The Colorful World of Synesthesia

A. Comprehension
For each item below, fill in the correct circle.

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I. Identifying the Author's Purpose The purpose of the article is to _.
A entertain
® persuade
© educate
® tell a personal story

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Finding the Main Idea The main idea of the reading is:
@ Scientists have just begun studying a sensory condition called
synesthesia.
® People with synesthesia experience a blending of their senses, so some
see sound, smell colors, or taste shapes.
© Synesthesia is an unusual but harmless condition that affects the brain,
and most synesthetes enjoy having the condition
_
.

® Scientists have made some progress in determining the causes of
a sensory condition called synesthesia.

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3. Scanning for Details Most synesthetes _.
A see numbers, letters, and days in specific colors
® taste specific foods when they hear certain kinds of music
© smell specific odors when they touch certain textures
® hear music when they taste certain flavors

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Scanning for Details In a group of 400 people, you can probably find _.
@ one person with synesthesia
® two people with synesthesia
© four people with synesthesia
® six people with synesthesia

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Scanning for Det?Ils Scientists have found that synesthetes who see
numbers in specific colors _.
A always see a number in the same color
® see different colors depending on whether the number is written
or spoken
© don't see colors when numbers are spoken
® see the same colors as other synesthetes

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Scanning for Details A lot of sensory processing happens in __ .
@ nerve fibers
® the cortex
© the axons
@ white matter

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Q/Explain how you imagine the senses you chose would blend. For example,
would you see numbers in certain colors? Would you smell certain odors
when you heard music?

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Therefore, synesthesia literally means "joined perception." Synesthesia can involve any of the senses. The most common form, colored letters and numbers, occurs when someone always sees a certain color in response to a certain letter of the alphabet or number.?Q/Why do you think this combination of senses would be enjoyable? Would
there be any negative consequences of having this combination?my answer/The ability to taste, smell, and touch are important because they help us avoid harm from environmental toxins. The many taste buds on our tongues and inside our mouths allow us to detect six basic taste sensations: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, piquancy, and umami.Q/According to the reading, there are dozens of sensory combinations that
come with synesthesia. The reading also states that most synesthetes
consider their condition to be a gift. What sensory combination do you
think would be the most enjoyable? Check two senses in the list below.D sight D taste D touch
D smell D hearingmy answer/taste and touchComplete each sentence with the correct form of a verb from the box.
stimulate organize identify verify strengthen
I. The cortex ........ the messages that come into our brain so that
we can understand and respond to them.
2. Scientists have ........ that synesthetes who see numbers in color
actually see those colors; they don't just imagine them.
3. In the brains of synesthetes, when something,,,,,,,,,,, one sense,
another sense also responds. For example, when a synesthete sees red,
she might also smell chocolate.
4. Brain scans have.......... the argument that synesthetes really
experience a blending of senses because now scientists have evidence
that multiple parts of the brain respond at once.
5. Scientists have............. a nerve fiber in the brain that carries
messages from cell to cell. They call it "white matter?'A. Analyze the Reading
What can you infer from each of the following statements from the reading?
Fill in the correct circle.
1. "This is just part of the way alphabet letters look to me:, says Duffy. "Until I
was 16, I took it for granted that everyone shared those perceptions with me."
A Duffy probably went to a doctor when she was 16 because she was
afraid of her perceptions.
B Duffy may have told someone about her perceptions when she was 16.
© Before Duffy turned 16, she knew a lot of people who saw letters the
same way she did. my answer/bThis is especially true in a type of nerve fiber, or axon, that carries messages
from brain cell to brain cell. Commonly called "white matter;' these axons
connect different parts of the brain to each other.
@ The scientists who conducted the research on synesthesia made up the
term "white matter:'
® Only synesthetes have white matter in their brains.
© Scientists knew about white matter before they conducted their research
on synesthesia.my answer?/cIn synesthetes who saw colored letters, the scientists found higher levels of
white matter in three different brain regions.
® The scientists expected to find lower levels of white matter in these
regions of the synesthetes' brains.
® The scientists found lower levels of white matter in these regions of the
brains of non-synesthetes.
© Non-synesthetes had no white matter in these regions of their brains.my answer/r