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The meaning and ·power of smell

The meaning and ·power of smell NmKKq
A survey conducted by Anthony Synott at Montreal's Concordia University asked participants to comment on how important smell was to them in their lives. It became apparent that smell can evoke strong emotional responses. A scent associated with a good experience can bring a rush of joy, while a foul odor or one associated with a bad memory may make us grimace with disgust. Respondents to the survey noted that many of their olfactory likes and dislikes were based on emotional associations. Such associations can be powerful enough so that odors that we would generally label unpleasant become agreeable, and those that we would generally consider fragrant become disagreeable for particular individuals. The perception of smell, therefore, consists not only of the sensation of the odors themselves but of the experiences and emotions associated with them. Odors are also essential cues in social bonding. One respondent to the survey believed that there is no true emotional bonding without touching and smelling a loved one. Infants recognize the Odors of their mothers soon after birth and adults can often identify their children or spouses by scent. In one well-known test, women, and men were able to distinguish by smell alone clothing worn by their marriage partners from similar clothing worn by other people. Most of the subjects would probably never have given much thought to Odors as a cue for identifying family members before being involved in the test, but as the experiment revealed, even when not consciously considered, smells register. Despite its importance to our emotional and sensory lives, the smell is probably the most undervalued sense in many cultures. The reason often given for the low regard in which smell is held is that, in comparison with its importance among· animals, the human sense of smell is feeble and undeveloped. While it is true that the olfactory powers of humans are nothing like as fine as those possessed by certain animals, they are still remarkably acute. Our noses can recognize thousands of smells, and perceive Odors that are present only in extremely small quantities. Smell, however, is a highly elusive phenomenon. Odors, unlike colors, for instance, cannot be named in many languages because the specific vocabulary simply doesn't exist. 'It smells like. . . , ' we have to say when describing an Odors, struggling to express our olfactory experience. Nor can Odors be recorded: there is no effective way to either capture or store them over time. In the realm of olfaction, we must make do with descriptions and recollections. This has implications for olfactory research. Most of the research on smell undertaken to date has been of a physical scientific nature. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the biological and chemical nature of olfaction, but many fundamental questions have yet to be answered. Researchers have still to decide whether the smell is one sense or two - one responding to Odors proper and the other registering odorless chemicals in the air. Other unanswered questions are whether the nose is the only part of the body affected by Odors, and how smells can be measured objectively given the non-physical components. Questions like these mean that interest in the psychology of smell is inevitably set to play an increasingly important role for researchers. However, the smell is not simply a biological and psychological phenomenon. The smell is cultural, hence it is a social and historical phenomenon. Odors are invested with cultural values: smells that are considered to be offensive in some cultures may be perfectly acceptable in others. Therefore, our sense of smell is a means of, and model for, interacting with the world. Different smells can provide us with intimate and emotionally charged experiences and the value that we attach to these experiences is interiorized by the members of society in a deeply personal way. Importantly, our commonly held feelings about smells can help distinguish us from other cultures. The study of the cultural history of smell is, therefore, in a very real sense, an investigation into the essence of human culture.
A survey conducted by Anthony
Possible spelling mistake found.
Synott
at Montreal's Concordia University asked participants to comment on how
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
important
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
was to them in their
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
lives
. It became apparent that
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
can evoke strong
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
emotional
responses. A scent associated with a
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
good
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
experience
can bring a rush of joy, while a foul
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
odor
or one associated with a
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
bad
memory may
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
make
us grimace with disgust. Respondents to the survey noted that
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
many
of their olfactory likes and dislikes
were based
on
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
emotional
associations. Such associations can be powerful
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
enough
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
so
that
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
odors
that we would
generally
label unpleasant become agreeable, and those that we would
generally
consider fragrant become disagreeable for particular individuals. The perception of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
,
therefore
, consists not
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
only
of the sensation of the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
odors
themselves
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
but
of the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
experiences
and emotions associated with them.

