Singing can help when learning a foreign language егэ ответы

Задание №8760.
Чтение. ЕГЭ по английскому

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A — F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1 — 7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя.

Singing can help when learning a foreign language

It is a source of national embarrassment – despite hours of lessons and listening to foreign language tapes, most of us ___ (A). However, a new study suggests there may be hope for those who have difficulty with a foreign language – they should try singing it instead.

Research found that adults who sang words or short phrases from a foreign language while learning were twice as good at speaking it later. It is thought that by listening to words that are sung, and by singing them back, the technique takes advantage of the strong links between music and memory.

Although not clearly understood, music is known to help students ___ (B) recall.

Dr Overy said singing could lead to new approaches to learning a foreign language. She said: “Most people ___ (C) from songs they have heard and songs are sometimes used by language teachers with young children.”

Dr Overy and her colleagues used recordings of Hungarian words to teach 60 adults. They chose Hungarian as the participants ___ (D) anguage.

The participants either listened to words that were spoken and then had to repeat them back, much like a standard teach-yourself tape, or the words were said rhythmically or sung.

After a 15-minute learning period, they were then given several tests to see how well they had learned the words. Those ___ (E) scored highest. They were also better at recalling the words correctly in tests of long term memory. Interestingly, they did not sing the words when they recalled them.

Dr Ludke said the findings could help those ___ (F).

1. when studying and can help to start memory
2. who struggle to learn foreign languages
3. had no experience of learning this
4. have experience of remembering words
5. who had used the “listen and sign” approach
6. can barely order a simple drink while abroad
7. facilitate verbatim memory for foreign languages

A	B	C	D	E	F

Решение:
Пропуску A соответствует часть текста под номером 6.
Пропуску B соответствует часть текста под номером 1.
Пропуску C соответствует часть текста под номером 4.
Пропуску D соответствует часть текста под номером 3.
Пропуску E соответствует часть текста под номером 5.
Пропуску F соответствует часть текста под номером 2.

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Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий

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Обучение Подробнее

Раздел 1. Аудирование

1. Вы услышите 6 высказываний. Установите соответствие между высказываниями каждого говорящего A—F и утверждениями, данными в списке 1—7. Используйте каждое утверждение, обозначенное соответствующей цифрой, только один раз. В задании есть одно лишнее утверждение. Вы услышите запись дважды. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу.

1. Not having to visit doctors is being somewhat healthy.

2. It’s important to reduce stress to be healthy.

3. To be healthy, you have to be thin.

4. To look healthy is not to be healthy.

5. To be in good health one needs to be active.

6. To be healthy one needs to use cosmetics.

7. To stay healthy you need a balance of mind and body.

Говорящий	А	В	С	D	Е	F
Утверждение

2. Вы услышите диалог. Определите, какие из приведённых утверждений А-G соответствуют содержанию текста (1 — True), какие не соответствуют (2 — False) и о чём в тексте не сказано, то есть на основании текста нельзя дать ни положительного, ни отрицательного ответа (3 — Not stated). Занесите номер выбранного. Вами варианта ответа в таблицу. Вы услышите запись дважды.

[A] Mike has been ill for a month.

[B] Mike’s classmates have paid him long visits.

[C] Mike loves watching TV.

[D] Mike found a very interesting program on TV.

[E] Jane had an easy day at school.

[F] Mike enjoys watching informative programs.

[G] Jane doesn’t agree to watch a quiz show on TV.

Утверждение	А	В	С	D	Е	F	G
Соответствие диалогу

Вы услышите интервью. В заданиях 3—9 запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2 или 3, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Вы услышите запись дважды.

3. The progress in the development of the English language was connected with …

1) Shakespeare’s death.

2) discovering America.

3) settling in the New World.

Ответ: [ ]

4. Why did American colonists borrow words from natives for geographical names?

1) They were easy to pronounce.

2) It helped to communicate with natives.

3) They found it handy and useful.

Ответ: [ ]

5. How did the English language grow in colonial times?

1) It spread among natives.

2) It gained words from local languages.

3) It became the mother tongue for colonies.

Ответ: [ ]

6. Which of the following is TRUE about the English word “dog”?

1) It has a less popular synonym.

2) Its origins are very interesting.

3) It came from an African colony.

Ответ: [ ]

7. What, according to Sally, is one of the ways for new words to appear in English?

1) Putting words together.

