55. What does the author use to support the idea that lullabies can have a soothing effect?
(A) Research reports.
(B) Examples found in history.
(C) Stories of caretakers.
(D) The author’s personal experiences.

55. What does the author use to support the idea that lullabies can have a soothing effect? 
(A) Research reports. 調查報告
(B) Examples found in history. 歷史上的實例
(C) Stories of caretakers. 照顧者的案例
(D) The author’s personal experiences.作者個人經驗

Four millennia ago,四千年前 an ancient 古代人Babylonian 巴比倫人wrote down 記載what is possibly the first lullaby. 催眠曲/搖籃曲It is a rather threatening 危險的lullaby, in which the baby is scolded 斥責for disturbing 打擾the house god with its crying and warned of terrifying 可怕的consequences結果. It may have got the baby to sleep, but its message is far from 離~極為遙遠comforting: If he/she does not stop crying, the demon惡魔 will eat him/her. This lullaby may sound more scary 引起驚慌than sleepinducing, yet it is true that many lullabies—including those sung 歌today—have dark undertones意味著. Research has shown that lullabies, when used correctly, can soothe 撫慰and possibly even help to heal an infant;嬰兒/幼兒 but it is the caretaker’s 看守/照顧voice and the rhythm韻律 and melody 旋律of the music that babies respond to, not the content of the song. Then, what is the function of the content? According to studies, some lullabies provide advice, like the Babylonian lullaby, and quite a few others offer the space to sing the unsung,幕後/未被傳頌的 say the unsayable. Lyrics歌詞 to those lullabies can indeed確實 be interpreted 解釋/說明as a reflection of the caregiver’s照顧者 emotions. Researchers believe that a large part of the function of lullabies is to help a mother vocalize用話語表達/唱出 her worries and concerns擔心. The mother’s fear of loss especially makes sense since the infant/toddler 剛學會走路的孩子years of life are fragile脆弱 ones. Since there is a special physical bond between mother and child during this period, mothers feel they can sing to their child about their own fears and anxieties. Lullabies, therefore, serve as therapy治療 for the mother. In addition, the songs are seemingly trying to work some magic—as if, by singing, the mother is saying, “Sadness has already touched this house; no need to come by again.”