Fifty years ago, the well-loved musician Bob Dylanplayed at the Newport Folk Festival and was widely booed (噓聲). The audience may have been unhappy but Dylan’s performance helped change the direction of music and culture in the United States.
The mid-1960s were a time of great change. One such place of change was the world of folk music. Bob Dylan became a symbol of change when he movedfrom acoustic (原聲的)to electric guitar.
Rock music historian Elijah Wald has written a new book about the change. It is called “ Dylan Goes Electric. ”
“ There was a moment in the early 1960s when you could look at the Billboard charts and seven of the top 10 allbums were folk records. And Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio, all had huge, huge, huge number-one records."
And then this happened: The "British Invasion" introduced the world to the Beatles and grew a huge fan base for rock music. That worried many folk musicians, says Elijah Wald.
Hey hoped that Bob Dylan would come to the rescue. However, a new Dylan sound came from the stage.
Bob Dylan had gone electric, and the followers of folk music were not pleased.
“When Dylan went electric, I think one of the issues was the feeling that — wait a minute, he's gone over to the enemy.
Folk lovers had looked to Bob Dylan to save their movement from rock and roll. But, author Wald says Dylan felt differently about the music.
“ Dylan had always liked rock and roll and Dylan didn’t think of rock and roll as stupid music. ” In fact, Dylan was a Beatles fan. He later said that from the first time he heard the Beatles he knew “they were pointing to the direction where music had to go. ”
Beyond the music, Dylan's performance that night also marked a turn in American culture.
28. How did the audience feel when Dylan played at the Newport Folk Festival?
A. Excited. B. Unsatisfied. C. Respectful. D. Bored.
29. Which is TRUE about American music world in the early 1960s according to Elijah Wald?
A. Great changes had taken place in folk music.
B. People had grown sincere love for rock music.
C. Folk music was once a huge mainstream pop trend.
D. Bob Dylan was the best American musician at that time.
30. What did folk musicians and followers expect Dylan to do?
A. Change folk music for better.
B. Recover the glory of folk music.
C. Introduce the world to the Beatles.
D. Play rock and roll against the Beatles.
31. What will the author most probably talk about next?
A. Dylan’s deep love for the Beatles,rock and roll music.
B. Dylan’s beliefs in the new direction music should go.
C. Dylan’s music as a great contribution to American folk music.
D. Dylan’s performance as a mark of a change in American culture.
答案 28-31 BCBD