The Role of Mothers in the Origins of Music
Read The Role of Mothers in the Origins of Music and check the IELTS Reading answers. In a recent lecture Richard Parncutt, a professor of systematic musicology at the University of Graz, Austria, discussed the idea that music originated from 'motherese' - the playful voices mothers adopt when spea…
Passage preview
In a recent lecture Richard Parncutt, a professor of systematic musicology at the University of Graz, Austria, discussed the idea that music originated from 'motherese' - the playful voices mothers adopt when speaking to infants and toddlers. According to the theory, evolutionary growth in human brain size between one and two million years ago led to earlier births, more fragile infants, and a vital need for stronger bonds between mothers and their newborns. According to Parncutt, 'motherese' arose as a way to strengthen this maternal bond and to help infants survive. 'If babies were born earlier, it is clear they would need better care in order to survive... this would involve the baby communicating its state and needs more clearly to the mother,' he says. Parncutt adds that this makes it very likely that motherese developed as an evolutionary adaptation, and that there is a large body of contemporary empirical evidence supporting the musical characteristics of motherese.
Answers with explanations
- 14. viii
The question asks for the heading of Paragraph A. By tracking the **initial proposal** and **maternal source**, we find that Paragraph A introduces Professor Parncutt’s theory that music **originated from 'motherese'**—the playful voices mothers adopt. It functions as the opening statement outlining the main hypothesis of a maternal origin for music, making heading **viii** ('The initial proposal of a maternal source for music') the perfect match.
- 15. v
The question asks for the heading of Paragraph B. The paragraph opens by stating that motherese is 'actually a **complex and refined form of communication**' and goes on to describe how it contains **structural musical elements such as rhythm and melody**. This directly aligns with heading **v** ('A sophisticated form of musical communication'), as 'sophisticated' paraphrases 'complex and refined,' while 'musical communication' matches the structural elements described.
- 16. ii
The question asks for the heading of Paragraph C. The paragraph focuses heavily on prenatal auditory experiences, explaining that a **fetus begins hearing** nearly four months before birth, encountering its **mother's voice, heartbeat, and digestive sounds**. This detailed description of a baby's earliest auditory environment matches heading **ii** ('The first sounds a baby hears') precisely, as it describes the initial auditory inputs received before birth.
- 17. vi
The question asks for the heading of Paragraph D. The paragraph shifts focus to alternative explanations, noting that there are several **competing theories** about the origins of music. It explains that Parncutt developed a **grading system to assess these theories** against specific criteria. This directly corresponds to heading **vi** ('A system for evaluating different theories'), where 'grading system to assess' is summarized as a system for evaluating.
- 18. i
The question asks for the heading of Paragraph E. This paragraph discusses how Parncutt’s theory provides the **most comprehensive explanation** because it links music to caregiving, which is a **human universal** found in **all cultures**. It addresses the universal nature and aesthetic function of music, aligning perfectly with heading **i** ('A universal explanation for music's nature'). Distractor headings do not capture this focus on global universality.
- 19. earlier
The sentence requires an adverb or adjective describing how babies were born due to brain growth. Locating the keywords **growth of the human brain** and **resulted in**, the text notes that 'evolutionary growth in human brain size... led to **earlier** births.' The word **earlier** fits grammatically into the blank, showing the direct consequence of this evolutionary change on childbirth timing.
- 20. adaptation
The sentence requires a singular noun to complete the phrase 'evolutionary...'. Scanning for the keyword **evolutionary**, the text explicitly notes that 'motherese developed as an evolutionary **adaptation**.' This perfectly completes the sentence grammatically and semantically, indicating that the behavior served an evolutionary purpose for survival. Therefore, **adaptation** is the correct single-word choice.
- 21. before birth
The sentence requires a time or state phrase following 'even'. Looking for the keyword **Gary McPherson**, the text quotes him saying that music is a form of intelligence that reveals itself '**before birth**'. This perfectly completes the sentence, confirming that musical capabilities manifest during the prenatal stage. Therefore, the phrase **before birth** is the correct answer.
- 22. C
The summary requires a concept representing an evolutionary mechanism for attracting mates. The text states that some competing theories suggest music originated as a form of **sexual selection**, used to attract mates. Looking at the options array, option **C** corresponds exactly to the phrase 'sexual selection'. Therefore, **C** is the correct option identifier for this blank.
- 23. B
The summary requires a communal benefit that music helped build. The text notes that other theories propose music evolved to enhance **social cohesion** and cooperation within larger groups. Matching this concept to the provided list of options leads directly to option **B** ('social cohesion'), which fits both the meaning and grammar of the summary sentence perfectly.
- 24. A
The summary requires an adjective describing the type of connection explained by motherese. The passage states that the theory accounts for the deep **emotional** connection inherent in music by linking it to the primal maternal bond. Matching this concept with the options list reveals that option **A** corresponds to 'emotional,' making **A** the correct choice.
- 25. F
The blank requires an adjective describing the global presence of music across cultures. The passage explains that because caregiving is a 'human **universal**,' the theory explains why music is found in all cultures. Looking at the options, option **F** represents 'universal,' which perfectly completes the phrase 'universal presence across all cultures' required by the summary.
- 26. E
The blank requires an adjective describing a quality of music related to playfulness and non-functional aspects. The text points out that motherese mirrors the **aesthetic** and seemingly non-functional aspects of music itself. Comparing this to the option list, option **E** matches 'aesthetic' perfectly, completing the summary by highlighting the artistic, playful connection.