The Power of Music

Music has got a very strong power over living things. It can change the way we feel and help us to work, learn and study. It can make animals feel calm and happy, too. But not all music is good for us.

Farmers sometimes play slow, relaxing music for their animals. When cows and hens listen to music, the hens lay a lot of eggs and the cows make more milk. But animals don’t like all types of music. A group of psychologists played two different types of music for rats. They put the rats in two boxes. In one box there was classical music by Bach, and in the other box there was rock music. The rats could move to the other box through a door. Almost all the rats went into the box with the classical music, so they definitely preferred it.

Believe it or not, plants prefer classical music, too. In a scientific experiment, Dorothy Retallack played different types of music for plants, including jazz, classical music with violins, rock with loud drums, Indian and country music. The plants grew very well with the relaxing jazz, classical and Indian music. They grew quite well with the country music. But the plants in a room with rock music died.

If some types of music are good for a plant’s health, they will probably be good for ours, too. In fact, many hospitals are using music therapy and are having amazing results. Classical music often helps patients sleep better and feel calmer. So, try listening to Mozart, Chopin or Brahms. The results may surprise you.

1. Say whether the sentences are TRUE or FALSE

1. Hens lay a lot of eggs when they listen to music.
2. Cows don’t make any milk when they listen to music.
3. There wasn’t any country music in the boxes.
4. There was a door between the rats’ boxes.
5. The rock music didn’t make much difference to the plants.
6. Classical music is good for a plant’s health, but it is bad for ours.

2. Answer the questions according to the text.

1. How can music help people?

2. How do psychologists know that rats prefer classical music?

3. What happened to the plants that heard the rock music?

4. How does classical music help hospital patients?


KEY

1.

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. False

2.

1. Music can help people to work, learn and study.
2. During an experiment they did, all the rats moved into the box with classical music.
3. They all died.
4. Classical music helps patients to be calmer and sleep better.