martes, 25 de marzo de 2014

The science behind why we take selfies

The selfie has arguably become the greatest photographic trend of our time. Why are we so interested in taking and sharing selfies and how does observing an image of yourself differ from observing a picture of someone else, asks University College London neuroscientist James Kilner.

In everyday social situations we spend a lot of our time looking at and interpreting other people's faces and facial expressions. Indeed, reading and responding correctly to other people's facial expressions is essential for successful social interactions.

Through our lifetimes we become experts at recognising and interpreting other people's faces and facial expressions. In contrast, we have very little experience of looking at our own faces. Our perception of our own facial expression comes from our sense of feeling our faces move. This lack of visual knowledge about our own faces means we have a very inaccurate representation of what our own faces look like at any given time. For example, it has been demonstrated that when people are shown an image of themselves and asked to match it, they are unable to accurately produce the same facial expression without being able to see themselves.

This lack of knowledge about what we look like has a profound effect on what we think we look like. When people are asked to pick a photograph which they think looks most like them, people are very bad at selecting the original photograph.

Given that we have a poor representation of what we look like, this is perhaps unsurprising. What is surprising is that people systematically choose images that have been digitally altered to make the person appear more attractive.

In other words, we have an image of ourselves that tends to be younger and more attractive than we actually are. This might in part explain our obsession with selfies. For the first time we are able to take and retake pictures of ourselves until we can produce an image that come closer to matching our perception of what we think we look like.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a. In our relationships, it’s very important to interpret people’s faces.
b. We always know for sure what our own faces look like.
c. We can’t reproduce a facial expression without looking at our faces.
d. People usually recognize their own real image.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. Why have selfies become so frequent nowadays?
b. Why do people take so many pictures of themselves?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a. fashion (par.1)                       b. fundamental  (par.2)                          c. inexact (par.3)
d. choose (par.4)                       e. modify (par.5)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a.      “Why are we so interested in taking selfies and how does observing yourself differs from observing someone else?” James Kilner said.
James Kilner asked …………………………
b.      We become experts at recognizing other people’s faces. In contrast, we have very Little experience of looking at our own face.
Despite …………………………………………
c.      People have a poor representation of what they look like, so they choose digitally altered images.
If people ……………………………………….

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

            Why do people take so many photographs everywhere?

Human brain reacts to emoticons as real faces

Just a few decades after they were invented, emoticons have become an indispensable part of online communication - so much so that the human brain now reacts to them in the same way as a real face.

Emoticons such as :-) have become so important to how we communicate online that they are changing the way that our brains work. They are used to provide clues to the tone of SMS, emails and tweets that can be hard to briefly describe in words alone. But Dr Owen Churches, from the school of psychology at Flinders University in Adelaide, has found that they have become so important that we now react to them in the same way as we would to a real human face.

When we see a face there is a very specific reaction in certain parts of the brain such as the occipitotemporal cortex. When that image of a face is inverted there is another very specific reaction. This can be tracked using advanced brain scanning techniques. Churches found that the same reaction occurred when 20 participants in a study were shown emoticons, but only when they were viewed in the traditional, left-to-right format. When they were "inverted", or flipped to be read right-to-left, the expected reaction was not found.

This showed that humans have now developed to read :-) in the same way as a human face, but do not have the same connection with (-:. The study, published in the Social Neuroscience journal, also included participants being shown real faces and meaningless strings of characters as controls.

"Emoticons are a new form of language that we're producing, and to decode that language we've produced a new pattern of brain activity," Churches said. “There is no innate neural response to emoticons that babies are born with. Before 1982 there would be no reason that ':-)' would activate face sensitive areas of the cortex but now it does because we've learnt that this represents a face. This is an entirely culturally-created neural response. It's really quite amazing."

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. People have been using emoticons for ten years.
b. Emoticons convey the meaning of messages quicker than words.
c. Every time we see an image of a face our brain reacts in the same way.
d. Our brain has developed a new neural response.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. What effect have emoticons had on our brains?
b. Who carried out the study and how did he do it?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. essential (par.1)                   b. turned  (par.3)                                   c. magazine (par.4)
d. method, system (par.5)        e. from birth (par.5)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. Emoticons are so important in online communication that our brain knows how to decode them.
            If  emoticons …….
b. Emoticons are changing the way our brains work.
            The way ……..
c. “I’ve found that they have become so important that we now react to them in the same way as we would to a real face”.
           Dr. Churches said that ………...

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

How do you prefer to communicate and why?

