常春藤解析英語 44 The "Mozart Effect" Fact or Fiction?　古典樂能讓貝比變聰明嗎？

The "Mozart Effect" Fact or Fiction?　古典樂能讓貝比變聰明嗎?

by Levi King

Recently, the idea that listening to classical music can increase intelligence, especially in babies, has caught the attention of the media, researchers, and parents around the globe. In the early 1990s, researchers from France and the US published articles that said listening to Mozart for 10 minutes temporarily improved performance on IQ tests and challenging tasks. As a result, the media quickly began reporting on the "Mozart effect."

In 1997, Don Campbell patented the term and published a book about this interesting phenomenon. Campbell claimed that classical music could improve health and memory, counteract mental and physical disorders, and reduce stress and depression. He soon followed with The Mozart Effect for Children, as well as CDs and products for parents of young children. Today, a wide selection of similar products is available, including Baby Mozart and Baby Bach, two bestselling DVDs in the popular Baby Einstein series. There are even music players specially designed for expectant mothers to wear on their tummies. This way, babies can listen to classical music before they're even born.

However, there is some doubt surrounding the Mozart effect. Parents question whether it is a proven reality or just a fad designed to make money. Frances H. Rauscher, a psychologist and author of one of the original studies, is skeptical. Much of the original research pointed to temporary improvements on specific tasks. She believes these findings have been incorrectly portrayed as a general increase in intelligence. "I don't think it can hurt," Rauscher said. Yet she added that parents may still want to think twice before spending a fortune trying to make a genius out of their baby.

1. According to the article, what is meant by the Mozart effect?

(A) Special DVDs can help teach a child to play musical instruments.

(B) Researchers can determine a child's intelligence by studying musical ability.

(C) Singing to an unborn child may inspire a love of classical music.

(D) Listening to classical music may increase intelligence, especially in babies.

2. Which of the following did NOT spread the popularity of the Mozart effect?

(A) Media stories about the Mozart effect.

(B) Books on intelligence and classical music.

(C) Interviews with successful Mozart effect babies.

(D) CDs, DVDs, and devices using the Mozart effect.

3. Most recently, researcher Frances H. Rauscher _____.

(A) expressed doubt about the Mozart effect

(B) developed a music player for pregnant women

(C) reversed her opinion on classical music

(D) patented the term Mozart effect

精解字詞詞組

1.report on...　　報導……

例: The media spends a lot of time reporting on Paul's celebrity lifestyle.

(媒體花了很多時間報導保羅的名流生活。)

2.counteract vt. 對抗

例: Marcus tried many treatments to counteract the effects of balding.

(馬克斯試了很多療法來對抗禿頭。)

3.follow with...　　接著繼續(xù)(做)……

例: After one hit song, Iris followed with a disappointing album.

(推出一首暢銷單曲后，艾莉絲接下來的專輯卻讓人大失所望。)

4.a wide selection of...　　一系列廣泛的……

例: Tony has collected a wide selection of Hello Kitty products.

(東尼收集了一系列的凱蒂貓相關商品。)

5.skeptical a. 懷疑的

be skeptical of/about...　　對……感到懷疑

= be suspicious of...

例: Marsha is skeptical of the salesman's honesty.

(馬莎對那名推銷員的誠信感到懷疑。)

6.point to...　　指向……(的可能)

例: The evidence in the case pointed to the fact that Aaron was the stalker.

(那件案子的證據(jù)指向亞倫就是跟蹤狂。)

7.specific a. 明確的

be specific about...　　明確說明……

例: Can you be more specific about when you'd like the project finished?

(你能不能再說明確一點這項企劃案要何時完成?)

8.be portrayed as...　　被描繪成……

portray vt. 描繪

例: That pitcher has been portrayed as much better than he really is.

(那名投手被描述成比實際上更厲害。)

9.think twice　　再三考慮

例: You'd better think twice before going outside dressed like that.

(你穿那樣出門前，最好再考慮一下。)

10.spend + 表金錢的名詞 + V-ing/on sth　　花……(金錢)做……∕在……上

例: The company spent a lot of money buying advanced equipment.

(那家公司花了許多錢買先進設備。)

11.genius n. 天才;天賦

have a genius for...　　有……的天賦

= have a talent for...

例: Debbie showed she had a genius for music at a very young age.

(黛比在很小的時候就展現(xiàn)出音樂天賦。)

12.interview n. 訪問;面試

do an interview with...　　接受……的訪問

例: The award-winning director did an interview with six different magazines last month.

(那位得獎導演上個月接受了六家雜志社的采訪。)

13.reverse vt. 徹底改變

例: After new evidence came out, the judge reversed his decision.

