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Unit5 Lesson 3
Strange personalities
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• discussed some unusual people
• read some instances of unusual behaviour
• answered questions based on the reading section
• answered a checklist on assessing your willpower
A Have you seen people performing incredible feats such as walking on fire without getting burnt? How do you think they manage to do it? Discuss in pairs. Which of the following sounds most probable to you?
a They use meditation to control their bodies.
b They use some invisible medicine that does not burn their feet.
c They practise carefully how to walk on fire.
d They know some magic tricks.
B Some people have shown that the feeling of pain exists not in the body but in the mind. Read the following extracts.
In Parambanan in Indonesia, worshippers consider themselves to be possessed by gods. In this state they are able to drive needles through their cheeks and tongue without feeling any pain.
Fire-walkers in Polynesia believe themselves to be under the spell of" a magical force called 'mana' .When they hold the hands of a spectator s/he also doesn't feel any pain.
Researchers think the secret lies in walking very fast and not to let the feet be in touch with fire for a long time to be burnt.
In the island of Bali, Indonesia, dancers meditate and make themselves go into a trance-like state. They can then pierce their bodies with daggers without drawing out any blood.
Some Buddhist monks have learnt the. art of meditation to such an extent that they can actually make their body temperature rise high enough to make vapours come out of wet towels placed on their bodies.
Fakirs who practise Yoga learn to control their breathing to such an extent that their heart beats at only two beats a minute whereas a normal human heart beats 70-80 times per minute. They can then keep their heads buried in the ground for as long as they want without breathing.
Answer these questions based on the texts above.
1 What do different people believe in when they perform incredible feats?
2 What unbelievable feats arc the people in the text above able to perform? Write one sentence for each of them.
Example: Polynesian fire-walkers arc able to make a spectator also walk on fire.
Are the following statements true or false?
1 Indonesian worshippers arc very good at keeping their heads buried under the ground.
2 Yoga is considered a good exercise for controlling breathing.
3 Researchers do not think magic is the secret of walking on fire.
4 Buddhist monks drive needles through their cheeks.
5 Both Indonesian and Polynesian fire - walkers believe in the powers of the supernatural.
6 These strange practices prove that the feeling of pain can be controlled and ignored.
7 All dancers of Bali can pierce their bodies with daggers.
8 Polynesian fire-walkers teach the spectators how to use magic.
C Test yourself: How much power do you think you have over your mind? (It is amazing how little people know about themselves). Find out about yourself by ticking an appropriate answer to the questions below.
Yes No Sometimes Never
1 Have you ever felt like screaming but managed to appear very calm?
2 Do you start crying when you see other people crying?
3 Do you raise your voice when you get angry?
4 When you feel hot do you think you must switch on the fan?
5 Can you manage not to think about food when you are hungry?
6 Do you think you must take medicine when you are feeling any pain?
7 Can you manage to stay awake for work even when you are very sleepy?
8 Can you manage to sit at the writing table studying for hours together?
9 Can you manage to appear calm even when you have a strong urge to burst out laughing?
If your answer is 'yes' to questions 1,5,7,8,9 and 'never' to questions 2,3,4,6, you have quite a strong willpower. Now work in pairs and compare your responses with your partner.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking,
reading,
writing. Functions.
Expressing ability. Grammar/Structure.
To + verb. Vocabulary.
possessed, trance, drive, vapours, incredible.
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Unit5 Lesson 3
Strange personalities
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• discussed some unusual people
• read some instances of unusual behaviour
• answered questions based on the reading section
• answered a checklist on assessing your willpower
A Have you seen people performing incredible feats such as walking on fire without getting burnt? How do you think they manage to do it? Discuss in pairs. Which of the following sounds most probable to you?
a They use meditation to control their bodies.
b They use some invisible medicine that does not burn their feet.
c They practise carefully how to walk on fire.
d They know some magic tricks.
B Some people have shown that the feeling of pain exists not in the body but in the mind. Read the following extracts.
In Parambanan in Indonesia, worshippers consider themselves to be possessed by gods. In this state they are able to drive needles through their cheeks and tongue without feeling any pain.
Fire-walkers in Polynesia believe themselves to be under the spell of" a magical force called 'mana' .When they hold the hands of a spectator s/he also doesn't feel any pain.
Researchers think the secret lies in walking very fast and not to let the feet be in touch with fire for a long time to be burnt.
In the island of Bali, Indonesia, dancers meditate and make themselves go into a trance-like state. They can then pierce their bodies with daggers without drawing out any blood.
Some Buddhist monks have learnt the. art of meditation to such an extent that they can actually make their body temperature rise high enough to make vapours come out of wet towels placed on their bodies.
Fakirs who practise Yoga learn to control their breathing to such an extent that their heart beats at only two beats a minute whereas a normal human heart beats 70-80 times per minute. They can then keep their heads buried in the ground for as long as they want without breathing.
Answer these questions based on the texts above.
1 What do different people believe in when they perform incredible feats?
2 What unbelievable feats arc the people in the text above able to perform? Write one sentence for each of them.
Example: Polynesian fire-walkers arc able to make a spectator also walk on fire.
Are the following statements true or false?
1 Indonesian worshippers arc very good at keeping their heads buried under the ground.
2 Yoga is considered a good exercise for controlling breathing.
3 Researchers do not think magic is the secret of walking on fire.
4 Buddhist monks drive needles through their cheeks.
5 Both Indonesian and Polynesian fire - walkers believe in the powers of the supernatural.
6 These strange practices prove that the feeling of pain can be controlled and ignored.
7 All dancers of Bali can pierce their bodies with daggers.
8 Polynesian fire-walkers teach the spectators how to use magic.
C Test yourself: How much power do you think you have over your mind? (It is amazing how little people know about themselves). Find out about yourself by ticking an appropriate answer to the questions below.
Yes No Sometimes Never
1 Have you ever felt like screaming but managed to appear very calm?
2 Do you start crying when you see other people crying?
3 Do you raise your voice when you get angry?
4 When you feel hot do you think you must switch on the fan?
5 Can you manage not to think about food when you are hungry?
6 Do you think you must take medicine when you are feeling any pain?
7 Can you manage to stay awake for work even when you are very sleepy?
8 Can you manage to sit at the writing table studying for hours together?
9 Can you manage to appear calm even when you have a strong urge to burst out laughing?
If your answer is 'yes' to questions 1,5,7,8,9 and 'never' to questions 2,3,4,6, you have quite a strong willpower. Now work in pairs and compare your responses with your partner.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking,
reading,
writing. Functions.
Expressing ability. Grammar/Structure.
To + verb. Vocabulary.
possessed, trance, drive, vapours, incredible.