📘 Part 3: Music, Culture, and Modern Life

This episode's vocabulary

the in thing (idiom) – something that is very fashionable at the moment. → Example: It seems like pop music is the in thing these days.

all over the place (idiom) – everywhere. → Example: We have folk music events and live bands all over the place.

by and large (idiom) – in general; on the whole. → Example: By and large, when you listen to things at home, you've got more control.

at the mercy of (someone/something) (idiom) – in a situation where someone or something has complete power over you. → Example: At a live concert, you're sort of at the mercy of other people and their choices.

as a rule (idiom) – usually; in most cases. → Example: As a rule, listening to music might take their minds off any demanding activities.

take (one's) mind off (something) (phrasal verb) – to stop you from worrying or thinking about a problem or pain, often by forcing you to think about other things. → Example: Listening to music might take their minds off any demanding activities.

dissociate (v.) – to disconnect or separate from something. → Example: Maybe people don't really want to be in the moment, so they want to dissociate a bit.

portable (adj.) – easy to carry or move, so that you can use it in different places. → Example: Technology has made music more portable.

in the palm of your hand (idiom) – to have complete control over someone or something. → Example: Now, thanks to technology, the opera's literally in the palm of your hands.

large-scale (adj.) – involving many people or things, or happening over a large area. → Example: People enjoy large-scale events, like large music festivals.

gig (n.) – a single performance by a musician or a group of musicians. → Example: They did a gig in London last night.

enhance cognitive abilities (phrase) – to improve mental processes such as thinking, learning, and memory. → Example: Musical education enhances cognitive abilities in children.

tend to (phrasal verb) – to be likely to behave in a particular way or have a particular characteristic. → Example: Younger people tend to like newer and louder pieces and artists.

Questions and Answers

Maria: What kind of music events do people like today?

Rory: Well, generally speaking, it seems like pop music is the thing or at least the in thing these days. You can see pop artists at the top of most of the charts, like people like Taylor Swift, for example.

Maria: What kind of music events are there in your country?

Rory: Usually there's a little bit of everything, I think. We have like folk music events and live bands all over the place, but there are also bigger concerts and orchestras and even operas in the major cities.

Maria: Do you think children should receive some musical education?

Rory: In general, yes, it's good to be able to understand why things work and how they might be used to achieve some effect. And presumably we want music to be created in the future, so some kind of education will be necessary for that. It doesn't just happen by accident.

Maria: What are the differences between old and young people's music preferences?

Rory: Oh, that's a good question. I suppose usually older people seem to prefer more old-fashioned music, probably just because it's what they're used to, and they've been around longer. So of course it will be old-fashioned. While younger people tend to like newer and louder pieces and artists. I'm not sure why, that just seems to be the case.

Maria: What are the differences between listening to music at home and at a live concert?

Rory: Well, by and large, when you listen to things at home, you've got more control over the environment and choice in music, whereas, well, broadly speaking at a live concert, you're sort of at the mercy of other people and their choices, aren't you?

Maria: Why do many people like listening to music while doing sports?

Rory: Well, I suppose as a rule, it might take their minds off any demanding activities or distract them from the huge effort they're probably making, because doing sports is pretty demanding, I would say. And maybe people don't really want to be in the moment, so they want to dissociate a bit.

Maria: How has technology changed the way people listen to music?

Rory: I suppose it's made it more portable. So, for example, in the past people would have had to go to an opera house to listen to music. Whereas now, thanks to technology, you can just switch on a device and there everything is. The opera's in, literally in the palm of your hands.