English Mastery Complete C2.1 C2.2 With QR Reduced

ENGLISH MASTERY
ENGLISH MASTERY
ADVANCED ENGLISH STUDENT’S BOOK
English Mastery The Complete Advanced English Coruse
New Edition
© Javier Blanco Pérez 2023
ISBN: 978-84-09-37518-9
Depósito Legal Nº: MU.13-2022
Contacto: javier.blanco@breakthruenglishmastery.com
Imágenes: © freepik, shutterstock, p. 72, http://bit.ly/movquotes, p. 90, thesun.co.uk, p. 95,

https://www.ecda.gov.sg/Pages/contactus.aspx, p. 112 The Rogue Theatre, p. 134, Airbnb
automated, p. 172 Financial Independence EU, p. 186 BigThink, p 194. Minor Threat “Out
of Step” (Dischord Records), p. 306 Ido Portal, p. 326 eqivideos YouTube channel.
Diseño y maquetación: Daniel Caballero.

Revised and proofread by: Hanny Nussen, Rebekah Osio Vanden, Miguel Ángel Serna.
To access audio files, answer keys and transcripts, click on the

QR code below
ENGLISH MASTERY
ENGLISH MASTERY
UNITS
UNIT 1 PLEASED TO MEET ME 7

Learning Languages. Learning Styles 11
Personality. First Impressions. Character Flaws 21
National Identity. Society and Culture 30
Learning Languages. Learning Styles 37
UNIT 2 THE PARETO PRINCIPLE 52

Success, goals, plans and strategies 56
Failures, Setbacks. Obstacles and Adversity 65
Time Management, Focus and Productivity 76
Habits, Routines and Choices 86
UNIT 3 ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE 100

Parenting Styles. Raising Children 104
Adolescence. Generational Clash 116
Anger Management. Emotional Well-being 127
21st Education Challenges 137
UNIT 4 TO INFINITY AND BEIJING 150

Wanderlust. The Love of Travel 154
Houses 163
Cities. Urban Problems 173
UNIT 5 GET A LIFE! 189

Money Issues 193
Biographies. Adversity and Stress 200
Work and Careers 209
Entrepreneurship and Business 218
UNIT 6 COUNTERCULTURE SHOCK 232
Modern Art 236
Free Speech. Shock Value 245
Popular Music 253
The Film Industry
271
UNIT 7 LOVE IN THE TIME OF NEWSPEAK 275
The Game. Dating and Hooking Up 284
Secrets, Lies and Infidelity 294
Toxic Relationships 303
Breakups, Divorces and Fixing Relationships
310
UNIT 8 AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH 314
Instant Gratification and Addictions 324
Social Media 335
Violence and Fighting 347
The Fitness Industry
360
UNIT 9 SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES 364
Beliefs, Ideologies and Dogmas 374
Science, Data, Facts and Statistics 386
Environmental Issues
395
UNIT 10 BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD 399
The Science of Happiness 407
Artificial Intelligence and Information Warfare 416
Comedy, Humor and Censorship 424
Memories, Aging and the Passing of Time
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 434

ENGLISH MASTERY
About this book

ENGLISH MASTERY. THE ULTIMATE ADVANCED ENGLISH COURSE
This book results from the author’s pursuit of binding together and bridging the gap between
two seemingly unrelated fields: teaching English as a second language, and the existing wealth
of literature on the likes of self-development and personal growth, evolutionary psychology,
entrepreneurship and accomplishment, fitness, and health (i.e.: evolving as an individual), but also
collective attempts and initiatives to improve the lives of the member of a community (grassroots
and mutual aid movements, raising awareness about social and environmental issues, the "think
globally, act locally" philosophy…). In short, anything that has to do with trying to evolve and flourish
as individuals and the social animals we are, becoming an improved version of ourselves and living
meaningful lives.
After having been exposed to the fascinating works of authors such as Robert Greene, Timothy
Ferriss, Richard Wright, Steven Pinker, MJ de Marco, Ryan Holiday, Roger Scruton, Stephen Covey,
etc., and a never-ending array of online resources, blogs, podcasts on a variety of enthralling topics
(from irrational consumption to fitness, to financial independence, to fostering healthy relationships,
to the right to self-expression and the exchange of ideas between individuals), and numerous
groundbreaking theories and studies which deal with human nature and behavior, I feel compelled to
on the one hand, pay tribute to those invaluable contributions and, on the other, introduce you, dear
reader (be it student or teacher) to these chunks of knowledge which, at the very least, will intrigue
and engross you and make the English learning and teaching journey a much more enjoyable one and,
who knows, maybe provide you with new paradigms to markedly improve your life.
Dedicated to Liam. A beautiful, loyal canine who would never fail to devour any tissue in sight. You
were the best dog ever and, for sure, one of the noblest creatures to ever walk the Earth.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank the following schools for testing and piloting this book while it was in its nascent,
imperfect, and yet to be polished form:
EOI Gandía, EOI Santander, EOI Alcalá de Henares, EOI Carabanchel, EOI Embajadores, EOI Cáceres,
EOI Tudela, EOI Alcorcón, EOI Molina de Segura, EOI Caravaca de la Cruz, EOI Plana Baixa, EOI Las
Rozas, EOI Utebo, EOI Gijón, EOI Zaragoza, EOI Torrelavega. MASSIVE THANKS, especially, to Teresa
Vercher Tio (EOI Gandía), Nico Moramarco (EOI Santander) and Rocío Arias and Laura Simón (EOI
Alcorcón).
Your generosity, patience and understanding will forever be appreciated.
UNIT 1. PLEASED TO MEET ME ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT
1
PLEASED
TO MEET ME
Identity.
The Group and The Self
“
“If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result
of a hundred battles.
If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory you will also
suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will
succumb in every battle”
“The Art of War”. Sun Tzu
6
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 1. PLEASED TO MEET ME
About this unit

Throughout the following pages we are going to deal with different matters which ultimately have to
do with the concept of “identity”, that is, answering the question “who am I?” as an individual and as
part of the group, of a collective, of a demographic category, of society, of a country.
The first section “The Learner Identity” addresses the topic of being a learner, in this case, of a
second language, and encourages students/you, who at this point may have a couple of years of
learning experience under their belt, to reflect back on their journey and discuss what aspects they
have found more rewarding, which they have found more frustrating, to spot their weaknesses and
strengths, and also to share with other students strategies, tricks, tips and methods to make the
most of their most of their learning journey. Even though many may think that getting an advanced
certification in English means the end of the ride, in some respects it is actually just the beginning. The
aim of the entire course is to get students and learners to a point where they feel like their command
of the English language is virtually limitless, where they feel confident enough to speak profusely and
with enough accuracy and nuances about any topic.
The second part of the unit “First Impressions. Perfect Strangers” prompts students to look around
but also within, and be observant of people’s mannerisms, social skills and personality traits, and
how they affect social interactions that may subsequently lead to petty or eventually more serious
interpersonal conflicts. But it also encourages them/us to undergo introspection and consider whether
it may be us, not the other, who directly or indirectly, may be triggering those conflicts, due to
character flaws or too rigid behaviors which have proven detrimental to our relationships (romantic,
family, professional) in the past and the present. I was inspired by Robert Greene’s lifechanging book
“The Laws of Human Nature”, which explores human behavior in a way that few other works have
managed to do so far, striking a balance between being exhaustive and being entertaining.
The third and fourth section, “National Identity” and “Gender Identity and Identity Politics”,
respectively deal with topics which, while being contentious (or arguably, DUE to their contentious
nature) make for really fascinating conversations, debates, and class discussions. In an ever changing
7
historical context, and with globalization being a tangible reality, with diplomatic skirmishes between
countries, social and political struggles among, and especially within countries, nations battling for
international, economic, technological and military hegemony, where some countries emerge as up-
and-coming, burgeoning contenders, while others seem doomed to decadence and collapse (as in
the classical cycle of the rise and fall of empires); there are many who believe in conspiracy theories,
vested interests, and a handful of individuals in Ivory Towers playing with us like puppets. This has
been especially relevant in the wake of the post-Covid19 world, the Black Lives Matters protests, and
the rise of populism (right and left wing) in many parts of the world. It will definitely leave no one who
is willing to participate and hone their debate and speaking skills, indifferent.
As for the fourth section, it tackles not only feminism, but racism, homophobia, and concepts like
Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Privilege-Oppression axes. These topics, which were already
pretty well known in English speaking countries (and not only in the world of academia), are starting
to be heard more and more in Europe and in Spanish speaking countries. In these subject matters,
which are likely to stir controversies, and about which people from different backgrounds are likely
to have different opinions, we choose to not take sides, and to try to present a comprehensive, not
one-sided vision of the matter.That is why we present a variety of angles, for students to make their
own informed point, to favor debate, argumentation, reasoning, and a healthy debate of ideas, which
seems to be a bit lacking nowadays.
Hope you like it.
8
UNIT 1. PLEASED TO MEET ME
ENGLISH MASTERY
Table of Contents
Throughout this unit you will practice the following skills:
Reading/Use of English
The Ugly Truth about Modern School-Based Language Learning (Multiple Choice Test)
Zen or the Art of ACTUALLY speaking good English (Lexical Cloze)
The Science of First Impressions (Gapped Text)
Pleased to Meet Me (Word Formation)
Listening
Learning Styles with Jess (T/F Multiple Statements)
Are you Passive Aggressive? (Fill in the Gaps)
What it Means to be English (Sentence Completion)
What do EU Nationals Think of Brexit? (Multiple Dialogues / Dual Task)
Identity Politics: Embracing Diversity or Creating Divisiveness (Dual Conversation)
Oral Mediation
Anti-Homophobic, Biphobic, Transphobic slurs campaign (Intralinguistic)
Written Mediation
Stanford University's Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative (Intralinguistic)
Speaking
Learning Styles. The L2 Learner Identity
First Impressions. Personality Traits. Character Flaws
National Identity and Culture vs. Globalization
Gender Identity. Men, Women and Evolutionary Psychology
Writing
Written Production: Essay on the Feminist Struggle
Written Interaction: What to do when Plateauing in English
9
PART 1
THE LEARNER
IDENTITY
“
“You do not know how strong you are until
being strong is the only choice you have”
Bob Marley
SMALL
TALK
"How would you describe your learning experience regarding English? "
How can you describe this journey? Has it been a smooth, rather undemanding process
or one full of setbacks/hurdles?
What aspects of the process do you find more challenging? Which more rewarding?
Which more frustrating?
Would you say you have got a special gift/knack for learning languages? Do you instead
believe that becoming proficient in English is not in the cards for you?
Do you feel like you excel in some areas but are lacking in others? Do you reckon you
have found and applied (or not) the right learning strategy?
10
LISTENING & SPEAKING
Do you know anything about learning strategies and learning styles?
Quiz: What type of learner are you?
Listen to the descriptions

and write the option that best
describes your learning style
for each of the questions or
statements. Write A, B or C below
the numbers as the YouTuber goes
through the different items in the
questionnaire.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Answer
1. Which is your predominant learning style according to your quiz results?
2. Which study tips does Elise give for your particular learning style?
3. Which top tip is given regardless of your learning style?
4. What learning style/strategies would you adopt to learn to do the following things?
a) Learning the Handstand or the Natarajasana (dancer pose) in Yoga.