2) Expansion of meanings of borrowed words.

3) Shortening of existing words.

Ответ: [ ]

8. What does Sally Smith say about the word “radar”?

1) No one knows where the word came from.

2) It’s an acronym.

3) It’s a borrowed foreign word.

Ответ: [ ]

9. Why is it difficult to count the exact number of English words?

1) Many of them have several meanings.

2) No one counts scientific words.

3) New words appear every day.

Ответ: [ ]

По окончании выполнения заданий 1—9 не забудьте перенести свои ответы в БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № 1! Запишите ответ справа от номера соответствующего задания, начиная с первой клеточки. При переносе ответов в заданиях 1 и 2 цифры записываются без пробелов, запятых и других дополнительных символов. Каждую цифру пишите в отдельной клеточке в соответствии с приведёнными в бланке образцами.

Раздел 2. Чтение

10. Установите соответствие между заголовками 1—8 и текстами A—G. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. Women doing men’s jobs

2. Holidays — the best time to visit

3. Ideal to grow a man

4. A costume for a mythic sea creature

5. The best profession for a lady

6. A festival to a season

7. Words for all times

8. Best clothes for burial

A. Mary is a professional dress-maker specializing in exotic costumes. She devotes many hours to crafting mermaid tails and hand-made tops. Her professional mermaid costume includes a tail and a top. A tail is made of the finest silicone that bends naturally with movement and looks beautifully on film and in print. Out of the depths of the water her costume shines with hundreds of pearls, crystals, and gemstones.

B. Today’s well-educated person uses about 18,000 words. Shakespeare, whose plays written for a small theatre are now performed in more countries than ever before, used over 34,000 different words, thousands of which he made up. For example: accessible, roadway, schoolboy, and watchdog. Many of his phrases have fallen into everyday use in our language today, including, “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” by Richard III.

C. The Celtic division of the year was into two parts. The winter half was considered the beginning of the year, and the summer half the second part. There were two further subdivisions, so the year was finally divided into the standard four seasons. At each of these four stages, a Fire Festival was celebrated. It involved religious ceremonies, music, storytelling, and poetry. These great festivals were regarded to be the best time.

D. As symbols of respect and courage, knights turned out to be an intriguing mix of all the things that made males the best, as their education included the most effective sorts of exercises for the brain and the human body. Knight tournaments were a good way for the knights to try out the actual travails of fighting and never having to go through the pain and troubles of having to look after themselves, and of their kingdoms.

E. Were there any women pirates in Renaissance England? They were in the minority, but they were never the less there and very able. Lady Mary was a daughter of a pirate and married to a pirate. When her husband died, she recruited her castle staff and went to sea herself. Her luck ran out when she captured a German captain, who was a friend of Queen Elizabeth. So Lady Mary quit piracy … and started selling stolen goods.

F. Russia is an amazing holiday destination. It should be visited during the festival season, as it reveals the rich cultural tradition and fascinating customs of its people. While the festivals come from the Christian legacy Russia shares with Europe and America, the manner of celebration is unique. Enthusiastic travelers suggest planning a Russian holiday during the festival time and to be sure that the memories will last a lifetime!

G. Normally very fine textiles are found in graves. Obviously, the quality of clothing worn in the Middle Ages would reduce with lower ranks, but even the slaves did not wear cloth as rough as people thought in the past and some still do today. Slaves would probably wear their master’s clothes, which may have been very thin in places and not decorated. They would usually receive the underclothes to be worn as overclothes.

Ответ:

A	В	C	D	E	F	G

11. Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A—F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1-7. Одна из частей в списке 1-7 лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части предложений, в таблицу.

Singing can help when learning a foreign language

It is-a source of national embarrassment — despite hours of lessons and listening to foreign language tapes, most of us A _____________. However, a new study suggests there may be hope for those who have difficulty with a foreign language — they should try singing it instead.

Research found that adults who sang words or short phrases from a foreign language while learning were twice as good at speaking it later. It is thought that by listening to words that are sung, and by singing them back, the technique takes advantage of the strong links between music and memory.

Although not clearly understood, music is known to help students В _____________ recall.

Dr Overy said singing could lead to new approaches to learning a foreign language. She said: “Most people C _____________ from songs they have heard and songs are sometimes used by language teachers with young children.”

