英语四级听力-短对话 238

 Passage Two

29.

A. How to improve your reasoning ability.

B. Why classical music is popular with math students.

C. The difference between classical music and rock music.

D. The effects of music on the results of math tests.

30.

A. Because it keeps you calm.

B. Because it strengthens your memory.

C. Because it stimulates¹ your nerve² activity.

D. Because it improves your problem-solving strategies³.

31.

A. The effects of music do not last long.

B. Piano music could interfere⁴ with your reasoning ability.

C. Music, whether classical or rock, helps improve your memory.

D. The more you listen to music, the higher your test scores will be.

Passage Two

[29]Do you have a tough math test coming up? Then listen to some classical piano music just before the test. You might end up with a higher score.Researchers at a university in California conducted an experiment. They asked a group of college students to listen to some piano music by a famous 18th century composer before taking a math test. They were surprised to find that the students' scores jumped 8 to 9 points. [30]The music seems to excite nerve activities in the brain similar to the activity that occurs when a person is figuring out a math problem. However, the scientists warn that before you get too excited about applying this method to your math test, [31]you should remember that brain-exciting effects last only 10 to 15 minutes. Would rock music work as well as the piano music did? No, the scientists say. In fact, the less complex music might even interfere with the brain's reasoning ability.

Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

29. What is this passage mainly about?

正确答案：D

解析：题目询问文章的主旨是什么。关键是要听到文章开头的三句话，由此可知D正确。主旨类题考查考生对短文的主题或主旨大意的概括理解，一般出现在短文的第一题或者最后一题。

30. Why can classical music play a positive role in problem solving?

正确答案：C

解析：题目询问为什么古典音乐能够在解决问题的过程中起到积极作用。关键是要听到“（古典）音乐似乎刺激大脑里的神经活动”。故选C。符合短文听力“听到什么选什么”的原则。

31. What is one of the findings⁵ of the research?

正确答案：A

解析：题目询问研究的发现之一是什么。关键是要听到“你应该记住，刺激大脑的效果只能持续10-15分钟。”故A正确而D错误。B中的Piano music应改成The less complex music，C未提及。

1 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 nerve   

n.神经；勇气，胆量，沉着，果断

参考例句：

• Did he have the nerve to say that?他竟有脸说这话吗？
• He never got up enough nerve to meet me.他从没有足够的胆量来见我。

3 strategies   

n.策略( strategy的名词复数 )；战略；战略学；对策

参考例句：

• Several steps and strategies have been developed to minimize these risks. 有关人士发展了若干措施和方法以减少这些风险。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Different threats require different strategies. 对付不同的威胁需要不同的策略。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

4 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

5 findings   

n.发现物( finding的名词复数 )；调查（或研究）的结果；（陪审团的）裁决

参考例句：

• It behoves us to study these findings carefully. 我们理应认真研究这些发现。
• Their findings have been widely disseminated . 他们的研究成果已经广为传播。