MOUNTAIN POPULATIONS OFFER CLUES TO HUMAN EVOLUTION

By: Carl Zimmer

Published: The New York Times; www.nytimes.com Alternatively, just google the title and the writer’s name

Level of Difficulty: ** However, this is a tough level * and an easy level **. There are a few questions that are hard. The writing tasks are also challenging

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Do you believe that plants and animals adapt to their environment over time?

·         What examples of such adaptation can you think of?

·         Do simple life forms like viruses and bacteria adapt and change over time?

·         Why do plants and animals try and adapt to their surroundings?

·         Do you think this adaptation will continue in the future?
      WATCH AND CONSIDER
      ·       The evolution of humans: characteristics and evolutionary history

http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-evolution-of-humans-characteristics-evolutionary-history.html

·         Evidence of evolution: Paleontology, Biogeography, Embryology, Comparative Anatomy & Molecular Biology http://study.com/academy/lesson/evidence-for-evolution-paleontology-biogeography-embryology-comparative-anatomy-molecular-biology.html

  QUESTIONS

1.       What is the main reason why evolutionary biologists are so interested in mountains?

2.       What does “This” refer to in the phrase “This is the most extreme example”?

3.       Why can only very little exercise become tiring at high altitude?

4.       The physical responses of the body to less oxygen are (select as many as you think suitable):

·         Completely affective

·         Inadequate

·         Moderately successful

·         Completely ineffective

·         Adequate

5.       What difference has been observed between women who move to high altitudes and women who have always lived there?

6.       What does “these adaptations in the phrase “natural selection produced these adaptations” refer to?

7.       Why did scientists compare Tibetans and the Han?

8.       The overall conclusion we can draw from the studies with the Tibetans, the Chinese and the Ethiopians is that the reason why people living at high altitudes don’t suffer altitude sickness is …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9.       What does “This pathway” in the last paragraph refer to?

10.   What exactly has nature managed to do?

THE FIRST WRITING TASK

Summarize the text in no more than 50 words. You will find a sample summary under “Sample Essays”.

THE SECOND WRITING TASK

Now write a paragraph discussing what form future evolution and environmental adaptation will take. Justify your opinions. You will find a sample paragraph under “Sample Essays”

MOUNTAIN POPULATINS OFFER CLUES TO HUMAN EVOLUTION KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This simple yet interesting text started out as being a level * activity but having discovered what questions and what kind of writing activities it lent itself to, I moved it up a notch. It should lend itself to plenty of discussion and would benefit from a video.

1.       The fact that they have an unmatched power to drive human evolution.

2.       The natural selection that reworked the biology of people who moved to high altitudes. This is one tough question.

3.       Because each breath delivers only 60% of the oxygen that the same breath would at sea level. Because the body can get so little fuel will not do because fuel can mean food as well!

4.       B and C

5.       The latter give birth to normal size babies; the former give birth to low birth rate babies

6.       The facts that in Tibet, people have broader arteries and capillaries and in the Andes, they can dissolve more oxygen into their blood

7.       To search for traces of evolution

8.       Genes

9.       The oxygen sensing pathway

10.   To retool the pathway

WHY PEOPLE KEEP MISUNDERSTANDING THE 'CONNECTION' BETWEEN RACE AND IQ

By: Brink Lindsey

Published: May 15, 2013; The Atlantic; www.theatlantic.com ; Alternatively, just google the title and author’s name

Level of Difficulty: **

Note to the student: An example of the writing task is available in the file marked Sample Essays

BEFORE YOU READ

·         What are the factors that determine IQ?

·         What influence is stronger in your view?

·         What variables influence IQ?

·         Does an IQ test provide reliable information about intelligence levels?

·         Do IQ tests provide information about factors other than IQ? If so, what?

NOW CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING

Race and Intelligence: Science's Last Taboo

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao8W2tPujeE

QUESTIONS

1.       What shocking declaration did Richwine make concerning IQ scores?

2.       What is the main idea of the article?

3.       What conclusions can we draw from the results of IQ tests?

4.       What conclusion can we draw from the information in paragraph five?

5.       The two French adoption studies prove that …………………….. has a serious influence on intelligence. There are three answers find all three.

6.       Turkheimer’s study showed that the ……………………………. the socioeconomic status, the …………………………………. the effect of genetic factors.

7.       What conclusion can we draw from this study?

8.       IQ tests will be very misleading if ……………………………………………………………………………………

9.       What is the main reason for the above?

10.   What is the point the writer is trying to make with the examples of the two IQ tests he suggests?

11.   The disadvantages that those from developing and underdeveloped countries face are that in their home countries……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

12.   The writer states that “The Flynn effect is acutely embarrassing”. How does he reach this conclusion?

13.   Richwine’s views are wrong because they presuppose a strong positive correlation between …………………………………………………………………..and………………………………………………………………………

14.   The lower IQ scores of Hispanics in USA indicate that ……………………………………………are comparatively lower.

15.   The article ends on a positive note because it states that ……………………………………………………..

WRITING TASK

Write a paragraph concerning the factors determining IQ scores and their implications

WHY PEOPLE KEEP MISUNDERSTANDING THE ‘CONNECTION’ BETWEEN RACE AND IQ KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This relatively simple text addresses a common prejudice: the relationship between race and IQ so it should be interesting to see if any of the students share this prejudice. The writer does go on to refute this view very successfully I must say leaving no one anything to say. In this respect, it is a good example of an argumentative text. There is a tidy little writing activity as well.

