每日英语口语练习 2026-09-08（周二）

• 今日主题：为什么我们爱听悲伤的音乐？Why do people like sad music?
• 来源：BBC 6 Minute English（Sam & Neil，2019-11-07，ep-191107）
• 今日时长：约 6 分钟（听材料 6 分钟 + 跟读/即兴练习建议控制在 6 分钟内）

📖 原文/对话（来源：BBC 6 Minute English「Why do people like sad music?」ep-191107）

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: I’m going to guess. Is it the early 1980s? Well, it was a long time ago – I was just a small boy. I’m going to go for 1982. Sam: OK, I’ll reveal the 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 – The Why Factor. He was looking at why some people like sad music and other people really don’t like it at all, as he says they just can’t stand it. He believes it’s to do with a hormone. A hormone is a natural chemical in our bodies which can have an effect on various systems and also emotions. Listen out for the name of the hormone he mentions. Prof. Huron: One of the things that we were interested in was ‘what’s the difference between people who listen to sad music and who love it, and people who listen to sad music and who just can’t stand it’. In our research, it started pointing towards a hormone called prolactin. Now, prolactin, as you might have guessed from the name, is 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. 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: What he noted was that this hormone can be released when people cry and in some cases this hormone has a comforting effect. When something is comforting, it makes you feel better, it calms your emotions. Let’s listen again. Prof. Huron: So the thought was that, perhaps what’s going on is that the people who are enjoying listening to sad music are receiving some sort of excess of prolactin, and people who are listening to sad music and they just find it incredibly sad and unhelpful and they just don’t want to listen to it, maybe they’re not getting enough prolactin when they listen to the music. Sam: So what is happening? 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. Sam: 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 1981, 1982 or 1983? 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: Oh dear, I can feel my prolactin levels dropping already! Sam: I’m sure you can’t! But let’s move on to vocabulary. If you can’t stand something, it means you really don’t like it. 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: Well, before you have an excess of our company, we should wrap up. Thanks for listening and we hope you’ll join us again soon. As ever, don’t forget that you can find more from the BBC Learning English team online, across social media and on our very own app! Bye for now! Neil: Goodbye!

🎬 视频/音频资源

• YouTube: Why do people like sad music? 6 Minute English（BBC Learning English 官方）
• BBC 官方页面（含音频下载与练习）

📝 重点词汇（8-10 个）

• can’t stand /kænt stænd/ 无法忍受 — Some people just can’t stand sad music.
• hormone /ˈhɔːməʊn/ n. 荷尔蒙，激素 — A hormone is a natural chemical in our bodies.
• prolactin /prəʊˈlæktɪn/ n. 催乳素 — When people cry, they release prolactin.
• lactation /lækˈteɪʃn/ n. 泌乳，哺乳 — Prolactin is associated with lactation from breast-feeding.
• comforting /ˈkʌmfətɪŋ/ adj. 令人安慰的，抚慰的 — The hormone has a comforting effect.
• an excess of /ɪkˈses/ 过量的，超出正常量的 — Maybe they’re getting an excess of prolactin.
• break-up /ˈbreɪkʌp/ n. 分手 — After a break-up, I would listen to sad songs.
• reflect one’s mood 反映某人的心情 — Sad songs reflected my mood.
• cheer up /tʃɪər ʌp/ （使）高兴起来 — It doesn’t help to cheer us up.
• wrap up /ræp ʌp/ 结束，收尾 — We should wrap up before time runs out.

💬 跟读练习建议

1. 分角色跟读：Sam 与 Neil 一问一答，建议先以 Neil 的角色通读一遍，再以 Sam 的角色读一遍——感受「提问者 vs 回答者」两种语气的差别。
2. 逐句影子跟读（shadowing）：播放原声，落后半句同步跟读，重点抓 Sam 的清晰陈述语调和 Neil 拖长的犹豫语气（“Well… I’m going to go for 1982”）。
3. 专家段特训：Professor Huron 的两段学术口语是全文语速与信息密度最高的部分，建议单独慢速听 2 遍、跟读 3 遍，注意 “pointing towards a hormone called prolactin” 的连读。
4. 词汇回环：跟读最后一轮 vocabulary 总结（can’t stand → hormone → lactation → comforting → what’s going on → an excess of），模仿节目用「定义句」复述词汇——这本身就是最好的口语输出练习。
5. 计时挑战：全文跟读 1 遍约 6 分钟，建议今天只精练前半段（至 Professor Huron 第二段结束），其余留给明天复习。

🔄 即兴口语练习

1. Do you like listening to sad music? When do you usually listen to it?
   • 参考要点：先直接表态（I’m more of a… / I can’t stand…），再给场景（after a break-up / when I’m alone at night / at the gym），最后补一句感受（it reflects my mood / it makes me feel understood）。
2. Why do you think some people can’t stand sad music while others love it?
   • 参考要点：套用今天的生物学解释（prolactin / comforting effect），再用个人体验对比（For me… whereas my friend…），结尾留一个开放式猜测（Maybe it also depends on personality）。
3. Besides music, what else do people do to comfort themselves when they feel down?
   • 参考要点：列 2-3 个习惯（comfort food / exercise / talking to a friend / playing games），用 “some people… while others…” 结构展开，收尾给一句建议（A good cry can be comforting too）。

📋 发音技巧提示

1. 连读：can't stand it → /kænt-stæn-dɪt/，三个词连成一串，t 只在词首爆破；what's going on → /wɒts-gəʊ-wɪn-ɒn/，going 的 g 几乎吞掉。
2. 弱读：more than is normal 中 than 与 is 都弱读成 /ðən/ /əz/；a more than normal amount of that thing 里 of 弱读 /əv/——重音只落在 normal / amount / thing 上。
3. 长音 vs 短音：hormone /ˈhɔːməʊn/ 的 /ɔː/ 要拉满（对比 hut 的 /ʌ/）；comforting 重音在第一音节 /ˈkʌm-fə-tɪŋ/，别读成 com-FORT-ing。
4. 语调：Neil 的犹豫语气 “Well… I’m going to go for 1982” 句尾用降调+拖音，模拟「不确定」；Sam 提出quiz问题 “Was it A, B, or C?” 用升-升-降的列举语调。

🗣 今日金句

“Emotions are funny things – it’s weird to think that our feelings are caused by different natural chemicals that run around the body.” 情绪真是奇妙的东西——想想我们的感受竟是由身体里游走的各种天然化学物质引起的，实在不可思议。（——Neil，本集）