So, when do YOU feel ignored, annoyed, thrilled, petrified?
Having a more nuanced emotional vocabulary can be an asset in your internal and extrenal communication skills. Find Brené Brown’slist of emotions below, with immense gratitude for her book Atlas of the Heart.
Questions...questions...
What emotions do these emoticons express?
Which one is the Greek favourite do you think?
Do you use emojis? Which ones?
A. Chose the correct option to complete these questions
1. Christine, you studied psychology, did/didn't you?
2. I'd like to know whether a smile does mean/means the same thing around the world.
3. You've noticed, you have/haven't you?
4. Don't you do it in the same way in your country?
5. At who do you smile? Who do you smile at?
B. How can you interact politely when you wish to pose some questions?
Did you use to play any of the games in the photos?
What toys or games do you remember playing from your school days? Were any of them crazes? (i.e. fads for a short time?) Do not name it, only explain the rules and let others guess
Did you use to improvise any games? (i.e. invent them while you played? Can you name one?
According to the author, why did some games stand the test of time?
What point does the author wish to make by mentioning each of the following?
a. 'toothpaste', 'snake eyes' and jumbos' (lines 1-2)
b Egypt three millennia ago (lines 6-7)
c. video/computer games (lines 11, 23 and 25)
d. cognitive growth (line 19)
e. In the attic (line 29) f rules and structure (line 34)
READING SKILL
Using topic sentences
Paragraphs in more formal texts, such as articles and essays, often include topic sentences. Most topic sentences are at the beginning or end of a paragraph. They summarize the paragraph in some way: by stating the argument, asking a key question or establishing its structure or content.
It may be useful to identify topic sentences, such as when you need to summarize a text. When a topic sentence sums up the message of the entire text, it can be used as a 'pull quote'. These are short quotes from the text that are displayed in larger writing to encourage people to read the article
What do you do when you want to focus on smth? How do you tune out noise when you want to concentrate? What is somnething you find annoying? What are some of your special or unusaul talents? Explain them to your partner.
Watch the discovery of the Microwave oven.
What do you think serendipity has to do with Percy Spencer and the microwave oven? Do you think inventors like him think differently than other people? Read the article to find out more
Look at the graphic and discuss with a partner 1. What happens as we get older? 2. What might be the consequences of this change, especially for the invention and discovery? 3. Do you think there is a way to increase the percentage of adults who are capable of divergent thinking?
Have you always sought out quiet places where you can experience the joy of deep conversation or study and focus. Have you also benefited from the buzz of conferences and family gatherings, though you seek time alone afterward to recover. If yes, you might be wondering whether you are an introvert or an extrovert.
In recent decades, a great deal of research has validated the five-factor model of personality. Often referred to as the Big Five, it breaks human personality into five broad traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (Larsen et al., 2017; Cooper, 2021).
Studies have shown extraversion (also spelled extroversion) to be incredibly impactful, influencing how we handle various situations, particularly social ones.
Recognising the characteristics
Play the game
1. Each of the 2 teams takes up a role: Introverts, Extroverts
2. Collect the strips of paper with the characteristics that match your role
3. Now collaborate with the other team to create pairs of opposites
4. Together, match the pairs with the situations they apply
Are people only the one or the other?
You have 3 minutes to find the answer in this website.
Then play the game with the following Vocabulary
Stand back to back. Raise one finger if the definition you hear is right, 2 if its wrong. Turn around. If both have a correct answer, dance the "Silly Dance". If only one or no one has dance the "Yes, I'm learning dance".
Personality Traits
Lone wolf
Social butterfly
Wallflower
Life and soul of the party
Cold fish
Chatterbox
Go-getter
Tough cookie
Happy camper
Party animal
Can an introvert be a good leader?
What is your opinion? What factors can an introvert bring to the table that are favourable to leading people?
Here is a video with Simon Sinec on this:
Now, another game to practice grammar
1. Decide whether for this game you will be an I or and E
2. Tell a story that happerned to you incorporating the characteristics that match with that role.
3. Others have to decide whether this is a Truth or a Lie.
Use Past Tenses. Start with Present PerfectQ. Others reply asking details in S. Past/ Past Perfect, etc.
I have spoken to a Romanian person although I do not speak Romanian.
When did you meet this person?
