Music‏

James Fenimore Cooper, an early American writer, once said, “The Americans are almost ignorant of the
art of music.” If that was once true, you would never know it today. Most Americans— even those without a
musical bone in their bodies— have a favorite style of music. Many people enjoy classical and folk music
from around the world. But other popular music styles in America were “made in the U.S.A.”
一位美國早期的作家柯柏（ J a m e s
Fenimore Cooper）曾說：「美國人對音樂
藝術幾乎可以說是相當的無知的。」如
果這話曾經是事實，今日你絕不會這麼
認為了。大部份的美國人，甚至包括那
些沒有音樂細胞的人，都有自己喜愛的
音樂型態。許多人喜歡世界各國的古典
音樂和民俗音樂，然而美國其他的流行
音樂則是「在美國製造」的。

Country and western music lies close to the heart of many Americans. This style originated among country folks in the southern and western United States. Country music tells down-to-earth stories about love and life’s hardships. Guitars, banjos and violins—also known as fiddles— give country music its characteristic sound.
鄉村和西部音樂深得很多美國人的
人心，這種型態的音樂起源於美國南部
和西部的鄉村小民們。鄉村音樂傳述著
真實不加渲染的愛情故事和生活中的艱
難。吉他、五弦琴和小提琴（violin 又名
fiddle) 可彈奏出鄉村音樂的特殊音色。

The home of country music is Nashville, Tennessee—Music City U.S.A. Country music even has its own theme park called “Opryland” where you can enjoy music shows and fun rides. “The Grand Ole Opry,”the oldest radio show in the United States, broadcasts country music live from Opryland every weekend.
鄉村音樂的發源地是田納西州的納許維
爾市——美國的音樂城市。而鄉村音樂
甚至還有它自己的主題樂園—— Opryland
呢！在那兒你可以享受音樂表演以及好
玩的遊樂設施。美國最老牌的廣播節目
「The Grand Ole Opry」每個週末都實況播
放 Opryland 的音樂。

Jazz music, developed by African-Americans in the late 1800s, allows performers to freely expresstheir emotions and musical skill. Instead of just playing the melody, jazz musicians improvise different tunes using the same chords. The peak of jazz music came in the 1920s, known as “The Jazz Era." This period produced musicians like Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. These musicians later created the“big band" sounds of the 1930s.
爵士樂是十九世紀末期由非裔的美
國人發展出來的。它讓表演者自由地表
現他們的情感和音樂技巧。不僅演奏旋
律，爵士音樂大師用同樣的和絃即興演
奏出不同的曲調。爵士樂的高峰期出現
於二○年代，該時期被稱為「爵士年
代」。這個時期創造出來的樂手有阿姆斯
壯（Louise Armstrong），古德曼（Benny
Goodman）和埃林頓（Duke Ellington).
這些樂手稍後都創造了三○年代的「大
樂團」之音。

Different styles of jazz developed in different cities, such as New Orleans, Chicago,
New York and Kansas City. Composer George Gershwin brought jazz into the world of classical music with pieces like “Rhapsody in Blue.”
在不同的城市也孕育出不
同的爵士風格，像是紐奧爾良、芝加
哥、紐約和坎薩斯市。作曲家蓋希文 (George Gershwin）
更以像「藍色狂想曲」
這樣的作品，將爵士樂帶入古典音樂的
世界裡。

The 1950s saw the development of an explosive new music style: rock ‘n’ roll. Performers like Elvis Presley and songs like Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” made rock music widely popular. This powerful music style addresses issues like love, sex, drugs, politics and death. Often it rebels against the accepted values of society. Rock concerts, featuring loud music and sometimes weird stage acts, have become a major part of American youth culture. Music videos on television have spread the message of rock to the far corners of the globe.
五○年代見證了一種爆炸性新樂風
的開展：搖滾樂。像貓王這樣的歌手以
及像哈利（Bill Haley）的Rock Around the
C l o c k這樣的歌，使搖滾音樂普遍地受到
歡迎。這種具震撼力的音樂型態探討了
愛情、性、吸毒、政治及死亡等的主
題。它常常叛離社會所接受的價值標
準。標榜大聲的音樂、甚至怪異的舞台
表演的搖滾音樂會，已成為美國年輕人
文化主要的一部份。而M T V已將這股搖
滾的風潮傳到世界最遠的角落了。

