Question

    From Mozart to Metallica, tons of people enjoy listening to various types of music while they paint, write, or draw. Many believe that music helps improve creativity, but an international study conducted by English and Swedish researchers and published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology is challenging that notion. Psychologists from Lancaster University, the University of Gavle, and the University of Central Lancashire say that their findings indicate music actually prevents creativity.

To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal problems designed to inspire creativity while sitting in a quiet room, and then again while music played in the background. They found that background music obviously weakened the participants’ ability to complete tasks associated with verbal creativity. The research team also tested background music such as those commonly heard in a library, but found that such music had no impact on participants’ creativity.

The tasks were simple word game. For example, participants were given three words, such as dress, dial, and flower. Then, they were asked to find a single word associated with all three that could be combined to form a common phrase or word. The single word in this case, would be “sun” (sundress, sunflower, etc.). Participants completed the tasks in either a quiet room, or while exposed to three different types of music: music with unfamiliar lyrics (歌词), instrumental music, or music with familiar lyrics.

“We found strong evidence of imperfect performance when playing background music in comparison to quiet background conditions,” said co-author Dr. Neil McLatchie. Dr. McLatchie and his colleagues conclude that music even familiar music with well-known lyrics disturbs the participants’ focus, preventing creativity. Also, as for the library background music having seemingly no effect, the study’s authors believe that was the case because library music creates a “steady state” environment that doesn’t affect concentration.

1.What does the underlines word “notion” in Paragraph mean?

A.suggestion B.opinion C.principle D.theory

2.Except the library background music, how many background conditions were created for the participants?

A.3. B.4. C.5. D.6.

3.What’s the purpose of the study about music?

A.To prove that music is beneficial to people’s health.

B.To make it known that music can improve people’s memory.

C.To test whether music is beneficial for creativity or not.

D.To indicate why background music in library is popular.

4.Which of the following is actually disturbed by background music?

A.Patience. B.Hearing ability. C.Environment. D.Concentration.

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇新闻报道。文章主要从科学研究的角度分析了与传统观点不同，音乐并非有助于提高创造力，反而分散了人的注意力，阻碍了创造力的发展。

1.

词义猜测题。根据划线单词之前的指示代词“that”可知，that notion应是指代前文“Many believe that music helps improve creativity”提及的许多人认为音乐有助于提高创造力这一观点，划线单词所在句“but an international study conducted by English and Swedish researchers and published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology is challenging that notion”则表达了一项由英国和瑞典研究人员进行并发表在《应用认知心理学》杂志上的国际研究对“音乐有助于提高创造力”这一观点提出了质疑。由此推知，notion应是“观点；看法”含义。故选B项。

2.

细节理解题。根据文章第三段内容“Participants completed the tasks in either a quiet room, or while exposed to three different types of music: music with unfamiliar lyrics, instrumental music, or music with familiar lyrics.”可知，参与者要么在一个安静的房间里完成任务，要么听三种不同类型的音乐：歌词不熟悉的音乐、器乐或歌词熟悉的音乐，由此可知，这是在四种不同的情况下进行的研究。故选B项。

3.

推理判断题。根据文章第一段内容可知“Psychologists from Lancaster University, the University of Gavle, and the University of Central Lancashire say that their findings indicate music actually prevents creativity.(来自兰开斯特大学、加夫勒大学和中央兰开夏大学的心理学家称，他们的研究结果表明，音乐实际上会抑制创造力。)”以及文章第二段内容“To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal problems designed to inspire creativity while sitting in a quiet room, and then again while music played in the background.(为了得出结论，研究人员让参与者坐在一个安静的房间里完成旨在激发创造力的语言问题，然后让他们在播放音乐的背景下完成。)”可知，这些心理学家专门针对音乐能否有助于激发创造力进行研究，结果发现音乐实际上阻碍了创造力的产生。由此推知，研究音乐的目的是为了证明这一结论：音乐实际上阻碍了创造力的产生。故选C项。

4.

细节理解题。根据文章最后一段内容：Dr. McLatchie and his colleagues conclude that music even familiar music with well-known lyrics disturbs the participants’ focus, preventing creativity. Also, as for the library background music having seemingly no effect, the study’s authors believe that was the case because library music creates a “steady state” environment that doesn’t affect concentration.可知，音乐，即使是熟悉的歌词，也会干扰参与者的注意力，阻碍创造力。图书馆的背景音乐之所以对人的创造力没有影响主要是因为这种音乐创造了一种“稳定状态”，不会干扰注意力。由此可知，音乐对人的创造力的阻碍主要因为专注程度或注意力受到了影响。故选D项。