Voice higher than 5herz

Put the paragraphs in order.

1. AAs in previous studies, the volunteers could not recognize melodies with fundamental tones above 5 kHz.
2. BTo test this theory, Andrew Oxenham and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis asked a group of six students whether two four-note melodies were identical or not.
3. CPrevious studies have shown that humans are unable to recognize melodies whose notes have a fundamental tone above 5 kilohertz.
4. DIt was thought that, at frequencies this high, the rapidly cycling sound wave was too fast for the auditory nerve to cope with.
5. EThe team then took a fundamental tone pitched below 5 kHz and digitally filtered it to leave just the overtones above 6 kHz. Surprisingly, the volunteers were able to distinguish these melodies.

Reorder Paragraphs format (Pearson)

Pearson's name: Reorder Paragraph

How it is scored

• Partial credit applies: a partly correct response still scores.

Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 2: Reading, checked 9 October 2026.