2 . It is thought that music can make maths more enjoyable, keep students engaged and help ease fear or anxiety they have about maths.

To find out more, Turkish researcher Dr Ayca Akin, from the Department of Software Engineering, Antalya Belek University, searched academic databases for research on the topic published between 1975 and 2022. She then combined the results of 55 studies from around the world, involving almost 78,000 young people from kindergarten pupils to university students, to come up with an answer.

Students took maths tests before and after taking part in the intervention and the change in their scores was compared with that of youngsters who didn’t take part in an intervention. The use of music, whether in separate lessons or as part of maths classes, was associated with greater improvement in maths over time. The integrated lessons had the biggest effect, with around 73% of students who had integrated lessons doing significantly better than youngsters who didn’t have any type of musical intervention. Some 69% of students who learned how to play instruments and 58% of students who had normal music lessons improved more than pupils with no musical intervention.

The results also indicate that music helps more with learning arithmetic (算术) than other types of maths and has a bigger impact on younger pupils and those learning more basic mathematical concepts. Dr Akin point s out that maths and music have much in common, such as the use of symmetry symbols. Both subjects also require abstract thought and quantitative reasoning.

Limitations of the analysis include the relatively small number of studies available for inclusion. This meant it wasn’t possible to look at the effect of factors such as gender, socio-economic status and length of musical instruction on the results.

Dr Akin adds, “Encouraging mathematics and music teachers to plan lessons together could help ease students’ anxiety about mathematics, while also boosting achievement.”

1. How did Dr Akin conduct her research?

A．By launching a questionnaire online.	B．By creating a data model.
C．By analyzing data worldwide.	D．By surveying university students.

2. What were the students asked to do to reflect the effect of the intervention?

A．Take maths tests.	B．Develop abstract thought.
C．Plan lessons with music teachers.	D．Learn more basic mathematical concepts.

3. Why can music contribute to mathematics learning according to Dr Akin?

A．Music has some similarities with mathematics.	B．Music can help students learn mathematical models.
C．Music is involved in mathematical calculation.	D．Music comes from mathematics.

4. What does the author think of the research?

A．Overall.

B．Sensitive.

C．Subjective.

D．Imperfect.

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A concert     1    (mark) the 50th anniversary (周年纪念日) of China-Brazil diplomatic relations took place at the Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 21.

    2     outdoor event attracted over 300 audience members and featured Chinese musicians, including the music band of traditional Chinese music of the Central Conservatory of Music, bringing Chinese music pieces that     3    (particular) showcase (展现) the variety of traditional Chinese musical instruments.

Ancient Chinese musical instruments     4     guzheng, xiao and banhu were also played during the concert. The Chinese musicians also used their instruments to play folk songs of Brazil,     5     received warm feedback from the local audience. The concert also featured musicians from Brazil playing Chinese songs and Brazilian folk songs.

The concert, co-initiated by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and co-organized by Chinese Musicians’ Association and Brazil China Friendship Association, invited     6    (experience) conductors as well as the winners and judges of the Chinese Golden Bell Award for Music—a top Chinese music award—     7     (join) in the performances.

This event was part of 2024 “China Today” Arts Week that was first launched in 2004 by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. During the past two decades, the art festival     8    (tour) around the world by visiting 23 countries and regions. This has been the first time that it came to Brazil. This year, the 2024 “Today China” Arts Week will also make     9    (it) debut (首次亮相) in Colombia. Cultural exchange     10    (program) such as film festivals, concerts and photo exhibitions will be held.

5 . Music exists almost every human culture on earth. The oldest discovered musical instruments date back over 40,000 years to the Stone Age.     1     It originated alongside language in early human communication. Why did music become so well connected into the human experience over the long history? Evolutionary psychologists say it gave significant survival advantages to our ancestors.

In prehistoric times, music promoted tighter social bonding between group members. Singing and drumming together released chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, inducing positive emotions that strengthened social connections.     2     This can also help to claim identity and territory (领土).

