EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• sign language: a type of language where gestures are used instead of spoken words
• psychologist: someone who studies the mind
• invent: to make something up
• express: to communicate your thoughts and feelings
• skeptic: someone who doubts that something is true

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13 — 1.1MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Koko was a famous who could communicate using sign language. She was born in 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo in California. In 1972, a psychologist named Francine Patterson began to Koko some basic signs. Over time, Koko developed a of over 1,000 signs, and she was able to over 2,000 spoken words. She even invented some signs of her own. Patterson insisted that Koko could express her through language. However, some skeptics believed that Patterson was looking for meaning that wasn’t really there. Koko died in 2018, but her accomplishments have caused many people to wonder if humans can learn to speak with animals.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20507″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Some people believe that language is a skill only humans can learn. They often argue that Koko didn’t really understand language, and she simply learned to copy the signs that her trainers taught her. What do you think? Could animals really use and understand language?

Transcript

Koko was a famous gorilla who could communicate using sign language. She was born in 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo in California. In 1972, a psychologist named Francine Patterson began to teach Koko some basic signs. Over time, Koko developed a vocabulary of over 1,000 signs, and she was able to understand over 2,000 spoken words. She even invented some signs of her own. Patterson insisted that Koko could express her emotions through language. However, some skeptics believed that Patterson was looking for meaning that wasn’t really there. Koko died in 2018, but her accomplishments have caused many people to wonder if humans can learn to speak with animals.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• phenomenon: a situation that is hard to explain
• coverage: media reports of an event
• insist: to argue persistently that something is true
• theory: an attempt to explain why something happens
• multiverse: the idea that there are many universes with different versions of events
• influence: to affect or change something
• individual: a single person

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19 — 1.2MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The Mandela Effect is a strange phenomenon where large groups of people seem to share the same false . The effect is named after former South African Nelson Mandela. This is because many people say that they remember news coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death back in the 1980s, even though Mandela did not die until 2013. There are many well-known examples of the Mandela Effect. Some people remember song lyrics or movie lines . Many people insist that the famous Mona Lisa didn’t always have a smile on her face. This effect has caused some people to form theories about the multiverse. However, the most reasonable for the Mandela Effect is that the opinions of a group can easily influence an individual. This can affect our thoughts, our , and even our memories.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20222″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Have you ever experienced something like the Mandela Effect? Do you remember anything that didn’t actually happen?
2. Do you believe in alternate universes? Why or why not?

Transcript

The Mandela Effect is a strange phenomenon where large groups of people seem to share the same false memories. The effect is named after former South African president Nelson Mandela. This is because many people say that they remember news coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death back in the 1980s, even though Mandela did not die until 2013. There are many well-known examples of the Mandela Effect. Some people remember song lyrics or movie lines incorrectly. Many people insist that the famous Mona Lisa didn’t always have a smile on her face. This effect has caused some people to form theories about the multiverse. However, the most reasonable explanation for the Mandela Effect is that the opinions of a group can easily influence an individual. This can affect our thoughts, our beliefs, and even our memories. 

Pre-listening vocabulary

• command: an order to do something
• border collie: a specific dog breed
• psychologist: a scientist who studies the mind
• distinct: separate; different
• identify: to recognize what something is
• insist: to claim something persistently

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:23 — 1.3MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Most dogs are enough to understand some important commands from their owners. They may even know the names of a few different toys, or recognize when their owners are offering them . However, a border collie named Chaser is known as the world’s smartest dog. Throughout Chaser’s life, a psychologist named Dr. Pilley trained her every day to recognize the names of her toys. Eventually, she proved that she could understand the of over 1,000 distinct words. She could even recognize if a word was unfamiliar, and use that information to identify toys she’d never seen before. Her ability to learn and language seemed unique, but researchers involved in Chaser’s insisted that any dog could be taught the same thing. Chaser died in 2019 at 15 years old, but her life helped scientists learn more about how dogs think.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20025″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Do you have a pet? If so, how do you train your pet to follow commands?
2. Do you agree that all dogs are capable of learning language just like Chaser? Why or why not?

Transcript

Most dogs are intelligent enough to understand some important commands from their owners. They may even know the names of a few different toys, or recognize when their owners are offering them treats.  However, a border collie named Chaser is known as the world’s smartest dog. Throughout Chaser’s life, a psychologist named Dr. Pilley trained her every day to recognize the names of her toys. Eventually, she proved that she could understand the meanings of over 1,000 distinct words.  She could even recognize if a word was unfamiliar, and use that information to identify toys she’d never seen before. Her ability to learn and understand language seemed unique, but researchers involved in Chaser’s training insisted that any dog could be taught the same thing. Chaser died in 2019 at 15 years old, but her life helped scientists learn more about how dogs think. 

Pre-listening vocabulary

• conformity: the act of behaving the same way as others in order to fit in
• psychology: the study of the mind and human behaviour
• majority: most of the people in a group
• participant: a person who takes part in an activity
• individual: one single person

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:26 — 1.3MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The Asch Conformity Experiment was a famous psychology meant to show how likely people are to agree with the majority, even if they know the majority is wrong. Solomon Asch, a Polish psychologist, conducted this experiment in 1951. He gathered some , who were put into small groups for the experiment. However, there was only one real volunteer in each group. The other people were . Asch would show the group two : one with a line on it, and the other with three different lines. One of the lines on the second card matched the line on the first card. He would then ask the participants to pick the line that matched. Every once in a while, the actors all picked the wrong line, and waited for the volunteer to say their answer. About 75% of the volunteers picked the wrong answer in agreement with the group. This proved Asch’s theory, that people are likely to trust the of a group over the opinion of an individual, even if they believe the group is wrong.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”19573″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Why do you think people are motivated to agree with the rest of a group? Do you think it’s because they’re afraid of seeming unintelligent, or do people just believe that the majority is more likely to be right?

Transcript

The Asch Conformity Experiment was a famous psychology experiment meant to show how likely people are to agree with the majority, even if they know the majority is wrong. Solomon Asch, a Polish psychologist, conducted this experiment in 1951. He gathered some volunteers, who were put into small groups for the experiment. However, there was only one real volunteer in each group. The other people were actors. Asch would show the group two cards: one with a line on it, and the other with three different lines. One of the lines on the second card matched the line on the first card. He would then ask the participants to pick the line that matched. Every once in a while, the actors all picked the wrong line, and waited for the volunteer to say their answer. About 75% of the volunteers picked the wrong answer in agreement with the group. This proved Asch’s theory, that people are likely to trust the opinion of a group over the opinion of an individual, even if they believe the group is wrong.