UNDERSTANDING NEWSPAPER HEADLINES 2

Headlines in newspapers contain very specific vocabulary, which can be an obstacle to understanding the context of the news story, if you are not certain of its meaning.
Look at the headlines below and match the word in bold with its definition from the box. Then write a sentence explaining the headline.
support           take action                          find innocent               fight           help                             closed down                fire         prohibit            explosion                        big increase
ENERGY CRISIS: GOVERNMENT TO ACT
MORE AID FOR POOR COUNTRIES

POSTAL SERVICES AXED

GOVERNMENT BANS SMOKING IN PUBLIC
OPPOSITION BACKS PM
BLAST AT OLYMPIC GAMES 

2 DIE IN HOUSE BLAZE
HOUSING BOOM CAUSED ECONOMIC CRISIS
STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE

BUSINESS MAN CLEARED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

Rephrasings 12


Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning

1.       It's possible that Shakespeare wrote it.
Shakespeare …………………………………………….
2.       “If you bother me again, Ill start shouting, she said to them.
She threatened ………………………………………….
3.       Was the medal given by the Queen herself?
Did ……………………………………………………….
4.       She hasnt taken her car to the mechanic for two years.
The last …………………………………………………
5.       The girl was very pretty. He was looking at her.
The girl ………………………………………………………
6.       He made many hit records. He became very rich.
He became……………………………………………………
7.       The radio said last night that a volcano is erupting on the island of Xand.
A volcano …………………………………………………….
8.       Youre waiting for John. Hes late and youre getting impatient.
I wish ………………………………………………………….
9.       It's possible that the bus was full.
The bus ……………………………………………………….
10.   Our postal service used to deliver parcels. Now we have to collect them.
Parcels ……………………………………………………….
11.   Isn't it his duty to be on parade?
Shouldn't …………………………………………………….
12.   You bought a new one, which wasn't necessary. I could have lent you mine.
You ………………………………………………………….
13.   A new stretch of motorway is going to be built between Graz and Lund.
They ………………………………………………………..
14.   “Be careful. There are lots of wasps here,he said.
He warned ………………………………………………………
15.   I'm sure someone stole his watch while he was asleep.
Someone …………………………………………………………



KEY


  1. Shakespeare may have written it.
  2. She threatened to start shouting if they bothered her again.
  3. Did the Queen herself give the medal?
  4. The last time she took her car to the mechanic was two years ago.
  5. The girl he was looking at was very pretty.
  6. He became very rich after/as he had made many hit records.
  7. Last night a volcano was said to be erupting in the island of Ometepe.
  8. I wish John wouldn’t be late.
  9. The bus might have been full.
  10. Parcels used to be delivered by our postal service, now they have to be collected.
  11. Shouldn’t you be on parade?
  12. You needn’t have bought a new one; I could have lent you mine.
  13. They are building a new stretch of motorway between Chester and Liverpool.
  14. He warned us to be careful as there were lots of wasps there.
  15. Someone must have stolen his watch while he was asleep.

Baby turtle washed up after storms

      A baby turtle washed ashore during the recent storms is recovering in a special tank at Bristol Aquarium. The loggerhead turtle was found by a member of the public at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire.

    Nicknamed 'Stormy', the turtle is 17cm (6.7in) long and is thought to have begun life in the Caribbean or Mexico.

     Bristol Aquarium, says Stormy "was very poorly indeed" when he arrived, but they are "cautiously optimistic" he will make a full recovery. The man who found Stormy last Thursday contacted a local animal rescue group which gave the turtle some treatment before transporting him to Bristol on Friday.

     Young loggerheads migrate with the warmer waters of the Atlantic circulating in a current of water known as the North Atlantic Gyre which is rich in their favourite food of jellyfish and squid. But, it is thought, on this occasion a severe storm pushed the baby turtle further and further north.


True or false?

1. The turtle was caught in a storm.
2. A child found the turtle.
3. Stormy is unlikely to recover.
4. The turtle was found in Bristol.
5. Loggerhead turtles usually live in warm water.
6. The rescue group looked after the turtle.
7. The turtle was too far north.
8. Turtles are the favourite food of jellyfish.

Match the words below to their definitions

aquarium / contacted / current / migrate / nickname / public


all of the ordinary people who live in a place
building where fish are kept so that people can see them
friendly name that people use instead of your real name
got in touch with someone by phoning them or sending them an email
natural flow of water
when an animal moves from one place to another place because of the time of year



Which word or phrase means the same as the one in italics?


