Writing Strategies & Literary Devices
What literary device does the author use when she says "It was too late" and "It was pure torture"?
What is hyperbole/exaggeration?
Based on context, what does "ascribe" mean in the phrase "people who ascribe more importance to music"?
What is to attribute or assign?
Why does the author include the statistic "About 90 percent of people experience earworms at least once a week"?
What is to show that earworms are a common, widespread experience?
In the phrase "a former professional musician prone to getting earworms," what does "prone" mean?
What is having a tendency toward something?
Based on the text, why might music lovers experience earworms more frequently?
What is because they spend more time listening to music, which increases exposure?
The author begins with "The nightmare began..." What effect does this opening create?
What is dramatic tension/hooks the reader's attention?
Define "incongruity" as used in the article about catchy songs.
What is a lack of harmony or agreement; something that doesn't fit?
What is the purpose of the author explaining James Kellaris's background as a musician and marketing professor?
What is to establish his credibility as an expert on the topic?
What does "involuntarily" suggest about how earworms work?
What is that they happen without conscious control or choice?
What can you infer about why the author tried singing "The Safety Dance"?
What is she was trying a different song to replace the stuck earworm/using distraction method?
Identify the type of figurative language in "earworm — a song, melody or jingle that gets stuck in your head.
What is a metaphor?
What does "exacerbate" mean in the context of earworms?
What is to make worse or more severe?
Why does the author describe the brain imaging study with 44 healthy subjects?
What is to provide scientific evidence for how earworms work in the brain?
The article mentions earworms are "relatively innocuous." What does this word suggest?
What is that they are harmless or not seriously harmful?
Why does the author mention that she "knew only that same line" of "You're the Best"?
What is to explain why the earworm was so annoying—repetition of just one part?
How does the author's personal anecdote about "You're the Best" support the article's main purpose?
What is by providing a relatable real-life example of the phenomenon being discussed
Define "intrusive" as it relates to intrusive musical imagery (IMI).
What is unwanted; forcing one's way in without permission?
What does the author accomplish by contrasting earworms with IMI (intrusive musical imagery)?
What is to show that while earworms are annoying, some people suffer from a more serious condition?
What does "chronic" mean when describing intrusive musical imagery?
What is long-lasting or persistent over time
What does the respondent's claim of having a song stuck since 1978 suggest about earworms?
What is that in rare cases, earworms can become serious, long-term problems?
What is the author's tone when describing her experience with the earworm?
What is humorous/lighthearted/conversational?
What does "inhibition" refer to in the context of brain function?
What is the ability to suppress or restrain something?
Why does the author end with the pun "You're the best"?
What is to create a humorous callback to the song that started her earworm experience?
In the context of research, what does "compiled" mean when the researchers "compiled a database"?
What is to gather together or assemble information?
Based on McKay's advice about listening to the entire song, what can you infer about why partial songs get stuck?
What is that the brain wants to complete the song, so knowing the whole thing satisfies that need?