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Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short People
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the ARTICLE (for teachers)

Short people tend to be more prone to feelings of inferiority and jealousy, a recent study concluded. The
researchers polled more than 500 Dutch and Spanish of both sexes in an effort to determine which
characteristics made people uneasy with romantic competitors. They discovered a number of universalities,
realizing that men and women viewed money, strength, looks, and charm as threatening. However, feelings of
unease and nervousness diminished the taller a person's stature. Jealousy was exacerbated in short people.
In terms of evolution, this makes sense, because women of at least medium height enjoy the best health,
popularity, and fertility with men. What's more, taller men more often find success with women, while taller
women are more dominant, or so the study said. Yet it's interesting to note that pangs of jealousy still occurred if
the perceived rival were taller.
The most recent findings supported similar studies on height and modern culture conducted elsewhere. For
example, it's been proven that tall men more quickly climb the rungs of power. In another study, a look at
Fortune 500 companies revealed that 58% of the CEOs stood over six feet (169 centimeters), but only 14.5% of
the US population was of the same height - a disproportionate number. What's more, taller people received
better pay packets than their shorter counterparts, as an inch of height added more than $750 to a person's
salary each year. Compounded over a person's lifetime, this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in
earnings.
The prejudice towards shorter people isn't deliberate. The unconscious bias extends to all areas of life, though.
Teacher's Notes:
* Underlined words in red typeface are the recommended vocabulary for this lesson.
Heads Up English - 1
www.headsupenglish.com
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WARM-UPS
Select one or all of the following warm-up activities.
1: Define: What does "jealousy" mean? Can you use it in a sentence? Can you give examples?
2: Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner(s) words and ideas associated with "jealousy" for 2 minutes. Spend
another 5 minutes or less discussing the words and ideas together.
3: Title: Speculate and/or discuss the contents of today's article from its title: "Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short
People."
4: Do you agree or disagree? Why?

a. Tall people are more successful.
b. Short people are more jealous.
c. Tall women generally aren't attracted to short men.
d. Men generally aren't attracted to tall women.
e. I'm a jealous person.
5: Rank It!: Which of the characteristics is most attractive? Rank them in order, and support your decisions!
a. height
b. money
c. looks
d. personality
e. age
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VOCABULARY
Select one of the following vocabulary acquisition activities.
1: Vocabulary match: Individually or in pairs/groups, match the words in column A (from the article) with the
best choice in column B.
a. prone q. ache
b. inferior r. absolute
c. universality s. planned
d. stature t. second-class
e. exacerbate u. worsen
f. pang v. out of balance
g. disproportionate w. prejudice
h. compound x. likely
i. deliberate y. add
j. bias z. height
2: Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
universalities inferiority pangs prone deliberate
disproportionate exacerbated compounded bias stature
a. Short people tend to be more ( ) to feelings of jealousy, a recent study concluded.
b. The study also concluded that short people have feelings of ( ).
c. The researchers discovered a number of ( ), such as money, strength, looks, and charm.
d. Feelings of unease and nervousness diminished the taller a person's ( ).
e. Jealousy was ( ) in short people.
f. Yet it's interesting to note that ( ) of jealousy still occurred if the perceived rival were taller.
g. A ( ) number CEOs of Fortune 500 companies stood over six feet (169 centimeters).
h. ( ) over a person's lifetime, this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in earnings.
i. The prejudice towards shorter people isn't ( ).
j. The unconscious ( ) extends to all areas of life.
3: Define: Define each word, correctly pronounce it, explain the meaning and/or usage, and offer an example
sentence to the class.
a. prone c. universality e. exacerbate g. disproportionate i. deliberate
b. inferior d. stature f. pang h. compound j. bias
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WORD RECOGNITION
1: Word Search: Find the target words (in bold). Time yourself, and see how many words you can find in three
minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes.
E G I J A H V E V M M V E S E E
X R I J U T C O C F E K E O X T
N V U E S W S F Q X B I L E A A
N I J T Y Q S N A R T L P D C N
E C N M A Q S S L I M S L O E O
T F Q F R T E E L U B F H J R I
U N I V E R S A L I T Y E S B T
T O G B B R S B X F L A Q H A R
A T X A S R I Y R U L T M U T O
T G T G E Z U O F H B E S C E P
S E N V V E T A R E B I L E D O
D A I H F I L W O I M S A F O R
P N T J B S D T M V T W M S U P
U C O M P O U N D E D Y S D F S
Z D D X Y T I R O R E F N I I I
P R O N E E A D B V R U R N D D
2: Target Word Pool: Find the target words (in bold) with their exact match. Time yourself, and see how many
words you can find in three minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes.
debilitate proportionate base
compounded universality
interior prone
pain stricture deliverance
inferior exacerbating
acerbic panic
proprietary universal deliberate
impounded stature
pronunciation universally
disproportionate
universities exacerbated inferring
statue
biases panes compound
disrepute
prompt inferiority bias
status exaggeration deliberately pang
biased pronoun
impromptu exacerbate component
universalities statute
compounding
inference disproportionately unbiased
pangs liberate
Advanced
pre- or post-COMPREHENSION
1: Word Association: Brainstorm words associated with today's topic for two minutes. Present to the class.
2: Brainstorm Questions: Brainstorm questions that you would like to ask about today's topic. Answer the
questions without looking at the article.
3: True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false.
If false, correct the sentence.
a. The researchers polled only men about romance. T/F
b. Tall men are healthier, more popular, and more fertile. T/F
c. A person could still be jealous if his/her rival were taller. T/F
d. According to the article, tall men are more successful in the business world. T/F
e. The prejudice against short people is often deliberate. T/F
4: Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.

