تمرین مکالمه

Fluency Booster

Take a look at the pink circles.

Take a look at what? Take a look at the pink circles.

If you’re like most people, the circle on the right probably looks bigger, but they are actually the same size.

What probably looks bigger? The circle on the right probably looks bigger.

Are they actually different sizes? No, they are not actually different sizes.

They are actually the same size.

People of the Himba tribe are not so easily fooled by optical illusions like this.

Who isn’t so easily fooled? People of the Himba tribe are not so easily fooled.

The Himba can be found in the small town of Opuwo, Namibia in small numbers.

Where can the Himba be found? The Himba can be found in the small town of Opuwo, Namibia.

They’re easy to pick out, with the distinctive red paint that they spread on their skin and hair.

Are they easy to pick out? Yes, they’re easy to pick out. What do they spread on their skin and hair? They spread distinctive red paint on their skin and hair.

They’re few and far between in town because they mostly live a life untouched by modern times.

Are they few and far between in town? Yes, they are few and far between in town. What are their lives mostly untouched by? Their lives are mostly untouched by modern times.

The younger generations are being drawn to the charms of contemporary society and this town is giving them a taste.

Who is being drawn to the charms of contemporary society? The younger generations are being drawn to the charms of contemporary society. Is this town giving them a taste? Yes, this town is giving them a taste.

Jules Davidoff is studying these semi-nomadic herders at this pivotal point in their history.

Who is studying these semi-nomadic herders? Jules Davidoff is studying these semi-nomadic herders. Is this a minor point in their history? No, this is not a minor point in their history. This is a pivotal point in their history.

It turns out that the brains of people in pre-modern cultures like the Himba perceive things differently than people in modern cultures.

Do the brains of people in pre-modern cultures like the Himba perceive things identically to people in modern cultures? No, the brains of people in pre-modern cultures like the Himba do not perceive things identically to people in modern cultures. The brains of people in pre-modern cultures like the Himba perceive things differently than people in modern cultures.

People of the Himba tribe are more focused on small details than they are on the larger context.

Are people of the Himba tribe more focused on the larger context? No, people of the Himba tribe are not more focused on the larger context. People of the Himba tribe are more focused on the small details.

People in modern cultures see more of the context and less of the details.

Who sees more of the context? People in modern cultures see more of the context.

This makes the Himba tribe less easily fooled by optical illusions.

Is the Himba tribe more easily fooled by optical illusions? No, the Himba tribe is not more easily fooled by optical illusions. The Himba tribe is less easily fooled by optical illusions.

They are so focused on the smaller details that their brains don’t misinterpret what their eyes see.

Do their brains misinterpret what their eyes see? No, their brains don’t misinterpret what their eyes see.

And this doesn’t just apply to visual focus.

Does this just apply to visual focus? No, this doesn’t just apply to visual focus.

People in the Himba tribe are also less easily distracted – their mental focus is stronger.

Who is less easily distracted? People in the Himba tribe are less easily distracted. What is stronger? Their mental focus is stronger.

Davidoff found that Himba people who went to Opuwo, even for a short trip were more susceptible to optical illusions and their focus decreased.

What were Himba people who went to Opuwo more susceptible to? Himba people who went to Opuwo were more susceptible to optical illusions. What decreased? Their focus decreased.

The reason for this is unclear but most researchers agree that the modern world presents us with a lot of stimuli that grabs our attention.

What does the modern world present us with? The modern world presents us with a lot of stimuli that grabs our attention.

This is something that the technology industry knows all too well.

What industry knows this all too well? The technology industry knows this all too well.

They spend millions looking for ways to keep our attention on their online sites and apps.

What do they keep our attention on? They keep our attention on their online sites and apps.

Some say this is damaging our focus and possibly our IQ.

What is this damaging? This is damaging our focus and possibly our IQ.

Justin Rosenstein is an unlikely ally in a backlash against the tech assault on our attention.

Who is an unlikely ally? Justin Rosenstein is an unlikely ally. Is he an unlikely ally in a backlash against the tech assault on our attention? Yes, he is an unlikely ally in a backlash against the tech assault on our attention.

He is the creator of Facebook’s notorious “Like” button.

What is he the creator of? He is the creator of Facebook’s notorious “Like” button.

He was worried about the Internet’s toll on his attention so he is backing off.

What was he worried about? He was worried about the Internet’s toll on his attention.

He tweaked his laptop to block certain addictive websites and he even set up parental controls on his phone that limit his access.

What did he tweak? He tweaked his laptop. What did he set up on his phone? He set up parental controls on his phone.

Just a small dose of modern society has been shown to impact the people of the Himba tribe dramatically.

What has been shown to impact the people of the Himba tribe? Just a small dose of modern society has been shown to impact the people of the Himba tribe.

For many of us who live within the modern world full time, our perception is no longer what it was.

What is no longer what it was? Our perception is no longer what it was.

But people like Rosenstein believe we’re not too far gone and it’s not too late to start safeguarding our attention.

Are we too far gone? No, we’re not too far gone. What can we try to safeguard? We can try to safeguard our attention.