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Musical Training Can Improve Communication Skills

American scientists say musical training seems to improve communication skills and language retardation. They found that developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak. The scientists believe that1 could help children with learning disabilities.

1. She says musical training involves putting together different kinds of information, such as hearing music, looking at musical notes, touching an instrument and watching other musicians. This process is not much different from learning how to speak.　2.

The further explains musical training and learning to speak each make us think about what we are doing2. She says speech and music pass through a structure of the nervous system called the brain stem. 3 . Until recently, experts have thought the brain stem could not be developed or changed. But Professor Kranss and her team found that musical training can improve a person's brain stem activity.

The study involved individuals with different levels of musical ability. They were asked to wear an electrical device that measures brain activity. The Individuals wore the electrode while they watched a video of someone speaking and a person playing a musical instrument -- the cello.　　4　　. The study found that the more years of training people had, the more sensitive they were to the sound and rhythm of the music3. Those who were involved in musical activities were the same people in whom the improvement of sensory events was the strongest. 5 She says using music to improve listening skills could mean they hear sentences and understand facial expressions better.

补全短文The Magic of Sound

Music is one of the most beautiful forms of artistic expressions ever invented. In movies and plays, music has an added function1: it not only moves people but also can shock people. Is it true that an ordinary musical instrument can be so powerful?

Our eardrums can withstand sound within 20 to 80 decibels. Once sound exceeds this limit2, even beautiful music will become ear-splitting noise3 and harm health. A strong blast of high sound can twist and break a solid iron sheet. ____1____

The noise from a plane's engine is over 140 decibels. However, the sound of a flute is at most a few decibels. ____2____ It has been proven that people who have worked in an environment with a high sound intensity for a long time suffer varying degrees of heart disease or altered brain waves.

In movies, sometimes the hero can produce a sound that ordinary people can't hear and only those who have the same ability can feel. In nature, there is actually sound that is beyond our hearing. In physics, the sound that exceeds 20,000 Hz is called ultrasonic. ____3____ It does no harm to health.

Sound less than 20 Hz is called infrasonic waves. When we move, the air will vibrate. ____4____ As the frequency of infrasonic waves is close to that of people's internal organs, infrasonic wave may cause resonance in human bodies. As a result, people's vision may weaken and internal organs4 may rupture. However, whether an infrasonic wave can be used as a weapon depends on its intensity5. If its intensity is very low, it won’t damage internal organs or a person's health. ____5____ When wind blows at a force of 3 or 4 over the sea6, it will produce infrasonic waves of several decibels. Only typhoons can produce infrasonic waves of over 100 decibels. At present, scientists can only produce infrasonic weapons in the lab with the help of advanced scientific tools and powerful electric power.

练习：

A　High sound of 150 decibels can kill a healthy rat.

B　The vibration of air can produce infrasonic waves.

C　We cannot play high-pitched music with ordinary musical instruments.

D　If the intensity of infrasonic wave exceeds 160 decibels, it is extremely harmful.

E　Dolphins, whales and bats can make such high-frequency sound.

F　Therefore, the sound of ordinary musical instruments cannot harm your health.

答案与题解：

1．A　本段要说明，音量超过80分贝，即使是美妙的音乐，对人体也有害。“空1”前面的句子说：一阵高分贝的强烈的冲击波能使一块铁板扭曲和破裂。“空1”的句子应该与高分贝的声音的危害性有关。选项A的“High sound of 150 decibels can kill a healthy rat”是高分贝声音的危害性的又一个例子。从“空1”位置上隐去的句子必是此句。A是答案。

2．F　“空2”前面的句子说，长笛发出的声音强度最多只有几个分贝。选项F提到乐器，和“空2”前面的句子的长笛有联系。再看内容，F的句子是对上一句意思的概括，因此是答案。

3．E　“空3”前的句子说超过2万赫兹的声音称为超声波。“空3”后的句子说超声波对人体无害。位于这两个句子之间的“空3”的内容应该与超声波有关。选项E说海豚、鲸鱼和蝙蝠能发出这种高频率的声音。从内容上看，选项E与上下文意思连贯，因此是答案。

4．B　“空4”前面的两个句子是”Sound less than 20 Hz is called infrasonic waves. When we move, the air will vibrate”，主题是infrasonic waves。选项B（The vibration of air can produce infrasonic waves.）的句子中，有vibration，air和infrasonic waves，它们与上述两个句子的用词重复，说明内容联系十分紧密，而且意思连贯，所以B是答案。

5．D　“空5”前面的句子说：如果次声波的强度低，不会伤害人的内部器官或影响人的健康。与上述意思有联系的句子出现在选项D。选项D说：如果次声波的强度超过160分贝，就极为有害。两个句子连在一起，构成一个完整的论述，所以D是答案。

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