Question
QUESTION THREE
Read the following passage and answer the questions below.
From binge-drinking to reckless driving, our teenage years are known to be a time of risk-taking. Now we are starting to understand why such behaviours spread between friends.
Many previous studies have shown that adolescents are more likely to start smoking or drinking if their friends do, but it is hard to study how such behaviours spread through social groups. While working at the Dresden University of Technology in Germany, Andrea Reiter and her colleagues used a simple gambling game to dig into the teen appeal of risk-taking, and its social implications.
The task involved choosing between a definite payout of €5 or a known, small chance of winning up to €50. The game was played over a series of rounds by 86 male volunteers, half of whom were between 12 and 15, while the rest were adults.
Previous work suggested boys and girs have different levels of risk-taking, so the team focused on males.
When the volunteers played the game alone, the boys were less likely than the men to take the risky gamble of trying for a larger payout. "There is this stereotype, but teens were not more risk-seeking when tested alone," says Reiter.
However, this changed when the participants no longer thought they were alone. In a second run of the experiment, the volunteers met a "partner' face-to-face before playing the game, and were told they could see each other's actions on a computer.
In reality, the researchers were in control of all the "partner's" decisions.
If the fake partner took the risky gamble more often, the boys' own play became riskier - but only if their partner was another teen, not an adult. The boys' behaviour changed more than twice as much as that of the adults. A questionnaire revealed that the boys who changed their behaviour the most also reported having more friends and a higher social confidence.
These findings don't prove that taking more risks is a direct cause of popularity, but they do hint at a link. "The idea of 'risk contagion' has this passive connotation, like these empty-headed teenagers are being infected with something," says Gabriele Chierchia of University College London. "But it may be an active effort. There's probably something adaptive going on."
Reiter suggests that teenage bloggers and YouTube stars should be more aware of their potential influence over their audience. "You might see YouTubers that are risk-taking and you might also see YouTubers that are suggesting nice things. [Copying behaviour] is not necessarily something bad, it's just a natural thing in adolescence." In a previous study, smoking rates at a school were cut by identifying its most influential pupils and getting them to discourage others from starting.
QUESTIONS
3.1 Explain binge-drinking?
3.2 Who is a risk-taker?
3.3 Name the foreign currency sign that appears in the passage.
3.4 Explain the word 'stereotype'.
3.5 Mention two examples of stereotyping.
(2)
(2)
(1)
(2)
(2)
3.6 Explain the following connotation.
'empty-headed teenagers'
3.7 What tool did the researcher use to come up with the above findings?
(2)
(2)
3.8 Identify three examples of some of the dangerous risks that young people
take these days?
(3)
3.9 According to evidence in the article. Do boys or men display a more risky behaviour. Quote from the passage to motivate your answer.
(3)
3.10 ls the above passage based on opinions or facts? Motivate your answer.
(3)
3.11 Why should teenage bloggers and YouTube stars be more mindful
of what they 'put out there'?
(3)
Total: 25 mark:
Read the following passage and answer the questions below.
From binge-drinking to reckless driving, our teenage years are known to be a time of risk-taking. Now we are starting to understand why such behaviours spread between friends.
Many previous studies have shown that adolescents are more likely to start smoking or drinking if their friends do, but it is hard to study how such behaviours spread through social groups. While working at the Dresden University of Technology in Germany, Andrea Reiter and her colleagues used a simple gambling game to dig into the teen appeal of risk-taking, and its social implications.
The task involved choosing between a definite payout of €5 or a known, small chance of winning up to €50. The game was played over a series of rounds by 86 male volunteers, half of whom were between 12 and 15, while the rest were adults.
Previous work suggested boys and girs have different levels of risk-taking, so the team focused on males.
When the volunteers played the game alone, the boys were less likely than the men to take the risky gamble of trying for a larger payout. "There is this stereotype, but teens were not more risk-seeking when tested alone," says Reiter.
However, this changed when the participants no longer thought they were alone. In a second run of the experiment, the volunteers met a "partner' face-to-face before playing the game, and were told they could see each other's actions on a computer.
In reality, the researchers were in control of all the "partner's" decisions.
If the fake partner took the risky gamble more often, the boys' own play became riskier - but only if their partner was another teen, not an adult. The boys' behaviour changed more than twice as much as that of the adults. A questionnaire revealed that the boys who changed their behaviour the most also reported having more friends and a higher social confidence.
These findings don't prove that taking more risks is a direct cause of popularity, but they do hint at a link. "The idea of 'risk contagion' has this passive connotation, like these empty-headed teenagers are being infected with something," says Gabriele Chierchia of University College London. "But it may be an active effort. There's probably something adaptive going on."
Reiter suggests that teenage bloggers and YouTube stars should be more aware of their potential influence over their audience. "You might see YouTubers that are risk-taking and you might also see YouTubers that are suggesting nice things. [Copying behaviour] is not necessarily something bad, it's just a natural thing in adolescence." In a previous study, smoking rates at a school were cut by identifying its most influential pupils and getting them to discourage others from starting.
QUESTIONS
3.1 Explain binge-drinking?
3.2 Who is a risk-taker?
3.3 Name the foreign currency sign that appears in the passage.
3.4 Explain the word 'stereotype'.
3.5 Mention two examples of stereotyping.
(2)
(2)
(1)
(2)
(2)
3.6 Explain the following connotation.
'empty-headed teenagers'
3.7 What tool did the researcher use to come up with the above findings?
(2)
(2)
3.8 Identify three examples of some of the dangerous risks that young people
take these days?
(3)
3.9 According to evidence in the article. Do boys or men display a more risky behaviour. Quote from the passage to motivate your answer.
(3)
3.10 ls the above passage based on opinions or facts? Motivate your answer.
(3)
3.11 Why should teenage bloggers and YouTube stars be more mindful
of what they 'put out there'?
(3)
Total: 25 mark:
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Here are the answers to the questions based on the provided passage:
**3.1 Explain binge-drinking?**
Binge-drinking refers to the act of consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time. It is often associated with reckless behavior and can lead to various negative health, social, and legal consequences.
**3.2 Who is a risk-taker?**
A risk-taker is someone who engages in behaviors that involve exposure to danger or uncertainty, often in pursuit of a reward. In the context of the passage, it refers specifically to adolescents who are more likely to take risks, such as gambling or experimenting with substances.
**3.3 Name the foreign currency sign that appears in the passage.**
The foreign currency sign that appears in the passage is "€," which represents the Euro.
**3.4 Explain the word 'stereotype'.**
A stereotype is a widely held but oversimplified and generalized belief or idea about a particular group of people. Stereotypes often lead to inaccurate assumptions about individuals based on their membership in a certain group.
**3.5 Mention two examples of stereotyping.**
1. Assuming that all teenagers are reckless and irresponsible.
2. Believing that women are not good at math or science.
**3.6 Explain the following connotation: 'empty-headed teenagers.'**
The term 'empty-headed teenagers' suggests a negative view of teenagers as lacking intelligence or critical thinking abilities. It implies that they are easily influenced and do not think for themselves, portraying them as shallow or thoughtless.
**3.7 What tool did the researcher use to come up with the above findings?**
The researcher used a simple gambling game to study risk-taking behavior among teenagers and its social implications.
**3.8 Identify three examples of some of the dangerous risks that young people take these days?**
1. Binge-drinking.
2. Reckless driving.
3. Experimenting with illegal drugs.
**3.9 According to evidence in the article. Do boys or men display a more risky behavior? Quote from the passage to motivate your answer.**
Boys display more risky behavior than men when they are in a social context. The passage states, "the boys' behaviour changed more than twice as much as that of the adults," indicating that boys are influenced to take more risks when they perceive they are not alone.
**3.10 Is the above passage based on opinions or facts? Motivate your answer.**
The passage is primarily based on facts, as it presents research findings from a study conducted by Andrea Reiter and her colleagues. The data, such as the differences in risk-taking behavior between boys and men, and the controlled conditions of the experiment, support this conclusion. While some interpretations and implications are discussed, the core evidence relies on empirical research.
**3.11 Why should teenage bloggers and YouTube stars be more mindful of what they 'put out there'?**
Teenage bloggers and YouTube stars should be more mindful of their influence because their behavior can affect their impressionable audience. As stated in the passage, "You might see YouTubers that are risk-taking... [Copying behavior] is not necessarily something bad, it’s just a natural thing in adolescence," indicating that they need to consider the potential for promoting risky behaviors that their audience may emulate.
**3.1 Explain binge-drinking?**
Binge-drinking refers to the act of consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time. It is often associated with reckless behavior and can lead to various negative health, social, and legal consequences.
**3.2 Who is a risk-taker?**
A risk-taker is someone who engages in behaviors that involve exposure to danger or uncertainty, often in pursuit of a reward. In the context of the passage, it refers specifically to adolescents who are more likely to take risks, such as gambling or experimenting with substances.
**3.3 Name the foreign currency sign that appears in the passage.**
The foreign currency sign that appears in the passage is "€," which represents the Euro.
**3.4 Explain the word 'stereotype'.**
A stereotype is a widely held but oversimplified and generalized belief or idea about a particular group of people. Stereotypes often lead to inaccurate assumptions about individuals based on their membership in a certain group.
**3.5 Mention two examples of stereotyping.**
1. Assuming that all teenagers are reckless and irresponsible.
2. Believing that women are not good at math or science.
**3.6 Explain the following connotation: 'empty-headed teenagers.'**
The term 'empty-headed teenagers' suggests a negative view of teenagers as lacking intelligence or critical thinking abilities. It implies that they are easily influenced and do not think for themselves, portraying them as shallow or thoughtless.
**3.7 What tool did the researcher use to come up with the above findings?**
The researcher used a simple gambling game to study risk-taking behavior among teenagers and its social implications.
**3.8 Identify three examples of some of the dangerous risks that young people take these days?**
1. Binge-drinking.
2. Reckless driving.
3. Experimenting with illegal drugs.
**3.9 According to evidence in the article. Do boys or men display a more risky behavior? Quote from the passage to motivate your answer.**
Boys display more risky behavior than men when they are in a social context. The passage states, "the boys' behaviour changed more than twice as much as that of the adults," indicating that boys are influenced to take more risks when they perceive they are not alone.
**3.10 Is the above passage based on opinions or facts? Motivate your answer.**
The passage is primarily based on facts, as it presents research findings from a study conducted by Andrea Reiter and her colleagues. The data, such as the differences in risk-taking behavior between boys and men, and the controlled conditions of the experiment, support this conclusion. While some interpretations and implications are discussed, the core evidence relies on empirical research.
**3.11 Why should teenage bloggers and YouTube stars be more mindful of what they 'put out there'?**
Teenage bloggers and YouTube stars should be more mindful of their influence because their behavior can affect their impressionable audience. As stated in the passage, "You might see YouTubers that are risk-taking... [Copying behavior] is not necessarily something bad, it’s just a natural thing in adolescence," indicating that they need to consider the potential for promoting risky behaviors that their audience may emulate.