Wired for Fear

When we feel fear, what causes a boost in our blood pressure and heart rate?

• The body flooding with hormones

• The amygdala ordering a stand down

• The prefrontal cortex activating

• The nerves in our facial muscles freezing

The main purpose of the video is to —

• tell about the function of the hippocampus in the brain

• describe the purpose of adrenaline in the fight or flight reaction

• explain the role of the amygdala in the body’s fear response

• show how the frontal cortex interacts with the amygdala

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CCSS.RI.6.2

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CCSS.RL.6.2

The amygdala is also known as —

• the brain’s threat center

• the fight or flight response

• the prefrontal cortex

• the creator of adrenaline

In the video, the model of the brain best helps the viewer understand the —

• role the amygdala plays in the brain

• way the amygdala connects to the thalamus

• role the hippocampus plays in the brain

• way that the body recognizes a false alarm

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CCSS.SL.6.2

According to the video, cells called neurons do what job in the fear response?

• They tell the body when to produce adrenaline.

• They alert the amygdala that it needs to wake up.

• They tell the body when something dangerous is close.

• They pass information between the brain and body.

Which statement best describes the way the video portrays a person encountering a threat?

• A man laughs when he realizes that a long stick is a snake.

• A man quickly runs from a long snake in his path.

• A man thinks that he sees a snake in his path.

• A man throws a stick at a snake.

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CCSS.RL.6.3

If something that first appeared as a threat turns out to be a false alarm, what will the
body likely do?

• Run

• Freeze

• Relax

• Fight

The video shows how the threat alert helps the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and
amygdala to —

• create a memory of the experience

• control the fight or flight response

• tell the body when to relax

• alert the body to stay still

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CCSS.SL.6.2

Which two statements describe a part of the body’s fear response, according to the video?

• The hypothalamus floods the body with adrenaline.

• Sensory organs send information to the hypothalamus.

• The left side of the brain sends signals to the right side.

• The amygdala activates the freeze response.

• A false alarm tells the brain to run away.

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Part A
According to the video, how is fear a useful part of a person’s survival mechanism?

• It helps the body detect potential danger.

• It keeps the body from overreacting.

• It causes the body to freeze.

• It helps the body notice a false alarm.