WorksheetsEmbarrassed? Blame Your Brain & The Ravine eng 6 B (0054/01)
Total questions: 90
Worksheet time: 1hrs 8mins
According to the text, what major changes occur in the brain during middle school?
Brain activity decreases, making kids more relaxed.
The brain's reward system powers up, and threat-detection systems focus on social approval.
The logical thinking part of the brain becomes fully developed.
Hormones shut down the shame and self-consciousness systems.
What is the connection between physical pain and social rejection?
They are processed by completely different parts of the brain.
The brain's "Ow!" system reacts to both in the same way.
Social pain is much more intense than physical pain.
Physical pain only affects the body, not the brain.
What is the purpose of the computer game called Cyberball?
To explore the connection between physical and social pain.
To teach people how to play catch.
To measure physical coordination.
To test how people react to winning.
In the Cyberball experiment, what do the "other players" do to the research participant?
They work together to help the participant win.
They throw the ball to each other, leaving the participant out.
They constantly praise the participant's performance.
They only throw the ball to the participant.
What part of the brain is responsible for the "Ow!" system that reacts to pain?
Lateral Prefrontal Cortex
Limbic System
Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula
Ventral tegmental area (VTA)
Why do teenagers feel more rejected and sad in real life if they have a stronger "Ow!" brain response in the lab?
They don't, the two are unrelated.
A stronger "Ow!" response makes them less sensitive to social pain.
A stronger "Ow!" response translates to feeling more rejected and self-conscious.
The "Ow!" response only affects physical pain, not social pain.
How is a teenager's brain different from an adult's when it comes to social rejection?
Teens have a more developed pain-response system.
Teens have a fully balanced brain system.
Adult brains don't react to social pain at all.
Adults have systems that can quickly soothe anxiety and generate positive thoughts.
What metaphor is used to describe the imbalance in a teenager's brain systems?
A running race
A tug-of-war
A swinging pendulum
A chess match
Which part of the brain do adults activate to help defend against hurt feelings?
The limbic system
The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC)
The lateral prefrontal cortex
The ventral tegmental area (VTA)
According to the text, how does the fear of rejection help people?
It makes them behave well enough to be part of a community.
It allows them to get more food and protection.
It makes them more aggressive.
It causes them to seek out conflict.
What is the first step in "hacking your brain" to calm down from a social slipup?
Arguing with a friend.
Practicing deep, slow breathing.
Thinking about a happy memory.
Getting a good night's sleep.
How does slow, deep breathing help to "deactivate the alarm"?
It causes the brain to release more stress hormones.
It signals to the brain that the emergency has passed, slowing the heart.
It tricks the brain into thinking the problem is a physical threat.
It makes the person think about something else entirely.
What is the second step in the "hacking your brain" process?
Go for a run to clear your head.
Find someone to talk to about the problem.
Disagree with your own negative thoughts.
Take a break from social interaction.
How does "disagreeing with yourself" help over time?
It makes you more confident in social situations.
It helps you remember what you said.
It rewires the brain by forging new connections.
It teaches you to ignore your feelings completely.
What region of the brain is associated with "fight-or-flight" reactions to stress or fear?
Limbic System
dACC
Lateral Prefrontal Cortex
Anterior insula
What is the primary reason given for why a teenager might get a wave of embarrassment from a small problem like tripping in the hallway?
Their brain systems that trigger embarrassment fire up before the ones that tame bad feelings.
Their brains have too much positive thought activity.
They don't have friends to support them.
They are more physically clumsy than adults.
What is the VTA (ventral tegmental area) involved in?
Soothing anxiety
The "Owl!" system
The brain's reward circuit
Slowing the heart rate
The text suggests that shame can be helpful by doing what?
Making people want to lie and cheat.
Punishing us for lying or cheating, even if we don't get caught.
Making us more likely to hurt other people's feelings.
Helping us forget about social problems.
What does a teen's brain release more of during a challenge like giving a speech, compared to kids or adults?