b) Making a delicious American Cheescake/Trifle (British dessert).
c) Being able to play a song you like a lot on the guitar.
d) Preparing an oral exam/presentation/lecture/speech.
e) Learning some tricky software you need for your project/job.
! Source: YouTube Channel The Pocket Mentor App

Complete Video: What Learning Style Are You? And Why It Doesn’t Matter!
11
ORAL MEDIATION
Context
Your friend Anna is studying an online course on Information and Communication Technology
applied to Education. In two weeks, she will need to present her end-of-course work, which
includes a 15-minute presentation before an examining board. Even though her work is really
compelling, she is unsure she will be able to remember everything. Making a bad impression and
getting a low mark as a result is her greatest concern.
She is the kind of person who fidgets all the time and finds it difficult to stand still, let alone sit
through and memorize long stretches of written information for hours. She likes drawing and enjoys
reading comics more than your usual novel (even though she’s 31), and she is really into plastic arts,
like painting and sculpture.
Bearing that information in mind and using the images below, send Anna a voicemail (about 2
minutes in duration) with suggestions on how to make the most of her study time.
Prepare for your oral mediation task here (key aspects you’ll need to mention, mediation strategies or
microskills, expressions or structures you’d like to use, etc...):
12
EXAM PRACTICE: LISTENING TEST
Study with Jess

What type of learner are
you? Tips for every type of
learner.
Listen to Jess go through the different learning styles. Which SIX of the following statements are
explicitly mentioned in the clip?
A. Visual learners tend to recall information when they see it or chat about it
B. Pairing words and images benefits memorization of concepts for learners of this type
C. The YouTuber is a multimodal type of learner
D. Concise, visual information is more optimal than longer, written pieces
E. She finds it hard to focus when she surfs the Internet
F. Recording lectures saves auditory learners the hassle of having to complain
G. Recording oneself is superior to proofreading for this type of learner
H. The cognitive depth of learning increases when using rhymes
I. Engaging others in the discussion of the ideas to learn makes debates a great option
J. Kinesthetic learners need to manipulate objects to ensure learning
K. Visiting the zoo or spending time with family and friends are examples of Kinesthetic
friendly strategies
L. Diagrams and charts go down well with different learning styles
Write the corresponding letter in the boxes below.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Answer
! Source: YouTube Channel Study with Jess

Complete Video: What type of learner are you? Tips for every type of learner
Website: https://studywithjess.com/
13
EXAM PRACTICE: READING & USE OF ENGLISH
Language Activation. Read the following text and complete the missing information with a suitable word
from the list below (a, b, c, or d).
Zen or the Art of ACTUALLY speaking good English

I have spent most of the recent years of my teaching career trying to (1) ____________ the ultimate
secret, key, go-to action that would make advanced students of English get rid of those annoying
fossilized (2) ____________, take a substantial leap forward and finally start speaking the language
they have studied for ages in a way they can feel proud of. I dreamed of becoming the one true TEFL
alchemist that would distill the ultimate concoction and (3) ____________ the coveted strategy that
learners could use to impress the hell out of not only their native speaking buddies- these, due to
their comparatively (4) ____________ command of their non-native language (they are speakers of the
world’s vehicular language, the Lingua Franca and never felt (5) ____________ to really learn another
one beyond the merely utilitarian so, who can blame them?) would compliment anything-, but especially
their nitpicking teachers and potential employers alike. But alas, reality keeps (6) ____________ me
down over and over. It is more complicated than that.
(7) ____________ through plateaus in one’s learning journey seems to be a major issue, especially
at this stage. We need to be able to identify and pinpoint which aspects of our skills are more
lacking, and (8) ____________ down on those defficient abilities requires a great deal of introspection.
It is about (9) ____________ the ego, really. Forget about the number of years you have devoted to
learning this language. Who cares? Certainly, some of the approaches you (10) ____________ for ages
did not work, and as the legendary American Football coach Vince Lombardi put it, “practice does not
make perfect; only PERFECT practice makes perfect”.
1 a Expose b Fabricate c Unveil d Unleash
2 a Deficiencies b Flaws c Shortcomings d Errors
3 a Compose b Devise c Invent d Assume
4 a Marginal b Subpar c Minor d Insignificant
5 a Committed b Compelled c Pressed d Bound
6 a Hitting b Punching c Striking d Searing
7 a Breaking b Coming c Getting d Pulling
8 a Bouncing b Doubling c Matching d Tearing
9 a Quitting b Shunning c Dropping d Ditching
10 a Performed b Elaborated c Implemented d Conceived
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Answer
! Source: © Javier Blanco Pérez
14
SPEAKING
Successful vs. Unsuccessful Language Learning
How important do you think the following factors are to attain a proficient level in a
language?
How do you think each correlates with successful language learning?
• Personality
• Motivation: Instrumental, travel, socialization, knowledge…
• Positive vs. negative language learning beliefs: L2 usefulness, learning difficulty,
usefulness of certain strategies…
• Learning Styles: Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic, Read/Write, Multimodal
• Learning Strategies:
Cognitive/metacognitive strategies: summarizing, analyzing, planning,
monitoring, self-evaluating;
Social-affective strategies: self-encouragement, self-reward, interaction with L2
speakers…)
Memory-related strategies
• Innate talent
• Other....
Check Speaking Mastery:
“The Learner Identity”
15
EXAM PRACTICE
READING: THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT SCHOOL-BASED MODERN LANGUAGE

TEACHING
Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Test
I was recently criticized by some of Stephen I play tennis, my mother plays tennis, my father
Krashen’s fans for something that to me and does not play tennis, we play tennis.
many other teachers is a sad given: MFL
teachers operating in secondary schools Although ideologically I do not agree with this
have simply no time to teach languages the method at all, and it is not the way I learnt the
way they should ideally be taught. Time seven languages I am fluent in and the other
and syllabus constraints force teachers to seven I speak less well, I see the merit of aspects
extremely tight schedules which do not allow of this approach in the beginning phase of every
for extensive listening and reading practice. learning; the parroting stage of classroom-based
It is evident from much research that every acquisition. Lots of drilling does help embed the
language learner would benefit from these core vocabulary and grammar structures, it is
skills before engaging in real-life-like speaking. undeniable. And it can be made fun, too, with a
bit of imagination – e.g. my receptive drills in the
The problem is indeed, for teachers working in game room at http://www.language-gym.com/#/
England to effectively prepare their students for game-room or my oral communicative drills. And
GCSE and A-Level examinations, this simply if the phrases and words we embed in the drills
cannot be done as often as one would like. We all consist of lexical items and sentences which can
know that. Hence, effective teaching in our context be very useful in the real world and are taught and
is not merely about applying what we know best practiced within typical real-life communicative
about the benefits of language acquisition, but it is contexts, all the better still!
first and foremost how to make the most of the time
we have available to build our students’ linguistic The truth is that while every method language
competence, self-confidence and motivation. It researchers and educationists have come up
requires adapting what we know about human with in the last fifty – sixty decades or so, is
language acquisition to the context we operate in. effective in its own way, each of them addressing
one different stage or facet of the complex
The American army knew this all too well when process that language acquisition is. To say my
they had to prepare their troops linguistically method is better than yours is preposterous.
for the Normandy invasion in 1945. Surely, they Yet proponents of each method are, sometimes
could not afford to put their soldiers through inspired by a genuine passion for and belief in the
hours and hours of receptive learning through validity of their approach, more often than not,
engaging stories with the belief that languages driven by a business or political agenda.
are best learnt subconsciously through exposure
to comprehensible input. Hence, they devised We, as school-based teachers, have been
an approach which was drill-based; lots of historically the victims of this state of affairs,
repetition through controlled tasks aimed at decade after decade. Subjected to fads which
practicing phrase after phrase until they were were not a faithful reflection of each new
so embedded in their soldiers’ memory that method, but rather the botched-up adaptation
they became spontaneous. In this approach, of often-sound theories and methodologies
grammar was taught through robotic repetition by governments and their consultants, which
and manipulation of small parts of sentences, e.g. reshaped them to fit the target cultural, political
16
ENGLISH MASTERY
and socio-economic context, mindful less of our Eclecticism or pedagogic hypocrisy? Neither,
needs or our students’ than of their own agendas. in my opinion. The ugly truth is that a lot of us
are confused and disoriented; overloaded with
The result is a teaching profession whose pedagogic government and school policy requirements
beliefs are often a hybrid of all the methodological which change way too often and quickly ;
approaches it has been exposed to in the last forty overflooded with information coming from
years or so – whether through word of mouth, different camps ; misinformed by CPDs which
readings, CPD, government policies, etc.- So many squeeze years of researching and theorizing in
of us are advocates of the Communicative approach one or two PowerPoint slides ; galvanized by
whilst teaching grammar like the Romans or the keynote speakers who excite us with great ideas
Greeks used to 2,000 years ago ; believing that which are difficult to translate into our classroom
reading extensively for pleasure will subconsciously practice.
result in learning whilst we train our students to learn Hence, as I always ‘preach’ in my posts, the
towards reading comprehension tests that teach need for (a) having a clear understanding of
little; advocate the importance of oral interaction modern language pedagogy so as to be able to
and listening even though most lessons are about understand the state of the art of educational
reading and writing – or embrace enquiry-based pedagogy beyond the different factions and fads’
learning tasks where students barely ever speak; political agendas ; (b) having a basic reference
say one should tolerate error and that mistakes are framework based on that understanding that
‘good’ (as CLT preaches), but then make a huge will enable us to approach lesson and curriculum
fuss about them by excessively focusing students planning, assessment and feedback in a no-
on correction. nonsense, practical and principled way.
! Source: The Language Gym
Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Test
1. In the first paragraph the author

a. Acknowledges teachers do their best given their various limitations.
b. Affirms receptive skills should be mastered before productive skills.
c. Expresses upset for being subject to criticism.
d. Implies Stephen Krashen’s followers are too naive.
2. The main idea in the second paragraph is:
a. A change of teaching strategy would certainly improve students’ performance in
exams.
b. Non-linguistic aspects such as motivation and confidence are usually disregarded in
modern FL teaching.
c. FL teachers are mostly concerned about their students' performance in exams.
d. Teaching FL at school should mirror human language acquisition processes
3. About drilling techniques, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage?
a. Adding more variety to other more communication-based approaches.
b. In certain conditions, it is superior to other methods.
c. Helping lay the basics and foundations of FL learning.
d. How they can be transferable to real-life communicative situations.
17
4. About the succession of different Language Teaching and approaches, he states:

a. All of them are equally effective at the end of the day.
b. Governments often use them to advance their political agenda.
c. The more fervent supporters of one or another have vested interests.
d. They wind up impairing the teaching practice.
5. Which is the greatest flaw he finds in modern language teaching?
a. Being way too centered on correction
b. Claiming to be communicative but still including grammar lessons
c. Combining rather incompatible objectives and approaches
d. Having unrealistic expectations about the outcomes of reading as a hobby
6. What is the idea that summarizes best the author’s conclusion on Modern Language Tea-
ching?
a. Language teachers end up overreaching with so much information.
b. New methods are implemented with little regard to pedagogic criteria.
c. Teachers need to look past trends not strictly centered on language pedagogy.
d. There is a need for more teacher training.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Answer
18
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic: Language Learning and Verbal Communication
I. On which conditions would you consider working abroad for a couple of

