H5 Exam Training 5/9

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

A new reading of the old sob story

Exam 2018-II
Tekst 5

Quickly skim the text.
What is it about?

What is the point made about Darwin in paragraph 1?

When it came to solving riddles like the one of the peacock's tail, Charles Darwin's powers of evolutionary deduction were second to none ─ the more extravagant their feathered displays, he reasoned, the greater

their chances of attracting a peahen. But when he tried to account for the human propensity to weep, Darwin found himself at a loss and finally came to the conclusion tears do not serve a function. 

What is the point made about Darwin in paragraph 1?

1. He is still admired by other scientists, even though most now disagree with his assumptions.
2. He unravelled several mysteries, but was unable to explain why people cry.
3. He was very good at observing animals, but failed at understanding basic human emotions.

What do the theories mentioned in paragraph 2 have in common?

In this Darwin was almost certainly wrong. In recent decades, scientists

have offered several accounts of how the capacity for tears may have

given early hominids an adaptive advantage. These range from the

aquatic ape theory, according to which tears were an adaptation to

saltwater living, to the notion that by blurring our vision tears may serve as

a "white flag" to potential aggressors ─ a signal that the crier is incapable

of harm. Then there are the straightforward biological theories, such as

the claim that tears evolved to keep the eye moist and free of harmful

bacteria. 

What do the theories mentioned in paragraph 2 have in common?

1. They explore Darwin’s conclusion about crying scientifically.
2. They fail to address the underlying social function of crying.
3. They focus solely on the physical factors that trigger crying.
4. They try to explain crying from an evolutionary perspective

Paragraph 3

But perhaps the theory enjoying the widest currency at the moment is the

notion that tears are a form of social signalling that evolved from

mammalian distress calls ─ a clear visual signal in other words that

someone is in pain or danger and needs help. "Tears are highly symbolic,"

says Ad Vingerhoets, a Dutch psychologist who has spent 20 years

studying why and when we weep. "Crying signals helplessness, especially

during childhood when humans are at their most vulnerable." 

How does paragraph 3 relate to paragraph 2?

A It elaborates on what is said in paragraph 2.

B It highlights what is said in paragraph 2.

C It illustrates what is said in paragraph 2.

D It supports what is said in paragraph 2. 

How does paragraph 3 relate to paragraph 2?

1. It elaborates on what is said in paragraph 2.
2. It highlights what is said in paragraph 2
3. It illustrates what is said in paragraph 2.
4. It supports what is said in paragraph 2.

Paragraph 4

Although crying has been documented in apes, elephants and even

camels, it seems that only humans produce emotional tears, and it is only

in humans that crying behaviours persist into adulthood. The challenge is

to explain why this should be so, given that crying also runs the risk of

signalling our presence to predators. "When animals grow old, most no

longer emit distress signals, presumably because it is too dangerous,"

says Vingerhoets. 

Which of the following fits the gap in paragraph 5? 

In support of his theory Vingerhoets points to the enlarged visual cortex in

humans and old-world primates ─ a structure, he argues, that most

probably evolved to read the nuances of facial musculature and other

strong visual clues, such as tears and blushing. In addition, crying is an

emotional expression that signals appeasement and supplication in adults

─ something that he argues would have been .............. in early human

communities as a means of promoting greater mutual trust and social

connectedness. 

Which of the following fits the gap in paragraph 5?

1. advantageous
2. controversial
3. exceptional
4. irrelevant

Which of the following is not mentioned as a cause of human tears in paragraph 6? 

So far, so fine. But of course crying is not only associated with the human

need for attachment. Tears can also be moral, signifying our sympathy

with an injustice. Moreover, as the cultural historian Thomas Dixon points

out, tears are sometimes associated with joy and ecstasy rather than grief

and sorrow ─ hence the mass emotional displays during the London

Olympics. Sometimes, as when we weep while chopping an onion, tears

may signify nothing at all; at other times they may be an expression of

profound grief or sadness. 

Which of the following is not mentioned as a cause of human tears in paragraph 6?

1. being frustrated
2. doing something unemotional
3. experiencing happiness
4. feeling for those who are wronged

Which of the following fits the gap in paragraph 8?

But while we may prefer to cry in the presence of friends and family, this

need not be the case. As the pious tears shed by monks in contemplation

of God attest, we can also shed tears for distant and highly symbolic

attachment figures. What counts, it seems, is the feeling that our

helplessness is being ............ . 

Which of the following fits the gap in paragraph 8?

1. acknowledged
2. concealed
3. investigated