Think of the last time a song really moved you, or meant something to you．Listening to and playing music affects marry different sections of the brain, affecting us physically as well. Why are we as humans so connected to music?
Making music is something that we are born with. There's a reason we refer to music as the “universal language”；there has been no known human culture without music. Dancing and music came before agriculture, and possibly even before language．The fact that whale music and human music have so much in common suggests that music may exist before humans and that we may be latecomers to the musical scene rather than being the inventors of music．
We begin life being affected by music; babies first begin to respond to music even before their birth. Whether or not it's true, everyone has heard that playing classical music; for your baby supposedly helps him or her become smarter. A study done in the United Kingdom concluded that children were able to recognize and even preferred music that they had heard lip to three months before birth. Although it made no difference whether it was rock music or country music, the babies who were exposed to faster songs showed a stronger preference for that song than those who had heard something slower. Researchers have also found that the playing of soft background music or a mother's soft singing actually helps premature (早产的)babies. Those who were subjected to the music tended to gain weight faster and were able to leave hospitals earlier than those who weren't. However, the study in the UK uncovers no links between babies listening to music and increased intelligence or brain development.
Another experiment at the University of California at Irvine compared the puzzle-solving abilities of 3-year-olds who were given piano lessons with the ability of others who sang, used computers, or did nothing. The children studying piano were better at the puzzles. Also, high school students with a musical background seem to do better on their SATs. Whether it's natural intelligence that helps the children excel in both music and math, or the music that helps develop other areas, you can't deny the benefits of a musical background.
On the other hand, it's possible that some music and lyrics（歌词）could be hard for children and teenagers．The lyrics of today's popular music are stated more and more clearly. A study oil mass media and teenagers showed that a group of 14- to 16-year-olds in 10 different southeastern cities listened to music an average of 40 hours per week. Obviously, the music they are listening to plays a large part in their lives，and especially influences self-identity. So any bad influences in the music will have a very direct effect on the teenagers. Several other experiments mentioned in the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statement on the "Effect of Music Lyrics and Music Videos on Children and Youth" supported this idea. One study from Sweden found that children who developed a preference to rock music were more likely to be influenced by their peers than by their parents. Others showed links between a predilection for heavy metal and detrimental behaviors, including taking drugs, self-killing risk, and other risk-taking habits. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn't support the idea of censorship（检查制度）, but strongly encourages parents to monitor what their children are listening to.
小题1:Music is regarded as the “universal language” because ______.
A．music is important for human beings’ mental and physical health
B．music is played by people from all over the world
C．music is of great benefits to human language
D．music is present throughout the development of human culture小题2:Which of the following proves a musical background benefits children a lot?
A．An experiment at the University of California.
B．A study done in the United kingdom.
C．A study on mass media and teenagers.
D．A study from Sweden.小题3:According to Paragraph 3, what affects babies’ preference for songs?
A．The lyrics
B．The tone
C．The style
D．The speed小题4:The author mentioned several other experiments in the AAP’s policy statement to prove________.
A．parents should monitor what their children are listening to
B．music can have harmful effects on teenagers
C．teenagers are more likely to be affected by their friends
D．children shouldn’t be exposed to too much music小题5:What will the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A．More bad effects of music on teenagers’ daily habits.
B．Some experiments about music and teenagers.
C．Tips for parents on monitoring the music their children prefer.
D．Benefits of listening to a variety of music.