a. What did the study look at?
b. What was considered threatening for people of both sexes?
c. What information did the article give about Fortune 500 companies?
d. What information did the article give about salaries?
e. According to the article, what wasn't deliberate?
5: Vocabulary: In pairs/groups, remember how the words were used in today's article.
a. prone c. universalities e. exacerbated g. disproportionate i. deliberate
b. inferiority d. stature f. pangs h. compounded j. bias
6: Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article.
a. The researchers polled more than 500 Dutch and Spanish of both sexes...
b. In terms of evolution, this makes sense, because women...
c. The most recent findings supported similar...
d. What's more, taller people received better pay packets than...
e. Compounded over a person's lifetime...
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post-COMPREHENSION
1: Vocabulary: Circle any additional unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use your
dictionaries to understand the meanings. Present to the class.
2: Class Questions: Read through the article once more, and write down any questions that you would like to
discuss in pairs/groups or as a class. Discuss.
3: Summarize: Work with a partner to summarize the article in your own words.
4: Discuss: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
a. Did you like this article?
b. What was your general impression after reading this article?
c. Would you consider yourself a jealous person? Why/not?
d. Do you agree or disagree? Taller people enjoy more success in life.
e. If the researchers interviewed more people from other countries, would the results be the same?
f. If the researchers interviewed people from your country, would the results be the same? Why/not?
g. What makes you feel inferior? Why
h. Do you have any prejudices towards short people? Please explain.
i. Do you have any prejudices? Please explain.
j. Have you ever felt discriminated against? If so, when did it happen?
5: Discuss: What characteristics and situations would make you jealous? With a partner, write down three
characteristics of a rival and two situations, then discuss your ideas with other students.
characteristic #1:
characteristic #2:
characteristic #3:
situation #1:
situation #2:
6: Google Search: Type "jealousy" into Google news and read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write
an essay about your findings.
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STUDENT HANDOUT (the article)