Dr Overy and her colleagues used recordings of Hungarian words to teach 60 adults. They chose Hungarian as the participants D _____________ language.

The participants either listened to words that were spoken and then had to repeat them back, much like a standard teach-yourself tape, or the words were said rhythmically or sung.

After a 15-minute learning period, they were then given several tests to see how well they had

learned the words. Those E _____________ scored highest. They were also better at recalling the words correctly in tests of long term memory. Interestingly, they did not sing the words when they recalled them.

Dr Ludke said the findings could help those F _____________.

1. when studying and can help to start memory

2. who struggle to learn foreign languages

3. had no experience of learning this

4. have experience of remembering words

5. who had used the “listen and sign” approach

6. can barely order a simple drink while abroad

7. facilitate verbatim memory for foreign languages

Ответ:

A	В	C	D	E	F

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12—18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Esperanto

In some heavily multilingual areas of the world, most people learn a lingua franca — a regional trade language — in addition to their mother tongue. But when someone proposes English or French, say, as a trade language, objections inevitably arise. These languages are notoriously difficult to learn, with strange spellings and numerous grammatical rules and exceptions. But more importantly, they’re loaded with historical and cultural baggage. The only hope for a truly universal language would seem to be an artificial one — a language that is designed to be free from cultural biases and easy to learn. This was precisely the goal of Esperanto.

L. L. Zamenhof grew up in the late 1800s in Warsaw, which was a part of Russia at that time. While still in high school he set out to design a universal artificial language that would facilitate communication within his linguistically diverse community. By the time he finished this side project ten years later, Zamenhof was a practicing ophthalmologist. In 1887, Zamenhof published the first guide in Russian to the new language, which he called “Lingvo Intemacia”, meaning “international language”. Zamenhof wrote the textbook under the pseudonym “Esperanto,” meaning “a person who is hoping” in Lingvo Intemacia. Fans of the language decided that “Esperanto” had a nicer ring to it, and they soon adopted it as the informal name of the language.

Esperanto was designed to be both easy to learn and culturally neutral. According to some sources, an English speaker can learn Esperanto up to five times faster than Spanish. For starters, Esperanto uses strictly phonetic spelling — a given letter always makes exactly the same sound. Second, the structure of Esperanto is very simple, with only sixteen basic grammatical rules that need to be learned — and no exceptions to the rules such as irregular verbs. And third, Esperanto has a very small core vocabulary; new words are constructed by combining words and adding prefixes and suffixes.

The vocabulary of Esperanto will have a familiar ring to anyone who knows a European language, as roots were borrowed from French, German, and Spanish, among other languages. For examples: “bona” means “good”; “porko” means “pig”; “filo” means “son”; “hundo” means “dog.” One could argue that this selection represents not so much cultural neutrality as Euro-neutrality, but this hasn’t prevented Esperanto from becoming popular in China and some other parts of Asia.

For all its merits, Esperanto has not reached the level of acceptance its creator foresaw more than a century ago. There may be as many as two million people who speak Esperanto with at least a moderate level of proficiency, but probably no more than a few hundred who learned Esperanto at home as their first language and no known speakers over the age of three or so who speak only Esperanto. Ironically, the cultural neutrality that is touted as such a benefit of the language also serves to limit its growth, because languages tend to spread with the cultures that gave rise to them. Alas, unless or until the number of Esperanto speakers reaches a larger critical mass, it will be of little value as a trade language, and without a clear value, it will be difficult to convince people to learn it.

12. According to the text, an artificial language should …

1) be similar to the mother tongues of the majority of speakers.

2) be based on cultural and historical traditions.

3) have clear grammatical rules and exceptions.

4) be simple and culturally neutral.

Ответ: [ ]

13. Zamenhof started to work on a new language because …

1) it was his school home assignment.

2) he wanted to improve communication in his multilingual environment.

3) it was an important requirement for his job.

4) he had problems with studying Russian in Warsaw.

Ответ: [ ]

14. At first, the word “Esperanto” was used as the …

1) name of the new language.

2) pen-name of the new language designer.

3) title of the book about the new language.

4) name of the place where the new language was designed.

Ответ: [ ]

15. According to the text, it is NOT true that …

1) grammatical system of Esperanto is easy.

2) Esperanto is easier for the speakers of English.

