6 . SarahRose Black isn’t a doctor or a nurse. Since 2013 she has played an important role for patients at the center as a music therapist (治疗师). One day, a nurse at a medical centre asked her if she could reach out to a patient who refused to take part in any activities. “He’s angry with us, and we wonder if you might have an interest in it.” the nurse told her.
The next day, Black offered to play music for the patient. “If you don’t like it, you can tell me to leave.” she said. After thinking for a while, the man wrote down the names of some music he liked and then looked out the window. However, as Black began to play one of his favorites, he cried. She stopped playing, saying, "Do you want me to continue?" "Certainly," he said through tears.
“It was as if the music went places," recalls Black.” He shared afterwards that he’d been holding in so much and had been unable to talk about anything —but the music felt like a hug."
It has been shown that music can be medicine. A study conducted in Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar found patients receiving music therapy experienced obvious decreases in anxiety and breathing difficulties, as well as an increase in feelings of well-being.
At the Dr Bob Kemp Hospice in Hamilton, Ont., music therapy is widely used. Doug Mattina experienced a music-therapy program when his father spent his last days there. "During the treatment, my mom and I danced around my dad’s bed. He would request high kicks from us as he clapped along. He was so weak that he sometimes fell asleep, but he was happy. It meant a lot to us." Mattina says.
Music has an especially important effect on sick children. Ruth Hunston, a music therapist at a children’s hospital, says her program gives patients back some sense of control. "When children are in hospital, their worlds get much smaller," she explains. "Music allows them to create something themselves."
Music does count in treatment, but Black notes that people actually connect with music for their whole lives.“ We have a heartbeat, so we have a drum inside us; we are born to be musical,”she says,“ Music relieves our sadness in ways words cannot.”
1. How did the patient react to Black’s appearance?
| A．He asked her to leave. | B．He cried and hugged her. |
| C．He handed her a list of songs. | D．He turned away and walked to the window. |
2. What do the underlined words “went places” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Got faster. | B．Went wrong. | C．Worked well. | D．Slowed down. |
3. What is mentioned about Doug Mattina’s father?
| A．He often did high kicks. | B．He was once a music therapist. |
| C．He didn’t like talking about his illness. | D．He fell in and out of sleep in the treatment. |
4. How does music therapy help children according to Hunston?
| A．It improves their social ability. | B．It helps them create something. |
| C．It helps them enjoy a sound sleep. | D．It excites their interest in medical treatment. |
5. Which of the following can best describe Black?
| A．Thoughtful and helpful. | B．Strong and talented. |
| C．Intelligent and honest. | D．Hardworking and humorous. |
