The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
Choose the alternative that correctly identifies the verb tense that is being used in the following fragment of the text: “Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years [...]” (1st paragraph).
The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
Read the following sentence taken from the text: “But why start telling stories in the first place?” (3rd paragraph).
Now, choose the only alternative which classifies one of these words correctly and gives it an adequate synonym.
The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
Read the following excerpts taken from the text, while also paying attention to the underlined pronouns:
I. “[…] a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey […]” (1st paragraph).
II. “Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing.” (1st paragraph).
III. “[…] much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world.” (1st paragraph).
IV. “When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative […]” (2nd paragraph).
Now, choose the alternative which correctly correlates each underlined pronoun to the element that they are referring to.
The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
Read the following sentence taken from the text: “Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world.” (4th paragraph).
Now, choose the alternative that most accurately describes the meaning of the underlined idiom.
The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
The following sentence taken from the text is in the passive voice: “In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen.” (2nd paragraph).
Choose the alternative with the only plausible adaptation of the underlined fragment into the active voice.
The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling
Why, throughout human history, have people been so drawn to fiction?
By Cody C. Delistraty
The oldest story in the world is “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and it has all the trappings of a modern story: a protagonist who goes on an arduous journey, a romance with a seductive woman, a redemptive arc, and a full cast of supporting characters. Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years, sharing them orally even before the invention of writing. In one way or another, much of people’s lives are spent telling stories, which can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving.
In a 1944 study conducted at Smith College, 34 students were shown a short film in which two triangles and a circle moved across the screen and a rectangle remained stationary on one side of the screen. When asked what they saw, 33 of the 34 students anthropomorphized the shapes and created a narrative: The circle was “worried,” the “little triangle” was an “innocent young thing,” the big triangle was “blinded by rage and frustration.” Only one student recorded that all he saw were geometric shapes on a screen.
But why start telling stories in the first place? One theory is that storytelling could be an evolutionary mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive. The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts. For instance, if I were to say, “There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,” it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, “My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there.” A narrative works off of both data and emotions, which is significantly more effective in engaging a listener than data alone.
The value humans place on narrative is made clear in the high esteem given to storytellers. Authors, actors, directors—people who spin narratives for a living are some of the most famous people in the world. Stories are a form of escapism, but there seems to be something more at play. Perhaps the real reason that we tell stories again and again—and endlessly praise our greatest storytellers—is because humans want to be a part of a shared history.
Adapted from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/thepsychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/. Access in: 17 June 2022.
Read the following two sentences taken from the text:
I. “The theory is that if I tell you a story about how to survive, you’ll be more likely to actually survive than if I just give you facts.”
II. “[…] if I were to say, ‘There’s an animal near that tree, so don’t go over there,’ it would not be as effective as if I were to tell you, ‘My cousin was eaten by a malicious, scary creature that lurks around that tree, so don’t go over there’.”
Sentences I and II are, respectively, in: