B2 – Upper Intermediate
Traumatic childhood events can linger in our minds even through adulthood. These traumatic events such as physical and mental abuse, a serious unfortunate accident or a natural disaster may scar children for the rest of their lives. Recently, AI was used to reassess the effects of childhood trauma on the human brain.
Let’s read the article and find out more about this AI brain study.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-68424853
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does the idiom “to win/hit the jackpot” mean? “Valerie always wondered why she reacted to situations differently to other people, and said this research was “like winning the jackpot.” Give example sentence using this expression.
- What does “to mean something to someone” mean in this context? “Kari, who was sexually abused as a child, said she had “no words to describe what [the research] means to me“.” Use it in a sentence.
- Define “brain rewiring“. “It brings hope because the right treatments can help to reverse that brain rewiring.” Use it in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- According to the study, how does childhood trauma change the brain?
- What are the long-term effects and physical symptoms associated with childhood trauma?
- What coping mechanisms are used to manage the aftermath of childhood trauma?
- How does this study help people who are dealing with childhood trauma?