Endorphins
Stress hormones
Dopamine
Serotonin
How does the text suggest a strong pain-response system in teens can make them a "better person"?
It makes them less sensitive to others' feelings.
It makes them more competitive.
Brain scans show they give more support to other kids.
It makes them more self-centered.
The text states that the adult brain unleashes a "powerful defender" to balance out negative feelings. What does this defender do?
It shuts down all emotions.
It makes the person more aggressive.
It forces the person to cry it out.
It fires up systems to soothe anxiety and generate positive thoughts.
What does the text suggest about the phrase "hurt feelings"?
It's just a metaphor with no scientific basis.
It's accurate because the brain reacts to physical and social pain in the same way.
It's an outdated term from ancient times.
It's only used by teenagers.
According to the text, why did humans in pre-modern society need to belong to a group?
To find enough food and protect themselves.
To have more opportunities for entertainment.
To learn new languages.
To practice their social skills.
How does the text suggest to "hack your brain" by tricking it into deactivating the alarm?
By yelling at it.
By running away from the problem.
By using slow, deep breathing.
By thinking about embarrassing moments.
What is the final piece of advice given in the text about social pain?
To ignore it completely.
To remind yourself that the pain makes you a better person.
To seek revenge on those who hurt you.
To try and turn it off whenever it happens.
What is the location where the story takes place?
A desert oasis
A snowy mountain range
A Hawaiian ravine with a waterfall
A city swimming pool
How many teenagers dropped down into the ravine?
Two
Three
Four
Five
What were the names of the four teenagers?
Vinny, Joe-Boy, Mo, and Starlene
Vinny, Butchie, Joe-Boy, and Mo
Joe-Boy, Starlene, Butchie, and Vinny
Mo, Starlene, Joe-Boy, and Vinny's dad
How old was Vinny and his friends?
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Thirteen
How long had it been since the other boy had drowned (or disappeared)?
Two days
Two weeks
Two weeks and a day
One month
What did Vinny drop in the mud while hiking down the trail?
His shoes
His lunch
His towel
His cap
Who laughed at Vinny after he dropped his item in the mud?
Starlene
Mo
The dead boy
Joe-Boy
What insult did Vinny think to himself about Joe-Boy sometimes being?
A big fat babooze
A big mean jerk
A little scaredy-cat
A noisy pest
What was the dead boy's name?
Vinny
Joe-Boy
Hossain
Butchie
How old was the boy who had died?
Fifteen
Sixteen
Fourteen
Thirteen
Who did Starlene say took the boy?
The search and rescue divers
The current in the stream
The goddess who lives in the stone
A mean person in the jungle
Why did the legend say the goddess took people?
She was angry at the town.
She got lonely every now and then.
She needed help with chores.
They swam too well.
Why did Vinny decide he had better believe in the legend?
The body had to be stuck down there.
To avoid the goddess getting mad and taking him, too.
To impress Starlene.
He always believed in legends.
What covered the hand and footholds that made climbing difficult?
Mud
Dirt
Moss
Ice
What was the height of the bottom ledge they jumped from?
Fifty feet
One hundred feet
Three or four feet
Fifteen feet
Which ledge was "the problem" and where the other boy had jumped from?
The fifteen-foot ledge
The one above the fifteen-foot ledge (around fifty feet up)
The hundred-foot drop waterfall
The trail that climbed up and away
What did Vinny see Starlene and Joe-Boy do in the middle of the pond that made him turn away?
They started arguing loudly.
They began splashing water at each other.
They shared a long kiss.
They found the dead boy's body.
What was Vinny’s mother’s instruction regarding the pond?
To be careful around the water.
To only swim when an adult was present.
That it was off-limits, permanently.
To only go with Joe-Boy and Starlene.
What was Vinny's father's philosophy about the pond situation?
That the pond was haunted and dangerous.
That if you fall off a horse, you get back on.
That Vinny should always listen to his mother.
That he should not go to the pond at all.
