Music may soothe the savage breast, but it
can also damage your health when you are at the wheel.
A. [■] Recent research suggests that loud music seriously affects a driver's
concentration and psychologists have warned that such music, blasting away
inside a car, can be dangerous, especially in traffic queues or on
motorways.
B. [■] Heavy metal, with its strong beat, leads to aggressive driving while,
at the other end of the spectrum, soothing, melodious music relaxes a driver
beyond a safe limit of awareness and into a sleepy haze of inattention.
C. [■] The British Automobile Association, which is concerned
with road safety, commissioned research into the relationship between serious
accidents and music.
D. [■] It found that men in the 17-25 age bracket were the most dangerous
and accident-prone group. It also found that this group listens to music seventy
percent of the time when they are on the move. Upbeat tempos, or
heavy metal music, played loudly, can bring on a belligerent attitude. The
driving style becomes aggressive and the driver is more apt to take risks. The
pace of the driving is governed by the pace and beat of the music.
In {{U}}trials{{/U}}, volunteer drivers subjected to loud music said that, although
they didn't necessarily feel inclined to drive faster, they did find themselves
making faster gear changes, accelerating more quickly and braking more abruptly.
The same drivers, when subjected to slow ballads, admitted that they often found
their attention wandering and, during a long motorway journey, at least two of
the participants found themselves unconsciously wandering across the lane
markings. The comments made by the volunteer drivers, some of whom
were newly qualified, were very revealing. Simon, eighteen, told the AA, "The
fast rock track out of Bat Out of Hell is potentially lethal. I found
myself going faster and faster without even realizing it. " Another
volunteer, who had been listening to ZZ Top's greatest hits, said, "I was
speeding along singing at the top of my voice and didn't see or hear the fire
engine that was trying to overtake me. " Other comments included.
"I get lost in my own thoughts...', "It's possible to suffer a dulling of the
senses...", "Not hearing other vehicles is a problem...', and "I was revving the
engine in time to the beat." Slower, more ambient {{U}}tracks{{/U}}
like Chopin stimulate a change in a person's brain pattern, encouraging Alpha
waves and inducing a feeling of well-being. A state of relaxation might be good
for us at most other times, but not at the wheel of the car. Psychologist
Professor Shirley Fisher warned. "The greatest danger is fatigue at the wheel.
Some music can lull you into concentration loss, or even mini-sleep, which can
cause horrific accidents. " "It's a matter of selecting your music
to suit the conditions. Stimulating music can be useful on long, boring roads
but when traffic conditions are difficult, or traffic is heavy, it can distract
you. " There is, however, an up side, as AA psychologist Dr. Robert
West pointed out: "if some music affects our ability to drive safely, then the
{{U}}reverse{{/U}} is also true. Carefully selected tracks may improve our driving,
particularly in the high risk groups. For example, if we could get young male
drivers to listen to Mantovani, they would probably slow down. Sadly, I don't
think I could persuade many of them to listen, though. " As well as
the type of music affecting road safety, the very fact that we have high-tech
music systems built into our cars also causes accidents. A recent traffic and
road safety report showed that almost forty percent of minor road accidents were
caused by people taking their eyes off the road to change a cassette or
disc! Whatever our taste in music, or driving style, it looks as if
safe driving habits are forced on us in the future. Rover, British Aerospace,
Philips and Sweden's Road and Traffic Research Institute have combined to
produce a car intelligence system that they have named ARIADN (Application of
Real-Time Intelligent Aid for Driving., a sophisticated electronic combined
navigation-carphone-collision avoidance system that takes advantage of radar to
warn the driver when a collision is possible. If the car ceases to be at a safe
braking distance from the one in front, ARIADN sends a vibration through the
accelerator pedal to warn the driver to slow down. The vibration becomes more
and more severe the closer the car gets to the vehicle in front until, if the
warnings go unheeded, the engine cuts out and the hazard warning lights go
on. So remember, if music is the food of love, do it slowly,
especially if you're driving, then we can all "play" on.
单选题
The word {{U}}trials{{/U}} in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. inspections
B. experiments
C. tryouts
D. tribulations
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题属于词汇题，主要考查考生对trials一词在不同语境中的词义的理解。文章第三段提到：“The British Automobile Association...commissioned research into the relationship between serious accidents and music.”BAA进行了有关车祸与音乐的关系之内在联系的研究。为了进一步解释试验的内容，在第五段trials出现的上下文做了细节说明。因此可以推断trial应是“实验”，故选B。而其他选项A(检查)、C(试用)、D(苦难)都与上下文意思不符合。
单选题
According to the passage, which of the following is true of the effect
of music on drivers?
A. Both extremes of music can result in risk.
B. Slow music stimulates a change in a person's brain pattern.
C. The fast rock music was potentially lethal.
D. Drivers subjected to slow ballads often found their attention
wandering.
单选题
The author's description of slow music in Paragraph 9 mentions all of
the following EXCEPT ______.
