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 boost creativity, but an international study conducted by English and Swedish researchers is challenging that belief. Their findings indicate music actually stymies creativity.
To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal insight 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 “significantly damaged” the participants’ ability to complete tasks associated with verbal creativity. The research team also tested background noises such as those commonly heard in a library, but found that such noises had no impact on subjects’ creativity. The tasks were simple word games. 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, instrumental music, or music with familiar lyrics.
“We found strong evidence of damaged performance when playing background music in comparison to quiet background conditions,” says co-author Dr. Neil McLatchie of Lancaster University.
Dr. McLatchie and his colleagues theorize that music interferes with the verbal working memory processes of the brain, blocking creativity. Also, as far as the library background noises having seemingly no effect, the study’s authors believe that was the case because library noises create a “steady state” environment that doesn’t disrupt concentration. It’s worth mentioning that even familiar music with well known lyrics damaged participants’ creativity, regardless of whether or not it caused a positive reaction, or whether participants typically studied or created while listening to music.
“To conclude, the findings here challenge the popular view that music strengthens creativity, and instead demonstrate that music, regardless of the presence of semantic (语义的) content (no lyrics, familiar lyrics or unfamiliar lyrics), consistently disrupts creative performance in insight problem solving,” the study reads.
1.Why are Mozart and Metallica mentioned at the beginning?
A.To prove they are very creative. B.To introduce the topic of the text.
C.To show the importance of music. D.To offer some background information.
2.What does the underlined word “stymies” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Blocks. B.Boosts.
C.Inspires. D.Strengthens.
3.If the participants were given the words fire, place and book during the game, a proper answer could be .
A.man B.store
C.work D.birth
4.What do we know about the study?
A.The tasks were very difficult for participants to finish.
B.All participants were exposed to two different types of music.
C.Music with famous lyrics didn’t harm participants’ creativity.
D.Library background noises hardly affected participants’ creativity.
高二英语阅读理解简单题
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 boost creativity, but an international study conducted by English and Swedish researchers is challenging that belief. Their findings indicate music actually stymies creativity.
To come to their conclusions, researchers had participants complete verbal insight 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 “significantly damaged” the participants’ ability to complete tasks associated with verbal creativity. The research team also tested background noises such as those commonly heard in a library, but found that such noises had no impact on subjects’ creativity. The tasks were simple word games. 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, instrumental music, or music with familiar lyrics.
“We found strong evidence of damaged performance when playing background music in comparison to quiet background conditions,” says co-author Dr. Neil McLatchie of Lancaster University.
Dr. McLatchie and his colleagues theorize that music interferes with the verbal working memory processes of the brain, blocking creativity. Also, as far as the library background noises having seemingly no effect, the study’s authors believe that was the case because library noises create a “steady state” environment that doesn’t disrupt concentration. It’s worth mentioning that even familiar music with well known lyrics damaged participants’ creativity, regardless of whether or not it caused a positive reaction, or whether participants typically studied or created while listening to music.
“To conclude, the findings here challenge the popular view that music strengthens creativity, and instead demonstrate that music, regardless of the presence of semantic (语义的) content (no lyrics, familiar lyrics or unfamiliar lyrics), consistently disrupts creative performance in insight problem solving,” the study reads.
1.Why are Mozart and Metallica mentioned at the beginning?
A.To prove they are very creative. B.To introduce the topic of the text.
C.To show the importance of music. D.To offer some background information.
2.What does the underlined word “stymies” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Blocks. B.Boosts.
C.Inspires. D.Strengthens.
3.If the participants were given the words fire, place and book during the game, a proper answer could be .
A.man B.store
C.work D.birth
4.What do we know about the study?
A.The tasks were very difficult for participants to finish.
B.All participants were exposed to two different types of music.
C.Music with famous lyrics didn’t harm participants’ creativity.
D.Library background noises hardly affected participants’ creativity.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
BUNOL, Spain (AFP) — Tens of thousands of people from around the world threw tons of ripe tomatoes at each other in an annual food fight that painted the eastern Spanish town of Bunol red.
More than 40,000 people, including many visitors from Australia, Britain and the United States, took part in the food fight known as the “Tomatina”, now in its 64th year, a spokeswoman for Bunol’s town hall said.
They were provided with over 100 tons of tomatoes by the town council for the battle which lasted about one hour and left participants covered in red.
Many men were shirtless while others wore old clothes, hardhats, goggles or protective plastic sheets.
