The combination of music and study has long been
Now a study shows that the
Dr. Sarah claimed the research demonstrated that the idea that music could improve performance was wrong. “Writing an essay is a complex task. You
2 . Schools are under constant pressure to make budget cuts, and music programs are often first on the chopping block. However, a recent study from the University of British Columbia in Canada has shown that students who took music lessons in high school performed better in subjects such as English, science, and math.
The researchers collected data from over 100,000 students at public high schools across the province of British Columbia. Some of them took music lessons during high school while others never attended them. Checking the test scores of students who took music classes with those of their peers, the study found that the musicians got higher grades in a range of different school subjects.
Research like this has been done before, but as for the number of respondents, this study is much larger, and it took into account other factors that may have affected the results. For example, perhaps students who took music classes were encouraged to do so because they already had good grades. This UBC study rules out a number of other factors that could explain why music students performed better academically, and the researchers still find a clear effect of music lessons on academic performance.
Not only did music students perform better than non-musicians, but students who played an instrument did even better than those who sang. “Learning to play a musical instrument and playing in an ensemble(乐团) is very rewarding,” says Martin Guhn, one of the researchers, “A student can learn to read music notes, achieve eye-hand-mind coordination, develop keen listening skills and establish interpersonal relationships.”
What this study doesn't tell us, though, is why music makes these students perform better academically, but the research paper mentions a few possible explanations. Music practice is linked with neurological(神经系统的) changes that improves certain brain functions, affecting memory and planning skills. Besides, there is a possible motivational factor. Students who take music lessons see a tangible result from practice—they get better—and they might apply that to their other work. And the non-competitive team aspect of making music together could strengthen students' social development, which would also help them in other alias.
1. How did the researchers find the result of the research?| A．By conducting tests. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By building models. |
| A．It covered more school subjects. |
| B．It allowed for students who sang. |
| C．It was carried out nationwide. |
| D．It produced a more convincing result. |
| A．To speak highly of music students. |
| B．To explain why music helps students perform better. |
| C．To present the benefits of playing instruments. |
| D．To encourage students to join an ensemble. |
| A．Music practice can make an overall improvement in students’ brain. |
| B．Progress made in music may motivate students to work harder in math. |
| C．Singing can't make any difference in improving students' memory. |
| D．Playing in an orchestra could make students less competitive in other fields. |
3 . Arthur Dubois isn't your typical grandfather. That's because at 72 years old, the Chicago resident is a newly discovered hip-hop artist.
This week, Dubois walked into Haven Studios, a music program on the South Side of Chicago that supports young ambitious artists. The owner of Haven Studios, Andre "Add-2" Daniels, said Dubois claimed he was "young at heart." So, Daniels decided to listen to Dubois' music. He was completely floored. Daniels quickly took videos showcasing Dubois' talents and posted them to Twitter. His tweet went viral, receiving thousands of reactions within a matter of days. Now, Dubois' talents have even caught the attention of some famous hip-hop producers.
"It's not what you would expect, right?" Daniels says in one of the videos. Dubois music is playing in the background, giving a steady beat that easily invites listeners to dance.
Dubois said his style was entirely self-taught. He first started teaching himself to produce hip-hop beats about six years ago, after he retired. "I found something to do," he told NPR's Scott Simon. "I had to learn how to do the computer and music at the same time." Dubois taught himself by using the audio editing software. Now he's learning another new skill-social media. Dubois' newfound social media fame has been a little overwhelming for him. "I was shocked," he said. "I broke down and cried because I didn't know that many people liked me." Daniels has helped Dubois set up accounts on Twitter and Instagram for his fans to follow, "I'd never used Instargram, Twitter and all that other stuff," Dubois said. "Because I didn't believe in that stuff myself. But now I've got lo have it." The attention doesn't seem to have gone to Dubois' head though-he doesn't really care about getting famous or making money. "I just want to put it out there and let other people hear my music."
1. What does the underlined word "floored" in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Astonished. | B．Scared. |
| C．Nervous. | D．Hurt. |
| A．Daniels. | B．He himself. |
| C．NPR's Scott Simon. | D．Hip-hop producers. |
| A．Daniels set up accounts for Dubois. |
| B．Daniels didn't enjoy Dubois' music at first. |
| C．Dubois seeks for personal fame and wealth. |
| D．Dubois didn't expect his popularity on the Internet. |
| A．Well begun in half done. |
| B．It's never too late to learn. |
| C．Lost time in never found again. |
| D．One good turn deserves another. |
