藝術有著不可估量的作用

藍利霞

To make sense of difficult science， Michael Esson， a second-year student at the Medical College of Wisconsin， often turns to art. When hes struggling to understand the immune（免疫的） system or a rare disease， music serves as a comforter. It helps calm him down， so he can actively choose what to focus on. And his brain is better at absorbing all that science because of the years he spent playing the violin. He thinks there has to be some kind of greater connectivity that art influences his brain.

The idea that art has a measurable effect on the brain and its structure gains support from a growing number of scientific studies. “Creativity is making new connections，” says Ivy Ross， who is the president of hardware design at Google and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Your Brain on Art： How the Arts Transform Us. Ross co-wrote the book with Susan Magsamen， a director of the International Arts and Mind Lab.

In Your Brain on Art， Magsamen and Ross describe how a persons neural circuitry（神經回路） changes in response to activities like learning a new song， or a new dance step， or how to play a character onstage.

Magsamen says arts effect on the brain is most dramatic in children. When children are playing music， their brain structure actually changes and their cerebral cortex actually gets larger. Children engaging in arts are better learners. Students with access to art education are five times less likely to drop out of school and four times more likely to be recognized with high achievement.

Music， dance， drawing， storytelling—all of these have been a part of human cultures for tens of thousands of years. As a result， “were really eager for art，” Magsamen says. When People make art， it can increase their brains ability to adapt in response to new experiences. And the art activity also causes the brain to release “feel-good” substance.

（材料出自“NPR”網站，有刪改）

1. What will Esson do to understand difficult science？

A. Act as a comforter.

B. Observe his violin.

C. Play his instrument.

D. Refer to the immune system.

2. What can we infer from the second paragraph？

A. Ross is good at designing hardware.

B. Magsamen and Ross are good friends.

C. Ross and Magsamens book has become popular.

D. Magsamen founded the International Arts and Mind Lab.

3. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about？

A. Good structure of the brain.

B. Benefits of kids learning art.

C. Better learners of art schools.

D. Explanation of Magsamens book.

4. What can art activity make people feel？

A. Sad. ? B. Moved. ? ?C. Anxious. ? D. Pleased.

1. C。解析：推理判斷題。根據材料第一段的第二句“When hes struggling to understand the immune system or a rare disease， music serves as a comforter.”和第四句“And his brain is better at absorbing all that science because of the years he spent playing the violin.”，我們可知，埃森遇到科學方面的困難時，會向音樂求助，拉起他的小提琴。故選C。

2. C。解析：推理判斷題。根據材料第二段中的“Ivy Ross， who is the president of hardware design at Google and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Your Brain on Art： How the Arts Transform Us. Ross co-wrote the book with Susan Magsamen， a director of the International Arts and Mind Lab.”，我們可知，羅斯和馬格薩門共同編寫了一本書，它入選了《紐約時報》暢銷書排行榜，這說明這本書很受歡迎。故選C。

3. B。解析：主旨大意題。根據材料第四段，我們可知藝術對大腦有著積極的影響，特別是對兒童的大腦。同時，學習藝術的孩子更善于學習；他們的輟學率也更低，未來也可能取得更大的成就。由此可知，第四段的大意是“孩子學習藝術的好處”。故選B。

4. D。解析：細節理解題。根據材料最后一段的最后一句“And the art activity also causes the brain to release ‘feel-good substance.”，我們可知，藝術可以讓大腦分泌出讓人感覺良好的物質。故選D。