現實版“海上鋼琴師”

山東 劉 燕

董宇是一名鋼琴油漆工，當他第一次觸摸真實的鋼琴時，他便愛上了黑白鍵的聲音。 雖然不識譜、不懂樂理，但長時間和鋼琴打交道的他硬是靠著自己的悟性和努力把鋼琴彈出了名堂。 如今，他已經能流暢自如地演奏200多首曲子，被網友稱為現實版“海上鋼琴師”。

題材 體裁人物 記敘文 339 ★★★文章詞數 難度建議用時7分鐘

Forty-three-year-old Dong Yu began to work as a piano painter when he was 19 years old, and has started to grow his interest in the instrument since then. He has never received any musical training and can't even read piano sheets. However, he learned how to play the piano by listening to songs and practicing day by day. “My co-workers like to play poker during their lunch break, but I prefer to use this time to practice playing the piano,” said Dong. Now, he can play over 200 pieces of songs.

After he was laid off from the piano factory, he had done many different jobs to earn a living and support his family, including working as a taxi driver, delivery man and house painter, but none of these could be as interesting as the job of a piano painter for him. Finally, he found a job in a private piano factory and continued his work as a piano painter.

Working as a piano painter is not an easy task. Dong's daily job is to spray the paint and polish the piano panel. Sometimes his exposed skin gets covered with oil paint and dirt. The heavy workload makes him exhausted. However, as long as he gets the chance to play the piano, it is a diverting job for him because he has never owned a piano himself.

After a video of him playing the piano was widely circulated on social media, Chinese netizens praised him as a folk artist and a realistic version of the leading character in the famous movie The Legend of 1900, which describes a worker with great talent in playing the piano. Some even suggested he pursue a music career.

Facing the overwhelming praises, Dong said he didn't have much talent in music and piano painting is his only skill to make a living. “I will work as a piano painter until the day I retire,” he said. For him, playing the piano is the best way to relieve stress and forget about the troubles in life.

Reading Check

1. How did Dong Yu learn to play the piano?

A. By practicing on his own. B. By researching piano sheets.

C. By receiving musical training. D. By listening to online courses.

2. What does the underlined word “diverting” in paragraph 3 mean?

A. Profitable. B. Changeable.

C. Enjoyable. D. Respectable.

3. How can we describe Dong Yu?

A. Modest and talented. B. Practical and diligent.

C. Considerate and fortunate. D. Satisfied and conservative.

4. What's the purpose of the text?

A. To encourage us to learn the piano.

B. To share a story about a piano painter.

C. To explain what shapes a great pianist.

D. To show the magic of playing the piano.

Language Study

Theme-centered chunks

lay off 解雇

spray the paint 噴漆

polish the piano panel 擦亮鋼琴面板

the exposed skin 裸露的皮膚

make him exhausted 讓他感到疲憊不堪

as long as 只要

be widely circulated on social media 在社交媒體上廣泛傳播

a realistic version 現實版本

pursue a music career 追求音樂事業

face the overwhelming praises 面對鋪天蓋地的贊美

relieve stress 緩解壓力

forget about the troubles in life 忘記生活中的煩惱