What did Vinny promise his mother he would do?
Stay away from the pond
Be back by sundown
Stay only on the fifteen-foot ledge
Bring home some fish
What did Joe-Boy and Starlene say to pressure Vinny into going?
“We will tell everyone you are scared.”
“You fall off a horse, you get back on, right?”
"You let your mommy run your life, or what?"
"We need you to help us swim."
What was the taste of the cold mountain water that made Vinny spit it out?
Sweet
Tangy
Bitter
Salty
Why did the group have to yell if they wanted to say something by the pond?
A loud animal was making noise.
There was an echo in the ravine.
The roar of the waterfall was too loud.
They were too far from each other.
How did Vinny feel about his own weakness in saying no to his friends?
He was proud of himself for making his own choice.
He felt empowered by their challenge.
He mashed his lips and felt he was so weak.
He decided he would say no next time.
By the end of the text provided, what was Vinny's plan for getting away with his visit to the pond?
To tell his mother the truth as soon as he got home.
To convince his dad to cover for him.
To hope his mother never heard about it.
To simply deny ever going there.
Where did Starlene go after she disappeared from Vinny's view?
Back to the fifteen-foot ledge
Up the zigzag trail to the fifty-foot ledge
Back toward the road
Into the water to swim with Mo
What was Vinny's immediate reaction to seeing Starlene on the high trail?
Excitement and admiration
Disbelief and worry
Anger that she was disobeying her parents
A desire to follow her immediately
What word did Mo yell just before he jumped from the lower ledge?
"Geronimo!"
"Kowabunga!"
"Banzaaiiii!"
"Look at me!"
What did Vinny note would happen if someone slipped near the top of the fifty-foot trail?
The plants would easily stop them.
They would fall to the rocks below with nothing to stop them but their screams.
Joe-Boy would catch them.
They would slide into the pond safely.
How did Starlene show respect or acknowledge the dead boy before she jumped?
She shouted his name.
She said a prayer out loud.
She made a brown cross on her forehead with mud.
She threw a flower into the water.
What "old island trick" did Starlene use before jumping?
Crossing her arms over her chest
Using a leaf to cover her nose to keep water out
Making a cross on her forehead with mud
Flapping her arms to keep balance
How did Starlene position herself during the fall to land safely?
Headfirst
On her back
On her stomach
Feet first
What did Starlene do after emerging from the water after her fifty-foot jump?
She cried with relief.
She was laughing.
She apologized to Vinny.
She seemed scared and quiet.
How did Vinny feel about Starlene's reaction after the jump?
He thought it was brave and amazing.
He thought it was dangerous, disrespectful, and "asking for it."
He wished he was as good a diver as her.
He was just glad she was alive
How did Joe-Boy say he would jump when he called out to Vinny?
"Like a cannonball"
"Watch how a man does it!"
"Like a pro diver!"
"With no fear at all!"
What did Joe-Boy draw on his chest with mud before jumping?
A smiley face
A cross
A stroke of lightning
His name
How did Joe-Boy describe the water temperature to encourage Vinny to jump?
"It's freezing!"
"It's terrible, stay out!"
"It's so good! It's hot!"
"It's too cold!"
How did Joe-Boy execute his jump?
Feetfirst, straight down
Folded into a ball (cannonball)
Splayed out in a suicide fall, then folded at the last second
Headfirst into the deepest part
What did Vinny say to Joe-Boy to excuse himself from jumping immediately?
I can't swim that far.
Naah, the water's too cold!
I have to go home now.
My mom will kill me!
How did Mo jump?
The same way Joe-Boy had, man-style
Carefully, feetfirst
He didn't jump, he just watched
With a leaf in his mouth
How did Starlene swim to Vinny when she came over to him?
With the butterfly stroke
Slowly, on her back
Torpedoed over, swimming underwater
Kicking and splashing to get his attention
What question did Starlene ask Vinny that Joe-Boy had told her?
"Is it true you can't swim?"
