The Reading / Listening - Music Therapy - Level 3

A new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients recover. The study was conducted by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and totally relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly active. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surgery.

The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients having surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just simple background music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert… and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain management and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Music Therapy - Level 0,  Music Therapy - Level 1   or  Music Therapy - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.cancernursingtoday.com/post/music-therapy-offers-recovery-benefit-after-laparoscopic-crc-radical-resection
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c231dv9zpz3o
  • https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251027/Intraoperative-music-therapy-reduces-anesthetic-use-and-physiological-stress.aspx


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. MUSIC: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about music. 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?
       study / music / patients / flute / operation / doctors / pain / sleep / drugs / alert /
       research / painkillers / specialist / anaesthesia / therapist / pain management / stress
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. THERAPY: Students A strongly believe music is the best therapy; Students B strongly believe hiking is the best therapy. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. MUSIC POWER: How can music help with these things? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How?

Why?

Surgery

 

 

Broken hearts

 

 

Studying

 

 

Sleep

 

 

Friendships

 

 

Studying English

 

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

  • Flute
  • Electric guitar
  • Drums
  • Violin
  • Piano
  • Saxophone
  • Accordion
  • Harmonica

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. study (noun) a. Get better after being sick or hurt.
      2. surgery b. A medicine/drug that makes a person not feel pain during surgery/an operation.
      3. recover c. A careful look at something to learn new facts.
      4. patient (noun) d. An operation in which doctors repair (fix) or remove a part of the body.
      5. block (verb) e. A person who is in a hospital to get treatment.
      6. anaesthetic f. Stop something from happening or going through.
      7. alert (adjective) g. Awake and able to think clearly.

    Paragraph 2

      8. explained h. A room in a hospital where operations are done.
      9. pain i. Told someone about something so they understand.
      10. painkillers j. A person who knows a lot about one subject or job.
      11. specialist k. The thing you want to do or achieve.
      12. operating theatre l. A hurt or bad feeling in the body.
      13. aim (noun) m. Let someone leave the hospital after an operation or treatment.
      14. discharge (verb) n. Medicines/drugs that stop pain.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says operations are better if doctors listen to music.   T / F
  2. A patient listened to flute music while her gallbladder was removed.     T / F
  3. Anaesthetics are drugs to stop people feeling pain during surgery.     T / F
  4. Anaesthetics make people unable to hear any sound at all.     T / F
  5. Music in the operating theatre can help patients feel less pain.     T / F
  6. Music cannot change the amount of painkilling medicine someone needs. T / F
  7. A doctor said patients should be alert after they wake from surgery.     T / F
  8. The doctor said music can make some patients feel more stressed.     T / F

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

  1. surgery
  2. recover
  3. removed
  4. block
  5. alert
  6. lead
  7. specialist
  8. aim
  9. discharge
  10. reduces
  1. main/head
  2. stop
  3. release
  4. get better
  5. lowers
  6. wide awake
  7. goal
  8. operations
  9. expert
  10. taken out

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

  1. while she was having her gallbladder
  2. doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs
  3. anaesthetics block pain
  4. anaesthetics make us
  5. patients need fewer painkilling
  6. this is more than just simple background
  7. Dr Husain is a senior specialist
  8. She is also a music
  9. in the operating
  10. music helps pain
  1. therapist
  2. drugs
  3. management
  4. music
  5. signals
  6. removed
  7. theatre
  8. sleep
  9. in anaesthesia
  10. to put her to sleep

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
muscles
alert
surgery
removed
fewer
conducted
active
block

A new study shows that music played during (1) ______________________________________________ can help patients recover. The study was (2) ______________________________________________ by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder (3) ______________________________________________. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics (4) ______________________________________________ pain signals and totally relax a patient's (5) ______________________________________________ while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly (6) ______________________________________________. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need (7) ______________________________________________ painkilling drugs, wake up faster and are more (8) ______________________________________________ after surgery.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
specialist
lead
alert
part
reduces
fewer
aim
simple

