All in the mind
Reading and Use of English | 1BSU Exam information
1 You are going to read an article which considers the In Reading and Use of English Part 2 there is a text with
extent to which we inherit our personalities as well eight gaps. You have to write one word in each gap. Most
as our physical characteristics from our parents. missing words are ‘grammar words’, e.g.
What is your opinion on this issue? Are we born with t articles (the, a)
a ready-made personality, or does our personality t auxiliary or modal verbs (are, is, can)
develop from our experiences? Think about yourself t pronouns (he, us)
and people you know. t conjunctions (but, although)
Read Nature vs nurture quickly, without paying t possessive adjectives (my, our)
attention to the missing words. What conclusion does t prepositions (at, to)
the article come to? A few may be ‘meaning’ words, e.g. nouns, verbs,
adjectives. You must spell your answers correctly.
2 Work in pairs to complete the text. Use the list below
to help you think of the type of word you need for
each gap. 3 Now do the task below with no assistance. For
questions 1–8, read the text and think of the word
preposition article verb adjective pronoun which best fits each gap. Use only one word for each
auxiliary verb auxiliary verb pronoun gap. There is an example at the beginning.
Nature vs nurture
Where do my talents come from?
Some people claim that the ability (0) to sing, dance
or draw is acquired, rather than inherited. But you know
what they also say: some people have it and some people
You know where your looks come from – for example, you may
don’t. How do people actually acquire (1)
have your mother’s nose or your father’s eyes. But what about
individual talents? You could argue that you become good
things that we cannot see, like your talent (0) for
(2) something by determination and constant
music? Is this something that you learned, or are your abilities practice, but there are small children with (3)
and personality traits determined (1) your genes? or no training who sing or dance beautifully or are clearly
What makes (2) individual behave in a certain way genius-level artists. Most children of musicians and actors
and display certain talents? seem to be talented (4) their parents. Then
again, I personally can sing, dance and draw but my
Scientists are not clear what the answer to this
parents have none of those abilities. I was singing and
question (3) . Those who support the ‘nature’
drawing (5) I was little but had never been in
theory believe that humans are genetically programmed to a choir or to an art class in my life. It just came naturally to
behave in certain ways, regardless of culture and upbringing. (6) . I suppose you could say that being born
On the (4) hand we have the ‘nurture’ (7) stronger lungs or longer legs and arms
theory, (5) argues that a person’s behaviour might give you (8) advantage.
and personality (6) developed by teaching
and experience. There is evidence to support both of these 4 Discuss these questions.
theories and the debate (7) still to be resolved.
What physical characteristics have you inherited from
(8) seems most probable that both theories have
your parents?
their validity and that nature and nurture each play a part in Where do your likes, dislikes, tastes and interests come
making us who we are. from – your genes or your experience?
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