Reading the News
Happy or Sad: What Type of Music Do You Like?
[1] Professor David Huron from Ohio State University conducted the research and looked at the difference between people who love to listen to sad music and those who can’t stand it. He told the BBC radio programme “The Why Factor” that it comes down to a natural hormone called prolactin. He says: “as you might have guessed from the name, it’s associated with ‘lactation’from breast-feeding. When people cry, they also release prolactin. And, there are circumstances in which prolactin seems to have this comforting effect.”
[2] It seems that people who like sad music are maybe getting too much prolactin, or more than is normal, and when they hear sad, downbeat music, it gives them a good feeling. But if prolactin isn’t released, or there isn’t enough of it, some people find that sad sounds don’t help to cheer them up.
New Words and Expressions
hormone /
hɔ:məʊn/ n. 荷尔蒙；激素
prolactin /prəʊ'læktɪn/ n. 催乳素
lactation /læk'teɪʃn/ n. 哺乳期
comforting / 
kʌmfətɪŋ/ adj. 令人欣慰的；安慰的
downbeat / 
daʊnbi:t/ adj. 消沉的，悲观的
cheer sb. up 使……高兴起来，使……振作