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Women…

Men…

talkativeness

leadership

mental strength

driving

romance

humour

• yourself
• politics
• English
• food

• gossip
• the meaning of life
• the weekend
• the weather

a.

Women talk more because there diets are richer in protein.

T / F

b.

Women have more of something called Foxp2 in their brain than men.

T / F

c.

Foxp2 was first discovered ten years ago.

T / F

d.

Women use 13,000 more words a day than men.

T / F

e.

The report is the very first to report sex differences in human speech.

T / F

f.

Other scientists say Foxp2 is the only protein responsible for speech.

T / F

g.

The scientists said more research needs to be carried out on infants.

T / F

h.

Someone said women have to talk more because men don't listen.

T / F

1.

talkative

a.

assertions

2.

goes by the name of

b.

started

3.

prevalent

c.

linked

4.

deemed

d.

is called

5.

claims

e.

provided

6.

associated

f.

widespread

7.

established

g.

wisdom

8.

infancy

h.

chatty

9.

offered

i.

early days

10.

insights

j.

judged

1.

a protein

a.

good listeners

2.

goes by the name

b.

prevalent

3.

a lot more

c.

insights

4.

a key neurological

d.

in the brain

5.

compared to just 7,000 words

e.

previously thought

6.

established earlier than

f.

themselves to be heard

7.

more than one protein

g.

of Foxp2

8.

some interesting

h.

component of speech

9.

men are not

i.

responsible for speech

10.

women must repeat

j.

for the average man

Researchers in the USA have found that a protein in the brain might (1) ____________ why women are more talkative than men - three times more chatty, in (2) ____________. The research team at the University of Maryland say a "language protein" that (3) ____________ by the name of Foxp2 is a lot more prevalent in women's brains. The protein was first discovered a decade ago and was (4) ____________ to be a key neurological (5) ____________ of speech. The scientists say it is a lot more (6) ____________ in girls than boys. They believe the protein is the reason why girls start speaking earlier and more quickly than boys. It also (7) ____________ claims that women speak about 20,000 words a day, compared to just 7,000 words for the (8) ____________ man.

abundant
deemed
fact
supports
explain
component
average
goes

Research team leader professor Margaret McCarthy said: "This study is one of the first to (9) ____________ a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals." She added: "The findings (10) ____________ the possibility that sex differences in brain and behaviour are more [(11) ____________], and established earlier than                 (12) ____________ [thought]." Other scientists have said there is more than one protein responsible for speech and that the research is in its (13) ____________. Readers of Britain's Daily Mail newspaper offered some interesting (14) ____________ into the chattiness of women. One said women have to talk more because, "men are not good (15) ____________ and women must repeat themselves to be (16) ____________ ".

previously
listeners
raise
heard
report
infancy
widespread
insights

1)

women are more talkative than men - three times ______

a.  more chat, tea and fact
b.  more chatty, in facts
c.  more chatty, in fact
d.  most chatty, in fact

2)

a "language protein" that ______ of Foxp2

a.  goes by the name
b.  goes in the name
c.  goes of the name
d.  goes under the name

3)

deemed to be a key ______ of speech

a.  neurology opponent
b.  neurologically component
c.  neurological component
d.  neurological component

4)

They believe the protein is the reason why girls start speaking ______

a.  early and more quickly
b.  earlier and most quickly
c.  earlier and more quick
d.  earlier and more quickly

5)

compared to just 7,000 words ______

a.  for the averaged man
b.  for the average man
c.  for average men
d.  for this average man

6)

This study is one of the first to ______

a.  reporter sex difference
b.  report a sex differential
c.  report a sex difference
d.  report sex differences

7)

raise the possibility that sex differences in brain and behaviour ______

a.  are more widespread
b.  are more widely spread
c.  are more wildly spread
d.  are most widespread

8)

research is ______

a.  in its infancy
b.  in its infants
c.  at its infancy
d.  on its infants

9)

offered some interesting ______ of women

a.  insiders into the chattiness
b.  insights onto the chattiness
c.  insides into the chatty ness
d.  in sites in to the chattiness

10)

women must repeat themselves ______

a.  too to be heard
b.  to be hard
c.  to be heard
d.  two be hard

1.

What in the brain could explain the talkativeness of women?

2.

What's the name of the protein mentioned in the article?

3.

For how long have scientists known about this protein?

4.

What did the article say about the protein, and boys and girls?

5.

How many words a day do women use than men?

6.

Who is Margaret McCarthy?

