Most musicians agree that the best violins(小提琴) were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to makeinstruments(乐器)like the Italian violins,however,they are not the same. Why are these old Italianviolins so special? No one really knows. But many people think they have an answer.
Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only the old violins from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. It must be from certain kinds of trees.It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something specialabout wood for violins.
But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in aspecial way. Wood for a violin must be cut into the right size and shape. The smallest difference willchange the sund of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.
Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new ones still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientiststhink the secret may be the varnish (清漆).It makes the wood look shiny, but it also helps the soundof the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one canmake the same varnish today.
There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins from Cremona become more and more precious.
1. Which of the following Words can best describe Cremona violins?
ALight
BShining
CValuable
DModern
