Name: __________________________________
Main Idea and Text Structure 3

Directions: Read each passage and on a separate sheet of paper…
1.  Write a sentence explaining the main idea of the text
2.  Create a title for the passage related to the main idea.
3.  Put information from the passage into a graphic organizer representing the text structure.

Structures: cause and effect, chronological, compare and contrast, sequence / process writing, problem and solution,  or spatial /descriptive writing.	

1.  You may think it’s bad to forget your homework, but what if you forgot who you were?  Amnesia is a condition where a person loses some of their memories, like details about their personal identity, but still may remember how to do things, like play a piano.  One type of Amnesia is called post-traumatic amnesia.  Post-traumatic amnesia is usually due to a head injury (like a serious fall or knock on the head).  The degree of memory loss may be related to the force of the injury.  A simple whiplash may cause a person to forget the moments before the accident, but a more severe injury may cause a greater loss.  For example, the victim may not remember who certain people are or may forget details about their own identities.    

2.  Ansel Bourne was a preacher, carpenter, and most likely an inspiration for the name “Bourne” in the movie and novel series, “The Bourne Identity.”  Up until 1857, Bourne had been a carpenter, until he was called to religion.  After 1858, he worked as a evangelical preacher, until 1887.  He set up shop in Norristown, Pennsylvania, as a candy maker using the name A.J. Brown.  Three months later, he woke up not knowing where he was, with no memory of the previous months.  The case of Mr. Bourne has fascinated psychologists, and some film makers, for years.

3.  The term “amnesia” refers to complete or partial memory loss.  Almost all of us will experience some form of amnesia in our lives, even if it’s just a simple case of verbal amnesia, like forgetting someone’s name.  Fortunately, there are things that you can do to prevent amnesia.  Here is a list of foods that you can eat to improve your memory: almonds, walnuts, bananas, honey, apples, and black pepper.  Though these foods may not reverse post-traumatic amnesia, they should improve your memory in daily life if you eat them regularly enough. 

4.  What do “Finding Nemo” and “Robocop” have in common?  Not much, except that they both feature characters that suffer amnesia.  Amnesia is a common plot device in movies and TV shows, but how accurate are these depictions?  In television and movies, memory loss caused by a knock to the head (post-traumatic amnesia) is shown as fairly common, when it is actually quite rare.  Unlike in movies and television shows that feature amnesia, most knocks to the head will not produce memory loss.  In reality, memory loss or amnesia is much more likely to occur as the result of a stroke, brain infection, or brain surgery.  So while amnesia causes people or characters to lose memories in both film and reality, characters are usually “fixed” by taking another knock to the head.  In reality, people are not cured so simply.

5.  What would you do if you awoke one day and discovered that you could not create new memories?  You might remember everything that occurred in your life up to the point of an injury, but could not form new memories beyond that.  This condition is called “anterograde amnesia,” and it is difficult to treat, but doctors and therapists recommend these steps: first, use technology to help.  A cell phone with a calendar reminder can do much to offset this condition.  Second, use helpers.  Having people to assist with daily tasks, like paying bills, will prove quite helpful.  Lastly, seek therapy.  While there is no cure for anterograde amnesia, memory training may help the afflicted live a more normal life.  Currently, there are no chemical medications or drugs that will alleviate this condition.

6.  The brain is the most complicated system in the human body.  The brain is separated into two hemispheres or halves.  From front to back, the brain is further divided into three parts: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain.  The forebrain is where most reasoning, thinking, and emotional activity occur.  It is also where most memories are stored.  The midbrain controls reflexes and processes sensory information (sight, touch, taste, etc.)  The hindbrain processes basic survival functions, like breathing and maintaining a heartbeat.  The brain is truly the most amazing system in the human body.