1. He attributed Hispanic’s alleged intellectual inferiority at least partly to genetic factors
2. Richwine’s position is intellectually as well as morally unsound
3. We can draw inferences about the test taker’s relative mastery of various skills, performance in the classroom, income, health and other important life outcomes
4. Innate mental ability exists
5. Upbringing, environment, environmental factors
6. Greater / greater; OR, lower / less
7. IQ scores reflect some varying combinations of differences in native ability and differences in opportunities
8. They are used to compare individuals of wildly different backgrounds
9. The cognitive skills that IQ tests assess are not used or valued to the same extent in all times and places
10. Intelligence is culturally contingent
11. The complexity of contemporary life is not evenly distributed and neither is the demand for written language fluency
12. In the US and many other countries, raw IQ scores have been rising (three points a decade); this rise is too rapid to have a genetic cause
13. The development of certain cognitive skills and raw mental ability
14. Their chances of achievement and success
15. Reducing achievement gaps will be possible…

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED IN MALI

By: Sujatha Fernandes

Published: May 19 2013; The New York Times; http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/opinion/the-day-the-music-died-in-mali.html

Note to the Student: A sample of the writing activity is available in the file marked “Sample Essays”

BEFORE YOU READ

·         On what occasions do we listen to music?

·         What purposes does music serve in society?

·         How would the absence of music affect society?

NOW WATCH THE VIDEOS
 Julia Gaines in "The Role of Music in Society and School"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf179WP2QXM
TEDxDetroit 2011 - Leonard Slatkin - The Importance of Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ92bP2nUyY

QUESTIONS

1.       What reaction to music does the writer find surprising? Censorship or prohibition?

2.       Why is it especially incredible that it is Mali where music is banned?

3.       What example of vandalism is given in the text?

4.       The possibility of …………………………… is causing northern musicians to migrate.

5.       What three reasons are provided for the ban on music?

6.       The griot in Malian society has three functions at ceremonies. They are: ………………………

7.       In what respect are griots compared to libraries? They are both ………………………………….

8.       What does “This” refer to in the phrase “This is especially true in Mali”?

9.       Read the story of the song “Teaching, Studies”. What function of musicians is this song an example of?

10.   What was the purpose of “Plus jamais ça” and the music they produced?

11.   What does “it” refer to in the phrase “We may lose it”?

12.   What characteristics of a conclusion does the last paragraph have?

WRITING TASK

Write a paragraph discussing why music is important for society. Use the following points out of the text:

·         To provide background

·         To entertain

·         To assure of our interconnection

·         To communicate what we can’t say

·         To share information

·         To protest or warn

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED IN MALI KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This is another wonderful little text which is both very simple and has a wow factor. It lends itself to some good careful reading questions and a decent writing activity. I was especially glad to find it as simple texts that are also interesting to read are few and far between. A sample of the writing activity is in the file marked “Sample Essays”

1.       Prohibition

2.       Because the country produced internationally renowned musicians

3.       Militants setting fire to guitars and drum kits

4.       Vengeful acts by the Malian army

5.       Music is a distraction from single minded devotion (or religious fanaticism), to sabotage the economy, to terrorize people

6.       Providing background, to communicate what we cannot always say in words, to assure us of our interconnection

7.       Repositories of history

8.       If the griots lose their function as story tellers, society loses a critical link to its past

9.       Music that raises awareness of social issues. The answer must be made to fit in with the way the question is asked.

10.   To end conflict

11.   The real story of our country

12.   It is much more general; not just about Mali and there are lessons for all of us.

HOW TO WALK AWAY

“The Psychology of Lost Causes”

By: Heidi Grant Halvorson

Published: The New York Times; May 14, 2013; http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/how-to-walk-away/275833/

Level of Difficulty: *

Note to the Student: A sample of the writing activity is available in the file marked “Sample Essays”

BEFORE YOU READ

·         How do you react when you know a relationship is not going to work out?

·         You have tried very hard to do a job but you know it is not going to work out. Do you stop trying or do you keep on trying?

·         If you keep on trying, why do you do it?

·         Is it a good idea to keep on trying?

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the stories of Bruno Iksil and John Edwards. What conclusion can we draw from them?

2.       What is the most important reason why people don’t see the ‘sunk cost fallacy’ in themselves?

3.       Read the examples of the job, the living room and the boy friend. What quality do they share? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4.       Daniel Kahnemen and Dan Ariely say our focus is wrong. Why is exactly is it wrong? Because we don’t …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5.       Which type of focus is most common? Is this type of focus a mistake or not?

6.       Read Molden and Hui’s experiment carefully to the end. What conclusion can we draw?

WRITING TASK

Write a one paragraph summary of the text. Your summary needs to be short and concise but cover all the main facts. When you have finished, check out the example on the blog.

