In the 1960s, it took pop and rock groups one or two days to record their songs. Nowadays, it can take months and months. Many rock groups begin by recording only one instrument, for example, the voice. Then they record other instruments- electric piano, synthesizer, guitars, drums and so on.

            Next, they might use a computer to add special effects. Finally, they „mix‟ all the instruments until they get the sound that they want. This means that a CD or cassette will always sound very different from a live concert.

            Music engineers have developed a new computer programme that will change the future of music. A computer can analyse a singer’s voice. Then if you give the computer the lyrics and music of a song, the computer can “sing” it in that voice. This means that a singer only needs to record one song and the computer can then sing other songs in the singer’s own voice. Singers can sing new songs many years after they have died.

            Most of us listen to music for pleasure, but for the record companies, music is a product, the same as soap powder. When a record company finds a new group (or “band”), they first try to develop the band’s “profile”. They will try to create an “image” for the band that they think will attract young people. Instead of allowing the band’s full artistic freedom, they will often tell the band what they should wear, what they should say and how they should sing and play.

            In recent year, many rock groups have started their own record companies because they say that the big companies are too commercial.

28. Today, to record songs, it takes __________.

A. longer than it used to do

B. shorter than it used to do

C. only one or two days

D. the same amount of time as the 1960s

29. Today’s record procedure results in ________.

A. different sounds of recorded songs and live- performed songs.

B. the mixture between CDs and live concert

C. some special effects on songs

D. differences invoices and instruments played

30. Which of the following is NOT true about the new computer programme?

A. It is predicted to change the music future.

B. It can imitate singers‟ voice.

C. It can sing only one recorded song of the singer.

D. The singer does not necessarily present to really sing.

31. Record companies don’t always ________.

A. suggest the outfits of the band

B. tell the band what to say

C. give the band freedom to do things

D. decide the songs the band will play

32. The word “that” in the passage refers to ________.

A. soap powder

B. an image

C. the band

D. a company

giúp

Sửa lỗi sai

1.Ba and Song plays football every afternoon with me.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

2.We buy two new rackets yesterday. We’re going to play tennis this afternoon.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

3.I’m not going to do the homework for you. You should do it itself.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

4.Our neighbors invited my friend and I to dinner with them.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

5.You should try your best learning hard to pass the exam.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

6.Bob lived in Rome for three years and he doesn’t want to move to other city.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

7.They write the meaning of new words by their mother tongue.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

8.How many countries will participate on the Olympic Games?

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

9.This job is a lot different with what I’m used to.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

10.Not only the bathroom was flooded, and also the rest of the house.

    ………………………………………………………………………………….

Điền từ vào chỗ trống:

Wonder why some pop singers appear to enjoy so much fame in their time. Usually, there are some valid reasons for their popularity.

Let's take a look at Madonna. Madonna is an international icon today, recognized and admired by millions of fans all over the world (1).............. her strong and independent image as a pop star. Many of her fans have followed her (2)............ to stardom and consider her their (3)................ Her pop music career (4)................. almost two decades, quite an achievement for the fickle world of pop culture (5)............... artistes fall into and out of fashion (6).............. One reason for her staying power is her chameleon-like (7)............... to reinvent herself. She shot to (8)................. with hits such as Holiday, Material Girl, True Blue and Live to Tell. Although her (9).............. into movies has not been as successful as her music, her position as queen of pop music was undeniable in the 1980s up till the 1990s. She has been a (10)............... figure, sparkling off much debate for mixing religion and sexuality in her songs and music videos. She has (11)............... pop music, fashion and style, shocking and impressing many people at the same time. Her (12)........... identity in a era when so many pop singers look and sound alike puts her in a class of her own.

Another icon with even more mass appeal in his day is Elvis Presley. Nicknamed the King of Rock and Roll, or simply, the King, he ruled the pop music (13)................ during the 1950s. By (14).............. black rhythm-and-blues music with white country blues, he created new styles of music and in the process re-invented wock-and-roll. It was considered remarkable and even revolutionary at a time when black and white Americans (15).................. separate lives and lived in great (16)................. of one another. Through music, he (17).................. a visiable gap between the two groups of Americans. To the youth of his generation, Elvis also (18)................... rebelliousness and vitality. His influence (19)................... in the 1950s but declined after the 1960s with the rise of other pop groups. He died in 1977 but he is remembered until today and thousands still flock to Graceland, his home, every anniversary of his death. Elvis Presley has definitely become a music (20).................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 30 to 34.

  In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in musiC. They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs. Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop musiC. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them – their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out. Throughout the world many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The word “sensational” is closest in meaning to

A. shocking

B. bad

C. notorious

B. popular

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.

In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music, They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs, Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out Throughout the world many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The word "they" is closest in meaning to

A. The Beatles          

B. the fans   

C. the songs          

D. the performances

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.

In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music, They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs, Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out Throughout the world many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The word "sensational" is closest in meaning to

A. Notorious 

B. Bad        

C. Shocking         

D. Popular

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.

In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music, They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs, Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out Throughout the world many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The Beatles stopped their live performances because

A. They had earned enough money

B. They did not want to work with each other

C. They spent more time writing their own songs

D. They were afraid of being hurt by fans

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions

In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music. They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs. Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them – their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out. Throughout the world many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The word “sensational” is closest in meaning to

A. Notorious

B. Bad

C. Shocking

D. Popular

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there havebeen a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music. They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs. Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out. Throughout the world, many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them

The word “sensational” is closest in meaning to __________.

A. notorious

B. shocking

C. bad

D. popular