In a society that celebrates academic achievement and high intelligence, why do so many parents of children with Down Syndrome come to see their children as particularly special, as unique ‘gifts’?

1.In a society that celebrates academic achievement and high intelligence, why do so many parents of children with Down Syndrome come to see their children as particularly special, as unique ‘gifts’? What can we learn about intelligence from both these parents and current Down Syndrome research?

2.Is it possible to develop creativity, or is it something with which a person is born? If it can be developed, how might you encourage creativity in school-children or in yourself?

3.What does the research tell us about gender differences in intelligence?

4.Discuss the relationship between men, women and the expression of emotions.

5.Emotional Intelligence and “EQ” have become popular “buzz” words in the past few years. Why do you think emotional intelligence is thought to be important? How is it important? Is it innate? Do you learn it as a child? Can you learn (or raise) it as an adult? How would that be done?

6.What are genetic disorders? briefly discuss.

7.What is Phantom Limb Pain and how is it explained and treated?

8.What is brain plasticity and what is its significance throughout the lifespan?

9.What is Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA)? briefly discuss.

10.The origins of the Cold War – a simmering conflict that set the terms of international relations from the end of World War II to the 1990s. For many, the rise of this conflict was a shocking disappointment given the high degree of co-operation between the Soviets and the US during World War II. For historians, the question becomes, “was the Cold War an inevitable conflict?” Which is to ask, was it the result of a deep and irreconcilable conflict of interests between the US and the USSR (and if so what were these interests) or was it a conflict that depended on very specific circumstances from 1945 to 1948 and one that may have turned out differently had the context of these years been only slightly different (different political leaders, for example). Briefly Discuss.