1 . Universal Rhythm
Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called music “the universal language of mankind.” Now researchers may know why.
“Our findings help explain why humans make music,” study researcher Thomas Currie from the University of Exeter said in a statement. “The results show that the most common features seen in music around the world relate to things that allow people to coordinate (协调) their actions.
Currie, along with Pat Savage, a doctoral student at the Tokyo University of the Arts, and their colleagues analyzed music from around the world, examining 304 recordings from the online Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. The music samples came from every inhabited continent, from both vocal and instrumental music.
Some of these characteristics were not surprising, such as the music’s tendency to use separate pitches, and equally timed beats and short musical phrases.
| A．The researchers analyzed the music samples using a few different classification schemes. |
| B．They also suggest that the main function of music is to bring people together and bond social groups. |
| C．some people, as far back as Darwin, have believed that singing evolved as a way for males to gain mates. |
| D．Others were more unexpected, like the discovery that two-beat rhythms are more popular than three-beat rhythms. |
| E．A new analysis of music from diverse cultures around the globe reveals that all music shares certain universal features. |
| F．Previous studies showed that people who experience music together are more likely to rate those who listen with them as helpful. |
| A．She wishes she had seen the play. |
| B．The music wasn’t as good as the scenery. |
| C．The scenery could have been more realistic. |
| D．The actors in the play didn’t do so well. |
Around the world, music therapy is being used to treat different medical conditions and illnesses. Some of the ways people use music therapy are to reduce pain, such as in childbirth or during cancer treatments, or to stimulate brain activity after an injury or memory loss. Music therapy has also been successful in aiding children to overcome disabilities. Children can move their bodies with the music and stamp along to the beat.
Why is music a useful therapy? Music is soothing and relaxing, but it also stimulates our brains. Emotionally and physically, we respond to the sounds of music. The complexity of music (the different tempos, rhythms, melodies and harmonies) provokes (激发) the biggest response. Thus, classical music is most typically used for therapies due to complex sounds and patterns. Although rap or hip-hop music might be fun to listen to, it’s unlikely that such styles of music would produce the same kind of therapeutic effect.
Music has been shown to reduce pain in cancer patients by increasing the release of endorphins (内啡肽). Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers, and when we listen to music, our brains respond by releasing these natural painkillers. Certain types of music have also been found to lower blood pressure and slow a person’s heart rate. Many people are hopeful that music could replace the need for some medications that are normally used to treat certain illnesses. At present, music therapy is used in a variety of settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, day cares, and schools.
Although music therapy is not yet considered a mainstream treatment, it is recognized more and more as a useful addition to traditional treatment. So next time you are feeling low or stressed out, put on some relaxing music and let the music heal you.
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