Почему мы снова и снова верим в невозможные обещания? Почему даже самые здравомыслящие люди становятся жертвами мошенников? Мы часто слышим истории о том, как кто-то перевёл все свои сбережения "волшебному целителю" или вложился в "уникальную инвестицию". Кажется невероятным, что это происходит в XXI веке, когда у нас есть доступ к информации и бесконечные способы всё проверить.
В этом уроке мы обсудим психологию обмана и самообмана, разберём, как люди попадаются на уловки, и потренируем английский. Вы сможете не только обогатить словарный запас полезными выражениями (например, как сказать "обвести вокруг пальца" по-английски), но и задуматься о том, как защитить себя и близких от подобных ситуаций.
1. Look at this list of ways to spend your money. Tick the sensible ones. Compare the items you ticked in pairs and explain your choice. Give some other good ways to spend money? And bad ones?
2. Read the quote and discuss the questions below in pairs.
- How old do you think the person who said this is?
- Who is the ‘they’ he refers to?
- What do you think ‘taking candy from a baby’ means?
Now read this man’s story and answer the questions below.
- Is this kind of thing uncommon?
- How did George Stockton know the woman?
Before continuing to read Part 2, discuss this question in pairs or small groups. What do you think happens next?
- Why did she suddenly offer an ‘incarnation’?
- How much money did she manage to get from George?
- How much money does he have left?
- Is what she did illegal? Does this happen in your country?
3. Work in pairs. Discuss these questions in pairs or small groups.
- Do you think the psychic specifically chose George Stockton? Why?
- What techniques did she use to make him give her money?
- The psychic managed to take over $50,000 in the end from George, and now the police are after her. But what if she had stopped at just $500? Or $50? Should it be illegal?
4. Go back to the article and underline expressions that mean ‘to fool someone’. Compare with a partner. Then use the expressions you underlined to complete these dialogues:
5. Read the following rules about the use of ‘No matter….’!
Imagine that you are George Stockton and at the moment you are talking to the psychic. What are you saying to her? Make sentences with ‘no matter’. See the example:
6. George Stockton’s sad case is perhaps an extreme one. Have you ever felt you’ve been ‘had’? What happened?
7. Look at these situations. Do you consider them scams?
Can you think of any others? Discuss in pairs, then as a class.
8. Listen to the dialogue between two women. What do you think about the one who believes in all psychic-related things? Then listen again and fill in the gaps.
Read the statement below and discuss in pairs.
Homework
1. Read the text and mark the statements below as True or False.
People in Japan are having surgery on their hands to change their future. The Japanese are big believers in palm reading. They spend a lot of money on visiting palm readers. A cheaper palm reading costs around $70. Many people are unhappy with the lines on their palms. They think some of the lines mean a part of their future will be bad. They are having an operation to change the length and shape of the lines because they hope this will give them a brighter future. The operation takes just 15 minutes and costs about $1,000. The doctor uses an electric scalpel to burn a line on the palm of the hand. It leaves a scar that takes a month to heal. The line looks like a money-luck line, happiness line or love line. There are many doctors who say changing the lines on your palm does not work. They say it cannot change your future because it isn't natural. Subodh Gupta, a palm reader from London, agrees. He said: "I read about this surgery and I was very surprised. Even by having surgery, the lines cannot be changed." He added: "If you want to improve your fortune, take physical actions. So if you want greater health, do some exercise." However, people who have had the surgery say it has changed their life. A Tokyo surgeon said he gave a female patient a wedding line and she got married soon after. He said two other patients won the lottery after he made their fortune line longer.
2. Write a short essay stating your opinion on the topic above.
3. Combine the following pairs of sentences into single sentences using ‘no matter’.
- Joe works very hard all day. Despite his hard work, he can't keep up with all his assignments.
Example: No matter how hard Joe works, he can't keep up with all his assignments. - English is an international language. You can go just about anywhere in the world, and people speak English.
- That course is very demanding. You can read the materials until midnight every night, but you will still be behind.
- The odds against him are very high, but he won't give up.
- Americans try very hard to save their money. Despite their attempts to save, however, they can't put aside enough for their future.
- Sometimes I get to his office early, and sometimes I get there right on time. Regardless of the time I get there, he's never ready to see me.
- Jack travels all over the world all the time. He always runs into someone he knows
every place he goes.
- The competition is extremely tough. They'll make it anyway.
- Her workload is extremely demanding. She makes herself accessible to people, anyway.
- He might be found innocent, or he might be found guilty. Nonetheless, his reputation is permanently damaged.
Vocabulary from this lesson
scam — мошенничество
sensible — благоразумный
psychic reading — экстрасенсорное гадание
to play the stock market — играть на бирже
devastated — раздавленный горем, разрушенный, опустошенный
like taking candy from a baby — проще простого, очень легко, как конфетку у ребёнка отобрать
retirement — пенсия
to refer to — ссылаться на
victim — жертва
aimed at — направленный на
the elderly — старики, пенсионеры, престарелые
deceased — заболевший, больной
psychic — экстрасенс, медиум
to lament — сокрушаться (to say that you are disappointed about a situation)
to be taken in by smth — быть одураченным
to talk smb into doing smth — уговорить кого-то что-то сделать
a rise in smth — рост (чего-то)
initially — изначально
(the) departed — покойник, покойная, покойный
to lure smb in — заманивать, завлекать
to fall for smth — попасться на удочку
hook, line and sinker — со всеми потрохами, целиком и полностью
to con smb out of + amount of money — вымогать (деньги)
to require — требовать
incarnation — инкарнация, воплощение
spirit — дух
I’ve been had! — Меня надули!
illegal — нелегально
scam artist — мошенник, махинатор
to fool smb — одурачивать
techniques — приёмы
contagious — заразный
at one point — в какой-то момент
no matter what — что бы ни…
double-glazing — двойной стеклопакет
to keep up with — не отставать, идти в ногу с, быть на одной волне
to give up — сдаваться
assignment — задание
odds — шансы
to put money aside — отложить деньги, накопить деньги
regardless of — вне зависимости от
revolutionary — радикальный
psychotherapy — психотерапия
plastic surgery — пластическая хирургия
anti-ageing cream — антивозрастной крем
cosmetic surgery — косметическая хирургия
baldness — облысение
palm reading — гадание по ладони, хиромантия
tarot card reading — гадание на картах таро
fate — судьба
wrinkles — морщины
to fathom — понимать, постигать
to captivate — пленить, очаровать
to go the extra mile — выложиться на все сто, сделать всё необходимое
insightful — проницательный
to be in tune with — понимать, быть на одной волне
to call in sick — позвонить на работу и отпроситься, сославшись на болезнь
to spend a fortune — потратить целое состояние
excitement — возбуждение, волнение
conjunction — союз (грамматический термин)
to predict — предсказывать, пророчить
cures for — лекарства от
to run into smb — случайно встретить кого-то
fortune teller — гадалка
competition — конкуренция
workload — нагрузка
nonetheless — тем не менее