LOWRIE's BOARD
2/27 Two listening/reading options (choose one)
SHORT TOPIC= Anthony Bourdain listening AND some reading about drinking in South Korea
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/travel/parts-unknown-bourdain-korea-drinking/index.html
VOCABULARY:
Survive: to live (usually in difficult or dangerous conditions)
Impersonal: not friendly or outgoing
Hierarchy: the order of importance or power
Pertains to: applies to
Habits: general ways of doing something
Intoxicated: drunk
VIDEO:
- Do you think Anthony Bourdain has a positive opinion of South Korea? Why or why not?
- Have you ever heard of Anthony Bourdain?
READING:
- Do you agree with all the points made here about drinking culture in South Korea? Why or why not?’
- Do you agree that drinking with someone is “a way to get to know what someone is really like”?
- Do you enjoy drinking at Karaoke bars?
- Have you ever used the ‘black knight’ or ‘black rose’ excuse? If so please describe your experience.
LONG TOPIC = TEDMED: Functional Medicine or “When is a hacksaw a necessary medical device?”
http://www.tedmed.com/talks/show?id=7041
Vocabulary
Symptom: a sensory or physical sign or attribute (usually negative)
Chronic: ongoing, long-lasting, often ‘incurable’
Acute: quickly manifesting but shorter lasting
Pharmaceutical: relating to chemical medicines and or mainstream drugs
Underlying: secret or hidden
Obsolete: old-fashioned and no longer useful, not the best or most modern type available.
- Please share the main idea of the Ted talk.
- What does the speaker mean when he says "diseases do not exist"?
- How does the speaker define functional medicine how does it seem different then general medicine?
- What is more interesting to the speaker, the system or the symptoms?
- Does the speaker have health problems in his personal history? Were they chronic or acute?
- BONUS: Describe some of the speaker's symptoms.
- Do you think the speaker is satisfied with the use of pharmaceutical medicines to mask or override symptoms?
- Why does the speaker think more doctors should focus on the underlying causes rather then the symptoms of disease.
- What does the speaker mean when he calls his specialty "patient-centered medicine"?
- In what way is the general approach to treating chronic disease obsolete? What does Hyman mean when he compares it to "using a hacksaw to treat trauma"?
Technology changing language the way we think about the world
http://www.psypost.org/2015/01/technology-changing-language-way-think-world-30552
Rapidly: (adv) quickly
Brand name: (noun phrase) the official proper noun name of a company
Generic: (adjective) regular and usual type or version, non-retail non-brand-name type
Subtext: (noun) the implied meaning or message
Exert: (verb) to apply force or energy
Formulated:(past verb) made, shaped, created
1. Please explain the main idea of the reading.
2. How do brand-names become vocabulary terms?
3. What does it mean to "google" as a verb?
4. Has the term Google become widely excepted as a term meaning to look up or research via Internet? Is this term used in Korea?
5. Quotation question: "We now understand the subtext when someone declares: “I have googled you” or even that they have googled themselves. The idea that this act can now exert a powerful effect on the opinion we form of others has even resulted in laws formulated by the European Union giving individuals rights over search engine companies to have information about them removed in order to be “forgotten”." Explain the quote, do you think this is important? Why or why not?
7. Why does Google, as a company, resist the use of its brand name as a common term?
Xenophobic attacks in South Africa
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/20/africa/south-africa-anti-foreigner-attacks/index.html
xenophobia: (noun) a fear of immigrants and strangers
rudimentary: (adjective) basic, not well-made
1. What is the main idea of the video?
2. Are the killers part of a trained militia, or simply angry citizens with simple weapons?
3. What do you think the Zulu king meant about foreigners dirtying the country?
4. Where have many immigrants chosen to go? Are many willing to leave the country?
5. What does the news anchor mean when they say, “foreigners are a scapegoat for broader socio economic problems.”
6. BONUS: How high is unemployment in South Africa?
Basic U.S. Eviction Practices
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/evictions-landlord-rules-29740.html
Vocabulary to discuss (we can supplement with an idiom lesson as well)
at one's disposal: available for one to use whenever and however one wishes
unconditional: without limits or boundaries
termination: an ending
tenant: a renter, a person who rents a room, house, or land
misbehavior: bad behavior
drug dealing: selling of illegal drugs
mount a defense: to build or develop a (usually) legal
unlawful: illegal, not following the law
detainer: (in law) the act of keeping a person against their will or the wrongful keeping of another persons goods or properties
diminish: to make less
dispose: to throw away or get rid of
implement: to put into action, to realize a plan, idea, or concept
1. Compare and contrast the regulations on eviction in the U.S.A. and South Korea.
2. Describe the different types of notices at landlord’s disposal.
3. What are the resources tenants have?
4. How can abandoned property be an issue?
5. Would you prefer a system like this one to be implemented in Korea?
4/08 Obama Speaks on Climate Change and Public Health (Video and Reading)
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/health/obama-climate-change-public-health/index.html
Vocabulary
mitigate: make less severe, serious, or painful.
mankind: humanity, human beings as a group
impact: influence or effect
to hit home: to affect one personally
vulnerable: to be open and exposed to danger
cordon: to block off or blockade oneself away from the public, to prevent access to or from (an area or building) by surrounding it with police or other guards.
multitude: a large number
profound: great or intense, deep
sizable: large
compelling: attractive, persuasive
1. What two major problems are being connected in this interview?
2. What personal example does Obama share about the connection between public health and climate change.
3. Does this issue affect all of mankind? Will a solution require the collective efforts of all humans?
4. What are some ways to mitigate the effects of climate change?
5. Do some people disagree with/disbelieve the idea of climate change? If so, is this group of people sizable?
6. QUOTATION QUESTION: "Ultimately, though, all of our families are going to be vulnerable. You can't cordon yourself off from air or climate." Explain the quote.
7. Is there a connection between asthma and climate change? How?
8. Is this a present threat, a future threat, or both?
9. What are some other ways climate change and public health can be connected? List the ‘multitude’ of factors shared in the article (writing below the video).
10. Are the effects of climate change profound? Do you think we can ever fully reverse the climate change we are responsible for?
11. BONUS: Do climates change naturally over time, even without human influence?
12. Is agriculture/food economy also linked to climate change? If so, how?
13. Why is presenting climate change as a public health issue compelling?
TED 4/01
TED: Nadine Burke Harris: How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ovIJ3dsNk
Vocabulary:
exposure: the state of being exposed or made to experience something
dramatically: highly effective, extreme in degree
solely: only, just, simply
severe: very great; intense
ADHD: attention deficit hyperactive disorder
Deficit: too low level, the amount by which something, especially a sum of money, is too small.
adverse: negative for development or progress, damaging growth
object: to disagree with and/or disapprove of
marginalized: pushed off to the side (margins), given little attention, care, or focus
personnel: the people working in a department or service sector
1. What is the main idea of the TED talk?
2. What type of exposure causes a dramatic increase in the risk of several of the main causes of death in the United States?
3. What does the speaker mean when she talks about childhood trauma?
4. Is childhood trauma solely a mental health issue? Why?
5. What did the speaker notice about many of the children in her pediatric program who had been diagnosed with ADHD?
6. What does ACE stand for? How has the ACE Study changed the way the speaker understood the affects of childhood trauma?