Odors are
also
essential cues in social bonding. One respondent to the survey believed that there is no true
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
emotional
bonding without touching and smelling a
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
loved
one. Infants recognize the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
of their mothers
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
soon
after birth and adults can
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
often
identify their children or spouses by scent. In one
Please add a punctuation mark at the end of paragraph
well-known


This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
test
, women, and
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
men
were able to distinguish by
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
alone clothing worn by their marriage partners from similar clothing worn by
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
other
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
people
. Most of the subjects would
probably
never have
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
given
much
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
thought
to
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
as a cue for identifying family members
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
before
being involved
in the
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
test
,
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
but
as the experiment revealed, even when not
consciously
considered,
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
register.

Despite its importance to our
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
emotional
and sensory
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
lives
, the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is
probably
the most undervalued
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
sense
in
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
many
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
cultures
. The reason
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
often
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
given
for the low regard in which
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is held
is that,
in comparison
with its importance among· animals, the human
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
sense
of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is feeble and undeveloped. While it is true that the olfactory powers of humans are nothing like as fine as those possessed by certain animals, they are
still
remarkably
acute. Our noses can recognize thousands of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
, and perceive
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
that are present
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
only
in
extremely
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
small
quantities.

Smell,
however
, is a
highly
elusive phenomenon.
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
, unlike colors,
for instance
, cannot
be named
in
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
many
languages
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
because
the specific vocabulary
simply
doesn't exist. 'It
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
like.
Don't put a space before the full stop
.
Don't put a space before the full stop
.
Loose punctuation mark.
,
Don't put a space on both sides of a quote symbol
'
we
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
have to
say when describing an
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
, struggling to express our olfactory
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
experience
. Nor can
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
be recorded
: there is no effective way to either capture or store them over time. In the realm of olfaction, we
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
must
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
make
do with descriptions and recollections. This has implications for olfactory research.

Most of the research on
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
undertaken to date has been of a physical scientific nature. Significant advances have
been made
in the understanding of the biological and chemical nature of olfaction,
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
but
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
many
fundamental questions have
yet
to
be answered
. Researchers have
still
to decide whether the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is one
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
sense
or two
Consider using an m-dash if you do not want to join two words.
-
one responding to
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
proper and the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
other
registering odorless chemicals in the air.
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Other
unanswered questions are whether the nose is the
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
only
part of the body
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
affected
by
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
, and how
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
can
be measured
objectively
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
given
the non-physical components. Questions like these mean that interest in the psychology of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is
inevitably
set to play an
increasingly
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
important
role for researchers.

However
, the
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is not
simply
a biological and psychological phenomenon. The
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is cultural,
hence
it is a social and historical phenomenon.
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
Odors
are invested
with cultural values:
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
that
are considered
to be offensive in
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
some
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
cultures
may be
perfectly
acceptable in others.
Therefore
, our
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
sense
of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is a means of, and model for, interacting with the world.
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
Different
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
can provide us with intimate and
emotionally
charged
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
experiences
and the value that we attach to these
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
experiences
is interiorized
by the members of society in a
deeply
personal way.
Importantly
, our
commonly
held feelings about
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smells
can
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :
help
distinguish us from
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
other
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
cultures
. The study of the cultural history of
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
smell
is,
therefore
, in a
This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:
very
real
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
sense
, an investigation into the essence of human
You use this word too often, consider replacing it with
culture
.
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IELTS essay The meaning and ·power of smell

Essay
  American English
7 paragraphs
677 words
5.5
Overall Band Score
Coherence and Cohesion: 5.5
  • Structure your answers in logical paragraphs
  • ?
    One main idea per paragraph
  • Include an introduction and conclusion
  • Support main points with an explanation and then an example
  • Use cohesive linking words accurately and appropriately
  • Vary your linking phrases using synonyms
Lexical Resource: 5.5
  • Try to vary your vocabulary using accurate synonyms
  • Use less common question specific words that accurately convey meaning
  • Check your work for spelling and word formation mistakes
Grammatical Range: 5.5
  • Use a variety of complex and simple sentences
  • Check your writing for errors
Task Achievement: 6.0
  • Answer all parts of the question
  • ?
    Present relevant ideas
  • Fully explain these ideas
  • Support ideas with relevant, specific examples
Labels Descriptions
  • ?
    Currently is not available
  • Meet the criteria
  • Doesn't meet the criteria
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