B1 – Intermediate
A new research has discovered that the tempo and mood of songs and the overall energy levels of music are linked to the things we remember about the past.
Read the article about how the energy levels of music affect what we remember.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2508/250828-music-and-memory.html
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “recall” mean? “It even made people recall romantic experiences.” Use the word in a sentence. Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions.
- What does “sort” mean in this sentence, “The researchers asked 233 people about the sorts of memories they had after listening to music.” Use the word in a sentence. Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions.
- What does “characterize” mean? “Acoustic songs were associated with memories that were more vivid, unique, and characterized by complex emotions like romance.” Use the word in a sentence. Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions.
Discussion Questions:
- “High-energy music made people remember funny and happy events” while “slower and acoustic music brought back memories of calmness and sadness” and romantic experiences. Does the same thing happen to you? Share your own experience.
- Share your thoughts on this, “The feelings people had for music affected their memories.”
- How has the music you used to listen to when you were young changed through the years?
- Talk about one song and the memory you associate it with.