HOW TO WALK AWAY KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This is one of the easiest activities on the blog which, nevertheless, has a wow factor. I was, therefore, thrilled when I stumbled across it. It lends itself to some good questions and better still, a summary exercise. The latter I love as both a reading and writing activity.

1.       The cost to a person who doesn’t know when to quit can be enormous

2.       This innate, overwhelming aversion to sunk costs

3.       Sunk costs (and you can’t get the investments you put into them back out). Either of these would do separately too as they mean the same thing.

4.       Focus on the costs of not moving on:  more wasted time and more effort, more unhappiness and more missed opportunities.

5.       Prevention focus and yes it is a mistake

6.       When we see our goals in terms of what we can gain, rather than what we might lose, we are more likely to see a doomed endevour for what it is.

SEARCH ME: ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

By: Tim Dowling

Published: Friday 24 May 2013; The Guardian; http://www.guardian.co.uk Alternatively, just google the title and author’s name

Level of Difficulty: *** This is an easy one for this level

Note to the student: an example of the writing task is available under “Sample Essays”

BEFORE YOU READ

·         How to build a kickass online reputation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsKAmpvoE0c

       How To Improve Your Personal Online Reputation On Google https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv7mpulraaM

Online Reputation Repair https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BySxe-l6Tpw

QUESTIONS

1.       What exactly does “This 21^st century problem refer to? You will have to tweak the text.

2.       What is the purpose of online reputation management?

3.       Why do online reputations need tidying up?

4.       What conclusion can be drawn from the paragraph beginning “However…”?

·         Keeping online reputations spotless will be the norm

·         Keeping online reputations pristine is costly.

·         Online reputation managers mainly deal with companies

·         All of the above

·         None of the above

5.       What does “that” refer to in the sentence “I didn’t anticipate that”?

6.       Read the stories of the two clients Wadsworth mentions. What do the stories have in common? Use your own words.

Both their problems …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7.       What is the justification behind the EU rule concerning the right to be forgotten?

8.       In what respect are Coca Cola and Monsanto compared?

With respect to whether they ……………………………………………………………………………………..

9.       What conclusion can be drawn from the example of the Belgian blogger?

10.   How is a negative link in a drop box amended?

11.   Why does Wadsworth think the job he does is mostly worthwhile?

12.   Why was the action Tim Dowling and his wife took concerning negative posts wrong?

13.   How to online reputation managers deal with damming newspaper articles?

14.   The companies can help get rid of negative posting too by…………………………………………

15.   How can the individual help himself?

WRITING TASK

Write a problem solution essay concerning how online reputations can most affectively be controlled. Use the text and the outline below.

In your introduction, discuss briefly the importance of reputations in breaking or making a person, how the concept of building a reputation has changed in the modern world and the fact that nothing is forgotten on the internet. Add your thesis statement: there are various measures both companies and individuals can take to improve a negative reputation

In your first developmental paragraph, discuss the measures companies can take.  These measures essentially involve getting control of the first page in a google search as few people look further

·         Making sure the company owns the assets on the first page

·         Making sure stuff generated by the company are on the first page

·         Instigating positive information by searching for positive links

·         Posting articles and information that reflects well on the company

In your second developmental paragraph, discuss measure individuals can take.

·         Joining big networking sites like LinkedIn

·         Signing up for a “do it yourself” reputation management service

·         Having online profiles lodged with professional listing sites

·         Having a blog or a website and updating it frequently

In your conclusion, discuss how the world is changing, how a lot of what used to verbal has moved to the world wide web and that we have to act accordingly

SEARCH ME: ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT KEY AND TEACHERS NOTES

With so many reading texts on so many different topics it was a joy to find something completely original and up to date. The text will appeal to the modern youth as it is something they are familiar with and that they have ideas about. They can have fun googling themselves at the beginning and seeing what comes up. You can then ask for their opinions on how to get rid of anything unpleasant.

1.       A bad review being the first that greeted potential customers

2.       To tidy up search engine results. The rest is support and you should try and learn to distinguish the support from the main idea.

3.       Because an unjustified malicious or obsolete complaint may linger for years blighting every new query

4.       The answer is 2. 1 is wrong because it is not true for everyone according to the text and 3 is wrong because they mostly deal with people

5.       The fact that these days 60 – 70% of Wadsworth’s clients are individuals.

6.       Took place a long time ago; OR are outdated

7.       Google’s search algorithms can make stuff seem more current or valid than it is. This, again, is the main idea and the rest is support.

8.       They own page 1; OR they owned the assets that were on page one

9.       Taking issue with criticism risks making matters worse

10.   By doing searches to effect those moves

11.   Because the system is already inherently unfair

12.   Because he opened up an arena for people to debate whether or not he was funny

13.   By creating positive or even neutral content to overwhelm the negative

14.   Setting up genuine useable content

15.   By joining big networking sites like LinkedIn, signing up for a DIY reputation management service, having online profiles lodged with professional listing sites, having a blog or website and posting on them

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