Shopkeepers put up huge plastic covers on their store fronts or boarded them up to protect their properties from the sea of red mush (糊状物).
After the battle, governmental workers and local residents used “giant hoses” to clear the walls and streets of the tomato pulp in just half an hour while the participants headed to a nearby river where temporary showers were set up.
The event cost the town of some l0, 000 residents 40,000 dollars, and Spanish media reported.
The “Tomatina” is held each year in Bunol, located in a fertile (富饶的) region about 40 kilometers north of the coastal city of Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, on the last Wednesday in August.
The origins of the event are unclear although it is thought to have its roots in a food fight between childhood friends in the mid-1940s in the city.
It has grown in size as international press coverage brought more and more people to the festival.
1.To keep their stores safe, the shopkeepers _____.
A. kept their store fronts covered B. hung plastic sheets on the walls
C. closed all the doors and windows D. stopped people throwing at them
2.Which of the following words is closest in meaning to the underlined word “pulp” (in Paragraph 6)?
A. skin. B. color. C. mush. D. value.
3.It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. the “Tomatina” brings in huge profits
B. the festival attracted more tourists this year
C. no one knows the history of the festival
D. tourism plays an important role in Bunol
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. It is fun to throw tomatoes B. An exciting story about tomatoes
C. Fighting and sightseeing in Bunol D. Spanish town painted red in tomato fight
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
As his son played a range of classical pieces from Mozart to Beethoven smoothly, the father swelled pride.
A. of B. with C. into D. from
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It’s the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search reveals plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart’s music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed.
The phrase “the Mozart effect” was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it ,we’ll become more intelligent.
The idea took off, with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart’s music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them to produce better milk.
I’ll leave the debate on the impact on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short-lived and it doesn’t make us more intelligent.
1.What can we learn from paragraph 1?
A. Mozart composed many musical pieces for children.
B. Children listening to Mozart will be more intelligent.
C. There are few products on the Internet about Mozart’s music.
D. There is little scientific evidence to support Mozart effect.
2.Why did many people believe in the idea of Mozart Effect?
A. Because a study described it in the journal Nature.
B. Because Mozart himself was a genius.
C. Because Mozart’s music is enjoyable.
D. Because Mozart’s music makes people relaxed.
3.The underlined sentence in paragraph3 suggests that .
A. people were strongly against the idea
B. the idea was accepted by many people
C. Mozart played an important part in people’s life
D. the US government helped promote the idea
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the Mozart effect?
A. Favorable B. Objective C. Doubtful D. Positive
5.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Listening to Mozart , necessary? B. What music is beneficial?
C. What is the Mozart effect? D. To be or not to be?
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It's the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search reveals plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age is there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart's music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed.
The phrase “the Mozart effect” was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it, we'll become more intelligent.
The_idea_took_off,_with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart's music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them produce better milk.
I'll leave the debate on the impact on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short-lived and it doesn't make us more intelligent.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
A.Mozart composed many musical pieces for children.
B.Children listening to Mozart will be more intelligent.
C.There are few products on the Internet about Mozart's music.
D.There is little scientific evidence to support the Mozart effect.
2.Why did many people believe in the idea of the Mozart effect?
A.Because a study described it in the journal Nature.
B.Because Mozart himself was a genius.
C.Because Mozart's music is enjoyable.
D.Because Mozart's music makes people relaxed.
3.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 suggests that ________.
A.people were strongly against the idea
B.the idea was accepted by many people
C.Mozart played an important part in people's life
D.the US government helped promote the idea
4.What is the author's attitude towards the Mozart effect?
A.Favorable. B.Objective.
C.Doubtful. D.Positive.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I enjoy reading all of moving ideas from the wonderful site about people giving on their birthday. So, I______this would be my chance to experience the joy of giving on my special day.
My husband took me to the Olive Garden, where we often had meals, and our _____was very nice. We had a great dinner experience there. Then Karina brought our _____.I knew it was my time to give. ______she came back to the table to get our credit card, I placed the gift bag on the edge of the table and ______said, "I want to______you with a gift ______my birthday, "Oh, the______on her face! She said." No, not for______! It's your birthday!" Then she said, "Can I open it in front of you? "And I said that would be _______.