7. Quotation Question: “Number one, ACEs are incredibly common. Sixty-seven percent of the population had at least one ACE, and 12.6 percent, one in eight, had four or more ACEs. The second thing that they found was that there was a dose-response relationship between ACEs and health outcomes: the higher your ACE score, the worse your health outcomes.”
8. Do people with high ACE scores usually have differences in brain development? BONUS: Why does this make them more likely to do high-risk behavior?
9. Do you think this speaker would object to beating children to punish them, why or why not?
10. What does the speaker mean when she says the issue has been marginalized?
11. Does the speaker think medical and social services personnel around the country should be taking this matter more seriously?
12. Why could many of the mental and medical health problems be avoided? What type of treatment can help children who have high ACE scores (high levels of childhood trauma)?
TED topic: Andy Yen: “Think your email is private? Think again.”
http://www.ted.com/talks/andy_yen_think_your_email_s_private_think_again
Vocabulary:
landmark: (secondary meaning) a very important, life changing event
recipient: the person who receives
snail mail: the form of mail using paper and post offices
encrypt: to change into code
decrypt: to translate back into readable information
disruptive: causing problems or unwanted delays
ads/advertising: the system of appealing to consumers to buy products
revenue: the money taken in by a business
maximize: to make as large and great as possible
accessible: possible to get into or experience
1. What landmark moment occurred about 25 years ago?
2. How has it changed our lives?
3. Do most people have a large amount of personal information online?
4. BONUS: What does he think is especially scary about the presence of this information?
5. How has our idea of privacy been affected by these technological/networking advancements?
6. According to the speaker, is email private as it is transmitted to the recipient? What type of snail mail does he compare it to?
7. What does he suggest to take care of the email problem?
8. Why does he suggest email servers haven’t already taken up these privacy/security measures? How do the companies benefit?
9. Does he believe that a global effort is necessary to fix this problem?
10. What is ‘ProtonMail’ and where did it begin?
11. How does ProtonMail work? BONUS: Where are encryption keys generated? Is it complex?
12. Quotation Question: “…privacy doesn't have to be difficult, it doesn't have to be disruptive. If we change the goal from maximizing ad revenue to protecting data, we can actually make it accessible.” Explain the quote.
13. How does a more complete solution to the privacy problem require us to change the way we understand and design the internet?
14. What are your personal feelings on the topic? Do you value internet privacy? Do you find programming interesting? Do you think this matter needs immediate attention, why or why not?
03/18/2015
TOPIC: Are Humans Getting Cleverer?
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31556802
remark: a speaking or saying
self-deprecating: modest about or critical of oneself, especially humorously so.
Phenomenon: a happening, an occurrence
Quotient (Q in I.Q): a degree or amount of a specified quality or characteristic.
1. What is the main idea of the article?
2. What measure or test type is being used to determine these statistics?
3. Is there another (or multiple ways) to interpret the data?
4. Quotation Question: “It is not unusual for parents to comment that their children are brainier than they are. In doing so, they hide a boastful remark about their offspring behind a self-deprecating one about themselves. But a new study, published in the journal Intelligence, provides fresh evidence that in many cases this may actually be true.” Explain the quote. Have you noticed this phenomenon in South Korea?
5. Please explain the information presented on the two graphs.
6. What is the ‘Flynn Effect’?
7. There are many theories about why this may be occurring, please share the idea based around electrical visual stimulation.
8. How may nutrition and visual perception be related to this?
9. Is this increase in scoring reported from a very young age?
10. What is the evolutionary reason that we may need these kind of cognitive advances?
BUSINESS VOCABULARY LIST (from page 97—Presenting for Success)
Vocabulary
To get to grips with sth: to deal with a problem. Also “to come to grips with sth”. “I can’t come to grips with why we went over budget.”
To come back to bite sb: to cause problems at a later time. “Being rude to your staff can come back to bite you someday.”
Root cause/underlying cause: the hidden reason for something. “It may take a long time to find the root cause of a conflict on the factory floor.”
Who-knows-where: A common ‘placeholder’ when you are unsure of the location of someone or something. “Francis is always traveling. Yesterday he was in Brazil, today he’s going to New York and tomorrow who-knows-where he’ll be.”
To bump into sb: to meet somebody you know by chance. “I bumped into one of our suppliers at the annual convention.”
To hear sb out: to listen to every detail. “Hear me out: I can tell you exactly why the program failed.”
To be onto sth: close to making an important discovery. “She could be onto something big with her new idea for a joint venture.”
To pinpoint sth: to locate or identify with precision. “We can’t pinpoint the source of the error, but it’s probably in the original product design.”
Sth you can sink your teeth into: something that you can be enthusiastic about doing. Also “something to sink your teeth into”. “He’ll be much more motivated now that he’s got something to sink his teeth into.”
To throw out ideas: to freely propose ideas. “There’s no way I’m going to throw out ideas when they’re just waiting to criticize my input.”
To tackle sth: to start or to deal with something. “He’ll tackle the audit as soon as he gets the files.”
To get out of hand: to become uncontrollable. “We need to control departmental spending before it gets out of hand.”
A fortune: a lot of money. “The new assembly line cost a fortune.” “We spent a fortune on consultants’ fees last year.”
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TED talk: Topher White: “What can save the rainforest? Your used cell phone.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPK2Ch90xWo
http://www.ted.com/talks/topher_white_what_can_save_the_rainforest_your_used_cell_phone#t-874
audio: sound
rangers: park, nature reserve, or rainforest workers whose job is to protect the environment
device: a tool or machine
present (secondary meaning): here, in the place
rainforest: a forest that gets a large amount of rain (generally tropical)
reserve: a protected land
deforestation: the removal of trees from forests by loggers
real-time intervention: a getting in the way of negative events as they happen
1. Please share the main idea of the TED talk.
2. Describe the audio recording the speaker showed. What sound is always present?
3. Are the rangers that were assigned to protect areas of the rainforest able to protect it totally?
4. What device or mechanism does the speaker believe is needed? What everyday device could be used for this?
5. BONUS: About how much of the rainforest remains at present?
6. BONUS: How is deforestation related to climate change?
7. Why does the speaker say ‘real-time intervention’ is needed? Does he believe that simply intervening and speaking with loggers is enough of a deterrent to stop their practices?
8. How does the speaker power or charge these devices?
9. BONUS: How many kilometers can each device protect?
10. Does this plan seem viable? Why or why not?
11. How can you help this TED speaker achieve his goal?
IDIOMS:
Feel a bit under the weather
Meaning: Feeling slightly ill.
Give the benefit of the doubt
Believe someone's statement, without proof.
Hear it through the grapevine
This idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.
Hit the nail on the head
Do or say something exactly right
Hit the sack / sheets / hay
To go to bed.
In the heat of the moment
Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.
It takes two to tango
Actions or communications need more than one person
Jump on the bandwagon
Join a popular trend or activity.
Keep something at bay
Keep something away.
Last straw
The final problem in a series of problems.
TED talk: Aziz Abu Sarah “For more tolerance we need more tourism”
conveyed: delivered
compelling: attractive, tempting, admirable, interesting
1. What is the main idea conveyed in this TED talk?
2. Where is the speaker from?
3. Did the speaker become aware of the practice of throwing stones at a young age? How did he misunderstand the meaning or use of this behavior?
4. How did throwing stones affect the speaker’s brother? How did the speaker react to this? What is your personal reaction to this story?
