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 use when speaki…
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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 use when speaking to infants. According to Parncutt, larger human brains caused by evolutionary changes occurring around two million years ago resulted in earlier births, more fragile infants, and therefore, a need for stronger relationships between mothers and their newborns. According to Parncutt, motherese arose as a way to strengthen this 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 believes it is very likely that motherese is an evolutionary adaption, and that there is a large amount of modern empirical evidence for the musical nature of motherese.
Vocabulary from this passage
11 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- discern verb
To perceive or recognise something that is not immediately obvious, usually through careful observation or analysis
Archaeologists could barely discern the outline of the ancient settlement beneath the layers of soil.
- empirical evidence noun
Information gained through direct observation or experiment rather than through theory or personal belief alone
Policymakers should base educational reforms on empirical evidence rather than on intuition or tradition.
- entice verb
To attract or tempt someone to do something by offering a pleasure, advantage or reward
Brightly coloured displays were designed to entice passing shoppers into the museum shop.
- evolutionary changes noun
Gradual biological developments in a species over many generations that alter its characteristics or behaviour
Evolutionary changes in the skull over millennia allowed early humans to develop larger and more complex brains.
- inconclusive adjective
Not leading to a definite result or decision, because the evidence is incomplete or open to interpretation
The trial results were inconclusive, so researchers called for a larger and longer follow-up study.
- inherent adjective
Existing as a permanent, essential or characteristic part of something and therefore impossible to separate from it
There are inherent risks in any investment that promises unusually high returns over a short period.
- intrinsically adverb
In a way that belongs naturally to the essential nature of something rather than being added from outside
Some scholars argue that music is intrinsically linked to human emotion and social bonding.
- prenatal adjective
Relating to the period of development before birth, especially while a baby is still in the womb
Prenatal exposure to music may influence how newborns respond to familiar sounds after delivery.
- reiterate verb
To repeat something for emphasis or clarity, often to make sure the main point is understood
The minister was careful to reiterate that the funding decision would not be reversed.
- speculation noun
Opinion or theory formed without firm evidence, often about something that cannot yet be verified or proven
Without fossils, any account of early human song remains a matter of speculation.
- validity noun
The quality of being logically sound or well grounded, so that a claim can be accepted as true
Critics questioned the validity of the survey because the sample was small and unrepresentative.
Answers with explanations
- 14. F
The statement describes an **observation** that the nature of **vocal sound** makes finding evidence about the **origin** of music impossible. In the sixth paragraph a psychology professor cautions that vocal music, like speech, **doesn't leave traces** that let us **discern** its origins. Scan for the signpost of doubt, speculations, and the quoted expert. Other paragraphs present theories or support, but only this one links the nature of vocal sound to absent evidence.
- 15. C
The question asks for **examples** of sounds heard **before birth**. Scan for the word **foetus**, a paraphrase of babies not yet born. The third paragraph lists what a foetus **regularly hears**: its mother's **voice, heartbeat, and digestive sounds**. This list of specific sounds matches the request for examples. Other paragraphs discuss mothers and infants after birth or theories of origin, but only this paragraph gives concrete sounds perceived in the womb.
- 16. D
The statement needs **examples** of **characteristics** that **one researcher** thinks all music must have. The fourth paragraph says the researcher developed a set of **universal aspects of music** and lists them: music is **meaningful**, involves movement and gesture, and has structural components such as rhythm and melody. The list of features that a good theory must explain matches the question directly. A similar list of musical elements appears elsewhere, but only here are they presented as required.
- 17. B
The claim is that motherese is **not as simple** as it first sounds. The second paragraph opens by saying that although it **may sound like nonsense**, it is actually a **sophisticated form of communication**. The contrast between **simple** and **sophisticated** is the paraphrase to notice, while when first heard matches may sound like. The paragraph then supports this with structural musical elements. No other paragraph contrasts how motherese sounds with its real complexity.
- 18. A
The statement asks for an **explanation** of where motherese **originated**. The first paragraph gives a causal chain: **larger human brains** led to **earlier births** and **more fragile infants**, so motherese arose to strengthen the bond with the mother. Scan for the word origin and the signpost phrase According to. This is a full account of how motherese came about, whereas later paragraphs only evaluate or criticise the theory.
- 19. C
The statement says theories about the start of music are **just guesswork**. The psychology professor in the sixth paragraph calls them **only speculations – wild ones**, and adds that none can be proven. **Guesswork** paraphrases **speculations**, and the quotation marks signal the speaker's own view. Another researcher praises the theory, and a third points to multiple origins, so only this sceptic matches. The answer is the researcher named in that quotation, not the main theorist.
- 20. D
The statement says music can help people cope with **boredom** in their **jobs**. The seventh paragraph quotes the music psychologist from Melbourne, who notes that music has been used **in work traditions** to **distract people from repetitive tasks**. **Boredom** is paraphrased by repetitive tasks, and jobs by work. Scan for words about occupations. The idea does not appear in the comments of the other researchers, who discuss birth, evaluation and speculation instead.
- 21. B
The statement says an **analysis** of the various **accounts** of music's origin has greatly **enriched** understanding. The fifth paragraph quotes the head of a music school, who says the theorist **tackled the existing theories head-on** and that examining **all the different theories** is a wonderful contribution. Enriched understanding is paraphrased by the praise of a contribution. The theorist himself is only being discussed here, not speaking, so the speaker is the one named.
- 22. A
The statement says motherese **reinforces the connection** between a mother and her baby. The first paragraph reports that, according to the researcher, motherese **arose as a way to strengthen this bond** between mothers and newborns. **Reinforces** paraphrases **strengthen**, and **connection** paraphrases bond. Scan for the lead researcher's own claims at the beginning. The same person later explains the survival benefit, which supports the match more than the other speakers' general comments.
- 23. D
The statement says the motherese theory **fails to explain** music **not produced by the voice**. The seventh paragraph shows a music psychologist arguing that motherese **doesn't account for all music – particularly non-vocal expressions**. **Fails to explain** paraphrases **doesn't account for**, and not produced by the voice matches non-vocal. This is a critique of the theory's scope. The other sceptic criticises the lack of evidence, not the omission of instrumental music.
- 24. courtship
The gap follows **part of their** and needs a **noun**. The summary's **birds** and **sounds** correspond to the passage's **birds singing**, and the purpose is given as to enhance courtship. Scan the fifth paragraph, which lists the competing theories, for the animal examples. The answer is lifted verbatim, is a single word, and completes the phrase grammatically. The wolves howling example refers to territory, not to the birds in the question.
- 25. pleasure
The gap follows **bring humans** and needs a **noun** naming what music provides. In the fifth paragraph, the theory says music exists **to give people pleasure**, and **bring** paraphrases **give**. The signpost Others suggest introduces this idea after the animal theory. The word pleasure is copied directly and fits the one-word limit. The phrase about attracting sexual partners belongs to the next sentence of the summary, so it cannot fill this gap.
- 26. tool
The gap follows **music was a** and needs a **singular noun**. The summary's phrase **teach children things that had nothing to do with music** paraphrases the passage's **help youngsters acquire non-musical skills**. The final theory in the fifth paragraph says music evolved **as a tool**, so the word is taken verbatim. It completes the article before the gap and meets the one-word limit. Youngsters is a different part of speech and does not fit.