Questões de Inglês

5 Reasons Why Artificial Intelligence Won’t Replace Physicians

    Although many signs are pointing towards
the fact that A.I. will completely move the world of
medicine, and many other technologies will also have
a transformative effect on the industry, stating that the
[5] majority of medical professionals will disappear, is
fearmongering and irresponsible.
    According to a report by Carl Benedikt Frey and
Michael A. Osborne from the University of Oxford,
medical transcriptionists, medical records and health
[10] information technicians and medical secretaries are
the most likely jobs to be computerized in the future,
but physicians and surgeons have a 0.42 percent
chance for their professions being automated.
    Moreover, A.I. will transform the meaning of what
[15] it means to be a doctor: some tasks will disappear,
while others will be added to the work routine. However,
there will never be a situation where the embodiment
of automation, either a robot or an algorithm will take
the place of a doctor. Let me tell you five reasons why.

[20]     1) We cannot replace empathy
    Even if the array of technologies will offer brilliant
solutions, it would be difficult for them to mimic
empathy. Why? Because at the core of empathy, there
is the process of building trust: listening to the other
[25] person, paying attention to their needs, expressing
the feeling of compassion and responding in a manner
that the other person knows they were understood.
    At present, you would not trust a robot or a
smart algorithm with a life-altering decision or even
[30] with a decision whether or not to take painkillers, for
that matter. But we might never be able to imagine
healthcare without human empathy. We will need
doctors holding our hands while telling us about a
life-changing diagnosis, their guide through therapy
[35] and their overall support. An algorithm cannot replace
that. Ever

    2) Physicians have a non-linear working
method
    There was an episode in House M.D. where
[40] the team couldn’t figure out how a young boy could
have been poisoned. They considered many options:
drugs, food poisoning, pesticide poisoning. For
every possible diagnosis, they suggested a different
treatment option. Each one of them made the patient
[45] worse – until they figured out, by accident, that the
boy picked up phosmet, a type of insecticide from the
jeans that he bought from a street vendor who kept
the trousers in a truck. The boy didn’t wash the piece
of clothing before wearing it, that’s how his skin could
[50] absorb the poison.

    No algorithm could have made that diagnosis.
Although data, measurements and quantitative
analytics are a crucial part of a doctor’s work, setting
up a diagnosis and treating a patient are not linear

[55] processes. It requires creativity and problem-solving
skills that algorithms and robots will never have.
    3) Complex digital technologies require
competent professionals
    More and more sophisticated digital health
[60] solutions will require the competence of qualified
medical professionals, no matter whether it’s
about robotics or A.I. Take the example of the most
commonly known surgical robot, the da Vinci Surgical
System. It features a magnified 3D high-definition
[65] vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend
and rotate far greater than the human hand. However,
surgeons have to learn how to operate it, and it takes
practice to master it.
    Likewise, look at IBM Watson. Its unique program
[70] for oncologists provides clinicians evidence-based
treatment options. Nonetheless, it’s only doctors
together with their patients who can choose the
treatment, and only physicians can evaluate whether
the smart algorithm came up with potentially useful
[75] suggestions. No robot or algorithm could clearly
interpret complex, multi-layered challenges —
involving the psyche. While they will provide the data,
interpretation will always remain a human territory

    4) There will always be tasks algorithms and
[80] robots can never complete
    Physicians, nurses and other members of the
medical staff have plenty of cumbersome monotonous
and repetitive tasks to complete every single day.
However, there are responsibilities and duties which
[85] technologies cannot perform. While IBM Watson can
sift through millions of pages of documents in seconds,
it will never be able to do the Heimlich maneuver.
There will always be tasks where humans will be
faster, more reliable — or cheaper than technology.
[90]     5) It has never been tech vs. human
    The consistent and constant enemy image
building should stop once and for all. It has never
been technology versus humans since technological
innovations always serve the purpose to help people.
[95] We are playing on the same team. No matter whether
it’s A.I., robotics, augmented or virtual reality, we
should accept that they have a massive influence on
the way healthcare operates, and then start utilizing
their power.
[100]     Collaboration between humans and technology is
the ultimate response. The Medical Futurist believes
that this is the perfect example for the coming decades.
Technology will help bring medical professionals
towards a more efficient, less error-prone and more
[105] seamless healthcare. Our team insists on the usage
of digital tools as we are confident that if utilized in
the right way — ethical and legal concerns NOT set
aside — the physician will have more time for the
patient, the doctor can enjoy his work and healthcare
[110] will move into an overall positive direction.