5. How did the study of Hebrew change the way the speaker understood the world and the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis?
6. According to the speaker what is the value of tourism?
7. What business did the speaker found in 2009? How is it different than other companies in the tourism industry?
8. Does he believe that he has helped form long term relationships between people who may otherwise have considered each other to be political/social enemies? How was this achieved?
9. How does Aziz Abu Sarah believe we should change our way of thinking about travel?
10. Do you find the speaker’s arguments compelling? What travel destination would you pick with the speaker’s goals in mind?
IRAN and US NUCLEAR TALKS
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/23/388378541/kerry-in-geneva-for-latest-nuclear-talks-with-iran
1. What is being discussed by major leaders of both the United States and Iran?
2. What is the expectation?
3. Does it seem likely that a deal will be made, why or why not?
4. Why were there so many Iranian delegates in attendance?
5. What is the investment that the United States has in this deal? (What does the US want from these talks?)
6. What investment does Iran have in the deal?
7. Why are we interested in uranium use and transfer (export)?
8. Does the UN believe Iran has been fully honest about the military components of their nuclear program? Why or why not?
Vocabulary
arbitration (noun) settlement of a dispute by a person chosen by both parties - to arbitrate v
irrevocable (adj.) that cannot be undone; unalterable - irrevocable letter of credit n.
pro forma invoice (noun) an invoice or request for payment sent in advance of goods supplied
comprehensive (noun) [of an insurance policy] all-inclusive; providing complete protection
liable (adj.) legally obliged to pay for damage, injury etc; responsible - liability n.
product liability (noun) liability or responsibility of a firm for damage caused by one of its products
consequential loss n. a loss that happens as a consequence of or as a result of another
trademark n. special symbol, design, word etc used to represent a product or firm
unanimous adj. in complete agreement; united in opinion
black market n. illegal traffic in officially controlled commodities such as foreign currency
Brazil's Economy plus business vocabulary
Please isten and read (if possible) the article.
1. What happened in Brazil’s sales economy this year?
2. What has Brazil’s role in the global market been in the past?
3. What is the general expectation for the future in Brazil?
4. How much do luxury imports like iPhones cost in Brazil? Is it comparable to the Korean price?
5. How are employment rates in Brazil?
6. Why is the decrease in Volkswagon, a German car brand’s sales significant in Brazil?
7. How do these statistics discourage the emerging Brazilian middle class?
Vocabulary
arbitration (noun) settlement of a dispute by a person chosen by both parties - to arbitrate v
irrevocable (adj.) that cannot be undone; unalterable - irrevocable letter of credit n.
pro forma invoice (noun) an invoice or request for payment sent in advance of goods supplied
comprehensive (noun) [of an insurance policy] all-inclusive; providing complete protection
liable (adj.) legally obliged to pay for damage, injury etc; responsible - liability n.
product liability (noun) liability or responsibility of a firm for damage caused by one of its products
consequential loss n. a loss that happens as a consequence of or as a result of another
trademark n. special symbol, design, word etc used to represent a product or firm
unanimous adj. in complete agreement; united in opinion
black market n. illegal traffic in officially controlled commodities such as foreign currency
“If you have dementia can you hasten death as you wished?” (about 4+ minutes)
Please LISTEN first, if you have time read after (the content is slightly different and more in depth)
Vocabulary:
Dementia: a continuing and developing disease of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.
Doctor assisted suicide: Medical doctor helping patient to die by prescribing a lethal overdose. Patient can chose whether to drink it. (Lawful only in Oregon, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium.) EUTHANASIA: A broad, generic term meaning 'help with a good death.’
Reflex: unconscious physical reaction
moral quandary: a difficult moral choice or question
dilemma: a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives.
Prominent: standing out so as to be seen easily; conspicuous; particularly noticeable:
Bio-ethics: a field of study concerned with the ethics/morals and philosophical problems of certain biological and medical procedures, technologies, and treatments, as organ transplants, genetic engineering, and care of the terminally ill.
cognitive function: brain processing and signaling ability
profound: entering deeply into subjects of thought or knowledge; having deep insight or understanding
Questions:
1. Describe the main idea of the article.
2. Describe the specific situation in the family described.
3. What is dementia and how does it affect cognitive function?
4. What is the moral dilemma here?
5. Why wouldn’t doctor assisted suicide be an option for the woman in the story?
6. What are some other examples of bio-ethics problems?
7. Do you have a personal opinion on this profound topic? Please share it.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/us/13th-juror-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-image/index.html
1. What major crime is this young man on trial for?
2. What was the logic or motivation of his crime?
3. What does his body language indicate?
4. Can we discuss the role or importance of social media/technology in Tsarnev’s life and the lives of many young people his age?
5. Why do you think one particular victim, Martin Richards, has been emphasized by the media and prosecutor?
6. Can clothing selection be important in a court case? What clothing items are highlighted here?
7. Do defensive (and prosecuting) lawyers regularly coach their clients about what to wear as well as how to act and present themselves? Why?
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/30/asia/china-dragon-dinosaur/index.html
1. What has recently been discovered in China?
2. What is remarkable about this discovery?
3. When did this dinosaur likely walk the earth?
4. Why could this have fueled myths about dragons?
5. What type of people research and study dinosaurs?
6. Does Korea have any myths about dragons?
You can also watch the next video also if you want to (about cavemen).
Idioms
Cut the ground from under someone’s feet :
Meaning - When you cut the ground from under someone's feet, you do something which weakens their position.
Example - When team India hit more than 350 runs in the ODI, they cut the ground from under the opponent's feet.
Chase your tail:
Meaning - Spending a lot of time and energy doing a lot of things but actually achieving too little.
Example - He's been chasing his tail all week collecting data but the report is still not ready
Whole bag of tricks -
Meaning - Means trying all the clever means to achieve something.
Example - It was really difficult to find the information even after applying the whole bag of tricks.
Deliver the goods -
Meaning - Do what is expected or promised.
Example - I have given my car to a new mechanic for repair, hope he delivers the goods.
Fine-tooth comb -
Meaning - Examining something carefully to not miss out any details.
Example - The boss examined my report with a fine tooth comb before submitting it to the senior management.
Explore all avenues
Meaning - Trying out every possibility to get a result.
Example - It is a difficult thing to do but if we really want it done, we must explore all avenues.
Fast track something -
Meaning - Rating something higher on your priority list to achieve the desired result.
Example - In view of the seriousness of the crime, the civil society is pressing up on a fast track decision from the court.
Get ducks in a row -
Meaning - Getting your things well organized.
Example - To ensure a successful product launch, we must get our ducks in a row.
Get the show on the road -
Meaning - Putting up a plan or idea into action.
Example - Now that we have compeleted all the legal formalities, let's get the show on the road.
“How bad is booze?”
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/16/health/feat-bad-is-booze/index.html
booze: alcohol
heavy drinker: a person who consumes a ‘high’ number of alcoholic drinks each week
binge drinker: a person who drinks many drinks in a single period (>4)
vice: a negative or immoral behavior/activity
moderation: the state of being moderate or average in amount, intensity, quality or degree.
