Seeing the colour of sounds, hearing the colour of numbers
Read Seeing the colour of sounds, hearing the colour of numbers and check the IELTS Reading answers. What is the colour of five? What is the sound of blue? To most of us such questions are either meaningless or suitable only for poetry. But for some people these are questions to which very precise…
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What is the colour of five? What is the sound of blue? To most of us such questions are either meaningless or suitable only for poetry. But for some people these are questions to which very precise answers can be given. Five, for example, for some people is green, while others say the sound of a guitar is like someone blowing on their ankles. People who 'see' colour in numbers or letters of the alphabet and 'feel' sensation in sound have synesthesia meaning literally 'joined sensation' an extraordinary condition that causes certain senses to leak' into one another.
Vocabulary from this passage
5 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- hallucination noun
An experience involving the apparent perception of something not present
Scientists proved that synesthetic experiences are distinct from the hallucinations of illness.
- neurologist noun
A specialist in the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of nerves
The neurologist studied how senses leak into one another in synesthetes.
- perception noun
The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through senses
Synesthesia gives us new insights into how normal perception works.
- repressed adjective
Restrained, inhibited, or oppressed, especially in a psychological context
Some believe the synesthetic mechanism is present in all adults but repressed.
- synaptic adjective
Relating to the junction between two nerve cells
Synesthetes may have kept their original synaptic connections intact from birth.
Answers with explanations
- 27. C
The researcher linked to this finding is **Simon Baron-Cohen**. His **brain scanning** research demonstrated that auditory stimuli (hearing names/words) triggered the **visual cortex** (vision and color areas) in synesthetes, confirming that one sense effectively acts like another in their brains.
- 28. C
This finding is attributed to **Simon Baron-Cohen**. In his 1993 experiment, he proved the **consistency** of synesthetic associations by retesting subjects. The **92 per cent** consistency rate among synesthetes, compared to only 37 per cent in non-synesthetes, provided evidence that these associations are not merely products of a vivid imagination.
- 29. B
The individual who documented this specific case is **John Locke**. He recorded an early instance of **cross-sensory perception** where a visual stimulus (**bright red**) was perceived as an auditory one (**the sound of a trumpet**), marking one of the first Western descriptions of synesthesia.
- 30. A
This perspective is provided by **Daniel Smilek**. He argues that by studying the **abnormal** (synesthesia), scientists can gain a better understanding of how the brain typically processes sensory information. This provides a **fresh perspective** on 'normal perception' through the lens of a rare condition.
- 31. F
Paragraph **F** details an investigation using **modern medical technology**, specifically a **brain scanning experiment**. This technology allowed researchers to observe which areas of the brain 'lit up' during sensory tasks, providing physiological evidence for synesthesia.
- 32. I
Paragraph **I** mentions the **novelist Nabokov** as an example of a famous synesthete. It describes his specific perception of letters as colors, using him to illustrate the ongoing mystery that neurologists hope to solve in the future.
- 33. A
The **definition** is found in paragraph **A**. It explains the term's literal meaning as '**joined sensation**' and describes the 'extraordinary condition' where senses **leak into** one another. This provides the necessary introductory context for the rest of the passage.
- 34. F
Paragraph **F** offers **two different explanations** for the rarity of synesthesia in adults. The first is that brain connections are **pruned** (removed) during development. The second, competing theory is that the mechanism remains **intact but repressed**, possibly becoming active again under the influence of certain drugs.
- 35. B
Paragraph **B** discusses the social experiences of synesthetes, noting that some **keep it a secret**. The reason provided is the **fear of ridicule** or people 'laughing at them,' highlighting the stigma sometimes associated with the condition.
- 36. TRUE
The answer is **TRUE**. The text mentions that **Kandinsky** was 'excited' by the condition and used a highly positive metaphor, comparing synesthetes to **good violins** that vibrate in all parts. This indicates a clear sense of admiration for their unique sensory experience.
- 37. TRUE
The answer is **TRUE**. The passage states that historical associations between synesthesia and **mental illness** have 'long been **disproved**'. This confirms that the medical community no longer believes there is a link between the two.
- 38. FALSE
The answer is **FALSE**. The statement suggests that 'equal numbers' of men and women are affected. However, paragraph E provides statistics showing that **women are significantly more likely** (two to eight times) than men to be synesthetes, directly contradicting the statement.
- 39. NOT GIVEN
The answer is **NOT GIVEN**. While the text mentions that synesthetes have unique brain activity and potentially different synaptic connections, it makes no mention of their **powers of logic** or how they compare to the general population in terms of reasoning.
- 40. TRUE
The answer is **TRUE**. Paragraph F mentions a scientific 'notion' (possibility) that **everyone may be born** with synesthesia, suggesting that early in development, all our brain parts are linked before the connections are later 'pruned'.