The (9) ______________________________________________ researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients having surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just (10) ______________________________________________ background music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need (11) ______________________________________________ painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior (12) ______________________________________________ in anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important (13) ______________________________________________ to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our (14) ______________________________________________ is early discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, (15) ______________________________________________... and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain management and (16) ______________________________________________ patients' stress after they wake up.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A new study shows that music played during surgery can ______
     a.  help patients recovered
     b.  help patients recover
     c.  help patients recovery
     d.  help patients recovers
2)  They played flute music to ______
     a.  a female patience
     b.  a female impatient
     c.  a female patent
     d.  a female patient
3)  doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put ______
     a.  her to asleep
     b.  her to sleep
     c.  her to sleepy
     d.  her to sleeps
4)  the part of the brain that helps us listen ______
     a.  stays partly active
     b.  stays apart active
     c.  stays partly activity
     d.  stay partly active
5)  patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more ______
     a.  allot after surgery
     b.  a lot after surgery
     c.  alerts after surgery
     d.  alert after surgery

6)  Dr Tanvi Goel explained why music is so helpful to ______
     a.  patients doing surgery
     b.  patients operating surgery
     c.  patients being surgery
     d.  patients having surgery
7)  important because it helped patients feel less pain and ______
     a.  need fewer painkillers
     b.  need lessen painkillers
     c.  need reduce painkillers
     d.  need dearth painkillers
8)  She believes music has an important part to play in ______
     a.  the operating cinema
     b.  the operating theatre
     c.  the operating play
     d.  the operating hall
9)  She said: "Our aim is early ______"
     a.  discharge after surging
     b.  discharge after surgeon
     c.  discharge after surgery
     d.  discharge after sugary
10)  music helps pain management and reduces patients' stress after ______
     a.  they awake up
     b.  they wake up
     c.  they wakes up
     d.  they awaken up

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new study shows that music (1) __________________________________________________ can help patients recover. The study (2) __________________________________________________ doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder removed. (3) __________________________________________________, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics (4) __________________________________________________ and totally relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen (5) __________________________________________________. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are (6) __________________________________________________ surgery.

The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, (7) __________________________________________________ is so helpful to patients having surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just (8) __________________________________________________". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and (9) __________________________________________________. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia. She is also (10) __________________________________________________. She believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our (11) __________________________________________________ discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert... and (12) __________________________________________________." She said music helps pain management and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.

Comprehension questions

  1. In which country was a study into music therapy conducted?
  2. What kind of music did doctors play to a woman in surgery?
  3. What did doctors remove from the woman?
  4. What do anaesthetics block?
  5. What might patients need fewer of with music therapy?
  6. What does music help patients feel less of?
  7. What is Dr Farah Husain an expert in besides anaesthesia?
  8. Where does Dr Husain think music has an important part to play?
  9. What does Dr Huasin want to do to patients after surgery?
  10. What did Dr Husain say music can manage?

Multiple choice quiz

1) In which country was a study into music therapy conducted?
a) the USA
b) France
c) India
d) Kenya
2) What kind of music did doctors play to a woman in surgery?
a) flute music
b) rap music
c) jazz
d) children's music
3) What did doctors remove from the woman?
a) her shoes
b) her gallbladder
c) her name tag
d) her jewellery
4) What do anaesthetics block?
a) the lungs
b) blood flow
c) the stomach
d) pain signals
5) What might patients need fewer of with music therapy?
a) meals
b) records
c) painkillers
d) visitors

6) What does music help patients feel less of?
a) danger
b) pain
c) stress
d) boredom
7) What is Dr Farah Husain an expert in besides anaesthesia?
a) guitars
b) stomachs
c) blood
d) music therapy
8) Where does Dr Husain think music has an important part to play?
a) at the opera
b) in the operating theatre
c) in the bath
d) on trains
9) What does Dr Husain want to do to patients after surgery?
a) give them a hug
b) discharge them
c) talk to them
d) give them a present
10) What did Dr Husain say music can manage?
a) pain
b) finances
c) lifestyles
d) daily routines

Role play

Role  A – Flute
You think the flute is the best instrument. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their instruments. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the drums, the piano or the guitar.