years?
II. Why is it important to get a certification in English for you?
III. Have you ever been too kind/generous for your own good with someone?
IV. What is the most optimal way, in your opinion, of mastering a foreign
language in relation to speaking/conversation? writing?
V. In which facets of your life are you willing to walk/go the extra mile so as to
get superior results?
VI. Have you ever been in a situation abroad (travel, work, etc) where you
couldn’t get someone’s words/message/catch someone's drift?
VII. When having a conversation with someone about a delicate issue, are you
straightforward/unambiguous and get the point across or do you instead
tend to meander/beat around the bush?
VIII. Have you ever been cut short in the middle of a conversation/oral exam? If
so, what did you do? How did you feel?
IX. When working in group/at work, do you sometimes find it difficult to keep
up with different people in that group? Regarding which skills/tasks?
X. After some time off from work/class/the gym, how do you manage to catch
up with the rest of colleagues/mates?
XI. When heated conversations are taking place, do you tend to get carried
away and monopolize/hijack the conversation? Do you find it difficult to
get a word in edgeways? Do you prefer to keep a low profile?
19
PART 2
PERSONALITY.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
PERFECT STRANGERS
“
You will always be the prey or
plaything of the devils and fools of
this world if you expect to see them
going about with horns or jangling
their bells. And it should be borne in
mind that, in their intercourse with
others, people are like the moon: they
only show you one side.”
Arthur Schopenhauer
SMALL
TALK
Which do you think are the 3 most salient characteristics that define you as a person?
In your identity as a person and in your interaction with others, which of the following
aspects are important/say something about you?
Physical presence, appearance and attire, body language and mannerisms, verbal
language, interests and hobbies, religious beliefs and ideologies, profession, career…
How would you like to be remembered? How would you like to be referred to by friends/
colleagues/acquaintances/strangers?
Do you believe in first impressions? Have any of those first impressions you've had of
other proven to be right? Have you ever been misled by an impression about someone?
What impression do you think others have of you?
20
READING
Gapped Reading Text
The Science of First Impressions
Read the text below and decide which phrase from the list fits best in each gap and write the letter in
its corresponding space. There are THREE PHRASES too many. The first sentence has been done as an
example (Item 0).
A. Along with other undesired side effects

B. An inability to differentiate between harmful and harmless stimuli
C. And being aware of such a value
D. Based on how important they are to our own motivations
E. Bringing up shared social connections is probably one of the best ways to establish trust.
F. Contradicting the opinions held by many scientists
G. It is also important for spatial memory
H. Making it complex enough to process
I. Revealed positive traits about the profile
J. Stimulation of the PCC predicts exploration of a previously unexplored option
K. Subjects were shown a photograph of a face
L. The PCC and amygdala help us compute first impressions of others
M. We might be constantly checking over our shoulder because we are looking for someone in
the hallway
N. Were formulated in a confusing manner
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
21
ENGLISH MASTERY
A few years ago, a team of researchers at New York University led by Daniela Schiller examined
the neuroscience of how people form impressions of others. While their brains were being scanned in
an fMRI machine, (0) __K_____ and read six sentences about that person.
Some sentences (1) ____________________ (“He picked his roommate’s package up for him on the
way home from work”), and three illuminated negative traits (“He told the other student that he
wasn’t smart enough”). Afterwards, the subject was asked for their overall impressions of each profile.
First, a little background:
The amygdala is one of the few areas that receives information from all of the senses, (2)
__________________________the nuances of social stimuli. It controls and moderates our motivations,
telling us where to go and why, navigating our social world. Damage to the amygdala in humans
creates a total loss of fear, (3) __________________________. Without it, we simply can’t learn that
it’s bad to hit on the boss’s wife or drink arsenic. (Lab animals with damaged amygdalae are usually
rejected by their peer groups, with tragic consequences).
The posterior cingular cortex (PCC from now on) is the seat of autobiographical memory, attention,
and the emotional influence in memory; (4) _______________________; patients with damage to the
PCC show significant difficulty locating themselves or even navigating familiar terrain. Self-monitoring
and self-reflection become impossible. Patients don’t know what they’re supposed to pay attention to.
But the PCC is also active when we assess the value of objects, possible choices, make risky decisions
and calculate bets. (5) _________________: inferring the value of an alternative, whether or not we
deem the change to be worth it, and what we’d have to do to get there.
Together, (6) __________________. “These regions sort information on the basis of its personal and
subjective importance and summarize it into an ultimate score, a first impression,” says Schiller. In
forming those first impressions, we automatically attend to and parse relevant information about
somebody, (7) ______________________________. Our split-second reactions to other people are
assessments of their value to our own social world. Outside of the lab, our impressions factor in
everything from what we’ve heard about them to how often they blink.
To recap, despite some oversimplification: meeting people activates the same region of the brain
responsible for assigning prices to objects. And after we’ve assigned a value to a person, we
make the decision about how to orient ourselves to that person: do we want to get closer? (8)
_____________________ , do we want this person to be involved in our network?
The ideas of fear and value make great metaphors in helping us understand what’s at stake during
those first few seconds when we meet someone else. Fear is so primal and elicits such an immediate
response, but how often do we think about the small factors that can change the way someone
views us? (9) _________________________________, but if the other person doesn’t know that, he may
interpret your actions as a little shifty. Your neutral face may look a little more menacing or indifferent
than you would like it to.
Based on this study (and a little common sense), one of the best ways to take advantage of a first
impression is to give people a reason to trust and value you. (10) ____________________________ and
get what I like to call the “Not a Lunatic” seal of approval. Common interests, mutual acquaintances,
common LinkedIn connections—and don’t forget about the power of a sincere Duchenne smile.
Remember, you’re doing this to work around more primitive (and therefore faster) areas of the brain,
and the ultimate goal is to give someone the impression that it’s not only okay for the other person to
get close to you, but that it would be well worth their time.
! Source: The Science of First Impressions. Karla Starr (Psychology Today)
22
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Meeting people. First impressions
When interacting with others for the

first couple of times, what kind of
aspects do you pay attention to?
Are you mostly indifferent to or rather observant of people’s body language/words/behavior?
What cues provide some information about a person’s behavior/true emotions/intentions?
What sort of behavior/actions/mannerisms/gestures put you off when meeting someone

(on a first date, at work, college…)? Do you think those provide reliable information about an
individual?
VOCABULARY
Being imprecise (describing people/ things)
When dealing with physical appearance, as it happens with character and personality, we rarely -or
not very often- find “pure” types, that is, 100% thin/fat/blond/ pale/unattractive people, but people
who may manifest that feature to different degrees, hence, the importance of pre-modifying the
following adjectives with words like “rather”, “fairly”, “roughly”,”somewhat”,”kind of”,” sort of”…
This way, not only do we make our speech sound more natural, but our description more accurate.
He’s KIND OF overweight, rather plump.

She’s RATHER stubborn sometimes, isn’t she?
She’s ROUGHLY in her forties.
I’d say he’s SOMEWHAT neurotic on certain occasions.
The suffix- ish: she might be thirty-ish
23
LEVEL UP YOUR VOCABULARY: At the advanced levels (C1, and especially, C2) it is no
longer Ok to just rely on the same old vocabulary that you felt comfortable with in the inferior
levels. So, using those words and phrases which sounded good in your B2 class won’t cut it
anymore! Time to expand a little bit on that vocabulary. This is especially necessary when we
want to be accurate, and as descriptive as possible, for our interlocutor to really picture what
or who we are talking about. These words will help you in said endeavor.
Remember, though, to look into the context/register in which these different words are
used, and the shade of meaning behind each one, as it is extremely likely that they won’t be
interchangeable!
Verbal Communication
• An articulate/eloquent/well-spoken/meaningful individual.
• Someone’s banter/ to have the gift of the gab.
• To stammer/to mumble/to mutter/to murmur/ to ramble/ to snap at someone.
• To yell/to shriek/to shout/to scream.
• To hijack the conversation/ to talk gibberish/ to whine/to whinge…
Body Language/ Gestures/ Mannerisms:

• Mannerisms: Nervous laughter/to pout/to grimace/ to fidget/to bite your nails/ pick your nose/
to tap your fingers.
• Ways of looking: To leer/to sneer/top gawk/to gawp/to stare at/to peep/to glower/to gaze/to
glare/to scowl/to scrutinize.
Speaking about… PERSONALITY

Persona: the mask or façade presented to satisfy the demands of the situation or the environment
and not representing the inner personality of the individual. Public image.
• Simon Cowell’s demeaning behavior and roguish character are just part of his persona.
Some would say a kind of marketing strategy, even.
Advanced phrases to describe character.
• Have a …streak
• We say someone has, for example, a competitive streak to show an important part of
their character, especially when this contrasts with their normal behavior.
• He has a vicious streak if you get on the wrong side of him.
• She seems easy-going, but she has got a stubborn streak.
• To be inclined/prone to…/ to have a bent for…
• It was never Ryan’s bent to help others.
• She is prone to/inclined to losing it whenever she has one drink or two.
Look at the following sentences describing people’s character. Do you ever feel like that
about people you meet/know quite well?
• College is going to be a walk in the park for you; I mean, you are so damn quick at picking
up things!
• He’s got book smarts but no street smarts.
24
• People just keep saying that Ricky Gervais’s humor is so witty, but I just can’t see it.
• She thinks she is super smart, but comes across as a smartass, if you ask me.
• Brian always struck me as a devious guy; he would say one thing to you and the opposite to
your back.
• Martin’s cunning look makes me be wary of him. You never really know what he's up to.
• Never trust Sonia, she is easily the trickiest/sneakiest/most deceptive/calculating person I
have ever met.
• Anton sets really high standards for himself. To the point of verging on perfectionism.
• The problem with you is that you have got a tendency to make snap decisions.
• Dan’s so thick-skinned; he literally does not care at all about what others may think of him.
• Come on! Taking offence over a comment on your hair on Facebook? You just cannot be that
thin-skinned!
• The best thing about him is how he always puts others first.
• What I like most about you is how good you are at keeping secrets, and how even after
falling out with friends, you never ever bear/hold a grudge.
• I can take any form of constructive criticism, but that remark just came across as
downright mean-spirited/cruel/mean/vile.
• You find it hard to keep your temper when you think someone is making a fool out of you.
Check: Extra document Micro mediation (Personality Idioms)
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
Negative emotions and character flaws
“ “You like to imagine yourself in control of your

fate, consciously planning the fate of your life
the best you can. But you are largely unaware of
how deeply your emotions dominate you”.
Robert Greene, “The Laws of Human Nature”.
25
Discuss the following topics in your pairs/groups:
Is there any aspect of your personality that you would like to change?
Has any character flaw of yours ever been an impairment in your relationships?
Are there any things you unconsciously do which somehow damage your prospects,
sabotage your goals, and affect relationships with others? Do you even consider them a
flaw?

