People who have got rhythm might have an advantage when it comes to language and reading skills. A new study shows the brains of people who can move to a musical beat react to speech on a more consistent basis than those who can't. Researchers also find that musical training can sharpen the brain's response to language.

The researchers say their discovery provides the first biological link between the ability to keep a beat and how the brain responds to speech, something that can have important value for reading skills. To gather materials for their research, the team got more than 100 teenagers who lived in Chicago, Illinois. The teens were given two tests. First, they were instructed to listen to and tap their fingers along to the beat. The researchers calculated how accurately their young volunteers were able to tap along to the musical timekeeper. Second, the teen subjects were linked to an EEG device, which measures electrical activity in the brain. The EEG device was focused on an area of the brain that not only processes sound, but is also connected to parts of the brain responsible for motor-movement. The researchers recorded the brainwaves as their teen subjects listened to the synthesized speech sound, which was repeated irregularly for half an hour. The researchers were able to find out how the nerve cells in that particular region of the brain responded every time the synthesized sound was played. a Across this population of adolescents, the more accurate they were at tapping along to the beat, the more consistent their brains' response to the letter unit was," said Nina Kraus.

While past studies have showed the links between reading skills and a person's ability to keep a beat, the researchers said their new findings show the hearing system is what provides a common basis for those links. “Rhythm is naturally a part of music and language." Nina said.

As an adult, I like nothing better than to sit on the beach reading. Give me a satisfying “beach read” and I’m happy for days. However, I’m sad to say it isn’t really a thing for kids. Most kids would rather take their boards out beyond their parents’ comfort zone than read. And who can blame them?

But the truth is that even when kids are on vacation, they need the same sort of relax, and reading time that we adults look forward to. The trick is getting them to sit for 5 or 10 minutes to refresh their bodies and to enjoy the pleasure of reading.

Books tend to be kind of heavy and they can get wet or filled with sand and are then pretty much ruined. Book chapters tend to be kind of long. Your child may refuse to read. And if your kids are anything like my daughter, they may hate to close a book in the middle of the chapter.

You know what I’m going to say, right? Magazines won’t weigh you down. They can be thrown away if they get wet, and will provide just the right amount of reading for the times when my daughter is ready to sit under the umbrella and cool down for a few minutes. Literary magazines will allow your child to read wonderful fiction paired with beautiful illustrations(插图). Discovery magazines deliver articles on all sorts of topics that will excite and interest your nonfiction lover.

So don’t leave the beach read behind when you pack the beach bags. Slip a magazine or two in the pocket of the bag and when your child needs a few minutes of downtime(休息), pull it out and get them to sit for 10 minutes or so.

Dream Freedom is based on a real-life teacher and her students. After reading a newspaper article to her class about atrocities(暴行) in Sudan, Miss Hazel’s class wants to help. Their research uncovers a way to buy back slaves and the students work to raise money to purchase liberty for as many slaves as they can and to educate others about human rights and freedoms.

This novel is told mostly through a collection of short stories that feature the interactions of the primary trustee of the philanthropic Rosewater Foundation, and the people of Rosewater County, Indiana. Eliot, a drunk and a volunteer firefighter, has decided to actually give all his money to the needy, which makes people doubt whether he is normal.

Katsa’s Grace is killing, which she has tempered to fighting and been put to use by her manipulative(操纵的) uncle, to torture people. Katsa dislikes her uncle and being forced to hurt people so she moonlights as a rescuer as part of a secret council she’s formed to promote fairness and honesty over cruelty and abuses of power.

The book alternates between the different perspectives of Hannah, an American teen who feels herself out of tune with her family and the world, and Mei, a young artist of Chinese origin desperate about life. Hannah, passionate about saving the whales and the environment, turns her energy to helping needy people. Their stories come together as Hannah and Mei become friends and help each other heal and hope.