1. What is true about 1 out of every 10 deaths in the U.S.? Is gender significant?
2. About how many drinks should someone consume to be a heavy drinker? Is gender significant? Do these numbers seem low?
3. Do the news anchor people seem to think the numbers are low? What does this show about American drinking culture?
4. What is binge drinking? Is it the vice of a certain age group, or are people of all ages binge drinkers?
5. Can drinking be related to cancer and/or cardio-vascular disease?
6. What is moderation and why do you think it’s the solution proposed by the anchors?
TED - "Morgana Bailey: The danger of hiding who you are"
https://www.ted.com/talks/morgana_bailey_the_danger_of_hiding_who_you_are
Vocabulary:
Conformity: (noun) actions/behaviors that are directed by following social and cultural rules and customs, not personal or unique
Fit in: to be similar to all others to be 'normal' and accepted by peers
nonconformist (noun/adjective) not bound or directed by social rules and customs
Conservative: (adjective) holding to traditional customs and values, uncomfortable or careful about accepting change and/or innovation
Unwilling: (adjective) not wanting or willing to do
Homosexual/gay: (noun, adjective) someone who prefers a romantic relationship with a person of the same gender
Lesbian: (noun, adjective) woman who prefers a romantic relationship with another woman
Anti-gay: not accepting or supportive of homosexual people
Life expectancy: the average expected years of life in a given area or community
Reduce: (verb) make smaller in size and number
Come out: to reveal a hidden or secret truth about self (usually to say for the first time one is a homosexual)
1. The speaker begins by saying, "When I was young I prided myself as a nonconformist in the conservative US state that I live in, Kansas." What does it mean?
2. How did the speakers time in London change her attitude and/or social behaviors?
3. What is the speaker's announcement? BONUS: Why was the speaker unwilling to tell people this for many years?
4. 61% of people surveyed said that they change something about themselves (personality/behavior) to fit in in the workplace, does this surprise you?
5. Do you think you've ever changed something about yourself to fit in in school or at work place?
6. Do homosexual people report higher rates of altering personality/behavior to fit in at the workplace?
7. According to the speaker, do most Americans surveyed feel that conformity is important in the workplace? Do you think that most Koreans say the same thing?
8. How much is life expectancy reduced on average for gay individuals living in very anti-gay communities?
9. BONUS: Describe the law that the speaker uses as an example of anti-gay discrimination in conservative communities.
10. BONUS: In this TED talk the speaker "comes out," what does that mean? Why does she think that it is significant for homosexuals to "come out," and how does she think doing so can help change the environment of anti-gay communities like those in parts of Kansas?
Karen Armstrong: Let's revive the Golden Rule
https://www.ted.com/talks/karen_armstrong_let_s_revive_the_golden_rule
The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Treat others the way you want to be treated)
Compassion: (noun) the understanding and respecting feelings of others
Transcendence: (noun) spiritual existence or experience, close
Dogmatic: (adjective) related to rules or directions about how to live life
Ego-bound: (adjective) unable to separate from self or understand the feelings of others
Stimulate: (verb) to encourage interest or activity in (a person or animal).
Emphasize (verb) to bring focus or attention to
Implement: (verb) to put into action
1. What is the main idea of the TEDtalk?
2. What is the Golden Rule? BONUS: Explain the positive and negative versions or forms.
3. According to the speaker, how is the Golden Rule related to compassion and/or transcendence?
4. Does the speaker express that is important to live your life by the Golden Rule at all times? BONUS: What does she suggest is the spiritual reward of living in such a way?
5. What does the speaker mean by ego-bound existence?
6. The speaker believes that the Golden Rule is central to all major religions. Does she also believe that all religious people practice the Golden Rule?
7. According to the speaker, do most modern people value compassion or do most people value being correct/right? Why is being both nearly impossible?
8. Why does the speaker believe it is important to "implement the Golden Rule globally"?
9. What does the speaker mean by dogmatic and intolerant features of religion? Please give an example possible if possible.
10. Is the Golden Rule or the value of compassion taught in Jewish texts? Is the golden rule also a feature of Islam?
11. According to the speaker is Islam a religion of compassion? Why may this be surprising to people who watch the news?
12. What do you educate and stimulate mean and why are these the two processes the speaker emphasizes?
IDIOMS
Actions speak louder than words
People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.
Add insult to injury
To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.
An arm and a leg
Very expensive or costly. A large amount of money.
At the drop of a hat
Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly.
Back to the drawing board
When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.
Ball is in your court
It is up to you to make the next decision or step
Barking up the wrong tree
Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person
Be glad to see the back of _________
Be happy when a person leaves.
Beat around the bush
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
Best of both worlds
Meaning: All the advantages.
Video and Reading link- http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/21/technology/innovationnation/microsoft-windows-holographic/index.html
Vocabulary:
hologram: (noun) an image that appears 3D but has no substance
interact: (verb) act in such a way as to have an effect on another; act reciprocally.
pinch: (verb) to squeeze firmly between two fingers
innovative: inventive, creative and completely new in design
'whiz-bang': (expression) flashy or showing without real substance/value
surpass: (verb) to move past or win against others
Video questions:
1. Describe the Microsoft HoloLens. Does it remind you of any other products?
2. What operating system is associated with the HoloLens?
3. Does the HoloLens understand voice, gestures, and movements?
4. Does the HoloLens work well with design and engineering equipment such as 3D printers?
Reading Questions:
1. What is special and innovative about the Microsoft HoloLens technology?
2. According to this reading, will the technology be released to the general public soon? About how soon?
3. Does Microsoft predict practical and even medical uses for the HoloLens holographic technology? Please share an example of how it could be used.
4. Is the HoloLens all whiz-bang features?
5. Did Microsoft make an effort to keep their holographic technology a secret? Were they mostly successful? Why would they need to do this?
6. Does Microsoft feel confident that their product surpasses similar concepts on the market like Oculus and Google Glass?
A short, optional "ISIS update"
1. Please explain the main idea of the article.
2. Does it seem that the US has been successful, why or why not?
3. In your opinion has the US done enough?
4. In the opinion of Iraqi officials has the US done enough?
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/21/health/sitting-will-kill-you/index.html
sedentary behavior: inactive behavior, sitting, lounging
longevity: long life
counteract: act against something to reduce force/power, neutralize
1. Do studies indicate that sedentary behavior is bad for human longevity?
2. Why may standing be good?
3. Does the expert say that exercising for a period can counteract the bad effects of sedentary behavior?
4. What is a tip that can help counteract the bad effects of a sedentary lifestyle?
5. About how many hours a day does the speaker recommend sedentary people make an effort to avoid sitting?
6. What is ‘text neck’? Have you ever experienced this sensation? If you’re not a cell-phone user can you get ‘text neck’ any other way?
7. Does this study seem problematic for your lifestyle, why or why not?
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/19/world/wealth-inequality/index.html
vested interest: a personal stake or involvement in an undertaking or state of affairs, especially one with an expectation of financial gain.
economists: experts about money and money systems
policies: laws/limitations put in place by politicians/governments
1. What is the main idea of the video and reading?
2. What is a vested interest and why must world leaders ‘take them on’?
3. What do economists predict will happen around 2016 for the “Top 1%”?
4. “The top 80 people in the world earn more and own more than the bottom 50%.” What does it mean?
5. Why is this a problem of public policies? How have rich people used policies introduced during the recession to make even more money?
6. Where are big companies like Amazon and Google hiding their money?
7. Do super-rich people pay less % in taxes than regular people in U.S.? Why is this true according to Jeffrey Sachs?
8. Do politicians get a lot of money from big business during U.S. elections?
This TED talk is rather long, feel free to stop at 10 minutes or so if it is more convenient.
Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar
http://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar
Detect: (verb) discover or identify the presence or existence of.
Deception: (noun) the action of deceiving someone.
Cooperative: (adjective) involving mutual assistance in working toward a common goal.
Crux: (noun) the most important point at issue, the main problem or conflict
White lie: (phrase) a harmless or trivial lie, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
Fidget: (verb) make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.
Contempt: (noun) the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.
1. What is the main idea of this Ted talk?
2. According to the speaker, what is true about everyone?
3. Is simply being able to detect lies the speakers main goal?
4. What do you think the speaker means when she says that "lying is a cooperative act"?
5. According to the speaker, can deception have a real effect on world economies and societies?
6. Please describe the role of a con-man. BONUS: Can you describe the philosophy of the con-man the speaker mentioned?
Paraphrased: "Everyone is willing to give you something for whatever it is that they're hungry for... and that's the crux of it; if you don't want to be deceived you have to know what you're hungry for."
7. Do you agree that lying connects the person that we wish we could be to the person that we truly are? Do you have any personal experiences with this that you'd like to share?
8. About how many times a day do researchers estimate we are lied to? Do you think this number might be different in South Korea?
9. Explain the term 'white lie' and please give an example.
10. Do men and women tend to lie for different reasons? BONUS: What do men lie more about you? What do women lie more about?
11. Do I more to strangers or more people that we are very close with?
12. What does the speaker mean when she says lying has evolutionary value for humans?
13. Do humans develop lying at a young age? BONUS: When do we begin to fully lie?
14. Trained lie spotters can guess the truth 90% of the time, how well on average can regular detect when others are lying?
15. What does formal, sophisticated language tend to indicate about the speaker’s truthfulness?
16. Is body language analysis useful in lie-spotting? Do liars tend to fidget? Do liars look you in the eye?
----10 minutes-----
17. Describe the simplified way the speaker teaches us to distinguish a real and fake smile.
18. What does the speaker mean when she describes how dangerously hostile can leak contempt? What does contempt look like?
19. Is it helpful to question someone aggressively when trying to lie spot?
20. Does the speaker think we can use these techniques to become a society where honesty is valued and deception is reduced? Do you agree?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeccQTyGVX0
Using details and examples from the video answer the question "How can waste plastic become a positive resource in Hong Kong?"
http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/11/technology/security/anonymous-charlie-hebdo/index.html
retaliation: (noun) a hitting back or a violent response
satirical: (adjective) making fun of or playing off of something that is usually serious
hacktivist: (noun) a hacker who has political or social goals
jihadist: (noun) a person who believes in the idea of ‘holy war’ (Islamic term)
avenge: (verb) to get revenge
outpouring: (gerund, verb) coming out quickly and in large numbers
solidarity: (noun) unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group.
rally: 1. (noun) a gathering of people or military troops after a defeat or other problems 2. (verb) to recover healthy or spirits
controversial: causing dissagrement or conflict, provocative
republish: to publish again or make written content available to the public again
1. What events does the article describe?
2. Are you surprised by the acts of anonymous? Why or why not?
3. What do you think about the so called “declaration of war”?
4. Do you think terrorist attacks by ISIS will continue to occur in 2015?
5. What is Charlie Hebdo?
6. Do you think Anonymous could be helpful in the fight against ISIS?
Plane Crashes and Ocean Pollution
problematic: (adjective) causing problems
enforce: (verb) to act out the laws, to punish people who break the law
significant: (adjective) important, substantial
1. What did search parties find as they looked for the two flights that went down in the last 12 months?
2. Why is plastic especially problematic?
3. Why is it difficult to enforce laws about not polluting the oceans?
4. Do plane crashes add significantly to ‘ocean pollution’?
5. Do you have any ideas about possible solutions to this significant problem?
Bi Polar disorder
bi-polar disorder/manic-depressive diorder: (noun) a psychological disorder characterized by severe mood swings from mania to depression
mania: (noun) periods of great excitement, euphoria, delusions, and overactivity.
Amygdala: (noun) a roughly almond-shaped mass of gray matter inside the lower section of each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions.
frontal brain/pre-frontal cortex: (noun) the thinking or regulating part of the brain, highly linked to personality traits, planning, and decision making
depressive: (adjective) characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection.
Stabilizer: an thing/person that creates stability
1. What are the different functions of the amygdala and frontal brain
2. How does the frontal brain influence/interact with the amygdala? What is occurring in terms of brain activity when a person is manic? What is occurring when a person is depressive?
3. When do people often begin to develop symptoms?
4. Why is a mood stabilizer the best medical treatment? Why are anti-depressants problematic?
EXTRA IDIOMS
A leopard can’t change it’s spots: changing ones personality and behaviors is difficult, if not impossible
Old habits die hard: Changing behavior/habits may cause conflict and may result in failure
A one track mind: totally focused or obsessed with a single topic or thing.
A Point of View: The pursuit of happiness
http://m.bbc.com/news/magazine-30655616
VOCABULARY
Inalienable/unalienable right: (noun) a right according to natural law, a right that cannot be taken away, denied, or transferred
Yearn: (verb) to want or desire very powerfully
Austere: (adjective) without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe:
Brink: (noun) the edge or outer limit
Apprehension: (noun) anticipation of negative events, sense of threatening future
Dependents: (plural noun) the people who depend on you (usually financially or for food, water, clothing, and shelter)
1. What are the three unalienable rights guaranteed in the declaration of independence?
2. Why does the writer believe the 'pursuit of happiness' life model can cause stress and apprehension?
3. Does the writer seem to believe an austere lifestyle can be just as happy as a luxurious lifestyle?
4. According to the writer, are genes (inherited information in DNA) an important factor in determining happiness?
5. Please explain the quotation: "Money itself, raw spending power, only seems to increase our happiness up to the point where we can comfortably support ourselves and our dependents." Do you agree with/believe this?
6. BONUS: Share something interesting about monkey happiness from this article.
7. Are sharing and affection connected to monkey happiness? Are they connected to human happiness?
8. What does GNH measure? Why does the writer want to value GNH and GDP equally?
9. Explain your personal philosophy on what makes you happy.
Extra Idioms for Review (not related to article):
keep your nose to the grindstone: work very hard, without stopping. “We’ll need to keep our noses to the grindstone if we’re going to meet this deadline.”
(Fully) up to speed with something: To be fully informed about something. Usually used in the negative. “I wasn’t fully up to speed with the new project plans, so Sally sent me an email detailing everything.”
Nandan Nilekani’s Ideas for India’s Future
http://www.ted.com/talks/nandan_nilekani_s_ideas_for_india_s_future
great depression: a long and severe recession in an economy or market.
economy: the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services.
human capital: the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organization or country.
Demographic dividends: positive results of human capital.
Aspiration: a hope or ambition of achieving something.
Globalization: is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology.
Private vs. Public school: parents/students pay for private schools, the state or country pays for public schools
Traditional: existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established.
Caste system: a social system dividing people into groups based on factors like wealth and family history
Anticipate: look into the future and predict/expect
Labor laws: laws about work
Informal sector: a part of the workforce that is not official or protected by labor laws
Formal sector: part of the workforce that is official and protected by labor laws
Compatible: able to work with
1. What does it mean that India went through a great depression? BONUS: When? Is India’s economy growing or falling today?
