2020版江苏省高考英语大二轮复习语法基础专题四 专题强化训练

任务型阅读(一)[学生用书P151(单独成册)]

(建议用时：25分钟)

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(2019·江苏四星级学校联考)When you listen to artists like Jay-Z, or Common, just the thought of freestyle rap might be frightening enough to make your shy away. Scientific research shows that rap might offer you an opportunity for self-exploration and expression. Besides, freestyle rap might improve your brain’s creative power, too, and when it does, it can free you from boredom and relax you from everyday tasks. Here’s how.

In a study, brain researcher Siyuan Liu and his colleagues compared freestyle rap and rehearsed rap of native English speakers to see how their brains operated under both conditions. When you perform a rehearsed act, the lateral prefrontal cortex(PFC)(额叶前皮层), which is instrumental in thought control and recall, is activated. But they found that for more spontaneous(自发的) singing, the lateral PFC is not activated because you rely more on strong emotions to find the right language without the distraction of prepared melodies. When trying to complete a task, your focused brain is essential. But for creativity, your brain must go into regrouping mode to avoid habits and form new ideas. Freestyle rap will train you to access this capacity in your brain.

During this rap study, left­sided brain regions which are responsible for language and movement were also activated. These regions are usually activated by the act of speaking, so there was no surprise that rapping had the same effect. However, freestyle rap causes these regions to be activated above normal, which indicates that something special occurs. Freestyle rap requires you to find novel words and phrases that rhyme. This search for unique language patterns is a way to train your brain to become more creative. However, words are not all the same. By making freestyle rap part of your everyday routine, you will add emotional weight to your words, allowing you to communicate in a more effective and accurate way.

The rehearsed and freestyle rappers in the study had no difference in movement. They produced the same number of syllables, and the primary movement areas in the brain were similar in both groups. However, there was greater involvement of secondary movement areas in freestyle

rap. When secondary movement areas engage, the movement is more enriched. This is similar to the way an inspired figure skater moves as opposed to that of a well­rehearsed skater who goes on technically but without the same beautiful sense of timing. Secondary movement in rap reflects the demand for rap speed, the rushed need to find the best words, and the way such words fit with a rhythm. Consequently, when you want to express yourself at greater speed to catch someone’s attention or create a bigger impact in a meeting or something like that, your essay in freestyle rap can be of great help to you.

To understand the connections between the different brain regions, the researchers of the study expanded to further analyses. The results indicated that freestyle rap requires the brain to access special regions involved with emotion and motivation. This makes sense when you think about the emotional intensity(强度) behind Jay-Z’s rap tracks that require him to process information and storylines. In this way, freestyle rap reminds you to invest in what you truly care about. Rather than functioning like a robot in your day­to­day life, you can put your unique spin on things.