Reading 5.4

 Unit 4  The Cellist ([`tSElIst] n. [C]大提琴手) of Sarajevo ([&sAr1`jEvo] n.塞拉耶佛)

Reading

The performance on the opening night ([&op1nI9 `naIt] n. [C] (usu. sing.)首演之夜，首映之夜) of the International Cello Festival consisted of works for unaccompanied cello. One of the performers that night was the world­famous cellist Yo­Yo Ma ([`jo `jo `mA] n.馬友友 (1955-)), and there was a moving story behind the musical composition he would play.

On May 27, 1992, in Sarajevo, one of the few bakeries that still had flour was making and giving out () bread to the people in this war­torn city. At 4 p.m., a long line stretched into the street. Suddenly, a shell ([SEl] n. [C]砲彈shelling [`SElI9] n. [U]砲擊) fell directly into the middle of the line, taking lives of twenty­two people.

Not far away lived a distinguished ([dI`stI9GwISt] adj.卓越的，傑出的distinguish [dI`stI9GwIS] vi.區分，辨別) musician named Vedran Smailovic ([`vEdr1n `smelOvItS] n.維卓‧史麥洛維奇 (1956-)). When he saw the massacre outside his window, he was pushed past his capacity ([k1`p8s1tI] n. [C] (usu. sing.)能力；容量，容納) to endure anymore. As a result, he resolved ([rI`zAlv] vi. (fml.)決定，決心vt.解決(問題或困難)n. [U] (fml.)決定，決心) to do what he did best—to make music.

For the next twenty­two days in a row (), at 4 p.m., Smailovic put on his formal concert suit, picked up his cello, and walked into the midst ([mIdst] n. [U]中間，中央) of the battle. Placing a chair beside the crater ([`kret2] n. [C]彈坑，隕石坑) that the shell had made, he played a mournful ([`mOrnf1l] adj.悲痛的，憂傷的mourn [mOrn] vt. (對死者感到) 憂傷，哀悼) and haunting piece. He played to the abandoned ([1`b8nd1n] vt.捨棄，逃離；拋棄，遺棄) streets, smashed ([sm8S] vt.使摧毀，使粉碎n. sing.破碎，破碎聲) trucks, and burning buildings, and to the terrified people who hid in their cellars ([`sEl2] n. [C]地窖) while the bombs dropped and the bullets ([`b5lIt] n. [C]子彈) flew. With masonry ([`mes1nrI] n. [U]石造建築，磚造建築) exploding around him, he made his courageous stand for human dignity ([`dIGn1tI] n. [U]尊嚴), for those who were lost to war, for civilization ([&sIv1l1`zeS1n] n. [U]文明 (社會)civilize [`sIv1&laIz] vt.教化，使文明), for compassion ([k1m`p8S1n] n. [U]同情，惻隱之心compassionate [k1m`p8S1n1t] adj.有同情心的), and for peace. Though the shelling went on, he rode out the attacks.

After newspapers picked up the story of this extraordinary ([Ik`strOrdN&ErI] adj.出眾的，非凡的) man, an English composer named David Wilde ([`devId `waIld] n.大衛‧懷爾德 (1935-)) was so moved that he, too, decided to make music. He wrote a composition for unaccompanied cello entitled ([In`taItL] vt.為…命名；賦予…權利) “The Cellist of Sarajevo,” into which he poured his feelings of rage, love, and brotherhood with Vedran Smailovic. It was this very piece that Yo­Yo Ma was to play that evening.

On the stage was a solitary ([`sAl1&tErI] adj.孤零零的，單個的；獨自的，單獨的) chair. Ma came out on stage, bowed to the audience, and sat down quietly. The music began, stealing out into the hushed hall and creating a shadowy, empty universe. Slowly the music grew into () a painful furor ([`fj5&rOr] n. sing.盛怒，狂怒), gripping ([GrIp] vt. (gripped | gripped | gripping)吸引，扣人心弦；緊抓，緊握n. [C] (usu. sing.)緊抓，緊握) everyone in the audience before dying down () into a hollow death rattle ([`dET &r8tL] n. sing.臨終前的喉鳴rattle [`r8tL] n. [C] (usu. sing.)嘎嘎聲，連續短促的撞擊聲) and, eventually, back to silence.

