The Reading / Listening - Music and Genes - Level 3

We all love to move (or groove) to music. At the very least, we cannot resist tapping our foot or nodding our head when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our body to musical beats is genetic. Our dancing ability is in our genes. Parents pass their sense of rhythm down to their children. The study is from the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes that affect how people react to musical rhythms. The researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in sync with music beats. They said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms, such as breathing, walking and sleeping.

The researchers used bio-data from over 600,000 people in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The large number of…study participants offered a unique opportunity…to capture even small genetic signals." He added: "This research represents a leap forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon said: "Rhythm is not just influenced by a single gene. It is influenced by many hundreds of genes." She added: "Tapping, clapping and dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is at the core of our human musicality." The research could one day help doctors use music and rhythm to make us healthier.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Music and Genes - Level 0,  Music and Genes - Level 1   or  Music and Genes - Level 2

Sources
  • https://neurosciencenews.com/genetic-lmusic-movement-21443/
  • https://newatlas.com/science/genes-beat-sync-music-study-nature/
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01359-x


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. GENES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about genes. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       love / groove / tapping our foot / music / dancing / genes / rhythm / sleeping /
       researchers / unique / opportunity / leap forward / musicality / clapping / doctors
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DNA: Students A strongly believe scientists should change our DNA to make us more musical; Students B strongly believe this is a silly idea. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. RHYTHM: What is tour rhythm regarding these things? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Rhythm

Why?

Dancing

 

 

Sleeping

 

 

Breathing

 

 

Walking

 

 

Living

 

 

Spending money

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. GENES: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "genes". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MUSIC: Rank these with your partner. Put the best music at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Jazz
  • Opera
  • Hip-hop
  • Reggae
  • Folk
  • Techno
  • Heavy metal
  • Country

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. groove a. Happening at the same time or rate as something else.
      2. resist b. Try to stop an action.
      3. ability c. A feeling about something.
      4. sense d. Dance or listen to popular or jazz music.
      5. react e. Taking air into the lungs and then releasing it.
      6. in sync f. The means or skill to do something.
      7. breathing g. Act because something else happened.

    Paragraph 2

      8. bio-data h. A time that makes it possible to do something; chance.
      9. participant i. Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
      10. unique j. A big movement forward.
      11. opportunity k. Information about our body and how it works.
      12. capture l. A person who joins or takes part in something.
      13. leap m. The part of something that is at the heart of its character.
      14. core n. Cause data to be stored in a computer.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says music is groovy.     T / F
  2. Researchers say children can dance better than their parents.     T / F
  3. Researchers say humans can move to 69 different rhythms.     T / F
  4. Researchers said the rhythm of breathing is the same as dancing.     T / F
  5. More than 600,000 people were part of this research.     T / F
  6. Good rhythm can help people leap farther.     T / F
  7. A researcher said hundreds of genes affect rhythm.     T / F
  8. Music and rhythm could be used in future as a form of healthcare.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. resist
  2. suggests
  3. sense
  4. affect
  5. ways
  6. study
  7. unique
  8. leap
  9. links
  10. core
  1. jump
  2. research
  3. methods
  4. special
  5. connections
  6. shows
  7. influence
  8. stop
  9. centre
  10. feeling

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. We all love to move (or groove)
  2. moving our body to musical beats
  3. sense of
  4. move in sync
  5. They said the genes work in
  6. bio-data from
  7. This research represents a leap
  8. influenced by a single
  9. Tapping, clapping and dancing
  10. at the
  1. over 600,000 people
  2. in synchrony
  3. similar ways
  4. core of
  5. is genetic
  6. forward
  7. to music
  8. with music beats
  9. gene
  10. rhythm

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
sense
resist
sync
breathing
ability
react
groove
ways

We all love to move or (1) _____________________ to music. At the very least, we cannot (2) _____________________ tapping our foot or nodding our head when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our body to musical beats is genetic. Our dancing (3) _____________________ is in our genes. Parents pass their (4) _____________________ of rhythm down to their children. The study is from the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes that affect how people (5) _____________________ to musical rhythms. The researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in (6) _____________________ with music beats. They said the genes work in similar (7) _____________________ to those for other biological rhythms, such as (8) _____________________, walking and sleeping.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
doctors
leap
participants
core
healthier
large
small
single