(新的證據(jù)出爐后，法官改變了自己的判決。)

單字小鋪

1.classical a. 古典的

2.intelligence n. 智能

3.media n. 媒體

4.temporarily adv. 暫時地

=temporary a. 暫時的

5.IQ　　智商(= intelligence quotient)

=quotient n. 商數(shù)

6.challenging a. 具挑戰(zhàn)性的

7.patent vt. 給予……專利權

8.phenomenon n. 現(xiàn)象(單數(shù)形)

=phenomena n. 現(xiàn)象(復數(shù)形)

9.disorder n. 失調(diào)

10.depression n. 憂郁，沮喪

11.bestselling a. 暢銷的

12.expectant mother　　懷孕的準媽媽，孕婦

=expectant a. 期待的

13.tummy n. 肚子

14.surround vt. 圍繞

15.question vt. 質(zhì)疑

16.fad n. 一時的流行

17.psychologist n. 心理學家

18.temporary a. 暫時的

19.incorrectly adv. 錯誤地

20.instrument n. 樂器;儀器

=musical instrument　　樂器

21.inspire vt. 啟發(fā)

詞組小鋪

1.catch the attention of...　　吸引……的注意

2.A as well as B　　A 和 B

中文翻譯&標準答案

聽古典樂能增進智力，特別是嬰兒的智力，近來引起了全球媒體、研究人員與家長的注意。1990 年代初期，法國與美國的研究人員均發(fā)表文章，表示聆聽十分鐘的莫扎特音樂能暫時提高智力測驗的分數(shù)，或增進具有挑戰(zhàn)性的任務表現(xiàn)。結果，媒體很快開始爭相報導『莫扎特效應』。

1997 年，唐.坎貝爾獲得『莫扎特效應』這個詞的專利權，并出版一本書說明這個令人感興趣的現(xiàn)象?？藏悹柭暦Q古典樂能改善健康與記憶，對抗身心失調(diào)，還能減輕壓力與憂郁。他接著很快推出 Mozart Effect for Children 一書、針對幼兒父母發(fā)行 CD 及商品。如今，在同性質(zhì)系列中，可挑選的商品相當廣泛，包括大受歡迎的『寶貝愛因斯坦』系列中，《小小莫扎特》與《小小巴哈》這兩套暢銷 DVD。甚至還有特別為懷孕準媽媽設計的音樂播放器，讓她們戴在肚子上。如此一來，寶寶還沒出生就能聽古典樂了。

然而『莫扎特效應』也引起一些懷疑。父母質(zhì)疑這究竟是經(jīng)過證實的事實，還是用來削錢所炒作的潮流。最初研究的作者之一，心理學家法蘭西絲.羅徹爾便持懷疑的態(tài)度。最早的研究大多指向特定任務的短期成效。她認為這些發(fā)現(xiàn)被錯誤描述成能普遍提高智商。她說：『我不認為聽古典樂有什么壞處。』不過她又說，父母在砸錢創(chuàng)造天才貝比前，也許應該再好好想一想。

1. 根據(jù)本文，什么是『莫扎特效應』?

(A) 特別的 DVD 能教導孩子如何演奏樂器。

(B) 研究者能藉由研究孩子的音樂天賦得知他們的智商。

(C) 對未出世的孩子唱歌能激發(fā)他們對古典樂的愛好。

(D) 聽古典樂可能會增進智商，特別是嬰兒。

題解: 本文第一段指出，聽古典樂能增進智力，特別是嬰兒的智力，因為有研究指出，聆聽十分鐘的莫扎特音樂能暫時提高智力測驗的分數(shù)，由此可知，故選 (D)。

2. 下列何者沒有促成『莫扎特效應』的受歡迎程度?

(A) 媒體報導『莫扎特效應』。

(B) 關于智力與古典樂的書籍。

(C) 訪問成功的『莫扎特效應』寶寶。

(D) CD、DVD 與使用『莫扎特效應』的器具。

題解: 根據(jù)第二段，唐.坎貝爾出版書籍并發(fā)行 CD，之后同性質(zhì)的產(chǎn)品琳瑯滿目，包括 DVD，甚至還有特別為準媽媽設計的音樂播放器，惟獨 (C) 并未提及，故選之。

3. 最近，研究者法蘭西絲.羅徹爾 _____。

(A) 表達對『莫扎特效應』的懷疑

(B) 為懷孕婦女研發(fā)一種音樂播放器

(C) 徹底改變她對古典樂的看法

(D) 獲得『莫扎特效應』這個詞的專利權

題解: 根據(jù)第三段，法蘭西絲.羅徹爾對『莫扎特效應』抱持懷疑的態(tài)度，故選 (A)。

標準答案: 1. (D)　2. (C)　3. (A)