Are You Passive Aggressive?
Listen to therapist Kati Morton describe the signs of passive aggression, how to identify it in ourselves,
and how to cope with it. Complete the extracts below (1-9) with a word or short phrase.
0. Passive aggression is described as a resistance to others’ demands, as well as a/an

___________avoidance of (direct) confrontation_______________, as in procrastination or
misplacement of materials.
1. The cycle of deficient communication ends up upsetting ___________________________.
2. In order to tackle any issue, it is crucial to get to its _____________________.
3. Opening up about our true feelings can make us _______________________.
4. She gives the example of us not being able to come clean to our bosses about them
__________________ us.
5. She suggests identifying those ______________________ throughout the day which we tend to
ignore.
6. She asks whether we ____________________________ out of the passive aggressive feelings
we experience.
7. In order to communicate how we feel to other people, she suggests writing those feelings
down, saying them out loud to ______________________ a little.
8. She warns that in stressful situations, the ____________________ to be passive aggressive may
return.
9. Kati advises people to not rush into results, as they are breaking a _____________________.
! Source: Kati Morton YouTube Channel

Complete Video: Are You Passive Aggressive?
26
SPEAKING
What do you think of these tips?
Did you identify any of these patterns in

yourself? In other people?
When you identify some problems in the

relationship with someone… do you tend to
blame yourself? Do you blame them instead?
Is this a recurrent pattern?
Do you tend to address interpersonal/

emotional conflict rationally? If so, what
strategies do you use?
EXTRA PRACTICE
Check the section "Socializing, Negative Emotions and Character Flaws" in Speaking Mastery.
WORD FORMATION
Rewrite the words in the text, using the right word category and tense, so the whole text makes complete
sense.
Pleased to meet me
We are very resistant to change, personality-wise; some people believe (AGE) ______ individuals are
the worst in this (REGARDING) _________, but often younger types (ABASH) __________ display their
evident flaws and some even (PRIDE) ___________ embrace them. They might not see the flawed side in
those, after all.
This is the true (BODY) __________ of the “a man’s meat is another man’s poison” saying; where
some see an obvious (PERFECT) ___________, others see the ultimate virtue; while some of my fellow
girlfriends find (SNEER) _________ looks in their partners an attractive sign of their dominant nature, the
majority of them are disgusted by what they believe is (PAIN) ____________ obnoxious.
It all comes down to the cultural (COMPOSE) _________ of a society, though. In some contexts, giving
away food is the ultimate act of (SELF) _________________, while in other backgrounds it is a/an (NEED)
___________________, unasked-for deed to many who do not want to come across as (DEPRIVATION)
_____________ folks, by giving in to these seemingly charitable gestures.
! © Javier Blanco Pérez
27
SPEAKING
Topic: Meeting people. First impressions
I. Have you ever been wrong about your first impression of someone? When
you got to really know that person, did they turn out to be better than you
expected? Or worse?
II. Have you ever met someone who you would describe as a “social climber”?
III. How good are you at detecting devious people? Do their cunning looks and
ways deceive you? Are you able to see through them/see them from afar/
see them coming?
IV. Is there any behavior that you consider a flaw but comes across as a virtue
for most people? What about the opposite? Is there any virtue that strikes
most people as a defect?
V. With which people can you totally let yourself go, unapologetically be
yourself and totally lower your guard? Is that a large number of people?
VI. Are you more of a thin-skinned person or a thick-skinned one? Does it
depend on the topic?
VII. Do you ever take it out on the wrong person and end up lashing out at
them?
VIII. Is there anyone you know, or you have met who you would describe as a
“nasty piece of work”?
“Socializing. Negative
Emotions and Character
Flaws”
28
PART 3
SOCIETY AND
CULTURE. NATIONAL
IDENTITY AND
GLOBALIZATION
“Face the flag, son; read what’s written there. The History, the progress, the
heritage we share. Our flag reflects the past, son, but stands for so much more.
“
And in this age of Aquarius, it still flies in the fore.”
John Wayne, “Face the Flag”
SMALL
TALK
How strong are your bonds to your nation/country/region? Are you emotionally attached
to its symbols and traditions?
“You are a product of your culture. You are not an island”. Do you agree?
What stereotypes prevail about your society/community/nation? Do you think they

are misguided or rather true? Are there any characteristics that define your fellow
countrymen/people?
29
What it means to be English.
Sentence completion
Listen to British UKIP supporter Garry

Bushell in a promotional video about the
pride of being English and complete the
following extracts.
Example:
1. Bushell’s friend sent him an email on Saint George’s Day

2. Garry says that the English are made to believe that it isn’t right to celebrate the nation’s
_____________ and _____________ (2 words)
3. Tony Blair’s deputy, John Prescott stated that “there is no such nationality as English”, a sta-
tement which Bushell describes as ____________. (1 word)
4. Tony Blair’s refusal to give England a parliament is, in Bushell’s words, part of his
___________________ ___________________. (2 words).
5. Bushell says that _________________ for English customs is widespread amongst the nation’s
rulers. (1 word)
6. As early as the 1930s signs of Anglophobia could be detected in some who would align with
the Russians, who he describes as ________________. (1 word)
7. Garry suggests that there is no reason for the English to be ashamed of their nation, as they
are not as militaristic as the Germans or as ___________________ as the French (1 word)
8. Bushell mocks those he calls snickering enemies of England, who do not even know the cau-
ses of their own _____________________. (1 word)
9. When talking about military feats, Garry mentions defeating the Spanish armada, challenging
Napoleon Bonaparte, or standing alone against _____________. (1 word)
10. Bushell describes the English as strong-willed people, proud of their ______________________
and ____________________. (2 words)
11. He claims that the excellence shown by the English in most areas is there,
____________________________ . (phrase).
30
ENGLISH MASTERY
0 Saint George’s Day
10
! Source: English & Proud - Garry Bushell on what it means to be English!
Facts
Garry Bushell is a British journalist and political activist who played a key role during the burgeoning
UK Punk Rock scene of the late 70s. Regarding his political affiliation, he has been a socialist activist,
campaigned for the democrats and joined the UKIP (UK Independence Party), staunch advocates for
Brexit. He no longer belongs to any political party, though.
31
SPEAKING
“National Identity. Society

and Culture”
GROUP DISCUSSION
HISTORY AND CULTURE. HOW THE PAST SHAPES THE PRESENT
In small groups (4-6) choose one of these two topics and prepare a debate around them. Be ready to share
with the rest of the class the conclusions you come up with.
You can use the ideas below or contribute with those of your own.
A. Should statues of historical figures with

questionable pasts be taken down? Should
streets named after historical figures with
questionable actions in the past be renamed? B. How can we learn from the lessons of History?
1. Is there any objective way to deem a 1. Should we be embarrassed about what

figure worth condemning? our ancestors did in the past?
2. Are there any actions of the past worth 2. Can we compensate for those actions in
condemning, regardless of who did any way? How can we make amends to
them? those “we” harmed in the past?
3. Who could be responsible for deciding 3. Should deeds/works/culture of the past

which actions/people should be be judged and interpreted by today’s
censored/condemned/obliterated from standards? Should history -as a subject
history? of study and analysis- be rewritten/rein-
terpreted for the present generations?
32
LISTENING
What do London’s EU nationals think of Brexit?
Theme-based monologues
with multiple matching tasks.
Listen to five foreigners living
in London talking about how
Brexit will affect them.
TASK 1
For questions 1-5 choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker says (one of them may mention more than
one item) about their future (There are two extra items you do not need).
A. The uselessness of a current Speaker 1

procedure in the future
B. UK’s economy will suffer

Speaker 2
C. Dissuaded from starting a family
D. Difficulty of making long term plans in Speaker 3

this environment
E. Will certainly return to country of Speaker 4

origin
F. Will need to do plenty of paperwork

Speaker 5
G. Unsure about their financial situation
H. Time to start from scratch
1 2 3 4
33
TASK 2
For questions 6-10 choose from the list (A-H) how each speaker feels/the feeling expressed (one of them
may mention more than one item) about the situation and the host country. future (There are two extra
items you do not need).
A. Bureaucratic Information is scarce Speaker 1
B. Most people are confused
C. Almost betrayed Speaker 2
D. Ambivalent about the British

Speaker 3
E. Socially excluded
F. Poor qualifications of the Brits

Speaker 4
compared to EU expats
G. Acknowledges quality of the

educational facilities
Speaker 5
H. Let down by ungratefulness of the
British
5 6 7 8
! Source: IB Times UK YouTube Channel
34
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Further Activation
Topic: Society and Culture
I. What sort of things may put someone’s reputation at stake? Do you feel like
your country’s traditions/customs/culture/social conventions are at stake as
a consequence of globalization or other issues?
II. Do you think that different minority languages, indigenous cultures, or
ancient traditions are at risk of being wiped out? What factors contribute to
this? Is that always a negative thing? Should those traditions, cultures, and
languages be preserved at any cost?
III. Do you tend to conform to/accommodate social conventions for the sake
of citizenship/civility? Are there any social rules/conventions prevailing in
your country which you rebel against?
IV. Are there any of your beliefs/orientations/stances which may come across as
radical/extremist to some?
V. What kind of behaviors regarding table manners/punctuality/topics of
conversation are frowned upon/looked down on/upon in your country?
Which ones are deemed unacceptable? Do you agree with those social
conventions?
VI. When you are in a group, would you rather blend in with the crowd, or do
you prefer to be noticed by people? Is that irrespective of the type of social
situation or context?
“National Identity,
Globalization”
35
PART 4
GENDER IDENTITY.
IDENTITY POLITICS
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the

“
color of their skin, but the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
SMALL
TALK
Historically, some sectors of the population have had a harder time than others getting
equal rights. Do you think we are progressing in the right direction? Is there still a long
way to go?
Can we achieve total equality or is it just a utopia? Do you think that modern societies
are becoming gradually more just, advanced, progressive, supportive of each other and
humane? The other way around? Why do you think so?
Do you tend to affiliate/group with those you perceive as like-minded? What binds you
together (opinions/interests/gender/race/status/personality/job/religion/political affiliation/
sexual orientation…)? Do you tend to like them better than those “outside the group”?
36
VOCABULARY
Match the expressions in the left column (1-8) with the definitions in the right column (a-h)
1 To toe the line a To choose sth deliberately so that it suits our ideas/
goals.
2 To frown upon sth b Differences stop being so evident.
3 To cherry-pick something c In conflict or strong disagreement with someone.
4 To bark up the wrong tree d To be contented with/to make do with sth/sb.
5 To marry up e To compromise and conform to what a group/person/

the majority dictates.
6 To settle for f Sth is not socially or morally acceptable.
7 To be at loggerheads with sb g To make the wrong choice/follow the wrong strategy.
8 To blur the lines h To look for a partner with higher status than one.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
37
GROUP DISCUSSION
What does it mean to be a woman?
• As a man, what do you think it means to be a

woman?
• Do you think women have a harder time/ lead
more difficult lives than men?
• What stereotypes do you think are associated
with women? (on the physical dimension, but
also emotional and mental, personality traits,
behavior and conducts, biological conditioning…).
Do you think some of them are actually right?
Now talk about your impressions with a female classmate and discuss whether some conceptions may be
rather factual or just prejudiced.
Jot down your ideas here.
What does it mean to be a man?
• As a woman, what do you think it means to be a man?

