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Rock music in one form or another is the most popular type of music all over the world. But where did it come from?
Rock began in the USA in the early 1950s. At that time, “rhythm and blue” music was very popular with black Americans. “R&B” was a mixture of black religious music and jazz. It had strong rhythms that you could dance to and simple, fast words.
Noticing the success of R&B music, white musicians started to copy the same style. By the mid1950s, this new white R&B music, called rock ’n’ roll, had become very popular. Singers like Elvis Presley and Bill Haley attracted millions of teenage fans. Their music was fast and loud. Many older people thought that rock ’n’ roll was very dangerous.
By the early 1960s, even rock ’n’ roll had become oldfashioned. Many of the songs had begun to sound the same. It was at that time that a new group from England became popular — the Beatles.
The Beatles first started by singing American style songs, but they soon developed their own style, with more complicated tunes. They also introduced different instruments. Groups like the Beatles had a very important influence on the style of popular music.
By the early 1970s, rock ’n’ roll had developed into a new form of music. Electronics had replaced the amplified guitars and drums of rock ’n’ roll. “Rock” had arrived.
Rock music had continued to change and develop. It had combined with music from different parts of the world. Today, there are hundreds of different types of rock music, and almost every country has its own form of rock.
语篇解读：本文介绍了摇滚乐的发展史。
1．When had rock ’n’ roll become very popular?
A．By the mid1950s. B．By the early 1960s.
C．By the mid1960s. D．By the early 1970s.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第三段“By the mid1950s, this new white R&B music, called rock ’n’ roll, had become very popular.”可知。
2．Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Beatles?
A．It was not an American group.
B．This group had their own style.
C．This group made American style songs popular.
D．The style of popular music had been influenced by this group.
解析：选C 细节理解题。A、B、D三项所述均与文章第四、五段中的信息相符，这个乐队形成了自己的音乐风格，但并没有使美国风格的歌曲流行起来。
3．It can be inferred from the passage that Elvis Presley and Bill Haley________.
A．were singers of “R&B”
B．were singers in the mid1950s
C．were members of the Beatles
D．were popular with old people
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据文章第三段“By the mid1950s, this new white R&B music, called rock ’n’ roll, had become very popular. Singers like Elvis Presley and Bill Haley attracted millions of teenage fans.”可知。
4．What's the best title of the passage?
A．Popular Music
B．The History of Rock Music
C．Different Forms of Music in America
D．The Beatles
解析：选B 标题归纳题。纵观全文可知，文章主要讲述了摇滚乐的发展史。