2. How has India changed the way it sees the population? Do they now value their people? What is ‘human capital’? Should we invest in it?
3. Demographic dividends are positive results of human capital.
4. What does the speaker say about ‘English Language’? What do you think he means when he say English is a language of aspiration?
5. Is technology widely available to regular Indian people?
6. Are Indians somewhat comfortable with globalization?
7. Is India’s government a democracy?
8. Is education a traditional focus in Indian society/culture?
9. Are private schools very popular? Does the speaker feel that public schools are not so good in India today?
10. Does the speaker want to improve Indian cities?
-------10 minutes------
11. What do you know about the Indian caste system? Do you think the speaker supports the caste system?
12. Does the speaker want to change Indian labor laws? Why? What is the difference between the formal and informal job sector?
13. What ideas does he want India to ‘anticipate’ about technology, health-care, or the environment.
14. Does the speaker think growth and democracy are compatible?
NORTH KOREAN-USA relations update
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/12/28/graham-north-korea-guantanamo.cnn.html
China Censors News on Sony Hack
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/24/world/asia/china-north-korea-hack/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
intranet: (noun) a local or restricted communications network, especially a private network created using World Wide Web software.
alleged: (adjective/verb)(of an incident or a person) said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal or undesirable quality.
bann: (verb) to officially or legally prohibit.
incite: (verb) to encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).
utopia: (noun) an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. The word was first used in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More.
repressive: (adjective) inhibiting or restraining the freedom of a person or group of people.
denounce: (verb) to publicly declare to be wrong or evil.
cyberespionage: (noun) internet spying
substantive: (adjective) having a firm basis in reality and therefore important, meaningful, or considerable
VIDEO QUESTIONS:
1. What is the connection between Korean and Chinese internet cyberspying/hacking?
2. According to this video do average North Korean citizens have access to the internet? What about the intranet? What is the difference?
3. What is the “alleged role of North Korea” in the Sony cyberattack?
READING QUESTIONS:
4. Does Chinese internet often have limitations due to censorship?
5. Are Facebook and Twitter censored or banned? Do you think the Chinese government believes that these sites incite protest?
6. What happened to popular social media application Twitter recently in China? What political event does the passage connect to this?
7. What does it mean to say “China feels like a utopia of liberty when compared with the repressive North Korean regime”?
8. Does news in China regarding North Korea tend to be positive?
9. Why is substantive communication between the USA and North Korea difficult to achieve?
10. Has China also denounced the USA for cyberespionage?
Anastasia Taylor Lind: Fighters and Mourners of the Ukrainian Revolution
Stockpile: (verb) accumulate a large stock of (goods or materials).
Demonstrate: (verb) to take part in a public demonstration (announcement about social or political issue)
Protestor: (verb) a person complaining publicly about a social or political issue.
Mourn: (verb) to verb feel or show deep sorrow or regret for (someone or their death), typically by following conventions such as the wearing of black clothes or bringing flowers to graves etc.
1. What civil war is being discussed? BONUS: Which movement stockpiled weapons overtime?
2. BONUS: Did the protestors want stronger ties with the European Union or with Russia? What about President Yanukovych?
3. Describe the speaker’s project.
4. How are the speaker’s wartime photographs different than the ones we often see in the mainstream media?
5. Describe the women in her photos. Why did they carry flowers?
6. What do you think about the phrase “Men fight most wars and women mourn them”? Do you think gender equality in the modern world should affect this tradition? Why or why not?
7. BONUS: What else do you know about this civil war?
Surge: We sometimes use the word “surge” to describe rising waves in the ocean. In business, something surges when it suddenly rises or increases. “When fuel prices surged, so did the price of fresh fruits and vegetables. Food distributors had to charge more because it cost more to transport their products.”
Mediocre: Just average. Not very good. “We were expecting something exciting, something different, but the product they actually delivered to us was pretty mediocre.”
Taskforce: A temporary team created to accomplish a specific task. “To find out how the money went missing, the CEO created a special, secret taskforce.”
Deficiencies: Problems, areas that are not up to standard. The adjective is “deficient.” “As I see it, the reason that this department is inefficient and slow is not the heavy workload but the many deficiencies in work planning.”
To crack the champagne: To open a champagne bottle. This usually means to celebrate. “After months of hard work, it was time to crack the champagne.”
Hold your horses: This idiom means “Wait!” or “Hold on!” You can say it when someone is moving too quickly or making a conclusion before considering all the facts. It comes from a time when people traveled by horse; if they wanted to stay in one place, they’d have to hold their horses, keeping them still. Here’s an example of how the phrase can be used in business: “You expect a promotion already? Hold your horses! You need more experience!”
To butt heads (over something): To have a disagreement about something. “I think it’s unnecessary to butt heads over such small issues; instead, let’s talk about how to solve the problem.”
Video/Reading Assignment (from last week)
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/09/politics/congress-avoids-government-shutdown/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
VIDEO
1. BONUS: Why does congress have to pass this funding agreement by Thursday?
2. What do politicians often add to these important and time sensitive legal documents?
READING
3. Did ‘top lawmakers’ agree on the funding bill?
4. How did Congress address the new ‘legal’ status of marijuana in Washington D.C.?
5. How did the politicians add something for their own self-interest?
6. What was Michelle Obama’s project that was represented on the funding bill?
7. Did republicans resist some environmental measures in the bill?
Vocabulary
SEE SKYPE
Chinese media: Obama chided for remarks on Xi Jinping
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-30341011
Vocabulary:
Dissent: (noun, verb) the holding or expressing of opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed
Consolidate: (verb) to make physically stronger or more solid, bring powers under the control of one or a few.
Unprecedented: (adjective) never done or known before
Clamp down: (phrase) to hold down strongly with a lot of power
Nationalist: (noun) a person who advocates political independence for a country
Sentiment: a view of or attitude toward a situation or event; an opinion.
Strained: (adjective, verb) not relaxed or comfortable; tense or uneasy.
Harvesting organs: (verb phrase) the removal of organs from one body for the purpose of putting them in another living body.
Consent: (noun) the permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
Territorial: (adjective) of or related to land ownership or territory
1. What current events might Obama have been referring to when he criticized “Mr Xi on human rights and accused him of worrying China's neighbours by tapping into nationalistic sentiment?”
2. The article mentions “China's relations with several of its neighbors are strained by territorial disputes,” can you speak on this as a South Korean citizen?
3. What does it mean to “clamp down on dissent”? How might a leader do such a thing?
4. Does President Xi’s plan to update and modernize Chinese military equipment in the navy and airforce seem to get approval from Chinese citizens? Does it seem threatening as a non-Chinese person? Why or why not?
5. According to this article, does the Chinese media seem to have a lot of trust in Japanese political and territorial agreements?
6. Do you have any thoughts on the “harvesting of organs from prisoners without consent” that will be ending in January of this coming year? According to the article, what is the traditional Chinese view of organ donation? Does Korean tradition have any particular view on this topic?
