1 Read the definitions. How might having these conditions affect a person’s life?
hyperphantasia (n) – a condition where some people experience extreme mental imagery, visualising images, smells, sounds, etc.
aphantasia (n) – a condition where some people cannot voluntarily visualise images.
Answers Students’ own answers
2 9.5 Listen to two friends talking about apathanasia and hyperphantasia and answer the questions.
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What examples of having apathania and hyperphantasia do they mention?
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What is the woman’s problem and how might she solve it?
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Do you think the solution will work? Say why.
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1 aphantasia: a man not being able to recall his wife’s face; hyperphantasia: work of artists
2 She needs to get some ideas for a short story. She could try relaxing and letting some pictures come into her mind at night.
3 Students’ own answers
3 9.6 Complete the sentences the speakers use to make speculations with 1–3 words in each gap. Listen and check.
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I’m ______ that it ______ affect all sorts of aspects of their lives.
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I ______ that if he’s always had this problem, he ______ to live with it.
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That’s ______ what artists have, wouldn’t you say?
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It ______ that a picture just pops into their brain.
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I ______ that ______ work.
Answers 1 guessing, must 2 would imagine, must have learned 3 probably 4 could be 5 suppose, might
4 Study the Speaking box. Then, in pairs, use the correct phrases to speculate about ...
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the past (e.g. the reasons why your friend did not come to your family party).
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the present (e.g. what some of your friends and family are doing now).
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the future (e.g. results of a test you are waiting for).
Answers Students’ own answers
SPEAKING | Making speculations about the past, present and future
The phrases we use for speculating can usually be used for the past, present and future, with the appropriate grammatical changes.
It might involve / have involved imagining ...
She must be / have been extremely busy ...
It can’t make / have made things any worse ...
I would imagine they’ll decide to / they have decided to ...
There’s always the chance that they’ll / they have ...
It’s highly likely that they’ll / they’ve ...
They may well decide / have decided that ...
I’d say it’s pretty certain that they’ll / they have ...
It’s my guess that they’ll / they have ...
It could be / have been that ...
I’m guessing they must put / have put you in ...
It could well be / have been out of his control ...
My gut feeling is that ...
I presume that would involve ...
5 Work in pairs. Look at the two photos below showing difficult situations. Speculate on what might be happening, what might have led to these situations and what might be done to solve the problems. More photos for making speculations – Student A, go to page 75; Student B, go to page 76.
Answers Students’ own answers
6 In pairs, discuss the questions.
1.How could social media be used to help people with apathania or hyperphantasia?
2.What do you think is the best way to develop a child’s imagination? Should this be the role of a parent or a teacher? Say why.
Answers Students’ own answers