When Ma had finished, he remained bent over his cello, and his bow rested on the strings. No one in the hall moved or made a sound for a long time. Finally, Ma stood up, looked across the audience, and stretched out his hand, inviting someone to come to the stage. An indescribable electric ([I`lEktrIk] adj.電的，用電的electricity [I&lEk`trIs1tI] n. [U] 電，電力) shock swept over the audience as they realized who it was: Vedran Smailovic, the cellist of Sarajevo!

Smailovic rose from his seat and walked down the aisle as Ma left the stage to meet him. They threw their arms around each other in an embrace. Everyone in the hall erupted in excitement clapping, shouting, and cheering. These two men hugged and cried unashamedly ([&^n1`SemdlI] adv.不覺羞恥、難堪地unashamed [&^n1`Semd] adj.不害羞的，恬不知恥的ashamed [1`Semd] adj.感到羞恥、慚愧的): Yo­Yo Ma, an elegant prince of classical music, flawless ([`flOl1s] adj.無瑕的，完美的flaw [flO] n. [C]瑕疵，缺點) in appearance and performance; and Vedran Smailovic, dressed in a stained, tattered ([`t8t2d] adj.破爛的，襤褸的) leather motorcycle suit. His long, wild hair, and huge mustache ([`m^st8S] n. [C](嘴唇上的) 鬍鬚) framed ([frem] vt.框住[frem] n. [C]框架，邊框) a face that looked old beyond his years, soaked ([sok] vt.使溼透浸，泡n. sing.浸，泡) with tears and lined with pain. The audience were all stripped ([strIp] vt. (stripped | stripped | stripping)脫衣服；除去，卸除) down to their deepest humanity at encountering ([In`ka5nt2] vt. (fml.)意外、偶然遇見；遇到，遭遇 (問題、困難等)n. [C]相遇，邂逅) this man who shook his cello in the face of bombs, death, and ruins, defying ([dI`faI] vt. (defied | defied | defying)違抗，對抗) them all. His cello proved to be the mightiest ([maItI] adj.強大的might [maIt] n.[U]力量，威力) weapon of all.

It was then that the audiences realized music is a gift people all share equally. Whether people create it or simply listen to it, it’s a gift that can soothe, inspire, and unite ([ju`naIt] vt.使聯合，使團結unity [`jun1tI] n. [U] 團結，聯合) people, often when people need it most and expect it least.

—Adapted from “The Cellist of Sarajevo.”

 

Comprehension Check

Choose the correct answer to each question or statement.

(　　) 1. The reading is mainly about ________.

(A) the power of music

(B) the story of Smailovic’s life

(C) the history of war in Sarajevo

(D) the musical style of Yo­Yo Ma

(　　) 2. What did Smailovic resolve to do after the massacre?

(A) He decided to join the army to fight for his country.

(B) He moved away from Sarajevo and later left the country.

(C) He hid himself in a cellar with those who had lost their homes.

(D) He played music to the terrified people and the abandoned streets.

(　　) 3. From the reading, we can infer that ________.

(A) the war refugees were comforted by Yo­Yo Ma’s performance

(B) Smailovic was invited to the festival without public announcement

(C) “The Cellist of Sarajevo” was composed to help raise money to rebuild Sarajevo

(D) it was David Wilde who told the newspapers the story of Vedran Smailovic

26. defy  to refuse to do what someone is expected to do　

‧In 1955, Rosa Parks defied the law that stated colored passengers should give up their seats to white people. She was then arrested.

27. mighty  having strong power or strength　

‧The mighty power of a black hole can pull any substance into it; even light cannot escape its gravity.

 

‧Leila punched the guy who had touched her hips with all her might, and he was knocked down to the ground and cried out in pain.

28. unite  to cause people to join together for a shared goal or common interests　

‧To fight for animal rights, Lindsay united other animal lovers to form a nonprofit organization (非營利組織).

 

‧To create a sense of unity, all team members must learn to trust one another.

