Musicproducesprofoundandlastingchangesinthebrain．Schoolsshouldaddmusicclasses，notcutthem．Nearly20yearsago，asmallstudyadvancedthe（51）___thatlisteningtoMozart'sSonata（奏鸣曲）couldboostmentalfunctioning

　　Music produces profound and lasting changes in the brain．Schools should add music classes，not cut them．Nearly 20years ago，a small study advanced the（51）___ that listening to Mozart's Sonata（奏鸣曲） could boost mental functioning．It was not long （52）___ trademarked"Mozart effect"products began to appeal to anxious parents aiming to put toddlers （刚学步的孩子） on the fast track to prestigious universities like Harvard and Yale．Georgia's governor even （53）___ giving every newborn there a classical CD or cassette．

　　The （54）___ for Mozart therapy turned out to be weak，perhaps nonexistent，although the （55）___ study never claimed anything more than a temporary and limited effect．In recent years，（56）___，scientists have examined the benefits of a continuous effort to study and practice music，in contrast to playing a Mozart CD or a computer-based"brain fitness"game （57）___ in a while．

　　Advanced monitoring （58）___ have enabled scientists to see what happens inside your head when you listen to your mother and actually practice the violin for an hour every afternoon．And they have found that music（59）___ can produce profound and lasting changes that （60）___ the general ability to learn．These results should （61）___ public officials that music classes are not a mere decoration，ready for being given up in the budget crises that constantly troubles public schools．

　　Studies have shown that （62）___ instrument training from an early age can help the brain to （63）___ sounds better，making it （64）___ to stay focused when absorbing other subjects，from literature to mathematics．The musically experienced are better able to （65）___ a biology lesson despite the noise in the classroom or，a few years later，to finish a call with a client when a colleague in the next office starts screaming a subordinate（下属）．They can be engaged in several things at once，which is an essential skill in this era of multitasking．

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