题目
People who have got rhythm might have an advantage when it comes to language and reading skills． A new study shows the brains of people who can move to a musical beat react to speech on a more consistent basis than those who can't． Researchers also find that musical training can sharpen the brain's response to language． The researchers say their discovery provides the first biological link between the ability to keep a beat and how the brain responds to speech， something that can have important value for reading skills． To gather materials for their research， the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago， Illinois． The teens were given two tests． First， they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat． The researchers calculated how accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper． Second， the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device， which measures electrical activity in the brain． The EEG device was focused on an area of the brain that not only processes sound， but is also connected to parts of the brain responsible for motor-movement． The researchers recorded the brainwaves as their teen subjects listened to the synthesized speech sound， which was repeated irregularly for half an hour． The researchers were able to find out how the nerve cells in that particular region of the brain responded every time the synthesized sound was played． "Across this population of adolescents， the more accurate they were at tapping along to the beat， the more consistent their brains' response to the letter unit was，" said Nina Kraus． While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat， the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links． "Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language．" Nina said．（1）According to the first paragraph， what can get the brain's reaction to language more effectively？ ____ A． Rhythm．B． Musical training．C． Language．D． Reading skills．（2）The underlined word "subjects" in Paragraph 2 probably means " ____ ．A．areas of knowledge studied in a school， college， and so onB．things that are being discussed in a conversation or a bookC．persons or things that are the main features of works of artD．persons or animals that are studied in an experiment or a research（3）It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____ ．A．reading skills may make language learners keep a beatB．the hearing system may be useless while a person is learning to readC．the hearing system may separate sound from meaning while a person is readingD．the hearing system may be used while a person is reading or taking musical training（4）What can we conclude from this passage？ ____ A．Experts are expanding their studies on rhythm．B．Rhythm might help us improve our reading skills．C．Moving to a musical beat is more popular nowadays．D．Experts find the links between the hearing system and reading．
People who have got rhythm might have an advantage when it comes to language and reading skills． A new study shows the brains of people who can move to a musical beat react to speech on a more consistent basis than those who can't． Researchers also find that musical training can sharpen the brain's response to language．
The researchers say their discovery provides the first biological link between the ability to keep a beat and how the brain responds to speech， something that can have important value for reading skills． To gather materials for their research， the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago， Illinois． The teens were given two tests． First， they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat． The researchers calculated how accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper． Second， the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device， which measures electrical activity in the brain． The EEG device was focused on an area of the brain that not only processes sound， but is also connected to parts of the brain responsible for motor-movement． The researchers recorded the brainwaves as their teen subjects listened to the synthesized speech sound， which was repeated irregularly for half an hour． The researchers were able to find out how the nerve cells in that particular region of the brain responded every time the synthesized sound was played． "Across this population of adolescents， the more accurate they were at tapping along to the beat， the more consistent their brains' response to the letter unit was，" said Nina Kraus．
While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat， the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links． "Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language．" Nina said．
（1）According to the first paragraph， what can get the brain's reaction to language more effectively？ ____
A． Rhythm．
B． Musical training．
C． Language．
D． Reading skills．
（2）The underlined word "subjects" in Paragraph 2 probably means " ____ ．
A．areas of knowledge studied in a school， college， and so on
B．things that are being discussed in a conversation or a book
C．persons or things that are the main features of works of art
D．persons or animals that are studied in an experiment or a research
（3）It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____ ．
A．reading skills may make language learners keep a beat
B．the hearing system may be useless while a person is learning to read
C．the hearing system may separate sound from meaning while a person is reading
