Read the article and decide if the sentences below are true or false:

https://www.nirandfar.com/antisocial-brain/

1. Socializing always feels easy and natural for most people.

2. Social isolation has no serious impact on physical health. 

3. People with weak social relationships are less likely to die early.

4. The brain can make incorrect predictions about social interactions.

5. Talking to strangers during a commute usually makes people feel happier.

6. People often overestimate the chance of being rejected in social situations. 

7. People believe their social skills are often worse than others’. 

8. The article suggests ignoring the urge to stay home and choosing to socialize. 

9. Human beings are naturally social creatures. 

10. The article concludes that isolation is beneficial for mental health.

Key: 1F; 2F; 3F; 4T; 5T; 6T; 7T; 8T; 9T; 10F

Glossary

• to bail – to leave or cancel suddenly, especially at the last minute
• longingly – in a way that shows strong desire or yearning
• woes – problems, troubles, or worries
• dragging one’s feet – delaying doing something; doing it very slowly because you don’t want to
• to delve (into) – to explore or investigate something deeply
• commodity – something valuable, often something that can be used or traded
• quirks – unusual or unique habits or characteristics
• dire – very serious or urgent; often bad
• meager – very small or not enough
• staggering – extremely large, shocking, or overwhelming
• to harbor – to keep a thought, feeling, or belief hidden inside
• prowess – great skill or ability in something
• to yield – to give in or surrender to something
• to sweat – to worry too much about something (informal)
• glitch – a small, temporary mistake or malfunction
• to plow ahead – to continue doing something with effort despite difficulties
• to flake – to cancel plans or not show up, especially unreliably

 

Practice makes perfect

 Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

 

 

1. After a long week at work, I felt completely ……….
a) staggering
b) drained
c) reluctant

2. He tends to ………. at the last minute, which annoys his friends.
a) bail
b) flutter
c) yield

3. Her small habits and strange ………. make her unique.
a) woes
b) quirks
c) glitches

4. The company is facing a ………. situation and may go bankrupt.
a) meager
b) reluctant
c) dire

5. Don’t ………. on your friends—it’s important to show up when you make plans.
a) plow ahead
b) delve
c) flake

6. His salary was so ………. that he could barely afford rent.
a) staggering
b) meager
c) dire

7. The final cost of the project was absolutely ……….
a) staggering
b) reluctant
c) drained

8. Sometimes a small technical ………. can cause big problems.
a) quirk
b) woe
c) glitch

9. She was ………. to join the trip because she felt tired.
a) reluctant
b) prone
c) staggering

10. His past experiences often ………. when making important decisions.
a) bail
b) come into play
c) flake

11. He is ………. overthinking things, especially in stressful situations.
a) prone to
b) drained
c) dire

12. She shared her personal ………. with a close friend.
a) glitches
b) woes
c) quirks

 

Key: 1b; 2a; 3b); 4c; 5c; 6b; 7a; 8c; 9a; 10b; 11a; 12b

 

Discuss

• What does the author mean by calling community a “precious commodity”?
• What are the four “bad predictions” our brains make about socializing? Which of them do you relate to the most?
• Have you ever felt like the author—reluctant to go out but happy you did? Describe the situation.
• Do you sometimes want to “bail” on plans? Why?
• What do you usually do when you feel “drained” but have social plans?
• Would you start a conversation with a stranger on a bus or train? Why or why not?
• Why do you think so many people today feel lonely despite being surrounded by others? Would you agree that loneliness is one of the biggest problems of modern society?

 

Watch and Revise!

Why Socializing Feels Hard

 And Why You Should Do It Anyway

https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/Tp4wRpgp8G8skmd

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