# Why we need silence

IELTS Academic Reading - 13 questions - 20 minutes - Matching information, Summary completion, Matching features

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 21, Test 1, Reading Passage 2. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## The passage

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

**A** Humans are finely attuned to noise, and for good reason. From an evolutionary perspective, sounds give us vital information, helping us navigate the world and avoid danger. To help ensure loud or unexpected noises get the attention they deserve, our internal chemistry alters in response to them. Our blood pressure goes up, muscles tense and glands release hormones that prepare us for fight or flight. In the short term, this is a good thing. When we are exposed to too much noise over the long term, however, those responses can lead to a multitude of health issues, from sleep disturbance to even cardiovascular disease.

**B** The World Health Organization has recently designated excessive noise as an 'underestimated threat' to public health, and has said that people living in cities such as Mumbai, Tokyo and Buenos Aires are being exposed to far more than the recommended 40 decibels of noise at night. A report from the European Environment Agency concluded that noise was an ongoing and widespread issue in Europe, with at least 1 in 5 people consistently exposed to levels considered harmful to health. 'There are no "earlids" that can protect your brain from noise,' says Nick Antonio, an acoustic consultant who has contributed to the British and international standards for noise.

**C** The good news is that several cities have been working to turn the volume down. One of the first to do so was London. 'By providing recommendations for quieter buses, reducing noise from roads and also controlling noise from aircraft, they were able to make the city quieter,' says Antonio. Other cities have introduced noise-reducing road coatings, for instance, alongside greenery that muffles sound. Some solutions are more specific: Washington DC's ban on petrol-powered leaf blowers came into effect recently, while in New York City, legislation has been approved to fine people who modify their vehicles to make them noisier. 'People are seeing the benefits of these more quiet environments in their cities,' Antonio says. 'I expect we will see much more of this in the future.'

**D** Researchers are also seeking to understand what aspects of silent experiences are most beneficial to our health. One of the best-researched is the flotation tank: a lightproof, soundproof tank of salt water in which a person floats as a form of deep relaxation. While some people experience altered perception in the tanks, involving subtle humming sounds and visual effects, these effects are benign and do not detract from the benefits of the experience, says Justin Feinstein, a clinical neuropsychologist. 'When you don't have external sensory stimuli coming in, the brain tries to fill the void to make sense of this dark and silent world,' he explains. 'In these tanks, some people can even hear the sound of their eyes blinking,' says Feinstein. 'But it is the ability to focus on the breath that helps people reach a relaxed or meditative state.'

**E** To further explore flotation tanks as a therapeutic tool, Feinstein and his colleagues recruited 50 people with a variety of conditions related to stress and had them answer a questionnaire prior to and following a flotation session. Participants reported decreases in muscle tension, pain and symptoms of their conditions after a single, 1-hour float, alongside an increase in feelings of relaxation and overall wellbeing.

Less is known about what effects sensory deprivation can have on the brain. To investigate, Feinstein's team had 48 people participate in either three 90-minute float sessions or three 90-minute periods of relaxing on a chair which reclined. Participants had their brains scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging at the beginning and end of the trial. Float sessions uniquely decreased activity in the default mode network (DMN), a collection of brain regions commonly linked with depression. Feinstein says it is an exciting finding, because flotation tanks seem to offer a way of 'resetting' our nervous system to prevent it from getting out of balance.

**F** Neurobiologist Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan is also an advocate of silence as a therapy. 'When we find ways to be quiet, we are not only quiet in our environment, but quiet in our inner selves,' she explains. 'This allows us to be more aware of what is happening around us and what the situation may require from us so we can provide [a more] adequate response.'

Not everyone will benefit from silence to the same extent, but Ben-Soussan says one characteristic is key: the person must need to want to engage in the experience. 'We see from animal models and human studies that volition and intentionality is important,' she says. 'When people do not want silence, it can be very distressing.'

**G** Eric Pfeifer, a psychotherapy researcher, also concedes that some people may not benefit from silence, particularly those who are in a heightened state of stress. 'People in these states may not be able to relax or calm down in a silent condition,' he says. Professional guidance can be useful, he adds, allowing people to approach silence slowly so that they can gradually enjoy the benefits. And Pfeifer is convinced that silence is more attainable in everyday life than people think. First, complete silence isn't necessary. In a recent study, he found that participants reported more relaxation and less boredom when they sat quietly in an outdoor garden compared with a completely silent room. Second, Pfeifer believes we don't need a lot of silence to gain benefits. 'You don't need to spend hours in silence,' he says. '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. Just finding those places in your daily life where you can find some silence... can make a big difference.'

## Questions

### Questions 14-17: Matching information

Reading Passage 2 has seven sections, A-G. Which section contains the following information?

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

15. data indicating the extent of the problem of excessive noise

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

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

### Questions 18-21: Summary completion

Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Flotation Tanks
According to Justin Feinstein, flotation tanks allow people to concentrate on their own **(18)** _____, which helps them relax and enables them to meditate.
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. Participants reported a reduction in their symptoms after an hour in the tank, together with signs of relaxation and improved general **(20)** _____.
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)** _____.

### Questions 22-26: Matching features

Look at the following statements (Questions 22-26) and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person, A-D. You may use any letter more than once.

- **A** Nick Antonio
- **B** Justin Feinstein
- **C** Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan
- **D** Eric Pfeifer

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

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

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

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

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

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