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Children who study a musical instrument for at least three years outperform children with no instrumental training on non-musical tests of vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning.
学一门乐器至少3年以上的孩子，在音乐以外的词汇测验和非语言推理方面，成绩要优于没有接受过器乐训练的孩子。
This new finding adds to a list of music's magic. Past research has shown tunes can evoke strong memories, reduce stress and even boost athletic performance.
这一新的发现（无形中）给音乐平添了一系列魅力。曾经有研究指出，乐律可以唤起强烈的回忆，减轻压力，甚至增强运动机能。
Researchers compared 41 kids, ages 8 to 11, who had studied either piano or a string instrument for at least three years, with 18 children who had no instrument training. Children in both groups spent about half an hour each week in music classes at school. But instrument-wielding kids also attended private music lessons for an average of 45 minutes a week and practiced on their own at home.
有研究者对41个年龄在8—11周岁、至少学习过钢琴或弦乐器3年以上的孩子，和18个未曾接触过乐器培训的孩子，作过对比研究。两组孩子每周都在学校上大约半小时的音乐课。不过，挥洒乐器的孩子另外还参加每周平均45分钟的私人音乐课程，并在家自行练习。
Tests showed the kids who practiced instruments scored much higher than their non-musical counterparts on auditory discrimination and finger dexterity, both skills closely tied with musical training.
测试显示：在听觉辨别和手指灵巧度方面，练过乐器的孩子得分远远高于没练过乐器的对照组孩子，（看来）这两种技能与音乐训练培养都密不可分。
The young musicians' vocabulary scores were 15 percent higher, and non-verbal reasoning scores were 11 percent higher. The longer the child was musically trained, the higher the scores.
小乐手们的词汇得分高出15%以上，非语言推理得分高出11%以上。孩子接受音乐培训的时间越长，得分就越高。
The study was done by Gottfried Schlaug of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and psychologist Ellen Winner of Boston College and Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and their colleagues. The findings were detailed in the Oct. 29 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.
这项研究由在贝斯以色列女执事医疗中心及哈佛医学院就职的Gottfried Schlaug、在波士顿大学就职并加入哈佛教育研究所零点方案的心理学家Ellen Winner以及他们的同事共同完成。研究结果详细披露于PLoS ONE网络杂志10月29日的期刊上。
While the results suggest a link between music training and cognitive abilities, the researchers say further studies are needed to figure out whether one causes the other.
虽然研究结果证明了音乐训练和认知能力之间存在关联，但研究者们说，有必要作更深入的研究，去找出是否一个导致了另一个的结果。
"It could be that kids who are better at these skills to begin with are the ones who stick with music training," Winner said. "So if I'm a really smart kid I'm more likely to stick with music training."
“有可能那些一开始在这些能力上表现更优秀的孩子往往越能坚持学习音乐。”Winner说，“所以，如果我真的是个聪明的小孩，我就会更愿意坚持学习音乐。”
She added, "But it could also be that music trainingis improving my verbal and my non-verbal reasoning."
她补充说，“但也有可能是音乐学习提高了我的语言推理和非语言推理能力。”
In a follow-up study, Winner's team is following students from the beginning of their music training, measuring cognitive skills along the way. If they do find a causal link between music and brainy tests, Winner said it would make sense.
在接下来的研究中，Winner的研究团队从学生学习音乐伊始就进行跟踪研究，并一路检测（他们的）认知能力。Winner强调，如果他们真能发现音乐与脑力测试之间的因果联系，那将多有意义。
"Music involves grasping patterns, and the non-verbal reasoning task involves grasping patterns," Winner told LiveScience. "You have to pay attention to the pattern of sounds, and you also have to pay attention to the pattern of the notes when you're looking at music notation."
“音乐牵涉到表现形式的把握，非语言推理工作牵涉到表现形式的把握，”Winner告诉《生活科学》刊物记者，“你必须注意声音的表现形式，当你在浏览乐谱时，你还须重视音符的表现力。”
The research was funded by the Dana Foundation, International Foundation for Music Research and National Science Foundation.
唐纳基金、音乐研究国际基金和国际科学基金均给该项研究提供了资金。
Credit: dreamstime
注：英文原文选自http://www.nbcnews.com/，作者Jeanna Bryner，译文系笔者原创。
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