A Big Singing Group in Serbia

A2

A Big Singing Group in Serbia

Introduction

Pop Hor is a singing group in Serbia. Many people join this group to feel happy.

Main Body

Nenad Azanjac and his wife started the group in 2022. Now, the group is in ten towns. Anyone can join. You do not need to be a great singer. About 2,000 people sing in the choir. They sing popular songs from Serbia and other nearby countries. Life in Serbia is sometimes difficult. Many people feel stressed or sad because of politics and money. People in the choir say that singing helps them. It makes them feel calm. It helps them make new friends. A professor says that singing is good for the brain. Singing lowers stress in the body. It makes people feel positive. The group wants people to be together. They do not care if the music is perfect.

Conclusion

Pop Hor is growing. Nenad wants more people in other countries to join the singing group.

Vocabulary Learning

calm (adj.)
peaceful / relaxed and quiet冷靜的;平靜的
Example:Listening to music helps me stay calm.
choir (n.)
singing group / a group of people who sing together合唱團
Example:I joined the school choir because I love singing.
perfect (adj.)
excellent / as good as possible完美的
Example:The weather today is perfect for a picnic.
positive (adj.)
hopeful / thinking about the good parts of a situation正面的;積極的
Example:Try to be positive even when things are difficult.
stressed (adj.)
worried / feeling worried or nervous感到壓力的;緊張的
Example:He feels stressed when he has too much work.

Sentence Learning

Nenad Azanjac and his wife started the group in 2022.
Time Marker: The prepositional phrase 'in 2022' tells us when the action happened in the past.時間標記: 介詞短語 'in 2022' 告訴我們這項行動在過去發生的時間。
Now, the group is in ten towns.
Time & Place: 'Now' shows the current situation, and 'in ten towns' describes the location.時間與地點: 'Now' 顯示目前的狀況,而 'in ten towns' 則描述了地點。
Many people feel stressed or sad because of politics and money.
Reason & Connector: 'Because of' explains the cause, and 'and' joins two similar things.原因與連接詞: 'Because of' 解釋了事情的原因,而 'and' 則連接兩個相似的事物。
They sing popular songs from Serbia and other nearby countries.
Preposition & Connector: 'From' shows the origin of the songs, and 'and' adds more information.介詞與連接詞: 'From' 顯示了歌曲的來源,而 'and' 則增加了額外的資訊。
Nenad wants more people in other countries to join the singing group.
Prepositional Phrase: 'In other countries' gives more detail about where the people are.介詞短語: 'In other countries' 提供了關於人們所在地點的更多細節。
B2

Pop Hor Amateur Choir Expands Across Serbia

Introduction

Pop Hor, an amateur pop choir founded in Gornji Milanovac, has expanded its activities to ten Serbian towns. The group focuses on inclusivity and mental well-being rather than formal musical skills.

Main Body

Founded in 2022 by Nenad Azanjac and his wife, Pop Hor follows a model used by international community choir projects. The organization does not require auditions or the ability to read music, which allows people of all ages to participate. Since it started, about 2,000 people—mostly women—have joined. The choir mainly sings Serbian popular music, along with some Bosnian and Croatian songs, and performs at various local and international events. The growth of the choir happens during a difficult time in Serbia, marked by economic instability and political divisions. For example, in 2024, young people led protests against President Aleksandar Vucic's government following a fatal railway accident caused by poor infrastructure. Participants like Nevenka Bila and Radmila Kozarac have claimed that the choir acts as a psychological balance to these tensions, helping people connect and reduce their stress. From a medical point of view, experts support the benefits of these group activities. Professor Aleksandra Djuric from Singidunum University emphasized that singing together lowers cortisol levels and releases positive hormones. As a result, the choir provides a mental break from constant news and societal pressure. Furthermore, founder Nenad Azanjac noted that some members join through therapeutic referrals, asserting that the main goal is social integration rather than musical perfection.

Conclusion

Pop Hor continues to grow within Serbia, and the founder has expressed his intention to expand the project throughout the wider Balkan region.

Vocabulary Learning

audition (n.)
trial performance / a short performance to show suitability for a role試音;試演
Example:She felt nervous before her audition for the leading role in the musical.
emphasize (v.)
highlight / to give special importance or prominence to something強調;重視
Example:The teacher wanted to emphasize the importance of regular practice.
inclusivity (n.)
inclusion / the practice of including people from many different backgrounds包容性;共融性
Example:The company promotes inclusivity by hiring people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
infrastructure (n.)
basic systems / the basic physical and organizational structures needed for a society基礎建設;基建設施
Example:The government is investing heavily in the city's transport infrastructure.
integration (n.)
combination / the process of becoming part of a group or society融合;整合
Example:The program aims to support the social integration of new immigrants.

Sentence Learning

The organization does not require auditions or the ability to read music, which allows people of all ages to participate.
Relative Clause: The relative pronoun 'which' refers to the entire preceding clause, describing the result of the situation.關係子句:關係代名詞「which」在此指代前面的整個子句內容,用以描述該情況所產生的結果。
Founded in 2022 by Nenad Azanjac and his wife, Pop Hor follows a model used by international community choir projects.
Passive Voice / Reduced Relative Clause: The past participle 'Founded' functions as a reduced relative clause to provide background information about the subject.被動語態 / 簡化關係子句:過去分詞「Founded」充當簡化關係子句,為句子的主體提供背景資訊。
The growth of the choir happens during a difficult time in Serbia, marked by economic instability and political divisions.
Past Participle Phrase: The phrase 'marked by' acts as an adjective to describe the specific characteristics of the 'difficult time'.過去分詞短語:「marked by」短語起形容詞作用,用以描述該「艱難時期」的具體特徵。
Professor Aleksandra Djuric from Singidunum University emphasized that singing together lowers cortisol levels and releases positive hormones.
Noun Clause: The 'that' clause functions as the direct object of the reporting verb 'emphasized' to state a specific fact or finding.名詞子句:「that」引導的子句作為報導動詞「emphasized」的直接賓語,用以陳述特定的事實或研究發現。
Furthermore, founder Nenad Azanjac noted that some members join through therapeutic referrals, asserting that the main goal is social integration rather than musical perfection.
Present Participle Phrase: The word 'asserting' introduces a participle phrase that provides additional information or explanation regarding the speaker's statement.現在分詞短語:「asserting」引導的分詞短語為說話者的陳述提供額外的補充資訊或解釋。
C2