"Is it true you have to go home early?"
"Joe-Boy says you're afraid to jump. He's wrong, right?"
"Is it true you don't like the pond?"
What did Starlene believe happened to the boy who had died?
He drowned accidentally.
He was taken by the stone goddess and was her prince.
The divers hid his body.
He ran away from home.
What did Vinny rip from a ginger patch and smell before climbing the trail?
A flower
A root
A hank of white ginger
A muddy leaf
When Vinny was climbing the zigzag trail, what did he feel he had to do before he could go home?
Say goodbye to Starlene.
Find the dead boy's body.
Jump from the fifty-foot ledge.
Convince Nooria to go home with him.
When Vinny stepped out onto the ledge, what made him feel dizzy?
The strong wind
The smell of the jungle
Looking down at the three heads in the water below
The sun shining on him
How wide was the trail leading to the ledge?
As wide as his hand
Wider than his foot
The width of his foot
No wider than the length of his foot
What was the condition of the trail as he walked on it?
Dry and solid
Covered in smooth stones
Wet and muddy from rivulets of water
Covered in slippery moss
What urge did Vinny struggle to push back while on the trail?
An urge to shout at his friends
An urge to fly, just jump off and fly
An urge to run back down the trail
An urge to sit down and cry
What was Vinny’s theory about the dead boy’s last moments?
He was just a regular kid who came to have fun.
He was a great diver and not scared at all.
He was trying to impress his friends.
He was an experienced jumper who made a mistake.
Where were Vinny’s friends when he reached the ledge?
Swimming far below in the pond
Climbing up the cliff to join him
Waiting for him on the trail
Leaving the ravine
What did Vinny feel for a moment while standing on the ledge?
A feeling of extreme fear
His mind went blank, as if he were in a trance
A surge of confidence
A desire to push his friends into the water
What was the "tiny voice" inside of him pleading for?
To jump immediately
To turn back and walk away
To yell down to his friends
To say a prayer
What happened to Vinny that was "very strange"?
He saw a ghost of the dead boy.
He lost his balance and almost fell.
He felt completely calm and at peace.
He started shouting at his friends.
What did Vinny decide to do instead of jumping?
He would wait until his friends left.
He would ease down and walk back down the trail.
He would jump from a lower ledge.
He would push Joe-Boy off the ledge.
How did Vinny’s friends react when he came down off the trail without jumping?
They were proud of him.
They were silent and walked far ahead of him.
They gave him a hug.
They started to run back up the trail to jump with him.
What did Vinny know his friends were thinking about him?
They were proud of him.
They were angry at him.
They thought he was weak and a coward.
They didn’t care what he did.
What was the feeling that Vinny had that made his friends’ opinions not matter?
A) A feeling of anger
B) A feeling of relief
C) A feeling of peace
D) A feeling of sadness
What did Vinny rub to a blur after he spit out his leaf and decided not to jump?
His eyes
The cross on his chest
The muddy trail
The side of his face
What did Vinny do after he emerged from the ravine?
He immediately ran away from his friends.
He breathed deeply and sat down to take in the view.
He apologized to his friends.
He started looking for the dead boy’s body.
How did Vinny describe the view of the island from the top of the ravine?
A dull and boring landscape.
A land that rolled away like honey.
A scary and intimidating view.
A view he had seen many times before.
What feeling came up for Vinny when he looked down at the three heads of his friends in the water?
Excitement
Something sour came up and he spit it out
Calm
Happiness
What kind of plants grew in the vast highlands of the island?
Tropical trees
Kikuyu grass
Palm trees
Cactus
What did Vinny hear from his friends below when he was on the ledge?
He couldn't make it out over the waterfall.
He heard them laughing at him.
He heard Starlene calling out his name.
He heard them telling him to hurry up.
What did Vinny realize about the view he was seeing after emerging from the ravine?
He had seen it a hundred times before.
He had no idea what it was.
He had never seen anything like it before.
It was exactly what he expected to see.
