A. Introducing the topic

You will hear an interview from the radio news broadcast Newsweek on Air. The hosts of the program, David Alpern and Warren Levinson interview Dr. Margaret Singer, a world-famous expert on cults and author of Cults in Our Midst. In the interview Dr. Singer comments that not all cults are based on religious themes.

Working with a partner, predict what other themes cults may be based on and list them below. Then listen to an expert from the interview to check your predictions. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. Listening for main ideas

Read the statements. Then listen to Part One of the interview and circle the best answer to complete each statement. Do the same for Part Two.

PART ONE

1. Margaret Singer was interested in studying the Solar Temple cult because she had _____

a. relatives in the group.

b. heard about the group from her relatives.

c. heard about the group from relatives of members in the group.

2. Luc Jouret, leader of the Solar Temple, recruited well-off, wealthy people because they had money to purchase _____

a. homeopathic herbs.

b. weapons.

c. medicine.

3. Margaret Singer was _____ by the news concerning the Solar Temple deaths.

a. not surprised

b. somewhat surprised

c. very surprised

4. The relatives of the Solar Temple members did not describe the leader, Luc Jouret, as _____

a. charismatic.

b. jumpy.

c. hypnotic.

PART TWO

5. According to Dr. Singer, _____ are increasing in the United States.

a. cults based on religion

b. cults based on politics

c. all kinds of cults

6. Margaret Singer _____ the media’s attention toward cults causes prejudice against meaningful, supportive new religious groups.

a. doesn’t think

b. thinks

c. thinks that sometimes

7. According to Margaret Singer, the best way to predict is a cult is dangerous or not is to study the cult’s _____

a. leader.

b. history.

c. use of violence.

C. Listening for details

Read the questions. Listen to Part One of the interview and write short answers to the questions. Do the same for Part Two.

PART ONE

1. In what year did relatives of the cult members start contracting Dr. Singer?

2. According to Dr. Singer, in what country did Luc Jouret start his cult?

3. What kind of people was Luc Jouret was not interested in recruiting?

4. Why did Luc Jouret feel that people in his cult needed to collect weapons?

5. How did Dr. Singer react to the Solar Temple suicides?

6. What clues do you get from studying the personality of cult leaders?

7. How did people describe Luc Jouret’s Sunday masses?

PART TWO

8. How many cults are estimated to be operating in the United States today?

9. Why is there a growing number of cults?

10. What important quality makes a new religion different from a cult?

11. What must a new religion not do when it recruits new members?

12. How many dangerous cults exist in the United States today?

13. According to Margaret Singer, is it possible to predict violence in people you know?

14. What information about the cult leader is helpful in predicting the cult’s potential for violence?

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