Ответьте на вопрос по теме урока, выразив собственное мнение (не менее 10 предложений).

• What sort of career in psychology would you prefer? Why?

Текст 4. Character Comes by Learning (Характер формируется в процессе обучения)
“The worst of all deceptions is self-deception.” (Plato)

Who am I? I have a name, and that’s how people know me. But how am I known? Am I funny, serious, friendly, or angry? Do I have lots of friends…or none at all?

Our personality traits [(character) trait — черта (характера)] make up our character. And our character was shaped by those influences that had close contact with our life. For some that may be mother and father, for others, they may not even know their parents. School, friends, music, and media also have great influence on how we choose to live our life.

A good character comes from good influences, and bad ones are just the opposite. While none of us could ever choose where and what living circumstances we were born into, we must all, at some point, take responsibility for who we are. Putting the past aside, forgetting about blame, now we must choose what course and influences will direct our life.

A very wise man once said: “Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character” (Paul the Apostle). Who do you keep company with? Who do you spend lots of time with? Is it your friends…music…TV? Stop now for a moment and ask yourself this question: what messages are you getting from these sources about life?

Think carefully about what kind of person you want to be in 5 years…in 10 years? What do you need to do now to start being that kind of person? Think about these things!

Family Life: Plan For Your Future

The influences we receive while young dramatically shape our character. They affect the very core of our being. While none of us can choose to be born into a great, loving and secure family, we all must learn to live and adapt to life as it is given to us. Much of your future will be decided by the choices you make in life. Career, marriage and family are all important decisions that you will face one day. Practice making good decisions early in life. Consequences follow our choices. Poor choices lead to bad consequences, some of which may affect your entire life. One day you may choose to have a family of your own. Who will raise your children and give them their sense of values? Will you be able to give your children a stable home where they can live in love and security with a mother and father?

Consider these facts in how you choose to live your life: Living together before marriage is becoming increasingly common in America. But research has shown that the chances for divorce are almost twice as high for couples living together before marriage, as those who don’t.

Children of divorced parents are statistically more likely to show behavior problems, emotional difficulties, and lower academic performance.

What kind of home do you want to provide for your future family? Will it be better or worse than your own? Do you want a lasting marriage and children who can grow up in a stable home? What kinds of influences help move you toward this goal? This is important…read on.

 

Wisdom From The Past

Below are quotes from various people. Think about some of the things they are saying.

“The great use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast [outlast – 1) продолжаться дольше, чем (что-л.) 2) пережить (что-л.)] it.” (William James)

“He that never changes his opinions, never corrects his mistakes, will never be wiser than he is today.“ (Tyron Edwards)

“The only man who never makes a mistake is the one who never does anything.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

Текст 5. Color Psychology (Психология цвета)

By David Johnson

Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms?

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today in the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.

Black Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof [надменный] or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

White Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Red The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Blue The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstress es [швея] often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

Yellow Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pad s [блокнот размером 8,5 на 14 дюймов с отрывными страницами из жёлтой линованной бумаги, без обложки, популярен в США.]. It also speeds metabolism.

Purple The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Brown Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful [тоскующий]. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.

Food for Thought

While blue is one of the most popular colors it is one of the least appetizing. Blue food is rare in nature. Food researchers say that when humans searched for food, they learned to avoid toxic or spoiled objects, which were often blue, black, or purple. When food dyed blue is served to study subjects, they lose appetite.

Green, brown, and red are the most popular food colors. Red is often used in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.

Текст 4. Dealing with Culture Shock (Как справиться с культурным шоком)

    You have stepped off the plane into a new cultural world. Initially you may experience a sense of overwhelming fascination and awe. Everything around you is new: a different language, different dress, or a confusing transit system. Slowly you begin to adapt. You begin to notice certain cultural nuances. This process takes time.

Culture is "an integrated system of learned behavior patterns (образцы поведения) that are characteristic of the members of any given society. Culture refers to the total way of life of particular groups of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and makes - its systems of attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation."

You may have heard these words - Culture Shock (культурный шок (психологическая травма в результате столкновения с культурой, резко отличной от собственной)) - already and possibly within a negative context. Conflict in our lives, however, does not have to be negative. It can be used as a source of motivation, introspection, and change.

Culture shock is defined as a psychological disorientation that most people experience when living in a culture markedly different from one’s own. Culture shock occurs when our "...cultural clues, the signs and symbols which guide social interaction, are stripped away....A difficult part of this process for adults is the experience of feeling like children again, of not knowing instinctively the ‘right’ thing to do."

Symptoms of culture shock include: homesickness (тоска по дому, ностальгия), boredom, withdrawal, excessive sleep, compulsive eating/drinking, irritability, stereotyping host nationals, hostility towards host nationals.

Everyone experiences culture shock in different ways, at different times and to different degrees. Usually the cultural adjustment process follows a certain pattern. At first, you will be excited about going to starting a new adventure. When you first arrive, everything will appear new and exciting. However, after some time, you may start to feel homesick and question why the Swiss (or Italians or French) do things differently than we do. You may even become irritated with these differences. However, you will eventually get used to this new way of life. And before you know it, you will be getting excited about the return home to your family and friends.

People from different cultures have different values (ценности). You may find your own values questioned, just as you are questioning those of the Swiss (or Italians, Germans, French, Hungarians, etc.). For example, a visitor from India to the US observed: "Americans seem to be in a perpetual hurry. Just watch the way they walk down the street. They never allow themselves the leisure to enjoy life; there are too many things to do."

Sometimes our values and beliefs will conflict and sometimes they will converge with the cultures we visit. The better you are able to adjust to the differences, the greater the ability you will have in empathizing and communicating with those with whom you come in contact. The result will be a better understanding of your own values and the values of the people you will encounter (встречать).