英语听力精选进阶版 6378（在线收听）

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

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 cognitive development.

Some researchers have even suggested that playing music to babies in the womb can be beneficial as it may help build their neural 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 tune 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 commentators don't sing from the same hymn 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 acclaim 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