Vocabulary
1. Unpredictable (adj)/ˌənpriːˈdɪktəbəl/: difficult or impossible to be known in advance
Ex: Just because the future is unpredictable doesn't mean we can't prepare for it.
2. Captivate (verb)
/ˈkæptɪveɪt/ :to attract and hold people's attention by being interesting, pretty, etc.
Ex: The children were captivated with the magic trick.
3. Fathom (verb)
/ˈfæðəm/ :understand something after much thought
Ex: I can't even begin to fathom why he behaves like that.
4. Predestination (n)
/ˌpriːdestɪˈneɪʃn/ :the belief that everything that will happen has already been decided by a higher being/force and is not subject to change
Ex: I don't believe in the idea of predestination.
5. Theology (n)
/θiːˈɑːlədʒiː/ :the study of religious beliefs
Ex: Theology is the study of religion.
Reading
Since time immemorial, human beings have been enthralled with the notion of the future and what it has in store for us. The unpredictable outcomes of our decisions captivate the human mind in an everlasting attempt to figure out what the future will bring.
Evolution altered the quality of human life dramatically, and we can hardly fathom where it will take us down the line. The domino effect of our decisions can be both devastating and astonishing. It is a foregone conclusion that obsessing over possible ramifications of every single action can have a destructive effect on us.
There is also a widespread belief that our lives are predestined, and that all our actions will inevitably lead to one single outcome. Predestination is an extremely controversial topic in modern theology. Some people believe that God has everything planned out. While others claim to have free will, which allows them to be the masters of their own destinies. This is often referred to as the "paradox of free will"; as an omniscience and human free will seem incompatible to some.
Whatever the case may be, the future is clearly unpredictable, and the best thing we can do is live in the here and now.
1. According to the article, what effect did evolution have on the quality of human life?
2. What is a domino effect?
3. What is the "paradox of free will"?