• Do you think men have a harder time/ lead more difficult
lives than women? Some men complain about “almost
having to apologize for being men”? What do you think
about it?
• What stereotypes do you think are associated with
men? (on the physical dimension, but also emotional
and mental, personality traits, behavior and conducts,
biological conditioning…)
Now talk about your impressions with a male classmate and discuss whether some conceptions may be
rather factual or just prejudiced.
38
SPEAKING
Are there differences between men and women regarding the following factors? If so, explain
what these differences can be attributed to:
• Intelligence
• Emotional control/feelings
• Personality traits
• Behavior patterns
• Interests/hobbies/natural inclinations
• Natural talents/skills
• Attitudes toward romance/sex
• Humor
• Language
Some people who participated in a debate about this topic expressed their opinion about these
questions. Do you understand the language in bold?
"The reasons why men/women default to/tend to choose/are more inclined/prone to do some jobs
are varied.
Today more and more women are turning to some activities that were traditionally considered manly
ones, like skateboarding, weight lifting, or playing heavy metal music."
"Traditionally, sexual promiscuity has been frowned upon/looked down upon in women. Biologically,
women are more reluctant to sexual promiscuity, because the risks of engaging in promiscuous
sex are higher than in men, since the likelihood of an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted
diseases brings about more problems in women, even if birth control or contraceptives are common
nowadays. However, there are some outliers."
"Men are thought/expected to be the providers and breadwinners in traditional families; on the
other hand, women are considered/believed to be more gifted in writing poetry than their male
counterparts."
"The fact that many strategists, military geniuses and conquerors of the past were men is cherry-
picked by many men who argue that men are inherently superior to women."
Check Speaking Mastery

“Men, Women and evolutionary psychology”
39
THE PRIVILEGE WALK

Some theoretical background:
Intersectionality is a framework which analyzes the situations of discrimination/oppression and
privilege that an individual experiences as a result of the combination of their personal, social, ethnic,
and political identities. The term was coined by American professor, lawyer, civil rights activist, and
philosopher Kimberlé Crenshaw in the late 80s, as she observed how people’s race, gender, sexual
orientation, religion, class, or country of origin could
put them in advantageous or disadvantageous
social situations.
Watch this video about "The Privilege Walk
Exercise"
What do you think about it?
Does it make you think about how privileged or
disadvantaged you feel in relation to others?
WRITTEN MEDIATION:
STANFORD UNIVERSITY CARRIES OUT THE ELIMINATION OF
HARMFUL LANGUAGE INITIATIVE
Stanford University carried out a project titled the Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative, aimed
at making individuals aware of language which can be potentially harmful to a variety of communities.
In this document, a number of commonly used expressions are listed, along with more neutral,
less potentially offensive alternatives.
What do you think of this initiative?
Do you think that similar initiatives should be carried out in your country?
Context
You are working with some classmates on a project about equality and justice in your social work master’s
degree, and you have also heard about the concept of “intersectionality” and the oppression-privilege
axes, but you want to delve into the topic. One day you attend a lecture on privilege and intersectionality
during which the lecturers play a video about the Privilege Walk Exercise (more about it in this article), and
they also bring up the Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative, which leads to an interesting debate
among the attendants to the talk.
As the other members of your work team couldn't attend the talk, you will take some notes so as to relay
to them the most relevant information about these initiatives.
Send your classmates a short text (email) to explain, based on the information you have seen and read,
what these initiatives are about and how they relate to equality and discrimination.
150-200 words
40
LISTENING
Are identity politics* embracing diversity or creating divisiveness?
Listen to Michael Arceneaux and

Andrew Sullivan, two American
authors discussing identity politics
and political issues in contemporary
America. For statements 1-10,
decide whether the opinion is
expressed by only one of the
speakers, by both or by neither of
them.
Note: there are three speakers in this recording. The first is the show host and moderator, David
Eisenhower, the second speaker is Michael Arceneaux and the third, Andrew Sullivan.
Write A for Andrew, M for Michael, B for both or N for Neither.
1. President Trump is an outright racist ___M___

2. Democrat candidate Clinton was no better ________
3. Trump is certainly a highly flawed individual ________
4. Voters must be held accountable for their vote ________
5. Trump voters have no regard for other demographics ________
6. The racial aspect is constantly exacerbated ________
7. Advances in integration of minorities are essentially non-existent ________
8. Trump’s America is basically a racist state ________
9. Today’s left refuses to acknowledge social advancement ________
10. While far from perfect, Mr. Trump is a competent president ________
* Identity Politics: a political approach by which those belonging to a certain social/ identity category (race/ gender/ sexual
orientation/ ethnicity) affiliate and coalesce with the aim of supporting the goals, concerns, and agendas of those belonging to
said particular group.
! Source: The whole truth, with David Eisenhower
41
ORAL MEDIATION
Anti-Homophobic, Biphobic and Transphobic Slurs College Sign
Context:
You got a scholarship at university and were chosen to study the final year of your degree at the
University of Toronto, Canada.
This is a country that takes diversity and respect of ethnic minorities and all types of sexual orientation
very seriously. You were already aware of that before you moved there. However, you are sharing a
dorm room at the College Campus with Oskar, a really nice, though rather careless guy from Slovenia,
whose English is nowhere as good as yours and whose upbringing has not emphasized diversity that
much. Like in some other Eastern European countries, it seems that Slovenia has some catching up to
do in this regard.
He sees a poster in one of the corridors on campus (on the next page), snaps a picture of it and asks
you what that is all about.
Send him a voice message (WhatsApp or any other) explaining the information on the sign (not these
posters, but the sign on the following page) and whether that should affect his behavior. (2-3 minutes).
42
ENGLISH MASTERY
! Source: Homophobic, Biphobic and Transphobic Slurs
43
WRITING
Do ONE of the following writing tasks
Writing production Following an article published in the online

newspaper BestNews, about the past Women’s Day
Opinion Essay manifesto and demonstrations held on 8th March,
the author invites their readers to voice their opinion
350-450 words on her own conclusions about gender struggles.
She finishes her article by stating that “any self-
What’s your view on the issue? Do respecting woman, regardless of her background
you agree/disagree with the author’s or ideological stance, should actively commit to our
conclusions? cause, to today’s feminist movement. It is not about
activism or any political agenda, it’s about striving
for equality and justice”.
44
ENGLISH MASTERY
Writing Interaction One user of the Duolingo website (and language

learning app) poses the following question on the web
Forum Discussion forum for learners of English:
350-450 words “Question for experienced learners of English:
Write in the forum, sharing with the Hello everyone. Just trying to vent my frustration a
user your own experience, opinion, little bit. After years of studying and having achieved
etc. a decent level of fluency (definitely B2-level, but not
quite C1 standards), I feel like I have hit a plateau. I
think I have tried everything: conversation clubs, apps
like this, devouring films and series in English… and yet
I can’t seem to make any progress. My vocabulary and
spoken English seem a bit rusty and stuck. Spending
some time in an English speaking country doesn’t
seem like the most convenient option for me now- I
have a part time job which feels fine-, but maybe
that’s the only useful alternative to actually take my
English to the next level. What do you guys think?
Thanks!”
45
UNIT 1 WRITING GUIDE
An Opinion Essay
General Guildelines when writing an opinion essay
The Message
First and foremost, before even thinking of formal aspects like paragraph or layout, which are your
ideas about this topic? What do you actually think about this? Try not to sound like everyone else, as
that may render your text a bit predictable and uninteresting.
It is ok to disagree with others, so long as you can make a point and reason. Do not, however, go
overboard, trying to be a contrarian for the sake of it. Try to make sure that the ideas exposed and
laid out in the essay are supported on examples, evidence of any type or personal (or vicarious)
experience.
Make a list of the main takeaways of your essay: which 2-4 points do you want to get across?
They should be summarized in one single sentence before being expanded upon in the text:
• An ongoing injustice.
• Some recent, promising changes.
• Still, a long way to go.
• Education is key…
46
ENGLISH MASTERY
The layout
Essays are usually organized in different paragraphs, and a plausible structure would look
like this;
Introduction: rather brief! Make sure this one does not take up half of your essay. Briefly
describe the state of affairs and move on.
Topic paragraph 1: used to develop one of your takeaways.
Topic paragraph 2: used to expand on the second takeaway.
… as many paragraphs as points you want to make.
Conclusion: What is your outlook on the issue? Where are we heading? What are your
final thoughts on this?
Formal Aspects
Useful structures and language choices include the following:
• Advanced passive structures (to say what is generally accepted regardless of how we
feel about something): men are believed/expected/supposed to…
• Cleft sentences/fronting (to emphasize some idea): What I find more irritating/what I
believe is difficult to pinpoint is…
• Intensifying adverbs (to emphasize/strengthen a message): In this day and age, that
idea strikes me as downright obsolete/… the reality is that, despite our good intentions,
we are deeply flawed as individuals…
• Connecting words/phrases of concession/contrast: However/with that being said/
having said that…
• Noun clauses: Being the contentious topic that it is, I believe that…
• Talking about tendencies/trends: … they tend to be more focused on…/… we are more
prone to…/… they have a greater inclination towards…
• Generalizing: All in all/ taking everything into consideration… /on the whole… / ... by
and large/… all things considered…
Spice it up!
At this level, you need to challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone and use language
which is more advanced, precise and colorful. The Speaking Mastery Language Activation
book contains hundreds of expressions, phrases and words to help you with that goal and
sound more meaningful, and make your written and oral performances more compelling,
when writing or speaking about multiple topics. You may as well check them out.
47
A forum discussion
General guidelines when writing a post in a discussion forum
Many of the principles and formal aspects which we described when writing a more
formal essay also apply to forum discussions. However, bear the following in mind:
• In general, posts are likely to have a lighter, more colloquial tone. That will depend, of
course, on the type of topic dealt with (Pop music, vs. legal issues, sports injuries vs.
relationship advice), or the medium (Website, blog, online newspaper, journals and
publications, scientific papers, Reddit- type forums…). Make sure your tone adapts to
the context.
• The person starting the thread is asking for some advice. How can you help them?
What is your knowledge about this issue? Are there some myths that need to be
debunked? Do you know about any tricks that can move the needle? If so, don’t hold
back and help them out!
• Talk about yourself: how can your personal experience contribute to the discussion?
Your past experiences, hurdles and the circumstances and situations you have been
through may resonate with other blog users.
48
Make sure communication and exchange of ideas prevail
No matter how informal one medium is, some minimal standards of mutual respect are
of course expected. If you have nothing interesting to say or to contribute with, don’t
say it at all. Bullying, trying to ridicule or demeaning other users (simply for having
opinions or views you do not agree with) is a big no-no. Remember that phrase “don’t
feed the troll?” Well, don’t BE that troll.
Get creative!
The way one writes, just like the way one speaks, can be a reflection or an extension
of their personality and their idiosyncrasy. Make sure that can be appreciated in your
writings!
49
SPEAKING
Further Activation
Topic: Gender Identity and Identity Politics
I. Have you ever felt that in the past that, by following a certain flawed
objective, strategy, or even questionable person, you were barking up the
wrong tree?
II. Have you ever felt that in a given social environment at work/school/in a
group, etc., dissenting voices were not welcome, and you were expected to
be compliant and toe the line? Did you give in to that pressure?
III. Have you ever been at loggerheads with anyone in any of your previous
relationships? or with workmates/schoolmates?
IV. Do you think that the differences between different demographics regarding
income, job opportunities, access to education, and getting top jobs will
eventually even out?
V. Did you ever have to make an effort to win somebody/some people over?
Why was that important? Did you succeed?
VI. If some people in your workplace/two friends start having a dispute, do you
tend to not take part? In which circumstances would you take sides with
anyone in those situations?
VII. Do you think men and women are wired to behave differently because of
their biology or other factors?

