Is there a connection between music and language? According to recent studies, the answer is yes. Here, let’s look at the following two.
Music and Hearing
A recent study by researcher Nina Kraus shows that playing a musical instrument can make a person’s hearing ability become better. In the study, two groups of people listened to a person talking in a noisy room. The people in the first group were musicians, while those in the second group weren’t. The musicians were able to hear the talking person more clearly.
Think about violinists in a show. When they play with the group, they hear their own instrument and many others, too. But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing, and leave out the other sounds. In this way, musicians are able to focus on certain sounds, even in a room with lots of noise.
Music and Speaking
Gottfried Schlaug, a doctor at Harvard Medical School, works with stroke (中风) patients. Because of their illness, these people cannot say their names, addresses, or other information normally. However, they can still sing. Dr. Schlaug was surprised to find that singing words helped his patients to finally speak. Why does this work? Schlaug isn’t sure. Music seems to help patients to use the brain again.
From the results, we can know that music is a good influence on concentration, the ability to focus on one thing. It works on listening and speaking skills as well. Playing an instrument or singing can help us do better in school as well. So music is not only enjoyable, it’s also good for us in many other ways.
1. Which two groups of people took part in Nina Kraus’ study?A.Noisy people and quiet people. |
B.Musicians and non-musicians. |
C.Violinists and other musicians. |
A.To describe what they did in a show. |
B.To show how important they are in the study. |
C.To better explain why musicians hear more clearly. |
A.By playing music for them. |
B.By asking them to sing words. |
C.By getting them to play an instrument. |
A.Music makes people listen carefully and hear well. |
B.Music can be well used in medical research. |
C.Music helps with people’s language abilities. |
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Dancing is popular all over the world. People dance in theaters, in parks or in their own living room. But Yang Liu, a woman in Guizhou, dances in an unusual place. Her stage is a single bamboo pole.
Yang is a performer of bamboo drifting (独竹漂). It is a traditional skill in the girl’s hometown. In ancient times, the local people crossed the rivers by riding on a bamboo pole. Now, bamboo drifting has developed into a folk sport.
Yang started to learn bamboo drifting at the age of seven. The bamboo pole is very slippery and it never completely stops moving. Yang fell into the water again and again. But the girl didn’t want to give up. She always got back up on the pole and tried again. She practiced hard every day for three years. Finally, she was able to keep her balance on the pole.
But Yang didn’t just stop there. She wanted to live out her dream of becoming a dancer on a bamboo pole. The girl practiced many difficult movements on the pole. She failed countless times, but she never stopped trying.
Her hard work finally paid off. Now 26, Yang has made a name for herself as a dancer on a bamboo pole. People can’t believe their eyes whenever they watch her performances. Through Yang’s dances, many people now know about bamboo drifting. They have discovered the beauty of this traditional skill.
1. Where does Yang dance according to the text?A.In the theater. | B.In an unusual park. |
C.In the living room. | D.On a single bamboo pole. |
A.A small number of. | B.A great number of. |
C.A few. | D.Few. |
A.Excited. | B.Worried. | C.Surprised. | D.Afraid. |
A.In the order of time. | B.In the order of place. |
C.In the order of distance. | D.In the order of importance. |
【推荐2】Do you love to sing? Come and show your talents at the
Chilton Youth Cappella Competition
Rules Please remember this is a cappella competition! No instruments or recorded music will be allowed. Competitors may sing songs in any style. Competitors must be between 8 and 15 years old. There are four kinds of competition: ★Solo(独唱) (8-11 years old) ★Solo (12-15 years old) ★Group (8-11 years old) ★Group (12-15 years old) Competitors under 12 years old must stay with parents or other adults at all times. Each competitor must pay $10. |
Prize Winners will receive $500 and 20 lessons from the famous teacher Vickie Leonard. Winners will be decided by three teachers from the Chilton School of Music. Their decision is final. |
Other information Please arrive at the theater between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. to make preparations. The competition will start at 9:00 a.m. and it will last for 2 hours. Shared dressing rooms with showers will be provided for all competitors. Tickets to watch the competition are available at the theater from June 1st. They are free, but spaces are limited. |
1. What might decide the kind of competition that one will take part in?
A.The song style. | B.The group size. | C.The age. | D.The gender(性别). |
A.The famous teacher Vickie Leonard. |
B.Students from the Chilton School of Music |
C.Students who watch the competitions. |
D.3 teachers from the Chilton School of Music. |
A.At 8:00 a.m. | B.At 8:30 a.m. | C.At 9:00 a.m. | D.At 11:00 a.m. |
A.It will cost you $10 if you take part in the competition. |
B.The competitors should come to the competition with parents. |
C.You have to sing with some recorded music or one instrument. |
D.Each competitor can have separate dressing room. |
A.To offer some singing talent shows to the adults. |
B.To invite the young to a concert in Chilton. |
C.To suggest visitors enjoy the singing competition. |
D.To tell the youth about a singing competition. |
【推荐3】音乐具有无穷的魔力,能给予我们力量和温暖。请为以下歌曲匹配相应的人生启示,选项中有一项为多余选项。
Here are some songs that we can learn life lessons from.
Change —
When things get hard, these times need you to get harder. Always fight for what you believe in no matter how hard things may seem. Never give up for the change.
Never Grow Up —
Sometimes being young is like a total pain and things never turn out pleasant. It makes you wish you were an adult to avoid such hard times. However, one should always value their youthful days and pure childhood.
The Best Day —
Even on your hardest of days, there’s someone in your family that manages to bring a smile to your face. When days seem to be dark, don’t forget that your family love you unconditionally.
