Summary: ACADEMIC WORD Simulate means to to create a situation which has the main features of a real situation, in order to understand or experience it. Simulations are often used in training, because it’s too expensive or dangerous to expose trainees to the real situations they need to be able to deal with. So, for example, when pilots are learning how to fly planes, they spend many hours in a flight simulator, which allows them to experience different simulations of taking off, landing, dealing with emergencies etc. Computer simulations are very commonly used in order to test economic or scientific models. TEST Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? All managers participated in an emergency response training day which included simulations of two major incidents on campus. The laboratory results need to be confirmed through a real-life simulation in naturalistic conditions. The engineering department uses state-of-the-art crash simulation equipment to test its prototypes to industry standards. The program allows for dynamic, three-dimensional simulations of the operating environment, allowing engineers to identify design issues at the earliest stage. PRACTICE What are the limitations of simulations as training exercises? What models are used in your subject area to simulate the behaviour of systems in the real world? KIWI QUIZ In which of these regions of New Zealand can you visit Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers? Northland / Southland / West Coast VIDEO 1) Why were the brains of ancestors of modern humans less able to simulate future situations? They were too small They lacked a certain structure They were unable to visualise 2) The example of a disgusting ice-cream flavour shows the _________ of humans’ ability to simulate experiences. limitations effectiveness strangeness 3) The example of lottery winners and paraplegics (people with physical disabilities, for instance, as the result of a serious accident) shows the _________ of humans’ ability to simulate experiences. limitations effectiveness strangeness 4) In our simulations, we tend to __________ the impact of future events on our happiness. predict exaggerate minimise 5) Dan Gilbert gives four examples of newspaper interviews to show how people are able to feel happy despite ________ misfortune fame depression 6) According to Dan Gilbert, synthetic happiness is thought to be inferior to ‘natural happiness’ because _______ it is associated with Zen Buddhism it depends on economic benefits it is non-materialistic 7) The ‘free choice’ experiment (in which participants are asked to rank Monet prints, choose one and then rank them again two weeks later) shows how people tend to _______ feel their choice was the best of all develop a strong dislike for the item they rejected feel a stronger preference for their choice 8) What was interesting about the results of the same experiment with participants who have lost their short-termmemory? They also felt more positive about the print they had previously chosen They could not remember which print they had chosen They were unable to express any preference regarding the print 9) Dan Gilbert describes synthetic happiness (our ability to simulate feelings of happiness even when our situation has not become objectively better) as our psychological __________ system. immune cognitive selective 10) The experiment in which participants had to choose one photo to keep showed that those who were not allowed to change their minds were ______ satisfied with their photo. more equally less 11) Most people express preferences for situations where they will ______ be happier have freedom of choice make an irreversible decision 12) Dan Gilbert agrees with Adam Smith that people should avoid ______ simulating either pain or(continued)
