WHAT MAKES A RISK TAKER?

“New Research Shows Often – Cautious People become Daredevils in Right Context”

By: Sue Shellenbarger

Published: The Wall Street Journal; May 22, 2013; www.online.wsj.com ; alternatively just google the title.

Level of Difficulty: **

Writing task: an example of the writing activity is available under sample essays

Note to the Student: This is a difficult level ** so do it after you have done the others

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Are you a risk taker? Explain.

·         Are there certain situations that would persuade you to take risks?

·         Do men take more risks than women? Why?

·         Do certain types of people take risks?
NOW CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING

What Makes Someone A Risk-Taker? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuyWk582Bj8

What makes a risk taker? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG5qqURc7WA

QUESTIONS

1.       How would you describe Paul Cusma?

·         He is always full of surprises

·         He is a total adrenalin junky

·         He has truly exciting hobbies

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

2.       Why does Paul Cusma carry on as he does?

3.       Which of the statements below are wrong according to paragraph three? There is more than one answer.

·         Risk taking is linked to heredity

·         Men are more likely to be adrenalin junkies

·         Teenagers naturally take risks

·         Familiarity with the environment determines level of risk taking

·         One’s feelings at the time help determine level of risk taking

4.       What is the overall advantage of knowing what prompts one to take risks?

5.       Most people in a completely novel setting err on the side of caution / barge ahead

6.       The best way to straighten our perspective concerning risk is ………………………………………………..

7.       The two benefits Mr. Cusma’s leisure time activities provide him with are ……………………………..

8.       Which of the following would have prevented Ms. Bellinghousen from getting a tattoo? There is more than one answer.

·         Friendliness

·         Hostility

·         Standoffish behavior

·         Being chatty

·         Abrupt speech

·         Offering tea and cookies

·         Making her feel at home

9.       Read the story of Fletcher Cleven to the end. What made her tackle the attackers?

·         The desire to protect the underdog

·         The desire to protect her garden

·         The fact that she was crazy

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

10.   The correct interpretation of the cash experiment is that……………………………………………….

11.   The conclusion we can draw from the fact that risk taking is domain specific is that …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12.   In which of the following situations would teenagers be less likely to take risks? Select as many as you like.

·         A teenager on a skateboard trying to impress his girl friend

·         A teenager on a skateboard at a competition

·         A teenager on a skateboard who has already declared how many jumps he will make

·         A teenager on a skateboard who sees his parents arrive

·          A teenage gang member on a skateboard with his mates

WRITING TASK

Discuss the causes of risk taking. Follow the plan below and remember to provide examples

In your introduction, state why determining the causes of risk taking is important: to help guide people in making better decisions. Add a thesis statement: there are two categories of reasons that can lead to increased risk taking.

 In your first developmental paragraph, start with a topic sentence: both a relaxed atmosphere and strong feelings can facilitate risk taking.

Then go on to discuss: the friendliness of people, chattyness, making one feel at home

Subsequently discuss strong emotions such as a culture of honor, discrimination or rejection, the pull of a strong temptation, peer pressure (remember to give examples)

In your second developmental paragraph, start with a topic sentence: detailed knowledge of the surroundings can increase the probability of risk taking.

Then discuss: familiarity with the setting, explain and give examples

In your conclusion, explain that we all need to take risks in business in our private lives; need to learn how to; so need to step out of our comfort zones.

Then explain the advantage: becoming confident in handling physical risks; provide an emotional outlet

WHAT MAKES A RISK TAKER KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This original and interesting text definitely has a wow factor. Another advantage is that it leads to a very good guided writing task. It is a very good activity with which to teach students how to exploit a text for a writing activity.

1.       The answer is 3; 1 and two are always true and that is not the case according to the text.

2.       Because he doesn’t want to wake up one day and realize he forgot to live his life

3.       The answer is 1, 2 and 3 as they have been disproved according to research. The last two have been proved to be correct so they are not the answer

4.       It can guide people in making better decisions

5.       Err on the side of caution

6.       To step out of our comfort zone more often

7.       Confidence in handling physical risks; providing an emotional outlet

8.       The answer is 2, 3 and 5. 1, 4 and 7 helped her get the tattoo and 6 is a red herring

9.       The answer is 1. 2 was her reason for opening her door in the first place; not the reason for the attack. I got so mad means she was angry.

10.   Men typically are more used to taking financial risk

11.   Women are no more risk averse than men

12.   The answer is 2, 3 and 4 as they are cold versions of the test; 1 and 5 are hot versions