Music Practice May Build a Better Child Brain, Study Finds
Jerry_ogDB的个人播客
练乐器的孩子更聪明？美国东北大学的新研究给这个老话题添了新证据。科学家研究了76名7到9岁的儿童，其中一半每周练琴至少30分钟。结果发现，学音乐的孩子在词汇、数学和工作记忆测试中表现更好。脑部扫描还显示，这些孩子大脑中连接"听"和"说"区域的神经纤维排列更有序——简单说，他们脑内听觉与语言之间的"高速公路"修得更结实。研究者提醒这是相关性研究，还不能证明因果关系，但令人惊讶的是，孩子们并不需要苦练多年就能看到这种关联。家里有琴童的家长，下次孩子练琴时，不妨想想：那些看似吵闹的练习，可能正在悄悄塑造一个更好的大脑。本期新闻读两遍，第一遍正常语速，第二遍加深印象，适合跟读练听力。
英语知识点
1. practice an instrument（练习乐器）
例句：She practices an instrument for thirty minutes every day.
翻译：她每天练乐器三十分钟。
2. working memory（工作记忆）
例句：Working memory helps you hold information while you use it.
翻译：工作记忆帮助你在使用信息的同时记住它。
3. score higher on tests（在考试中得更高分）
例句：Students who read daily often score higher on tests.
翻译：每天阅读的学生考试往往得更高的分数。
4. in simple terms（简单来说）
例句：In simple terms, exercise makes your heart stronger.
翻译：简单来说，运动让你的心脏更强壮。
5. the link is striking（这种关联非常显著）
例句：The link between sleep and grades is striking.
翻译：睡眠和成绩之间的关联非常显著。
6. prove（证明）
例句：One study cannot prove that music makes you smarter.
翻译：一项研究无法证明音乐能让你更聪明。
7. build a better brain（塑造更好的大脑）
例句：Reading every night may help build a better brain.
翻译：每晚阅读可能有助于塑造更好的大脑。
## 全文参考
Here's a story for every parent: new research says learning music may help children's brains grow stronger. Scientists at Northeastern University in Boston studied seventy-six children aged seven to nine. Half of them practiced an instrument, like the piano or violin, for at least thirty minutes a week. The other half did not. The young musicians scored higher on tests of vocabulary, math, and working memory. Brain scans also showed a difference. In children who played music, the fibers connecting sound and speech areas of the brain looked better organized. In simple terms, their brains built stronger roads between hearing and speaking. The researchers say they cannot yet prove music lessons caused the gains, but the link is striking. And the children did not need years of practice to show benefits. So the next time your child practices the piano, remember: those noisy sessions might be building a better brain.
