考研英语阅读理解-(七).pdf

考研英语阅读理解-七（）

总（分：100.00,做题时间：90分钟）

一、{{B}}SectioIReadigComprehesio{{/B}}总（题数：4,分数：100.00）

Musicisamystery.Itisuniquetothehumanrace:nootherspecies

produceselaboratesoundfornoparticularreason.Ithasbeen,and

remains,partofeveryknowncivilizationonEarth.Lengthsofbone

，

fashionedintofluteswereinuse0,000yearsago.Anditengagespeoples

attentionmorecomprehensivelythanalmostanythingelse:scansshowthat

whenpeoplelistentomusic,virtuallyeveryareaoftheirbrainbecomes

moreactive.

Yetitservesnoobviousadaptivepurpose.CharlesDarwin,in〃The

DescentofMan”,notedthatn“eithertheenjoymentnorthecapacityof

producingmusicalnotesarefacultiesoftheleastdirectusetomanin

referencetohisordinaryhabitsoflife.Then,whatisthepointofnmsic.

StevenPinker,acognitivepsychologist,hascalledmusic〃auditory

cheesecake,anexquisiteconfectioncraftedtoticklethesensitivespots

ofatleastsixofourmentalfaculties.Ifitvanishedfromourspecies,

hesaidtherestofourlifestylewouldbevirtuallyunchanged.z，Others

havearguedthat,onthecontrary,music,alongwithartandliterature,

ispartofwhatmakespeoplehuman;itsabsencewouldhaveabrutalizing

effect.

PhilipBall,aBritishsciencewriterandanavidmusicenthusiast,comes

downsomewhereinthemiddle.Hesaysthatmusicisingrainedinour

auditory,cognitiveandmotorfunctions.Wehaveamusicinstinctasmuch

asalanguageinstinct,andcouldnotridourselvesofit.Hegoesthrough

eachcomponentofmusictoexplainhowandwhyitworks,usingplentiful

examplesdrawnfromarefreshinglywiderangeofdifferentkindso