Long Live —
During your school years, you’ve fought many battles. At every time with a dangerous dragon, a friend was there by you to kill it together. Never forget the magic of your friendship and make it as long-lasting as possible.
Fifteen —
When you’re a young teenager, even the smallest things seem life-changing. You should never let go of the important things like self-respect and keeping good friendships.
A. Remember love from your family.
B. Value something important at a young age.
C. You can find the power of the change.
D. You should value your childhood.
E. Keep the memories with your friends.
F. Never let your dreams fly away.
【推荐1】There are many special buildings in the world. Let’s take a look!
the Crooked House | This house is melting(融化)! In fact, the building just looks like a melting ice cream. The Crooked House is a shopping center in Poland. It was built in 2004. The building has a green roof(顶), yellow walls and colorful glass windows. There are three floors in this building. Every year, many visitors come here to see this special building. |
the Basket Building | What a big basket! This is the Basket Building. It is a seven-floor office building in the US. It took two years to finish the building in 1997. The most interesting part is that the people who work here sell baskets. The baskets might sell very well! |
Dubai Frame | This building looks quite different from most buildings. It looks like a picture frame(框). The building is in Dubai and it’s named Dubai Frame. It’s 150 metres high and 93 metres wide. There is a museum on the first floor. It shows the city’s history. On the top of the building, there is a bridge. People can see the city from a glass window. |
A.Green. | B.Yellow. | C.Blue. | D.Red |
A.In 1993. | B.In 1995. | C.In 1997. | D.In 1999. |
A.read books | B.have meals | C.take photos | D.know about Dubai’s history |
【推荐2】Have you ever read Andersen’s fairy tale The Ugly Duckling (丑小鸭)? Do you know that his motherland is Denmark? It lies in northern Europe. Let me tell you something about it.
You can find almost any fast food in Denmark, such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Danish open-faced sandwiches are not only delicious, but also pretty and fun. They are works of art. Tasting some is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
“Lego” toys were created in Denmark. The toys were made of wood before. Building with Legos helps students learn about engineering, physics and technology in a fun way. In 1968, the first Legoland theme park opened in Billund, Denmark. Today, there are Legoland parks in California, Florida, Malaysia, Dubai, Windsor, Japan and Germany.
Bicycling is popular in Denmark. Nine out of ten Danes have a bike. They ride their bikes no matter what the weather. They aren’t just riding bikes for fun. They use bikes to get to work, to take their kids to places, and even to carry goods. Today, more and more people are choosing bikes over cars. They have a saying in Denmark: “A bicycle is a Dane’s best friend.”
Denmark is called the land of fairy tales. Andersen’s another popular fairy tale is The Little Mermaid (美人鱼). The Little Mermaid statue (雕塑) has been regarded as Denmark’s most famous landmark since 1913. The Danes believe that she brings them good luck.
1. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 1 refer to?A.The Ugly Duckling. | B.Denmark. | C.Europe. | D.Fast food. |
A.the country of bikes | B.the land of fairy stories |
C.the capital of art | D.the home of Legos |
A.It’s called fairy land. | B.It was built by Andersen. |
C.It welcomes the ships there. | D.It has been there for about 110 years. |
A.Fairy tales. | B.Andersen’s life. |
C.Some facts about Denmark. | D.The history of Denmark. |
【推荐3】Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, has long attracted visitors because of its beautiful canals, colorful cultural activities, and plentiful museums. Rich in history, Amsterdam is also home to people from over 180 countries.
The city was firstly founded as a fishing village in the thirteenth century. As time went on, it became a center of trade, and its transportation system was finally developed. This transportation system defines(界定) the Amsterdam of today:about 90 small islands spread out across a network of more than 160 winding canals. Because Amsterdam sits on soft, wet land, more than 11 million poles are used to hold up buildings, houses, and even the train station!
While boats are everywhere, the city is well suited for biking. More than 500 kilometers of bicycle paths throughout the city offer bikers a paradise(乐园) of peaceful lanes and charming bridges to discover. Most of Amsterdam’s citizens cycle daily, and there are more bikes in the city than people!
Mild weather makes Amsterdam a wonderful city to visit all year round, but it’s at its best in spring. Throughout April, nature takes center stage during Amsterdam’s Tulip(郁金香) Festival. More than half a million tulips blow up with color in gardens and parks all around the city.
One of the dearest holidays in the Netherlands is King’s Day, when the Dutch honor the birthday of King Willem Alexander. Every April 27, nearly a million people dress in orange-the country’s national color-to attend concerts, watch boat parades, and shop at huge outdoor markets.
April is also when Amsterdam celebrates National Museum Week, which fits for the city with the most museums in the world. The Rijks Museum, one of Amsterdam’s most famous museums, shows around 8,000 objects of art and history. Another well-known site is the Anne Frank House, where the young diarist and her family hid from the Nazis during World War I. The house now serves as an important museum.
Amsterdam has more than 50 concert halls and theaters, over 9,000 monuments, and around 1,500 bars and restaurants. There is certainly no lack of attractions, entertainment, or history in this colorful city!
根据短文内容,选择最佳答案。
1. What is the most popular means of transportation in Amsterdam?
A.Cars. | B.Bikes. | C.Buses. |
A.Most restaurants are closed. |
B.More than half a million of tulips come out. |
C.The Dutch celebrate King’s Day. |
A.introduce a colorful city to visit |
B.talk about holidays in Amsterdam |
C.talk about the history of Amsterdam |
A. | B. | C. |