TASK II: GAP-FILLING
1 Biology
M: I want to talk about the [………………………………]behavior of sharks, which, due to some new study [………………………………], we’ve been able to learn a lot more about recently. You know, with all the new data that’s been collected, marine [………………………………]are starting to see that what we thought we knew about hunting behavior in [………………………………]was completely wrong. See, for a long time, [………………………………]thought that sharks were [………………………………]hunters, like the [………………………………]. But as it turns out, sharks might actually be group hunters, like [………………………………]. Let’s look at some of the evidence.
OK, so let me begin by explaining the [………………………………]a little bit, if only to take some time to appreciate what these [………………………………]biologists did in the name of science. So basically, a group of scientists took a little boat to Cocos Island, an area in the Pacific Ocean that’s about [………………………………]off the coast of Costa Rica. Let me just point out, this is, uh, this is one of the most [………………………………]and [………………………………]marine environments left on Earth. It also happens to be the [………………………………]grounds for many different kinds of sharks, making it a perfect place for scientists to learn about sharks. Anyway, since the scientists were trying to learn about the hunting patterns of the sharks, they had to make the sharks hunt. So they put out bait to bring the sharks to them.
It might sound [………………………………], and they certainly did put themselves in [………………………………]danger, but by doing this, they were able to witness [………………………………]how sharks strike. So what exactly did they [………………………………]? One thing they noticed was that after they had [………………………………]released the bait, a single shark would first make its way toward the boat and begin feeding. In a matter of [………………………………]moments, though, the [………………………………]would be completely [………………………………]by sharks. What does this tell scientists? Well, that the other sharks appeared after the first one [………………………………]led them to believe that sharks probably have some way of communicating with other sharks to [………………………………]them that food has been found. And in fact, marine biologists know that sharks have extremely [………………………………]hearing, but they haven’t completely [………………………………]how it is that they send messages to each other.
Moving on now—OK, while this was happening, scientists also [………………………………]that the group was [………………………………]of sharks of [………………………………]age groups and genders. So, there were male sharks, female sharks, baby sharks, adult sharks, and everything in between. Marine biologists [………………………………]that shark hunting groups are usually made up of sharks that are [………………………………]to each other. Furthermore, they [………………………………]that sometimes, the older sharks would hold back some, letting the younger sharks have first [………………………………]on the prey. This sort of suggests that the older sharks were allowing the [………………………………]ones to gain some experience and learn how to hunt. Is that interesting or what?
Any questions? Good. As all these sharks were coming up to the boat, the [………………………………]placed tracking devices on many of them. This, of course, let them observe their hunting [………………………………]away from the boat, which gives them a more, I don’t know, [………………………………]view into the hunting behavior of sharks. And when they went back and looked at what the sharks were doing out there in open water, they were [………………………………]. Time and time again, they [………………………………]the sharks displaying the same behavior as they did around the boat. First one shark would [………………………………], then the prey would be surrounded by an [………………………………]pack of sharks. Interestingly, their hunting patterns seemed to [………………………………]a series of attacks that drove their prey into [………………………………]in which they couldn’t [………………………………]themselves. In one instance, they found [………………………………]of whale carcasses washed up on [………………………………]. Going over their tracking data, they found that the area had recently been visited by the same pack of sharks that they had [………………………………]earlier. They concluded that they had taken advantage of the [………………………………]unfamiliarity with the region and struck in a series of surprise attacks. The whales were easily [………………………………]and were cornered into an area, where the sharks had their feeding [………………………………].
2 History
W: Like most of the cities in Italy, [………………………………]has a rich history. In modern times, it’s mostly known for the [………………………………]that link the entire city together as roads do in most other places. But in the past, Venice was a powerful [………………………………]. As with Rome, it was . . . well, it definitely was not built in one day; in fact, the rise of the Venetian Republic was an [………………………………]process that took about [………………………………]. We can analyze the success of the Venetian Republic in terms of [………………………………]of many arenas. However, by examining the growth of trade over the course of Venetian history, the link between [………………………………]power and trade become pretty [………………………………].
So let’s do that… Let’s begin in the 10th century, when the threat of Norman [………………………………]was looming and challenged Venetian trade [………………………………]. See, Norman invasion would have obviously meant the loss of [………………………………], but the Venetians were equally concerned with [………………………………]their connections to the south. Think for a moment about where Venice is geographically: it’s located in the [………………………………]land in northern Italy, where it hugs the [………………………………]of the Adriatic Sea. This position gave them easy [………………………………]to some places, •- but in order to maintain their [………………………………]with the republics closer to the [………………………………]coast, it was [………………………………]for them to knock out the Norman threat. And that’s exactly what they did.