Role  B – The Drums
You think the drums is the best instrument. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their instruments. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the flute, the piano or the guitar.

Role  C – Piano
You think the piano is the best instrument. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their instruments. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the drums, the flute or the guitar.

Role  D – Guitar
You think the guitar is the best instrument. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their instruments. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the drums, the piano or the flute.

After reading / listening

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

'music'

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

    • and 'therapy'.

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

    • • 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:

    • during
    • female
    • before
    • block
    • even
    • faster
    • explained
    • simple
    • agreed
    • believes
    • discharge
    • reduces

    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 Therapy

    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 'music'?
    3. What do you think of music?
    4. What do you think of patients listening to music during surgery?
    5. When and where can music help us?
    6. Why do we all love and hate different types of music?
    7. Should everyone learn to read music and play an instrument?
    8. What effect does music have in hospitals?
    9. What songs would you choose if you had an operation?
    10. Should surgeons listen to music when they operate?

    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 'therapy'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why do people love music so much?
    5. What do you think of music therapy?
    6. Have you ever had surgery?
    7. What do you think of painkillers?
    8. How stressful is staying in hospital?
    9. When is music most important in your life?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the doctors?

    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)

    A new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients (1) ____. The study was conducted (2) ____ doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was (3) ____ her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and (4) ____ relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen (5) ____ partly active. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are (6) ____ alert after surgery.

    The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients (7) ____ surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just simple background music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel (8) ____ pain and need fewer painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist (9) ____ anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important part (10) ____ play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-(11) ____, alert... and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain (12) ____ and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     recover     (b)     recovery     (c)     recovers     (d)     recovered    
    2. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     to    
    3. (a)     have     (b)     had     (c)     has     (d)     having    
    4. (a)     total     (b)     totally     (c)     totals     (d)     totalled    
    5. (a)     stayed     (b)     staying     (c)     stay     (d)     stays    
    6. (a)     some     (b)     many     (c)     more     (d)     any    
    7. (a)     has     (b)     having     (c)     had     (d)     have    
    8. (a)     less     (b)     fewer     (c)     rarely     (d)     barely    
    9. (a)     in     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     to    
    10. (a)     at     (b)     of     (c)     to     (d)     in    
    11. (a)     skulled     (b)     scalped     (c)     faced     (d)     headed    
    12. (a)     governing     (b)     management     (c)     leadership     (d)     owners

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. help inasptte recover
    2. They played tufel music
    3. Before the topreiona
    4. block pain sglsian
    5. stays tlypar active
    6. wake up faster and more tarel

    Paragraph 2

    1. The lead sherrreace
    2. need fewer rlnislpkaei
    3. Dr Husain is a senior iieslapcts
    4. She is also a music pesthtira
    5. an important part to play in the nearotipg theatre
    6. Our aim is early ahsrcgied after surgery

    Put the text back together

    (  1  )   A new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients recover. The study was conducted
    (    )   after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert... and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain
    (    )   asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us
    (    )   by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female
    (    )   drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and totally relax a patient's muscles while they are
    (    )   listen stays partly active. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients
    (    )   management and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.
    (    )   music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers. Co-
    (    )   need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surgery.
    (    )   patient while she was having her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic
    (    )   researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia. She is also a music
    (    )   surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just simple background
    (    )   The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients having
    (    )   therapist. She believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge

    Put the words in the right order

    1. played   Music   surgery   during   help   can   recover   patients   .
    2. They   flute   played   to   music   female   a   patient   .
    3. a   Relax   muscles   patient's   they   while   asleep   are   .
    4. The   of   part   brain   the   helps   that   us   .
    5. means   This   need   patients   painkilling   fewer   drugs   .
    6. is   Music   helpful   so   patients   to   surgery   having   .
    7. This   more   is   just   than   background   simple   music   .
    8. because   Important   helped   it   feel   patients   pain   less   .
    9. Music   an   has   part   important   play   to   .
    10. Our   is   aim   discharge   early   surgery   after   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A new study shows that music played while / during surgery can help patients recover. The study was conducted of / by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a / the female patient while she was having / had her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to asleep / sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and total / totally relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the partner / part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly active / activity. Doctors say patients can still hear / listen music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surges / surgery.

    The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explanation / explained why music is so helpful to patients having / doing surgery. She said her research shows "what / that this is more than just simple background music". She said music was importance / important because it helped patients feel less pain and need / needs fewer painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior special / specialist in anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important part to / for play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge / charge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert... and ideal / ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain management and reduces patients' / patience stress after they wake up.

    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)

      _  n  _w  st  _dy  sh  _ws  th  _t  m  _s  _c  pl  _y  _d  d  _r  _ng  s  _rg  _ry  c  _n  h  _lp  p  _t  _  _nts  r  _c  _v  _r.  Th  _  st  _dy  w  _s  c  _nd  _ct  _d  by  d  _ct  _rs  _t  _nd  _  _'s  M  _  _l  _n  _  _z  _d  M  _d  _c  _l  C  _ll  _g  _.  Th  _y  pl  _y  _d  fl  _t  _  m  _s  _c  t  _  _  f  _m  _l  _  p  _t  _  _nt  wh  _l  _  sh  _  w  _s  h  _v  _ng  h  _r  g  _llbl  _dd  _r  r  _m  _v  _d.  B  _f  _r  _  th  _  _p  _r  _t  _  _n,  d  _ct  _rs  g  _v  _  th  _  w  _m  _n  _n  _  _sth  _t  _c  dr  _gs  t  _  p  _t  h  _r  t  _  sl  _  _p.  _n  _  _sth  _t  _cs  bl  _ck  p  _  _n  s  _gn  _ls  _nd  t  _t  _lly  r  _l  _x  _  p  _t  _  _nt's  m  _scl  _s  wh  _l  _  th  _y  _r  _  _sl  _  _p.  H  _w  _v  _r,  _v  _n  wh  _n  _n  _  _sth  _t  _cs  m  _k  _  _s  sl  _  _p,  th  _  p  _rt  _f  th  _  br  _  _n  th  _t  h  _lps  _s  l  _st  _n  st  _ys  p  _rtly  _ct  _v  _.  D  _ct  _rs  s  _y  p  _t  _  _nts  c  _n  st  _ll  h  _  _r  m  _s  _c.  Th  _s  m  _  _ns  p  _t  _  _nts  n  _  _d  f  _w  _r  p  _  _nk  _ll  _ng  dr  _gs,  w  _k  _  _p  f  _st  _r,  _nd  _r_  m  _r  _  _l  _rt  _ft  _r  s  _rg  _ry.

