Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 18 to 22.

        Music now crosses borders faster than at any time in history. Digital platforms, migrant communities, and global tours move songs across languages. (18) _______. Cheap data and better translation tools reduce friction for first-time listeners. Radio and television once set the agenda; today, playlists and short videos do. Collaborations filmed on phones travel from small studios to global stages. When remixes go viral, local artists gain visibility abroad. (19) _______. Labels are then more willing to invest in cross-border projects. Yet globalization is not only growth and celebration. Some fear a uniform taste and the loss of local instruments. Public archives and community festivals can counter that risk. (20) _______. Local educators and elders share stories behind rhythms, not just catchy hooks. Curators try to balance novelty with familiarity in weekly playlists. (21) _______. Music workers also learn from each other–about rights, credits, and fair pay. If exchange is respectful, listeners can enjoy variety while scenes stay alive. (22) _______.

(Adapted from Smithsonian Magazine, “How We Can Support the World’s Rich Musical Diversity”)

Question 18. A. These networks disseminate content rapidly, enabling niche musical styles to reach curious international listeners

B. This infrastructure spreads material quickly, allowing specialized genres to connect with interested audiences abroad

C. Such distribution channels operate efficiently, helping distinctive musical traditions find receptive listeners globally

D. These platforms transmit music swiftly, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges between diverse musical communities

Question 19. A. Consequently, streaming analytics persuade promoters to test unfamiliar markets and schedule international tours

B. However, many promoters remain skeptical of streaming metrics when planning performances in untested territories

C. Nevertheless, booking agents frequently disregard digital data in favor of traditional audience research methods

D. Although streaming platforms provide insights, promoters typically prioritize established markets over experimental ventures

Question 20. A. These preservation initiatives maintain musical diversity while fostering respectful intercultural exchange

B. Such conservation programs protect endangered musical traditions threatened by homogenizing commercial pressures

C. These documentation projects record vanishing musical practices before they disappear from collective memory

D. Such archival activities safeguard traditional instruments and techniques against the encroachment of modern technology

Question 21. A. Seeking to attract new audiences, curators design playlists that balance familiar selections with innovative material

B. The diverse global audience demand variety, so playlists must carefully balance novelty with accessibility

C. Hoped to broaden appeal, editors compile playlists that integrate established favorites with emerging trends

D. Aiming at maintain engagement, playlist creators juxtapose conventional tracks with experimental compositions

Question 22. A. In this manner, cultural exchange can expand globally with homogenizing the distinctive voices that characterizes local scenes

B. Through such approaches, musical globalization proceeds while preserving the unique characteristics that define regional traditions

C. By these means, international collaboration flourishes without eroding the cultural specificity that sustained musical diversity

D. Under these conditions, cross-border musical exchange was thriving while maintaining the authenticity that gives communities their identity