Some views on the use of headphones
Read Some views on the use of headphones and check the IELTS Reading answers. To visit a typical modern office today is to walk into a room with possibly a dozen songs playing simultaneously but to hear none of them. Up to half of younger workers listen to music on their headphones, and nearly all…
Passage preview
To visit a typical modern office today is to walk into a room with possibly a dozen songs playing simultaneously but to hear none of them. Up to half of younger workers listen to music on their headphones, and nearly all of them think it makes them better at their jobs. In survey after survey, people report with confidence that music makes them happier, better at concentrating, and more productive.
Vocabulary from this passage
12 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- by-product noun
An incidental or secondary outcome that results naturally from a primary action, industrial process, or event
The dramatic reduction in urban air pollution was a welcome by-product of the nationwide lockdown.
- co-evolve verb
To undergo evolutionary changes in tandem with another species, technology, or cultural phenomenon over extended periods
Linguistic structures and human cognitive capabilities are widely believed to have co-evolved throughout early human history.
- eccentric adjective
Unconventional and slightly strange; visibly deviating from recognized, customary, or widely accepted societal behavior
The eccentric billionaire was well-known for funding highly unusual and controversial scientific research projects.
- extrovert noun
An outgoing, socially confident individual who typically thrives in dynamic and highly interactive group environments
The collaborative nature of the marketing department makes it an ideal workspace for an energetic extrovert.
- inhabit verb
To live in or permanently occupy a particular geographic place, environment, or physical space
Several critically endangered species of amphibians inhabit the dense, humid rainforests of South America.
- literacy noun
The ability to read and write fluently, or demonstrated competence and advanced knowledge in a specific technical area
The curriculum was redesigned to promote digital literacy among students preparing for modern service-economy careers.
- opportune adjective
Occurring or done at a highly favorable, advantageous, or specifically appropriate time
The economic downturn proved to be an opportune moment for investors to acquire undervalued property.
- productivity metric noun
A quantifiable, objective measure utilized by organizations to meticulously track and evaluate the efficiency of workers
Management introduced a strict new productivity metric to accurately assess remote employee performance during the quarter.
- radiate verb
To emit energy, heat, or conceptual attention outward from a central point or primary source
During intense meditation, a practitioner's focus should theoretically radiate outward rather than remaining trapped internally.
- radical departure noun
A significant, sweeping, and fundamental change from a previous, traditional, or widely established way of doing things
The architect's abstract modern design was a radical departure from the city's classical aesthetic.
- simultaneously adverb
Occurring, operating, or being executed at the exact same time as something else
Modern supercomputers can simultaneously process billions of complex mathematical calculations in mere seconds.
- social bonding noun
The intricate psychological process of forming close, cooperative relationships and interpersonal connections within a societal group
Shared communal meals have served as an essential mechanism for social bonding across various ancient cultures.
Answers with explanations
- 27. NOT GIVEN
The passage mentions that **younger workers** believe music makes them better at their jobs, and that in **surveys**, they confidently report that music makes them happier. However, it never states that they are **persuaded by** the surveys to hold this belief. Because the text does not discuss whether the surveys actually influence or persuade them, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 28. YES
The statement claims that **different studies** share the **same conclusions** regarding the desirability of **working in silence**. The text confirms this by citing a "Taiwanese study", "other research", and a "reporter" who all found that music hurts cognitive performance, leading to the shared conclusion that "it would still be advisable that **people work in silence**." Therefore, the answer is YES.
- 29. NOT GIVEN
The text states there is evidence that music "may even moderately **reduce blood pressure**". However, it never mentions **doctors**, nor does it state that medical professionals actively **recommend** wearing headphones for this purpose. Since this specific claim about doctors' recommendations is entirely absent, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 30. NO
The statement describes **Nathaniel Baldwin** as a **respected government researcher**. The passage contradicts this directly, describing him instead as "an **eccentric inventor and repairman**" who built his headset in his kitchen. Because his actual occupation in the text contradicts the statement, the answer is NO.
- 31. YES
The statement claims the **effect of headphones** is **comparable** to the **effect of writing**. The passage explicitly supports this comparison, stating that "headphones have **done what writing and literacy did** for language – they made music private." Because the writer directly draws this exact parallel, the answer is YES.
- 32. A
The question asks what the writer suggests about a **service economy**. In Paragraph 3, the writer notes that a service economy places an "emphasis on jobs in offices that **require higher levels of concentration, reflection and creativity**." This matches option A, which states that the work is **mentally demanding**.
- 33. C
The writer mentions **historical evidence** (Sumerian notation, a 44,000-year-old bone flute) immediately after stating that music evolved as a "technology of social bonding." He uses these ancient archaeological examples to **lend support** to the view that music has played a deeply **important** role in **human history** as a "social glue for the species".
- 34. D
The question asks about the **social effects of headphones**. The writer explains that concentrating sound privately for the listener is a "radical departure from **music’s social purpose in history**" (which was social bonding). This clearly means headphones have **changed the traditional role of music in society**, making D the correct answer.
- 35. B
The question asks what the writer says about **personal independence**. At the end of Paragraph 6, the writer explicitly concludes that "**wealth can buy**... personal independence". This directly matches option B, which states that personal independence is **something that can be purchased**.
- 36. A
Throughout the final paragraph, the writer develops the argument that music helps us relax, pause, and reflect inwardly. He inserts **Jonah Lehrer’s quote**—"When our minds are at ease, we’re more likely to direct the spotlight of attention inward"—as authoritative evidence to back up this exact point. Thus, the quote is used **to support the writer's own view** (Option A).
- 37. B
The summary mentions Dr. Bull believes headphones have changed the [37] wearers have with public spaces. The text says personal music devices "change **how we relate** to public spaces." The phrase "how we relate" perfectly matches the noun "**relationship**" (Option B).
- 38. E
The summary states people are becoming less keen on living in the [38], preferring city centres. The text explains that people are moving away "from the **edges of cities**". The geographical term that matches "edges of cities" is "**suburbs**" (Option E).
- 39. G
The summary says headphones form [39] that isolate people. The text explicitly states that "Headphones create **shields** for wearers, **separating them** from other people". The word "shields" functions as a form of protection or separation, which is synonymous with "**barriers**" (Option G) in this context.
- 40. A
The summary notes wearers are treated with [40]. The passage explains that headphones evoke "rules of **good manners**" and that others will "**respect their privacy**." Behaving with good manners and respect towards someone is synonymous with showing them "**courtesy**" (Option A).