六級閱讀：以音樂作武器及精講

　　六級閱讀：以音樂作武器Beethoven And Lennon

　　Ludwig Van Beethoven1 was one of the greatest musicians in the 19 th century. John Lennon2 was one of the greatest musicians in the 20 th century. Although there is a period of about 200 years between them, they are quite similar in certain ways.

　　Both men expressed the spirit of their time in their music. Beethoven lived in the period of rising capitalism. At that time, people were trying to break the shackles of feudalism3 , and they were pursuing freedom, equality, and universal love. This social trend, especially the French revolution, greatly inspired Beethoven. His music was very active, passionate, and vigorous. Some of his works praised heroism, some conveyed the love for nature, and some extolled4 harmony among people. Similarly, Lennon's music revealed his time. In the 1960s and 1970 s, the youth in America were deeply frustrated by the discrimination and injustice in the society and were longing to build a new one . Most of Lennon's songs expressed the ideas of the youth. In one of his songs entitled Imagine, he sings, "Imagine all the people , living under peace", and "The world will be united together as one". These words show his anti-war attitude and his hope for peace , and reflect the spirit of the 60s and 70 s.

　　Both men were social rebels to some extent. They refused to bow to social conventions and power. Beethoven was a devoted republican. When Napoleon5 was in power, who claimed to be a defender of republicanism, Beethoven admired him so much that he dedicated his Symphony No. 3, the theme of which is heroism, to him. But then Napoleon crowned6 himself and became an emperor. Beethoven was so angry that he openly declared he took back what he had said about Napoleon, regardless of possible persecution. Lennon was also considered a trouble-maker by the authorities because of his support for youth movements. For a time he was not even allowed to give public performances. But he ignored all this and stuck to his belief.

　　閱讀自測

　　Ⅰ. Fin d the correct me anings of the words in the left from the right side :

　　1. passionate A. praise somebody or something highly

　　2. dedicate B. discouraged, not satisfied

　　3. frustrated C. caused by or showing strong feelings

　　4. stick to D. not change something; keep to

　　5. extol E. address ( one's book, a piece of music) to somebody as a way of showing respect

　?、? Fill in the blanks :

　　1. At the time of capitalism, people were trying to break the _____________( 枷鎖) of feudalism to pursue freedom _____________( 平等) and _____________( 博愛) . 2. In the 60 s and 70s, the youth in America were deeply frustrated by the _____________( 歧 視) and _____________( 不公正) in the society and were longing to build a new one. 3. They refused to bow to social _____________( 習俗) and power and Beethoven was a _____________( 忠實的) republican. 4. But then Napoleon ________( 加冕) himself and became an emperor.

　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. C 2 . E 3. B 4 . D 5. A

　?、? 1. shackles / equality / universal love 2. discrimination / injustice 3. conventions / devoted 4. crowned

　　六級閱讀：以音樂作武器參考譯文及講解

　　以音樂作武器

　　路德維希· 馮·貝多芬是18 世紀最偉大的音樂家之一。約翰· 列儂則是20 世紀最 有成就的音樂家之一。盡管兩人相距近兩百年, 但是他們在某些方面卻極其相似。

　　貝多芬和列儂都在音樂中表達各自的時代精神。貝多芬生活在資本主義崛起之時。 那時, 人們正試圖打破封建主義的枷鎖, 追求自由、平等和博愛。這種社會趨勢, 特別是法 國大革命, 給了他極大的啟發(fā)。貝多芬的音樂非常積極向上、熱情激昂、氣勢磅礴。他的音 樂作品有的贊美英雄主義, 有的表達對自然的熱愛之情, 還有的歌頌人與人之間的融洽情 感。和貝多芬一樣, 列儂的音樂也展示了他生活的那個時代。20 世紀60 年代與70 年代, 美國社會上出現(xiàn)的歧視與不公正現(xiàn)象強烈地打擊了青年們, 他們都期望建立新的社會。列 儂的歌曲大多表達了青年的這種思想。他在一首名為《想象》的歌曲中唱道,“ 想象全人類 都生活在和平之中”,“ 世界大同”。這些歌詞表達了他的反戰(zhàn)情緒以及對和平的向往之 情, 并反射出上世紀60 和70 年代的時代精神。