A. it stimulates a change in a person's brain
B. it encourages Alpha waves
C. it can lull you into concentration loss
D. tracks like Chopin can cause horrific accidents
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为正误判断题，考查考生能否根据文章中阐明的信息，判断什么信息是正确的，什么信息是错误的，什么信息是文章中没有提到的。题目问：根据第九段，作者在对慢速音乐的描述中没有提到下列哪一项?该段的开头指出：“Slower, more ambient tracks like Chopin stimulate a change in a person's brain pattern... (慢速的、有气氛的音乐，如肖邦的乐曲，会刺激一个人改变他大脑里同有的速度模式)”，选项A(促使一个人大脑发生变化)、B(会引起阿尔法波)和C(会促使你处于注意力分散状态)在第九段都有涉及，而选项D曲解了文意，肖邦的音乐并非一定导致车祸，由此可知选项D为正确答案。
单选题
In Paragraph 11, why did the author cite psychologist Dr. Robert West's
comments?
A. To indicate that selected music may both improve and distract
driving.
B. To prove carefully selected music only benefits those in the high risk
group.
C. To show that Mantovani benefits young male drivers when they are on the
move.
D. To give evidence that it is hard to persuade young male drivers to listen
to Mantovani.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 本题属于修辞目的题。题目问：在第十一段作者为什么引用心理学家的话?根据该段段首句：“There is. however. an up side, as AA psychologist Dr. Robert West point out: 'If some music affects our ability to drive safely, then the reverse is also true' (如果说精心选择的曲子会有助于我们安全行驶，那么反之亦然)”可知，精心选择的曲子也会有害，所以选项A为正确答案。而选项B(精心选择曲目只对车祸高危群体有益处)、C(说明听Mantovani的曲子对在行驶中的年轻男性司机有益)和D(证明很难让年轻司机听Mantovani的曲子)都是为说明这一点而举的例子。
单选题
The word {{U}}reverse{{/U}} in Paragraph 11 is closest in meaning to _____.
A. inverse
B. opposite
C. regress
D. reversion
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题属于词汇题，主要考查考生根据上下文对单词reverse的理解。原文第十一段的句子 “If some music affects our ability to drive safely, then the reverse is also true (如果有的音乐会影响到安全驾驶，反之亦然)”中，reverse的意思是“相反的”，因此选B。其他选项A(反面)、C(倒退)和D(反转)都是干扰项。
单选题
According to Paragraph 12, which of the following can be inferred about
the effect of high-tech music systems on drivers?
A. It is convenient to listen to music when drivers are driving.
B. It is one of the causes leading to traffic accidents.
C. It is not easy for drivers to change a cassette or disc.
D. It attracts the drivers' attention and takes their eyes off the
road.
单选题
Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following
sentence could be added to the passage. There are two extremes
in music, both of which can result in risk. Where would the
sentence best fit?
A. Square Ａ.
B. Square Ｂ.
C. Square Ｃ.
D. Square Ｄ.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为插话题，考查考生根据句子的逻辑关系和连贯性将特定的一句话插入顺序相连的四个句子之间的能力。根据上下文，插入句“There are two extremes in music, both of which can result in risk (音乐有两个极端，任何一个极端都有可能带来危险)”应为段首句，紧跟着的句子应是对该句的解释，B处后指出“two extremes”，即重金属音乐和优美音乐，前后连接具有逻辑性和连贯性，因此插入句应插在B处。
问答题Directions: Complete the table by matching the
phrases below. Select the appropriate phrases from the answer choices and match
them to the type of music to which they related. TWO of the answer choices will
NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points.
Stimulating music
Soothing music
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Answer Choices
A. With
this music, drivers would drive very aggressively. B. With
music, drivers feel so relaxed that they cannot realize the dangers.
C. This music makes drivers adopt a very hostile attitude.
D. This music helps drivers to concentrate when they are driving for a
long time and feeling very bored. E. The speed of driving is
controlled by the pace and beat of music. F. Drivers would go
across the lane markings without realization. G. Drivers tend
to speed and brake in a sudden move. H. This music makes
drivers sleepy, lose concentration and even fall into a nap. I.
This music is very helpful to drivers when they are driving.
【正确答案】
Stimulating music
Soothing music
A. With this music, drivers would drive very aggressively.
B. With music, drivers feel so relaxed that they cannot realize the dangers.
C. This music makes driver's adopt a very hostile attitude.
F. Drivers would go across the lane markings without realization.
D. This music helps drivers to concentrate when they are driving for a long time and feeling very bored.
H. This music makes drivers sleepy, lose concentration and even fall into a nap.
G. Drivers tend to speed and brake in a sudden move.
【答案解析】[解析] 本题为图表题，考查考生归纳和组织分散在文章中的主要观点和其他相关重要信息的能力。根据文章的描述，不同的音乐在驾驶中产生不同的后果。根据这一思路，可以判断选项A、C、D、G与stimulating music (激烈的音乐)有关，该类音乐会导致超速驾驶，产生好斗情绪，会在驾驶过程中出现提速和突然刹车的情况，但是对长途驾驶有效。而选项B、F、H与soothing music (柔和的音乐)有关，即此类音乐会使司机过度放松以致失去了安全意识，在不知不觉中错过路标甚至出现麻痹大意、昏昏欲睡的状况。选项E和I没有侧重，属于概括性陈述，所以不选。