Your Brain on Movies

Read this quotation from paragraph 4. This is why we love the movies: it’s like going on a roller coaster for the brain. Why does the author use this comparison?

• To illustrate the level of excitement a movie can provide

• To explain the filmmaking techniques used by movie directors

• To show how movies help people cope with real-world worries

• To describe the mental processes involved with making a movie

Which word from paragraph 3 means “powerful” or “effective”?

• potent

• racing

• attentional

• literally

What is the primary purpose of the boxed information at the end of the article?

• To persuade readers to watch movies in an actual theater rather than at home

• To explain why movies watched at home are less enjoyable

• To give advice for ways to enhance the home movie-watching experience

• To demonstrate why the convenience of watching movies at home is appealing

In paragraph 1 of the article, what type of evidence does the author present?

• Factual data

• Personal experience

• Persuasive argument

• Anecdotal details

Which statement best expresses the main idea of paragraph 5?

• Movies can cause people to become emotional.

• The way people relate to a movie depends on how realistic it is.

• Movies can make people ignore the difference between reality and fiction.

• People lose awareness of their surroundings in a movie theater.

According to paragraph 6, what does the limbic system control?

• Emotions

• Selective attention

• Comprehension

• Spatial awareness

Why does the author include paragraph 7?

• To contrast the enjoyment received from older and newer movies

• To express concern regarding the ways people often watch movies today

• To suggest that newer movies lack emotional appeal for viewers

• To explain why theater attendance has declined in recent years

Which of these best describes the author’s purpose for writing this article?

• To inform people about what makes a movie-watching experience enjoyable

• To analyze the techniques moviemakers use to create popular movies

• To compare the experiences of watching a movie at home and in a theater

• To persuade people to avoid watching movies on smart phones

The smell of coffee beans was _, considering customers could smell them before opening the door to the coffee shop.

As the lights dim and the movie begins, we _ control our attention to the filmmakers.