Mind Music
Read Mind Music and check the IELTS Reading answers. Ever had a song stuck in your head, playing on an endless loop? Scientists call them 'involuntary musical images', or 'earworms, and a wave of new research is shining light on why they occur and what can be learned from them. Some neuroscientists…
Passage preview
Ever had a song stuck in your head, playing on an endless loop? Scientists call them 'involuntary musical images', or 'earworms, and a wave of new research is shining light on why they occur and what can be learned from them. Some neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists are studying earworms to explore the mysteries of memory and the part of the brain that is beyond our conscious control. The idea that we have full control over our thought processes is an illusion,' says psychologist Lauren Stewart, who founded the master's program in music, mind and brain at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK, where recent research has taken place. Researchers haven't been able to watch what happens in the brain when earworms occur, because they happen unpredictably. Much of what is known about them comes from surveys, questionnaires, diaries and lab experiments.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- anticipation noun
The act of expecting, predicting, or preparing for a future event, outcome, or sensory experience beforehand.
The crowd waited in eager anticipation for the performance to begin at the stadium.
- aural adjective
Relating to the ear, the sense of hearing, or the reception of acoustic information and sound.
The multi-media exhibition provided an immersive visual and aural experience for all visitors.
- cognitive load noun
The total amount of mental effort and working memory capacity required to perform a specific task.
Complex mathematical equations impose a heavy cognitive load on students learning the concepts.
- entrenched adjective
Firmly established and deeply ingrained in a system, habit, or belief, making alteration extremely difficult.
Cultural traditions become deeply entrenched over generations and resist rapid societal changes.
- gray matter noun
The neuronal tissue of the central nervous system containing cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses that processes information.
Neuroimaging studies revealed an increase in gray matter density after intensive cognitive training.
- intrusive adjective
Causing disruption, annoyance, or discomfort by being unwelcome, uninvited, or projecting forcefully into mind or space.
Constant pop-up advertisements are highly intrusive and negatively affect the online user experience.
- involuntary adjective
Occurring or done without conscious control, deliberate intent, or active choice by the individual.
The unexpected loud noise caused an involuntary startle reflex among the study participants.
- neurological networks noun
Complex pathways of interconnected neurons in the brain that coordinate to process information and control actions.
Advanced brain imaging allows scientists to map the neurological networks involved in language processing.
- pinpoint verb
To identify, locate, or define the exact position, cause, or nature of something with high precision.
Diagnostic medical tests help physicians pinpoint the exact cause of a patient's symptoms.
- subconscious noun
The part of the mind that operates below the level of immediate conscious awareness yet influences behavior.
Advertising techniques often target the subconscious mind to influence consumer purchasing decisions.
Answers with explanations
- 14. G
Paragraph G explicitly describes the musical **characteristics** (repeating pitch patterns, irregular intervals) that are **common to songs** likely to become earworms.
- 15. A
Paragraph A explains the reason—or **justification**—why scientists are researching earworms: they do it to investigate memory and subconscious brain functions.
- 16. F
Paragraph F contrasts the brain's neurological **reactions** when subjects listen to **known** (familiar) music versus **unknown** (unfamiliar) music.
- 17. H
Paragraph H outlines **proposed research** (recruiting participants) focused on how people at different **stages of life** (age groups) experience the frequency of earworms.
- 18. wrist
The summary needs the location of the monitor used to record rhythm. The text specifies a device was attached to the volunteers' **wrist**, fulfilling the grammatical rule.
- 19. emotions
The text reveals that frequent earworm listeners have differences in brain areas dealing with **emotions**, which matches the prompt asking what their brains deal with differently.
- 20. entertained
The summary asks what happens to the brain when it is not focused on a task (unoccupied). The text says Dr Stewart believes earworms keep the mind **entertained**.
- 21. challenging
The summary connects a reduction in earworms to the nature of the task. The passage confirms that earworms are less likely (a reduction) when the activity is more **challenging**.
- 22. D
John Seabrook (Option D) discusses how music producers intentionally create 'hooks' to **target the brain** and make pop songs memorable and catchy.
- 23. A
Lauren Stewart (Option A) claims that full **control over our thought processes** is an illusion, perfectly matching the statement that people cannot completely regulate how they think.
- 24. B
Ira Hyman (Option B) explains that we can absorb and later remember songs we heard without **paying attention to them** or consciously knowing we heard them.
- 25. C
Andrea Halpern (Option C) led imaging studies proving that **imagining** (thinking about) music and **listening** to it trigger the same areas in the brain.
- 26. B
Ira Hyman (Option B) suggests that earworms become more entrenched (persistent) when the mind gets stuck replaying short **fragments of a song**.