介绍： 网易怎么了，怎么说都是敏感词？

Why do people like sad music?

VOCABULARY
1.不能忍受

2.hormone激素
a natural chemical produced in the body

3.lactation哺 r 期
the process in mammals of producing milk

4.comforting安慰
calming and soothing, making you feel better emotionally

5.what’s going on发生了什么
wha...

介绍： 网易怎么了，怎么说都是敏感词？

Why do people like sad music?

VOCABULARY
1.不能忍受

2.hormone激素
a natural chemical produced in the body

3.lactation哺 r 期
the process in mammals of producing milk

4.comforting安慰
calming and soothing, making you feel better emotionally

5.what’s going on发生了什么
what’s happening

6.an excess of超出
too much or a more than normal amount of something

Transcript
Sam
Hello. This is 6 Minute English. I'm Sam.

Neil
And I'm Neil.

Sam
Do you like sad music, Neil?

Neil
Well, when I was younger and if I had a break-up with a girlfriend I would listen to sad songs, songs which reflected my mood.

Sam
And do you still listen to those songs now?

Neil
Not so much, but I do still like them.

Sam
Well, it seems as if there might be a biological reason why some of us do like sad songs. We’ll look at this topic a little more after this week’s quiz question, which is about music videos. The music video has been around for a while, but in what year was MTV, the first dedicated music video channel, launched in the US? Was it…
A: 1981,
B: 1982, or
C: 1983?
Neil Well…

Sam
What do you think, Neil?

Neil
I’m going to guess. Is it the early 1980s?

Sam
Well, yes. Care to be more specific?

Neil
Well… Well, it was a long time ago – I was just a small boy. I'm going to go for 1982.

Sam
OK, I’ll have answer later in the programme. But first, more about sad songs. Professor David Huron from Ohio State University has conducted research in this area and he discussed it recently on a BBC World Service radio programme

Professor Huron

Sam
So which hormone did he mention?

Neil
He talked about the hormone called prolactin which he said was connected to lactation. This is the production of milk by mammals to feed their young.

Sam

Professor Huron

Sam So, what conclusions did he make about this hormone and how it might be working? Professor Huron explains.

Professor Huron.

Sam
So what is happening? Or as Professor Huron said, what’s going on?

Neil Well, it seems quite simple, though I’m sure it’s very complicated. People who like sad music are maybe getting too much prolactin or more than is normal – he describes this as an excess of prolactin. And maybe people who don’t like sad music aren’t getting enough.
Sam
So, the idea is that prolactin is a hormone which we find comforting. If our bodies release it when we hear sad music, it gives us a good feeling – but if prolactin isn’t released or there isn’t enough of it, we just find the sad music sad and it doesn’t help to cheer us up.
Neil
I guess so, but you know emotions are funny things - it’s weird to think that our feelings are caused by different natural chemicals that run around the body. Absolutely! OK, we’re going to take another look at today’s vocabulary but first, the answer to this week’s quiz. The music video has been around for a while, but in what year was MTV, the first dedicated music video channel, launched in the US? Was it…
A: 1981,
B: 1982, or
C: 1983?
And Neil, you said…

Neil
I said it was definitely the early 80s.
Sam
Well, you’re not wrong there, but which year exactly?
Neil ‘82?

Sam
Ah well, you’ll need to dig out a sad song to make you feel better now because the answer was 1981.

Neil

Sam

Neil
A hormone is one of the body’s natural chemicals.

Sam
And the hormone prolactin is connected with lactation, which is the production of milk by mammals.
Neil
Something that is comforting makes you feel better emotionally.
Sam
The phrase what’s going on has a very similar meaning to 'what’s happening'.
Neil
And an excess of something is 'too much or a more than normal amount of that thing'.

Sam

Neil
Goodbye!