"The Comparison Trap" & "The Stone Cutter"

Read 'The Comparison Trap' and 'The Stone-Cutter' from the May issue of Scope. Then answer the questions below. 1. Which sentence best expresses the central idea of the article?

• Taking breaks from social media is good for your mental health.

• Social media gives us constant access to other people’s lives.

• Twenty-three percent of teens say social media makes them feel worse.

• Though social comparison is not a bad thing, comparing ourselves with others too often on social media can be harmful.

Author Alex Lim-Chua Wee writes in the article, “In ancient times, a hunter might have compared their skills with a neighbor’s skills to become a better hunter.” This information supports the idea that ______.

• humans have been comparing themselves with others for a long time

• comparing ourselves with others can affect us negatively

• social media has led us to compare ourselves more often

• humans use comparison as a way to learn and to improve themselves

According to the social comparison theory, ______.

• you should never compare yourself with someone else

• people often misrepresent themselves on social media

• social media causes people to compare themselves with others too much

• it’s natural and helpful to compare yourself with others

What does Sophia Choukas-Bradley mean when she says “Online, everyone is posting highlight reels of their best selves”?

• People tend to share only their best and most polished moments on social media.

• People like to show their authentic lives on social media.

• People enjoy sharing good news on social media.

• Social media provides an accurate look at someone’s life.

Consider this line from the folktale: “For a long time, he was quite happy and asked for nothing better than what he had.” According to this description, which of the following words best describes the stone-cutter?

• greedy

• quiet

• content

• ungrateful

Both the article and the folktale support the idea that ______.

• people do not always represent their lives accurately on social media

• you should always be looking for ways to improve yourself

• social media can have negative effects on mental health

• comparing yourself with others constantly can have harmful effects

Why does scrolling through social media sometimes make people feel worse about their own lives? What should you do if you experience this feeling? Support your answer with evidence from the article.

• Because social media often shows only the highlights of others' lives, making people compare themselves and feel inadequate. If you experience this feeling, you should take a break from social media and remind yourself that what you see online is not the whole story.

• Because social media always tells the truth about people's lives, so you should believe everything you see.

• Because social media is boring and has no impact on emotions. You should ignore your feelings.

• Because social media helps everyone feel better about themselves. You should use it more often.

What is the main message of the folktale? Support your answer with text evidence.

• The main message is that people should stop comparing themselves with others and be happy wiht waht they have.

• The main message is to be brave in difficult situations, as shown when the character faces challenges.

• The main message is to help others in need, as shown when the character assists a stranger.

• The main message is to never give up, as shown when the character keeps trying despite failures.