02.07.2026

   

What was the Ouija board originally used for?

English (Speaker A): "Hey, I just wanted to say—that was a remarkably brave presentation. Calling the industry's favorite new software 'a glorified spreadsheet with a budget' took some serious guts, especially with their CEO sitting in the front row."

Russian (Speaker B): "Ой, а я и не заметил, что он там сидел! Хотя, честно говоря, мне всё равно. Кто-то же должен был сказать, что король-то голый. Я Макс, кстати. Тот самый безумец, который только что уничтожил свою карьеру за пятнадцать минут."

English (Speaker A): "I’m Elena. And don't worry, your career is fine. If anything, you just became the most interesting person in this room full of corporate clones. Your point about data privacy was actually spot on, even if it made the sponsors sweat."

Russian (Speaker B): "Приятно познакомиться, Елена. Спасибо, это обнадеживает. Я просто жутко устал от того, что на этих конференциях все ведут себя так, будто мы спасаем мир, хотя мы просто продаем людям очередные подписки. Ты, судя по всему, тоже не фанатка фальшивых улыбок?"

English (Speaker A): "Guilty as charged. I head a UX research team, and my entire job is to figure out why users hate platforms like the one you just roasted. In fact, I’ve been trying to convince my stakeholders to dump that software for months. You just gave me some great ammunition."

Russian (Speaker B): "Рад служить обществу! Слушай, если ты занимаешься UX, то ты наверняка понимаешь мою боль. Они тратят миллионы на маркетинг, но интерфейс выглядит так, будто его создавал обозленный подросток в 2005 году. Как твоя команда вообще с этим справляется?"

English (Speaker A): "With a lot of coffee and a healthy dose of dark humor. Look, a few of us are skipping the remaining afternoon panels to grab a proper lunch and actually talk real strategy. We could use someone with your lack of a filter. Want to tag along?"

Russian (Speaker B): "Звучит как идеальный побег из этого цирка. Я только «за». Только чур никакого фастфуда — после такого стресса мне нужно что-то посущественнее. Веди меня к бунтарям!"

English (Speaker A): "Deal. Let’s head out before the PR team tracks you down for damage control. Drop your phone number or scan my LinkedIn on the way to the elevator—we’re moving fast."

 

In February 1891, advertisements began circulating in North America for ‘Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board’. It promised to answer questions about ‘the past, present and future’ by providing a link ‘between the known and unknown, the material and immaterial.’

The spiritualism craze was well and truly underway by the late 19th century, and the Ouija board emerged as one of the most famous items associated with the paranormal.

Feared by some and mocked by others, the Ouija board has a fascinating history and is still used and celebrated by its cult following to this day.

A timely invention

The original Ouija board design, created around 1890.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Museum of Talking Boards

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The first patented talking board

The emergence of an ‘automatic writing’ form of spiritualism, whereby words are seemingly created by an external force, was not new. The first mention of fuji or ‘planchette writing’ dates to around 1100 AD in historical documents from the Song Dynasty in China. Before the formal invention of the Ouija board, the use of talking boards was so common that by 1886 the news reported the phenomenon taking over spiritualist camps in Ohio.

In 1890, Elijah Bond, a local attorney and entrepreneur in Baltimore, Maryland, decided to capitalise upon the craze, and so he formalised and patented a commercial talking board. The result was a board marked with the letters of the alphabet, as well as the numbers 0-9 and the words ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘good bye’. It also came with a small heart-shaped planchette which was used in seances whenever a spirit wanted to write a message on the board.

To use a Ouija board, a group of people gathers around a table with the board upon it, and each person places their fingers on the planchette. It is then possible to ask questions of the spirit, with the planchette moving to the letters, numbers or words to formulate a response. The board’s design and method remain the same to this day.

A halloween party featuring a Ouija board.

Image Credit: Flikr / simpleinsomnia

Parts of the Ouija board origin story have been debated. For instance, the word ‘ouija’ itself has been reported as being an ancient Egyptian word for ‘good luck’, while a contemporary etymological explanation is that the word is a combination of the French and German for ‘yes’.

However, it is more likely that it comes from Helen Peters, sister of Elijah Bond who reportedly had spiritual powers and was wearing a locket featuring the name ‘Ouija’ while sitting in the patent office.