Early music likely aided communication too. Rhythmic drumbeats and calls organized the actions and movements of groups during hunts or battle. Singing while working made labor less boring. Mothers may have sung primitive tunes to children as an early form of emotional communication.

    3     Group member’s beating drums and making noise during the night signaled that they were alert (警觉的) and ready to fight surprise enemy. Young night watchmen sang to indicate they were awake. Soldiers guarding territory used instruments to send warning calls across longer distances.

In all these ways, music increased survival chances in human evolution. Natural selection then embedded (嵌入) the capacity for music into our biology. Supporting this, scientists have discovered specific regions of the brain devoted to musical processing. Children have an inborn ability to detect musical patterns and different tonal pitches.     4     So next time you find yourself singing along to an easy tune, remember you are using an evolutionary heritage which goes through thousand years! Music is part of what makes us unique human. In the past, our Stone Age ancestors sang and drummed because it increased survival.     5    

A．Music also strengthened defenses.

B．Music can bring humans a lot of joy.

C．Music also helped to win the battle.

D．But scientists believe music itself could be much older than that.

E．We connect with music now simply because we are born to do so.

F．Even patients with severe dementia (痴呆) respond actively to their favorite childhood songs.

G．This allowed groups to cooperate better in hunting, children-caring and protection against outside threats.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Dada Band is a popular Chinese rock group from the 1990s. The band     1     (found) in Beijing by a group of young musicians who were deeply influenced by Western rock music but sought     2    (create) a sound that was distinctly their own.

One of their most beloved songs, “South”(Nánfāng), shows the essence of Dada Band’s artistry. This song is a vivid reflection on the feelings of homesickness and longing for their hometown of Wuhan,     3    (especial) as the members were living in Beijing during their formative years as a band. The song’s lyrics (歌词) paint     4     rich picture of personal memories and universal emotions, revealing the essence of     5     it means to leave a part of oneself behind in the pursuit of dreams.

With its soft melodies (旋律) and     6     (touch) lyrics, “South” offers a window into the soul of Dada Band. Dada’s music shows their     7    (remark) skill in harmoniously integrating Western rock influences with the unique sensibilities of Chinese culture, creating a sound that was both familiar and fresh     8     the audience. The track     9    (become) an anthem (赞歌) since its release for anyone who has ever felt the pull of home while navigating the challenges of life away from it.

Their song “South” remains a timeless piece, continuing to touch the hearts of listeners across     10     (generation) and geographical boundaries, reminding them of the power of music to connect us all to our roots and to each other.

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

That was a big competition. We all knew it. The entire school was filled with excitement and anticipation. It was the annual choir(合唱) competition, and we were determined to participate despite knowing that many of us were not the best singers.

As the class monitor, I felt responsible for calling in my classmates and convincing them to join the chorus. I knew it wouldn’t be easy; some of them were hesitant and gave me skeptical looks, while others ran away. But I wasn’t ready to give up.

With a persuasive tone and genuine enthusiasm, I spoke to my classmates, explaining why it was important for us to participate as a team. I told them that it wasn’t about being the best, but about coming together and enjoying the experience of singing as a group. Slowly, I started to see some students were interested and a few of them promised to give it a try.

Our rehearsals (排练) were intense, filled with laughter, and sometimes frustration. We tried our best to perfect our harmonies and cooperation, but deep down, we still held onto the belief that we would probably end up at the bottom of all-the choirs. In that moment of despair, a boy from our choir whispered, “Are we just asking for humiliation(羞辱)?” The words made our doubts and fears stronger.

But right before it was our turn to step onto the stage, Mrs. Wood, our music teacher, brought us together in a tight group. She looked into our eyes and said firmly, “We are not here to impress; we are here to express.” Her words made all the difference.

With an understanding of the true meaning of our performance, we stepped onto the stage. As the music started, we sang from our hearts. We didn’t worry about being perfect or winning the competition; we focused on expressing our love for music and the joy of singing together.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

When the performance ended, our headmaster stepped onto the stage.

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The competition results were announced later, and we were awarded a special medal for our team spirit.

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