READING 1: ASTROLOGY Have you ever looked up at the sky on a clear night and wondered if there is any special

meaning in the patterns stars make? For a long time, people have been looking up at the sky and felt that it contained a fascinating mystery. Long before telescopes were invented our curiosity about astral bodies has been evident. Is there a relationship between us and the stars? Archaeologists have found records of the study of astrology in the ruins of almost every ancient civilisation. This form of study can be traced back over 4000 years to the earliest urban civilisations in Mesopotamia. On that account, one may wonder then, why have most ancient and modern cultures developed a kind of mystical cosmology called astrology? Astrology is the study of the movements of the planets, sun, moon and stars in the belief that these movements can influence peoples lives and what might happen in the future. Astrologers maintain that the position of astrological bodies at the exact moment of a persons birth and the following movements of the bodies reflect that persons character. Most Western astrology relies on the tropical zodiac. That is the Suns annual path through the sky as seen from the Earth divided into twelve equal divisions. These divisions or sections are thought to be ruled by a different sign of the zodiac. Each sign represents a different kind of energy and is associated with a set of qualities that is depicted as an object, animal or type of person. For example, Libras are portrayed as scales in perfect balance. This might be interpreted as Libras having a strong sense of justice. In fact, one may also wonder if our horoscope can really tell us what is going to happen in our lives. Each of us is so complicated that is seems that we have a number of different people inside of us pulling in different directions. Yet it can help us understand aspects of ourselves and others which in turn could help us make appropriate life decisions. Astrology is not accepted as a science because it seems to be an extremely complex task to test empirically what it claims. Nevertheless, there have been a series of attempts to statistically prove the validity of astrological theories about personality. Scientists view astrology

simply as an excuse to satisfy our emotional needs and as something that completely lacks any objective basis. In other words, for sceptics its a useless sham. On the other hand, some psychologists such as Alan Leo or Carl Jung have found astrology useful as a tool to understand people. Leo began the shift of emphasis in psychological astrology by rejecting the notion that we have a fixed unchangeable personality. He supported the view that life is a dynamic system in which us as individuals can grow, change and develop. Therefore, our character determines our destiny and not the other way around. Years later, Jungs writings contributed to the development of what is known as humanistic astrology which is heavily rooted in psychoanalysis. It is based on the tenet that individuals mental and emotional disturbances are an attempt to find personal and spiritual wholeness. The popularity of astrology might be largely due to the role of professional astrologers who often perform the role of counselling psychologists. Without a doubt, some of these individuals may be genuine, but some may not. One has to be aware that there are a number of unscrupulous people passing themselves off as astrologers and who may in fact be really just swindlers. We mustnt forget that astrology is a great business which is closely entrenched in the mass media. It sells!! Horoscope pages can be found in most newspapers and magazines and it has a great appeal to popular culture. Astrology might be helpful for spiritual and philosophical people who believe that as beings we are connected to the stars. The fascinating mystery may be that this belief provides a feeling of enchantment. Invariably, a psychological benefit could be the sense of clarity we achieve when we can see ourselves through a prism that may depict some aspects of our personality. If we manage to see ourselves from the outside, dealing with personal matters becomes easier. Perhaps this is why it is a widely popular way of analysing others as well as ourselves. Hence, for those who dont look for empirically proven answers, astrology seems to provide some tools to understand things in a philosophical and spiritual way.

READINGS

You are going to read a text about astrology. For the following questions think best fits according to the text.
ABCD

Leo believes A individuals can change B character determines destiny C destiny determines character D individuals can grow The study of astrology began around A 2000 BC B 2000 AD C 4000 AC D 4000 DC

Each sign of the zodiac represents a form of A object B type of person C energy D animal

ABCD

Astrology is a popular way of analysing ou A we can see ourselves through a prism B we can see ourselves from the outside C it is connected to the stars D it may help cope with personal issues

ABCD

Theories about personality

A can be tested in laboratories B cant be tested in laboratories C are difficult to test D should be tested