The first thing she ______ was the color of the gift bag which was purple. Purple is her favorite color, She actually _____a purple tie! She opened the card and said, "It's Christmas in July. "As she was taking the gift out of the _____, she said she was excited. It's wonderful to give to someone who is ______to receive! She opened the box and saw it was a purple mug(杯子). Inside the mug was a smile card and forty five dollars, a dollar______each year of my life. After seeing the______, she looked at my husband and said we did not have to ______a tip. He just ____her words and left her the tip anyway.
Karina was so ______ what she had received. I thanked her for receiving my gift. I am thankful to God for another year of life and the _______to see that every day is a great day to give.
1.A. decided B. complained C. forgot D. regretted
2.A. neighbour B. relative C. waitress D. manager
3.A. license B. tool C. bill D. document
4.A. Although B. When C. Wherever D. Unless
5.A. tightly B. nearly C. passively D. simply
6.A. employ B. describe C. train D. bless
7.A. in honor of B. in place of C. in order of D. in need of
8.A. trust B. shock C. fear D. pride
9.A. her B. me C. him D. you
10.A. valuable B. fine C. secret D. tidy
11.A. offered B. served C. noticed D. changed
12.A. had on B. turned down C. set aside D. wiped out
13.A. case B. drawer C. cupboard D. bag
14.A. polite B. confident C. willing D. sensitive
15.A. stood for B. broke down C. ran into D. left out
16.A. receipt B. money C. food D. notice
17.A. count B. grasp C. mark D. leave
18.A. bothered B. checked C. responded D. ignored
19.A. grateful for B. patient with C. skilled at D. curious about
20.A. fortune B. opportunity C. competition D. trade
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I do enjoy when I’m listening to the sound of the rain.
A. them B. that C. it D. this
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan, is a man of the people, ready to listen to their problems, but only until 6 p.m. Then he has to do his homework. Michael Sessions, 18, beat former mayor Douglas Ingles, 51, by just two votes and became the new mayor of Hillsdale. He is America's youngest mayor.
As Sessions was too young to enter the election in the spring of 2005, he registered to vote on Sept, 22, one day after his 18-year-old birthday. The day after that he started his write-in campaign, which means he should persuade voters to remember his name and write it by hand on the voting ballots(选票).
To help get his name known, Sessions earned$700 by selling apples over the summer. He spent the money on posters and put them on the Hillsdale's lawns.
Sessions' month-long campaign included going door to door, explaining his ideas of the town's future in the kitchens of his neighbors. "They'd look at me, and say‘How old are you again? How much experience do you have?' And I say ‘I'm still in high school', " he said. Sessions promised Hillsdale's voters he would renew local economy. “I was hopeful the whole time, ” he explained. One day he spent so long out on the streets knocking on the doors that he ended up in a hospital emergency room.
Sessions said that his schoolwork will not get in the way of his job as a mayor. “From 7:50 a.m. to 2:30p.m., I'11 be a student. From 3 to 6, I'11 be the mayor of Hillsdale," he said.
“He did a very brave thing that couldn't have been easy for him to do, "said Jack Vettel, a councilman in Hillsdale, a city of 8,200 about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. "He does care about this town. He's been here all his life.”
Sessions will receive$3, 600 a year during this four-year term, and will work out of his bedroom since the town does not provide the mayor with an office.
1.What is TRUE of Sessions' election campaign according to the text?
A. Sessions launched his election campaign on Sept, 22.
B. Sessions worked so hard that he once tried to persuade people in a hospital.
C. Sessions won the election campaign by a very close outcome (结果).
D. Sessions felt disappointed when asked about his age and experience.
2.In order to gain more support from the voters Sessions had to do all these things EXCEPT________.
A. put up posters B. renew the economy
C. sell apples D. talk to neighbors in kitchens
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. American mayors usually work from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m.
B. In America, young people are encouraged to get involved in politics.
C. All teenagers are allowed to enter political elections.
D. American mayors receive a salary of 3, 600 a year during their 4-year term.
4.Which of the following would best summarize the text?
A. Schoolboy becomes American's youngest mayor.
B. How to become a teenage mayor.
C. Hard work is the ticket to success.
D. Never too young to shake the world.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan, is a man of the people, ready to listen to their problems, but only until 6 p.m. Then he has to do his homework. Michael Sessions, 18, beat former mayor Douglas Ingles, 51, by just two votes and became the new mayor of Hillsdale. He is America's youngest mayor.
As Sessions was too young to enter the election in the spring of 2005, he registered- to vote on Sept. 22, one day after his 18-year-old birthday. The day after that he started his write-in campaign, which means he should persuade voters to remember his name and write it by hand on the voting ballots(选票).
