Why playing a musical instrument .......

KEY
Question 1
a) True. Learning to play an instrument has major advantages for a growing brain and should be a key part of school education.
b) False. .. there is strong evidence to show that music lessons help children improve their language skills. Prof Kraus has led the first research to demonstrate that playing a musical instrument significantly enhances the brain's sensitivity to speech sounds.
c) True. The benefits could help normal children as well as those with developmental problems such as dyslexia and autism
d) False. Prof Klaus told the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, California.
Question 2
a) It seems that when people learn to play a musical instrument, they develop abilities which permit them to distinguish between and understand different sounds, including aspects of spoken language such as patterns and sounds.
b) Other studies in the past have proved that listening to music can reduce the amount of pain people feel and therefore mean that they have to take fewer pain relief tablets. Scientists have also discovered that cardiology patients who listen to music experience lower blood pressure, heart beat and nervousness.
Question 3
a) leading
b) evidence
c) convey
Question 4
a) Professor Klaus claimed that learning to play an instrument had major advantages for a growing brain and should have been a key part of school education.
b) If youngsters play an instrument, this may help them (to) process speech in noisy classrooms better and also more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice.
c) Although other studies in children and adults have found that merely listening to music doesn’t have as much impact on the brain as making music, there are still benefits.