7.

What did other scientists say about the current research?

8.

How old is the research into the talkativeness protein?

9.

Why did a newspaper reader say women have to talk more?

10.

Why did the reader say women have to say the same things again?

1.

What is it in the brain that might explain women's talkativeness?

6.

Who is Margaret McCarthy?

a) a carbohydrate
b) an area of "language cells"
c) a protein
d) an extra part of the brain

a) the world's most talkative woman
b) a scientific researcher
c) someone who took part in tests
d) a language expert

2.

What's the name of the thing that's more common in women's brains?

7.

How many speech proteins did a different scientist say there were?

a) Foxp2
b) Fox2p
c) 2Foxp
d) pFox2

a) countless numbers
b) just once
c) thousands
d) more than one

3.

For how long have researchers known about he "language protein"?

8.

How old is research into the talkativeness of the sexes?

a) 10 days
b) 10 weeks
c) 10 months
d) 10 years

a) decades old
b) very young
c) 27 years old
d) brand new

4.

What did scientists judge the protein to be an important part of?

9.

Why did a newspaper reader say women talk more?

a) guessing the meaning of unknown
    words
b) speech
c) listening
d) grammar

a) men are not good at listening
b) men love to listen
c) men like the sound of women's voices
d) it's a competition to outtalk men

5.

How many more words a day do women use than men?

10.

Why did the reader say women have to repeat themselves?

a) 20,000
b) 7,000
c) 13,000
d) 8,603

a) because they love talking
b) to double-check meaning
c) because they are women
d) so men finally hear what they say

Role  A – Woman

You love talking. Tell the others three reasons why. You think men aren't so good at talking. You think men's topics are boring. You believe women are naturally more interesting to talk to. Tell the man he should talk more and be more interesting.

Role  B – Man

You love talking. Tell the others three reasons why. You think women aren't so good at talking. You think women's topics are boring. You believe men are naturally more interesting to talk to. Tell the woman she should talk more and be more interesting.

Role  C – Speech scientist

You believe women speak a lot more than men but what they say isn't so interesting. Tell the others three reasons why. Ask the woman why she thinks she has more interesting things to say than men. Ask the man why women aren't interesting and men are.

Role  D – Alien

You have been on Earth for a year now. You think both men and women talk a lot of nonsense. Ask them why they gossip. Tell them their discussions are full of untrue facts. Tell the woman talking about shopping is a waste of time. Tell the man that talking about sport is meaningless.

language

protein

• might
• chatty
• goes
• decade
• reason
• average

• sex
• raise
• previously
• responsible
• insights
• repeat

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

Q.2.

Q.3.

Q.4.

Q.5.

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'talkative'?

c)

How talkative are you?

d)

What do you think of people who talk too much?

e)

Do you prefer to talk to men or women?

f)

What do women talk about and why?

g)

Do you think women talk three times more than men?

h)

What's your favourite topic of conversation (and why)?

i)

Should men try and talk more to keep up with women?

j)

What advice would you give to shy people who can't find things to say?

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

Would you like to be able to talk more?

c)

Tell me about someone you know who talks too much.

d)

What do men talk about and why?

e)

Why do you think women have a protein in their brain that makes them talk three times more than men?

f)

What do men and women talk about that is boring?

g)

Does everyone talk too much?

h)

Do you believe that "silence is golden"?

i)

Are men really such bad listeners?

j)

What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

1.

(a)

explain

(b)

explains

(c)

explaining

(d)

explanation

2.

(a)

factual

(b)

facts

(c)

fact

(d)

faction

3.

(a)

previously

(b)

prevailing

(c)

prevalent

(d)

previewed

4.

(a)

remittance

(b)

mercenary

(c)

recharge

(d)

component

5.

(a)

in

(b)

on

(c)

by

(d)

at

6.

(a)

finds

(b)

claims

(c)

arrears

(d)

requests

7.

(a)

repression

(b)

compression

(c)

omission

(d)

expression

8.

(a)

up

(b)

raise

(c)

level

(d)

rise

9.

(a)

perilously

(b)

imperviously

(c)

previously

(d)

partially

10.

(a)

junior

(b)

infancy

(c)

infants

(d)

senior

11.

(a)

panes

(b)

insides

(c)

outsiders

(d)

insights

12.

(a)

audible

(b)

heard

(c)

voluble

(d)

fluent

Paragraph 1

1.

language rtinpeo

2.

a lot more relaevtnp

3.

cleolraognui component

4.