    Th  _  l  _  _d  r  _s  _  _rch  _r,  Dr  T  _nv  _  G  _  _l,  _xpl  _  _n  _d  why  m  _s  _c  _s  s  _  h  _lpf  _l  t  _  p  _t  _  _nts  h  _v  _ng  s  _rg  _ry.  Sh  _  s  _  _d  h  _r  r  _s  _  _rch  sh  _ws  "th  _t  th  _s  _s  m  _r  _  th  _n  j  _st  s  _mpl  _  b  _ckgr  _  _nd  m  _s  _c".  Sh  _  s  _  _d  m  _s  _c  w  _s  _mp  _rt  _nt  b  _c  _  _s  _  _t  h  _lp  _d  p  _t  _  _nts  f  _  _l  l  _ss  p  _  _n  _nd  n  _  _d  f  _w  _r  p  _  _nk  _ll  _rs.  C  _-r  _s  _  _rch  _r  Dr  F  _r  _h  H  _s  _  _n  _gr  _  _d.  Dr  H  _s  _  _n  _s  _  s  _n  _  _r  sp  _c  _  _l  _st  _n  _n  _  _sth  _s  _  _.  Sh  _  _s  _ls  _  _  m  _s  _c  th  _r  _p  _st.  Sh  _  b  _l  _  _v  _s  m  _s  _c  h  _s  _n  _mp  _rt  _nt  p  _rt  t  _  pl  _y  _n  th  _  _p  _r  _t  _ng  th  _  _tr  _.  Sh  _  s  _  _d:  "  _  _r  _  _m  _s  _  _rly  d  _sch  _rg  _  _ft  _r  s  _rg  _ry.  P  _t  _  _nts  n  _  _d  t  _  w  _k  _  _p  cl  _  _r-h  _  _d  _d,  _l  _rt...  _nd  _d  _  _lly  p  _  _n-fr  _  _."  Sh  _  s  _  _d  m  _s  _c  h  _lps  p  _  _n  m  _n  _g  _m  _nt  _nd  r  _d  _c  _s  p  _t  _  _nts'  str  _ss  _ft  _r  th  _y  w  _k  _  _p.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients recover the study was conducted by doctors at indias maulana azad medical college they played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder removed before the operation doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep anaesthetics block pain signals and totally relax a patients muscles while they are asleep however even when anaesthetics make us sleep the part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly active doctors say patients can still hear music this means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surgery

    the lead researcher dr tanvi goel explained why music is so helpful to patients having surgery she said her research shows that this is more than just simple background music she said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers coresearcher dr farah husain agreed dr husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia she is also a music therapist she believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre she said our aim is early discharge after surgery patients need to wake up clearheaded alert and ideally painfree she said music helps pain management and reduces patients stress after they wake up

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Anewstudyshowsthatmusicplayedduringsurgerycanhelppatientsrec
    over.ThestudywasconductedbydoctorsatIndia'sMaulanaAzadMedic
    alCollege.Theyplayedflutemusictoafemalepatientwhileshewashavin
    ghergallbladderremoved.Beforetheoperation,doctorsgavethewoma
    nanaestheticdrugstoputhertosleep.Anaestheticsblockpainsignalsan
    dtotallyrelaxapatient'smuscleswhiletheyareasleep.However,evenw
    henanaestheticsmakeussleep,thepartofthebrainthathelpsuslistenst
    ayspartlyactive.Doctorssaypatientscanstillhearmusic.Thismeanspa
    tientsneedfewerpainkillingdrugs,wakeupfaster,andaremorealertaft
    ersurgery.Theleadresearcher,DrTanviGoel,explainedwhymusicisso
    helpfultopatientshavingsurgery.Shesaidherresearchshows"thatthis
    ismorethanjustsimplebackgroundmusic".Shesaidmusicwasimporta
    ntbecauseithelpedpatientsfeellesspainandneedfewerpainkillers.Co-
    researcherDrFarahHusainagreed.DrHusainisaseniorspecialistinana
    esthesia.Sheisalsoamusictherapist.Shebelievesmusichasanimporta
    ntparttoplayintheoperatingtheatre.Shesaid:"Ouraimisearlydischar
    geaftersurgery.Patientsneedtowakeupclear-headed,alert...andidea
    llypain-free."Shesaidmusichelpspainmanagementandreducespatie
    nts'stressaftertheywakeup.

    Free writing

    Write about music therapy and anaesthesia for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Music is the best therapy. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    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. MUSIC: Make a poster about music. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. MUSIC THERAPY: Write a magazine article about music therapy becoming an everyday part of our lives. 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 music. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on how it can help us. 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

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    Answers

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

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