1. optimistic
a) the same as worried
b) the same as thankful
c) the same as hopeful

2. poorly
a) the same as cheap
b) the same as sick
c) the same as healthy

3. severe
a) the same as sudden
b) the same as bad
c) the same as quiet

4. begun
a) the same as started
b) the same as finished
c) the same as continued




KEY

True or false

1. True
2. False
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. True
7. True
8. False

Vocabulary

aquarium building where fish are kept so that people can see them
contacted got in touch with someone by phoning them or sending them an email
current natural flow of water
migrate when an animal moves from one place to another place because of the time of year
nickname friendly name that people use instead of your real name
public all of the ordinary people who live in a place

Which word or phrase means the same as the one in italics?

1. c) the same as hopeful
2. b) the same as sick
3. b) the same as bad
4. a) the same as started

Mount Cook: Shrinking mountain loses 30m from height


            New Zealand's tallest mountain has shrunk by 30m but is still the highest in the country.

            A new study of Mount Cook - also known at Aoraki - shows it is 3,724m (12,217ft) down from 3,754m. It's thought that the top has been worn away after a collapse of rocks and ice in 1991 left the summit open to the elements.

            Scientists used GPS and photos taken at the time to find out more about the mystery of the shrinking mountain.
           
            Dr Pascal Sirguey of the Otago National School of Surveying which carried out the assessment said: "By carefully studying photos taken after the collapse, it appears that there was still a relatively thick ice cap, which was most likely out of balance with the new shape of the summit ridge. As a result the ice cap has been subject to erosion over the past 20 years."


True or false?

1. The top of the mountain was covered with ice.
2. The loss of height followed the earlier collapse.
3. There is no photographic record of the mountain.
4. The collapse made the ice cap unstable.
5. Scientists found the change to be mysterious at first.
6. Mount Cook is not the highest mountain.
7. Scientists are uncertain why the mountain has lost height.
8. The mountain remains the tallest in New Zealand.

Match the words below to their definitions

assessment / balance / collapse / elements / erosion / surveying

when something falls down because it is too heavy
weather, especially bad weather
when something is studied to determine its qualities
profession where people examine and record the features of an area of land so that it can be mapped
even distribution of weight that allows something to remain steady
when something is gradually damaged and removed by the sea, rain or wind

What is the missing word?

1. It appears that there was still a___________________thick ice cap.
2. The ice cap has been___________________to erosion over the past 20 years.
3. Mountains are___________________from the average sea level to the summit.
4. The height when a hill becomes a mountain___________________.




KEY

True or false

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. True

Vocabulary

collapse            when something falls down because it is too heavy
elements          weather, especially bad weather
assessment      when something is studied to determine its qualities
surveying          profession where people examine and record the features of an area of land so that it can be                     mapped
balance            even distribution of weight that allows something to remain steady
erosion             when something is gradually damaged and removed by the sea, rain or wind

What is the missing word?

1. relatively
2. subject
3. measured

4. varies

Passives 3

Translate the following sentences into English using a passive structure


  1. La comida se servirá de dos a cuatro.
  2. Se ha encendido una luz en el recibidor.
  3. Le enviaron un paquete.
  4. Se dice que los ingleses son los que hacen el peor café.
  5. Se dice que el pasado invierno fue el más caluroso del siglo.
  6. El ala infantil se inauguró hace nueve meses.
  7. Dicen que el barco llevaba lingotes de oro cuando se hundió.
  8. Esta máquina no debe usarse después de las cinco y media de la tarde.
  9. Se estaba pintando el casco del barco cuando sucedió el accidente.
  10. La máquina debe limpiarse cada vez que se use.
  11. Las plantas deben colocarse en un lugar soleado.
  12. Les han contado lo de la fiesta.
  13. Sonará un silbato en caso de emergencia.
  14. Los estudiantes no deben hablar durante el examen.
  15. Dicen que Michael y Ann han invitado a mil personas a su boda.
  16. Se dice que la policía está interrogando a los Davies sobre el robo.
  17. Dicen que el inglés es muy difícil.
  18. Dicen que el joven que fue arrestado ayer vive en Reading.
  19. Dicen que John no sabe conducir.