To help get his name known, Sessions earned$700 by selling apples over the summer. He spent the money on posters and put them on the Hillsdale's lawns.
Sessions' month-long campaign included going door to door, explaining his ideas of the town's future in the kitchens of his neighbors. "They'd look at me, and say‘How old are you again? How much experience do you have?'And I say‘I'm still in high school', "he said. Sessions promised Hillsdale's voters he would renew local economy. “I was hopeful the whole time, ”he explained. One day he spent so long out on the streets knocking on the doors that he ended up in a hospital emergency room.
Sessions said that his schoolwork will not get in the way of his job as a mayor. “From 7:50 a.m. to 2:30p.m., I'11 be a student. From 3 to 6, I'11 be the mayor of Hillsdale," he said.
“He did a very brave thing that couldn't have been easy for him to do, "said Jack Vettel, a councilman in Hillsdale, a city of 8,200 about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. "He does care about this town. He's been here all his life. ”
Sessions will receive$3, 600 a year during his four-year term, and will work out of his bedroom since the town does not provide the mayor with an office.
1.What is TRUE of Sessions' election campaign according to the text?
A.Sessions launched his election campaign on Sept. 22.
B.Sessions worked so hard that he once tried to persuade people in a hospital.
C.Sessions won the election campaign by a very close outcome.
D.Sessions felt disappointed when asked about his age and experience.
2.In order to gain more support from the voters Sessions had to do all these things EXCEPT_.
A.put up posters' B.renew the economy
C.sell apples D.talk to neighbors in kitchens
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A.American mayors usually work from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m.
B.In America, young people are encouraged to get involved in politics.
C.All teenagers are allowed to enter political elections.
D.American mayors receive a salary of 3, 600 a year during their 4-year term.
4.Which of the following would best summarize the text?
A.Schoolboy becomes American's youngest mayor.
B.How to become a teenage mayor.
C.Hard work is the ticket to success.
D.Never too young to shake the world.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan, is a man of the people, ready to listen to their problems, but only until 6 p.m. Then he has to do his homework. Michael Sessions, 18, beat former mayor Douglas Ingles, 51, by just two votes and became the new mayor of Hillsdale. He is America's youngest mayor.
As Sessions was too young to enter the election in the spring of 2005, he registered to vote on Sept, 22, one day after his 18-year-old birthday. The day after that he started his write-in campaign, which means he should persuade voters to remember his name and write it by hand on the voting ballots(选票).
To help get his name known, Sessions earned$700 by selling apples over the summer. He spent the money on posters and put them on the Hillsdale's lawns.
Sessions' month-long campaign included going door to door, explaining his ideas of the town's future in the kitchens of his neighbors. "They'd look at me, and say‘How old are you again? How much experience do you have?' And I say ‘I'm still in high school', " he said. Sessions promised Hillsdale's voters he would renew local economy. “I was hopeful the whole time, ” he explained. One day he spent so long out on the streets knocking on the doors that he ended up in a hospital emergency room.
Sessions said that his schoolwork will not get in the way of his job as a mayor. “From 7:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., I'11 be a student. From 3 to 6, I'11 be the mayor of Hillsdale," he said.
“He did a very brave thing that couldn't have been easy for him to do, "said Jack Vettel, a councilman in Hillsdale, a city of 8,200 about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. " He does care about this town. He's been here all his life.”
Sessions will receive $3, 600 a year during this four-year term, and will work out of his bedroom since the town does not provide the mayor with an office.
1.What is TRUE of Sessions' election campaign according to the text?
A.Sessions launched his election campaign on Sept, 22.
B.Sessions worked so hard that he once tried to persuade people in a hospital.
C.Sessions won the election campaign by a very close outcome (结果).
D.Sessions felt disappointed when asked about his age and experience.
2.In order to gain more support from the voters Sessions had to do all these things EXCEPT ________.
A.put up posters B.renew the economy
C.sell apples D.talk to neighbors in kitchens
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A.American mayors usually work from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m.
B.In America, young people are encouraged to get involved in politics.
C.All teenagers are allowed to enter political elections.
D.American mayors receive a salary of 3, 600 a year during their 4-year term.
4.Which of the following would best summarize the text?
A.Schoolboy becomes American's youngest mayor.
B.How to become a teenage mayor.
C.Hard work is the ticket to success.
D.Never too young to shake the world.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析