Shadowing Practice: TOEFL Listening Practice | Lecture | Arachnophobia - Learn English Speaking with Video
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1
Arachnophobia or fear of spiders, is one of the most common phobias around.
2
Yet the vast majority of spiders that we come across are completely harmless.
3
So where does this irrational fear come from?
4
A group of scientists think they may have the answer.
5
Joanna Taylor reports.
6
From a young age many people regard spiders with terror.
7
based on previous research psychologists had concluded that children pick up this fear by observing the behavior of their parents
8
When an adult shows fear or disgust at the sight of a spider, the child learns that this is the normal response.
9
A recent study, however, indicates that a special reaction to spiders could be something we're born with.
10
Cognitive psychologist Dr. Brian Anderson explains more about how the study was carried out.
11
Scientists at an American university set out to examine whether our fear of spiders is a genetic trait
12
that has been with us for centuries.
13
So, they carried out an experiment on a group of five -month -old infants.
14
During the experiment, The babies were shown a selection of images, including a picture of a spider.
15
What happened was that the babies looked at the spider picture, They fix their attention on it, for longer than on any of the other images.
16
7 to 8 seconds longer The experiment was repeated several times.
17
Sometimes replacing the spider image with one of a flower.
18
But it was always the spider picture that the babies looked at longest.
19
What this study shows is that, while we're not born with a fear of spiders exactly,
20
we instinctively look at them more carefully and at length more than at a flower, for example.
21
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited because at 5 months old, we can't possibly know that spiders are considered ugly,
22
or that they're feared by many people.
23
But Dr. Anderson, how often do any of us actually encounter a poisonous spider?
24
Not often.
25
So why then do we have this built -in awareness?
26
Well, it can be explained by evolution.
27
Our early human ancestors lived in the tropical grasslands of Africa that are home to the most dangerous species of spider.
28
The problem with poisonous spiders is that by the time you've spotted them, They're usually close enough to pose a serious threat,
29
Unlike larger dangers or predators such as lions or elephants, that can be seen clearly from a distance.
30
So among our ancestors, those who are instinctively cautious of spiders, who had an arachnophobic gene, if you like.
31
would have been more likely to spot it quickly, Either run, or kill it, and thus survived.
32
and those that survived, according to evolutionary theory, passed on their genes to following generations.
33
So this particular gene has stayed with us to this day.
34
Incidentally, This theory also explains why women are three to four times more likely than men to fear spiders.
35
You see our female ancestors gathered plants and fruit while the men were out hunting.
36
so they would have encountered spiders more frequently.
37
This study has implications for all phobia research.
38
You see, similar studies may prove that other phobias are inherited too
39
and may also explain why our fears change as we get older for example
40
Why does a child fear darkness more than an adult?
41
Is it because a child lost in the African bush after dark would have been easy prey for animal predators?
42
Further study in this field may answer these questions and more.
43
Number one.
44
What did the original research on fear of spiders indicate?
45
Number 2 What did the study actually measure?
46
Number 3.
47
What was the main finding of the study?
48
Number four.
49
Why might arachnophobia be more common in women?
50
Number five.
51
What could further research in this area clarify?
52
Music.
53
Based on previous research, psychologists had concluded that children pick up this fear by observing the behavior of their parents.
54
Based on previous research, psychologists had concluded that children pick up this fear by observing the behavior of their parents.
55
When an adult shows fear or disgust at the sight of a spider, the child learns that this is the normal response.
56
What happened was that the babies looked at the spider picture, They fix their attention on it, for longer than on any of the other images.
57
7 to 8 seconds longer, What happened was that the babies looked at the spider picture,
58
They fix their attention on it, for longer than on any of the other images.
59
7 to 8 seconds longer,
60
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited.
61
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited because at 5 months old, we can't possibly know that spiders are considered ugly,
62
or that they're feared by many people.
63
See our female ancestors gathered plants and fruit while the men were out hunting.
64
so they would have encountered spiders more frequently.
65
You see our female ancestors gathered plants and fruit while the men were out hunting.
66
so they would have encountered spiders more frequently.
67
You see, similar studies may prove that other phobias are inherited too
68
and may also explain why our fears change as we get older.
69
You see, similar studies may prove that other phobias are inherited too
70
and may also explain why our fears change as we get older.
71
Music.
72
Arachnophobia, or fear of spiders, is one of the most common phobias around.
73
So where does this irrational fear come from?
74
From a young age, many people regard spiders with terror.
75
psychologists had concluded that children pick up this fear by observing the behavior of their parents.
76
When an adult shows fear or disgust at the sight of a spider, the child learns that this is the normal response.
77
A recent study, however, indicates that a special reaction to spiders could be something we're born with.
78
Scientists at an American university set out to examine whether our fear of spiders is a genetic trait
79
that has been with us for centuries.
80
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited because it
81
But Dr. Anderson, how often do any of us actually encounter a poisonous spider?
82
The problem with poisonous spiders is that by the time you've spotted them, they're usually close enough to pose a serious threat.
83
Music.
