Challenges and Success

The Marshmallow Test refers to a famous experiment carried out by Walter Mischel at Stanford
University in the 1960s. Four-year-old children were left alone in a room for 15 minutes with a
marshmallow. They were told if they did not eat the marshmallow, they would receive two
later as a reward.

1. You are going to listen to a radio talk describing this experiment. (Listen twice, please)Answer
these questions:

2. Now, try and complete the missing word in this summary of the radio talk. (Remember, most of
them are “collocations”, so take your time to “predict” the missing word (like Rappel, ha, ha) Then
listen to the audio to check your answers.

RAPPEL

In the Marshmallow Test, researchers left four-year-old children alone in a room with a marshmallow. If
the children managed to 1.______________ temptation and not eat the marshmallow, the
researchers promised them a reward of two marshmallows. However, most of the children
2.______________ it difficult to be patient and gave in before the 3.______________ was up. They
preferred to have something immediately rather than 4.______________ for what they really wanted.
The researchers found that, as adults, those children who could rise to the 5.______________ were
generally much more successful than the others.

The best technique was to avoid thinking about the marshmallow at all. The successful children dealt
with the 6.______________ by looking away or covering their eyes. If they didn't think about the
marshmallow, they didn't have to 7.______________ an effort not to eat it.

When Mischel taught a different set of children this technique, nearly all the children
8.______________ in waiting the full time. Learning these techniques can help in adult life because
being able to wait helps us to make the right 9.______________ .

Challenges and Success KEY

1.

2.

In the Marshmallow Test, researchers left four-year-old children alone in a room with a marshmallow. If
the children managed to 1.RESIST temptation and not eat the marshmallow, the researchers
promised them a reward of two marshmallows. However, most of the children 2.FOUND it difficult to
be patient and gave in before the 3.TIME was up. They preferred to have something immediately
rather than 4.WAIT for what they really wanted.
The researchers found that, as adults, those children who could rise to the 5.CHALLENGE were
generally much more successful than the others.

The best technique was to avoid thinking about the marshmallow at all. The successful children dealt
with the 6.PROBLEM by looking away or covering their eyes. If they didn't think about the
marshmallow, they didn't have to 7.MAKE an effort not to eat it.

When Mischel taught a different set of children this technique, nearly all the children 8. SUCCEEDED
in waiting the full time. Learning these techniques can help in adult life because being able to wait
helps us to make the right 9.CHOICES.