Idioms and Phrases

1. give out something: to give something to many people　分發某物，分送某物

‧Before the election, the candidate stood on the sidewalk and gave out tissue packs with his picture and political views on them to the people passing by.

2. in a row: one after another without any break　連續，接連

‧Andrew has won three games in a row since the opener. Whether he will get four straight wins has stirred up considerable interest.

3. ride out something: to wait or maintain oneself in a difficult or dangerous situation until it passes　安然渡過某事

‧Isabel lost her job a few months ago, but fortunately she rode out the crisis by selling handmade cookies for a living.

4. pick up something: to notice something that is not obvious　注意、察覺到某事

‧Located in the suburbs, the hotel was so quiet that the guests could even pick up the sound of a clock ticking (發出滴答聲) in the room.

5. grow into . . . : to gradually become a particular type of person or thing　漸漸成為…

‧This technology company has made every effort to improve its products; therefore, it has grown into a leading brand in the software market.

6. die down: to gradually become quieter, less powerful, or less obvious　逐漸平息，漸漸減弱

‧The cheering and applause from the audience didn’t die down until the curtain fell completely.

7. in the face of something: in a situation where many difficulties need to be dealt with　面臨 (危險、困難的) 情形

‧In the face of so many job cuts at the company, the remaining employees were worried about their job security.

 

Word File

I. The suffix “­ist” The suffix “­ist” is put at the end of a noun or verb. It means “someone who plays a certain instrument,” “someone who has particular beliefs,” or “someone who does something.”
cello → cellist	communism → communist	tour → tourist
piano → pianist	psychology → psychologist	type → typist
II. Storage Areas
cellar　地窖	dressing room　更衣室	hayloft　稻草棚
vault　(銀行的) 金庫	warehouse　倉庫	pantry　食品儲藏室

 

Patterns in Use

1  S + be/V + adverbial phrase → Adverbial phrase + be/V + S Examples: ‧A distinguished musician lived not far away. → Not far away lived a distinguished musician. ‧A solitary chair was on the stage. → On the stage was a solitary chair.

Exercise:

Rewrite the following sentences by using the above patterns. The first one has been done for you.

1. Some pieces of jewelry are inside the box.

→ Inside the box are some pieces of jewelry.

2. The first lady sat beside the president.

→ ___________________________________________________________________________

3. An elderly woman and her cat live in the house.

→ ___________________________________________________________________________

4. Old picture books that the kids no longer read are under the bed.

→ ___________________________________________________________________________

5. The performers surprisingly appeared from the back of the audience.

→ ___________________________________________________________________________

 

2  whether . . . or . . . , S + V Examples: ‧Whether people create it or simply listen to it, music is a gift that can soothe, inspire, and unite people. ‧Whether it rains or shines, the dog waits at the door for his master at the same time every day.

◎Exercise:

Mandy (“M”) and Ray (“R”) are talking about the piece of music entitled “The Cellist of Sarajevo.” Complete their conversation by using the given words and the above pattern. The first one has been done for you.

R: What are you listening to, Mandy?

M: I’m listening to a cello composition entitled “The Cellist of Sarajevo.”

R: I don’t know that you are interested in classical music.

M: ¹__Whether you are a classical music lover or not__ (you/be/classical music lover/not), you’ll get caught up in it. And I’m sure you’ll be even more touched after you get to know the story behind the composition.

R: Really? What’s the story behind it?

M: You know about the Bosnian War (波士尼亞戰爭), don’t you?

R: Yes. As far as I know, during the war, Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, had been surrounded and cut off supplies for a long time. ²________________________ (they/be/food/other necessity), the people in the city had great difficulty getting the supplies they needed.

M: That’s right. One day, a shell fell into a line of starving people waiting in front of a bakery to get some bread, killing 22. ³________________________ (they/have/support/war/not), they no longer had the chance to express their opinions. Witnessing this tragedy, a cellist resolved to play the cello in the street by the bakery for the next 22 days.

R: Was he out of his mind? ⁴________________________ (he/intend/express/one’s grief/show/one’s rage), it was a very dangerous thing to do. After all, he could not possibly stop the war by simply performing music.

