Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс. Учебное пособие

Module 2. Appearance and Character

Task 35

Look at the questions and discuss them with your partner.

1.How did your perception of your body change as you grew older?

2.Have you ever quit doing something you loved because of body image issues?

3.Do you think the media plays a role in shaping negative body image?

4.How do you define positive body image?

5.Have you ever experienced self-objectification or felt pressured to constantly monitor your appearance?

6.How does self-objectification impact body image?

7.Why do some women feel negatively towards their bodies while others feel positive?

8.How can redefining beauty and health help improve body im-

age?

9.What role do painful experiences play in shaping body image resilience?

10.How do body image disruptions affect our perception of ourselves and our bodies?

11.How do comfort zones contribute to body shame and self-ob- jectification?

12.Have you ever found yourself hiding or fixing your appearance to cope with shame?

13.What are some strategies for developing body image resil-

ience?

14.How can recognizing disruptions in our behavior lead to positive changes in self-perception?

15.Have you ever experienced a moment where you chose to face a disruption head-on and how did it impact you?

Task 36

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDowwh0EU4w

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Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс

Using the program for making subtitles, divide the video into parts so that every student in your group has an equal number of linestotranslate.Aftertranslatingthevideoandaddingthesubtitles, watch it again together with your groupmates and edit the translation. If you want, you can record the voice over and add it in the video.

Task 37

Watch the video and choose the right summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ5V_3GAucc&t=1s

1.In the video, a person shares their experience of being bullied and alienated due to their skin condition called vitiligo. They talk about how they were singled out and even avoided by classmates because of their appearance. Despite facing adversity, the individual reflects on how they decided to embrace their uniqueness and not conform to societal expectations of beauty. The video concludes withamessageencouragingviewerstodefinebeautyforthemselves and not seek validation from others.

2.In the video, a person talks about how their skin condition, vitiligo, made them popular and admired by their peers. They share how their unique appearance led to them being the center of atten-

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tioninschool.Despitefacinginitialchallenges,theindividualfound acceptance and friendship through their skin condition. The video endswithamessageurgingviewerstoconformtosocietalstandards of beauty rather than embracing their individuality.

3. In the video, the focus is on how the individual’s skin condition, vitiligo, inspired them to pursue a career in modeling. They discuss how their unique appearance opened doors to opportunities and fame. The video explores the positive impact of embracing one’sdifferencesandusingthemasstrengthsinthefashionindustry. It concludes by highlighting the importance of self-acceptance and breaking societal beauty norms.

Task 38

Watch the video and mark the statements as true, false or not given:

https://www.ted.com/talks/anjan_chatterjee_how_your_brain_ decides_what_is_beautiful?trigger=0s&subtitle=en

1.The composite portrait of violent criminals turned out to be unexpectedly beautiful.

2.Galton’s finding that composite faces are less attractive than individual faces has been widely accepted.

3.The experiments conducted by Galton focused on the effects of lighting on facial attractiveness.

4.Many people find inbred families more attractive than mixedrace individuals.

5.Symmetric faces are generally considered more attractive than asymmetric ones.

6.Symmetry is not an indicator of health.

7.Estrogen is only produced in women.

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Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс

8.The experiments conducted by Galton showed that facial attractiveness is not influenced by symmetry or hormones.

9.Mixed-race individuals are generally considered more attractive than inbred families.

10.Mixed-race individuals are more likely to have genetic diversity.

11.Testosterone does not affect facial features in men.

12.The handicap principle is widely accepted in the scientific community.

13.The purpose of the Peacock’s tail is to attract mates through visual appeal.

14.Charles Darwin was fascinated by the sight of the peacock’s

tail.

15.Peacocks with extravagant tails are actually less healthy than those without.

16.Menwithhightestosteronelevelsaremoresusceptibletoimmune system issues.

17.Evolutionary claims are often misunderstood as suggesting that we seek healthy mates unconsciously.

18.Teenagersandyoungadultsalwaysprioritizehealthconcerns in their decision-making.

19.Individuals often base their preferences on physical features on arbitrary reasons.

20.Attractive faces do not trigger pleasure centers in the brain.

21.The experiment showed that people’s brains responded to attractive faces only when they were consciously thinking about beauty.

22.The author suggests that beauty and goodness are always linked in society.

23.Attractive individuals often receive preferential treatment in various aspects of life, including higher pay and perceived trustworthiness.

24.People with minor facial anomalies are perceived as equally competent and hard-working as those without such anomalies.

25.The author suggests that the media plays a significant role in perpetuating negative stereotypes about facial disfigurement.

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26.The concept of beauty has evolved over millions of years, with universal attributes being shaped by the Pleistocene era.

27.TheselectioncriteriaforreproductivesuccessfromthePleistocene era are still highly relevant in modern society.

28.Theauthorsuggeststhatadvancementsinmedicineandtechnology are reshaping societal perceptions of beauty.

29.The concept of beauty has remained constant throughout human history.

30.It is essential to address implicit biases in order to create a fair societywhere individualsarejudgedbasedon theiractions rather than their appearance.