Skyrocketing popularity

The Kennard Novelty Company began manufacturing Bond’s patented Ouija boards en masse. They became instant money makers. By 1892, the company added another factory in Baltimore, then founded two in New York, two in Chicago and one in London. Marketed somewhere between mystical oracle and family parlour game, some 2,000 Ouija boards were being sold a week.

Over the coming century, the board experienced spikes in popularity during periods of uncertainty. The devastation of World War One and the manic years of the Jazz Age and prohibition prompted a surge in Ouija board purchases, as did the Great Depression.

Over five months in 1944, a single department store in New York sold 50,000 boards. In 1967, which coincided with more American troops being sent to Vietnam, the counter-culture Summer of Love in San Francisco, and race riots in Newark, Detroit, Minneapolis and Milwaukee, over 2 million boards were sold, outselling Monopoly. 

1. According to the text, why did spiritualism become so popular in North America during the late 19th century?

• A) It was heavily promoted by President Lincoln.

• B) People were grieving losses from the Civil War and dealing with high mortality rates.

• C) The concept was entirely new and intrigued the public.

• D) European spiritualists moved en masse to the United States.

2. What does the text state about the origin of "automatic writing" devices?

• A) They were invented by Elijah Bond in 1890.

• B) The idea originated in Europe before moving to Ohio.

• C) Similar concepts date back hundreds of years to China.

• D) They were initially designed exclusively as children's parlor games.

3. The word "Ouija" most likely originated from:

• A) A combination of European words meaning "yes."

• B) An ancient Egyptian phrase for good fortune.

• C) The name of a manufacturing company in Baltimore.

• D) A piece of jewelry worn by the inventor's sister.

4. What pattern did Ouija board sales follow throughout the 20th century?

• A) Sales steadily declined as public interest in the paranormal faded.

• B) Demand consistently peaked during times of social, economic, or political distress.

• C) They were only popular during the Halloween season each year.

• D) Sales remained stagnant until they suddenly outsold Monopoly in 1967.

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Part 2: Vocabulary in Context

Find the words in the text that match the following meanings. The paragraph headings are provided to help you.

1. ____________ (Noun, A timely invention): A temporary fashion, notion, or intense public enthusiasm.

2. ____________ (Verb, The first patented talking board): To take advantage of something or use a situation to make money or gain an advantage.

3. ____________ (Noun, Skyrocketing popularity): Rapid and dramatic increases in value, numbers, or popularity.

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Part 3: Language in Use (Word Formation)

Complete the sentences below by changing the form of the word in BOLD so that it fits grammatically into the context of the history of the Ouija board.

1. In the late 1800s, many viewed communicating with spirits as a HARM ____________ parlor game rather than something sinister.

2. The Kennard Novelty Company found immediate COMMERCE ____________ success when they began producing the boards en masse.

3. The board's history is incredibly FASCINATE ____________, reflecting the changing anxieties of the eras it passed through.

  

   

 

01.07.2026

 

Why you should read fiction

At school, the (1)…………… majority of what we learn is factual. In history lessons we memorise names and dates; in science we have to cope (2)…………… chemical formulas and complex equations; in maths it’s all numbers and signs. It’s only in language lessons where we may (3)…………… fiction. Some people would argue that there’s (4)…………… point in reading something which is ‘made up’. If this is the (5)……………, why do language teachers encourage their students to look at anything (6)…………… from dictionaries and reference materials?

It is because they are (7)…………… of the benefits that reading brings. It isn’t simply because reading fiction helps us (8)…………… reality for a while and switch off from our everyday routines. Reading fiction also teaches us to see the world through other people’s eyes. It (9)…………… us to understand the feelings of others, making us more empathetic. Fiction, in other words, helps us be better friends.

1   A   vast               B   wide                   C   far                     D   high

2   A   for                 B   on                       C   by                      D   with

3   A   come up      B   come across      C   come about    D   come over

4   A   little              B   slight                   C   minimal           D   hardly

5   A   issue             B   matter               C   case                  D   point

6   A   except          B   apart                  C   other                 D   beside

7   A   aware           B   wise                    C   familiar             D   sensitive

8   A   depart           B   miss                    C   escape              D   break

 

 

 

https://share.gemini.google/WXbWzxzu0dNd

English (Speaker A): "Hey, I just wanted to say—that was a remarkably brave presentation. Calling the industry's favorite new software 'a glorified spreadsheet with a budget' took some serious guts, especially with their CEO sitting in the front row."

