A
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An estimated 80 percent of American adults think music lessons,though at times boring and challenging in the eyes of some kids,improve children’s ability to learn or their performance in school.They say that the satisfaction for learning to play a new song helps a child express creativity.
Researchers at Harvard University,however,have found that there’s one thing musical training does not do.Samuel Mehr,the leading researcher of the new study,said it is wrong to think that learning to play a musical instrument improves a child’s intellectual development.The evidence comes from studies that measured the mental ability of two groups of the 4-year-olds and their parents.One group attended music class;the comparison group went to a class that places importance on the optical arts—arts that can be seen.
“We found no evidence for any advantage on any of these tests for the kids participating in these music classes,” said Mehr.
Samuel Mehr says researchers have carried out many studies in an effort to learn whether musical training can make children smarter.Only one study seems to show a small percentage increase in IQ,intellectual scores among students after one year of music lessons.
He does not believe that IQ is a good measure of a child’s intelligence.Therefore,the researchers in his study compared how well children in the musical training group did on mental processing tasks;then the results were compared to those of children who did not take lessons.
Music lessons may not offer children a fast easy way to gain entry to the best schools later of their life,but the training is still important.
Mr Mehr notes that the works of writer William Shakespeare are not taught,so the children will do better in physics.He says Shakespeare is taught because it is important for cultural reasons.“And I don’t think music needs to be any different than that.”
21.What attitude do most American grown-ups have towards music lessons?
A.Approving. B.Uninterested.
C.Doubtful. D.Uncertain.
答案：A
解析：细节推理题。根据第一段中的“Anestimated80percentofAmericanadultsthinkmusiclessons...improvechildren’sabilitytolearnortheirperformanceinschool.”可知,粗略估计80%的美国成年人认为音乐课程能提高孩子的学习能力或是他们在学校的表现。大多数人对这个观点是同意的,故选A项。
22.The underlined word “optical” in Paragraph 2 probably means “ ”.
A.colorful B.visual
C.traditional D.serious
答案：B
解析：词义猜测题。根据第二段最后一句中的“artsthatcanbeseen”,可以看得见的艺术可知选B项。
23.How did Samuel Mehr draw his conclusion in the new study?
A.By studying previous research results.
B.By measuring the IQ of the kids.
C.By referring to some documents.
D.By comparing two different groups.
答案：D
解析：细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Theevidencecomesfromstudiesthatmeasuredthementalabilityoftwogroupsof4-year-oldsandtheirparents.”可知是通过对比两组不同的调查结果而得出的结论,故选D项。
24.The study shows that .
A.early music training has negative effects
B.musical lessons should be stopped at school
C.playing musical instrument makes kids more creative
D.musical training doesn’t improve kids’ intelligence
答案：D
解析：主旨大意题。倒数第二段“Musiclessonsmaynotofferchildrenafasteasywaytogainentrytothebestschoolslateroftheirlife”点明了调查的结果,因此可推断音乐培训不能提高孩子的智力,故选D项。
