英语听力精选进阶版 6381

When it comes to owning an upright piano, society has changed its tune¹. One hundred years ago, having the instrument in your home was a sign of social status, as well as being an important source of home entertainment.

But, nowadays, it seems that the piano's heyday² is over, and fewer people are choosing to tinkle³ the ivories at home. The once impressive instrument sits silently in the corner of people's living rooms, gathering⁴ dust.

Many families have had to face the music - the instrument takes up too much space - and so make the difficult decision of selling their piano. But, to their dismay, no-one is buying. Even when they're going for a song, buyers are not coming forward. What's more, many owners are finding that they cannot even give their old pianos away.

Piano restorers across the globe have been inundated⁵ with calls from owners, hoping to hear that their instrument is worth a lot of money. John Gist⁶, from the Gist Piano Centre in Louisville, Kentucky, receives 10 to 15 calls a day from people asking how much their piano is worth.

The answer comes like a broken record – not much. "It becomes a money pit," says Gist, and his advice is simply "to get rid of it." Pianos are complicated to restore, as they have thousands of moving parts. Fine-tuning the instrument is complex: loosening the strings⁷ can take around 10 hours; even just polishing the piano can take up to 70.

So, the instruments that once rang out in thousands of households across the world are slowly and steadily⁸ ending up on the scrapheap. But the death knell⁹ hasn't sounded for the piano just yet. There is one market where the piano is booming – China.

Sales of pianos have reached a crescendo¹⁰ in the Chinese market, with 300,000 pianos made there every year. Famous Chinese virtuosos¹¹ like Lang Lang, who first performed as a child, have struck a chord with many other young musicians who have an interest in classical music, and parents in tune with the times see piano playing as a way their child can get ahead.

But despite its growing popularity in China, the traditional, wooden piano appears to have had its swan song, with those who are buying opting¹² for digital versions, which are cheaper, quieter and, crucially, can be easily stored so they don't gather dust.

Quiz 测验

Why were pianos popular one hundred years ago (Give two reasons)?

They were a sign of social status and a source of home entertainment.

What phrase is used to mean 'to play the piano'?

To tinkle the ivories.

What verb means 'to bring something back to its former condition'?

To restore

Is the following statement true, false or not given? Many pianos end up in rubbish dumps in China.

False. The market for pianos is booming in China.

Why are digital pianos still popular?

They are cheap, quiet and can be stored easily.

Glossary 词汇表

changed its tune 改变态度

instrument 乐器

heyday 全盛时期

to tinkle the ivories 弹钢琴

silently 无声地，默默地

to face the music 面对现实

going for a song 非常便宜

restorers 修复者

like a broken record 不怎么样（就像损坏的唱片，不值钱）

fine-tuning 细微的调音

strings 琴弦

rang out 响起

on the scrapheap 在废物堆上

death knell 丧钟

booming 蓬勃发展

crescendo 渐强，高潮

virtuoso 艺术大师

struck a chord 共鸣

in tune with the times 与时俱进

swan song 最后的作品，绝笔

1 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

2 heyday   

n.全盛时期，青春期

参考例句：

• The 19th century was the heyday of steam railways.19世纪是蒸汽机车鼎盛的时代。
• She was a great singer in her heyday.她在自己的黄金时代是个了不起的歌唱家。

3 tinkle   

vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声

参考例句：

• The wine glass dropped to the floor with a tinkle.酒杯丁零一声掉在地上。
• Give me a tinkle and let me know what time the show starts.给我打个电话，告诉我演出什么时候开始。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 inundated   

v.淹没( inundate的过去式和过去分词 )；（洪水般地）涌来；充满；给予或交予（太多事物）使难以应付

参考例句：

• We have been inundated with offers of help. 主动援助多得使我们应接不暇。
• We have been inundated with every bit of information imaginable. 凡是想得到的各种各样的信息潮水般地向我们涌来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 gist   

n.要旨；梗概

参考例句：

• Can you give me the gist of this report?你能告诉我这个报告的要点吗？
• He is quick in grasping the gist of a book.他敏于了解书的要点。

7 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

8 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

9 knell   

n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟

参考例句：

• That is the death knell of the British Empire.这是不列颠帝国的丧钟。
• At first he thought it was a death knell.起初，他以为是死亡的丧钟敲响了。

10 crescendo   

n.(音乐)渐强，高潮

参考例句：

• The gale reached its crescendo in the evening.狂风在晚上达到高潮。
• There was a crescendo of parliamentary and press criticism.来自议会和新闻界的批评越来越多。

11 virtuosos   

n.艺术大师( virtuoso的名词复数 )；名家；艺术爱好者；古董收藏家

参考例句：

• Like all virtuosos, Fermi had a distinctive style. 像所有的艺术家一样，费米有他自己的独特风格。 来自互联网
• In terms of musical performance, there are many very good French musicians, but few virtuosos. 从音乐演出来看，优秀的法国音乐家不少，可是缺乏演奏大师。 来自互联网

12 opting   

v.选择，挑选( opt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• What courses are most students opting for? 多数学生选什么课程？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Wells doesn't rule out opting out and then re-signing with Houston. 威尔斯没有排除跳出合同再与火箭重签的可能。 来自互联网