Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.With the rise of pop music, jazz, and electronic music, both opera and classical music started to fadeaway from the public eye. Some people are beginning to wonder whether opera and classical music are stillrelevant to the modern world of music. Granted, you will not typically see today's teenagers lending their earsto Bach anytime soon, but there are some major indicators that both opera and classical music are now stillquite alive.The most major indicator of classical music's importance in society today is the fact that much of thepopular music that is currently being produced uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies (旋律) as thosethat were used in some of classical music's best works. Even so, it can be difficult for those who do not studymusic theory to see this as an indicator, since it is subtle and just shows the impact symphonic (交响乐的)orchestras have had on society's taste in music.A better example for the relevance of opera and classical music can be seen in the invention of the rockopera. Opera, in its simplest definition, is telling a story using music as its form. The art of telling a storyusing music has not faded in the least bit. In fact, sometimes actual orchestras are used for major parts of theopera itself. Some of the world's greatest hits have been parts of rock operas.Fans of classical music can also tell you that there are few types of music that are more expressive. So, itshould come as no surprise to anyone that classical music pieces are still used as background music in modernmovies. Symphonic orchestra compositions have also been created solely for the purpose of being included inmajor motion pictures. These are often very well received amongst mainstream music fans.<|im_end|>Classical music and opera are the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon. Considering the huge impact they have had on our current society, it is without doubt that we can expect them to continue to remain important for centuries to come.51. What does the author think of classical music and opera in today's world?A. They still make their presence felt.B. They have given way to electronic music.C. They will not fade away from the public eye.D. They are no longer relevant to teenagers' lives.52. What do we learn about much of the popular music currently produced?A. It can be difficult for many classical music fans to appreciate.B. It can be seen as an indicator of refinement on classical music.C. It caters to society's taste in music in a more subtle way than classical music.D. It contains elements similar to those in some masterpieces of classical music.53. Why does the author mention the invention of the rock opera?A. To illustrate how to tell a story using music.B. To present the simplest definition of opera.C. To show the relevance of opera and classical music.D. To justify the necessity of using orchestras in opera.54. Why are classical music pieces still used as background music in modern movies?A. There are few types of music for movie producers to choose from.B. They are considered to be the most expressive type of music.C. They are well received by movie fans from all over the world.D. They are essential for movies to become the world's greatest hits.55. What do we learn about our modern music?A. It could not have come into being without classical music and opera as its foundation.B. It cannot outcompete classical music and opera in its impact on our current society.C. It will not enjoy as much popularity as classical music and opera among music fans.D. It might not be able to rival classical music and opera in importance for centuries to come.

这是一篇关于古典音乐和歌剧在现代音乐世界中是否仍然相关的阅读理解。文章主要论述了尽管流行音乐、爵士乐和电子音乐的兴起使得古典音乐和歌剧似乎逐渐淡出公众视野，但它们实际上仍然以多种方式影响着现代音乐和社会。

以下是各题的详细推理与解答：

51. What does the author think of classical music and opera in today's world?

推理分析：

• 定位原文： 第一段提到，随着流行音乐等的兴起，歌剧和古典音乐开始淡出公众视野。但作者紧接着说：“Granted, you will not typically see today's teenagers lending their ears to Bach anytime soon, but there are some major indicators that both opera and classical music are now still quite alive.”（诚然，你通常不会看到今天的青少年很快去听巴赫，但有一些主要指标表明，歌剧和古典音乐现在仍然很活跃。）
• 选项分析：
  • A. They still make their presence felt. (它们仍然让人感受到它们的存在。) 这与原文中“still quite alive”（仍然很活跃）的意思一致，说明它们依然有影响力。
  • B. They have given way to electronic music. (它们已经让位于电子音乐。) 原文只说它们开始淡出，但并未说完全让位，且后文强调它们依然活跃。
  • C. They will not fade away from the public eye. (它们不会从公众视野中消失。) 原文开头说它们“started to fade away”（开始淡出），作者的观点是它们依然有生命力，而不是绝对不会消失。
  • D. They are no longer relevant to teenagers' lives. (它们不再与青少年的生活相关。) 原文说青少年不常听巴赫，但有指标表明它们仍然活跃，说明并非完全不相关。
• 结论： 作者认为它们虽然不如以前主流，但依然活跃，即“仍然让人感受到它们的存在”。

