READING PRACTICE – WEEK 3 – MARCH 3, 2022

SKILLS PRACTICED: SCANNING & SKIMMING

TASK TYPES:
Matching
Multiple choice
Sentence completion
Main idea
Yes/No/NG
PERSONAL SPACE
Section I
Personal space is an imaginary bubble around us in which we feel safe and secure and where we
feel that our privacy isn’t being violated. Everyone has their own particular amount of space that
they feel comfortable with. People who are city-dwellers and are used to the hustle and bustle of
city life may need less space to feel comfortable than, let’s say, someone living in the countryside.
Regardless of this, most of us feel uncomfortable when we are out of our comfort zone and feel
anxious, irritated, or even claustrophobic when others encroach on our private space.
Section II
Imagine being in an elevator and someone is standing so close to you that you can feel them
breathing down your neck. You would possibly feel alarmed or at least uncomfortable. This
invasion of our personal space and the uneasiness it causes may be nature’s way of keeping us safe
from possible harm. Humans have what are known as amygdalae, which are small almond-shaped
groups of nuclei situated deep within the brain. The amygdalae process reactions to the
infringement of personal space, which are activated when people find that others are physically
too close to them instead of being at a distance.
Section III
However, very often it’s almost impossible to maintain one’s own personal space and keep others
at bay. What happens to this feeling of unease when we are for example at a soccer game or a rock
concert and in close proximity to others? In these situations we’re probably having so much fun
and enjoying the events so much, that we overlook these feelings in exchange for the pleasure we
derive from them.
Section IV
Other factors may also arise that alleviate our need for personal space, such as intimate situations.
Accepting hugs and kisses from family members or loved ones means welcoming these people to
step into our private space. We feel comfortable standing much closer to them than we do with
strangers. This is probably due to the fact that in these situations we trust them and feel less
vulnerable around them. We also realize that these people wouldn’t abuse our space.
Section V
Cultural factors are also involved in needing our own space. People who are raised in Britain or
America are often not particularly demonstrative in their affections to others and prefer to keep
them at a polite distance. People from Mediterranean countries, on the other hand, embrace one
another all the time and are renowned for hugging and kissing especially when they meet.
Mediterranean people may take offense when Brits or Americans seem distant and view them as
being standoffish and cold.
Section VI
So, apart from the scientific or cultural aspects of personal space, what can we do regarding
creating our own personal space where we feel comfortable and relaxed? Well, for a start we can

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attempt to find our own personal sanctuary within our home where we can relax. You don’t need
a whole room to do this – it could just be space in the shed, garage, or tree house if you’re lucky
enough to have one. Find somewhere that you can spend quality time maybe reading, or simply
listening to music to relax. Create your own personal space where you can escape from the
pressures of life, if only just for a while.

Questions 1-5: The reading passage has six sections I–VI. Choose the most suitable
heading for each section II–VI from the list below. Write the appropriate letter (a–i) for
each section.

Example Section I Heading: f

a. Too Close for Comfort

1. Section II Heading: ____ b. Strangers Beware
c. The Wrong Impression
2. Section III Heading: ____
d. Too Embarrassing for Words
3. Section IV Heading: ____ e. A Personal Retreat
f. An Invisible Boundary
4. Section V Heading: ____
g. Stepping Over the Line
5. Section VI Heading: ____ h. A Feeling of Gloom
i. Substituting Space for Pleasure

Questions 6-11: Choose the best answer, A, B, C, or D

6. Section I suggests that _________
A. most people live in an imaginary bubble.
B. people generally feel insecure and violated.
C. comfort zones are provided for the anxious.
D. the amount of personal space needed is unique to everyone.
7. According to Section II, the need for personal space stems from _________
A. a fear of closed spaces.
B. an involuntary biological response.
C. people being too close to us.
D. our fear of other people.
8. At social events most people _________
A. keep others at a distance.
B. overlook the fun and feel scared.
C. try to maintain their personal space.
D. have fun and forget about boundaries.
9. The people we do not accept into our personal space are _________
A. those we don’t know very well.
B. people that give hugs and kisses.
C. those that do not intrude on us.
D. people we feel intimate with.
10. Mediterranean people need less personal space because _________
A. they trust people easier.
B. they find no embarrassment in doing so.

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C. their culture is different.
D. they do not take offense when others are distant.
11. When people try to create their personal space they _________
A. find a room to spend time in.
B. build a tree house.
C. find a spot to call their own.
D. go to a shed to avoid others.

Questions 12-15: Complete the notes below. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from
the reading passage for each answer.