“Men and Women.
Evolutionary Psychology”
50
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 2. THE PARETO PRINCIPLE
UNIT
2
THE PARETO
PRINCIPLE
Success, accomplishment and failure.
Time and habit management
“
“Practice does not make perfect.
Only PERFECT practice makes perfect.”
Vince Lombardi
51
UNIT 2. THE PARETO PRINCIPLE ENGLISH MASTERY
About this unit

Unit 2 deals with a variety of issues which can be connected with topics related to work, study, and
academic training and, in essence, any type of everyday life activity, including leisure time, hobbies,
family life, and any other scope of life, where pursuing a certain goal or attaining a given result is
important to obtain personal satisfaction, contentment, and happiness. It is named after the principle
that stems from the theories put forward by Italian economist Wilfred Pareto.
The first part of the unit (about Success and Accomplishment) tries to shed some light on the
different priorities and goals that people have. One big challenge is actually identifying which those
goals and priorities are. When people are asked what is important for them in life, most will answer
something along the lines of “being happy” or “feeling fulfilled”, or even “making people around me
happy”, but it is way more complicated to identify the specific goals that would bring about said
contentment and satisfaction, let alone the concrete steps, actions and strategies which are conducive
to the former. As a consequence of this lack of clarity and absence of any plan, we end up lost,
aimlessly trying to accomplish too much at once, spreading ourselves too thin, spinning our wheels,
and probably getting so-so results, which by no means reflect the amount of time and effort invested.
The pareto principle (or 80/20 rule) analyzed in this section may help in making that journey easier
and more enjoyable.
The second section “Failure, Obstacles and Frustration Management” is inspired by the abundant
literature on the matter, namely by Ryan Holiday’s best-seller “Obstacle is the Way” which does not
exactly embrace failure, but conceives it as an inevitable part of the journey, a necessary, though
uncomfortable counterpoint to accomplishment and satisfaction, and most importantly, encourages
us to reshape and envision "failure" as challenges or unexpected circumstances that we label as
something negative, but which can actually make us improve in the long run. The role of these
setbacks and how to take advantage of them, and use adversity to become stronger and more
resilient is also analyzed within this section.
The third part “Time management, Productivity. Distraction and Procrastination” tackles the
sometimes-complicated topic of time; complicated in the sense of being the main culprit, the main
reason why, at the end of the day, we get so little done. And time itself is not to blame, of course.
Time just runs. There are only 24 hours in a day, and it is the use that we make of those hours that
really matters. Giving in to distraction and wasting a ton of time has been a challenge for quite a
long time, but it is probably even worse nowadays, due to the appearance of technologies which-
paradoxically-, were created so as to save us time! Attention is brought to these issues and, of course,
some interesting tips are examined throughout these pages.
The last section of the unit, “Habits, Choices, Routines” deals with, arguably, the most important
component of the sequence on the path to our sense of happiness. In the end, any goal really comes
down to an action that we do, a choice that we make, which sustained over time becomes a habit,
a routine. Willpower, apparently, does not have that much to do with ensuring that a habit sticks.
Certainly, not as much as one would think. Strategies like manipulating one’s environment (aka
“environment or lifestyle design”) seem to be much more important. Attention is paid to those, too, in
the last part of unit 2 “The Pareto Principle”.
Hope you like it.
52
Table of Contents
Reading/Use of English
How to Identify your life priorities
It’s my way or the Highway (Open Cloze)
The Pareto Principle Explained (Word Formation)
We are Wired to the Path of Least Resistance (Gapped Text)
What Life Coaches won't tell you about Failure (Lexical Cloze)
Change as a Source of Inspiration. Inspiration as a Catalyst for Change.
What is the Shiny Object Syndrome and how it destroys your focus and productivity.
Listening
How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to any Skill (Multiple Choice Test)
How to Cope with Failure, with Russell Brand (Multiple Choice Test)
Is the Internet making us Addicted to Distractions? (Sentence Completion)
Interview with Cal Newport (Multiple Choice Test)
Donata White and Mike Matthews discuss time management (Dual Conversation)
Oral Mediation
Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants of Time Management (Intralinguistic)
Written Mediation
Intensive Mindfulness Course (Interlinguistic)
Speaking
Path to Success. Strategizing and Accomplishing
Failure and Obstacles. Management Frustration
Time and Distraction Management. Productivity
Habits, Routines and Choices
Writing
Summary writing: Environment Design
Written Interaction: iTunes / Podcast review
53
PART 1
SETTING
PRIORITIES.
SUCCESS AND
ACCOMPLISHMENT
“
“You can only have results or excuses, but
you cannot have both”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
SMALL
TALK
What is your idea of success? What ideas come to mind when you hear such a word?
What are the keys for someone to succeed in life? (innate talent, hard work, good luck,
other?)
What has been your greatest accomplishment so far? What do you attribute your
success to? What do you have going for you?
“If you are not progressing, then you are regressing?” Do you agree? Is there no such
thing as stagnation?
What are your priorities at this point in your life? Which are your non-negotiables?
(Family, work, studies/career, fitness/health/wellbeing, personal finances…). Do you think
you are getting the results you expect in those areas which are important to you?
54
ICEBREAKER
Corny Instagram captions on success vs. BS detector
Instructions
On the following page, you can read some REAL captions and quotes on the social media app Instagram,
found on the feed of different fitness influencers, emergent online entrepreneurs and, essentially, people
who want to sell you something.
Discuss in pairs:
How do you feel about these captions? What aspect of accomplishment/pursuit of success/attainment of
goals is each one highlighting?
Do they inspire you to make any change in your habits? Do they get you fired up?
Do they come across as another marketing scam? BS? Third-rate philosophy maybe?
Do they make you cringe?
Do you, instead, find some truth and substance in them?
Language Target
Expressing sarcasm and disbelief: Conceding that something is/may be true:
• yeah, right... • they've got a point here...
• spot on (said ironically)... • this is not completely wrong/BS, if you
• this must certainly be true (said ask me...
ironically)... • I actually don't dislike this one/agree
• Gosh! that was deep... with this one...
• Oh my! Does this sound corny! • I'm (100%) on board with this one...
55
"You can only have results or excuses, but you can't have both ."
"Don't stay in bed , unless you can make money in bed ."
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."
"An inch of movement will get you closer to your goals than a mile of
intention"
"Your goals don't give a f *** about your excuses."
"If you think the price is winning is too high , wait until you get the bill
for regret."
"The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. Never stop climbing."
"Tough times don't last, tough people do."
FOLLOW UP:
In pairs/groups, try to come up with 2-3 new captions/quotes which read as inspiring, motivational (or, on
the other hand, cringe worthy and laughable) as these ones:
56
Work Smarter: How to apply the 80/20 principle in life
Listen to the clip

discussing the “Pareto
Principle” and how to
apply it in our lives.
Who was Pareto? What did he discover?

What example is given about the countries’ GDP?
What about the example of Australian cities?
What happens to goldfish? Why is this an example of this rule?
What example is given about family relationships?
And about education/ careers? How did they make a killing by using this principle?
What example is given in relation to work?
And about fitness/working out?
! Source: Therealizedman YouTube Channel

Full video: How To Apply The 80/20 Principle In Life
SPEAKING
Regarding the previous conversation, can you think of ways of applying the Pareto Principle to some
of your priority goals to get more out of life? Can you identify those few actions that would lead to
most of the results?
Can you also think of the things that you could eliminate so as to make everything else better? Can
you identify those habits/actions that are completely fruitless, yet take a vast portion of your daily
time?
57
WORD FORMATION
The Pareto Principle Explained
Read the text below and change the word between parentheses to complete the text so it makes sense.
Include your answers in the corresponding box.
We all want to get ahead in life, yet the reality is that but a few, most of us will 1. ______________
(DOUBT) fail, or fall short of our initial goals, which need to be 2._________________(ASSESSMENT)
and turned into more realistic, 3. ________________(MANAGEMENT) ones. What is wrong with us?
Are we just not cut out for success, primed for favorable 4. _________________ (COME)? Enter the
Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule.
The idea which 5. ________________ (LIE) this theory states that we may be focusing on the wrong,
rather unimportant actions and, conversely 6. ________________(LOOK) others; therefore, neglecting a
7. ___________________(HAND) of tasks which are actually the ones that really move the needle and
are 8. _______________________ (SEEM) responsible for roughly 80% of the desired results.
Isn’t that amazing? And the most 9. ______________ (STRUCK) aspect about said principle is that
it applies to most fields of life, from business to fitness to relationships and even demographics and
geography! The key, then, is a) deciding what is that field where we desire to thrive or obtain certain
results, and b) 10. _________________ (SCIENCE) observe which of the actions we are (or not) doing
really matter, and which ones play a 11. _____________ (SECOND) role.
This reminds me of a YouTube video I saw recently with two social media fitness celebrities
interviewing each other. One of the guys asked the other what meal he would choose if he had to eat
only one single meal for the rest of his life. The other answered 12. ____________ (DECIDE): “chicken
breast with brown rice and vegetables”. A rather bland, unexciting and some may say, insipid, meal,
only for 13. _____________ (BUILD) freaks to subsist on for the rest of their life, isn’t it? The reason? “It
is healthy, nutritious, fairly cheap and easy to make, and it keeps me strong and lean” There you are,
the Pareto Principle applied to dieting.
10
11
12
13
58
READING
How to identify your life priorities
“Begin with the end in mind.”

(Stephen Covey, “The 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People”).
GETTING STARTED
• What are your priorities at this point in your life? Are they the same as they were 2, 5
or 10 years ago? Do you think they will remain the same a couple of years from now?
• Do you think it is difficult to set priorities which lead to habits and actions conducive
to your goals? Why?
• In the case your priorities have changed over the years, what do you think is
the reason for such change? Growing up/maturing? Being more realistic? Past
disappointments?
• Stephen Covey suggests “beginning with the end in mind”, that is, imagining how
we would like to be remembered in our funeral by our loved ones, colleagues, friends,
relatives and even pets. Do you think it is a good strategy to identify what is really
important to us, and the kind of life we want to live?
Read the following article, from PsychCentral, about how to identify and live out our priorities:
9 Tips for identifying and living out your priorities
Several years ago, career advisor Laura Yamin, MA, noticed that she was experiencing way too many
burnouts. She realized that she needed to stop focusing on urgent requests, which masqueraded as
important things. Instead, she refocused on exploring the type of life she would like to live.
This helped her figure out what was truly important to her. From there she was able to distinguish her
priorities — the tasks, experiences and actions that fulfill her personal values.
Many of us feel like we are being pulled by pressing things, while our real priorities get neglected. “In
my work, I find that many people are ‘reactors,’ said therapist Melody Wilding, LMSW. “That is, they
live their life responding to the priorities other people set for them, rather than priorities they have
defined as important to themselves.”
59
Not surprisingly, this leads to dissatisfaction and disillusionment, because “if you value family life,
but are working 70 hours a week, you are likely to feel a lot of internal stress and conflict.” However,
“priorities give you the opportunity to exercise personal choice and live out your priorities on a daily
basis.”
Wilding and Yamin suggest people follow these 9 recommendations to discover and live their
priorities:
1. Name your values.