Russian (Speaker B): "Ой, а я и не заметил, что он там сидел! Хотя, честно говоря, мне всё равно. Кто-то же должен был сказать, что король-то голый. Я Макс, кстати. Тот самый безумец, который только что уничтожил свою карьеру за пятнадцать минут."

English (Speaker A): "I’m Elena. And don't worry, your career is fine. If anything, you just became the most interesting person in this room full of corporate clones. Your point about data privacy was actually spot on, even if it made the sponsors sweat."

Russian (Speaker B): "Приятно познакомиться, Елена. Спасибо, это обнадеживает. Я просто жутко устал от того, что на этих конференциях все ведут себя так, будто мы спасаем мир, хотя мы просто продаем людям очередные подписки. Ты, судя по всему, тоже не фанатка фальшивых улыбок?"

English (Speaker A): "Guilty as charged. I head a UX research team, and my entire job is to figure out why users hate platforms like the one you just roasted. In fact, I’ve been trying to convince my stakeholders to dump that software for months. You just gave me some great ammunition."

Russian (Speaker B): "Рад служить обществу! Слушай, если ты занимаешься UX, то ты наверняка понимаешь мою боль. Они тратят миллионы на маркетинг, но интерфейс выглядит так, будто его создавал обозленный подросток в 2005 году. Как твоя команда вообще с этим справляется?"

English (Speaker A): "With a lot of coffee and a healthy dose of dark humor. Look, a few of us are skipping the remaining afternoon panels to grab a proper lunch and actually talk real strategy. We could use someone with your lack of a filter. Want to tag along?"

Russian (Speaker B): "Звучит как идеальный побег из этого цирка. Я только «за». Только чур никакого фастфуда — после такого стресса мне нужно что-то посущественнее. Веди меня к бунтарям!"

English (Speaker A): "Deal. Let’s head out before the PR team tracks you down for damage control. Drop your phone number or scan my LinkedIn on the way to the elevator—we’re moving fast."

05.06.202

 

  

The Analysis of Fear

Researchers are investigating the processes in the brain that give rise to fear in animals. The results may lead to new ways to treat human anxiety.

Over the years, the majority of people acquire a range of skills for coping with frightening situations. They will attempt to placate a vexed teacher or boss and will shout and run when chased by a hostile stranger. But some individuals become overwhelmed in circumstances others would consider only minimally stressful: fear of ridicule might cause them to shake uncontrollably when called on to speak in a group, or terror of strangers might lead them to hide at home, unable to work or shop for groceries. Why do certain people fall prey to excessive fear?

Ned H. Kahn and Steven E. Shelton at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are addressing this problem by identifying specific brain processes that regulate fear and its associated behaviors. Despite the availability of non-invasive computer imaging techniques, such information is still extremely difficult to obtain in humans. Hence, they have turned their attention to another primate, the rhesus monkey. These animals undergo many of the same physiological and psychological developmental stages that humans do, but in a more compressed time span. As we gain more insight into the nature and operation of neural circuits that modulate fear in monkeys, it should be possible to pinpoint the brain processes that cause inordinate anxiety in people, and to devise new therapies to counteract it. Effective interventions would be particularly valuable if they were applied at an early age, as growing evidence suggests overly fearful youngsters are at high risk of later emotional distress.

When they began their studies two decades ago, Kahn and Shelton knew that they would first have to find cues that elicit fear and identify behaviors that reflect different types of anxiety. With such information in hand, they could then proceed to determine the age at which monkeys begin to match defensive behaviors selectively to specific cues. Finally, by determining the parts of the brain that reach maturity during the same time span, they could gain clues to the regions that underlie the regulation of fear and fear-related behavior.

The experiments were carried out at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kalin and Shelton discerned varied behaviors by exposing monkeys between six and 12 months old to three related situations. In the alone condition, an animal was separated from its mother and left by itself in a cage for ten minutes. In the no-eye-contact condition, a person stood motionless outside the cage and avoided looking at the solitary infant. In the stare condition, a person was again present and motionless but, assuming a neutral expression, peered directly at the animal. These positions are no more frightening than those that primates encounter frequently in the wild, or those that human infants encounter every time they are left at a day-care center.