84
Scientists at an American university set out to examine whether our fear of spiders is a genetic trait
85
that has been with us for centuries.
86
So, they carried out an experiment on a group of five -month -old infants.
87
During the experiment, The babies were shown a selection of images, including a picture of a spider,
88
What happened was that the babies looked at the spider picture, They fix their attention on it for longer than on any of the other images.
89
7 to 8 seconds longer,
90
Scientists at an American university set out to examine whether our fear of spiders is a genetic trait
91
that has been with us for centuries.
92
So, they carried out an experiment on a group of five -month -old infants.
93
During the experiment, The babies were shown a selection of images, including a picture of a spider.
94
What happened was that the babies looked at the spider picture, They fixed their attention on it, for longer than on any of the other images.
95
7 to 8 seconds longer, The experiment was repeated several times.
96
Sometimes replacing the spider image, with one of a flower.
97
But it was always the spider picture that the babies looked at longest.
98
What this study shows is that, while we're not born with a fear of spiders exactly,
99
we instinctively look at them more carefully and at length more than at a flower, for example.
100
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited because at 5 months old,
101
we can't possibly know that spiders are considered ugly or that they're feared by many people.
102
The experiment was repeated several times.
103
Sometimes replacing the spider image, with one of a flower.
104
But it was always the spider picture that the babies looked at longest.
105
What this study shows is that, while we're not born with a fear of spiders exactly,
106
we instinctively look at them more carefully and at length more than at a flower, for example.
107
And so the findings indicate that this special awareness must be inherited because at 5 months old, we can't possibly know that spiders are considered ugly,
108
or that they're feared by many people.
109
So why then do we have this built -in awareness?
110
Well, it can be explained by evolution.
111
Our early human ancestors lived in the tropical grasslands of Africa that are home to the most dangerous species of spider.
112
The problem with poisonous spiders is that by the time you've spotted them, They're usually close enough to pose a serious threat.
113
unlike larger dangers or predators such as lions or elephants that can be seen clearly from a distance.
114
So among our ancestors, those who were instinctively cautious of spiders, who had an arachnophobic gene if you like,
115
would have been more likely to spot it quickly.
116
Either run, or kill it and thus survive.
117
So why then do we have this built -in awareness?
118
Well, it can be explained by evolution.
119
Our early human ancestors lived in the tropical grasslands of Africa that are home to the most dangerous species of spider.
120
The problem with poisonous spiders is that by the time you've spotted them, They're usually close enough to pose a serious threat.
121
Unlike larger dangers or predators such as lions or elephants, that can be seen clearly from a distance.
122
So among our ancestors, those who are instinctively cautious of spiders, who had an "arachnophobic gene" if you like.
123
would have been more likely to spot it quickly, either run, or kill it, and thus survive.
124
and those that survived, according to evolutionary theory, passed on their genes to following generations.
125
So this particular gene has stayed with us to this day.
126
Incidentally, This theory also explains why women are three to four times more likely than men to fear spiders.
127
You see our female ancestors gathered plants and fruit while the men were out hunting, so they would have encountered spiders more frequently.
128
and those that survived, according to evolutionary theory, passed on their genes to following generations.
129
So this particular gene has stayed with us to this day.
130
Incidentally, This theory also explains why women are three to four times more likely than men to fear spiders.
131
You see our female ancestors gathered plants and fruit while the men were out hunting.
132
so they would have encountered spiders more frequently.
133
Music
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About This Lesson
In today's lesson, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills through a fascinating lecture on arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. By listening to a detailed discussion that explores the origins and implications of this common fear, you will enhance your comprehension while also improving your pronunciation. You will specifically focus on understanding complex sentences and expressing nuanced ideas in English. This lecture provides an excellent opportunity to engage with scientific language, which will help you expand your vocabulary and gain confidence in speaking.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Arachnophobia - the fear of spiders.
- Instinctively - done automatically without thinking.
- Inherited - passed down from parents to offspring.
- Cognitive psychologist - a professional who studies how people learn and process information.
- Evolution - the gradual development of species over time.
- Phobia - an extreme or irrational fear of a particular thing.
- Awareness - knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
- Predator - an animal that preys on others for food.
Practice Tips
To get the most out of this lesson, try shadow speaking as you listen to the lecture. This technique can greatly boost your English pronunciation and fluency. Here's how to effectively practice:
- Play the video and listen carefully to the lecturer’s pace and tone. Aim to imitate the rhythm and intonation used.
- Pause the video after each key point. Repeat what you just heard, focusing on sounding as natural as possible—this is referred to as shadowspeak.
- Practice shadowing phrases or sentences related to the key vocabulary mentioned. This will help reinforce your understanding and pronunciation of these important terms.
- If you find any challenging sections, rewind and listen again. Repetition is key when you want to improve English pronunciation.
- Consider recording yourself while practicing. Listening back allows you to identify areas for improvement, helping you refine your speaking skills.
By regularly engaging with resources like this lecture to learn English with YouTube, you'll not only build your vocabulary but also gain the confidence needed to speak fluently. Enjoy your practice!
¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?
Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.