Whether you love to belt out tunes at karaoke or just sing in the shower, it turns out that singing can be good for both physical and mental health. And you don't even have to be good at it!
The physical and mental advantages of singing are caused by a combination of factors, according to Baishali Mukherjee from the World Federation of Music Therapy. He told BBC Future, "The physical exertion involved in singing – filling of our lungs, the firm control of our vocal cords, the movements of our mouth and body – is among the reasons why it can boost our mood." Hitting all thenotes involves breathing control and the use of the diaphragm. This can lead to an increase of oxygen intake and lung capacity.
Also, apparently, singing in a group brings just as many benefits as singingsolo. It has been estimated that over 2.2 million people in Britain now regularly sing in a choir. A choir can be amateur or professional and is made up of people who sing together, often inharmony with different people singing different parts, such as soprano or tenor, according to their vocal range.
A 2022 University of Vienna study found that choral singing enhances feelings of trust and bonding among a group, which can help with depression and loneliness. And, aside from mood-boosting, other proven mental health benefits of singing include a lowering of stress and anxiety levels due to the release of endorphins – the so-called 'happy hormones'.
So, whether you are a confident vocalist or not, give singing a go! You don't need an instrument because that's you. And yes, you might forget the lyrics or sound a little out of tune, but remember, there are a wealth of positives.词汇表
1. What leads to an increase of oxygen intake and lung capacity when singing?
2. How many people are estimated to sing in a choir in the UK?
3. True or False? People who sing in choirs are professional vocalists.
4. How can singing in a choir help depression and loneliness?
5. Why can stress and anxiety levels be lowered when you sing?
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. My friends and I go to _______ regularly – we love it!
karaoke diaphragm instrument exertion
2. I can't _______ of this song. It's too high for my voice.
belt out sing hit all the notes boost
3. He's never sung _______ in front of an audience – he's too shy!
vocal range choir solo lyrics
4. Everyone in the group is an _______. They just sing as a hobby.
amateur tenor soprano choral
5. They sound so beautiful when everyone sings together _______.
out of tune in harmony tune control
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. What leads to an increase of oxygen intake and lung capacity when singing?
Breathing control and use of the diaphragm.
2. How many people are estimated to sing in a choir in the UK?
It has been estimated that over 2.2 million people in Britain now sing regularly in a choir.
3. True or False? People who sing in choirs are professional vocalists.
False. A choir can be amateur or professional.
4. How can singing in a choir help depression and loneliness?
A 2022University of Vienna study found that choral singing enhances feelings of trust and bonding among a group, which can help with depression and loneliness.
5. Why can stress and anxiety levels be lowered when you sing?
Because of the release of endorphins – the so-called 'happy hormones'.
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. My friends and I go to karaoke regularly – we love it!
2. I can't hit all the notes of this song. It's too high for my voice.
3. He's never sung solo in front of an audience – he's too shy!
4. Everyone in the group is an amateur. They just sing as a hobby.
5. They sound so beautiful when everyone sings together in harmony.
Is there anything nicer than a cooling ice cream on a hot summer's day? This traditional treat is centuries old, but our tastes and consumer habits are evolving. How is the ice cream productionprocess changing, and who is driving this change?
Making ice cream is a time-consuming process. While the recipe is simple – milk, sugar and fat, plus flavours and colours – ice cream has a complex chemistry. Getting the balance right between ice, fat and air is important if the ice cream is to have the right texture. To achieve this, the ingredients need to be mixed and heated, then cooled and frozen – a process that takes time and uses a lot of energy. Designers and engineers are working to improve the production process with new specialised equipment to make it increasingly automated. For now, however, even with the help of robots and 3D printers, it can take up to two years from testing a new frozen dessert product to it being available to consumers.
And demand is only going up. According to the food packaging company Tetra Pak, more than 25 billion litres of ice cream were eaten worldwide in 2021. While the US and China are the biggest consumers, data from NielsenIQ shows that people in the UK bought 28% more ice cream during the UK's record-breaking summer compared to a year earlier. Clearly, rising temperatures can explain why some people are buying more ice cream, but it's not the only explanation. The pandemic has seen people reaching for pleasures they can enjoy at home, which include eating indulgent foods. And worries about the cost-of-living crisis could have a similar effect, as even a premium ice cream is an affordable treat.
So, what new things can we expect on a stick or in a cone? Consumers of all ages buy ice cream, but it is millennial consumers who are driving interest in more original flavours, including spices. Dairy still dominates, but plant-based ice cream, sorbets and low-calorie choices are a growing part of the frozen dessert market. But, according to Elsebeth Baungaard, portfolio manager at Tetra Pak, the next global trend will be less about innovation and more about portion size. "I'm sorry to say it's simply shrinking", she says. "But the quality will be higher."词汇表
treat 美食，享受
taste 口味
evolve 变化，演变
production process 生产过程
drive (a change) 推动（变化）
flavour 口味
complex 复杂的
get the balance right 把握好…的平衡
texture 口感
increasingly automated 越来越自动化
frozen dessert 冷冻甜品
indulgent 作为一种享受的
premium 优质的，顶级的
affordable 买得起的
on a stick 在棍子上的
in a cone 在锥形蛋筒里的
dairy 乳品
plant-based ice cream 植物基冰淇淋
sorbet 冰糕，雪糕
global trend 全球趋势
portion size 份量
shrink 变小，缩小测验与练习
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. How do you get the right texture in ice cream?
2. How long can it take to create a new ice cream?
3. True or False? Rising temperatures are the only reason people are buying more ice cream.
4. What new flavours and ingredients can we expect in the future?
5. True or False? The next global trend in ice cream will be smaller portion sizes.
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. When we were children, we were allowed one biscuit as a _______ after dinner.
treat dairy indulgent premium
2. My tastes have _______ over time. I prefer salty snacks to sweet treats now.
consumer habits evolved processed driven
3. Try to _______ an apple rather than a chocolate bar when you're hungry.
portion size dominate shrink reach for
4. We decided to pay a little extra for the _______ seats. The view of the stage was much better.
affordable premium millennial innovation
5. The tech company dominates the market because of its _______ and ability to adapt to global trends.
premium innovation indulgent texture答案
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. How do you get the right texture in ice cream?To get the right texture when making ice cream, you need to get the balance right between ice, fat and air.
2. How long can it take to create a new ice cream?
It can take up to two years from testing a new frozen dessert product to it being available to consumers.
3. True or False? Rising temperatures are the only reason people are buying more ice cream.
False. The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis mean people are reaching for indulgent but affordable treats they can enjoy at home.
4. What new flavours and ingredients can we expect in the future?
We can expect more original flavours, including spices, and more plant-based ice cream, sorbets and low-calorie choices.
5. True or False? The next global trend in ice cream will be smaller portion sizes.
True. Portions will shrink but the quality will be higher, according to Elsebeth Baungaard, portfolio manager at Tetra Pak.
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. When we were children, we were allowed one biscuit as a treat after dinner.
2. My tastes have evolved over time. I prefer salty snacks to sweet treats now.
3. Try to reach for an apple rather than a chocolate bar when you're hungry.
4. We decided to pay a little extra for the premium seats. The view of the stage was much better.
5. The tech company dominates the market because of its innovation and ability to adapt to global trends.
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