Calling All Eccentrics

Do you live in a cave, sleep on the floor or live entirely on potatoes? If so, then an American doctor would like to hear from you.

According to psychologist Dr David Weeks, many Americans believe that all British people are eccentrics. So, two years ago, he began a study to find out more. He advertised in Britain for eccentrics to contact him. So far, he has examined 130 of the 200 people who answered.

According to popular belief, eccentrics are wealthy people who can afford or indulge their eccentricities on a grand scale. But nowadays eccentrics are just as likely to work at ordinary jobs. One man, for example, works in a bank from 9 to 5, but in his spare time carries a bow and arrow and thinks of his home as a leafy corner of Sherwood Forest. He has officially changed his name to Robin Hood, the name of the legendary British outlaw who lived there in the twelfth century. Another eccentric is a social worker but lives in a cave and does long charity walks wearing pyjamas. A third spends all his time in bed and a fourth lives only on potatoes.

Dr Weeks has found that such oddballs have certain features in common, they are often eldest children raised in strict homes.

Many have strange eating or sleeping habits and, although frequently impatient with other people, are generally uncompetitive and hate sports. They are poor conversationalists, but are often highly educated and read far more than ordinary people. They are often creative and inventive, especially in the scientific field. Not surprising eccentrics tend to live alone and they are more likely to be men. They outnumber women by two to one.

If you are an eccentric, you can take heart from Dr Week’s study. Eccentrics are less likely to be mentally ill than more conventional people and, in his view, provide some harmless, welcome relief from ordinary people. But different societies treat their eccentrics differently, so Dr Weeks has now started a new study into American eccentrics.

Elizabeth Burke. From “BBC English”

The Joys of Eccentricity

Alan loves potatoes. He talks about them endlessly; he eats little else. He has travelled to Peru and Bolivia to study their origins and has written a doctoral dissertation on them. Ann’s passion are gnomes: she has put more than a thousand plaster and concrete gnomes in the woodland around her home in Devon. John’s passion is giant pandas. To raise money for their preservation he walked over Great Britain in pyjamas and bare feet.

But in Britain eccentricity is tolerated. It even became the subject of a scientific study. Psychologists found that eccentrics are more intelligent, more creative, healthier, happier and they live longer than most people. Eccentricity often begins in childhood and may even be inherited. The Prince of Wales is eccentric: he believes in holistic medicine and chats with plants. One of his relatives kept a boa constrictor as a pet and had to walk on crutches because his toenails were 10 inches long. He spent millions building in the Mexican jungle strange buildings and bridges that went nowhere and doors that opened onto blank walls. But eccentric were also Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Thomas Edison. The true eccentric’s hallmark is curiosity. Are you one, too?

“American English”

Post-Reading

A Complete the following sentences with the right variant.

1) Dr. Weeks began his study ....................................................... .

a) to contact as many eccentrics as he could.

b) to check what he knew about eccentrics.

c) to get some new pen pals.

d) to learn more information about this sort of people.

2) Many eccentrics ........................................................................ .

1. are quite sociable people.

2. are keen on reading.

3. hate living alone.

4. are often likely to be mentally ill.

3) People become eccentrics because they ................................... .

1. may be born like that.

2. were brought up in big families.

3. can afford to indulge their eccentricities.

d) hate sports and are uncompetitive.

4) In Dr. Week’s view eccentrics ................................................. .

1. are less harmful than conventional people.

2. should be treated differently from other people.

3. provide a welcome variety of human nature.

4. can hardly be a subject of scientific study.

B Say if the following statements are true or false.

1. Eccentrics are not likely to work at ordinary jobs.

2. Eccentrics have certain features in common.

3. All scientists, as a rule, are eccentrics.

4. Eccentrics are often eldest children brought up in strict homes.

5. Different societies treat their eccentrics in a similar way.

6. Eccentric women outnumber men by two to one.

7. The British seem to be tolerant to eccentrics.

8. Psychologists have found that eccentrics are more intelligent, more creative, healthier, happier and live longer than most people.

9. The true eccentric’s hallmark is the lack of interest to what surrounds them.

C Different societies (primitive, underdeveloped, civilized) treat their eccentrics differently. Comment on this statement.

D Can you give any example of eccentric behaviour from your life experience (people whom you have met in your life)?

Text 3

Pre-Reading

A What distinctive features of the English character can you name?

B. Give synonymous words or expressions for the phrase ‘to be nuts’, which is a colloquial variant for ‘mad’. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

Reading

Read the text “Who’s Nuts? Who’s Reserved?” and do the exercises that follow.