In defeating the Normans, Venice also gained a friend in the Byzantine [………………………………]. Alexius, who very much appreciated their help in helping defend Byzantine. Alexius I granted Venice [………………………………]trading rights throughout the Byzantine Empire. Do you all understand the [………………………………]of that? It essentially allowed the Venetians to build a [………………………………]. But the friendliness pretty much [………………………………]as Venice became increasingly [………………………………]toward Byzantine ports.
I don’t want to make it seem like it was all Venice here, though. To be fair, I think it’s safe to say that the Byzantine [………………………………]also recognized how [………………………………]Venice was becoming. And the more money Venice made, the greater the threat they [………………………………]to the Byzantine Empire. Anyway, the rising tension with the Byzantine Empire led to a series of [………………………………]strikes that brought the Venetian-Byzantine trade [………………………………]to an end.
The [………………………………]between the Venetians and the Byzantines was an on-going [………………………………], but in [………………………………], it reappeared with a dangerous new facet. This time, the Byzantines had the help of the Genoese. And with the help of the [………………………………], the Byzantines recovered their land in [………………………………]. And while the Venetians were now shut out of Byzantine trade, Genoa now had [………………………………]to the Black Sea markets. Can vou understand how big of a blow this was to the Venetians? Remember, the Venetian [………………………………]had built a monopoly by this time, and by being [………………………………], they lost a lot of money.
Additionally, now there wasn’t just the problem of the Byzantines, but also of the [………………………………]. I think at this point, we see that the Venetians [………………………………]their focus from fighting the Byzantines to fighting the Genoese. And this makes [………………………………]if you think about it, because for the Venetians, it was always about trade rights. And after the Genoese [………………………………]themselves with the Byzantines and [………………………………]all these [………………………………], they were also the main [………………………………]. Is everyone still following?
OK, let’s move on to the 14″1 century, which is when, according to most [………………………………], Venice reached the [………………………………], er it’s uh, height of its power. The [………………………………] was a difficult period throughout all of Italy—people were at war with each other just about everywhere. Venice got [………………………………]with some of that, but realty, the focus of their [………………………………]was as it had been for years before, with Genoa. By this time, Genoa and Venice have been at each other’s [………………………………]for what, like a hundred years. The fighting took a toll on both sides. It was making them both lose money, and I think that they both finally just got tired of [………………………………]and called a truce in [………………………………]. Venice got a better deal in the peace [………………………………]because they pretty much got control of all the sea [………………………………], plus they were able to focus on [………………………………]to all the territory that they had gained over the years.
3 Service Encounter
W: Hi, I’m Elaine. I made an [………………………………]to speak with a Financial Aid [………………………………].
M: Hi, Elaine. I’m Frank. Why don’t you take a seat and we can talk?
W: Thanks so much. Well, the reason I’m here is because I’m having trouble paying for school. I don’t [………………………………]have a problem with my financial aid [………………………………]… as far as I can tell, it’s pretty fair according to the information I was sent. It’s mostly just that some new [………………………………]cropped up, and I have no idea how I’m going to pay for them?
M: OK, well, you’re right. At least in terms of what we’ve got on file about your [………………………………]. Do you mind if ! ask What [………………………………]you’re having to deal with now?
W: It’s just one thing actually, but it’s huge. See, my laptop got [………………………………]. I know I can use the [………………………………]computers, but I’m sure you understand what an [………………………………]that is, especially since the library closes at [………………………………]. Although I would love for it to be the case, I’m rarely done by midnight. It doesn’t work that way for computer science [………………………………].
M: Of course. There’s a reason why the university [………………………………]all students to have a [………………………………]computer. The libraries are there for convenience, but with everything running off the [………………………………]server now, it’s pretty [………………………………]to ask students to perform without a computer of their own. The good part is that there’s actually a program we have to help students buy a computer. The first thing I want to ask you is how you bought your old laptop.
W: Oh, that thing. My older sister gave it to me when she [………………………………]from college. It was, like, seven years old.
M: Good, because the program only applies for the [………………………………]of one computer.
