Question

    Is there a connection between music and language? According to recent studies, the answer is ________: Music improves certain (某种) language abilities (能力) in the brain. Here, we look at two examples.

A recent study by researcher Kraus shows that playing a musical instrument can improve a person’s ________ ability. In his study, two groups of people listened to a person talking in a ________ room: The people in the first group were musicians, while those in the second group had no musical training. The musicians were able to hear the talking person ________.

Musicians hear better ________ they learn to pay attention to certain sounds. Think about violinists in an orchestra. When the violinists play with the group, they hear their own instrument and many other ________, too. But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing, and pay ________ attention to the other sounds. ________, musicians are able to focus on (专注于) certain sounds, even in a room with lots of noise.

Schlaug, a ________ at Harvard Medical School, works with stroke (中风) patients (病人). ________ their illness, these people cannot say their names, addresses, or other information normally. However, they can ________ sing. Schlaug was surprised to ________ that singing words helped his patients to speak. Why does this work? Schlaug isn’t sure. Music ________ to make different parts of the brain work, and even the damaged (损坏的) parts. This might ________ patients to use that part of the brain again.

Music improves concentration (注意力), memory, listening skills, and our overall language abilities. It can even help sick people get better. Playing an instrument or singing can help us do better in school and keep our brain sharp (敏锐的) as we get ________. Music is not only enjoyable, it’s also good for us in many other ways.

1.A.yes B.unknown C.no D.possible

2.A.language B.speaking C.hearing D.singing

3.A.large B.dirty C.beautiful D.noisy

4.A.clearly B.more clearly C.quickly D.more quickly

5.A.so B.because C.when D.after

6.A.voices B.people C.noises D.instruments

7.A.no B.a lot of C./ D.a little

8.A.Anyway B.By the way C.On the way D.In this way

9.A.headmaster B.scientist C.doctor D.student

10.A.When B.Because of C.After D.Thanks to

11.A.hardly B.finally C.still D.only

12.A.find B.see C.know D.learn

13.A.trains B.starts C.gets D.seems

14.A.explain B.teach C.help D.stop

15.A.stronger B.older C.cleverer D.taller

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.B

5.B

6.D

7.A

8.D

9.C

10.B

11.C

12.A

13.D

14.C

15.B

【解析】

本文谈论的是音乐和语言之间的联系。结果表明，演奏乐器可以提高一个人的听力能力，甚至能帮助一个生病的人变得更好。

1.句意：根据最近的研究，答案是肯定的：音乐可以提高大脑中某种语言能力。

yes是；unknown未知的；no不；possible可能的。根据“Is there a connection between music and language?”和“Music improves certain (某种) language abilities (能力) in the brain.”可知，答案是肯定的。故选A。

2.句意：研究员克劳斯最近的一项研究表明，演奏一种乐器可以提高一个人的听力。

language语言；speaking说；hearing听；singing唱。根据“In his study, two groups of people listened to a person talking in a ____3____ room”可知，此处表示与“听力”相关内容。故选C。

3.句意：在他的研究中，两组人听一个人在嘈杂的房间里说话。

large大的；dirty脏的；beautiful美丽的；noisy吵闹的。根据“The musicians were able to hear the talking person ____4____.”可知，房间里有人在说话，所以表示“吵闹的”，故选D。

4.句意：音乐家们能更清楚地听到说话人的声音。

clearly清晰地；more clearly更清晰地；quickly迅速地；more quickly更迅速地。根据“they learn to pay attention to certain sounds”可知，他们学会注意某些声音，所以能更清楚地听到说话人的声音。故选B。

5.句意：音乐家听得更好，因为他们学会注意某些声音。

so所以，表结果；because因为，表原因；when当……时；after在……之后。分析句子可知，此处表明音乐家听得更好的原因。故选B。

6.句意：当小提琴手和乐队一起演奏时，他们听到自己的乐器和许多其他乐器的声音。

voices嗓音；people人们；noises噪音；instruments乐器。根据“they hear their own instrument”可知，此处表示“其他乐器”的含义，用于and连接的并列结构中。故选D。

7.句意：但是小提琴手必须仔细听他们演奏的东西，而不注意其他的声音。

no不；a lot of许多；/不填；a little有一点。根据“But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing,”可知，小提琴手必须仔细听他们演奏的东西，所以此处构成“pay no attention to”短语，翻译为“不注意……”。故选A。

8.句意：通过这种方式，音乐家能够专注于特定的声音，即使是在一个有很多噪音的房间里。

Anyway无论如何；By the way顺便；On the way在……路上；In this way通过这种方式。根据“But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing, and pay ____7____ attention to the other sounds.”可知，此处描述音乐家是用何种方式专注于声音的，所以表示“通过这种方式”。故选D。

9.句意：Schlaug是哈佛医学院的一名医生，他的工作对象是中风患者。

headmaster校长；scientist科学家；doctor医生；student学生。根据“Schlaug was surprised to ____12____ that singing words helped his patients to speak.”可知，Schlaug帮助他的病人，所以他是一名医生。故选C。

10.句意：由于他们的疾病，这些人通常不能说出他们的名字、地址或其他信息。

When当……时；Because of因为；After在……之后；Thanks to幸亏。分析句子可知，此处描述这些人不能说出他们的名字、地址或其他信息的原因。故选B。

11.句意：然而，他们仍然可以唱歌。

hardly几乎不；finally最后；still仍然；only只，仅仅。根据“these people cannot say their names, addresses, or other information normally”可知，此处前后句构成转折关系，表示即使他们不能说出一些信息，但是仍然可以唱歌。故选C。

12.句意：Schlaug惊讶地发现唱歌能帮助他的病人说话。

find发现；see看见；know知道；learn学习。根据“However, they can ____11____ sing.”可知，此处表示“Schlaug惊讶地发现唱歌能帮助病人”的含义，表示结果。故选A。

13.句意：音乐似乎能使大脑的不同部分工作，甚至是受损的部分。

trains训练；starts开始；gets得到；seems似乎。根据前文“Why does this work? Schlaug isn’t sure.”可知，Schlaug不确定原因是什么，所以此处表推测，翻译为“似乎”。故选D。

14.句意：这可能有助于患者再次使用那部分大脑。

explain解释；teach教；help帮助；stop停止。根据“Schlaug was surprised to ____12____ that singing words helped his patients to speak.”可知，音乐可以帮助人们，所以此处也表示“帮助”的含义。故选C。

15.句意：演奏乐器或唱歌可以帮助我们在学校做得更好，并随着年龄的增长保持我们的大脑敏锐。

stronger更强壮；older更老；cleverer更聪明；taller更高。分析句子可知，此处表示“随着年龄的增长”的含义，所以表示“更老的”。故选B。