Pop Music in Africa

　　Young musicians in African countries are creating a new kind of pop music. The tunes and the rhythms of their music combine African traditions with various forms of music popular today, such as hip-hop, rap, rock, jazz, or reggae. The result is music that may sound familiar to listeners anywhere in the world, but at the same time is distinctly African. It is different also in another way: Many of the songs are very serious and they deal with important social or political issues in Africa today.

　　Eric Wainaina is one of these African musicians. He grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, in a family of musicians. As a teenager, he listened to pop music from the United States, and later he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. Now he has produced a CD in Kenya. Eric's most popular song, "Land of ‘A Little Something’” is about Kenya's problem of bribery, or paying others for illegal favors. He wants people to listen to his songs and think about how to make Kenya a better place to live.

　　Another musician who writes serious songs is Witness Mwaijaga from Tanzania. Her own experiences have helped her understand the suffering of many African women. At the age of fifteen she lost her home, but she was luckier than other homeless young people. She could make a living by writing songs and singing on the street. By the time she was eighteen years old, she had become a star. Her songs are written in rap or hip-hop style about the problems that she sees in Tanzania, especially AIDS and the lack of rights for women1.

　　Baaba Maal, from Senegal, also feels that pop music must go beyond entertainment. He says that in Senegal, storytellers have always been important people. In the past, they were the ones who kept the history of their people alive. Baaba believes that songwriters now have a similar responsibility. They must write about the world around them and help people understand how it could be better. The words of his songs are important, in fact. They speak of peace and cooperation among Africans, as well as the rights of women, love for one' s family, and saving the environment2.

　　One of South Africa's most popular musicians is Brenda Fassie. She is sometimes compared to Madonna, the American pop star, because she likes to shock people in her shows. But she also likes to make people think. She became famous in the 1980s for her simple pop songs against apartheid. Now that apartheid has ended, her songs are about other issues in South African culture and life. To sing about these, she uses local African languages and a new pop style called kwaito.

　　In recent years, people outside of Africa have also begun to listen to these young musicians. Through music, the younger generation of Africans are connecting with the rest of the world and, at the same time, influencing the rest of the world.

　　词汇：

　　reggae  n. 瑞格舞(西印度群岛的舞曲)

　　bribery   n. 行贿，贿赂

　　apartheid   n. 种族隔离

　　注释：

　　1. Her songs are written in rap or hip-hop style about the problems that she sees in Tanzania, especially AIDS and the lack of rights for women. 她用嘻哈和说唱的风格写歌，歌曲的内容是 坦桑尼亚的各种问题，特别是艾滋和女性权利的缺失。

　　2. They speak of peace and cooperation among Africans, as well as the rights of women, love for one's family, and saving the environment. 他倡导在非洲要和平与协作，同时也包括妇女权利、热爱家庭和保护环境。

　　练习：

　　1. This passage is about how African pop music is_______.

　　A) usually about love and romance

　　B) more serious than most pop music

　　C) popular with young people in Africa

　　D) mostly written just for entertainment

　　2. For people outside of Africa, African pop music is _______.

　　A) the same as other pop music

　　B) not usually very interesting

　　C) entirely strange to them

　　D) both familiar and different

　　3. The musicians mentioned in this passage all_______.

　　A) write about serious problems

　　B) studied in the United States

　　C) lost their homes at a young age

　　D) write songs in a new pop style

　　4. Eric Wainaina_______.

　　A) prefers to sing in English

　　B) listened to traditional music

　　C) studied music in Boston

　　D) performs only in the United States

　　5. Witness Mwaijaga writes about the problem of women partly because_______.

　　A) she was had a difficult life herself

　　B) there are many problems in Tanzania

　　C) she has had an easy life herself

　　D) there are no other women singers

　　答案与题解：

　　1. B 本题的问题是：非洲流行音乐的不同之处是什么?由第一段倒数第一句可以得出答案。“It is different also in another way : Many of the songs are very serious and they deal with important social or political issues in Africa today.” A,D项错误，C项未提及。

　　2.D 本题的问题是：对于非洲以外的人来说，非洲流行音乐给他们的感觉是什么?从第一段可以得出答案。“The result is music that may sound familiar to listeners anywhere in the world , but at the same time is distinctly Afican.”故正确选项为D。

　　3. A 本题的问题是：全文所提到的音乐家的共同的特点是什么?总览全文可以得出结论。全文通篇在讲有关社会和政治等严肃主题的音乐，故正确答案为A。B,C,D都有明显的错误。

　　4. C 本题的问题是：Eric Wainaina的成长细节。由第二段可以得出答案。“…and later he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.” 其余选项均有错误。

　　5. A 本题的问题是：Witness Mwaijaga 写有关女人的问题的原因是什么?答案在第三段第二句“Her own experiences have helped her understand the suffering of many African women.”明显可见是她有切身经历。所以正确答案为A。