英语听力精选进阶版 6378

Every baby born in Scotland in the next year will receive a CD to inspire a love of classical music.

The discs will be distributed to all 220 register offices across the country and are expected to reach up to 60,000 families.

The compilation¹ titled Astar, Gaelic for 'journey', features Scottish songs, nursery rhymes and classical works by Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Mozart – himself a child prodigy².

The CD was recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and its Junior Chorus, led by music director Peter Oundjian.

He said: "When I was an infant my godfather gave me a tiny record player. I have found that the power and beauty of music can truly transform lives."

According to the RSNO, recent studies have shown that listening to music has a positive impact on young children's cognitive³ development.

Some researchers have even suggested that playing music to babies in the womb can be beneficial as it may help build their neural⁴ bridges along which thoughts travel.

The Scottish government doesn't go as far as embracing controversial theories like that, but is hoping that families may become more in tune⁵ with each other.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, said: "It will help to give babies the best possible start in life, strengthen the building of parent-child bonds, and encourage families to use music to enhance learning in the home."

But some commentators⁶ don't sing from the same hymn⁷ sheet as the authorities and are not sure if it's worth making a song and dance about this initiative.

Fraser McAlpine, a blogger specialising in music, suggests that Scottish charity shops might be full of never-played CDs in the future.

Quiz 测验

1. How will the CDs be given away?

Through 220 register offices across Scotland.

2. Look at the article. Music by which famous composers will be included in the CD?

Classical works by Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Mozart.

3. Is the following statement true, false or not given? The initiative to give classical CDs to every baby born in Scotland won public acclaim⁸ everywhere.

False. The article says that some commentators are not sure if it's worth making a song and dance about this initiative.

4. Where might the CDs end up, according to the blogger mentioned in the article?

They might end up in Scottish charity shops.

5. What word in the text means a group of singers who sing together?

A chorus.

Glossary 词汇表

to inspire 激发

classical music 古典音乐

a disc 碟片

a register office 注册机构

a compilation 汇编

Gaelic 盖尔语

a nursery rhyme 童谣

a child prodigy 神童

an orchestra 管弦乐队

a chorus 合唱队

an infant 婴儿

a godfather 教父

a record player 留声机

cognitive development 大脑认知的发展

a neural bridge 神经桥梁

in tune 一致

parent-child bond 亲子纽带

to sing from the same hymn sheet 同声同气，持相同观点

to make a song and dance about (something) 小题大做

a charity shop 慈善店

1 compilation   

n.编译，编辑

参考例句：

• One of the first steps taken was the compilation of a report.首先采取的步骤之一是写一份报告。
• The compilation of such diagrams,is of lasting value for astronomy.绘制这样的图对天文学有永恒的价值。

2 prodigy   

n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆

参考例句：

• She was a child prodigy on the violin.她是神童小提琴手。
• He was always a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully.他始终是一个黑人的奇才，这种奇才弹奏起来粗野而惊人。

3 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

4 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

5 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

6 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

8 acclaim   

v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞

参考例句：

• He was welcomed with great acclaim.他受到十分热烈的欢迎。
• His achievements earned him the acclaim of the scientific community.他的成就赢得了科学界的赞誉。