WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE ?

warm-up: Write down three adjectives that describe yourself and three different adjectives that describe an opposite-sex friend or family member.

Discuss with your partner: In what ways do males and females think and act differently? Do you think boys and girls are born different, or taught to be different? Do you think most people have set ideas (stereotypes) about male and female characteristics?

Men or Women? aggressivetactfulvengeful ambitiousforgivingdominating dependentunemotionallogical directcaringcritical gentlecompetitive self-centeredcooperative self-confidentsupportive self-promoting self-conscious

Do you think men or women are... more worried about their health? likely to remember the wrongdoing? more satisfied with their performance? better at remembering more symbolic and spatial things ( better at finding directions)? better at fixing a car/fixing friendships? more self-assured?

Let’s have a look at some interesting research findings about differences between men and women… ?

Women have a more acute sense of hearing and smell than men. Women claim to be far happier than men with their lives. Women express greater concern about family-life issues, while men express more concern about political issues. Men are more optimistic about their own future and that of their children.

A study found that men have more neural connectivity from the front to back of their brains and within each of the hemisphere than women. Theoretically, this means their brains are more adapted towards tasks involving perception and coordinated actions. Women, on the other hand, have more wiring between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, making them more adept at communicating, analyzing and having better intuition.

MALES AND FEMALES Vocabulary in Context

resounding (adj)

resounding (adj.): earsplitting, loud. The car hit the wall with a resounding crash.

come up with (phrasal verb)

come up with (phr v.): discover The boss asked us to come up with new ideas.

overall (adj. )

overall (adv): in total, in general. What will this holiday cost, overall? There will be winners in each of three age groups, and one overall winner.

make one’s point (v.)

to make one’s point: present thoughts or assert ideas or opinions He made his point that persuading him to come would not be easy.

spatial (adj.)

spatial (adj): relating to space/direction. Males’ spatial abilities are better than women’s so that they are better at finding directions.

status (noun)

status (n): rank, position (marital status/financial status) Doctors are considered to have a high social status.

adversarial (adj.)

adversarial (adj): negative, hostile, competitive, opposing. The parties in Parliament are very adversarial. They object to each other’s ideas.

put-downs (noun)

put-downs (n): smt. you say to make smb. feel stupid or unimportant, a remark intended to humiliate or embarrass someone She was tired of her husband’s put-downs and she divorced him.

to bring about (phr. verb)

bring about (phrasal verb): to cause to happen, result in, lead to. The new President must bring about a change in the health care system.

internet posting: open comments on the internet

compound adjectives self-confident: self-assured self-centered:selfish, egocentric self-conscious: shy, embarrassed self-employed: s/o who is his/her own boss self-sufficient: one who can supply his/her own needs much-appreciated: valued highly bright-colored, bright-eyed

FOCUS QUESTIONS 1. What are some differences between girl and boy babies? 2. Who talks more-men or women? 2. Who is more vengeful and less forgiving? 3. What are some ways in which men and women use communication differently?

DISCUSSION QUESTION Do you agree with the conclusions in the reading?

Thank you for being interested and attentive… See you next week…