Task 39

Write 200—250 words commenting on one of the following statements:

—The inside doesn’t count unless the outside is beautiful.

—To some extend facial features influence your personality and the way you are perceived by others.

—It doesn’t matter how you look, the only thing important is your personality.

Task 40

Skim through the text about South Korea’s obsession with cosmetic surgery paying attention to words in bold then answer the questions below.

THE PREVALENCE OFCOSMETIC SURGERY

IN SOUTH KOREA

The United States is renowned for its pervasive obsession with plastic surgery, with countless media outlets constantly speculating on the cosmetic enhancements undergone by celebrities. Indeed, American consumers spent an estimated $12 billion on cosmetic procedures in the previous year alone. However, this cultural phenomenon is even more extreme in a foreign city — Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

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Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс

Approximately 7.5 million individuals have travelled to this cosmetic surgery hub to undergo various procedures, with an entire district of the city dedicated to plastic surgery clinics. This predilection for aesthetic enhancement is reflected in the country’s statistics—oneinfiveSouthKoreanwomenhashadcosmeticwork done, in stark contrast to the one in twenty American women who have pursued similar measures, according to the International Society ofAesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

This national proclivity appears to be influenced by the aesthetic ideals propagated by the burgeoning K-pop industry. The ubiquitous“GangnamStyle”musicvideo,themostviewedonYouTube, epitomizes the doll-like features revered in contemporary South Korean popular culture, with K-pop girl groups like Girls’ Generation serving as archetypal embodiments of this beauty standard. As a 19-year-old aspiring television translator attested, “Everyone wants to look like K-Pop idols” — a sentiment that compels many to undergo surgicaltransformationto achievethe requisite “v-line face”, double eyelids, and slender physique.

This cultural emphasis on appearance is not limited to South Korean nationals, however. Individuals from around the world are drawn to Seoul’s plastic surgery clinics, which are renowned for their expertise in procedures tailored toAsian facial features and their comparatively affordable prices. One 33-year-old LosAngeles property manager, for instance, traveled to Seoul to address perceived imperfections, including her eye size and nose shape, that previous surgeries in the United States had failed to satisfactorily resolve. The lure of superior technical prowess and cost-effective services has made Seoul a veritable mecca for those seeking cosmetic transformation.

In the aftermath of their respective surgical procedures, both Christina Lim and Jessica Choi endured immense physical agony during the recovery process. Lim, in particular, described the experience as excruciating, likening the sensation to a “knife cutting through [her] bones” while she was incapacitated, unable to speak or swallow due to the invasive nature of the operations. She

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emphatically declared that she would never subject herself to such torment again, her initial enthusiasm for the transformation eclipsed by the sheer intensity of the pain.

Choi, too, expressed remorse and a sense of spiritual guilt over her decision, evoking a divine admonishment that she had “sinned” by altering the perfection with which she had been imbued. The Los Angeles-based property manager went so far as to claim that the suffering she experienced exceeded even the travails of childbirth, a testament to the severity of the physical trauma associated with her cosmetic procedures.

However, as the acute phase of rehabilitation gradually subsided, both women’s perspectives began to shift.Three months after her surgeries, Lim, while still bedridden and in significant discomfort, acknowledged a sense of contentment with her altered appearance, perceiving herself as aesthetically enhanced despite her reticence to categorize herself as “pretty.” Choi, conversely, emerged from the ordeal with an effusive embrace of her “new” face, expressing heightened femininity, confidence, and a renewed enthusiasm for engaging with the world.

The divergent trajectories of Lim and Choi’s post-operative experiences underscores the complex and multifaceted nature of the cosmetic transformation process. While the initial pain and doubt may seem overwhelming, the ultimate psychological and emotional benefits — a heightened sense of self-worth, beauty, and empowerment — can ultimately outweigh the physical tribulations for some individuals. Nonetheless, both women’s reflections serve as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the necessity of carefully weighing the potential risks and rewards before embarking on such a profound and irreversible corporeal journey.

Questions:

1.According to the passage, how much didAmericans spend on cosmetic enhancements in the previous year?

2.What statistic is provided comparing the percentage of South Korean women who have undergone plastic surgery versus American women?

3.WhichpopularK-popgroupismentionedasanexampleofthe aesthetic ideals influencing South Korean beauty standards?

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Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс

4.What specific facial features and physical attributes does the 19-year-old aspiring television translator say Koreans are trying to emulate?

5.What factors are cited as drawing individuals from around the world to seek plastic surgery in Seoul, South Korea?

Task 41

Translate the words. Put them in your dictionary.

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tional benefits

ultimately outweigh the physical

tribulations for some individuals undergo various procedures veritable mecca for those seeking

cosmetic transformation

Task 42

Create your sentences with new expressions so that it becomes a coherent text about the attitude towards plastic/cosmetic surgery in the country of your choice.

You may start with the phrase: “As far as I know in Russia the attitude towards plastic surgery is controversial as…”

Task 43

LookattheGoogletranslationofthetextfromRussianintoEnglish. Compare it with the original. Edit the translated version focusing on stylistic errors and lexical ambiguity.

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Практический курс первого иностранного языка. 1 курс

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