Available at: http://medicalfuturist.com/5-reasons-artifi cial- -intelligence-wont-replace-physicians. Retrieved on: June 30, 2018. Adapted

5 Reasons Why Artificial Intelligence Won’t Replace Physicians

    Although many signs are pointing towards
the fact that A.I. will completely move the world of
medicine, and many other technologies will also have
a transformative effect on the industry, stating that the
[5] majority of medical professionals will disappear, is
fearmongering and irresponsible.
    According to a report by Carl Benedikt Frey and
Michael A. Osborne from the University of Oxford,
medical transcriptionists, medical records and health
[10] information technicians and medical secretaries are
the most likely jobs to be computerized in the future,
but physicians and surgeons have a 0.42 percent
chance for their professions being automated.
    Moreover, A.I. will transform the meaning of what
[15] it means to be a doctor: some tasks will disappear,
while others will be added to the work routine. However,
there will never be a situation where the embodiment
of automation, either a robot or an algorithm will take
the place of a doctor. Let me tell you five reasons why.

[20]     1) We cannot replace empathy
    Even if the array of technologies will offer brilliant
solutions, it would be difficult for them to mimic
empathy. Why? Because at the core of empathy, there
is the process of building trust: listening to the other
[25] person, paying attention to their needs, expressing
the feeling of compassion and responding in a manner
that the other person knows they were understood.
    At present, you would not trust a robot or a
smart algorithm with a life-altering decision or even
[30] with a decision whether or not to take painkillers, for
that matter. But we might never be able to imagine
healthcare without human empathy. We will need
doctors holding our hands while telling us about a
life-changing diagnosis, their guide through therapy
[35] and their overall support. An algorithm cannot replace
that. Ever

    2) Physicians have a non-linear working
method
    There was an episode in House M.D. where
[40] the team couldn’t figure out how a young boy could
have been poisoned. They considered many options:
drugs, food poisoning, pesticide poisoning. For
every possible diagnosis, they suggested a different
treatment option. Each one of them made the patient
[45] worse – until they figured out, by accident, that the
boy picked up phosmet, a type of insecticide from the
jeans that he bought from a street vendor who kept
the trousers in a truck. The boy didn’t wash the piece
of clothing before wearing it, that’s how his skin could
[50] absorb the poison.

    No algorithm could have made that diagnosis.
Although data, measurements and quantitative
analytics are a crucial part of a doctor’s work, setting
up a diagnosis and treating a patient are not linear

[55] processes. It requires creativity and problem-solving
skills that algorithms and robots will never have.
    3) Complex digital technologies require
competent professionals
    More and more sophisticated digital health
[60] solutions will require the competence of qualified
medical professionals, no matter whether it’s
about robotics or A.I. Take the example of the most
commonly known surgical robot, the da Vinci Surgical
System. It features a magnified 3D high-definition
[65] vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend
and rotate far greater than the human hand. However,
surgeons have to learn how to operate it, and it takes
practice to master it.
    Likewise, look at IBM Watson. Its unique program
[70] for oncologists provides clinicians evidence-based
treatment options. Nonetheless, it’s only doctors
together with their patients who can choose the
treatment, and only physicians can evaluate whether
the smart algorithm came up with potentially useful
[75] suggestions. No robot or algorithm could clearly
interpret complex, multi-layered challenges —
involving the psyche. While they will provide the data,
interpretation will always remain a human territory

