The limits of human memory
Starting Point. Discuss the questions below.
- Do you have a good memory for faces, names or dates?
- What are some of your most vivid memories of your childhood?
- Can you recite a poem, song or speech from memory?
- What is the most significant moment or event that will remain in your memory forever?
- What is the earliest memory you can recall?
- Can you recollect the name of your biology teacher from school?
- Can you recall what the weather was like last Friday?
- Do you remember what you ate for breakfast last weekend?
- Do you remember what day Valentine’s Day was last year?
Look at the words ‘remember’, ‘remind’, ‘recall’, and ‘recollect’. Can you work out their meaning and how to use them?
Focus on Vocabulary. Match the words with the correct meaning.
Focus on Comprehension. Answer the questions below about the video.
Focus on Listening. Watch the video. Read the transcript below if necessary.
Answers
a) What is Marilu Henner famous for?
Starring in a 1970s sitcom called Taxi and remembering everything!
b) How many people in the world have superior autobiographical memory (as of 2018)? 10
c) What is superior autobiographical memory compared to, in terms of how it works?
Google Search
d) How does Marilu describe how her memory works?
She compares it to ‘selected scenes’ on a DVD and says that when she hears a date, she imagines a year organized in a timeline and sees the whole calendar of that year.
Focus on Speaking.Â
Would you like to have an impressive memory like Marilu Henner?
If you had an impressive memory, how would you use it?
Would it be more interesting to remember all of your personal events or all of the major public events?
Some of the people who have superior autobiographical memory say that it is a blessing and a curse. What might be the disadvantages of being able to remember every single moment of one’s life?
Do you think that thanks to people who have that ability we might be able to unlock some mysteries we still don’t understand about the human brain?
