Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

TEDx Talks

281K views 9 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you think horror films can teach people about being human?
Do you think watching horror brings people together or pushes them apart? Why?
What kinds of fears do you think horror films usually explore (for example, fear of death, strangers, or losing control)?

Up Next

Present Perfect Tense English Speaking Practice | Learn English Through Conversation (For Beginners) English Together
Presentations in English – How to Give a Presentation – Business English Oxford Online English
Learn Phonetics – International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) English Like A Native
Engineering Design Process National Science Teaching Association
How to get along with Boomers, GenXers and Millennials | Mary Donohue | TEDxToronto TEDx Talks

Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

…

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

Horror as a mirror + a childhood vampire story (00:00 – 08:40)

Transcript will load here…

1. What does the speaker say horror teaches us about?

Ourselves and how to love each other more
How to become less emotional
How to make films with better special effects
How to avoid scary movies completely

2. What does the speaker do after seeing the vampire at the window?

He turns on every light in the house
He hides under a blanket and stays quiet
He goes outside to confront it
He calls the police immediately

3. Why does the speaker say horror is 'transgressive' for many people?

It is too expensive for most viewers
It is usually watched for the first time around age 11 and grabs you early
It is only popular with professional critics
It is always based on real events

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

Freddy Krueger, Salem’s Lot, and the big questions horror raises (08:40 – 14:25)

Transcript will load here…

1. What key moral conflict does the speaker highlight in Nightmare on Elm Street?

Whether mob justice can replace due process
Whether vampires are stronger than demons
Whether teenagers should be allowed to drink alcohol
Whether science can explain dreams

2. Why does the boy in Salem’s Lot open the window for the vampire?

He believes it is his brother, and the bond overrides the danger
He wants to prove he is brave
He thinks it is a neighbor asking for help
He is hypnotized by music

3. According to the speaker, what did Night of the Living Dead manage to attack or question?

The economics of shopping malls
Racism, sexism, war, and what happens when fear overpowers reason
The value of expensive Hollywood budgets
Only the idea of ghosts and superstition

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

Brain tricks: metacognition, pattern recognition, and community (14:25 – 21:55)

Transcript will load here…

1. What does the speaker mean by 'metacognition'?

Thinking about what you’re thinking about
Forgetting what you saw in a movie
Copying other people’s opinions
Learning how to act in a film

2. Why is a clown in a backyard at night scary in the speaker’s example?

Because clowns are always violent
Because backyards are illegal places for parties
Because circuses are dangerous places
Because it doesn’t fit the expected pattern of where a clown belongs

3. What does the speaker say horror films can create among viewers?

A need to be alone
A fear of laughing in public
Community and connection
A dislike of all movies

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the speaker’s main claim about why horror matters?

Horror is popular because it is always realistic
Horror is mainly about blood and shock value
Horror helps us explore uncomfortable human questions in a safer, indirect way
Horror is only enjoyable for people who don’t feel fear

2. Which idea best matches the speaker’s explanation of how horror affects the brain?

Horror uses pattern recognition and cognitive dissonance to create fear and reflection
Horror is effective only for children
Horror stops pattern recognition so we can relax
Horror works only because of loud music

3. Why does the speaker call horror a 'distorted mirror'?

Because horror reflects human nature, but in a way we can tolerate
Because mirrors often appear as props in horror movies
Because horror always lies about human behavior
Because horror films are usually filmed with bad cameras

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

What horror films teach us about ourselves and being human | Dr. Steven Schlozman | TEDxNashville

Do you agree that horror can help people “love each other better”? Why or why not?
The speaker suggests horror lets us talk about topics like justice, prejudice, and fear. What other difficult topics can stories or movies help us discuss?
Have you ever enjoyed being scared (in a movie, game, or story)? What made it enjoyable instead of just unpleasant?
The talk links pattern recognition and fear to possible roots of prejudice. How could people train themselves to react differently when something feels “a little bit different”?