In the alone condition, most monkeys became very active and emitted frequent gentle 'coo' calls made with pursed lips. More than 40 years ago it was deduced that when an infant monkey is separated from its mother, it yearns to regain the closeness and security provided by nearness to the parent. These responses help to draw the mother's attention. In contrast, in the more frightening no-eye-contact situation, the monkeys reduced their activity greatly and sometimes froze for extended periods of time. When an infant spots a potential predator, its goal shifts from attracting the mother to becoming inconspicuous. Inhibiting motion and freezing are common attempts to achieve this in many species. If the infant perceives that it has been detected, its aim shifts to warding off an attack. So the stare condition evoked a third set of responses. The monkeys made several hostile gestures: barking (forcing air from the abdomen through the vocal cords to emit a harsh, growl-like sound) and staring back. Sometimes the animals mixed the threatening displays with submissive ones, such as fear grimaces, which look something like wary grins, or grinding of teeth.

Having identified three categories of defensive behaviors, Kalin and Shelton set about determining when infant monkeys first begin to apply them effectively. Several lines of work had led them to surmise that the ability to make such choices emerges when an infant is around two months old. To establish the critical period of development, they examined four groups of infant monkeys ranging in age up to 12 weeks old. The babies were separated from their mothers, left to acclimatize to a cage, and then exposed to the alone, no-eye-contact and stare conditions. All sessions were videotaped for analysis. They found that the infants in the youngest group (no more than two weeks old) engaged in defensive behaviors. But they lacked some motor control and seemed to act randomly, as if they had not noticed the human beings that were present. Babies in the two intermediate-age groups had good motor control, but their actions seemed unrelated to the test condition. Only animals in the oldest group (nine- to 12-week olds) conducted themselves differently in each situation, and their reactions were both appropriate and identical to those of mature monkeys. This finding meant motor control was not the prime determinant of selective responding and that nine to 12 weeks is the critical age for the appearance of a monkey's ability to adaptively modulate its defensive activity to meet changing demands.

Questions

1. Questions 27 – 30

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 27-30 on your answer sheet.

27. In the first paragraph, the writer points out that

• A fear and stress are different feelings.

• B most humans develop strategies for dealing with fear.

• C business situations cause more fear than others.

• D some people never experience fear.

28. When discussing the use of rhesus monkeys as experimental subjects, the writer notes that

• A they react more quickly to fear than humans.

• B they are more influenced by fear than humans.

• C their mental growth resembles that of humans.

• D their brains work more slowly than those of humans.

29. Which of the following did Kalin and Shelton outline as the second stage in their research project?

• A the identification of expressions of anxiety in monkeys

• B the identification of situations that arouse stress in monkeys

• C an analysis of brain development in monkeys

• D the study of reactions to fear in monkeys of different ages

30. In the fourth paragraph, the writer notes that the 'three related situations'

• A reflect common experiences for infant humans and monkeys.

• B highlight the similarities between monkey and human infant care.

• C were predicted to cause monkeys more distress than human infants.

• D were graded in terms of their potential effect on young monkeys.

2. Questions 31 – 35

Look at the following responses of monkeys (Questions 31-35) and the list of conditions below. Match each response with the correct condition, A, B or C.

NB: You may use any letter more than once.

• 31. aggressive facial expressions

• 32. prolonged stillness

• 33. a combination of contradictory signals

• 34. appeals for maternal protection

• 35. the production of soft sounds

List of Conditions

• A the alone condition

• B the no-eye-contact condition

• C the stare condition

3. Questions 36 – 40

Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Once they had identified three types of defensive behaviour, Kalin and Shelton grouped the monkeys according to their (36) ................ , in order to discover precisely when they were able to respond appropriately to different fear-related cues. They videotaped their results and found that monkeys as young as (37) ................ reacted to the cues but in a haphazard fashion. The researchers noted that they seemed to be unaware of the (38) ........................ who were around them. Despite demonstrating (39) ......................... , the monkeys in the middle groups failed to react in ways corresponding to the experimental situation. The oldest group, however, reacted in the same way as (40) .............. and the researchers concluded that monkeys are capable of selective responding between nine and 12 weeks old.