137 EX People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

Music seems to be a natural need for people. I’ve read that from ancient times human beings have produced sounds from “instrument” like rocks or skins stretched over a wooden frame. Music is something most people want and need. I think it’s important because it can be a major part of both community and individual experience.

Music is a way of sharing a common bond or feeling. When we’re children, we learn very simple songs called nursery rhymes. These songs help make us part of our culture by telling us what’s acceptable and what’s not. We play and sing music in our religious ceremonies because it enhances the worship experience. We play music when we’re going to war or celebrating the fact that we’re won a war.

We have national anthems to share our love and pride for our particular country. We have music we play for our school, and music we play for our athletic team. In fact, music has become a big part of athletic games. We use it to taunt the other team as well as celebrate when points are scored for our team.

Music is also a major part of individual experiences. When we fall in love, music is usually a part of that experience. People talk about having “our song.” That means the song that was playing when they met or a song they both liked when they fell in love. When we get married, we play music before and after and sometimes during the ceremony. It expresses how we feel. We play music to calm our nerves or to stimulate ourselves to get on with a task. We also play music for the simple enjoyment of listening to the sounds.

Music is special to us because it expresses our connection with our culture, and because it enhance our individual experiences. Nothing else seems to capture our feelings quite so well.

138 EX Groups or organizations are an important part of some people’s lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

Groups or organizations are an important part of our life because we are social people. We like to get together with people whose attitudes and beliefs are like ours. The most important groups for us are our families, our religious organizations, and our political organizations.

Our families are obviously our most important group. You will never find the physical and emotional support from any other group that you will find in your family. Your family is part of you; you are tied to them by blood. They will always be there for you.

Similarly our religious organizations can provide comfort for us in times of stress. When we are with people who have the same beliefs, we feel better. Our beliefs are based on tradition. These beliefs have been tested over time. These beliefs tell us how to respond and how to act.

Our political organizations change as we change. Some years we may feel conservative; other years we may feel more liberal. Whatever our political philosophy, we can find a political organization that matches our thinking at the moment. Those political organizations help us be a part of the larger community.

Whether the group is tightly knit like a family, spiritual like religion, or secular like politics, they all serve a function in our life. They all help us feel as if we belong.