3) Esperanto has a simple phonetic system.

4) the new words in Esperanto are built up by joining words.

Ответ: [ ]

16. According to the text, Esperanto represents Euro-neutrality because it is

1) designed for the Europeans.

2) based on European culture.

3) based on different European languages.

4) designed to be used within Europe.

Ответ: [ ]

17. The phrase “level of acceptance” in “Esperanto has not reached the level of acceptance its creator foresaw …” (paragraph 5) means the level at which the language is …

1) known.

2) developed.

3) spoken as the first language.

4) used.

Ответ: [ ]

18. The purpose of the text is to …

1) encourage people to learn Esperanto.

2) give a general overview of Esperanto.

3) present grammar principles in Esperanto.

4) tell the story of the word “Esperanto”.

Ответ: [ ]

По окончании выполнения заданий 10—18 не забудьте перенести свои ответы в БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № 11 Запишите ответ справа от номера соответствующего задания, начиная с первой клеточки. При переносе ответов в заданиях 10 и 11 цифры записываются без пробелов, запятых и других дополнительных символов. Каждую цифру пишите в отдельной клеточке в соответствии с приведёнными в бланке образцами.

Раздел 3. Грамматика и лексика

Прочитайте приведённые ниже тексты. Преобразуйте, если необходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 19—25, так, чтобы они грамматически соответствовали содержанию текстов. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 19—25.

The history of parachutes

19. The-history of parachutes is full of surprises. The ____________ living thing to fall to earth with a parachute was a sheep.

20. The animal, attached to a seven-foot-wide umbrella, ____________ from a tower in France.

21. In 1797 a Frenchman ____________ Andre Gamerin climbed into a basket attached to a hot-air balloon and rose into the air above Paris.

22. When he reached an altitude of 2,230 feet, he cut the basket loose and fell toward the earth under an umbrella-like parachute. No one knew if a parachute would work from that height, but it ____________, and Gamerin went on to give many more parachute-jumping exhibitions.

ONE

DROP

NAME

DO

I need gloves!

23. I’ve got a two-year-old brother, Jeremy. He ____________ to eat with a spoon or a fork, he prefers to eat with his hands.

24. Yesterday, my dad ____________ him a dish of ice cream, which was new to him.

25. Jeremy started ____________ it with his hands. My mom was in the next room when he yelled, “Mommy, my hands are cold!” “Well, then, use your spoon,” she replied. “No, no, Mommy,” he yelled back, “I need gloves!”

NOT LIKE

GIVE

EAT

Прочитайте приведённый ниже текст. Образуйте от слов, напечатанных заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 26—31, однокоренные слова так, чтобы они грамматически и лексически соответствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 26—31.

Cyber communication

26. The development of cyber communication — email, text messaging, and social networking — has revolutionized the way we communicate. Quick and ____________ communication via the Internet has proved essential to national governments, and to the individual.

27. Now, we can send and receive important messages, communicate and clarify statements ____________ within seconds.

28. Cyber communication is very important in ____________.

29. On a more individual level, cyber communication has transformed the method in which people communicate. In particular, social networking sites have provided access to people in every comer of the globe and their ____________ is growing.

30. This has helped old friends living far apart to maintain a close ____________.

31. For many people, not just teens, social networking has become an alternative to ____________ forms of communication — writing a letter, a face-to-face conversation, or a phone call.

SUCCESS

PRACTICAL

BUSY

POPULAR

RELATION

TRADITION

Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами 32—38. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям 32—38, в которых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Vacation plans

Christopher and Margaret Roberts always spent their summer vacation as far away from England as they could possibly afford. 32 ____, as they both were teachers at a small preparatory school just north of Bristol, their experience of four of the five continents was largely 33 ____ to periodicals such as National Geographic and Time.

But their annual vacation each August was sacred, and they spent eleven months of the year saving, planning, and preparing for their one extravagant luxury. The following eleven months they spent 34 ____ their pupils about their discoveries.

During the long evenings when their pupils were meant to be asleep, Christopher and Margaret would examine maps, analyze expert opinion, and then finally come up with a shortlist to consider. In recent trips they had 35 ____ to visit Norway, northern Italy, and Slovakia, ending up the previous year exploring the east coast of Greece.

