很多人喜欢听音乐。科学研究表明，音乐能提高人的短期记忆力。如果在考试前善加利用，就能提高考试成绩。
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. 记忆力
Researchers at Baylor University's Sleep Neuroscience（神经科学） and Cognition（认知） 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加上表示人的后缀-er）
performance /pəˈfɔːməns/ n. （工作、学习等）表现、成绩
technique /tekˈniːk/ n. 技巧、方法
target /ˈtɑːɡɪt/ v. 以…为靶子、以…为目标
reactivation /rɪˌæktɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 重新激活（由reactivate加后缀-ion变成名词）
signal /ˈsɪɡn(ə)l/ n. 信号
reactivate /rɪˈæktɪveɪt/ v. 重新激活（由activate加上表示再次的前缀re-）
★ 这句话里that were formed during the day是个定语从句，修饰前面的memories，后面的while从句不在这个定语从句之内。
focus /ˈfəʊkəs/ on 聚焦于
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. 确定速度、调整节奏
interactive /ˌɪntəˈræktɪv/ adj. 交互式的
microeconomics /ˌmaɪkrəʊiːkəˈnɒmɪks/ n. 微观经济学（由economics加上表示微小的前缀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. 参与者
classical /ˈklæsɪk(ə)l/ adj. 古典的
background /ˈbækɡraʊnd/ n. 背景
white noise 白噪声（指包含所有声音频段的噪声）
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. 分数
expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/ v. 暴露、接触
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. 乐器的（由instrument加后缀-al变成形容词；instrumental music指没有歌词的乐曲）
distract /dɪˈstrækt/ v. 使分心、使分神
lyrics /ˈlɪrɪks/ n. 歌词
make sure 确保
distinct /dɪˈstɪŋkt/ adj. 明显的、清晰的
melody /ˈmelədi/ n. 旋律、曲调
connection /kəˈnekʃ(ə)n/ n. 联系、连接（由connect加后缀-ion变成名词）
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…无关
link /lɪŋk/ n. 联系
as long as 只要
abrupt /əˈbrʌpt/ adj. 突然的、让人意外的
trick /trɪk/ n. 窍门、诀窍
loop /luːp/ n. 循环
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 逐渐消失、衰减
over time 随着时间的推移
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. 显著的
indeed /ɪnˈdiːd/ adv. 确实
gender /ˈdʒendə(r)/ n. 性别
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 相关的
either way （两种情况中）不管是哪种情况（这里指不管是不是跟性别有关）
make the difference 起决定作用
grade /ɡreɪd/ n. 分数等级
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