The researchers used bio-data from over 600,000 people in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The (9) _____________________ number of...study (10) _____________________ offered a unique opportunity...to capture even (11) _____________________ genetic signals." He added: "This research represents a (12) _____________________ forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon said: "Rhythm is not just influenced by a (13) _____________________ gene. It is influenced by many hundreds of genes." She added: "Tapping, clapping and dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is at the (14) _____________________ of our human musicality." The research could one day help (15) _____________________ use music and rhythm to make us (16) _____________________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) At the very least, we cannot resist ______
     a.  tap ping our foot
     b.  tap pin our foot
     c.  tap in our foot
     d.  tapping our foot
2)  New research suggests that moving our body to musical ______
     a.  beats is generic
     b.  beats is gen attic
     c.  beats is genetic
     d.  beats is genre attic
3)  Researchers found 69 genes that affect ______
     a.  how people reeked
     b.  how people react
     c.  how people wretched
     d.  how people reached
4)  The researchers said different genes affect our ability to ______
     a.  move on sync
     b.  move in sync
     c.  moving sync
     d.  move in sink
5)  They said the genes work in similar ways to those for ______
     a.  other biologically rhythms
     b.  other biology rhythms
     c.  other bio logical rhythms
     d.  other biological rhythms

6)  The researchers used bio-data from over 600,000 people ______
     a.  on their research
     b.  in their research
     c.  in there research
     d.  in their researcher
7)  This research represents a leap forward for scientific understanding ______
     a.  off the links
     b.  oft the links
     c.  of the links
     d.  over the links
8)  Rhythm is not just influenced by ______
     a.  a single gene
     b.  a jingle gene
     c.  a sing all gene
     d.  a sing allergen
9)  Tapping, clapping and dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is ______
     a.  at the corps
     b.  at the cor
     c.  at the core
     d.  at the craw
10)  The research could one day help doctors use music and rhythm to ______
     a.  make us healthier
     b.  make them healthier
     c.  make we healthier
     d.  make all healthier

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

We all love to move (or groove) to music. At (1) ____________________, we cannot resist tapping our foot or nodding our head when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our body to musical (2) ____________________. Our dancing ability is in our genes. Parents pass their sense of (3) ____________________ their children. The study is from the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes (4) ____________________ people react to musical rhythms. The researchers said different genes (5) ____________________ to move in sync with music beats. They said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms, (6) ____________________, walking and sleeping.

The researchers used (7) ____________________ 600,000 people in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The large number of...study participants (8) ____________________ opportunity...to capture even small genetic signals." He added: "This research represents (9) ____________________ for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon said: "Rhythm is not just (10) ____________________ single gene. It is influenced by many hundreds of genes." She added: "(11) ____________________ dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is at the core of our human musicality." The research could (12) ____________________ doctors use music and rhythm to make us healthier.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say we like to groove to?
  2. What does the article say we nod to music?
  3. What kind of company is 23andMe?
  4. How many genes did researchers find that affect our rhythm?
  5. What rhythms besides sleeping and walking do our genes also affect?
  6. How many people were part of the research?
  7. What kind of leap does the research in the article represent?
  8. What did a researcher say rhythm is not just influenced by?
  9. What is tapping, clapping and dancing at the core of?
  10. What might doctors use in the future as part of their healthcare?

Multiple choice quiz

6) How many people were part of the research?
a) just fewer than 600,000
b) exactly 600,000
c) more than 600,000
d) around 600,000
7) What kind of leap does the research in the article represent?
a) a leap forward
b) a leap for mankind
c) a leap in the dark
d) a leap into the unknown
8) What did a researcher say rhythm is not just influenced by?
a) our heart
b) jazz
c) a single gene
d) dancing
9) What is tapping, clapping and dancing at the core of?
a) apples
b) our human musicality
c) computers
d) microprocessors
10) What might doctors use in the future as part of their healthcare?
a) music and rhythm
b) drum sticks
c) MP3 players
d) opera

6) How many people were part of the research?
a) just fewer than 600,000
b) exactly 600,000
c) more than 600,000
d) around 600,000
7) What kind of leap does the research in the article represent?
a) a leap forward
b) a leap for mankind
c) a leap in the dark
d) a leap into the unknown
8) What did a researcher say rhythm is not just influenced by?
a) our heart
b) jazz
c) a single gene
d) dancing
9) What is tapping, clapping and dancing at the core of?
a) apples
b) our human musicality
c) computers
d) microprocessors
10) What might doctors use in the future as part of their healthcare?
a) music and rhythm
b) drum sticks
c) MP3 players
d) opera

Role play

Role  A – Jazz
You think jazz is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of music. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, techno or heavy metal.