Instead of defaulting to the values of our culture or whatever society expects from us, such as external
rewards like money, status, or others’ approval, take the time to consider what is important for you,
what you stand for and what you believe in.
2. Do the “maintain, improve, change” test.

Reflect on the past 6 months and write down what you want to maintain, improve, and change across
the different domains of your well-being (relationships, health, fitness, finances, work, spirituality…),
and then go through what you have written, so as to elicit specific actions conducive to said changes
(if for instance, you have concluded that spending quality time with your partner is a priority, commit
to spending, say, 30 minutes with them after work, with no distractions).
3. Test different styles.

To live based on your priorities, test out different ways of working with goals or maintaining habits
for a given period (say 30 to 90 days). You can start big, like learning a new language, venturing into
some endeavor, or training for a half-marathon, or start small (for instance, if your goal is to build a
reading habit, you can start by reading a single page or a paragraph each night).
4. Use the “Rule of 3”.

Our priorities tend to fall apart when we overestimate how much we can accomplish in a day. That is
why Wilding suggests limiting ourselves to three things at a time to match our priorities.
5. Take stock of your job.

Think about your job and whether the responsibilities, duties and expectations derived from it are
aligned with your values and life priorities. Consider discussing with managers the assignment of
duties or tasks more congruent with your goals.
6. Distinguish the urgent from the important.

“Urgent tasks are often related to someone else’s goals, while important ones are in service of your
values and long-term mission”., says Wilding. “It is extremely important to cut, eliminate, or delegate
urgent or unimportant tasks”. Some examples: for example, while working on an important project,
consider hiring help for laundry or grocery shopping; likewise, check your inbox three times a day
instead of every ten minutes.
7. Contemplate before committing.

“Before I say yes to any endeavor”, says Yamin, I ask myself “Do I want to do this? How does it meet
the intentions I am working on? Do I have the energy and time required to do this well? What would I
need to give up if I don’t have such energy and time?”. “This helps me make an informed decision and
take ownership of my part”.
8. Create a “to not do” list.

This list should contain the things you vow to say “no” to, in order to meet your priorities.
60
9. Separate priorities by season.

Yamin’s priorities may change based on her seasons, during each of which she may focus on a different
area of her life such as career, relationships, play, or mastery of new skills. “This” she says, “eases the
inner dialogue to accomplish it all at a time.”
“It can be hard to stop living on autopilot and focus on what is important at a given time, but this also
means having power over your life- a power which is available to each of us.”
! Source: PsychCentral
DISCUSSION
• What do you think of these tips? Do you find some of them useful? Do you think
implementing them would help you attain your life goals and priorities?
• Are you into making lists such as this? Do you tend to plan ahead your days, weeks,
etc., according to your goals? Are you familiar with the concept “paralysis by
analysis”?
• Do you tend to just do what you believe is important or what you are expected to do?
Do you think you sometimes run/live on autopilot?
SPEAKING
“Success, Goals, Plans and

Strategies”
61
SPEAKING
Path to Success. Strategies and Accomplishment.
• Can you think of a difficult task/feat which you managed (or not) to
pull off?
• In these days of social media and information overload it is easy for
us to miss the bigger picture in most things (politics, social issues,
science, sports…). We tend to just focus on some minor aspect and
ignore the rest. Agree?
• With relationships/starting a business/ staying/getting in shape, one
should strike a balance between not putting in enough effort/work/
doing the bare minimum and surrendering yourself/your life to it.
Discuss. What is the right approach in those situations?
• Do you think it is normal for people in a long-term relationship, to end
up just going through the motions? Is it inevitable? Are there any
downsides to it? Any alternatives?
• Can you think of trends/fads (recycling/brunch restaurants/Starbucks)
which did not seem like a terrific idea at the beginning, but ended up
catching on?
• Is there anything you have been advised or even warned against, but
you decided to stick to your guns and bear the consequences?
• Can you think of any recent political/sports victory or defeat which took
place against all odds?
62
PART 2
MISTAKES,
OBSTACLES
AND FAILURE.
DEALING WITH
“
FRUSTRATION
“The world tries to break everyone, and afterward many are stronger
at the broken places. But those that will not break, it kills”
Ernest Hemingway
SMALL
TALK
“I have learned more from my mistakes than from all my successes” (Humphry Davy).
What do you think of this quote? Do you agree that failure can be a greater source
of learning and inspiration than success? Do you have some personal experiences to
illustrate this?
Can you think of a situation where you had to learn an important lesson the hard
way? Have you ever felt the need to step out of your comfort zone? (work, studies,
relationships) Did you come across difficulties/adversities in the process? Do you regret
doing so?
How can we overcome plateaus in something we want to pursue? (a skill, project, a

relationship, career/studies…)
63
READING
Gapped Text
We are wired to the Path of Least Resistance
Read the text below and decide which phrase from the list fits best in each of the seven gaps and write the
letter in its corresponding space. There are FIVE phrases too many. Then transfer the right answers to the
answer box. The first item (0) has been done as an example.
A. A majority of subjects would be genuinely confused.

B. But my big takeaway is awareness.
C. Conversely, when one option is harder to get, we are more likely to think it is the wrong
choice.
D. However, evidence blatantly proves otherwise.
E. Many became disinterested and gave up.
F. Of course, this is not unique to humans.
G. Researchers showed participants a screen with a cloud of dots moving either to the right or to
the left.
H. Sources of distraction or complexity were eliminated beforehand.
I. They avoided the effortful response and moved the handle in the opposite direction.
J. This change happened automatically, without any awareness or deliberate strategy.
K. We sometimes convince ourselves that we should just get a new job.
L. We tend to self-sabotage with all sorts of mental gymnastics.
M. What do you base your decision on?
64
A University of College London study published recently discovered something we knew but denied:
We are lazy. (0) _______. Everything takes the path of least resistance: water, electricity, and Google
maps. Wolves evolved into domesticated dogs because it was easier to scavenge on human trash
than track down prey.
But for millennials figuring out what career path to take, for workers biting clickbait instead of making
progress, and for managers struggling to prioritize, this research has real repercussions.
The study was simple. (1) ____________. Participants were instructed to move a handle to the right if
the dot cloud was moving right and to the left if the cloud was moving left. They were good at this.
But when researchers added a directional load to the handle, making it slightly harder to move it the
way the dots were going, participants became biased. (2) ______________.
Interestingly, participants did not realize that the researchers were manipulating their decisions,
instead becoming convinced that the dots were actually moving in the direction of least resistance. (3)
______________. The increased effort changed what the participants thought they saw.
Here’s how eLife, where this study was published, puts it: imagine you are in an orchard, trying to
decide which of the many apples to pick. (4) _______________ Most research into this type of decision-
making has focused on how the brain uses visual information – about features such as color, size and
shape – to make a choice. But what about the effort required to obtain the apple? Does an apple at
the top of the tree look more or less tempting than the low-hanging fruit?
The answer, this study suggests, is that the low-hanging fruit will probably look more appealing
to you. “Our brain tricks us into believing the low-hanging fruit really is the ripest,” said the lead
researcher, Dr. Nobuhiro Hagura. (5) _____________________.
This is textbook cognitive dissonance. In Aesop’s Fables, a fox eyes some delicious, ripe grapes
along a vine high in a tree. After realizing he cannot reach them, he decides they are sour anyway.
Similarly, when it becomes literally harder to make a decision about which way dots are moving, we
unconsciously conclude that they’re moving in the other, easier direction.
So here’s a millennial example: Getting promoted is difficult to do. Rather than say, “This is hard but
worth it,” (6) _________________ – which is often, all said and done, easier than sticking it out through
the hard, vertical climb. Taking the path of least resistance can come in the form of rationalization,
denial, or distraction.
One lesson from this study is to make hard the things that the more righteous, better you doesn’t
want to do. Putting all your booze in a high cabinet in your basement will make it less tempting.
(7) __________________. A minority of the study participants chose to “change their actions rather
than take the path of least resistance.” That is, they realized that moving the handle the right way was
getting harder, and they resolved to accept the extra effort required and make the correct decision.
Consciousness, in this case and so many cases, is realizing when something is challenging and
deciding not to take the easy way out.
! Source: Caroline Beaton. Psychology Today.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
65
SPEAKING
Do you often recognize yourself falling in line with the tendency explained in the article?
Do you default to the path of least resistance?
Do you sometimes fall for clickbait on social media (Twitter, WhatsApp, etc.) on
political/social arguments? Does it get in the way of your work/studies/etc.? Do you get
your kicks off doing so, or does it ruin your day and make you feel miserable?
Do you sometimes trick yourself into believing that the low-hanging fruit is the best
option, after all? Can you think of examples/situations where you may have done so?
SPEAKING
“Failure and Setbacks.

Obstacles and Adversity"
66
LISTENING
How to deal with failure, by Russell Brand
1. What did the film Arthur- and it being a major flop- teach him?
a. He had identified himself too much with the film’s character.
b. It made him reassess his sense of personal accomplishment.
c. It made him realize how much he was relying on external approval.
2. What has continuous failure taught him?
a. In the majority of the occasions, the problem is not the event itself.
b. The extent to which he had repeated the same pattern in previous failures.
c. The importance of minimalism and owning as few possessions as possible.
3. What does he say about comparing his own example with other people’s failures?
a. He would be mocked, and rightfully so.
b. Most people would not even take it seriously.
c. Regardless of the pain experienced, the pattern is similar.
4. Why is it important to not become fixated on specific goals?
a. Future career prospects are more evident.
b. It will benefit your family life.
c. One gets to fully experience life and live in the present moment.
5. What advice does he give to people who feel like a failure?
a. To admit we are not capable of understanding.
b. To not dwell on those present failures.
c. To regard those events as a necessary part of personal growth.
! Source: How I Cope With Failure... | Russell Brand

YouTube Channel: Russell Brand
1 2 3 4 5
67
READING
Change as a source of inspiration. Inspiration as a catalyst for change
Geoff Thompson: “I created violence”
Filmmaker and writer Geoff Thompson spent quite a

large part of his life surrounded by violence (being a
martial arts expert doorman), coming from a violent,
abusive background and dealing with violent people in
an equally violent manner. “I created violence”, he says;
“when I had this insecure person at the front of my
consciousness, I was so afraid of the world that I, literally,
created fights at nightclubs, at Christenings, weddings;
I was in hundreds of fights and even two of my friends
were actually murdered. It was a hugely violent time… The
turning point for me was realizing I was the one creating
it. I told my wife “Everywhere I go, there is violence”, and
she replied, “what you need to look at is the fact that
it is everywhere YOU go”. That realization prompted
Thompson to actually take the reins of his life and turn
his career and world around. To this day, he has written
several books on self-help and self-defense and made
a couple of films (the latest of which, 2017’s Romans
features famous actor Orlando Bloom).
Adele: Turning heartbreak into timeless beauty
“Adele blew my mind because as I was listening to her music,