“It has to be Turkey this year. We can 36 ____ afford any other trip. The prices have risen again,” said Christopher one evening. A week later, Margaret 37 ____ to the same conclusion, and so they were able to move on to Phase Two. Every book on Turkey in the local library was borrowed and consulted. By the first day of the summer term, charter tickets were paid for and reservations were 38 ____.

32.

1) Nevertheless

2) Although

3) However

4) Therefore

Ответ: [ ]

33.

1) reserved

2) restricted

3) restrained

4) retained

Ответ: [ ]

34.

1) speaking

2) talking

3) saying

4) telling

Ответ: [ ]

35.

1) fulfilled

2) achieved

3) managed

4) succeeded

Ответ: [ ]

36.

1) merely

2) hardly

3) closely

4) purely

Ответ: [ ]

37.

1) came

2) went

3) took

4) got

Ответ: [ ]

38.

1) held

2) kept

3) made

4) done

Ответ: [ ]

По окончании выполнения заданий 19-38 не забудьте перенести свои ответы в БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № 1! Запишите ответ справа от номера соответствующего задания, начиная с первой клеточки. При переносе ответов в заданиях 19-31 буквы записываются без пробелов, запятых и других дополнительных символов. Каждую букву или цифру пишите в отдельной клеточке в соответствии с приведёнными в бланке образцами.

Раздел 4. Письмо

Для ответов на задания 39 и 40 используйте бланк ответов № 2. Черновые пометки можно делать прямо на листе с заданиями, или можно использовать отдельный черновик. При выполнении заданий 39 и 40 особое внимание обратите на то, что Ваши ответы будут оцениваться только по записям, сделанным в бланке ответов № 2. Никакие записи черновика не будут учитываться экспертом. Обратите внимание также на необходимость соблюдения указанного объёма текста. Тексты недостаточного объёма, а также часть текста, превышающая требуемый объём, не оцениваются. Запишите сначала номер задания (39у 40), а затем ответ на него. Если одной стороны бланка недостаточно, Вы можете использовать другую его сторону.

39. You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Jack who writes:

…Last month I earned some extra money mowing the lawns for our neighbors. Together with my pocket money I have enough to buy something like a smartphone. What would you suggest buying and why? Where can a teenager earn pocket money in Russia, if at all? How much money do your parents give you as pocket money per week?

Next week I am presenting my project in our science class…

Write a letter to Jack.

In your letter

— answer his questions

— ask 3 questions about his project Write 100-140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

40. Comment on the following statement.

A popular actor s life is always fun.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Write 200-250 words.

Use the following plan:

— make an introduction (state the problem)

— express your personal opinion and give 2-3 reasons for your opinion

— express an opposing opinion and give 1-2 reasons for this opposing opinion

— explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

— make a conclusion restating your position

Play интервью

---

1. Paul helps actors to …
1) sound more educated.
2) perfect regional or historical accents.
3) learn different languages.

2. Paul usually meets actors for the first time …
1) at his home.
2) during filming.
3) before filming.

3. What does Paul say about American opera singers?
1) They learn how to sing in a foreign opera quickly.
2) It can be a challenge to help them sing in foreign operas.
3) They often sing foreign operas better than the natives do.

4. If an actor can’t do an accent well, Paul says the problem is caused by …
1) himself.
2) the production company.
3) the actor.

5. What happens when an actor is only 99% correct with an accent?
1) His or her efforts are still praised.
2) Audiences are disappointed.
3) No one can notice the imperfection.

6. Paul helps language learners …
1) through lessons on his website.
2) in one-to-one sessions.
3) in the school where he teaches.

7. How do foreigners sometimes make mistakes with the ‘t’ in English?
1) They produce the sound wrongly.
2) They miss it out altogether.
3) They put it in the wrong places.

1 – 2
2 – 3
3 – 2
4 – 3
5 – 1
6 – 2
7 – 1

Presenter: Hi everyone and welcome to the programme, Acting Up. With us today is dialect coach Paul Richards, who’s going to talk about his work with people and accents. Thanks for being here, Paul.

Speaker: You’re welcome.

Presenter: So for starters, tell us what you do exactly.

Speaker: I do a couple of things. One is I work with entertainers, such as actors, in helping them adopt accents for productions set in past eras or specific geographical locations. Some actors – although very talented – need a bit of extra help getting the pronunciation perfect. I also help individuals who simply want to improve their pronunciation, such as second-language learners who want to sound more like natives.