W: Oh, OK, so I qualify, then. Can you tell me more?
M: Well, basically, it’s a loan, but you don’t have to start paying it back until you graduate. Also, the university has a [………………………………]with Babbage Computers, so our students get a really good [………………………………].
W: That’s awesome! Really, that’s exactly what I need. So, how do I sign up for this?
M: The first step is to order the computer. You go to the company’s website, it’s [………………………………]. You pick out the computer you want and when it asks you to pay, you enter the school name. That’s going to give you the [………………………………]price. Since you need the loan to pay for it, you have to print out the page that has the price and [………………………………]it, along with a completed Computer [………………………………]Program form, here, at the Office of Financial Ad.
W: That sounds kind of complicated. You wouldn’t happen to have a [………………………………]Instruction sheet or something? I just don’t want to forget any steps. I need to get a [………………………………]as soon as possible.
M: Of course, all the information is in this packet, along with the Computer Purchase Program form.
W: You’ve been such a great help. Thanks!
4 Philosophy
M: I don’t think there’s any way we can study [………………………………]and not discuss [………………………………]and his very famous student Plato. You all are probably at least [………………………………]familiar with their [………………………………], whether you know it or not. The truth is that these, uh, these two ancient Greek philosophers [………………………………]so many important questions that are still discussed today, even outside of the philosophical [………………………………]. So anyway, what I want to do today is kind of put [………………………………]and Plato side by side and talk about which points they agreed [………………………………]and where their philosophies [………………………………]. Do you all know what the Socratic Method is? Yeah, Mary, go ahead.
W: The Socratic Method is a form of [………………………………], um, questioning that Socrates is famous for using. I mean, I guess he would ask his [………………………………]a series of questions, and in the course of the conversation, expose the problems with their [………………………………].
M: That’s right. Now, the reason that I bring up the Socratic Method is to show how he put his views about [………………………………]on the table for discussion and [………………………………]. If you read the materials I passed out during the last session, you know that Socrates talks about [………………………………]a lot. And when Socrates talks about virtue, what exactly is he [………………………………]to? It’s goodness, it’s moral [………………………………], it’s… well, it’s ethics. Anyway, according to Socrates, virtue was something that could be known, and if someone [………………………………]knew what virtue was, it would stand up to the Socratic Method. More importantly, by knowing [………………………………], one becomes [………………………………]. Do you all understand so far?
W: Um, I’m a little confused. I don’t really understand what you mean when you talk about knowing virtue?
M: All right, think back to the [………………………………]that Socrates placed on educating [………………………………]as the road to [………………………………]. At the very beginning of the road is [………………………………], and remember that he thought that ignorance of virtue in particular was why people did bad things. At the end of that road is goodness, and virtue is closety [………………………………]to that. But really, the thing to focus on here is the idea that by being [………………………………]of what virtue is, one is virtuous. This is really the part that [………………………………]to ethics, because ethics is [………………………………]the study of what is right and wrong, and why people behave the way they do in relation to the ideas of right and wrong.
His take on it seems [………………………………]to modern readers, especially because his [………………………………]lacks the element of [………………………………]. The reason I mention that is because self-interest is a huge part of the way modern [………………………………]deals with ethics; that is, many modem philosophers [………………………………]that the reason people do bad things is not because they are [………………………………]or don’t know what it is to be good. Rather, at least some part of their bad [………………………………]is caused by the desire to benefit themselves [………………………………]. But like I said, the notion of self-interest wasn’t really [………………………………]in Ancient Greece. That’s one of the things that Socrates and Plato had in common.
With that said, why don’t we talk about Ratos take on ethics? Let’s see, well, as a student of Socrates, Plato was [………………………………]influenced a lot by him. In fact, most of his work was written as [………………………………]between Socrates and his opponents, so in that way, he kind of carried on the [………………………………]of the Socratic Method. But I think you’ll see that Plato’s ideas about ethics were a little more [………………………………]than those of Socrates. Plato thought that [………………………………]was an objective form, meaning that it was a more general thing that remained the same even in different [………………………………]or situations. Any questions?
W: How do Plato’s ideas about there being some sort of [………………………………]form of goodness explain why someone should choose to be good, though?
M: Well, you have to go a little further than that. In really simple terms, Plato thought that if a person [………………………………]justly, their soul would be [………………………………]and bring the person great happiness. So, to answer your question, the [………………………………]to be good and just is to be happy.