its annual awards show still bears his name. As a singer, as asongwriter, as a performer, as a dancer, Jackson remains among the most gifted ’ imaginative ’ larger-than-life musician of any race that has ever come along. Whatever changed about him over the years, that certainly didn't. (此文选自Newsweek 2009年刊)

　　1. According to Paragraph Two, which of the following is NOT true aboul Jackson's tragic death?

　　[A] He had been busy preparing for his comeback shows before he died. [B] The tickets to his comeback shows had been sold out before he died. [C] His ever-changing appearance had negative effects on him. [D] People don't remember the way he changed the face of pop music.

　　2. Which of the following is true about Jackson's songs mentioned in this passage?

　　[A] "I Want You Back", "The Love You Save", "ABC" and "Rockin' Robin" were the four No. 1 singles of Jackson 5.

　　[B] Jackson failed to convey the meaning trf love and loss in the songs "I Want You Back" and "The Love You Save".

　　[C] "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" were from Off the Wall, which was his first solo album.

　　[D] Jackson's wonderful dancing skills were vividly described in the lyrics of “ Rock With You".

　　3. "Straddle" in Paragraph Four can be best replaced by [A] deal with. [B] get over. [C] avoid. [D] end.

　　4. Which of the following can be inferred from Paragraph Five? [A] Every song in Thriller was a success.

　　[B] Thriller was more successful than Off the Wall.

　　[C] Jackson had already been recognized as the King of Pop before Thriller. [D] Some of Jackson's fans still minded his image as a black person.

5. The tone of the passage can be best described as

　　[A] commendatory. [B] derogatory. [C] critical. [D] neutral.

　　2009年6月25日.美国“流行天王”迈克尔•杰克逊在洛杉矾突发心脏病离世,终年50岁。尽管关于他的负面报道比比皆是,但这些都无法抹煞他在流行乐坛取得的成就和撼动他的天王地位。他是音乐史上第一位在羑国以外卖出上亿张唱片的艺术家。他魔幻般的舞步更是让无数明里效仿。

答案解析：

　　l.[D]事实细节题。第二段最后一句说人们"应该记住的是他改变流行音乐面孔的方式“，因此选[D]。第二段第一句指出,杰克逊生前正筹划着复出,包括要在伦敦02体育馆驻唱50场,那时门票已全部预售完,因此排除[A]、[B];第一句指出,关于他的死最悲哀的一点在于人们记住的将是他不断改变的容貌，故排除[C].

　　2-[D]事实细节题。由第四段进后一句得知,〈与你共舞》的耿词完美描述了他的天才舞步,因此[D]正确;第三段最后一句提到杰克逊率领“杰克逊五兄弟"演唱组创下四首冠军单曲,但并未表明是哪四首,故排除[A];由第三段第三、四句得知,杰克逊展现出一种早熟的聪慧，能够将爱与失去的深刻意义表达出来.故排除[B];由第四段第二句得知是他的第五张个人专辑,故排除[C].

　　3.[B]语义理解题。根据题干提示定位在第四段。这一段讲的是杰克逊人生的转折点,而这个转折点是他“度过了青涩的青春期”后才来到的,这是第一句的内容，再结合第四句straddle后面的“变声期",可以推断straddle应该有“跨越,度过”的意思,只有[B]最合适。

　　4.[C]推理判断题。根据题干提示定位在第五段。由第三句中solidified—词可知，《颤栗》巩固了杰克逊流行天王的地位，由此可见.在< 颤栗》之前他已经是流行天王了,故[C]是答案;由第二、三句得知,杰克逊本想创造一张每首歌受欢迎的专辑,但他没做到这一点,排除[A];第四句提到至今有关(疯狂>和(颤栗》这两张专辑究竟哪张更好的争论仍在进行,排除[B];倒数第二句提到杰克逊成为第一个凭借自身形象吸引了大批耿迷的黑人艺人,可见歌迷并不在意他的黑人形象,排除[D]。

　　5-[A]观点态度题。本文作者回顾了杰克逊的成名之路以及他在流行乐坛创造的辉煌成绩,关于他的负面报道和评论只是一带而过,因此判断作者对于杰克逊是褒扬的,故答案是[A];[B] “貶低的"、[C]"批判的”、[D] “中立的”都不正确。

词汇

　　cutesy ['kjuitsi] a.矫棵造作的 knack [ruek] n.天賦,技巧 mount [maunt] v.准备,安排

　　译文

当迈克尔•杰克逊从流行音乐偶像不幸地转变成小报主角时，最常见的攻击方式就是针对他不断变化的容貌、他的皮肤如何戏刷性地变白、面部结构如何改变进行的。

　　杰克逊生前正准备复出，准备在伦敦的02体育馆开50场演唱会，而且门票已全部预售完,除此之外，关于他的死,最悲哀的一点在于,人们记住的将是他不断变化的容貌。不过人们应该记住的是他如何改变了流行音乐的面孔。

　　杰克逊是在“杰克逊五兄弟"这个家庭演唱组合做主唱的时候崭露头角。凭借他的可爱和嗓音，他很快成为这个组合的焦点人物。小迈克尔的不同寻常之处在于，他能够显现孩子的纯真,或者早熟的智慧,或者有时候二者共存。他成功演绎《ABC》和《摇滚罗宾》一类做作的灵歌小调,也在《我要你回来》和《你接救的爱》这样的歌里诉说着有关爱与失去的深刻故亊：这在同龄的孩子当中是不同寻常的。他率领这个组合创下了4首冠军单曲。

　　但是,他生命中的转折点在他度过了青涩的少年时代后到来了。20岁的杰克逊在出演电影版《绿野仙踪》时遇到昆西.琼斯,就是他同意制作他的第五部独唱专辑《疯狂》。这是一张成熟性感的专辑，融合了流行乐和强烈节奏感的迪斯科。花了那么多年时间来努力跨越变声期的杰克逊终于步入了成年。对他帮助很大的是他对嗓音的纯熟运用，而且他总有那么棒的歌去发挥，包括《别停下直到你满足》和《与你共舞》,后者的歌词完美描述了他本人的天才舞步：“你跳舞时有一种魔力，那一定是爱。”

　　尽管《疯狂》可以说是令人震撼的艺术宣言，而接下来的专辑《顫栗》所创造的文化奇迹是任何人都始料未及的。杰克逊的目标是创造一张里面的每首歌都很受欢迎的专辑。他没有做到这一点,但是的确创造了一张让歌迷疯抢(至今已在世界售出约丨亿张)、巩固了他流行音乐天王地位的经典流行音乐专辑。如今有关《疯狂》和《颤栗》这两张专辑哪张更好的争论还在进行。但是，杰克逊的《颤栗》创造的巨大变化与其说关于音乐，不如说关于媒体。在MTV的鼎盛时期，与黑人需克服自身形象嬴得歌迷相比,杰克逊则是第一个凭借自身形象创造大批歌迷的黑人艺人。他的表演力和表现力是无人能及的。

　　杰克逊接下来的几张专辑都没能达到《颤栗》的高度。但他仍保持着吸引眼球的诀窍。他每首MV的发行都是一件大亊。正因为如此,MTV—年一度颁奖典礼上使用的终身成就奖杯上印着他的名字。作为歌手、歌曲作者、表演者、舞者,杰克逊仍然是迄今为止一切种族当中最有天賦、想象力和传奇色彩的音乐家。这些年来无论关于他的一切怎么改变,这一点一直都没有变。

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