    4) There will always be tasks algorithms and
[80] robots can never complete
    Physicians, nurses and other members of the
medical staff have plenty of cumbersome monotonous
and repetitive tasks to complete every single day.
However, there are responsibilities and duties which
[85] technologies cannot perform. While IBM Watson can
sift through millions of pages of documents in seconds,
it will never be able to do the Heimlich maneuver.
There will always be tasks where humans will be
faster, more reliable — or cheaper than technology.
[90]     5) It has never been tech vs. human
    The consistent and constant enemy image
building should stop once and for all. It has never
been technology versus humans since technological
innovations always serve the purpose to help people.
[95] We are playing on the same team. No matter whether
it’s A.I., robotics, augmented or virtual reality, we
should accept that they have a massive influence on
the way healthcare operates, and then start utilizing
their power.
[100]     Collaboration between humans and technology is
the ultimate response. The Medical Futurist believes
that this is the perfect example for the coming decades.
Technology will help bring medical professionals
towards a more efficient, less error-prone and more
[105] seamless healthcare. Our team insists on the usage
of digital tools as we are confident that if utilized in
the right way — ethical and legal concerns NOT set
aside — the physician will have more time for the
patient, the doctor can enjoy his work and healthcare
[110] will move into an overall positive direction.

Available at: http://medicalfuturist.com/5-reasons-artifi cial- -intelligence-wont-replace-physicians. Retrieved on: June 30, 2018. Adapted

T E X T

    Now, according to an annual survey
by the Babson Survey Research Group and
the Online Learning Consortium, more than
6.3 million students took at least one
[5] distance education course in the Fall 2016
semester (the most recent academic year
for which data is available). That’s 31.6
percent of all higher education
enrollments, according to the study, and
[10] about half of them were taking all of their
classes online.

    Many of these students are traditional
age. But for adult students (generally
defined as those 25 and over, working full

[15] time jobs or with parenting
responsibilities) online education is a
particularly attractive option. Citing several
studies, Louis Soares, chief learning and
innovation officer for the American Council
[20] on Education, says that about a third of all
adult students — roughly 13 million — are
pursuing advanced degrees online.

    “I think it has given adult students
more opportunities,” Mr. Soares said. “If
[25] done correctly, online education can create
a robust learning experience.”

    Research has shown that students can
learn as well online as they can in a face to
face classroom, according to Jovita Ross

[30] Gordon, a professor at Texas State
University.

    “In terms of pros and cons, it offers
great convenience and access for
populations who might not otherwise have
[35] it,” said Professor Ross-Gordon, an expert
on adult education. “But a certain degree
of self-direction is required. And it can be
isolating for some folks.”

    The vast majority of colleges and
[40] universities in the United States offer at
least some online classes, but there are
still those who question its legitimacy and
also the quality of for-profit colleges whose
curriculum is offered solely online.

[45]    Walden University, where Mr. Haynes
is earning his doctoral degree, is one such
institution. He said that he researched the
school through the V.A. and other sources,
and heard positive reports from a friend
[50] who was also pursuing his doctorate in
business administration at Walden, which
Mr. Haynes learned was accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Business Schools.

    For Manda Gibson, online education is
[55] the preferred mode of learning. “I love it,”
said Ms. Gibson, 45, the mother of four,
who works full-time as an instructional
designer at Simpson College in Indianola,
Iowa. Ms. Gibson is pursuing her master’s
[60] in business administration online with

Colorado State University-Global Campus,
and before that earned a bachelor of arts
in management, taking mostly online
classes, at Simpson.

[65]    “When I sit in a regular class, my
mind wanders,” she says. “`Did I do this
for my kids?’ ‘What am I making for dinner
tonight?’ When I do online, I can say, ‘this
hour is my hour.’”

