IELTS Listening Practice Contagious Yawning
IELTS Listening Practice Contagious Yawning
About this activity
- This activity is labeled round table by Dr. Hariri, the creator and administrator of LELB Society.
- This activity is on the premise of Flipped Learning, according to which the students watch a video before the class, carry out research into the selected theme, and prepare themselves for an informed discussion in the class.
- This activity is on the basis of both synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC), according to which the students are also encouraged to be active even before the class.
- In this flipped classroom activity, the students are encouraged to utilize the comment form at the bottom of the post to to exchange their questions, findings, and experiences with each other. Later on, we will discuss the asynchronous activities in the class. In a few words, “let’s learn from each other.”
About the Video Files
- The video files are meticulously selected among the most prominent academicians, lecturers, and scientists based on Google Scholar.
- We might refer to the exact elapsed time ⌛ of the video files to pinpoint specific statements, messages, etc.
Writing Activity
- You should adopt a formal register in your written contributions in the comment form.
- To give an answer to a question or comment, use the Reply button.
- In our written activities, we can practice negotiation of meaning (sharing our findings with regard to the selected themes) and negotiation of form (performing peer-reviewed error correction).
- Put a number before your questions in the comment form successively to refer to them more easily in the class.
- Your questions should be unique and not previously raised by your classmates in the comment form.
Expectations
- You should take equal turns in speaking. The maximum amount of time you can have is 60 seconds.
- This is a fully organized activity; consequently, all your contributions, including comments, replies, and verbal opinions, must be with direct reference to the assigned topic and its corresponding video. Any irrelevant contribution is strongly frowned upon.
- You will be stopped if your speech appears to be irrelevant or not supported by evidence.
- Students leaving comments below will be given priority over others in our informed conversations.
Instructions for the IELTS Listening Part
In this part of your exam, you will be given some instructions as the following:
- Do not open your question paper until you are told to do so.
- Write your name and your candidate number on the specified space on top of this page.
- Listen closely to the instructions for each part of the paper.
- Write your answers to the questions on the questions paper while you are listening.
- At the end of the test, you will have an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers to a separate answer sheet. Use a pencil to copy the answers.
Section 1
In this section, you will listen to a conversation between two speakers on an everyday and comment topic, such as organizing events, arranging a trip, talking about the weather, etc. You are supposed to listen closely to get specific factual information.
Section 2
This is a monologue on a general topic, such as public events. Again, you are supposed to listen closely to acquire specific factual information.
Section 3
In this section, you will listen to a discussion between 2 or 4 speakers on an academic topic, such as assignments, taking courses, attending seminars, etc. While focusing on specific factual information, you should also pay attention to the speakers’ attitudes and opinions.
Section 4
In this section, you will listen to a lecture (monologue) on an academic topic. You should focus on specific factual information as well as the main ideas. Also you should pay attention to the speaker’s attitudes and opinions.
You will have around 30 seconds before the test starts to see what kinds of information will be required (for instance, names, dates, times, money, etc.)
Yawning is contagious
Yawning is a fascinating phenomenon that has long intrigued scientists, particularly because of its contagious nature. When we see someone yawn, hear a yawn, or even read about yawning, we often feel the urge to yawn ourselves. This contagion is thought to be linked to mirror neurons in the brain, which play a role in empathy and social bonding. Some theories suggest that contagious yawning helps synchronize group behavior and alertness, enhancing social cohesion and communication. Interestingly, this phenomenon isn’t limited to humans; many animals, including dogs and chimpanzees, also exhibit contagious yawning.
Most of us have had this experience that while attending the class and listening to a lecture, beginning to yawn in the middle of the lecture. This contagious yawning is triggered in the class and soon you can see most of attending yawn, however, the lecturer does not. Do you think, yawning is contagious among who is relax and does not have serious activity?
Such an excellent question!
I believe yawning, compared to sneezing, is more controllable. In other words, it’s a more voluntary action. As you wisely compared the lecturer and the attendees in a conference room, it seems that the lecturer needs more sleep than the audience. However, being under the pressure of making a successful presentation, he/she can repress any yawn.
7. Could we stop empathy yawning if we control our mind consciously?
Corrections:
… stop our empathy yawns …
6. What are the benefits of this two physiological hypothesis for being contagious of yawning?
Corrections:
These two physiological hypotheses
5. How differently do the two hypotheses of “fixed action patterns” and “chameleon effect” cause contagious yawning?
4. Mention the two physiological hypotheses that explain why yawning could be contagious.
The first physiological hypothesis states that contagious yawning is triggered by a specific stimulus and initial yawn is called ‘fixed action pattern’. Like, your yawn makes me yawn.
Another physiological hypothesis is ‘non- conscious mimicry’ or the chameleon effect. this happens why we emulate unconsciously copy others’ behaviors.
Precisely. Thank you so much for your comprehensive answer.
3. What are mirror neurons responsible for?
Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that activate both when we perform an action and when we observe someone else performing the same action. They are believed to play a crucial role in understanding and imitating others’ behaviors, as well as in the development of empathy and social bonding. Mirror neurons enable us to “mirror” the actions and emotions of others, facilitating learning through imitation and fostering connections with those around us. Their discovery has provided significant insights into how we communicate, learn, and empathize with one another.
2. What does “FMRI” stand for?
“fMRI” stands for functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It’s a type of brain imaging technique that measures and maps the brain’s activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow. When a particular area of the brain is more active, it receives more blood, and fMRI can capture these changes, helping researchers and doctors understand brain function and identify areas related to various cognitive and motor activities.
1, Could you explain “Fixed Action Pattern” as a hypothetical cause of a yawn?
A Fixed Action Pattern (FAP) is a sequence of instinctive behaviors that once initiated, runs to completion without variation. When applied as a hypothetical cause of yawning, it suggests that yawning may be an automatic and involuntary response triggered by specific stimuli. These stimuli could include seeing someone else yawn, feeling tired, or needing to increase brain oxygen levels.