KEY
  1. Lunch will be served from two to four.
  2. A light has been turned on in the hall.
  3. She was sent a parcel.
  4. The English are said to make the worst coffee.
  5. Last winter is said to have been the warmest in this century.
  6. The children’s ward was opened nine months ago.
  7. The ship is said to have been carrying gold bars when it sank.
  8. This machine mustn’t be used after 5.30 p.m.
  9. The outside of the ship was being painted when the accident happened.
  10. The machine must be cleaned every time it is used.
  11. The plants should be kept in a sunny place.
  12. They have been told about the party.
  13. A whistle will be blown if there is an emergency.
  14. Students are expected not to talk during the examination.
  15. Michael and Ann are said to have invited 1000 people to their wedding.
  16. The police are said to be questioning the Davies about the robbery.
  17. English is said to be very difficult.
  18. The young man who was arrested yesterday is said to live in Reading.
  19. John is said not to know how to drive.


ING form after prepositions 2 translation

Translate the following sentences into English


  1. Siento tenerte esperando.
  2. Tengo miedo de perderme.
  3. No merece la pena enfadarse por eso.
  4. Prefiero andar en bici que correr.
  5. Este cuchillo es solo para cortar carne.
  6. ¿Estás interesado en trabajar para esta compañía?
  7. ¿Qué tal si dejamos la bolsa en la oficina?
  8. Se fueron del restaurante sin pagar.
  9. Esa chica es muy buena jugando al tenis.
  10. Eso se usa para abrir botellas.

KEY

  1. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.
  2. I’m afraid of getting lost.
  3. It’s not worth getting angry about that.
  4. I prefer cycling to running.
  5. This knife is only for cutting meat.
  6. Are you interested in working for this company?
  7. What about leaving the bag in the office?
  8. They left the restaurant without paying.
  9. That girl is very good at playing tennis.
  10. That is used for opening bottles.

BRITISH and AMERICAN ENGLISH 7



Are these sentences British or American English? Decide, by reading the whole sentence, if you have to use the British or the American word, which is given in brackets.


  1. After queuing at the ( underground / subway ) station to buy a return ticket, I realised that I had left my (wallet / bill fold ) in my other (pants / trousers ).

  1. When I got back to my apartment, I got my bathrobe out of the ( wardrobe / closet ), turned on the ( faucet / tap ) and got in the tub.

  1. The ( fridge / ice box ) was empty, so all that I could find to eat was a few biscuits, some ( candy / sweets ) and a bag of crisps.

  1. I came back from my vacation last ( fall / autumn ) and found that the garbage men had a left a load of ( rubbish / trash ) in my front yard, so I complained to the ( janitor / caretaker )

  1. My name is Anthony Davis and I live with my family in a block of flats in the ( High / Main ) street.

  1. The mailman arrived with a letter from the ( estate agent / real estate agency )

  1. There is a room in the house which is used by a ( solicitor / attorney ) every year during the bank holidays.

  1. Jimmy’s aunt sent him a ten-dollar bill for his birthday, a ( rubber / eraser) and a box of ( thumb tacks / drawing pins )

  1. My nephew attends a very nice ( kindergarden / nursery school ) where they are never given any kind of sweets.

  1. The smart ( civil servant / government employee ) was waiting at the bar counter to order a lager.



KEY


  1. underground – wallet – trousers
  2. closet – faucet
  3. fridge – sweets
  4. fall – trash – janitor
  5. High
  6. real estate
  7. solicitor
  8. eraser – thumb tacks
  9. nursery school
  10. civil servant

BRITISH and AMERICAN ENGLISH 6


Are these sentences British or American English? Decide by means of the other words in the sentences if the words in brackets are British or American.


  1. I’d like a pair of these (pyjamas / pajamas) and this bathrobe.

  1. After Joe Bloggs was fired, he went to an off-license to buy (hard liquor / spirits); he got a bottle of (whisky / whiskey)

  1. When the man got home, he found his mom at the stove frying some (mince / hamburger meat) in the skillet.

  1. He poured himself a whisky and told his wife he had decided to take a (two-week / fortnight’s) (holiday / vacation).

  1. I put in near a gallon of water and cleaned the (windshield / windscreen) with a rag that I kept in the trunk.

  1. Dan Phillips is a commercial traveller with an aluminium company, Smith & Jones (Ltd. / Inc)

  1. Last week the President gave John is second pay (raise / rise) this year, along with some fringe benefits.

  1. Peter was given a brand new state car by the firm, with a free space in the company (parking lot / car park) to put it in.

  1. Hello! Is this the Palace Movie Theater? Are you showing the (film / movie) “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”?

  1. I’d like to (reserve / book) four seats in the centre stalls for the evening performance on 5th October.





KEY


  1. pajamas
  2. spirits / whisky
  3. hamburger meat
  4. fortnight’s / holiday
  5. windshield
  6. Ltd.
  7. raise
  8. car park
  9. movie
  10. book