12. Many people feel apprehensive or impatient when they are out of their
____________________.
13. Maintaining your personal space isn't easy when you are ____________________ to others.
14. We usually feel ____________________ our own family than we do with strangers.
15. Finding our own ____________________ gives us the opportunity to relax at times.

HEROES
Section I
Is it fair to say that to be a hero in real life is an altogether different prospect from the heroism we
read about in books or view in films? After all, behaving bravely when there is no guarantee of a
positive outcome, when you can actually hear your heart thumping in your chest and feel your
stomach clenching, takes real character. Most acts of heroism go unseen by a public used to the
spectacular, and many everyday heroes die unsung.

Section II
Yet there is a large body of opinion that says that a real hero must be epic just like a storybook
one. Alexander the Great was obsessed with being remembered as a hero; he slept with the Iliad
under his pillow and dreamed of becoming more renowned than Achilles or Agamemnon. This is
a common mentality, one that confuses fame with bravery and claims that the heroic act must be
a grand one that can be painted large on the canvas of history.

Section III
This way of thinking also seems to call into doubt the fact that the heroes in literature are fictional.
This may seem strange considering the fact that the character of the hero is inherently the same
throughout literature. Heroes with flaws, that will at some point lead them astray despite their great
strength, must undergo a test of fire in order to reach a deeper understanding of themselves and
the world. The same applies to everyone from Gilgamesh to Luke Skywalker.

Section IV
Even when the character is based on a real person, by the time they reach us through the medium
of story, they are changed beyond recognition. There doubtless was a man once by the name of
Odysseus, who got lost on the way back from a war and did not return home for a long time. The
war, however, did not involve the numbers we read about in the Iliad. He may not have been gone

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quite as long as was claimed in Homer’s version of the Odyssey, and the strange people he and his
sailors met probably took a long time to achieve the status of monsters.

Section V
Alexander the Great felt constrained by his father’s greatness, and worried that there would be
nothing left to conquer when his turn came. When it did, he created in a few short years one of the
greatest empires ever seen, was proclaimed as divine by the Egyptians, and died at the age of
thirty-two still consumed by the same thirst for recognition. It remained unquenched, unsatisfied,
despite the fact that he had accomplished almost every one of the goals he had aspired to and
pursued, and despite his becoming a household name throughout the known world.

Section VI
What is ultimately the problem with all this is the fact that we are not inclined to judge simple
ordinary acts of heroism as anything worthy of note. Before every act, the thought flashes through
our mind: is anybody watching? We no longer think someone who bravely does the right thing
under difficult circumstances is a hero; it must be caught on camera, reported on the news, become
a thread on Twitter, in some way contribute to the growth of immortality. Who would be a hero
under such pressure? Even Batman or Superman would think twice about donning their disguise
if they really were around today.

Questions 1-5: The reading passage has six sections I–VI. Choose the most suitable heading
for each section II–VI from the list below. Write the appropriate letter (a–h) for each
section.

EXAMPLE: SECTION 1 - HEADING: C

a. Everybody is a Hero
b. The Primary Reason for Heroism
c. How Does a Real Hero Feel?
d. Changed in the Telling
e. No More Heroes
f. An Unfulfilled Dream
g. It’s Got to be Big
h. The Classic Hero

1. Section II Heading: ____

2. Section III Heading: ____
3. Section IV Heading: ____
4. Section V Heading: ____
5. Section VI Heading: ____
Questions 6-11
6. What is a real act of heroism, as described in Section I?
A. one which is publicly recognized
B. one that is done without thought of reward
C. one that changes history

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 D. one that is made into a film
7. Alexander the Great’s idea of a hero was
A. a man who knows his history.
B. a man who acts according to his beliefs.
C. a man who becomes a legend.
D. a man who forgets where he came from.
8. What is implied about the character of the hero in Section III?
A. It is limited.
B. It has numberless variations.
C. It is boring.
D. It is one of the oldest characters in literature.
9. What is said about the stories of heroes we know today?
A. They are a pale reflection of the events they were based on.
B. They faithfully narrate true historical moments.
C. They are the products of embellishment and exaggeration.
D. They are the creations of the participants themselves.
10. What is the example of Alexander the Great meant to show?
A. the impossibility of matching storybook heroes
B. the fate of those who want everything
C. what makes us desire fame and glory
D. how easy it is to be disappointed with life
11. What is said in the final section about how people feel nowadays about heroism?
A. It should be left to the professionals.
B. More and more people are inspired by their favorite stories.
C. It is far too difficult to even attempt.
D. It belongs in the past with the myths and legends.

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