高中英语第一册课本(上)U11reading（在线收听）

the sounds of the world

There is a world of music out there! What we hear on the radio or see on TV is only a small part of all the wonderful music that is waiting for us.Most of us probably like pop music and have our favourate performers,stars or bands,but many of us also want to discover new sounds and rhythms.Here is a brief look at some of the exciting musical styles from around the world.

Blues music has a long history,The blues is a way for people to show who they are and what is in their heart.People have been playing the blues for many years,but the music has kept many of its characteristics.The blues comes from African songs that people uesd to sing when they worked and during festivals.The African songs met American music when African slaves were brought to the US.The blues has been part of African-American culture since then,and it is still an important part of Amecican culture.Other musical styles like jazz and rock music,have all come from blues music.

Today's American culture contains many different musical styles.People still listen to blues and rock,but they also listen to hip-hop and rap.Hip-hop and rap have much in common with blues and rock,but they also have their own characteristics.Hip-hop music often combines parts of other styles to create music that will help people hear new things in old music.Perhaps the most important characteristics of rap music is the way the artists sing.In rap music,the singer or "rapper" will speak or "rap" the words along with the beat.

Another important style in today's world of music is Latin music.Latin music-music that uses traditional styles from Latin America-has spread all over the world.In the US.where there are many Spanish-speaking people,Latin music is a big part of the culture.It has always been popular in Spanish-speaking countries and today stars like Santana and Ricky Martin are known throughout the world.

There are of course many othere interesting styles of music.There is a wide variety of new music to be discoverd in every corner of the world,so the next time you look for a tape or a CD,don't just look for Chinese or American music-open your ears to the sounds of the world!