And the beat goes on. Pop music represents popular styles—like the music of Karen Carpenter — that have wide appeal. “Golden oldies” from the past bring back pleasant memories for many. Rap music, which burst onto the music scene in the 1970s, is actually more like a rhyming chant. Rappers give a strong—sometimes vulgar— message about life in the streets.
音樂的節奏繼續延伸下去。通俗樂
代表了受大眾喜愛的音樂風格，像木匠
兄妹的音樂即吸引廣大的群眾。這些過
去歲月中的遺留下來的「黃金老歌」，為
許多人帶來愉快的回憶。饒舌音樂在七
○年代快速躍上音樂的舞台，它事實上
很像是具節奏性的唱話。饒舌歌手傳達
出強烈、有時是低俗的街頭生活信息。

Americans have always been a religious people, and music has long been a part of their religious experience, as well. From colonial days, hymns and praise songs have enhanced worship. Negro spirituals, such as “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,”reflect hope in God in the midst of suffering. Today's Christian styles fit all musical tastes— from country to jazz to pop to rock to rap.
美國人一向是相當宗教性的民族，
而音樂長期以來也是他們宗教經驗中的
一部份。自殖民時期開始，詩歌和讚美
詩都提升了敬拜的層次。像「無人知道
我的困難」這樣的黑人靈歌，反映出苦
難中對上帝的盼望。今天的基督教音樂
包含了各式的樂風——從鄉村、到爵
士、到通俗、到搖滾、再到饒舌歌。

In America, music is a shared experience. People grow up with piano lessons, chorus classes and marching band practices. They can talk about their tastes in music when there isn’t anything else to talk about. If James Fenimore Cooper were here today, he would surely have to change his tune.
在美國，音樂是一種大家共有的經
驗。人們在鋼琴課、合唱課程和參與遊
行樂隊的演練經驗中成長。當無話可談
的時候，他們就可以談談自己對音樂的
喜好。如果今天柯柏還在世的話，他就
得改變他的論調了。
⊙Word Bank
ignorant (adj) 無知的；不明白的

down-to-earth (adj) 平實的；不加渲染的

broadcast (v) 廣播；播放

improvise (v) 即席演奏（樂曲）
chord (n) 和絃

rhapsody (n) 狂想曲

explosive (adj) 具爆炸性的
address (v) 對人說話

chant (n) 似唱歌般的說話
vulgar (adj) 粗俗的；粗鄙的

enhance (v) 增加；提升

chorus (n) 合唱
change one’s tune (v phr) 改變論調、態度、行為

The Day's Phrase

Around the world, fans dress up like their favorite characters
世界各地的角色扮演迷往往打扮成自己最喜歡的人物

Stephanie tried to give Troy some advice, but he told her to just back off.
史蒂芬妮試著要給特洛伊一些忠告，但是他卻告訴她少管閒事。

After Greg was diagnosed with a serious disease, it took him a while to come to grips with his illness.
葛雷格被診斷出來患了重病之後，他花了好一陣子才真正面對自己的病。

Every June, superheroes fill this town in Illinois, U.S.A.
每年六月，超級英雄們都會在美國伊利諾州超人故鄉共聚一堂

I asked Jack to explain the answer to me, but he just told me to use my head.
我要傑克解釋答案給我聽，可是他卻告訴我動動自己的腦袋。

Kristy had a gut feeling she should not go to Aaron's party.
克莉絲提有個直覺：她不應該去亞倫的派對。

Which soccer team will reign in South Africa this month?
本月哪個足球隊會在南非稱霸呢？

Meredith owns six horses, so she is a mine of information about them.
梅莉蒂斯養了六匹馬，所以她知道很多關於馬的事。

Try to avoid traveling on the MRT during busy hours. People are packed in like sardines!
搭捷運要盡量避開尖峰時刻。人可是擠得像沙丁魚罐頭呢！

With co-working, working for yourself doesn't have to be lonely
有了共用辦公室，獨立工作者就不會再寂寞了

Marci is very generous. She just gave her old computer to Hope with no strings attached.
瑪西很慷慨。她把她的舊電腦無條件地送給霍普了。

With co-working, working for yourself doesn't have to be lonely
有了共用辦公室，獨立工作者就不會再寂寞了

att's girlfriend left the party without telling him she was going, leaving him high and dry.
麥特的女友沒有告訴他就離開派對了，丟下他孤單一人。

Spending too much time online? You might be addicted
花太多時間上網了嗎？你可能已經對網路上癮了喔
Wes has been working at the store for seventeen years, so he is an old hand at helping customers.
衛斯已經在那家店工作十七年了，所以對於服務顧客他可是個老手喔。