Discussion Starters

Phobias
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What are some common fears that people have?

2. What are you afraid of?

B. Ranking

Rank the following items in order from the scariest (1)

to the least scary (6). Compare your answers with a partner.

Public speaking Heights

Dentists Needles

Spiders Snakes

C. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. cause a) about, more or less

2. anxiety b) a person with special knowledge

3. medical treatment c) a time when two or more people are together

4. social situation d) something that happens to you when you are young

5. population e) closed in on all sides often without an accessible exit

6. childhood experience f) stress and fear

7. expert g) in all parts of the world

8. approximately h) to make something happen

9. worldwide i) the number of people who live in a place

10. enclosed j) care given to people who are sick or injured

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 Phobias
Discussion Starters

Reading
PHOBIAS IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD

1. A phobia is a strong fear of an object or situation. Phobias often cause

anxiety, and they can make it difficult for some people to do everyday
activities. Between 15 and 20% of people have a phobia at some point
in their lives. Common phobias include a fear of animals, the natural
environment, medical treatment, and social situations.

2. Fear of animals

One in every 20 people has a fear of dogs. About 3% of people have a

phobia of snakes, and up to 6% of the world’s population has a phobia
of spiders.

3. Fear of the natural environment

It is common for young children to have a fear of the dark. Around 6.5
million people in the US have a fear of lightning and thunderstorms.
One in 50 Americans has aquaphobia, which is a fear of water. This
phobia often develops after a childhood experience like an accident
in a lake or ocean.

4. Fear of medical treatment

Experts say that around 25% of Americans have a fear of needles.

Between 5 and 10% of people around the world have a phobia of
dentists, and up to 4% of people have a phobia of blood.

5. Fear of certain situations

Approximately 7% of Americans have a fear of public speaking.

Around 1% of people worldwide have agoraphobia—a phobia that
makes people anxious in many different situations such as being
outside or traveling on buses and trains. Other situational phobias
include a fear of heights, a fear of flying, and a fear of enclosed spaces.

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 Phobias
Discussion Starters

Comprehension
A. True or False?

Read the statements below.

If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence.
If it is false, write F and correct the information in your notebook.

1. About 5% of people have a fear of dogs.

2. More people around the world fear snakes than fear spiders.

3. Agoraphobia is a fear of water.

4. About half of Americans are scared of needles.

5. More people fear the dentist than fear blood.

6. More people fear traveling on buses than speaking in public.

B. Scanning for Information

Scan the article to match the sentence halves.

Each sentence contains a statistic about phobias.

1. Between 15 and 20% of people a) has a fear of dogs.

2. Up to 6% of the world’s population b) have a fear of lightning and thunderstorms.

3. Around 6.5 million people in the US c) have a fear of needles.

4. One in every 20 people d) have a fear of public speaking.

5. Between 5 and 10% of people
e) has a phobia of spiders.
around the world
f) have a phobia at some point in their lives.
6. About 3% of people
g) have a phobia of snakes.
7. Around 25% of Americans

8. Around 1% of people worldwide h) has a phobia of water.

9. One in 50 Americans i) have a phobia of dentists.

10. Up to 4% of people j) have agoraphobia.

11. Around 7% of Americans k) have a phobia of blood.

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 Phobias
Discussion Starters

Vocabulary Building
A. Chart

Read the clues in the chart. Then search for the words or phrases in the
reading that go with each clue. Some examples are given.

# Clue Word/Phrase

1 a word that means “a strong fear” •

• include
words and phrases used to
2 •
introduce examples
•

• about
words and phrases that mean “close to,
3 •
but not exactly”
•

4 a phrase meaning “no more than this amount” •

•
5 phrases similar to “people around the world”
•

B. Your Turn

Write sentences using each word or phrase from Part A in your notebook.

Examples:

•  bout 40% of people in this class are male.

A
• My favorite animals include koalas and pandas.

Discussion
1. Which information in the reading did you find the 3. What other fears or phobias have you heard of?
most surprising? Why?
4. What are some possible ways to cure phobias?
2. In your opinion, which phobia mentioned in the
reading would be the most difficult to live with?
Why?

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