EigoPro 準2級プラス 読解 — More Than Just a Sound

More Than Just a Sound Almost everyone enjoys music, but few people stop to think about what it actually does to us. Recent research suggests that music is far more powerful than we once believed. It can change our mood, help us learn, and even support people who are seriously ill. Music and the Brain Scientists have discovered that listening to music activates many different parts of the brain at once. When we hear a song we love, the brain releases chemicals that make us feel happy — the same chemicals released when we eat delicious food or meet a good friend. This may be one reason why a favorite song can lift our spirits so quickly. A Tool for Healing Perhaps the most surprising discovery is how music can help in hospitals. Doctors have found that gentle music can lower a patient's stress and even reduce the amount of pain medicine they need. In some cases, patients who have lost the ability to speak after an illness can still sing, and singing slowly helps them find their words again. Learning With Music Music can also help us learn. Many people find it easier to remember information when it is set to a tune — which is why children often learn the alphabet through a song. Some studies suggest that learning to play an instrument may even improve memory and concentration in other subjects. A Universal Language Music exists in every culture on Earth, and it has done so for thousands of years. Although the styles are endlessly different, the power of music to move us seems to be shared by all human beings. As one researcher said, "Music may be the closest thing we have to a truly universal language."

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この単元の問題を3問、解説つきで公開しています

準2級プラス · 読解 · 全5問

問 1

What does recent research suggest about music?

  • It is harmful to the human brain.
  • It has almost no effect on people.
  • It is only useful for entertainment.
  • It is far more powerful than we once believed.
Phrase

more powerful than we believed

準2級プラス読解科学記事研究の示唆
⚡ひとことで

「It is far more powerful than we once believed.」を表す読解フレーズ。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「It is far more powerful than we once believed.」

正解

本文 "Recent research suggests that music is far more powerful than we once believed" より、研究は音楽が以前思っていたよりずっと強力だと示唆する。far more ~ than ... = 「…よりずっと〜」、once = 「かつて」。

  • 「It has almost no effect at all on people.」

    = ほとんど効果なし ━ powerful と矛盾。

  • 「It is only useful as a form of entertainment.」

    = 娯楽のみ ━ 学習・治療にも役立ち逆。

  • 「It is quite harmful to the human brain.」

    = 脳に有害 ━ 幸福物質を出し逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
far more ~ than ...…よりずっと〜far more powerful than we believed
research suggests that ~研究は〜を示唆Recent research suggests that
onceかつてthan we once believed
stop to + 動詞立ち止まって〜するstop to think about what it does
change one's mood気分を変えるchange our mood
❝例文

  • Music is more powerful than we believed.

    音楽は思っていたより強力。

  • It can change our mood and help us learn.

    気分を変え学習を助ける。

  • Few people stop to think about it.

    立ち止まって考える人は少ない。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

示唆設問では research suggests that ~ の that 節が核。far more ~ than ... (= …よりずっと〜)、stop to + 動詞 は準2級プラス必須。誤答は効果なし / 有害など本文の肯定的内容と逆で誘導。

問 2

What happens in the brain when we hear a song we love?

  • Only one tiny part of the brain reacts.
  • The brain releases chemicals that cause pain.
  • The brain stops working for a while.
  • The brain releases chemicals that make us feel happy.
Phrase

brain releases happy chemicals

準2級プラス読解科学記事脳の反応
⚡ひとことで

「The brain releases chemicals that make us feel happy.」を表す読解フレーズ。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「The brain releases chemicals that make us feel happy.」

正解

本文 "the brain releases chemicals that make us feel happy — the same chemicals released when we eat delicious food" より、好きな曲を聞くと脳が幸福を感じさせる化学物質を出す。release ~ = 「〜を放出する」、make + 人 + 動詞 = 「(人)を〜させる」。

  • 「The brain stops working for a while.」

    = 脳が一時停止 ━ 活性化し逆。

  • 「The brain releases chemicals that cause pain.」

    = 痛みを起こす物質 ━ happy と矛盾。

  • 「Only one tiny part of the brain reacts.」

    = 脳の一部だけ反応 ━ many different parts と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
release chemicals化学物質を放出するreleases chemicals
make + 人 + 動詞(人)を〜させるmake us feel happy
activate ~〜を活性化するactivates many parts of the brain
at once同時にmany different parts at once
lift one's spirits気分を高めるlift our spirits so quickly
❝例文

  • The brain releases happy chemicals.

    脳が幸福物質を出す。

  • Music activates many parts of the brain at once.

    音楽は脳の多くの部分を同時に活性化。

  • A favorite song can lift our spirits.

    好きな曲は気分を高める。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

反応設問では releases chemicals that ... の関係代名詞節が核。make + 人 + 動詞 (使役)、lift one's spirits は準2級プラス必須。誤答は痛み / 一部だけなど本文と逆で誘導。

問 3

How can music help in hospitals?

  • It can make patients more stressed.
  • It can lower stress and reduce the amount of pain medicine needed.
  • It can replace all medicine completely.
  • It can cure every illness instantly.
Phrase

lower stress, reduce pain medicine

準2級プラス読解科学記事病院での効用
⚡ひとことで

「It can lower stress and reduce the amount of pain medicine needed.」を表す読解フレーズ。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「It can lower stress and reduce the amount of pain medicine needed.」

正解

本文 "gentle music can lower a patient's stress and even reduce the amount of pain medicine they need" より、音楽はストレスを下げ鎮痛薬の量を減らせる。lower ~ = 「〜を下げる」、reduce the amount of ~ = 「〜の量を減らす」。

  • 「It can replace all other medicine completely in hospital.」

    = 薬を完全に代替 ━ reduce であり置換ではない。

  • 「It can make hospital patients feel a great deal more stressed.」

    = より強いストレスに ━ lower stress と逆。

  • 「It can cure every kind of serious illness almost instantly.」

    = 全病気を即治す ━ 誇張で本文になし。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
lower stressストレスを下げるlower a patient's stress
reduce the amount of ~〜の量を減らすreduce the amount of pain medicine
the most surprising discovery最も驚きの発見the most surprising discovery
lose the ability to ~〜する能力を失うlost the ability to speak
find one's words言葉を取り戻すfind their words again
❝例文

  • Music can lower a patient's stress.

    音楽は患者のストレスを下げる。

  • It reduces the amount of pain medicine needed.

    鎮痛薬の量を減らす。

  • Some patients who cannot speak can still sing.

    話せない患者も歌えることがある。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

効用設問では can lower ... and reduce ... の動詞列挙を拾う。reduce the amount of ~、lose the ability to ~ は準2級プラス必須。誤答は薬を完全代替 / 即治癒など誇張で誘導。

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