[70]    But she says, with the flexibility of
online education comes responsibility. “You
have to take it seriously,” she said. “Some
people think online classes are easier. I
think it’s actually more work. Because you
[75] might have to spend more time with the
content.”

    Time is a commodity that Mr. Haynes,
like many adult learners, has little of. He
and his wife — Sgt. Chelsea Aiko Haynes
[80] of the Army — have six children, ranging
in age from 1 to 17. He is also active with
the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit
organization that provides financial
assistance for catastrophically injured
[85] servicemen and women. But most days,
after the children are off to school and his
wife is at her job at the Pentagon, he sits
down in the living room with his MacBook
Air and gets ready to learn. “I open the
[90] blinds to get some natural sunlight in,” he
said. “The TV’s off, the phone’s on vibrate.
And I commit myself fully to my studies.”

    Here are some tips for success in
online education for adult learners, from
[95] Jeremy Haynes and Manda Gibson, two
students who have flourished in this
learning environment, and from George
Haber, an adjunct professor at Vaughn
College in Queens, and a veteran of over
[100] 25 years of teaching online.

    Set aside specific time periods when
you can do required reading or writing and
stick to the schedule, whether it’s an hour
a night three nights a week; Saturday or
[105] Sunday morning; or some combination.

    Get acquainted with your academic
adviser from the start, as he or she is your
lifeline for anything at the institution.

    Choose a subject for your first
[110] online class that you’re interested in, if
possible. You will be more likely to become
engaged in the material and learn the
technology.

    Ask questions and reach out for help
[115] early. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t
understand something; a quality online
program will not only have self-help
tutorials, but also good student services to
help with the details.

[120]    Take part in any online discussions
or forums. Your lack of participation will be
easily noted by the instructor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/

T E X T

    Now, according to an annual survey
by the Babson Survey Research Group and
the Online Learning Consortium, more than
6.3 million students took at least one
[5] distance education course in the Fall 2016
semester (the most recent academic year
for which data is available). That’s 31.6
percent of all higher education
enrollments, according to the study, and
[10] about half of them were taking all of their
classes online.

    Many of these students are traditional
age. But for adult students (generally
defined as those 25 and over, working full

[15] time jobs or with parenting
responsibilities) online education is a
particularly attractive option. Citing several
studies, Louis Soares, chief learning and
innovation officer for the American Council
[20] on Education, says that about a third of all
adult students — roughly 13 million — are
pursuing advanced degrees online.

    “I think it has given adult students
more opportunities,” Mr. Soares said. “If
[25] done correctly, online education can create
a robust learning experience.”

    Research has shown that students can
learn as well online as they can in a face to
face classroom, according to Jovita Ross

[30] Gordon, a professor at Texas State
University.

    “In terms of pros and cons, it offers
great convenience and access for
populations who might not otherwise have
[35] it,” said Professor Ross-Gordon, an expert
on adult education. “But a certain degree
of self-direction is required. And it can be
isolating for some folks.”

    The vast majority of colleges and
[40] universities in the United States offer at
least some online classes, but there are
still those who question its legitimacy and
also the quality of for-profit colleges whose
curriculum is offered solely online.

[45]    Walden University, where Mr. Haynes
is earning his doctoral degree, is one such
institution. He said that he researched the
school through the V.A. and other sources,
and heard positive reports from a friend
[50] who was also pursuing his doctorate in
business administration at Walden, which
Mr. Haynes learned was accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Business Schools.

    For Manda Gibson, online education is
[55] the preferred mode of learning. “I love it,”
said Ms. Gibson, 45, the mother of four,
who works full-time as an instructional
designer at Simpson College in Indianola,
Iowa. Ms. Gibson is pursuing her master’s
[60] in business administration online with

Colorado State University-Global Campus,
and before that earned a bachelor of arts
in management, taking mostly online
classes, at Simpson.

[65]    “When I sit in a regular class, my
mind wanders,” she says. “`Did I do this
for my kids?’ ‘What am I making for dinner
tonight?’ When I do online, I can say, ‘this
hour is my hour.’”