M: True. But as a musician, this was the only thing he could do to stand up for peace and human dignity. ⁵________________________ (you/consider/one’s behavior/foolish/not), I still admire his courage.

 

◎Extra Exercise:

Translate the following pairs of Chinese sentences into English by using the patterns on pages 88 and 89.

I.

1. 我們的公寓對面是一間受歡迎的餐廳。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 無論白天或晚上，這家餐廳都擠滿客人。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

II.

1. 有一座漂亮的花園坐落在這間博物館前面。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 不論是剛抵達或是正要離開博物館的遊客，他們都可以在那裡放鬆一下。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

III.

1. 玻璃櫃中展示著幾輛模型車。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

2. 不論它們是經典的設計或是最新的款式，它們全都吸引著消費者的目光。

→ __________________________________________________________________________

 Patterns in Use

句型一

Exercise

2 Beside the president sat the first lady.

3 In the house live an elderly woman and her cat.

4 Under the bed are old picture books that the kids no longer read.

5 From the back of the audience surprisingly appeared the performers.

句型二

Exercise

2 Whether they were food or other necessities

3 Whether they had supported the war or not

4 Whether he intended to express his grief or show his rage

5 Whether you consider his behavior foolish or not

Extra Exercise

I

1 Across from our apartment is a popular restaurant.

2 Whether it is day or night, this restaurant is always crowded with customers.

II

1 In front of the museum lies/sits a beautiful garden.

2 Whether the visitors are just arriving or about to leave the museum, they can relax there.

III

1 In the glass cabinet are several model cars displayed/displayed several model cars.

2 Whether they are of classic design or in the latest model, they all catch consumers’ eye.

 

Writing Hands-on

Persuasion: Part I

In persuasive writing, the goal is to convince readers to agree with a given point of view. To achieve this goal, there must be enough evidence to support the argument. The following are the steps you should follow when writing a persuasive essay.

1. Start with the topic sentence: Describe the background of an argument or a problem and then clearly state your point of view. Avoid ambiguous (模稜兩可的), vague, or general statements.

2. Offer supporting details: Back up your topic sentence with evidence, arguments, or examples.

‧Write from both objective and subjective points of view.

‧Provide ideas that are convincing enough to persuade your readers to accept them.

‧Discuss and criticize opposing opinions point by point to create a stronger argument.

3. End the paragraph with a concluding sentence: Briefly and strongly restate your topic.

Examples:

‧In the conclusion of the reading, it says that “music is a gift people all share equally. Whether people create it or simply listen to it, it’s a gift that can soothe, inspire and unite people, often when people need it most and expect it least.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

→ I totally agree with the idea that music soothes, inspires, and unites people. When we hear a sad song, we can’t help feeling sad. When we hear exciting music, we feel like dancing to it. In addition, religious music is often calming or uplifting.

‧What do you think about teenagers using smartphones?

→ Smartphones can be used to do many things nowadays. What’s more, they are available at any time. However, teenagers often spend too much time on them instead of focusing on more important things like their relationship with their family, not to mention cutting into time that should be spent on schoolwork. Moreover, looking at the screens for a long time damages the eyes. No wonder, more and more young people are becoming nearsighted.

Exercise:

Think of an argument for and against each of the following topics. The first one has been done for you.

1. Students’ academic performance should be evaluated based on written reports instead of on the results of standardized tests.

For

Written reports might require students to think more deeply and consider issues from more than one side, instead of just memorizing a correct answer.

Against

They may simply copy material directly from the Internet to complete the report. It would be difficult to be sure if the ideas are their own.

2. High school students should be allowed to join protests or demonstrations.

For

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Against

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Teachers should have the right to go on strike.

For

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Against

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Writing Hands-on

Exercise A

2

For They can express their concern for problems and challenges facing their country.

Against They are not mature enough to judge matters by themselves, but rather are easily influenced.

3

For Like those of other professions, teachers should have equal rights to do so.

Against Students have the right to receive education in school. If teachers go on strike and classes are not held, it would be neglect of duty.