Babies cry in their mother tongue
Read Babies cry in their mother tongue and check the IELTS Reading answers. It is already known that human foetuses become attentive listeners in the final trimester of pregnancy. 'The mother's voice in particular is sensed early on,' explains Professor Amelia Finlayson of the Institute for Human C…
Passage preview
It is already known that human foetuses become attentive listeners in the final trimester of pregnancy. 'The mother's voice in particular is sensed early on,' explains Professor Amelia Finlayson of the Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig. 'Human foetuses perceive information filtered at around 400 hertz, but they cannot hear the actual words. It is a bit like holding your head under water when someone is talking next to the bath.'
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- acoustic adjective
Relating to sound or the sense of hearing; the physical properties of sound transmission
The concert hall was designed to provide the best possible acoustic experience for the audience.
- foster verb
To encourage or promote the development of something, typically something regarded as positive
Mentorship programs are designed to foster professional growth and confidence among new employees.
- innate adjective
Inborn or natural; existing in an individual from birth rather than being acquired through learning
Some researchers argue that the capacity for language is an innate human characteristic.
- intonation noun
The rise and fall of the voice in speaking, which can affect word meaning
Mastery of intonation is crucial for conveying the correct emotional nuance in a second language.
- linguistic development noun
The process by which individuals acquire the ability to understand and communicate using language
Reading to children daily is known to significantly accelerate their linguistic development.
- melody contour noun
The sequence of variations in pitch that characterize the musical shape of a phrase
Infants are surprisingly sensitive to the melody contour of their mother's speech.
- physiological adjective
Relating to the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms
Sleep deprivation can lead to various negative physiological effects on the human body.
- pronounced adjective
Very noticeable or marked; conspicuous in a way that is easily identified by observers
There has been a pronounced shift in consumer behavior toward eco-friendly products recently.
- repertoire noun
A stock of skills or types of behavior that a person or group habitually uses
The experienced diplomat had a vast repertoire of strategies for resolving international conflicts.
- trimester noun
A period of three months, especially used to divide the duration of a pregnancy
Health professionals recommend increased folic acid intake during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Answers with explanations
- 14. E
Paragraph E provides the **methodology** for the joint study, detailing exactly how the **three research groups** (representing different **institutes**) collected their data. It describes recording the cries of 60 newborns with microphones and feeding the data into a computer for analysis.
- 15. D
Paragraph D explains the reasoning (the **rationale**) behind the selection of the specific **participants**. It states that **German and French babies** were chosen specifically **because** the intonation differences between these two languages are "particularly pronounced."
- 16. F
Paragraph F contains a quote from the researchers suggesting that newborns are highly motivated to **imitate** (copy) their mothers. The primary reason given for this behavior is to foster bonding and secure "**physical nourishment**," which directly means gaining **food**.
- 17. B
Paragraph B recounts an "**earlier experiment**" specifically conducted by the **Leipzig researchers**. It details the **methodology** used in the past, explaining how babies wore "hoods with electrodes" to measure their physiological responses while listening to recordings.
- 18. A
Paragraph A uses an **illustration**—the analogy of holding one's head under water in a bath—to explain the **limitations** of how **foetuses** (unborn babies) hear. It clarifies that while they can sense voice frequencies inside the **womb**, they cannot clearly hear the actual words.
- 19. F
Paragraph F clearly states that babies from different countries (German and French **nationalities**) exhibit distinct acoustic patterns when they **cry**. The text asserts that German babies follow a "downward curve," while French babies use a "rising melody contour," proving they use **different intonations**.
- 20. B
**Doctor Katya Williams** compares a baby's cry to a "fire siren" to make her point. She argues that if an important alarm or **everyday sound** were to change constantly ("sounded different every day"), people would fail to **recognise** or understand it, underscoring the need for **consistency**.
- 21. C
**Mr Walter Meade** explains that the "melodic patterns" (**different tones**) babies practice while **crying** serve as crucial "building blocks." These sounds lay the foundation that actively **assists infants** in eventually producing words and sentences, helping them **learn language later on**.
- 22. B
**Doctor Katya Williams** points out that for **baby chimpanzees** (young primates), their crying melody is merely a result of "pressure in the lungs," which relates to **breathing**. She specifically clarifies that it is "not generated by a mental process," meaning it does not come from the **brain**.
- 23. A
**Professor Amelia Finlayson** notes that human foetuses (**unborn babies**) become attentive listeners and specifically single out "The **mother's voice**" early on during pregnancy. This shows their focus on the voice of **one specific person** while still in the **womb**.
- 24. words
Professor Finlayson explains the auditory limitations of human foetuses. While they can perceive certain frequencies, she clarifies that "they **cannot hear the actual words**," meaning unborn babies are unable to **recognise** specific vocabulary before birth.
- 25. brainwaves
The passage describes an earlier (first) experiment in Leipzig where babies listened to recordings of different intonation patterns. The researchers observed that the children's "**brainwaves reacted** to the differences," matching the prompt's statement that they **changed** upon hearing the sounds.
- 26. signal
Doctor Williams notes that "It used to be thought" (indicating what **early scientists believed**) that a baby's cry was merely "a **signal** of alarm to call its mother." This fits the prompt perfectly, summarizing the old assumption that crying was just a way to summon their parents.