D．the hearing system may be used while a person is reading or taking musical training
（4）What can we conclude from this passage？ ____
A．Experts are expanding their studies on rhythm．
B．Rhythm might help us improve our reading skills．
C．Moving to a musical beat is more popular nowadays．
D．Experts find the links between the hearing system and reading．
The researchers say their discovery provides the first biological link between the ability to keep a beat and how the brain responds to speech， something that can have important value for reading skills． To gather materials for their research， the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago， Illinois． The teens were given two tests． First， they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat． The researchers calculated how accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper． Second， the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device， which measures electrical activity in the brain． The EEG device was focused on an area of the brain that not only processes sound， but is also connected to parts of the brain responsible for motor-movement． The researchers recorded the brainwaves as their teen subjects listened to the synthesized speech sound， which was repeated irregularly for half an hour． The researchers were able to find out how the nerve cells in that particular region of the brain responded every time the synthesized sound was played． "Across this population of adolescents， the more accurate they were at tapping along to the beat， the more consistent their brains' response to the letter unit was，" said Nina Kraus．
While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat， the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links． "Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language．" Nina said．
（1）According to the first paragraph， what can get the brain's reaction to language more effectively？ ____
A． Rhythm．
B． Musical training．
C． Language．
D． Reading skills．
（2）The underlined word "subjects" in Paragraph 2 probably means " ____ ．
A．areas of knowledge studied in a school， college， and so on
B．things that are being discussed in a conversation or a book
C．persons or things that are the main features of works of art
D．persons or animals that are studied in an experiment or a research
（3）It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____ ．
A．reading skills may make language learners keep a beat
B．the hearing system may be useless while a person is learning to read
C．the hearing system may separate sound from meaning while a person is reading
D．the hearing system may be used while a person is reading or taking musical training
（4）What can we conclude from this passage？ ____
A．Experts are expanding their studies on rhythm．
B．Rhythm might help us improve our reading skills．
C．Moving to a musical beat is more popular nowadays．
D．Experts find the links between the hearing system and reading．
题目解答
答案
（1）B． 细节理解题．从第一段中"Researchers also find that musical training can sharpen the brain's response to language．研究人员还发现，音乐训练可以提高大脑对语言的反应．" 可知音乐训练能够使大脑对语言的反应敏锐．A． Rhythm．节奏；B． Musical training．音乐训练；C． Language．语言；D． Reading skills．阅读技巧．故选B．
（2）D． 词义猜测题．根据划线词所在的句子" To gather materials for their research， the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago， Illinois． The teens were given two tests． First， they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat． The researchers calculated low accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper．Second， the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device， which measures electrical activity in the brain．为了收集研究材料，研究小组找到了100多名住在伊利诺斯州芝加哥的青少年． 这些青少年接受了两项测试． 首先，他们被要求聆听并随着节奏敲击手指． 研究人员精确地计算出他们的年轻志愿者能够跟随音乐计时器的节奏．其次，青少年被连接到一个脑电图装置，用来测量大脑的电活动．"可知，这100多个青少年志愿者，恰好就是在这项研究中接受测试的对象．所以划线词的意思是"在实验或研究中被研究的人或动物"， 故选D．
（3）D． 推理判断题．从文章最后一段"While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat， the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links． "Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language．" Nina said．虽然过去的研究已经表明阅读技能和一个人保持节奏能力之间的联系，研究人员说他们的新发现表明听觉系统是这些联系的共同基础． "节奏自然是音乐和语言的一部分" 尼娜说．可以推断，听力系统在一个人进行阅读与音乐训练时都会用到．故选D．
（4）B． 主旨大意题．通读全文，并结合第一段的主题句 People who have got rhythm mighthave an advantage when it comes to language and reading skills．有节奏感的人在语言和阅读技巧方面可能有优势． 可知，本文主要介绍节奏或许有助于我们提高阅读技能．故选B．
（2）D． 词义猜测题．根据划线词所在的句子" To gather materials for their research， the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago， Illinois． The teens were given two tests． First， they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat． The researchers calculated low accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper．Second， the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device， which measures electrical activity in the brain．为了收集研究材料，研究小组找到了100多名住在伊利诺斯州芝加哥的青少年． 这些青少年接受了两项测试． 首先，他们被要求聆听并随着节奏敲击手指． 研究人员精确地计算出他们的年轻志愿者能够跟随音乐计时器的节奏．其次，青少年被连接到一个脑电图装置，用来测量大脑的电活动．"可知，这100多个青少年志愿者，恰好就是在这项研究中接受测试的对象．所以划线词的意思是"在实验或研究中被研究的人或动物"， 故选D．
（3）D． 推理判断题．从文章最后一段"While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat， the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links． "Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language．" Nina said．虽然过去的研究已经表明阅读技能和一个人保持节奏能力之间的联系，研究人员说他们的新发现表明听觉系统是这些联系的共同基础． "节奏自然是音乐和语言的一部分" 尼娜说．可以推断，听力系统在一个人进行阅读与音乐训练时都会用到．故选D．
（4）B． 主旨大意题．通读全文，并结合第一段的主题句 People who have got rhythm mighthave an advantage when it comes to language and reading skills．有节奏感的人在语言和阅读技巧方面可能有优势． 可知，本文主要介绍节奏或许有助于我们提高阅读技能．故选B．