Why we need silence: Reading answers

The passage opens

Answers 14–26

1. 14

   examples of strategies to decrease the noise that the public are exposed to

   C: Paragraph C Matching information

   Paragraph C gives several strategies for reducing public exposure to noise, including quieter buses, road-noise reduction and aircraft-noise controls.

   “By providing recommendations for quieter buses, reducing noise from roads and also controlling noise from aircraft, they were able to make the city quieter”

2. 15

   data indicating the extent of the problem of excessive noise

   B: Paragraph B Matching information

   Paragraph B gives figures showing how widespread harmful noise exposure is, including at least one person in five in Europe.

   “with at least 1 in 5 people consistently exposed to levels considered harmful to health”

3. 16

   a description of physiological changes in our bodies when we hear sudden noises

   A: Paragraph A Matching information

   Paragraph A describes bodily changes caused by loud or unexpected sounds: raised blood pressure, tense muscles and hormone release.

   “Our blood pressure goes up, muscles tense and glands release hormones that prepare us for fight or flight.”

4. 17

   evidence that a relatively quiet environment can be more beneficial than a totally silent one

   G: Paragraph G Matching information

   Paragraph G reports that sitting quietly in a garden led to more relaxation and less boredom than sitting in a completely silent room.

   “participants reported more relaxation and less boredom when they sat quietly in an outdoor garden compared with a completely silent room.”

5. 18

   According to Justin Feinstein, flotation tanks allow people to concentrate on their own {18}, which helps them relax and enables them to meditate.

   breath Summary completion

   The source says that focusing on the “breath” helps people relax or reach a meditative state.

   “it is the ability to focus on the breath that helps people reach a relaxed or meditative state.”

6. 19

   Feinstein and his colleagues conducted an experiment in which 50 people, who were all suffering from stress and related issues, were given a {19} to complete before and after using a flotation tank.

   questionnaire Summary completion

   The participants completed a “questionnaire” before and after the flotation session.

   “had them answer a questionnaire prior to and following a flotation session.”

7. 20

   Participants reported a reduction in their symptoms after an hour in the tank, together with signs of relaxation and improved general {20}.

   wellbeing Summary completion

   The passage says participants reported increased relaxation and overall “wellbeing,” matching improved general wellbeing.

   “an increase in feelings of relaxation and overall wellbeing.”

8. 21

   In another experiment, the researchers had 48 people spend periods of 90 minutes either lying back in a chair or floating in a tank. Brain scans then revealed that those people who had been in a tank had decreased activity in parts of the brain associated with {21}.

   depression Summary completion

   The brain network whose activity decreased after floating is described as commonly linked with “depression.”

   “commonly linked with depression.”

9. 22

   It is unpleasant and upsetting for people to be placed in a silent environment against their will.

   C: Tai Dotan Ben-Soussan Matching features

   Tai Dotan Ben-Soussan says unwanted silence can be very distressing, which matches the statement that being placed in silence against one’s will is upsetting.

   “When people do not want silence, it can be very distressing.”

10. 23

    The trend towards creating quieter urban locations is likely to increase in the coming years.

    A: Nick Antonio Matching features

    Nick Antonio predicts that the efforts to make cities quieter will become more common in the future.

    “I expect we will see much more of this in the future.”

11. 24

    When our body's senses are completely deprived of input, our minds compensate for this by creating the illusion of images and sounds.

    B: Justin Feinstein Matching features

    Justin Feinstein explains that without external sensory stimuli, the brain fills the void; he also describes people experiencing sounds and visual effects in flotation tanks.

    “the brain tries to fill the void to make sense of this dark and silent world”

12. 25

    Even a short amount of silent time can have a positive impact.

    D: Eric Pfeifer Matching features

    Eric Pfeifer says that even a few minutes of silence can be beneficial, and that frequent short periods may be better than a longer period once a week.

    “It is likely better to have more frequency of silence for a few minutes at a time than a longer period of silence only once a week.”

13. 26

    External and internal quietness makes us more conscious of events occurring in our surroundings and helps us react appropriately to these events.

    C: Tai Dotan Ben-Soussan Matching features

    Tai Dotan Ben-Soussan says that external and inner quiet make us more aware of our surroundings and help us respond more adequately.

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