Presenter: With actors, do you work on set or do you meet them privately?

Speaker: Generally, I work with them at the film or TV studio. We meet at various times. Some meetings are arranged during the very first read-through of a script. Other times, though, I don’t see the actors until the day before they go on camera. It depends on scheduling and the actors’ needs.

Presenter: You also work with opera singers, don’t you? How do you help them ?

Speaker: Many operas have a specific cultural setting and cover a particular period in history, like films do. So for certain productions, the singer may need to sing in French, German, or Italian. Sometimes, even if the singer is French and they’re performing in a French opera, they’ll need some minor assistance, although that’s much easier to do than, say, help an American opera singer in a French opera. That can be quite hard work!

Presenter: I see. Is it challenging work in general? With entertainers, I mean.

Speaker: It depends on the entertainer, really. With actors, although they can be very talented, they can be limited in their accent range. American actors, for example, can speak like a New Yorker or an American Southerner better than they can do an accent of British English, such as Cockney or Welsh. I do my best, but at some point, the actor has got to face the reality that it’s not an accent they can do. It can be a problem in the believability of the performance.

Presenter: Yes, we’ve all seen a film in which the actor is supposed to be British but you can tell that they’re not.

Speaker: Well, sometimes they fool audiences, as long as the audience isn’t British! It’s almost impossible to get the accent perfect, but if the actor puts in an enormous effort and gets the accent 99% correct, their hard work is recognised and appreciated.

Presenter: You say you’ve also worked with other individuals, such as language learners. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Speaker: Certainly. I do this kind of work in private lessons. I have a website which lists my services and explains how I can help. We learn our native accents, whether they be British, French, Spanish or whatever, when were children. So in a sense, we have to ‘unlearn’ some ways of pronouncing sounds in order to adopt the new ways.

Presenter: Can you give us an example?

Speaker: Yes, well, the way we produce individual sounds can be modified. Take “t” for instance. In some languages, there is no puff of air that comes out after saying the “t” but in English, there often is. Learning how to produce that puff of air, and then getting into the habit of doing it, adds one piece of native-sounding pronunciation to a person’s speech …

Jimmy Kilpatrick in Education News, July 19,2013:

Singing in a foreign language can make learning how to speak it easier.

It is a source of national embarrassment – despite hours of lessons and listening to foreign language tapes, most of us can barely stammer our way through a simple drinks order while abroad.

However, a new study suggests there may be hope for those who struggle to get to grips with a foreign language – they should try singing it instead.

Research from the University of Edinburgh found that adults who sang words or short phrases from a foreign language while learning were twice as good at speaking it later.

It is thought that by listening to words that are sung, and by singing them back, the technique takes advantage of the strong links between music and memory.

Although not clearly understood, music is known to help students when studying and can help to trigger memory recall.

Dr Katie Overy, who led the study at the university’s Reid School of Music, said singing could provide a new alternative to the traditional listen and repeat method of teaching new languages.

She said: “Most people have experience of remembering words from songs they have heard and songs are sometimes used by language teachers with young children.

“We thought we would explore whether there was a benefit and found singing was more much effective, particularly when it came to the spoken language tests.”

Dr Overy and her colleague Dr Karen Ludke, whose findings are published in the journal Memory and Cognition, used recordings of Hungarian words to teach 60 adults.

They chose Hungarian as they participants were unlikely to have encountered it before and none had any experience of learning this language.

The participants either listened to words that were spoken and then had to repeat them back, much like a standard teach yourself tape, or the words were said rhythmically or sung.

After a 15 minute learning period, they were then given a test to see how well they had learned the words. Those who had used the “listen and sign” approach scored highest.

They were also better at recalling the words correctly in tests of long term memory.

Importantly they did not sing the words when they recalled them.

Dr Ludke said the findings could help those who struggle to learn foreign languages.

She said: “The results suggest a listen and sing learning method can facilitate verbatim memory for spoken language phrases.

“It opens the door for future research in this areas. One question is whether melody could provide an extra cue to jog people’s memory, helping them recall foreign words and phrases more easily.”

Have you ever wondered if you could actually learn a new language without having to use the same unengaging resources you had access to in high school? How about whether listening to foreign songs could actually help you learn a language?

