Task 5
Questions 33-40
Read the text on the next page.
For each question (33-40), choose the answer (A-K) that best completes the sentence.
There are three options that you do not need.
Mark your answer on the answer sheet.
There is an example at the beginning $(\mathbf{0} \rightarrow \mathbf{L})$.
Singing for body and mind
The physiological benefits of singing, and music more generally, have long been explored. Music (0) ______ exercises the brain as well as the body, but singing is particularly beneficial for improving breathing, posture and muscle tension. Listening to and (33) ______ in music has been shown to be effective in pain relief, too, probably due to the release of neurochemicals. An example is β-endorphin, a natural painkiller responsible for the feeling of satisfaction that is (34) ______ after intense exercise.
There's also some evidence to suggest that music can play a role in supporting a healthy immune system (35) ______ reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the immunoglobin A antibody.
Music has been used in different cultures throughout history in many (36) ______ rituals and is already used as a therapy in our own culture (for the relief of mental illness, breathing conditions and language impairment, for example). Everyone can sing, however much we might protest, (37) ______ that it is one of the most accessible forms of music making, too. Song is a powerful therapy indeed.
Regular choir members report that learning new songs is cognitively stimulating and helps their memory. The satisfaction of performing together is likely to be associated (38) ______ activation of the brain's reward system, which keeps people coming back for more.
Singing, (39) ______ if there is no audience, improves our sense of happiness and wellbeing. Research has found, for example, that people feel more positive after actively singing than they do after passively listening to music, or after chatting about positive life events. Our improved mood is likely to be (40) ______ by changes in our sense of social closeness with others. This comes directly from the release of positive neurochemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. So, join a choir and start singing!