[70]    But she says, with the flexibility of
online education comes responsibility. “You
have to take it seriously,” she said. “Some
people think online classes are easier. I
think it’s actually more work. Because you
[75] might have to spend more time with the
content.”

    Time is a commodity that Mr. Haynes,
like many adult learners, has little of. He
and his wife — Sgt. Chelsea Aiko Haynes
[80] of the Army — have six children, ranging
in age from 1 to 17. He is also active with
the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit
organization that provides financial
assistance for catastrophically injured
[85] servicemen and women. But most days,
after the children are off to school and his
wife is at her job at the Pentagon, he sits
down in the living room with his MacBook
Air and gets ready to learn. “I open the
[90] blinds to get some natural sunlight in,” he
said. “The TV’s off, the phone’s on vibrate.
And I commit myself fully to my studies.”

    Here are some tips for success in
online education for adult learners, from
[95] Jeremy Haynes and Manda Gibson, two
students who have flourished in this
learning environment, and from George
Haber, an adjunct professor at Vaughn
College in Queens, and a veteran of over
[100] 25 years of teaching online.

    Set aside specific time periods when
you can do required reading or writing and
stick to the schedule, whether it’s an hour
a night three nights a week; Saturday or
[105] Sunday morning; or some combination.

    Get acquainted with your academic
adviser from the start, as he or she is your
lifeline for anything at the institution.

    Choose a subject for your first
[110] online class that you’re interested in, if
possible. You will be more likely to become
engaged in the material and learn the
technology.

    Ask questions and reach out for help
[115] early. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t
understand something; a quality online
program will not only have self-help
tutorials, but also good student services to
help with the details.

[120]    Take part in any online discussions
or forums. Your lack of participation will be
easily noted by the instructor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/

T E X T

    Now, according to an annual survey
by the Babson Survey Research Group and
the Online Learning Consortium, more than
6.3 million students took at least one
[5] distance education course in the Fall 2016
semester (the most recent academic year
for which data is available). That’s 31.6
percent of all higher education
enrollments, according to the study, and
[10] about half of them were taking all of their
classes online.

    Many of these students are traditional
age. But for adult students (generally
defined as those 25 and over, working full

[15] time jobs or with parenting
responsibilities) online education is a
particularly attractive option. Citing several
studies, Louis Soares, chief learning and
innovation officer for the American Council
[20] on Education, says that about a third of all
adult students — roughly 13 million — are
pursuing advanced degrees online.

    “I think it has given adult students
more opportunities,” Mr. Soares said. “If
[25] done correctly, online education can create
a robust learning experience.”

    Research has shown that students can
learn as well online as they can in a face to
face classroom, according to Jovita Ross

[30] Gordon, a professor at Texas State
University.

    “In terms of pros and cons, it offers
great convenience and access for
populations who might not otherwise have
[35] it,” said Professor Ross-Gordon, an expert
on adult education. “But a certain degree
of self-direction is required. And it can be
isolating for some folks.”

    The vast majority of colleges and
[40] universities in the United States offer at
least some online classes, but there are
still those who question its legitimacy and
also the quality of for-profit colleges whose
curriculum is offered solely online.

[45]    Walden University, where Mr. Haynes
is earning his doctoral degree, is one such
institution. He said that he researched the
school through the V.A. and other sources,
and heard positive reports from a friend
[50] who was also pursuing his doctorate in
business administration at Walden, which
Mr. Haynes learned was accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Business Schools.

    For Manda Gibson, online education is
[55] the preferred mode of learning. “I love it,”
said Ms. Gibson, 45, the mother of four,
who works full-time as an instructional
designer at Simpson College in Indianola,
Iowa. Ms. Gibson is pursuing her master’s
[60] in business administration online with

Colorado State University-Global Campus,
and before that earned a bachelor of arts
in management, taking mostly online
classes, at Simpson.