Well, according to science, the answer is yes! Gone are the days of unburying dusty old textbooks to take on language learning. These days, one of the most popular ways to learn Spanish is through music.

Learning language through music has become increasingly widespread in the digital age. Besides being scientifically proven to be effective, it’s a fun and creative way to learn. In this blog post, we’ll be sharing with you how music can be one of your best pals on this journey.

We at Lingopie created a a new free product called Lingopie Music which enables you to sing your way to fluency with your most favorite songs. Currently we have only songs in Spanish but soon we’ll add more. You can check out the best spanish songs to learn Spanish here.

Why singing can help in learning foreign languages

Singing can benefit students when learning a language because there are common features to both music and language that allow music to improve and shape language processing.

As proposed by many scientific studies, music and language are intimately connected at the sensory and intellectual levels and share many of the same resources. Moreover, music improves several cognitive skills, especially those it’s closely linked to, i.e. language.

It has also been shown that there is a connection between music and verbal memory, which would explain why you get some songs stuck in your head!

Emotions activate our memory processes and, in turn, music evokes strong emotions, making it a more powerful tool for memorization and offering an explanation for earworms!

Even just playing music in the background will help you progress.

How songs help you learn a language

So, now that we’ve seen why it works, let’s take a look at how your brain actually pulls it off!

Using music to learn a foreign language helps you remember words, phrases, and sentences within a real-life context.

Music brings in culture in a very organic way. Song lyrics give you context clues and idiom knowledge, which means that instead of simply using your memory to acquire vocabulary and grammar that you might not even be able to combine into comprehensible sentences, you’re actually able to capture the way in which people express themselves in your target language.

Music is also useful when learning a language because when you sing a song in a foreign language, you will naturally try to reproduce the sounds you hear, which will lead to pronouncing the words correctly.

Prosody helps students in learning a language since it’s how your brain actually picks up on tone, phonetics, and rhythm. This makes music a very powerful tool for memory recall because when you listen to songs, the melodies and lyrics are often remembered together.

It has even been found that learning a foreign language through music helps you develop a better understanding of the grammar and structure of the language in a practical way.

Can you learn a language through music?

Yes. One of the best ways to learn a language through music is to find songs in your target language, sung by native speakers and to listen to them over and over again, while also trying to sing along. You’ll quickly learn the words to the song and their correct pronunciation.

Another great way to use music for language learning is to find music videos on YouTube. There are many videos that are made specifically for language learners, and they can also be a great way to improve your understanding. Here’s a great article on how to learn languages on YouTube.

Steps to learn a new language through music

Language learning does not have to be monotonous. You can pick up linguistic information by listening to songs.

When you’re learning a language through music, playing songs in the target language can help you learn grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Additionally, singing along can help you internalize the vocabulary and remember it better.

One way to find songs is to search for them on YouTube. You can also find music from other countries by looking for compilations on Spotify, Amazon, or iTunes.

Here are a few steps to learning a new language with music:

1. Go for the music you like

Choose songs that will be pleasant and engaging to listen to because that’ll keep you interested and motivated.

Language learners will often make the mistake of picking songs purely because of their slow rhythm but by following your musical taste, you’ll have better chances of remembering the lyrics.

2. Read the lyrics

Find a song in your target language, and try to understand the meaning. Find the English translation or a video with subtitles and you will pick up on new words.

Once you have found a song that you like, take a few minutes to listen to it and learn the words. After finding the translation of the lyrics online, try reciting the words along with the music. After a while, you will start to know the words without needing to listen to the music.

3. Get the translation

Understanding the meaning of song lyrics is important to help you learn a new language through music. In fact, it can be a fun and enjoyable way to learn a new language.

Either by translating the original lyrics of your favorite songs yourself or just looking up the translation, you can not only learn the words but also get an idea of the song’s meaning. This can help you better understand culture beyond words.

So, next time you’re feeling adventurous as you learn a new language, give translating song lyrics a try!

4. Break the songs down into “chunks”

When you are learning a new language, breaking the songs down into “chunks” can be really helpful. This means that you listen to the song once or twice in full and then divide it into different parts.

Once you’ve done that, listen to each «chunk» separately then try to recite the words along with the music. After a few repetitions, you’ll have memorized the words in no time!