Role  B – Hip-hop
You think hip-hop is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of music. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): jazz, techno or heavy metal.

Role  C – Techno
You think techno is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of music. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, jazz or heavy metal.

Role  D – Heavy Metal
You think heavy metal is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of music. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, techno or jazz.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'beat'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'music'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • groove
    • head
    • pass
    • 69
    • sync
    • way
    • bio-data
    • large
    • leap
    • single
    • core
    • day

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Music and Genes

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'beat'?
    3. What do you think about rhythm?
    4. How often do you move to music?
    5. What do you think of tapping your foot to music?
    6. Did you get any musical genes from your parents?
    7. How good are you at dancing?
    8. What's your favourite music to dance to?
    9. How important is rhythm in your life?
    10. What are your walking, breathing and sleeping rhythms?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'music'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why is music so important to us?
    5. Is it important to listen to music before we sleep?
    6. Is there any music that is bad for us?
    7. Should scientists change genes to make people more musical?
    8. Do you prefer fast or slow rhythms in life?
    9. How can music and rhythm make us healthier?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    We all love to move (or () ____) to music. At the very least, we cannot resist tapping our foot or nodding our (2) ____ when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our body to musical beats is genetic. Our dancing ability is (3) ____ our genes. Parents pass their sense of rhythm down to their children. The study is from the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes that (4) ____ how people react (5) ____ musical rhythms. The researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in sync with music beats. They said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms, such (6) ____ breathing, walking and sleeping.

    The researchers used bio-data from (7) ____ 600,000 people in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The large number of...study participants offered a (8) ____ opportunity...to capture even small genetic signals." He added: "This research represents a (9) ____ forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon said: "Rhythm is not just influenced (10) ____ a single gene. It is influenced by many hundreds of genes." She added: "Tapping, clapping and dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is at the (11) ____ of our human musicality." The research could (12) ____ day help doctors use music and rhythm to make us healthier.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     grave     (b)     grieve     (c)     groove     (d)     gravitate    
    2. (a)     head     (b)     stomach     (c)     hand     (d)     shoulder    
    3. (a)     in     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     by    
    4. (a)     affect     (b)     reflect     (c)     effect     (d)     inflict    
    5. (a)     of     (b)     to     (c)     by     (d)     as    
    6. (a)     'twas     (b)     has     (c)     was     (d)     as    
    7. (a)     higher     (b)     increase     (c)     over     (d)     upped    
    8. (a)     clinic     (b)     clique     (c)     unclear     (d)     unique    
    9. (a)     leap     (b)     hop     (c)     shuffle     (d)     jog    
    10. (a)     on     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     to    
    11. (a)     skin     (b)     core     (c)     peel     (d)     seed    
    12. (a)     once     (b)     only     (c)     one     (d)     ones

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. we cannot isrets tapping our foot
    2. Our dancing iilaytb is in our genes
    3. Parents pass their seens of rhythm down
    4. how people react to cmlsaui rhythms
    5. other liaiolbogc rhythms
    6. trahneibg, walking and sleeping

    Paragraph 2

    1. The large number of study prsiapitactn
    2. a quueni opportunity
    3. actepru even small genetic signals
    4. a leap forward for sciiifcten understanding
    5. Rhythm is not just nlcfeinued by a single gene
    6. Tapping, pgiplacn and dancing

