第1645期:The benefits of learning a musical instrument

It’s difficult not to admire the talent of a skilled musician. Whether it be a pianist, flautist or cellist, these individuals have shown dedication and passion over a long period of time to reach the highest levels of performance. But they say it’s never too late to learn. So what are the benefits, for both children and adults, in learning a musical instrument?很难不钦佩一位技艺高超的音乐家的才华。无论是钢琴家、长笛演奏家还是大提琴演奏家，这些人在很长一段时间内都表现出了奉献精神和热情，以达到最高水平的表演。但他们说学习永远不会太晚。那么学习乐器对儿童和成人有什么好处呢？Learning to play a musical instrument when growing up can improve hearing in adulthood. According to a study by Dr Nina Kraus, Professor of Neurobiology at Northwestern University in Illinois, US, children who played musical instruments were better at recognising different frequencies. This improved hearing skill carried over into later life with adults who had once played an instrument able to discern sounds of different pitches more easily. And it could also have some academic benefits too. A study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that students who engaged in music-related activities during grades 7-12 scored significantly higher in science, English and maths.长大后学习演奏乐器可以改善成年后的听力。根据美国伊利诺伊州西北大学神经生物学教授 Nina Kraus 博士的一项研究，演奏乐器的儿童更善于识别不同的频率。这种改进的听力技巧在曾经演奏过能够更容易辨别不同音高声音的乐器的成年人身上延续到了以后的生活中。它也可能有一些学术上的好处。不列颠哥伦比亚大学进行的一项研究发现，在 7-12 年级从事音乐相关活动的学生在科学、英语和数学方面的得分明显更高。And there are not just benefits to children. Whether you choose to play the piano, pick or strum a guitar or learn a drumbeat, you could end up joining a band or orchestra. This in turn could improve your social life, meeting other bandmates who are likeminded in their love of a good tune. Learning an instrument can also give you a sense of achievement. Nailing that perfect chord is one way, but what if you got together with a bunch of friends and entered into a battle of the bands – and won?不仅对儿童有好处。无论您选择弹钢琴、弹奏或弹奏吉他，还是学习打鼓，您最终都可能加入乐队或管弦乐队。这反过来可以改善您的社交生活，结识其他志同道合的好曲子爱好者。学习一门乐器也能让你有成就感。掌握完美的和弦是一种方式，但如果您与一群朋友聚在一起并参加乐队之战并获胜怎么办？So, whether you’re looking to destress playing out some chords, or improve your grades at school, maybe taking up an instrument could help you.因此，无论您是想减轻弹奏和弦的压力，还是想提高您在学校的成绩，学习乐器都可能对您有所帮助。词汇表pianist 钢琴家flautist 长笛手cellist 大提琴手dedication 专注，投入passion 热情frequency 频率pitch 音高pick 弹拨strum 扫拨guitar 吉他drumbeat 鼓点band 乐队orchestra 管弦乐队bandmate 乐队中的队友tune 曲子nail 成功地做chord 和弦battle of the bands “乐队大赛”（指表演选出最优秀乐队的比赛）