A Song On The Brain - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 2 Academic Reading Test 3 · Part 1 · Questions 1–13
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
A song on the brain
Some songs just won't leave you alone. But this may give us clues about how our brain works
A Everyone knows the situation where you can't get a song out of your head. You hear a pop song on the radio - or even just read the song's title - and it haunts you for hours, playing over and over in your mind until you're heartily sick of it. The condition now even has a medical name - 'song-in-head syndrome'.
B But why does the mind annoy us like this? No one knows for sure, but it's probably because the brain is better at holding onto information than it is at knowing what information is important. Roger Chaffin, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut says, 'It's a manifestation of an aspect of memory which is normally an asset to us, but in this instance it can be a nuisance.'
C This eager acquisitiveness of the brain may have helped our ancestors remember important information in the past. Today, students use it to learn new material, and musicians rely on it to memorise complicated pieces. But when this useful function goes awry it can get you stuck on a tune. Unfortunately, superficial, repetitive pop tunes are, by their very nature, more likely to stick than something more inventive.
D The annoying playback probably originates in the auditory cortex. Located at the front of the brain, this region handles both listening and playback of music and other sounds. Neuroscientist Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal proved this some years ago when he asked volunteers to replay the theme from the TV show Dallas in their heads. Brain imaging studies showed that this activated the same region of the auditory cortex as when the people actually heard the song.
E Not every stored musical memory emerges into consciousness, however. The frontal lobe of the brain gets to decide which thoughts become conscious and which ones are simply stored away. But it can become fatigued or depressed, which is when people most commonly suffer from song-in-head syndrome and other intrusive thoughts, says Susan Ball, a clinical psychologist at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. And once the unwanted song surfaces, it's hard to stuff it back down into the subconscious. 'The more you try to suppress a thought, the more you get it,' says Ball. 'We call this the pink elephant phenomenon. Tell the brain not to think about pink elephants, and it's guaranteed to do so,' she says.
F For those not severely afflicted, simply avoiding certain kinds of music can help. 'I know certain pieces that are kind of "sticky" to me, so I will not play them in the early morning for fear that they will run around in my head all day,' says Steven Brown, who trained as a classical pianist but is now a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He says he always has a song in his head and, even more annoying, his mind never seems to make it all the way through. 'It tends to involve short fragments between, say, 5 or 15 seconds. They seem to get looped, for hours sometimes,' he says.
G Brown's experience of repeated musical loops may represent a phenomenon called 'chunking', in which people remember musical phrases as a single unit of memory, says Caroline Palmer, a psychologist at Ohio State University in Columbus. Most listeners have little choice about what chunks they remember. Particular chunks may be especially 'sticky' if you hear them often or if they follow certain predictable patterns, such as the chord progression of rock 'n' roll music. Palmer's research shows that the more a piece of music conforms to these patterns, the easier it is to remember. That's why you're more likely to be haunted by the tunes of pop music than by those of a classical composer such as J. S. Bach.
H But this ability can be used for good as well as annoyance. Teachers can tap into memory reinforcement by setting their lessons to music. For example, in one experiment students who heard a history text set as the lyrics to a catchy song remembered the words better than those who simply read them, says Sandra Calvert, a psychologist at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
I This sort of memory enhancement may even explain the origin of music. Before the written word could be used to record history, people memorised it in songs, says Leon James, a psychologist at the University of Hawaii. And music may have had an even more important role. 'All music has a message,' he says. 'This message functions to unite society and to standardise the thought processes of people in society.'
Questions
Questions 1–3 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.
Questions 4–7 Matching Features
Look at the following theories and the list of people below.
Match each theory with the person it is credited to.
Write the correct letter A-F.
