Assignment 1
Read the assignment and write down the answers in English. You may use English-language Internet sources to help you.
a The brain is an organ in your body. Name 3 or more other bodily organs.
b Make a list of 5 or more happy adjectives and another one of 5 or more sad adjectives.
| Lonely Hearts Club
During COVID-19, people have been asked to stay apart from each other. We don’t want to catch the virus, do we! But how do our brains respond to being alone so much? Read about it here. |
Assignment 2
Read the text. For each definition, find the word or expression it describes in the text and write it down.
- to want greatly………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- separate from others……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
- to become more lively or cheerful…………………………………………………………………………………….
- a specific area of the brain that does certain types of work…………………………………………………..
- to become more active…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
- the unhappiness that is felt by someone because they do not have any friends or do not have anyone to talk to
- to do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done…………………………………
- to find people to take part in an activity or event………………………………………………………………..
- to eat no food for a period of time…………………………………………………………………………………….
- a substance (such as a hormone) that causes a biological effect……………………………………………
- to feel or be affected by something…………………………………………………………………………………..
- a brief expression that is commonly used………………………………………………………………………….
- to decide after a period of thought or research…………………………………………………………………..
- one of the things that are necessary to stay alive………………………………………………………………..
- a person who goes to many parties and other social events………………………………………………….
- to want or need something very much……………………………………………………………………………….
Assignment 3
a What does the new brain study demonstrate?
1 After a period of being alone, our brains are hungry for seeing other people.
2 After about 10 hours of isolation, lonely people start to get very depressed.
3 Hungry people respond stronger to juicy hamburgers and tasty pizzas.
4 Life during the pandemic has changed the way our brains respond to other people.
b What is the relationship between depression and loneliness?
1 Loneliness and depression are linked, but it is hard to tell if one causes the other.
2 Loneliness has not been studied much, but depression is often studied.
3 Loneliness lasts a long time, but depression is usually over within a week.
4 Lonely people are always also depressed, but depressed people are not always lonely.
c What happened when the scientists showed pictures of social activities to lonely people?
1 Some people started crying because they missed their friends.
2 The areas of their midbrain that make dopamine became active.
3 The people became very hungry and craved fast food.
4 Two small areas within the midbrain had less blood flowing to them.
d How did Tomova and her colleagues study loneliness in the brain?
1 They asked people to quit social media for 10 hours and just spend time with friends and family. Then they asked them questions how they felt.
2 They had one group fast and a different group spend time alone. After two days they scanned their brains using an fMRI machine.
3 They had one large group fast one day and spend time alone on another day. After each day they scanned their brains using an fMRI machine.
4 They let people who were depressed use social media for 10 hours, but without checking their email. Then they put them in an fMRI machine.
Downloads