Economic Terms to Review
Incentives
Cost-Benefit analysis
Deficit
Fiscal
Inflation
Nominal
Aggregate
Price ceiling
entrepreneur
Currency
Compound (interest)
Hidden Cameras to Film Injustice
1. What does the speaker say about Mary, a woman from Africa, has she and her village experienced human rights abuses?
2. What was the secret tool Mary and her community used?
3. Does the speaker believe this technology helped save lives? How?
4. Where is the speaker from? Did he serve in the military?
5. The speaker underwent ‘civil disobedience’ because of the things he saw while serving, what is civil disobedience?
6. Describe one of the videos filmed in Israel.
7. Where does the speaker believe the secret cameras should be sent?
8. Are people using the secret cameras in personal danger?
9. Does the speaker’s company always vet the people who receive the cameras? Do they always make sure the videos are real and verifiable?
10. What does he say is the most affective way affect social change using the cameras?
11. Describe the final video.
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/11/26/wbt-russia-low-oil-prices-opec.cnn.html
1. Why wouldn't Russia make an agreement to cut oil prices.
2. Are Russia, China, and America members of OPEC.
3. If OPEC cuts oil production who can benefit?
4. Do OPEC members ever cheat even when production reduction agreements have been made? Why?
5. Do you think Russia can go supporting oil production if the market continues its downward trend?
Emily Balcetis: Why some people find exercise harder than others
http://www.ted.com/talks/emily_balcetis_why_some_people_find_exercise_harder_than_others
Key Terms
Prioritize: designate or treat (something) as more important than other things.
Subjective: based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
Perception: the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
Exertion: physical or mental effort.
Effective: successful in producing a desired or intended result.
1. What does the speaker say is our most important and prioritized sense?
2. BONUS: What emotion did you see on the man’s face?
3. What does it mean to say: “what we see or understand through vision is subjective.”
4. BONUS: Describe the Obama experiment.
5. Is the area of visual focus in humans larger? Were you surprised by the size of the area we can see with clarity?
6. Is it possible that ‘vision-brain’ interactions affect people’s ability to exercise?
7. Did people with larger waistlines see exercise tasks as longer and perhaps more difficult?
8. Do different levels of motivation affect our perceptions?
9. If we are motivated to exercise do exercise tasks seem shorter or easier?
10. What solution do the speaker and her fellow researchers suggest?
11. What does it mean to ‘keep your eyes on the prize’?
12. Did people find exercise easier and more effective when ‘keeping their eyes on the prize?
13. Describe the final picture the speaker shows.
14. Does the speaker believe we can shape or mold the way we see the world? Does this have many applications (outside of exercise)?
"How to save the world or at least yourself from bad meetings”
https://www.ted.com/talks/david_grady_how_to_save_the_world_or_at_least_yourself_from_bad_meetings
chronic: occurring again and again
moderator: the leader or speaking-organizer of a meeting
powerless: with no power
1. Describe the chair anecdote or example the speaker gives, what does he say is the normal or usual reaction to chronic chair theft?
2. What does the speaker say other office coworkers frequently steal from each other?
3. What is MAS (Mindless Accept Syndrome) among office workers? How does it make people miserable?
4. Describe the ‘bad moderator’ video. Did people around the world report or comment about experiencing similar meetings?
5. Does the speaker think sharing the agenda in is important part of sending out a meeting invitation?
6. What kind of powerless feeling does the speaker want to speak out against?
7. What is “No MAS” meeting invitation response?
8. What does a ‘tentative’ response to a meeting invitation imply?
AND/OR IRAN NUCLEAR TALKs
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/24/world/meast/iran-nuclear-talks/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Why are these talks so important?
Describe main ideas expressed in the video.
Do you have any background information about the relationship between Iran and 'the West'?
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_green_what_the_social_progress_index_can_reveal_about_your_country
Vocabulary:
GDP: The monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.
Fetish: a unhealthy focus or obsession about something
social progress index: a statistical means for describing a country’s qualities that does not focus on economics, but rather on social and environmental well-being
correlate: have a mutual relationship or connection
1. What report is the speaker, Michael Green, talking about?
2. What is GDP? How does it define and shape’ our lives?
3. Does the speaker think other statistics/rating systems (not only GDP/economic ratings) should be valued?
4. According to the speaker, is GDP a measure of wellbeing and success?
5. Does the South Korean government value and work toward high GDP?
6. Can focus on GDP by countries and their citizens have negative consequences? If so, please give an example.
7. Is the ‘fetish for international growth’ something that takes focus away from social and environmental factors?
8. Describe Green’s alternative social progress index.
9. Do you think this system has a western bias? Why or why not?
10. Does the social progress rating tend to correlate with the GDP rating?
11. Which country was highest rated? Lowest rated?
12. BONUS: What does he say about his country, the UK? Did the UK perform better than the USA?
13. BONUS: What is interesting about Costa Rica?
14. BONUS: How does the chart indicate that when GDP rates are very high they tend to do less for social progress per dollar?
15. What does the speaker want all countries to prioritize?
Obama and Putin meet briefly
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/11/politics/obama-putin-brief-encounters-china/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Vocabulary:
Cross paths: to meet on the way to other places
Summit: an important meeting on a certain topic
‘new low’: a new or recent negative change
‘come to head’: the stress/tension leads to a first argument
separatists: people who wish to separate from the current government
sanctions: limits (usually on trade)
be at odds: to fight about or have conflict about
Kim Jong Il's bodyguard speaks: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/06/world/asia/north-korea-bodyguard-kim-jong-il/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Public Speaking tips from TED: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/03/04/9-public-speaking-lessons-from-the-worlds-greatest-ted-talks/
Climate Change: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/02/world/ipcc-climate-change-report/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
AND/OR Voting Results http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2014/11/05/lklv-foreman-2014-senate-breakdown.cnn.html
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/world/us-newest-allies-syrian-kurds/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Things to consider:
What is unique about the Kurdish army?
Why is the relationship between Turkey and the Kurdish fighters changing?
Why do the Kurds have an especially negative relationship with ISIS?
What type of future does the Kurdish community hope for?
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2014/11/05/lklv-foreman-2014-senate-breakdown.cnn.html
Ebola Video and Article (2 different angles on the same topic)
VIDEO: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/20/health/ebola-how-do-some-survive/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
READING: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29685127
Fred Swaniker: The leaders who ruined Africa and the generation who can fix it http://www.ted.com/talks/fred_swaniker_the_leaders_who_ruined_africa_and_the_generation_who_can_fix_it
Vocabulary
Coup: a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
Fertilizer: a chemical or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its fertility.
Institutions: a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose.
Stabilizing: balancing, causing balance/stability
1. Did the speaker experienced many military coups during his childhood?
2. How was life better for Swaniker and his family in Botswana?
3. Why did Swaniker go to Zimbabwe at 12? Did he appreciate the country?
4. What did Swaniker discover when he returned to Zimbabwe after college?
5. Does the speaker believe that single leaders can destroy or create national development?
6. Why does the speaker say leaders are important to African society? BONUS: In what way are leaders more important or influential in African countries than in many developed countries?
7. Do African leaders often have power over matters such as how long they can rule and how much money is printed? Do leaders in developed countries have such control?
8. Please name one positive leader Swaniker names from the ‘third’ or ‘stabilizing’ generation.
9. Why is the next generation better capable to add to the prosperity than the former generation. BONUS: Why MUST they build the economy or face disaster?
10. Describe the 18-year-old girl the speaker uses as his first example of the ‘fourth generation’ OR the man who created an interesting fertilizer company.