答案：A

52. What do we learn about much of the popular music currently produced?

推理分析：

• 定位原文： 第二段第一句：“The most major indicator of classical music's importance in society today is the fact that much of the popular music that is currently being produced uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies (旋律) as those that were used in some of classical music's best works.”（当今古典音乐在社会中重要性的最主要指标是，目前生产的许多流行音乐使用了与古典音乐最佳作品中使用的相似的节拍、和声和旋律。）
• 选项分析：
  • A. It can be difficult for many classical music fans to appreciate. (许多古典音乐粉丝可能很难欣赏它。) 原文未提及。
  • B. It can be seen as an indicator of refinement on classical music. (它可以被视为对古典音乐提炼的指标。) 原文未提及“提炼”。
  • C. It caters to society's taste in music in a more subtle way than classical music. (它比古典音乐以更微妙的方式迎合社会对音乐品味。) 原文说这种影响是微妙的（subtle），但没说流行音乐比古典音乐更微妙。
  • D. It contains elements similar to those in some masterpieces of classical music. (它包含与一些古典音乐杰作中相似的元素。) 这与原文中“uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies as those that were used in some of classical music's best works”完全吻合。
• 结论： 流行音乐包含与古典音乐杰作相似的元素。

答案：D

53. Why does the author mention the invention of the rock opera?

推理分析：

• 定位原文： 第三段第一句：“A better example for the relevance of opera and classical music can be seen in the invention of the rock opera.”（摇滚歌剧的发明可以更好地说明歌剧和古典音乐的相关性。）
• 选项分析：
  • A. To illustrate how to tell a story using music. (为了说明如何用音乐讲故事。) 这是为了定义歌剧，不是提及摇滚歌剧的主要目的。
  • B. To present the simplest definition of opera. (为了呈现歌剧最简单的定义。) 同上。
  • C. To show the relevance of opera and classical music. (为了展示歌剧和古典音乐的相关性。) 原文明确指出这是一个“better example for the relevance”。
  • D. To justify the necessity of using orchestras in opera. (为了证明在歌剧中使用乐团的必要性。) 原文提到有时用乐团，但不是为了证明必要性。
• 结论： 提及摇滚歌剧是为了展示歌剧和古典音乐的相关性。

答案：C

54. Why are classical music pieces still used as background music in modern movies?

推理分析：

• 定位原文： 第四段：“Fans of classical music can also tell you that there are few types of music that are more expressive. So, it should come as no surprise to anyone that classical music pieces are still used as background music in modern movies.”（古典音乐迷还会告诉你，很少有哪种音乐比它更具表现力。所以，古典音乐作品仍然被用作现代电影的背景音乐，这不足为奇。）
• 选项分析：
  • A. There are few types of music for movie producers to choose from. (电影制作人可选择的音乐类型很少。) 原文说“few types of music that are more expressive”（很少有比它更具表现力的），不是选择少。
  • B. They are considered to be the most expressive type of music. (它们被认为是最具表现力的音乐类型。) 原文“few types... more expressive”即“most expressive”（最高级含义），这是原因。
  • C. They are well received by movie fans from all over the world. (它们受到全世界电影迷的欢迎。) 这是结果，不是原因。
  • D. They are essential for movies to become the world's greatest hits. (它们对于电影成为世界最大热门是必需的。) 原文未提及。
• 结论： 因为古典音乐被认为是最具表现力的音乐类型。

答案：B

55. What do we learn about our modern music?

推理分析：

• 定位原文： 最后一段：“Classical music and opera are the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon.”（古典音乐和歌剧正是我们现代音乐所基于的基础。）
• 选项分析：
  • A. It could not have come into being without classical music and opera as its foundation. (如果没有古典音乐和歌剧作为基础，它就不可能产生。) 这与原文“the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon”意思一致，说明现代音乐建立在它们之上。
  • B. It cannot outcompete classical music and opera in its impact on our current society. (它不能在当前社会的影响上胜过古典音乐和歌剧。) 原文未比较谁影响更大。
  • C. It will not enjoy as much popularity as classical music and opera among music fans. (它在音乐粉丝中的受欢迎程度将不如古典音乐和歌剧。) 原文未提及。
  • D. It might not be able to rival classical music and opera in importance for centuries to come. (在未来几个世纪，它可能在重要性上无法与古典音乐和歌剧匹敌。) 原文说古典音乐将继续保持重要，未说现代音乐无法匹敌。
• 结论： 现代音乐是以古典音乐和歌剧为基础的，没有它们就没有现代音乐的基础。

答案：A