[65]    “When I sit in a regular class, my
mind wanders,” she says. “`Did I do this
for my kids?’ ‘What am I making for dinner
tonight?’ When I do online, I can say, ‘this
hour is my hour.’”

[70]    But she says, with the flexibility of
online education comes responsibility. “You
have to take it seriously,” she said. “Some
people think online classes are easier. I
think it’s actually more work. Because you
[75] might have to spend more time with the
content.”

    Time is a commodity that Mr. Haynes,
like many adult learners, has little of. He
and his wife — Sgt. Chelsea Aiko Haynes
[80] of the Army — have six children, ranging
in age from 1 to 17. He is also active with
the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit
organization that provides financial
assistance for catastrophically injured
[85] servicemen and women. But most days,
after the children are off to school and his
wife is at her job at the Pentagon, he sits
down in the living room with his MacBook
Air and gets ready to learn. “I open the
[90] blinds to get some natural sunlight in,” he
said. “The TV’s off, the phone’s on vibrate.
And I commit myself fully to my studies.”

    Here are some tips for success in
online education for adult learners, from
[95] Jeremy Haynes and Manda Gibson, two
students who have flourished in this
learning environment, and from George
Haber, an adjunct professor at Vaughn
College in Queens, and a veteran of over
[100] 25 years of teaching online.

    Set aside specific time periods when
you can do required reading or writing and
stick to the schedule, whether it’s an hour
a night three nights a week; Saturday or
[105] Sunday morning; or some combination.

    Get acquainted with your academic
adviser from the start, as he or she is your
lifeline for anything at the institution.

    Choose a subject for your first
[110] online class that you’re interested in, if
possible. You will be more likely to become
engaged in the material and learn the
technology.

    Ask questions and reach out for help
[115] early. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t
understand something; a quality online
program will not only have self-help
tutorials, but also good student services to
help with the details.

[120]    Take part in any online discussions
or forums. Your lack of participation will be
easily noted by the instructor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/

Instruction: Answer the question according to the text.

TEXT

WHY DO SUPERVILLAINS FASCINATE US? A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