The ssscnetiit

5.

a lot more bduanant

6.

the agravee man

Paragraph 2

7.

orerfossp Margaret McCarthy

8.

language-csatdisoea

9.

differences in brain and bevruhiao

10.

earlier than yrosluevip thought

11.

some interesting gtnhssii

12.

the ainscthset of women

(    )

earlier and more quickly than boys. It also supports claims that women speak

(    )

talkative than men - three times more chatty, in fact. The research team at the University of Maryland say a "language

(    )

sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals." She added:

(    )

about 20,000 words a day, compared to just 7,000 words for the average man.

(    )

discovered a decade ago and was deemed to be a key neurological component of speech. The scientists say it is a lot

(    )

protein responsible for speech and that the research is in its infancy. Readers of Britain's Daily

(    )

Research team leader professor Margaret McCarthy said: "This study is one of the first to report a

(    )

have to talk more because, "men are not good listeners and women must repeat themselves to be heard".

(    )

Mail newspaper offered some interesting insights into the chattiness of women. One said women

(    )

"The findings raise the possibility that sex differences in brain and behaviour are more [widespread], and

(    )

established earlier than previously [thought]." Other scientists have said there is more than one

(  1  )

Researchers in the USA have found that a protein in the brain might explain why women are more

(    )

protein" that goes by the name of Foxp2 is a lot more prevalent in women's brains. The protein was first

(    )

more abundant in girls than boys. They believe the protein is the reason why girls start speaking

1.

just    to    Compared    man    average    the    for    words    7,000.   

2.

than    women    men    are    more    Explain    talkative    why.   

3.

of    Foxp2    A    language    protein    that    goes    by    the    name.   

4.

lot    a    is    it    say    scientists    The    girls    in    abundant    more.   

5.

to    Compared    man    average    the    for    words    7,000    just.   

6.

first   a    is    the    report   difference   study   of   to   sex   This   one.   

7.

are    in    more    brain    widespread    and    behaviour    Differences.   

8.

speech    is    one    for    There    than    responsible    more    protein.   

9.

offered    The    some    Daily    interesting   Mail   insights   newspaper.   

10.

themselves    repeat    must    Women    heard    be    to.   

ResearchersintheUSAhavefoundthataproteininthebrainmightexplainwhy
womenaremoretalkativethanmen-threetimesmorechatty,infact.Theresearch
teamattheUniversityofMarylandsaya"languageprotein"thatgoesbythename
ofFoxp2isalotmoreprevalentinwomen'sbrains.Theproteinwasfirstdiscovered
adecadeagoandwasdeemedtobeakeyneurologicalcomponentofspeech.The
scientistssayitisalotmoreabundantingirlsthanboys.Theybelievetheproteinis
thereasonwhygirlsstartspeakingearlierandmorequicklythanboys.Italsosupport
sclaimsthatwomenspeakabout20,000wordsaday,comparedtojust7,000
wordsfortheaverageman.ResearchteamleaderprofessorMargaretMcCarthy
said:"Thisstudyisoneofthefirsttoreportasexdifferenceintheexpressionofa
language-associatedproteininhumansoranimals."Sheadded:"Thefindings
raisethepossibilitythatsexdifferencesinbrainandbehaviouraremore
[widespread],andestablishedearlierthanpreviously[thought]."Other
scientistshavesaidthereismorethanoneproteinresponsibleforspeechand
thattheresearchisinitsinfancy.ReadersofBritain'sDailyMailnewspaperoffered
someinterestinginsightsintothechattinessofwomen.Onesaidwomenhave
totalkmorebecause,"menarenotgoodlistenersandwomenmustrepeat
themselvestobeheard".

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

F

g

F

h

T

1.

talkative

a.

chatty

2.

goes by the name of

b.

is called

3.

prevalent

c.

widespread

4.

deemed

d.

judged

5.

claims

e.

assertions

6.

associated

f.

linked

7.

established

g.

started

8.

infancy

h.

early days

9.

offered

i.

provided

10.

insights

j.

wisdom

1.

A protein

2.

Foxp2

3.

A decade

4.

It's more abundant in girls than boys

5.

13,000

6.

The team leader of the research

7.

They said there was more than one protein responsible for speech

8.

They said it's in its infancy

9.

Because men are not good listeners

10.

To make sure they are heard

1.

c

2.

a

3.

d

4.

b

5.

c

6.

d

7.

b

8.

b

9.

a

10.

d