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Reader's Bank_Level 8_Unit 06                                    Reading Text

Leo Tolstoy, a well-known Russian author, wrote a short story titled How Much Land Does a Man Need? The main character, Pahom, is a greedy farmer who believes that owning more land will bring him true happiness. At first, Pahom is content with a small plot of land. But over time, his desire grows. No matter how much he possesses, it never seems to be enough. One day, he meets a group of people who offer him an unusual deal. They say, “You may have all the land you can walk around in a single day, but you must return to your starting point before sunset.” Pahom agrees. He walks for hours, eager to claim more land. As the sun begins to set, he realizes he has gone too far. He rushes back, but collapses from extreme exhaustion and dies just before he reaches the starting point.

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When we fall in love, we often become “blind” to our partner’s flaws. We tend to notice only the positive things about them. This happens because of a hormone called dopamine, often referred to as the “love hormone.” When we fall in love, our brains release large amounts of dopamine. As a result, we focus on the person’s good qualities and overlook their imperfections.

However, this phase doesn’t last forever. Over time, dopamine levels begin to drop—typically about 900 days after we fall in love. Is that the end of love? Not quite. That’s when the next player enters the game. As dopamine fades, another love hormone, oxytocin, takes over to make up for the presence(→ absence) of dopamine. Known as the “bonding hormone,” oxytocin plays an important role in helping people feel emotionally close, build trust, and stay connected over time. It creates a sense of comfort and closeness, like being with family.

Dopamine and oxytocin do different things, but both are love hormones. One starts with the spark, and the other keeps the fire burning.

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Charles was a quiet boy. He didn’t enjoy playing with other children and wasn’t interested in school. The only things that fascinated him were plants and animals. He spent most of his childhood alone, observing nature. Following his father’s advice, he went to theology school to become a church minister, but the classes didn’t interest him. His true passion was botany. Luckily, at school, he met Professor Henslow, who saw Charles’s enthusiasm and encouraged him to follow it.

One day, Charles received a letter from the navy. They invited him to join a research team as a naturalist on a long trip. He later learned that Professor Henslow had recommended him. The team boarded a ship named the “Beagle” and began a five-year journey to the West Indies. During that voyage, Charles observed many plants and animals. While recording what he saw, he began to develop the idea that all living things gradually evolve in response to their environment.

At the time, no one paid much attention to him. But his thoughts would go on to change science forever. That boy was Charles Darwin. His journey inspired The Origin of Species, a book that changed the world.