Instrument of touch

Materials: two straight pins, a pencil, masking tape.

Make a simple instrument of touch. Place two straight pins about one inch apart on a short piece of masking tape. Cover with a second piece of tape, sticky side down.

Place a pencil along the tape. Cover with a second piece of masking tape. When you have the finished instrument, get a partner to help you test it. Your partner’s eyes should be closed and both hands should be behind his or her back. Touch your partner’s hand and ask if he or she feels one pin or two. Continue testing by gradually moving up the arm. Where is the skin most sensitive?

Lesson 5

THE HUMAN BRAIN (1)

Parts of the Brain

Most of us learn basic facts about the human brain in our middle or high school biology classes. We study the subcortex, the “old brain”, which is found in the brains of most animals and is responsible for basic functions such as breathing, eating, drinking and sleeping. We learn about neocortex, the “new brain”, which is unique to brains and where complex brain activity takes place. We find that the cerebrum, which is responsible for all active thought, is divided into two parts, or hemispheres. The left hemisphere, generally, manages the right side of the body; it is responsible for logical thinking. The right hemisphere manages the left side of the body; this hemisphere controls emotional, creative, and artistic functions. And we learn that the corpus callosum is the “bridge” that connects the two hemispheres.

Psychologists agree that most of us have creative ability that is greater than that we use in daily life. In other words, we can be more creative than we realize! The problem is that we use mainly one hemisphere of our brain – the left. From childhood, in school, we’re taught reading, writing, and mathematics; we are exposed very little music or art. Therefore, many of us might not “exercise” our right hemisphere much except through dreams, symbols, and those wonderful insights in which suddenly find the answer to a problem that has been bothering us – and do so without need for logic. Can we be taught to use our hemisphere more? Many experts believe so. Classes at some schools and books claim to help people to “silence” the left hemisphere and give the right one a chance to work.

Vocabulary and comprehension check

1. Give English equivalents of the following words:

мозок (2), підкірка, кора головного мозку, півкуля, мозолисте тіло, відповідати (за), управляти (контролювати), здатність, спеціаліст.

2. Give Russian/ Ukrainian equivalents of the following words:

high school, basic functions, unique, complex brain activity, take place, side of the body, emotional, creative, artistic, daily life, realize, be exposed, exercise, claim.

3. Match the parts of the brain with their definitions:

subcortex	the part of the brain which is responsible for our emotions and controls creative, and artistic functions;
neocortex	the outer layer of your brain;
cerebrum	the part of the brain which is responsible for logical thinking;
right hemisphere	“bridge” of nerves that allows the left and the right sides of the brain to communicate;
left hemisphere	the part of the brain where the complex brain activity takes place
corpus callosum	the organ inside your brain that allows you to think and feel, and controls your body;