Question

    Any foreigner who has tried to learn Chinese can tell how hard it is to master the tones required to speak and understand. And anyone who has tried to learn to play the violin or other instruments can report similar challenges.

Now researchers have found that people with musical training have an easier time learning Chinese. Writing in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience，researchers from Northwestern University say that both skills draw on the same parts of the brain that help people discover changes in pitch(音调).

One of the study's authors，Nina Kraus，said the findings suggested that studying music “actually tunes our sensory system”.This means that schools that want children to do well in languages should hesitate before cutting music programs，Dr. Kraus said. She said music training might also help children with language problems.

Mandarin(普通话)speakers have been shown to have a more complex encoding(编码) of pitch patterns in their brains than English speakers do. This is because in Mandarin and other Asian languages，pitch plays a central role. A single­syllable word can have several meanings depending on how it is intoned.

For this study，the researchers looked at 20 non­Chinese speaking volunteers，half with no musical background and half who have studied an instrument for at least six years.

As they were shown a movie，the volunteers also heard an audio tape of the Mandarin word “mi” in three of its meanings:squint，bewilder and rice. The researchers recorded activities in their brain stems to see how well they were processing the sounds. Those with a music background showed much more brain activities in response to the Chinese sounds.

The lead author of the study，Patrick C.M.Wong，said it might work both ways. It appears that native speakers of tonal languages may do better at learning instruments.

1.When learning Chinese，a foreigner will find ________.

A. he has a difficult time learning music at the same time

B. he has an easier time learning music at the same time

C. it is hard to master the tones required to speak and understand

D. it is easy to use the brain to help him discover changes in pitch

2.Why does Chinese learning have something to do with music training?

A. Because there is the same difficulty in learning Chinese and music.

B. Because skills to learn the two make use of the same parts of the brain.

C. Because music training might help people with language study.

D. Because people who do well in Chinese study do well in music.

3.The underlined word “intoned” in the fourth paragraph can be replaced by the word “____”.

A. created B. spelled C. seemed D. pronounced

4.What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Mandarin Speakers Are Smarter than English Speakers

B. Skilled Ear for Music May Help Language Study

C. Pitch Plays a Central Role in Chinese Learning

D. Schools Need to Develop Music Programs

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。任何一个学过汉语的外国人都知道掌握说话和理解所需要的声调有多难。目前有研究人员发现，受过音乐训练的人学习汉语更容易。

1.细节理解题。第一段第一句Any foreigner who has tried to learn Chinese can tell how hard it is to master the tones required to speak and understand.可知任何一个学过汉语的外国人都知道掌握说话和理解所需要的声调有多难。故选C。

2.细节理解题。由第二段最后一句researchers from Northwestern University say that both skills draw on the same parts of the brain that help people discover changes in pitch可知，学习汉语和音乐训练用到的是都是大脑相同的部位。这些部位有助于帮助人们发现音调中的变化。故学习汉语和音乐训练有关系。故选B。

3.词义猜测题。由上下文可知，在普通话和其他亚洲语言中，音调起着中心作用。对一个单音节词而言，当人们对这个词发出不同的音调时，那么，这个词就表达出不同的意思。在第六段中以“mi”为例，这个词不同的音调就代表着不同的意思。故划线单词表达的应是人们对一个单音节词的“发音”。D选项正确。

4.主旨大意题。研究表明，经过音乐训练的人，在学汉语方面会更加容易。音乐训练和汉语学习均用到了大脑相同的部位。该部位可以帮助人们更好地发现语调的变化，有助于人们学习语言。故B选项切题。