    Why are we fascinated by supervillains? Posing
the question is much like asking why evil itself intrigues
us, but there's much more to our continued interest in
supervillains than meets the eye.
[5] Not only do Lex Luthor, Dracula and the Red Skull
run unconstrained by conventional morality, they exist
outside the limits of reality itself. Their evil, even at its
most realistic, retains a touch of the unreal.
    But is our fascination with fantastic fiends1
[10] healthy? From a psychological perspective, views vary
on what drives our enduring interest in superhuman bad
guys.
    Shadow confrontation: Psychiatrist Carl Jung
believed we need to confront and understand our own
[15] hidden nature to grow as human beings. Healthy
confrontation with our shadow selves can unearth new
strengths (e.g., Bruce Wayne creating his Dark Knight
persona to fight crime), whereas unhealthy attempts at
confrontation may involve dwelling on or unleashing the
[20] worst parts of ourselves.
    Wish fulfillment: Sigmund Freud viewed human
nature as inherently antisocial, biologically driven by the
undisciplined id's pleasure principle to get what we
want when we want it – born to be bad but held back by
[25] society. Even if the psyche fully develops its ego
(source of self-control) and superego (conscience),
Freudians say the id still dwells2
 underneath, and it
wishes for many selfish things – so it would love to be
supervillainous.
[30]    Hierarchy of needs: Humanistic psychologist
Abraham Maslow held that people who haven't met
their most basic needs will have difficulty maturing. If
starved for food, you're unlikely to feel secure. If
starved for love and companionship, you'll have trouble
[35] building self-esteem. People who dwell on their deficits
may envy and resent others who have more than they
do. Some people who are unable to overcome social
shortcomings fantasize about obtaining any means,
good or bad, to satisfy every need and greed.
[40]    Conditioning: Ivan Pavlov would say we can learn
to associate supervillains with other things we value –
like entertainment, strength, freedom or the heroes
themselves. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner would likely argue
that we can find it reinforcing to watch or read about
[45] supervillains, but without knowing what's reinforcing
about them, that's a bit like saying it's rewarding
because it's rewarding.
    Our Motivations for Seeking Out Supervillains
    Throughout history, humans have been captivated
[50] by stories of heroes facing off against superhuman
foes³. But what specific rewards, needs, wishes and
dark dreams do supervillains satisfy?
    Freedom: Superpowered characters enjoy
freedoms the rest of us don't. Nobody can arrest
[55] Superman unless he lets them (at least not without
kryptonite handcuffs). As much time as supervillains
spend locked up, they seem to escape as often as they
please, to run unconstrained by rules and regulations.
Cosplayers who dress like Wonder Woman and
[60] Captain America can't do any crazy thing that crosses
their minds without seeming to mock and insult our
heroes, whereas those dressed as villains get to go
wild. Supervillainy feels liberating.
    Power: Maybe you envy the power these evil
[65] characters wield⁴ .While that's also a reason to adore
superheroes, good guys don't ache to dominate.
Stories like Watchmen and Kingdom Come show how
heroes become menaces⁵ when they try to take over.
So when dreaming of superpowers, maybe you relate
[70] to characters who dream of power as well, from the
Scarecrow (who controls individuals' fears) to Doctor
Doom (who's perpetually out to dominate the world).
    Better villain than victim: Physiologically, anger
activates us and feels better than anxiety or fear. One
[75] who feels victimized and cannot figure out constructive
ways to stand up, be strong or become heroic might
twist the need for self-assertion into destruction.
Alternately, a healthy person simply might focus on how
all characters assert themselves in any given story.
[80]    Better villain equals better hero: A hero only
appears as heroic as the challenge he or she must
overcome. Great heroes require great villains. Without
supercriminals, the world's finest heroes seem like
overpowered brutes nabbing thugs⁶unworthy of them.
[85] Through myths, legends and lore across time, we have
needed heroes who rise to the occasion, overcome
great odds⁷ and take down giants.
    Facing our fears: Instead of dreading the
darkness, you might reduce that dread by shining a
[90] light and seeing what's out there. Fiction can help us
feel empowered and enlightened without literally
traipsing into mob hangouts⁸and poorly lit alleyways⁹.
    Exploring the unknown: Our need to challenge
the unknown has driven the human race to cover the
[95] globe. This powerful curiosity makes us wonder about
everything that baffles¹⁰ us, including the world's worst
fiends. Knowledge is power, or at least feels like it.
When gritty details repulse us, exploring evil through the
filter of fiction can help us contemplate humanity's
[100] worst without turning away or dwelling almost
voyeuristically on real human tragedy. Even when the
fiction is about improbable people doing impossible
things, the story's fantastic nature reassures us that this
cannot happen – and therefore we don't have to turn
[105] away.
    Supervillains' Ultimate Purpose
    In the end, our interest in supervillains can be
healthy or unhealthy. Even the more maladaptive
reasons for such fascination tend to arise from
[110] motivations that were originally healthy and natural –
frustrated drives that went the wrong way.
    Remember, though, that superheroic fiction
ultimately begins and ends with the heroes. Comic book
writers and artists create supervillains, who move in and
[115] out as guest stars and supporting cast, first and
foremost to reveal how heroic the comics' stars can be. 

(Adapted from https://www.wired.com/2012/07/why-do-supervillainsfascinate-us/)

Glossary:

1. fiend – an evil and cruel person

2. to dwell – remain

3. foe – an enemy

4. to wield – influence, use power

5. menace – threat

6. to nab thugs – arrest criminals

7. odds – probability

8. to traipse into mob hangouts – walk among places where gangs, criminals meet

9. poorly lit alleyways – narrow road or path with little light

10. to baffle – confuse somebody completely