    Put the text back together

    (  1  ) We all love to move (or groove) to music. At the very least, we cannot resist tapping our
    (...)  and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon said: "Rhythm is not just influenced by a single gene. It is influenced
    (...)  day help doctors use music and rhythm to make us healthier.
    (...)  signals." He added: "This research represents a leap forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics
    (...)  to musical rhythms. The researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in sync
    (...)  the beat of music is at the core of our human musicality." The research could one
    (...)  number of...study participants offered a unique opportunity...to capture even small genetic
    (...)  by many hundreds of genes." She added: "Tapping, clapping and dancing in synchrony with
    (...)  of rhythm down to their children. The study is from the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and
    (...)  foot or nodding our head when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our
    (...)  biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes that affect how people react
    (...)  The researchers used bio-data from over 600,000 people in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The large
    (...)  with music beats. They said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms, such as breathing, walking and sleeping.
    (...)  body to musical beats is genetic. Our dancing ability is in our genes. Parents pass their sense

    Put the words in the right order

    1. hear   our   we   music   .   when   We   tap   foot
    2. Moving   musical   is   our   to   body   beats   genetic   .
    3. pass   of   their   sense   Parents   down   .   rhythm
    4. affect   Genes   rhythms   .   how   people   that   to   react
    5. in   genes   They   work   said   the   ways   .   similar
    6. used   researchers   from   people   .   600,000   over   The   bio-data
    7. number   The   opportunity   .   a   unique   participants   offered   of
    8. research   This   represents   a   science   .   leap   forward   for
    9. just   gene   .   by   Rhythm   a   influenced   single   isn't
    10. healthier   .   Doctors   us   use   make   rhythm   to

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    We all love to move (or groove / groovy) to music. At the very least / last, we cannot resist tipping / tapping our foot or nodding our head when we hear music. New research suggests that moving our body to musical beats is genetic. Our dancing able / ability is in our genes. Parents pass their sense of / to rhythm down to their children. The study is from / of the Vanderbilt University in the USA, and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe. Researchers found 69 genes that effect / affect how people react to musical / musician rhythms. The researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in sync / sink with music beats. They said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms, such was / as breathing, walking and sleeping.

    The researchers used bio-data from over 600,000 people on / in their research. Researcher Dr David Hinds said: "The large numeral / number of...study participants offered a clique / unique opportunity...to capture even small genetic signals." He added: "Those / This research represents a leaped / leap forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality." Researcher Dr Reyna Gordon spoke / said: "Rhythm is not just influenced by a single / singles gene. It is influenced by many hundreds of genes." She added: "Tapping, clapping and dancing in / on synchrony with the beat of music is at the corn / core of our human musicality." The research could one day help doctors use music and rhythm to make them / us healthier.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    W_  _ll  l_v_  t_  m_v_  (_r  gr__v_)  t_  m_s_c.  _t  th_  v_ry  l__st,  w_  c_nn_t  r_s_st  t_pp_ng  __r  f__t  _r  n_dd_ng  __r  h__d  wh_n  w_  h__r  m_s_c.  N_w  r_s__rch  s_gg_sts  th_t  m_v_ng  __r  b_dy  t_  m_s_c_l  b__ts  _s  g_n_t_c.  __r  d_nc_ng  _b_l_ty  _s  _n  __r  g_n_s.  P_r_nts  p_ss  th__r  s_ns_  _f  rhythm  d_wn  t_  th__r  ch_ldr_n.  Th_  st_dy  _s  fr_m  th_  V_nd_rb_lt  _n_v_rs_ty  _n  th_  _S_,  _nd  th_  g_n_m_cs  _nd  b__t_chn_l_gy  c_mp_ny  23_ndM_.  R_s__rch_rs  f__nd  69  g_n_s  th_t  _ff_ct  h_w  p__pl_  r__ct  t_  m_s_c_l  rhythms.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s__d  d_ff_r_nt  g_n_s  _ff_ct  __r  _b_l_ty  t_  m_v_  _n  sync  w_th  m_s_c  b__ts.  Th_y  s__d  th_  g_n_s  w_rk  _n  s_m_l_r  w_ys  t_  th_s_  f_r  _th_r  b__l_g_c_l  rhythms,  s_ch  _s  br__th_ng,  w_lk_ng  _nd  sl__p_ng.

