Inglês Para Fins Acadêmicos - III

Online Activity: MARINA SILVA SEABRA DA ROCHA

Watch the talk “What makes a good life?” and answer the following questions:
https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_t
he_longest_study_on_happiness

1) Write a brief report about what Robert Waldinger discusses in the talk. (120-150
words)

The lecturer talks about the relationship between health, happiness and social
connection. He exposed the results of Harvard University’s research that show
there is no connection between what people are considering good for their lives
and what really matters to get older healthier and happier.
The samples proved that good relationship keep us healthier and happier than
money, fame or work achievement. People who live connect with their families
and friends are healthier, happier and live longer than isolated ones. Loneliness
causes mental decline and shortens our life expectancy. Which means that lonely
kills.
However, not only the fact that being connect with other people matters. The
quality of relationships is more significant to our well-being than the number of
friends or closer individuals.
The conclusion of the research is that a person who is more satisfied with her
life, she lives more and is healthier than the other people.

2) Do you agree with what Robert Waldinger discusses? Support your answer by
saying why you agree or disagree with his ideas. Could the ideas he defends be
applied to everybody? You may give examples or report any data you might be
aware of that you consider relevant. (100 – 150 words)

Yes, I totally agree with him. There is a Latin phrase of the Roman poet Juvenal,
“Mens sana in corpore sano” which is usually translated as "a healthy mind in a
healthy body" and that illustrates perfectly the essence of this lecture.

3) Write a brief comment about how easy or how difficult the talk was for you to
understand. How many times did you watch it? Also add some new vocabulary
from the talk you had to check.

In a difficulty scale level, I can affirm that this Ted Talk reached the level
number 7, if we consider that 10 is the easier listening to understand and 1 is the
most difficult.
I have to hear some parts many times like, the interv als between 2:30-
2:50;6:30-7:10 and 9:00-9:45, because there was a lot of information and
 because the accent of the lecturer did not allowed me to understand some
isolated words or expression In the middle of the talking.
New vocabulary:
 To drop out: to not do something that you were going to do, or to stop doing
something before you have completely finished
 To dry up: If a river, lake, etc. dries up, the water in it disappears (ressecar)
 Moves the ball further down the field: to move towards the goal; to advance
 To fold: bend or lay so that one part covers the other (dobrar; preguear; encerrar;
cingir)