11. Why is it also necessary that the next generation build national institutions?
12. How is the speaker involved in creating this ‘fourth generation’ of leaders?
TOPIC 10/15:
Jeff Iliff: One more reason to get a good night’s sleep
11:00
http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep
Vocabulary:
Portion: a part or piece of a larger thing
Lymphatic system: a system of fluids called lymph important for removing body wastes and fighting illness
CSF: cerebral spinal fluid, the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
Energy/nutrients: in organs energy and nutrition are connected, nutrients are the substances that provide energy to tissues.
Waste: products/materials that are not useful for the system
Shrink: to become smaller
Mode: a way of being/behaving
1. What did the ancient philosopher mean to describe when he spoke about drying and rehydrating the mind using sleep?
2. In what way is sleep the elegant design system that serves the unique needs of the brain?
3. Does the brain require a large portion of energy/nutrients? BONUS: About how much?
4. BONUS: What is the lymphatic system and what is its purpose (the green body circulation map)?
5. Does the brain also produce waste?
6. CSF surrounds the brain; what is the purpose of CSF in the brain?
7. BONUS: How does CSF get into or penetrate the brain for waste removal?
8. How do wastes get removed from the brain?
9. When does the passage of CSF through the brain occur?
10. BONUS: Brain cells shrink at a certain time, when?
11. Why is sleep so vital for brain
12. How does the brain have a busy mode and a cleaning mode? What words would we usually use to describe these ‘modes’?
13. Is the buildup of wastes (such as amyloid-beta) in the brain a important medical issue? How may it be linked to Alzheimer disease?
14. Do our brains ever rest?
OR
10/15 Video topics
EBOLA contracted by hospital workers in the USA
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/texas-ebola-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Beating in the midst of Hong Kong Protest
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/world/asia/hong-kong-police-protest-video/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
2 ISIS videos/articles (ISIS and Turkey)
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/09/world/meast/isis-threat/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews
The Ebola Situation in Spain
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/world/europe/ebola-spain/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
1. What is the main idea?
2. Describe the story of the missionaries.
3. BONUS: What are some reasons that the hospital may be having these problems?
4. Did some hospital staff warn (before the ebola threat began in Europe) that the facility was not capable of handling ebola patients?
5. What is the ultimate fear when it comes to unknown contamination of ebola? (Hint: What is the difference between an airborne and fluid-borne illness?
AND/OR
Where is Kim Jong Un?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/world/asia/north-korea-where-is-kim-jong-un/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Susan Colantuono: The career advice you probably didn’t get
14:00
http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get
financial acumen: the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions about finance
business strategic: a strategic and experienced sense of business strategy and trajectory
trajectory: the direct and predictable path followed by a thing (in this case an organization or business)
gender gap: the discrepancy/difference in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc., between men and women
promotion: the action of raising someone to a higher position or rank or the fact of being so raised.
1. According to the speaker what percent of the mid-level work force is made up of women?
2. Are women equally represented at the lower level of companies/organizations? At the middle level? At the top level?
3. What is the main piece of advice that the speaker gives to women who want to move up (through promotion).
4. What do the terms ‘Business Strategic’ and ‘Financial Acumen’ and how are they related to workplace success?
5. What do organization leaders mean when they talk about high-potential employees? What are some characteristics of high-potential employees?
6. Does the speaker believe that women are being given different advice than mentor?
7. The speaker says networking, self-improvement, and are stressed to women, according to the speaker what isn’t stressed?
8. What is the difference between the informal mentoring more official mentoring?
9. In the example given by the speaker, was the woman given different advice that the man who was her co-protégé? How did the mentor treat them differently?
10. How do gender understandings affect the way we communicate with people? How is this related to what the speaker wants to analyze?
11. What terms describe the important characteristics of understanding one’s business, business goals, and your role in achieving those goals?
12. Does the speaker believe women alone can close the gender gap at the top? If not, who else should be involved?
TOPIC 10/1: Hong Kong Stages Huge National Day
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29430229
NOTE: the video takes a moment to load
1. Describe the scene in Hong Kong this week.
2. What is needed in this protest according to the young woman who speaks to the reporter in the video?
3. What is the central issue of this news story?
4. Do you expect China will make a formal response?
5. What is your opinion on Hong Kong’s right to democratic elections?
6. BONUS: Why do you think this is happening now?
OR
TOPIC 10/1: First Patient with Ebola in the United States
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/health/ebola-us-no-reason-to-panic/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
1. What is the main idea?
2. Where did the patient likely become infected?
3. Can the illness be contagious when the person has no symptoms?
4. Have they found any other people with the illness in the United States?
5. Was the person sick for a few days before going to the hospital? Please explain why some people may find this alarming.
TOPIC 9/29: Obama admits ISIS threat was misjudged
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/28/politics/obama-isis-congress/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
1. What is the general idea of this video and/or article?
2. What do you imagine could be some possible consequences of such a mistake?
3. What does Obama believe will be necessary to overwhelm a threat as big as ISIS?
TOPIC 9/24: "Khorasan and Air Strikes in the Middle East"
http://abcnews.go.com/International/khorasan-group-targeted-us-syria/story?id=25700467
NOTE: Please watch the first two videos to learn about Khorasan and the air strikes in the Middle East.
1. What was the secret mission that the US air force executed during the ISIS/ISIL air strikes?
2. What is Khorasan? Do some officials believe Khorasan is a very great threat?
3. According to the videos, was Khorasan planning an attack? What were they going to use objects like toothpaste and clothing for in their reported plans?
4. BONUS: What does the Admiral say about his estimate for the duration of these strikes?
5. What is your opinion about this development in the conflict in the Middle East?
6. Does the US have unusual international supporters in this initiative?
“Why Xi Jinping's visit to India is significant”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29217667
Vocabulary:
Significant: (adjective) important, meaningful
Diplomatic: (adjective) related to politics and international cooperation
sumptuous: (adjective) expensive and tasty or delightful
rapport: (noun) friendship, easy companionship
expansionism: (noun) a policy of territorial or economic growth/ expansion
initiatives: (noun) an act or strategy, a policy in international relations
vexed: (noun) controversial, fraught/filled with problems
1. What are the main reasons President Xi Jinping’s visit to India is significant?
2. Are diplomatic relations between President Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi friendly? What is rapport?
3. What does the article describe when it writes that a sumptuous traditional dinner? Do you think food is an important part of understanding other cultures?
4. Does India admire the expansionism of China in the past several decades?
5. What are some negative concerns or issues India may want to bring up with China?
6. Is China an important trade partner for India?
7. Is India interested in hosting Chinese trade initiatives? Why or why not?
9/14 TOPIC: British PM Speaks about ISIS/ISIL
“ISIS ‘not Muslims, they are Monsters’”
dismantle: to take apart, to remove parts until the whole thing is gone
massive: huge
poses: (secondary meaning) to look like or show the qualities of
stand for: to have the meaning of, symbolize
carry out: to do, to undergo
represent: to have the meaning of, to symbolize
ISIL/ISIS: two different names for the same group, ISIL was the earlier name, then ISIS, they now prefer to be called the ‘Islamic State.’
humanitarian: aiding or promoting human well-being
1. BONUS: Who is the speaker, David Cameron? What country does he represent? Does he believe that generally Islam is a peaceful religion?
2. What does the prime minister mean when he says that ISIS “are not Muslims, they are monsters”
3. Has ISIS/ISIL carried out any terrorist attacks in Europe?
4.