A. Roger Chaffin
B. Susan Ball
C. Steven Brown
D. Caroline Palmer
E. Sandra Calvert
F. Leon James
Questions 8–13 Matching Information
Reading Passage 1 has nine paragraphs labelled A-I.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-I.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | B | it's probably because the brain is better at holding onto information than it is at knowing what information is important | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that our brain is good at remembering things and keeping them ('holding onto information'). But it's not as good at telling which of these remembered things are truly important ('knowing what information is important'). So, the brain might keep a song even if it's not important, causing it to get stuck in your head. Answer Explanation: The answer means that your brain keeps information, like a song, but it cannot choose which information is truly important to keep and which is not. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage explains that your brain is very good at remembering things ('holding onto information'), but it is not as good at deciding which memories are truly important ('knowing what information is important'). This means that a song, even an unimportant one, can get stuck in your head because your brain keeps it without making a choice to let it go. The passage clearly states this is a reason for 'song-in-head syndrome'. |
| Q2 | A | Unfortunately, superficial, repetitive pop tunes are, by their very nature, more likely to stick than something more inventive | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that songs that are not deep (superficial) and that repeat a lot (repetitive) are more likely to get stuck in your mind compared to songs that are new and clever (inventive). Answer Explanation: The answer means that a song will probably stay in your mind for a long time if it is easy and not very special or new. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage, which states that 'superficial, repetitive pop tunes' are more likely to get stuck in your head. The words 'superficial' and 'repetitive' mean simple and unoriginal, while 'more likely to stick' means they are more likely to stay in your head. This directly links the characteristics of being simple and unoriginal to a tune's tendency to become an earworm. |
| Q3 | D | Neuroscientist Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal proved this some years ago when he asked volunteers to replay the theme from the TV show Dallas in their heads. Brain imaging studies showed that this activated the same region of the auditory cortex as when the people actually heard the song | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a scientist named Robert Zatorre did a test. He asked people to think about a song from a TV show, playing it inside their minds. Pictures of their brains showed that when they did this, the same part of their brain that hears real music became active, just like when they really listened to the song. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Robert Zatorre found that a part of the brain used for hearing sounds became active when people thought about a song they already knew. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by information in paragraph D. The paragraph states that Robert Zatorre conducted an experiment where he asked people to 'replay the theme from the TV show Dallas in their heads'. This action of 'replaying in their heads' means remembering a tune they had heard before. The passage explains that 'Brain imaging studies showed that this activated the same region of the auditory cortex as when the people actually heard the song', confirming that the auditory cortex was active during this mental remembrance. |
| Q4 | E | For example, in one experiment students who heard a history text set as the lyrics to a catchy song remembered the words better than those who simply read them, says Sandra Calvert, a psychologist at Georgetown University in Washington DC | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Sandra Calvert found in an experiment that students remembered historical information more easily if it was part of a catchy song, compared to just reading it. This means that music helps people learn and remember things better. Answer Explanation: The answer is E, which stands for Sandra Calvert. She is a psychologist who talked about how music can help people learn. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E, Sandra Calvert, because the passage clearly states that she observed how catchy songs can make learning easier. The question asks about how the "memorable nature of some tunes can help other learning processes." The passage explains that teachers can use music to make lessons stick in students' minds. Sandra Calvert's research showed that students remembered history lessons better when they were put into a catchy song, rather than just reading the text. This directly supports the idea that memorable music helps with other types of learning. |
| Q5 | D | Brown's experience of repeated musical loops may represent a phenomenon called 'chunking', in which people remember musical phrases as a single unit of memory, says Caroline Palmer, a psychologist at Ohio State University in Columbus | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Caroline Palmer explains 'chunking'. This is when people remember groups of notes, called 'musical phrases,' as one whole memory, not as many individual notes. This means the brain stores music as bigger parts, not always just single notes. Answer Explanation: The answer is D, which means the theory is credited to Caroline Palmer. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Caroline Palmer because she talks about how people remember music in 'chunks' or 'phrases' rather than individual notes. She explains that people remember these musical phrases as one whole piece of memory, not as separate parts. This idea directly supports the theory that music is not always remembered note by note. |
| Q6 | F | Before the written word could be used to record history, people memorised it in songs, says Leon James, a psychologist at the University of Hawaii | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that Leon James believes that before people wrote things down, they used songs to remember important stories and facts from the past. He suggests this might be how music first started. Answer Explanation: The answer F means that Leon James is the person who shared the idea that people might have made music in the beginning because they needed to remember information. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because the passage states that Leon James, a psychologist, discussed how music could explain its 'origin' and how people 'memorised' history through 'songs' before writing existed. This directly connects the starting of music with the need to remember things, just as the question asks. |
