THE POWER OF MUSIC

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 469.

TEXT 1

Exercise 8. Read and translate the text. But before you read look at the following statements and decide whether you agree or disagree with them.

1. There are few places where you can avoid hearing music.

2. Our taste in music is personal.

3. Music can affect us physically.

4. The only music which affects us positively is that which we like.

5. Music can be used to cure people in hospitals.

6. Certain types of music can be harmful.

Nowadays it is almost impossible to escape from music, even if we want to. It thunders out of every shop, hisses horribly through other people's stereos on public transport, lulls you in restaurants, and blasts out of car windows.

But although we all can have music wherever we go, very few of us have any real idea of the effect music has on the human system. For many years it has been thought that musical tastes are subjective - that one person will like jazz while another prefers classical music.

But recent research in America and Australia has shown that appreciation of music is not a matter of individual taste. Certain types of music have a particular effect on us, regardless of whether we like them or not. For instance, some music will help us feel relaxed and peaceful, whereas other types may be stimulating to the brain, encouraging creativity and curiosity. Some music promotes loving feelings while other sounds call for violence.

As a result music is being used in hospitals and doctors have found that 20 minutes of soothing music is often far more effective than tranquilizers or sleeping pills.

Psychologists believe that all music can be divided into three types, and each of them has different effect on the body and mind. The first is low-energy music, the sort that makes you feel bad. Most rock music falls into this category. In fact it has been discovered that rock music makes people feel hate instead of love. The work of some classical composers, such as Debussy, has also been found to have a negative effect.

The next category is high-energy music. This makes you feel better and it can help to normalize the heart rate. J. S. Bach's music has exceptionally high energy.

The third category is prayerful music. This is the most healing of all. Much of the classical music written before 1600 falls into this category.

It seems that most jazz, country and western music is simply neutral, having neither healing nor harmful effect.

Scientific work on the healing power of music started with plant research in 1970s. Many types of classical music speeded plant growth, whereas heavy metal caused plants to draw away from the speakers and die.

Music can also help us in our daily life. For example, you can prepare yourself for important occasions such as an exam or a job interview by humming an appropriate tune. It can also act as a pain reliever when you go to the dentist, or it can simply give expression to your mood. Listening to music gives you brain a break and helps you get through the day.