The Reading / Listening - Brain Size - Level 0

Antisocial people could have smaller areas of the brain. Criminals' brains are different from the brains of non-criminals. Researchers looked at 672 people aged seven to 26. At the age of 45, the researchers scanned their brains. Eighty of them were antisocial from their early teens. Areas of their brain were smaller.

The research could help doctors understand antisocial behaviour. People may behave badly because of their brain size. A researcher said it was a kind of disability and we needed to be kinder to these people. Another researcher said doctors could help to stop antisocial behaviour. She said these people needed more support.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Brain Size - Level 1,  Brain Size - Level 2   or  Brain Size - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/feb/17/long-term-offenders-have-different-brain-structure-study-says
  • https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-life-course-persistent-antisocial-behaviour-differences-brain.html
  • https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30002-X/fulltext
  • www.injurymap.com/free-human-anatomy-illustrations


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. have smaller areas
  2. different from the brains of
  3. people aged seven
  4. At the age
  5. researchers scanned their
  6. Eighty of them were
  7. from their early
  8. Areas of their brain
  1. of 45
  2. teens
  3. non-criminals
  4. antisocial
  5. were smaller
  6. to 26
  7. brains
  8. of the brain

Paragraph 2

  1. The research could help doctors
  2. People may behave
  3. because of their brain
  4. it was a kind
  5. we needed to be kinder
  6. Another researcher said
  7. help to stop antisocial
  8. these people needed more
  1. doctors could
  2. understand
  3. support
  4. badly
  5. size
  6. behaviour
  7. to these people
  8. of disability

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Antisocial people (1) ___________________ areas of the brain. Criminals' (2) ___________________ from the brains of non-criminals. Researchers (3) ___________________ people aged (4) ___________________. At the age of 45, the researchers scanned their brains. (5) ___________________ were antisocial from their early teens. Areas of (6) ___________________ smaller.

The research (7) ___________________ understand antisocial behaviour. People (8) ___________________ because of their brain size. A researcher said it was (9) ___________________ disability and we needed (10) ___________________ to these people. Another researcher said doctors could (11) ___________________ antisocial behaviour. She said these people (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Antisocialpeoplecouldhavesmallerareasofthebrain.Criminals'brains
aredifferentfromthebrainsofnon-criminals.Researcherslookedat67
2peopleagedsevento26.Attheageof45,theresearchersscannedtheir
brains.Eightyofthemwereantisocialfromtheirearlyteens.Areasofthei
rbrainweresmaller.Theresearchcouldhelpdoctorsunderstandantisoc
ialbehaviour.Peoplemaybehavebadlybecauseoftheirbrainsize.Arese
archersaiditwasakindofdisabilityandweneededtobekindertothesepe
ople.Anotherresearchersaiddoctorscouldhelptostopantisocialbehav
iour.Shesaidthesepeopleneededmoresupport.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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