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  _s_d  b__-d_t_  fr_m  _v_r  600,000  p__pl_  _n  th__r  r_s__rch.  R_s__rch_r  Dr  D_v_d  H_nds  s__d:  "Th_  l_rg_  n_mb_r  _f...st_dy  p_rt_c_p_nts  _ff_r_d  _  _n_q__  _pp_rt_n_ty...t_  c_pt_r_  _v_n  sm_ll  g_n_t_c  s_gn_ls."  H_  _dd_d:  "Th_s  r_s__rch  r_pr_s_nts  _  l__p  f_rw_rd  f_r  sc__nt_f_c  _nd_rst_nd_ng  _f  th_  l_nks  b_tw__n  g_n_t_cs  _nd  m_s_c_l_ty."  R_s__rch_r  Dr  R_yn_  G_rd_n  s__d:  "Rhythm  _s  n_t  j_st  _nfl__nc_d  by  _  s_ngl_  g_n_.  _t  _s  _nfl__nc_d  by  m_ny  h_ndr_ds  _f  g_n_s."  Sh_  _dd_d:  "T_pp_ng,  cl_pp_ng  _nd  d_nc_ng  _n  synchr_ny  w_th  th_  b__t  _f  m_s_c  _s  _t  th_  c_r_  _f  __r  h_m_n  m_s_c_l_ty."  Th_  r_s__rch  c__ld  _n_  d_y  h_lp  d_ct_rs  _s_  m_s_c  _nd  rhythm  t_  m_k_  _s  h__lth__r.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    we all love to move or groove to music at the very least we cannot resist tapping our foot or nodding our head when we hear music new research suggests that moving our body to musical beats is genetic our dancing ability is in our genes parents pass their sense of rhythm down to their children the study is from the vanderbilt university in the usa and the genomics and biotechnology company 23andme researchers found 69 genes that affect how people react to musical rhythms the researchers said different genes affect our ability to move in sync with music beats they said the genes work in similar ways to those for other biological rhythms such as breathing walking and sleeping

    the researchers used biodata from over 600000 people in their research researcher dr david hinds said the large number ofstudy participants offered a unique opportunityto capture even small genetic signals he added this research represents a leap forward for scientific understanding of the links between genetics and musicality researcher dr reyna gordon said rhythm is not just influenced by a single gene it is influenced by many hundreds of genes she added tapping clapping and dancing in synchrony with the beat of music is at the core of our human musicality the research could one day help doctors use music and rhythm to make us healthier

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Wealllovetomove(orgroove)tomusic.Attheveryleast,wecannotresis
    ttappingourfootornoddingourheadwhenwehearmusic.Newresearch
    suggeststhatmovingourbodytomusicalbeatsisgenetic.Ourdancinga
    bilityisinourgenes.Parentspasstheirsenseofrhythmdowntotheirchild
    ren.ThestudyisfromtheVanderbiltUniversityintheUSA,andthegeno
    micsandbiotechnologycompany23andMe.Researchersfound69gene
    sthataffecthowpeoplereacttomusicalrhythms.Theresearcherssaiddi
    fferentgenesaffectourabilitytomoveinsyncwithmusicbeats.Theysaid
    thegenesworkinsimilarwaystothoseforotherbiologicalrhythms,such
    asbreathing,walkingandsleeping.Theresearchersusedbio-datafrom
    over600,000peopleintheirresearch.ResearcherDrDavidHindssaid:"
    Thelargenumberof...studyparticipantsofferedauniqueopportunity...
    tocaptureevensmallgeneticsignals."Headded:"Thisresearchreprese
    ntsaleapforwardforscientificunderstandingofthelinksbetweengeneti
    csandmusicality."ResearcherDrReynaGordonsaid:"Rhythmisnotjus
    tinfluencedbyasinglegene.Itisinfluencedbymanyhundredsofgenes."
    Sheadded:"Tapping,clappinganddancinginsynchronywiththebeatof
    musicisatthecoreofourhumanmusicality."Theresearchcouldoneday
    helpdoctorsusemusicandrhythmtomakeushealthier.

    Free writing

    Write about beat of music for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Music is essential for our health. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. RHYTHM: Make a poster about rhythm. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. MUSIC AND HEALTH: Write a magazine article about music should be used more to make us healthy. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on rhythm. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how music can make our lives better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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