　　在 一定程度上, 兩人都是社會的叛逆者。他們拒絕向社會習俗和權(quán)勢低頭。貝多芬是 個忠實的共和黨人。拿破侖當權(quán)時曾宣稱自己是共和制的捍衛(wèi)者, 貝多芬非常欽佩他, 就 把歌頌英雄主義的作品《第三交響曲》獻給了他。但是不久, 拿破侖就加冕稱帝了。貝多 芬異常氣憤, 不顧可能遭受的迫害, 公開宣布收回對拿破侖的贊揚。列儂因支持青年運動 也被當權(quán)者認定是搗亂分子, 甚至一度遭到封殺, 可他卻依然不顧一切地堅持自己的信仰。

　　閱讀導評

　　我國著名音樂家冼星海說過:“音樂是人生最大的快樂, 音樂是生活中的一股清泉, 音 樂是陶冶性情的熔爐。”貝多芬和列儂不僅體驗到了這種快樂, 還從中獲得了一種促使他們 前進的精神力量。為了更好地生活, 我們也當悉心傾聽音樂。傾聽音樂才能更好地領(lǐng)悟音 樂。能夠領(lǐng)悟音樂的人, 才能從一切世俗的煩惱中超脫出來, 才能更好地駕馭生活, 才能成 為生活的主人。

　　閱讀導釋

　　1. 路德維希·馮·貝多芬( 1770—1827) , 德國作曲家, 畢生追求“ 自由、平等、博愛”的理 想, 其創(chuàng)作集西方古典樂派之大成, 開浪漫樂派之先河, 對后世西洋音樂的發(fā)展有深遠影 響。貝多芬被后人尊稱為“ 樂圣”, 其主要作品有《英雄》、《命運》、《田園》等交響樂9部,《悲愴》、《月光》、《暴風雨》等鋼琴奏鳴曲32 部及弦樂四重奏17 部。文章中提及的 Symphony No. 3 即《第三交響曲》, 作品原來打算題獻給貝多芬心目中的英雄拿破侖, 但 當他聽說拿破侖稱帝, 便劃掉了獻詞。共和主義原則使他義憤填膺, 于是把題詞改為 “ 為了紀念一位偉人”。

　　2. 約翰·列儂( 1940—1980) ,“ 披頭士”( Beatles) 樂隊主要代表人物, 被稱為“ 搖滾之父”。 大家所熟悉的歌曲《黃色潛水艇》與《昨天》均出自該樂隊。這支樂隊屬于先鋒派, 他們比 較狂熱與敏感, 是和平的忠實捍衛(wèi)者。1980 年12 月8 日, 列儂在自己曼哈頓公寓的門口, 被一名瘋狂的歌迷槍殺。文章中提到的《想象》表達了列儂呼喚和平時代到來的思想。

　　3. shackle 原意是“鐐銬, 手銬, 腳鐐”, 常比喻為“ 枷鎖, 桎梏, 束縛”, 這里就取此詞的比喻 義。feudalism 意思是“封建主義, 封建制度”, 與前文中的capitalism, 即“ 資本主義, 資本 主義制度”是相對而言的。

　　4. 這個詞的意思是“ 頌揚, 贊揚, 贊美”, 是個美化用語的動詞, 如: extol one's merits ( 稱頌 某人的功績) ; extol one to the skies ( 把某人捧上天) 。

　　5. 這里指的是通常所說的拿破侖一世( 1769—1821) , 法蘭西第一帝國和百日王朝皇帝。 1804 年, 拿破侖發(fā)動霧月18 日政變, 自任第一執(zhí)政。他稱帝后頒布的《拿破侖法典》對 后世有著重要影響。他在位時連年對外用兵, 滑鐵盧戰(zhàn)役慘敗后被流放到圣赫勒拿島。 今天所說的短語meet one's waterloo ( 慘遭失敗) 即來源于此。

　　6. 該詞原本指“皇冠, 桂冠”, 這里用作動詞, 意思是“ 為……加冕, 立……為君王”, 還有 “ 給……戴( 花冠) , 授……以榮譽”的意思, 如: The Emperor crowned the victor with laurel. ( 國王授予勝利者以桂冠。) 詞組the crown of the year 則指“收獲季節(jié), 秋季”。