| Q7 | B | The frontal lobe of the brain gets to decide which thoughts become conscious and which ones are simply stored away. But it can become fatigued or depressed, which is when people most commonly suffer from song-in-head syndrome and other intrusive thoughts, says Susan Ball, a clinical psychologist at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a part of the brain called the frontal lobe helps us choose which thoughts we think about. But if this part of the brain gets tired or sad, people often experience 'song-in-head syndrome' – meaning songs get stuck in their heads – and other unwanted thoughts, according to Susan Ball. Answer Explanation: The answer is Susan Ball. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Susan Ball because she is quoted in the passage linking the 'frontal lobe' of the brain becoming 'fatigued' or 'depressed' to people more often getting 'song-in-head syndrome'. This directly addresses the idea that a tired part of the brain can cause a song to get stuck in your head more frequently. |
| Q8 | I | 'All music has a message,' he says. 'This message functions to unite society and to standardise the thought processes of people in society.' | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that music has a special message. This message works to bring people together in a group and make their ways of thinking more similar. This shows that music helps create strong connections among people. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph I. This paragraph talks about how music helps people connect with each other. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph I because it contains a claim that music strengthens social bonds. The paragraph states that music helps to 'unite society' and 'standardise the thought processes of people in society', which directly means it makes social connections stronger and brings people together. |
| Q9 | G | Particular chunks may be especially 'sticky' if you hear them often or if they follow certain predictable patterns, such as the chord progression of rock 'n' roll music. Palmer's research shows that the more a piece of music conforms to these patterns, the easier it is to remember | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that music parts get 'sticky' (stay in your head) for two main reasons: if you listen to them a lot, or if they have easy-to-guess music structures. It also says that music with these easy structures is easier to remember. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph G. This paragraph talks about why some parts of music get stuck in your head more than others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph G because it provides two specific reasons why certain pieces of music, or 'chunks' of music, are more likely to stay in your mind. It states that music becomes 'especially sticky' if you hear it 'often' or if it follows 'certain predictable patterns'. It also links this to why pop music is more memorable than classical music by J. S. Bach. |
| Q10 | E | And once the unwanted song surfaces, it's hard to stuff it back down into the subconscious. 'The more you try to suppress a thought, the more you get it,' says Ball. 'We call this the pink elephant phenomenon. Tell the brain not to think about pink elephants, and it's guaranteed to do so,' she says | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that once a song is in your head, it's hard to make it go away. It also explains that if you try to make a thought disappear, it often comes back even stronger. As an example, the passage mentions the 'pink elephant phenomenon': if someone tells you not to think about pink elephants, your brain will definitely think about them. This shows the brain doing the opposite of what you want. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph E. This paragraph talks about how our brain can do things we don't want it to do. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because paragraph E gives a clear example of the brain working against a person's wishes. It explains that when you 'try to suppress a thought,' meaning you try to stop thinking about something, 'the more you get it.' The passage then uses 'the pink elephant phenomenon' as an illustration: if you tell your brain not to think about pink elephants, it will 'guaranteed to do so,' meaning it will think about them. This highlights how the brain can respond in 'opposition to your wishes' or against what you intend. |
| Q11 | D | The annoying playback probably originates in the auditory cortex. Located at the front of the brain, this region handles both listening and playback of music and other sounds | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the 'annoying playback' (which is when a song gets stuck in your head) likely starts in a brain part called the 'auditory cortex'. This part of the brain, found at the front, is used for both listening to music and playing it back in your mind. Answer Explanation: The answer is D. This letter tells us where the part of the brain is that causes these songs to get stuck in our heads. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because paragraph D directly names the 'auditory cortex' as the place where the 'annoying playback' of songs, which is another term for song-in-head syndrome, starts. The passage explains that this part of the brain is responsible for both hearing and replaying sounds, including music. |
| Q12 | A | You hear a pop song on the radio - or even just read the song's title - and it haunts you for hours, playing over and over in your mind until you're heartily sick of it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you listen to a pop song on the radio, or even just see its name written down, the song can stay in your mind for a long time. These are the two examples mentioned of how a song can get stuck in your head. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph A. This paragraph gives examples of common things that can make a song get stuck in your head. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph A because it explicitly provides 'examples of two everyday events that can set off song-in-head syndrome'. The passage states that hearing a song on the radio or even just reading its title can make it 'haunt you for hours'. These are two distinct, common situations that trigger the condition. |
| Q13 | F | 'I know certain pieces that are kind of "sticky" to me, so I will not play them in the early morning for fear that they will run around in my head all day,' says Steven Brown, who trained as a classical pianist but is now a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Steven Brown knows some songs that easily get stuck ('sticky'). So, he chooses not to listen to them in the morning. He does this because he is afraid that if he hears them, they will stay in his mind for the whole day. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph F. This paragraph talks about something one person does to stop songs from getting stuck in their head. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because paragraph F explains what Steven Brown does to prevent 'song-in-head syndrome'. It mentions that he avoids playing certain kinds of 'sticky' music, especially in the morning, so that these tunes don't get stuck in his head all day. This directly describes a person's preventative action. |