4. You can ask up to 7 questions before you guess. The person who fools most people is the winner and gets free coffee!
Column B – Definitions
A. Someone who enjoys being with others and is very outgoing
B. A person who is quiet or shy, especially in social gatherings
C. A person who prefers to spend time alone
D. Someone who is always cheerful and content
E. A person who is emotionally distant or not very expressive
F. Someone who talks a lot
G. A highly energetic and goal-oriented person
H. The most lively and sociable person in a group
I. A person who enjoys parties and nightlife
J. Someone mentally strong and not easily discouraged
Imagine you are on a cruise in the Caribbean sea and the boat has started to sink. You can only save 6 items. Be careful! The island has fresh water and coconuts but it can take weeks before another vessel comes by to rescue you!
1. Chose 6 items. Think why they are important
2. In groups, Agree on six. Discuss with arguments using some of the vocabulary in the previous activity.
Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year is brain rot—a term once used humorously, now backed by real science.
Mindless scrolling, doomscrolling, and digital addiction are rewiring our brains for distraction, instant gratification, and cognitive decline.
Studies show excessive screen time can shrink gray matter, weaken memory, and impair decision-making.
Luckily, the brain is adaptable. 🧠
By setting boundaries, curating what you consume, and prioritizing real-world experiences, you can rewire your brain for focus, resilience, and deep thinking.
Are storytelling traditions a thing of the past or should they be preserved for future generations?
Watch Daveed Diggs acceptance speech in Tony Awards. What do you notice about his use of a story?
FOCUS ON
When telling stories, jokes, and anecdotes, Present tenses might often be used instead of past tnses. This can help the listener experience the story as it was happening right now and to them, thus making it more engaging.
Read the following Aboriginal fable. Change the verbs to an appropriate present tense.
Rainbow Serpent: Aboriginal Story from Australia
One day, it started to rain. And it rained like it had never rained before. Rain fell for days and days and the world was becoming flooded with water. Two young men, Bil-bil, or the Rainbow Lorikeet brothers, had no shelter, so they came to Goorialla, the Rainbow Serpent. They asked for help sheltering from the rain. The rainbow serpent was hungry and tricked the young men, '1 have no shelter, but you can hide in my mouth. You'll be safe from the rain in there.' The young men climbed into Goorialla's mouth and he closed it shut, swallowing both men.
He soon realized that people would notice the young men missing and come looking for them. He knew they would find their tracks leading right into his mouth. He didn't want to be caught and so decided to hide in the only place he knew he would be safe: the sky. He saw people's sadness at losing these two young men, so he decided to try and make them happy again by turning his body into big arc of beautiful colours.
Now, just after it rains, you can see the Rainbow Serpent sharing his beautiful colours with the people on the ground as his way of saying sorry for taking those Rainbow Lorikeet brothers.
VOCABULARY
OWN IT! Now, using the tips we explored today, turn your childhood story into an inspirational one to promote your company's message.
What do you do to save space at home or at the office?
People can become very creative when they are pressed to find space.
For example, in this famous Bangkok market, Medlong, stall owners are required to move out of the way to let trains get through! Shoppers must stand to the one side to let train the pass.
Read these other ingenious solutions:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each space-saving solution?
brain surgery, concrete, eye make-up, water sanitation systems
Read the text and check your predictions
Which information did you find the most surprising?
How certain is it that the sentences are true?
Write certainly true (CT), possibly true (PT) or certainly not true (NT).
1 Egyptians invented make-up.
2 Both men and women in ancient Egypt wore make-up.
3. Our ancestors knew about bacteria.
4. It was a bad idea to perform brain surgery.
5. Roman concrete was good as modern concrete.
6. Roman concrete was very strong.
7 The people in the Indus valley were safe from dangerous diseases.
Find the sentences in the text that told you the answers to Exercise 3. Match the modal structures with their meaning (1-4). Then read the Grammar box to check.
1 It's very probable or certain that something happened
2 It's quite possible that something happened.
3 It's impossible that something happened.
4 It was wrong to do something.
GRAMMAR Speculating about the past
You can talk about possibility and certainty in the X past using the structure: modal verb have X past participle.
Use must have if it's very probable or certain that something happened.
Some of these operations must have been successful.
Use may have or might have if it's possible that something happened.
Egyptians may/might have been the first to use make-up.
Use can't/couldn't have if it's impossible that something happened.
Roman concrete can't have been as strong as modern concrete.
Use should/shouldn'"t have to talk about mistakes or express criticism.