5. Write down the phrases and words you could use daily

You will learn vocabulary just by hearing songs in your target language but you can also benefit from writing these down in order to help your brain assimilate them. This is a great strategy not only to learn vocabulary but also to apprehend grammar in an organic way.

Moreover, it can help you incorporate them so that you can then practice them in a real-life context.

6. Sing along (to practice your pronunciation)

Don’t worry about being off-key! A student’s speaking will benefit hugely if they sing along to a song. When you sing along you try to mimic the sounds that you hear, which will make your accent less obvious.

You’ll therefore be opening up to a great way to practice your new language skills… You will be mastering your pronunciation! If you’re wondering, yes — there are accent reduction techniques and training.

Learn languages on Spotify

Spotify features that will help you when learning a language through music:

• Spotify lyrics: Spotify provides lyrics for most of its songs. You can not only check pronunciation and see how a given sentence is written but also learn natural, connected speech.
• Spotify playlists: with viral top hits per country, search through other people’s language learning playlists and make your own. You can use those for your next lesson and cultural/musical discovery.
• Spotify offers many podcasts: you can listen to free lessons in your target language, or just listen to a podcast on any topic you find interesting in the language you want to learn.

Songs from around the world: the best songs for beginners

Improve your linguistic skills by taking a musical trip around the world. Learn about new artists and expand your knowledge of the culture of your target language.

If, for example, you’re learning any of the languages below, check out the songs we recommend and you might even come across your new favorite song!

Learn Spanish with music

It’ll all depend on your musical taste, but some good songs that’ll help you learn are «La Bicicleta» by Carlos Vives, «Vivir Mi Vida» by Marc Anthony, and «Bailando» by Enrique Iglesias.

You can learn also learn Spanish with audiobooks from beginner to advanced. Want to know the best part? You can find audiobooks to learn Spanish as well as TV shows and movies on Lingopie!

Learn French with music for beginners

Learn how to speak like native speakers! For example, if you’re looking to learn French, some songs that may help you assimilate the language are «La Vie En Rose» by Edith Piaf, «À Coup de Rêves» by Ben L’Oncle Soul, and «Je Veux» by ZAZ.

If you’re still not sold on the idea of learning French, maybe these 13 French movies for beginners will change your mind!

Learn Italian with music

Try learning Italian with «Cose Della Vita» by Eros Ramazzotti, «Un Raggio Di Sole» by Lorenzo Jovanotti, the iconic «Con Te Partiró» by Andrea Boccelli.

By the way, have you thought of mixing language and cooking? Why not try learning Italian with the best Italian cooking shows!? We still don’t have the scientific facts to back up the statement eating improves your language skills, but we know for a fact learning Italian with TV is a lot of fun!

German songs for beginners

For example, «Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand» a German version of the famous Beatles song, “99 Luftballoons” by Nena and «Guten Morgen, Sonnenschein» by Nana Mouskouri are all great to start learning German.

If you want to learn German, try watching the Top 20 German Movies and TV Shows.

Learn Russian with music

If your goal is to learn Russian, try «Higher» by popular singer-songwriter Nyusha, the folk song «Kalinka» by Ivan Larionov, or «What Is Autumn» by rock band DDT.

If taking a look at the Cyrillic alphabet is enough to discourage you from learning Russian, don’t lose hope yet — we’ve got an article for you: How to Start Learning Russian by Yourself in 10 Simple Steps.

Learn Portuguese through music

If in turn, Portuguese is what you’re going for, how about checking out Salvador Sobral’s «Amar Pelos Dois», which was a huge success in the Eurovision contest, or even «A Vida Toda» by Carolina Deslandes and «Já Sei Namorar» by Tribalistas.

If you want to have the confidence to sing and learn Portuguese — and without drinking too much Caipirinha, pick up these Portuguese phrases for travel and you’ll be ready for a night of karaoke!

Conclusion: Learning a New Language through Music

If your goal is to learn a new language, then consider learning through music.

Whether you listen to the same song a dozen times and learn the lyrics by heart or you just play it in the background while doing something else, it doesn’t matter, your brain will be picking up on the rhythm of the language and optimizing your learning.

Of course, it has been shown that using a variety of tools rather than relying solely on one method is a good way to ensure success, but choosing a musical approach may truly be the key to unlocking your linguistic potential.

Sign up for a free trial with Lingopie and take on the world of languages through music!

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