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The Power of Percussion 敲敲打打乐

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

When you see a great band in a concert, listen to your favorite CD at home, or rock out to a catchy tune on your MP3 player, something interesting happens. Your feet start tapping, your head starts bobbing, and you might even snap your fingers. You are not doing this in response to the sound of the guitar, or the bass line, but to the beat of the song. This is the power of the heartbeat of music: percussion.

当你在演唱会上欣赏一个很棒的乐团、在家聆听你最爱的CD，或跟着MP3动听的旋律摇摆，有趣的事情发生了。你的脚开始打拍子，你的头开始上下摆动，你可能甚至开始弹起手指。你的动作并不是在响应吉他的音乐，或贝斯吉他的伴奏，而是在响应音乐的节奏。这就是音乐的心跳──打击乐──的力量。

A percussion instrument is any object that produces a sound when being hit, shaken, rubbed or scraped. This causes the instrument to vibrate, which is how the sound is produced. Percussion instruments were probably the world’s first musical devices. Prior to them, humans just clapped their hands or stomped their feet. As time went on, objects found in nature such as sticks, rocks and logs were used.

打击乐器是指任何以敲、摇、擦、刮来制造声响的物体。这些动作会使乐器振动，而这即是打击乐器发声的原理。打击乐器可能是世界上最早的乐器。在这之前，人类只会拍手、跺脚来制造音乐。渐渐地，在自然界发现的东西，如树枝、石头和木头，都被拿来当作乐器。

Today, we have a wide range of percussion instruments at our disposal. They can be used in a drum kit or on their own. Cymbals, for example, are round plates made of metal. They can produce a loud crashing noise to punctuate songs at their most dramatic moments. Snare drums get their sharp, tight sound from curled metal strings that are stretched across the bottom. These are just two of the weapons a percussionist can call upon.

现今，我们有各式各样的打击乐器可用。它们可以是一套爵士鼓一部份，也可以单独使用。举例来说，铜钹是由金属做成的圆盘，能发出巨大的轰隆声来强调乐曲中最戏剧化的时刻。而紧缚于小鼓底部的卷曲状金属弦，可以让小鼓发出尖锐、紧绷的音调。不过打击乐手能利用的乐器可不只是这两种。

Vocabulary

单词发音

catchy [ˋkætʃɪ] adj.（曲调等）动听而易记的

scrape [skrep] v. 刮

vibrate [ˋvaɪbret] v. 颤动；振动

stomp [stɑmp] v. 跺脚; 重踩

at one’s disposal  供任意使用，可自行支配

punctuate [͵pʌŋktʃʊ͵et] v. 强调，突出

More Information

单词发音

percussion [pɚˋkʌʃən] n.【音】敲打乐器

rock out（非正式）如痴如狂地奏(或听)摇滚乐  to listen to or play music to such an extent that the mind begins to lose consciousness and a new, more insane alter ego takes control

tap [tæp] v. 轻拍，轻叩，轻敲

bob [ˋbɑb] v. 使上下（或来回）快速摆动

bass line 低音线

heartbeat [ˋhɑrt͵bit] n. 心跳; 动力

clap [klæp] v. 拍（手），鼓（掌）

drum kit 一套鼓乐器

cymbal [ˋsɪmb!] n. 铙钹（金属制的打击乐器）

snare [snɛr] drum〔扁形〕小鼓

percussionist [pɚˋkʌʃənɪst] n. 打击乐器演奏者

call upon 要求；号召  to order; require

课文朗读

课文讲解

Skilled percussionists play many different types of drums when using a drum kit. A tom-tom is like a snare drum without the metal strings at the bottom. This gives it a cleaner, smoother tone. The lowest tone comes from the largest drum, known as the bass drum. The beat of the bass drum can keep soldiers stepping in unison during a military march.

老练的打击乐手在使用爵士鼓时，可以演奏各种类型的鼓。中音鼓类似小鼓只是底部没有金属弦，因此，中音鼓发出的音色较干净、圆滑。最低音来自于最大的鼓，也就是大鼓，其节奏可以让军队行军时，保持步伐一致。

More musical instruments such as xylophones are also part of the percussion family. A xylophone is a set of wooden bars with each bar being a different length, so each bar produces a different note on a musical scale. Striking the bars with a small hammer brings out their distinctly wooden, almost tropical sound.

还有更多乐器，例如木琴，也是打击乐器家族的一份子。木琴由长短不一的木条构成，所以每一根木条都会产生不同的音高。如果用小槌子敲击木条，便会发出具有木头质感的独特热带音符。

To really appreciate the unique qualities of these instruments, you need to hear them for yourself. The 2008 Taipei International Percussion Convention (TIPC), to be held in late May and early June, will provide you with a great opportunity to experience the magical world of percussion. This year’s event will feature artists from around the globe. One of the sure highlights will be Les Percussions de Strasbourg, a group known for its avant-garde style and intricate, powerful songs. To see, hear and feel what the heartbeat of music is all about for yourself, you should definitely check out the 2008 TIPC.

为了充分欣赏这类乐器独一无二的特质，你得亲身体验才行。「2008台北国际打击乐节」(TIPC)将于五月底至六月初举行。这场音乐盛宴将让你有绝佳机会体验打击乐的神奇世界。今年的特点是有来自全球各地的打击乐手共襄盛举。其中一场重头戏将由《史特拉斯堡打击乐团》演出。该乐团向来以前卫、繁复、有力的乐曲闻名。为了亲眼、亲耳、亲身感受音乐的心跳，你一定要走一趟《2008台北国际打击乐节》。

−by Joe Henley

Vocabulary

单词发音

in unison [ˋjunəsn] 和谐，一致

distinctly [dɪˋstɪŋktlɪ] adv. 明显地〔用于表示某人或某物具有某种易辨认的特征﹑特点等〕

appreciate [əˋpriʃɪ͵et] n. 欣赏

highlight [ˋhaɪ͵laɪt] n. 最突出（或最精彩）的部分

intricate [ˋɪntrəkɪt] adj. 错综复杂的

More Information

单词发音

tom-tom〔一种狭长的〕手鼓; 长筒鼓

bass drum【音】大鼓

xylophone [ˋzaɪlə͵fon] n.【音】木琴

bar [bɑr] n. 棒，条；（长方或椭圆形的）条状物

musical scale 音阶

bring out 使…明显; 显示出; 使…得以发挥  to produce or publish

avant-garde [ɑvɑŋˋgɑrd] adj. 前卫的

Reading Questions

1.   According to the article, what might make you snap your fingers?

A. The tone color of a guitar.

B. The sound of a bass guitar.

C. The rhythm of a song.

D. The beat of your heart.

2.   Which of the following is NOT a way for people to create with a percussion instrument?

A. Hit.

B. Scrape.

C. Shake.

D. Catch.

3.   Which of the following statements is true?

A. Xylophones are used in a drum kit to produce musical sounds.

B. Percussion is compared to the heartbeat of music.

C. Tom-toms are covered with metal strings at the bottom.

D. Striking cymbals together can create gentle melodies.

4.   What is this article mainly about?

A. The purpose and functions of percussion instruments.

B. The 2008 Taipei International Percussion Convention.

C. A detailed history of the development of instruments.

D. The strong impact of the beat of a song on human mind.

tone color 音色  tone quality; timbre

Ju Percussion Group

 Answer