Expansion of the Pop Hor Amateur Choir in Serbia

Introduction

Pop Hor, an amateur pop choir founded in Gornji Milanovac, has expanded its operations across ten Serbian towns, emphasizing inclusivity and psychological well-being over formal musical proficiency.

Main Body

Established in 2022 by Nenad Azanjac and his spouse, Pop Hor utilizes a model based on international community choir projects. The organization operates without auditions or requirements for musical literacy, permitting participation for individuals across a wide age spectrum. Since its inception, approximately 2,000 participants, predominantly women, have joined the ensemble. The choir's repertoire consists primarily of Serbian popular music, with occasional inclusions of Bosnian and Croatian compositions, and the group performs at various domestic and international events. The growth of the choir is situated within a broader socio-political context characterized by economic instability and political polarization in Serbia. This environment includes 2024 youth-led demonstrations against the administration of President Aleksandar Vucic, which followed a fatal railway incident attributed to state infrastructure negligence. Participants, such as Nevenka Bila and Radmila Kozarac, have indicated that the choir serves as a psychological counterweight to these societal tensions, facilitating social cohesion and personal stress reduction. From a clinical perspective, the efficacy of such group activities is supported by neurobiological analysis. Professor Aleksandra Djuric of Singidunum University posits that collective singing facilitates the reduction of cortisol levels and the release of positive hormones. This analysis suggests that the choir provides a necessary cognitive reprieve from the continuous influx of information and societal stress. Furthermore, founder Nenad Azanjac reports that therapeutic referrals have contributed to the choir's membership, noting that the primary objective of the organization is the facilitation of social integration rather than technical musical achievement.

Conclusion

Pop Hor continues to expand its presence within Serbia, with the founder expressing an intent to extend the project's reach throughout the broader Balkan region.

Vocabulary Learning

efficacy (n.)
effectiveness / the ability to produce a desired or intended result功效;效力
Example:Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of the new drug in treating the disease.
inception (n.)
commencement / the starting point of an institution or activity創始;開端
Example:The project has faced numerous challenges since its inception two years ago.
polarization (n.)
division / the division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions兩極分化
Example:The political polarization within the country has made it difficult to pass new legislation.
posit (v.)
postulate / to suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of something as a basis for reasoning假定;主張
Example:Most economists posit that a decrease in interest rates will stimulate consumer spending.
reprieve (n.)
respite / a temporary escape from an undesirable situation or danger緩解;暫時解脫
Example:The weekend trip provided a much-needed reprieve from her demanding work schedule.

Sentence Learning

Established in 2022 by Nenad Azanjac and his spouse, Pop Hor utilizes a model based on international community choir projects.
Reduced Relative Clause: The sentence opens with a past participle phrase acting as a reduced relative clause (shortened from "Which was established..."), which allows for a sophisticated and concise introduction of background information.緊縮關係從句:句子以過去分詞短語開頭,充當緊縮關係從句(由 "Which was established..." 縮減而成),使背景資訊的引入顯得洗練且具備高級語感。
The growth of the choir is situated within a broader socio-political context characterized by economic instability and political polarization in Serbia.
Passive Voice & Post-modification: The use of the passive construction "is situated within" establishes an academic tone, while the noun phrase is further expanded by a past participle phrase ("characterized by...") serving as a post-modifier.被動語態與後置修飾:使用被動結構 "is situated within" 確立了學術語調,同時名詞短語透過過去分詞短語("characterized by...")作為後置修飾語進行擴展。
This environment includes 2024 youth-led demonstrations against the administration of President Aleksandar Vucic, which followed a fatal railway incident attributed to state infrastructure negligence.
Non-defining Relative Clause with Embedded Modifier: The sentence employs a non-defining relative clause ("which followed...") to provide supplementary detail, containing within it another reduced relative clause ("attributed to") to link cause and effect.非限定性關係從句及嵌入式修飾語:句子採用非限定性關係從句("which followed...")提供補充細節,從句內部更包含另一個緊縮關係從句("attributed to")以聯繫因果關係。
Professor Aleksandra Djuric of Singidunum University posits that collective singing facilitates the reduction of cortisol levels and the release of positive hormones.
Nominalization & Formal Reporting Verbs: The verb "posits" elevates the formal register, while the use of nominalizations ("reduction", "release") condenses complex biological processes into concise abstract nouns.名詞化與正式陳述動詞:動詞 "posits" 提升了正式語體層次,而名詞化用法("reduction"、"release")將複雜的生物過程凝練為簡潔的抽象名詞。
Furthermore, founder Nenad Azanjac reports that therapeutic referrals have contributed to the choir's membership, noting that the primary objective of the organization is the facilitation of social integration rather than technical musical achievement.
Present Participle Clause for Supplementary Information: The use of the "noting that..." participle phrase allows the author to append a secondary, clarifying statement to the main clause, enhancing the sentence's structural complexity.現在分詞短語提供補充資訊:使用 "noting that..." 分詞短語讓作者能在主句後附加次要的澄清說明,增強了句子的結構複雜度。