很多人喜歡聽音樂。科學研究表明，音樂能提高人的短期記憶力。如果在考試前善加利用，就能提高考試成績。
Music may improve test scores
by Eva Amsen
For students taking exams this month, a new study reveals a possible way to improve memory recall: Listening to music while studying – and having that same music playing during the night.
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ v. 揭示
recall /rɪˈkɔːl/ n. 記憶力
Researchers at Baylor University's Sleep Neuroscience（神經科學） and Cognition（認知） Laboratory were curious whether there was a way to improve student performance and encourage them to have a good night's sleep. In particular, they wondered whether a technique called "targeted memory reactivation" (TMR) could be useful for studying. In TMR, certain signals reactivate memories that were formed during the day while a person is asleep.★ The researchers focused on music.
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的後綴-er）
performance /pəˈfɔːməns/ n. （工作、學習等）表現、成績
technique /tekˈniːk/ n. 技巧、方法
target /ˈtɑːɡɪt/ v. 以…爲靶子、以…爲目標
reactivation /rɪˌæktɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 重新激活（由reactivate加後綴-ion變成名詞）
signal /ˈsɪɡn(ə)l/ n. 信號
reactivate /rɪˈæktɪveɪt/ v. 重新激活（由activate加上表示再次的前綴re-）
★ 這句話裏that were formed during the day是個定語從句，修飾前面的memories，後面的while從句不在這個定語從句之內。
focus /ˈfəʊkəs/ on 聚焦於
A few dozen university students took part in the experiment. In the first part of the study, all students were asked to take a self-paced, interactive class on microeconomics, in which they learned some concepts and some mathematics, which they would be tested on the following day.
pace /peɪs/ v. 確定速度、調整節奏
interactive /ˌɪntəˈræktɪv/ adj. 交互式的
microeconomics /ˌmaɪkrəʊiːkəˈnɒmɪks/ n. 微觀經濟學（由economics加上表示微小的前綴micro-）
concept /ˈkɒnsept/ n. 概念
During the lesson, all participants listened to three pieces of classical music. After the class, they were asked to spend the night in the sleep lab and while they were asleep, sounds were played in the background. For half of the participants, the sound was white noise, but the other half were played the exact same three pieces they listened to while they were studying.
participant /pɑːˈtɪsɪp(ə)nt/ n. 參與者
classical /ˈklæsɪk(ə)l/ adj. 古典的
background /ˈbækɡraʊnd/ n. 背景
white noise 白噪聲（指包含所有聲音頻段的噪聲）
When they took the test the next day, students and examiners had no idea what sounds had been played in their room the night before, but the test scores showed a clear difference: The students who had been exposed to the "study music" while they slept performed better on the test.
examiner /ɪɡˈzæmɪnə(r)/ n. 考官
have no idea 不知道
score /skɔː(r)/ n. 分數
expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/ v. 暴露、接觸
perform /pəˈfɔːm/ v. 做（某事）
There were a few reasons the research group selected three classical music pieces as study music: They knew that students already often listen to instrumental music while studying, and that it is much less distracting than music with lyrics. But they also wanted to make sure that the music they played had distinct melodies, so that the brain could more easily form connections between the music and the study material. The three pieces they chose fit the bill perfectly.
instrumental /ˌɪnstrəˈment(ə)l/ adj. 樂器的（由instrument加後綴-al變成形容詞；instrumental music指沒有歌詞的樂曲）
distract /dɪˈstrækt/ v. 使分心、使分神
lyrics /ˈlɪrɪks/ n. 歌詞
make sure 確保
distinct /dɪˈstɪŋkt/ adj. 明顯的、清晰的
melody /ˈmelədi/ n. 旋律、曲調
connection /kəˈnekʃ(ə)n/ n. 聯繫、連接（由connect加後綴-ion變成名詞）
fit the bill 符合要求
The researchers were quick to point out that their music choice had nothing to do with any special link between classical music and memory. As long as the music isn't too abrupt that it would wake you up, or too distracting during study time, this is something that students could be trying at home while they prepare for their exams. The trick is to listen to music while studying, and then have that exact same music playing on loop at night.
have nothing to do with 跟…無關
link /lɪŋk/ n. 聯繫
as long as 只要
abrupt /əˈbrʌpt/ adj. 突然的、讓人意外的
trick /trɪk/ n. 竅門、訣竅
loop /luːp/ n. 循環
Unfortunately, the effect seems to wear off over time. Music could improve test scores the next day, but after a few months the music listeners were back at the same level as the students who slept with white noise in the background.
wear off 逐漸消失、衰減
over time 隨着時間的推移
level /ˈlev(ə)l/ n. 水平
The researchers also noticed that the effect seemed to be more pronounced for female students than it was for men, but they didn't yet have enough information to be certain that the effect was indeed gender-related. Either way, this study trick could just make the difference between a passing or failing grade for some people.
pronounced /prəˈnaʊnst/ adj. 顯著的
indeed /ɪnˈdiːd/ adv. 確實
gender /ˈdʒendə(r)/ n. 性別
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 相關的
either way （兩種情況中）不管是哪種情況（這裏指不管是不是跟性別有關）
make the difference 起決定作用
grade /ɡreɪd/ n. 分數等級
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