Short people tend to be more prone to feelings of inferiority and jealousy, a recent study concluded. The
realizing that men and women viewed money, strength, looks, and charm as threatening. However, feelings of
unease and nervousness diminished the taller a person's stature. Jealousy was exacerbated in short people.
women are more dominant, or so the study said. Yet it's interesting to note that pangs of jealousy still occurred if
the perceived rival were taller.
example, it's been proven that tall men more quickly climb the rungs of power. In another study, a look at
Fortune 500 companies revealed that 58% of the CEOs stood over six feet (169 centimeters), but only 14.5% of
the US population was of the same height - a disproportionate number. What's more, taller people received
better pay packets than their shorter counterparts, as an inch of height added more than $750 to a person's
salary each year. Compounded over a person's lifetime, this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in
earnings.
The prejudice towards shorter people isn't deliberate. The unconscious bias extends to all areas of life, though.
Notes:
Advanced
STUDENT HANDOUT (fill in the blank)
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
popularity stature compounded prone bias
disproportionate packets characteristics exacerbated universalities
inferiority pangs deliberate rungs supported
Short people tend to be more (a. _______________) to feelings of (b. _______________) and jealousy, a
recent study concluded. The researchers polled more than 500 Dutch and Spanish of both sexes in an
effort to determine which (c. _______________) made people uneasy with romantic competitors. They
discovered a number of (d. _______________), realizing that men and women viewed money, strength,
looks, and charm as threatening. However, feelings of unease and nervousness diminished the taller a
person's (e. _______________). Jealousy was (f. _______________) in short people.
(g. _______________), and fertility with men. What's more, taller men more often find success with
women, while taller women are more dominant, or so the study said. Yet it's interesting to note that
(h. _______________) of jealousy still occurred if the perceived rival were taller.
The most recent findings (i. _______________) similar studies on height and modern culture conducted
elsewhere. For example, it's been proven that tall men more quickly climb the (j. _______________) of
power. In another study, a look at Fortune 500 companies revealed that 58% of the CEOs stood over six
feet (169 centimeters), but only 14.5% of the US population was of the same height - a
(k. _______________) number. What's more, taller people received better pay (l. _______________) than
their shorter counterparts, as an inch of height added more than $750 to a person's salary each year.
(m. _______________) over a person's lifetime, this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in
earnings.
The prejudice towards shorter people isn't (n. _______________). The unconscious (o. _______________)
extends to all areas of life, though.
Advanced
STUDENT HANDOUT (extended listening)
Listen and fill in the missing sentences. Compare your answers with a partner, and
then listen once more.

a) ____________________________________________________________, a recent study concluded. The
realizing that men and women viewed money, strength, looks, and charm as threatening. However,
b) _____________________________________________________________. Jealousy was exacerbated in
short people.
women are more dominant, or so the study said. c) ________________________________________________
_____________.
example, it's been proven that tall men more quickly climb the rungs of power. In another study,
d) ____________________________________________________________, but only 14.5% of the US
population was of the same height - a disproportionate number. What's more, taller people received better pay
packets than their shorter counterparts, as an inch of height added more than $750 to a person's salary each
year. Compounded over a person's lifetime, this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in earnings.
e) ____________________________________________________________. The unconscious bias extends

to all areas of life, though.
Advanced
STUDENT HANDOUT (notes)
Advanced
ANSWER KEY
Vocabulary
1. Vocabulary Match: 2. Fill in the Blanks:
a. x f. q a. prone f. pangs
b. t g. v b. inferiority g. disproportionate
c. r h. y c. universalities h. compounded
d. z i. s d. stature i. deliberate
e. u j. w e. exacerbated j. bias
pre- or post-Comprehension
1. True or False: 2. Fragments:
a. F in an effort to determine which characteristics made people uneasy with romantic
a.
competitors.
b. F
b. of at least medium height enjoy the best health, popularity, and fertility with men.
c. T
c. studies on height and modern culture conducted elsewhere.
d. T
their shorter counterparts, as an inch of height added more than $750 to a person's salary
e. d.
F each year.
e. this would add hundreds of thousands of dollars in earnings.
Student Handout
1. Fill in the Blanks
a. prone i. supported
b. inferiority j. rungs
c. characteristics k. disproportionate
d. universalities l. packets
e. stature m. compounded
f. exacerbated n. deliberate
g. popularity o. bias
h. pangs
2. Extended Listening
a. Short people tend to be more prone to feelings of inferiority and jealousy
b. feelings of unease and nervousness diminished the taller a person's stature
c. Yet it's interesting to note that pangs of jealousy still occurred if the perceived rival were taller
d. a look at Fortune 500 companies revealed that 58% of the CEOs stood over six feet (169 centimeters)
e. The prejudice towards shorter people isn't deliberate

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Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short People

Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short People

4: Do you agree or disagree? Why?

4: Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.

Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short People

Jealousy, Prejudice, and Short People

e) ____________________________________________________________. The unconscious bias extends

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