A
Some people described the civil rights era, in the 1950s and 1960s as “the greatest singing movement in American history”. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called music “the soul of the movement”.
Integrating singing into the cause was a deliberate choice by the movement’s organizers. It took advantage of a rich cultural tradition of music-making in communities with African American roots. Singing spirituals ( 圣歌) together was a key motivating activity during meetings, church services, sit-ins and freedom rides. Singing together made people feel strong. Singing inspired activists to stand up to the verbal ( 言语的) and physical assaults, to the police dogs, and to the high-pressure fire hoses aimed at them. Singing spirituals united people and focused them on their goals-freedom and equality.
The movement’s songs were mostly updated traditional African American spirituals. “We Shall Overcome” is probably its most famous song. Later on, the song, slightly changed to “We Will Overcome”, was taught to labor organizers in the 1940s at the Highlander Folk School. By 1952, a recording of the song was released, but the words had been changed again to “We Shall Overcome”.
By the late 1950s, the song was being taught to civil rights activists at the Highlander. That’s where King first heard it. At the end of meetings, everyone would rise, join hands, and sing the song. Today, it has spread around the world and can be heard wherever freedom and justice are threatened.
“Free at Last” was another popular civil rights song. Like “We Shall Overcome”, it inspired singers to continue with a difficult struggle. It sings of the dream and promise of freedom, urging everyone to join hands and to not give up hope. King ended his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington by quoting a line from it: “Free at last, free at last! “
Taking a cue from the strengths of older African American traditions, music expressed the soul of the civil rights movement. Songs and singing proved essential nonviolent weapons in the struggle for freedom.
21. The second paragraph is mainly about .
A. what the goals of the civil rights movement were
B. on what occasions African Americans sang together
C. why organizers employed singing in the civil rights movement
D. how African Americans started the tradition of singing together
22. What does the underlined word “assaults” probably mean in Paragraph 2?
A. Violent attacks. B. Severe problems. C. Serious disabilities. D. Potential dangers.
23.. What might be the best title for the passage?
A. King-hero of the civil rights movement B. Music-soul of the civil rights movement
C. Freedom-dream of African Americans D. Singing-language to unite Americans