I could tell that this was real to her. And as I started studying
the girl, I found out, I discovered that she had been through a
breakup. And then when she got in the studio, they said her
album 21 like, she was, she started the album, stopped for
months cause she had no creativity right? But then they said all
of a sudden, her man broke up with her, woo! And not only did he
break up with her, he broke up with her and got with somebody
else and got engaged in a matter of weeks. He breaks her, he
breaks her, he breaks her heart! And she goes into the studio and
when she goes into the studio, she just doesn’t sing something
she made up, she actually sings something that’s true to her
heart!” (Eric Thomas). Only out of genuine heartbreak and pain
could a song as gorgeous as “Rolling in the Deep” come out.
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Russell Brand: Awakened Man
To say Russell Brand (Essex, England, 1975) went

through a deeply troubled period in his life would be an
understatement: he had been diagnosed with ADHD,
suffered from bulimia, bipolar disorder, pornography
addiction and even experienced a period of self-harm;
drug-related issues led to Brand’s arrest on numerous
occasions, and he even confessed to having masturbated
in front of a stranger in a public toilet on a television
program. He had become a true disgrace to himself; he
had hit rock bottom. In 2007, however, he discovered
the Hare Krishna movement and fully embraced
spirituality. This self-destructive, crash-and-burn turned
spiritual-born again story feels, in Brand’s case, totally
genuine, making his outspoken detachment from the
material a truly heartfelt one. Besides, Russell Brand
is an INCREDIBLY articulate, extraordinarily eloquent
individual; his command of the spoken word is nothing
short of jaw-dropping (Seriously! I urge you to watch one
of his interviews. It is like the best, most educated use of
the English language ever!).
SPEAKING
Which of these stories do you find most inspiring?
Who or what motivates or inspires you…?
• In your professional life/ studies

• To improve your lifestyle (fitness, nutrition, habits, time management, relationships,
and emotions management …)
• To improve your English
• To improve other skills (hobbies, sports, music, etc…)
69
LISTENING
The obstacle is the way: succeeding in the face of adversity
What do you think of the following quote?
“And when you have overcome all chaos has to offer, those who had it easy will
struggle. By fighting through it, you are giving yourself a skill some just don’t have.”
Lori Goodwin
Geoff Thompson.
“Forgiveness is the only
revenge”.
Watch the following video and discuss your

own takeaways from it with your group.
What have you learned about it/about Geoff
Thompson?
! Source: Geoff Thompson - Forgiveness is the

Only Revenge | London Real
YouTube Channel: London Real
Write down your takeaways here.
DISCUSSION
Discuss the following statements and decide whether you agree with them or not. Take your time to gather
your ideas so you can share them later with more clarity during your discussion.
• Personal success and accomplishment are the result of factors such as luck, innate
talent/ genetics, or socioeconomic background rather than hard work and dedication.
• The former factors play a greater role than the latter.
• Some individuals will never reach their full potential because of their bad luck,
unfavorable background, etc.
• Achievements obtained easily are likely to vanish easily as well; struggles and
adversities are a blessing in disguise.
• “Those who had it easy will struggle later on in life”. Do you agree?
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READING
Lexical cloze
WHAT LIFE COACHES WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT FAILURE
Read the following article, decide which of the options in the grid below (a, b, c or d) fit better in the gaps
(1-10)
Failure is not nice. Failing over and over is not sexy. But life coaches and inspirational gurus alike will
not stop 1. __________ it, even making it seem desirable. That is not to say, however, that we are
bound for an easy life, free of hurdles, devoid of adversity, and we are therefore completely entitled
to 2. _____________ a tantrum whenever we stumble upon the smallest of snags. That would be a
rather 3. __________ thing to do, especially as a grown-up. But my beef with all those memes and
quotes everyone shares online, wanting to prove to everyone they have “figured it out”, is precisely
that they are just words. And talk is cheap. It is yet another 4. _____________ case of virtue signaling,
where people lavishly display their moral superiority, self-awareness, or amazing life skills, with 5.
____________ no cost, and ultimately, no evidence that yes, they did figure it out. Since when have
we embraced all this online verbal incontinence, all this public venting? When did we lose any sense
of 6. _____________? I honestly long for the days when we would face breakups, layoffs, low grades,
illnesses, or just bad days with a little more privacy. We would be shocked and dismayed by such
hindrances, of course, but we would 7. ___________ them on the chin- or not-, and we would move
on- or not-, but we would not feel the 8. ______________ urge to tell everyone: "look, I suffered, and
I learned my lesson and now I am a born-again, a fully mature person and by 9. _____________ this
corny quote, whose authorship I was totally unaware of five minutes before I borrowed it from www.
inspiringquotes.com, I am proving my point."
Failure, frustration, and struggle are inherent to human life. And we should not shy away from them.
On the contrary, we should even honor them, but only to the extent that they help us become the kind
of person that we want to be and help us live the kind of life we want. But please, do not be so bent
on 10. _______________ over the same stone one trillion more times, ok?
1 a Accepting b Acknowledging c Glamorizing d Owning
2 a Do b Get c Pull d Throw
3 a Contemptuous b Disdainful c Irritating d Reprehensible
4 a Blatant b Concealed c Gruesome d Subtle
5 a Incidentally b Inevitably c Probably d Virtually
6 a Caution b Ease c Intimacy d Restraint
7 a Bear b Get c Have d Take
8 a Disproportionate b Indispensable c Irrepressible d Nerve-racking
9 a Devising b Envisioning c Inferring d Regurgitating
10 a Knocking b Stomping c Treading d Tripping
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ADVANCED SPEAKING AND WRITING TIP
Using "out", "through" and "ahead" to talk about success and failure
Look at the following sentences:
With her formidable stage presence and her antics, it was easy for her to outshine the other
contestants.
After all that Jonah has been through, the fact that he keeps sanity is almost miraculous.
"I'm not concerned about rising inflation" said Margaret. "I'm going to push ahead with the
business"
I gave her my condolences. She told me that she is devastated, but I know she's going to pull
through.
Marco outbid everyone else in the auction house and he finally got the coveted Monet.
When my dad passed away, I moved to my uncle's. I'm glad I did, because he taught me one of
the most important lessons I've ever learned: if you want to get ahead in life, you have to be ready
to do the work that few are willing to do; you need to be willing to outwork everyone else.
Which of these words/phrases do you associate with...
Obstacles?
Performing better than others?
Advancing/doing well?
Speaking Tip
When you are reading a text or listening to a podcast, interview, etc., pay attention to words
like adverbs and prepositions, and the role they play in conveying meaning. When compared
to many Romance languages, English is a more, so to speak, "visual" one, which makes a more
frequent use of words like "into", "through", "over", "ahead" or particles (in this case, prefixes)
like "out". These words are not mere complements to the verb, but add a lot of meaning to the
resulting word or phrase, often in a predictable manner, like in the examples below (e.g.: "ahead"
is associated with "moving forward" and therefore, "progressing" or "evolving").
Make sure you are able to use these particles to sound more natural, like a native speaker would
do!
72
SPEAKING
Failure and Obstacles. Frustration Management.
Can you think of a social situation where you tried to look/act funny but ended up
backfiring on you?
When youngsters land a new job/their first job/an internship, accepting low
wages is either a necessary part of the journey in their career ladder or selling
themselves too short. Discuss.
With some moodier types/socially awkward people, it is a bit hit-or-miss, you
never know for sure if conversations will flow/ everything will be smooth, etc.
Discuss.
Has a wrong mindset/excessive fatigue or overreaching rendered most your
efforts in a specific endeavor useless/ineffective?
During the Christmas season/sales, etc… do you ever get carried away and
end up spending way more money than you planned to? Why do you think
that people in large groups sometimes get carried away (football games,
demonstrations, etc.) and behave rather questionably?
How can we overcome plateaus in something we would like to pursue? (some
skill we’re interested in, a hobby, a relationship, family relationships, fitness, etc.)
Is there any field/aspect that you feel you had spun your wheels for some
time before you finally figured it out? (Language learning, mental wellbeing,
exercising, dieting, looking for the right partner/job, etc.)
Have you ever been through an awkward/embarrassing situation, where you lost
face in front of other people? What happened?
Have you ever been close to attaining a goal, but have fallen short of getting it?
How close were you? Was it because of external factors? Due to overreaching?
Due to overestimating your possibilities/overplaying your hand? Due to
slacking/not putting enough work in?
73
PART 3
TIME
MANAGEMENT.
PRODUCTIVITY,
DISTRACTION AND
PROCRASTINATION
“
“If you love life, then don't waste time, because time is
what life is made of.”
Bruce Lee
SMALL
TALK
Would you describe yourself as someone who manages their time well when you need
to get stuff done? (studies, work, personal projects, creativity…), are you usually efficient,
or do you get distracted easily?
Do you ever make “To-do lists”? Have you got any other strategies to organize your
time, work, and chores?
Do you tend to procrastinate much? Do information and communication technologies

take away much of your time? What specifically distracts you?
Are you satisfied with the way you spend your time?
74
VOCABULARY
Collocations with "Time"
The phases below are very common

collocations with the word “time.”
It’s About time To be pressed/rushed for time

To make time for sth In due time
To have a hard/ rough time Just in time
To kill/while away time On time
To run out of time To save time
To spare time To have time
To stall for time To take time off
To take your time To waste time
Match these phrases with the defintions in the box below
1 Delay 9 Using as much time as you want, as you are

not in a hurry
2 Use frugally 10 Not go to work
3 Have no more time before the limit 11 Use badly
4 An expression that means “Finally! 12 To be in a hurry
5 Create time in a busy schedule 13 Something difficult, a complicated moment
in life
6 At the perfect time, soon before 14 On schedule, at the right time
something else happens
7 Doing something which is efficient 15 When the right time comes
and gives you extra time
8 Be available to do something 16 Do something to make time pass faster
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SPEAKING
Spending Time
Read the following sentences that have to do with spending time and complete the gaps with the words in
the box below.
1. I had planned to take my holidays in August, but my boss told me to bring them ______, as
August is likely to be a hectic month this year.
2. Between 2 and 4 I have to eat, take my kids back to school, submit the homework to my teacher,
and it is really stressful. I definitely hate being________for time!
3. The film _______on for more than two hours and at the end almost everyone was yawning.
4. Lewis over______the time given for his presentation and that may have hurt his final mark.
5. I’m sorry! My English class ______on a little bit, so I couldn’t ______ it on time for my Salsa
lessons.
6. If there are no _______ups, I might be able to make it on time for my date with Caroline.
7. I rented out “Die Hard 4” knowing that it would be essentially a shitty movie; I just wanted to
_____time, I guess.
8. Jane had a traffic accident which made her need crutches; this means that whenever she comes
with us on foot, she will inevitably slow us______.
9. I won't be able to attend the meeting at 10 sharp. Can we______it back a bit?
Drag Down Forward Hold Kill Make Push Run Rush
Managing your time
Listen to a popular streamer talk about his secret to get work done:
• Are these tips feasible, or is it another case of "easier said than done"?
• Would you describe yourself as someone who manages their time well? Why (not)?
Watch the following video and discuss the questions below:

• What does Eben Pagan say about "time management being a misnomer"?
• What is remarkable about the concept of "the world's first over communicated society" and the
time in which that concept was coined?
• Do information and communication technologies take much of your time?
• Have you learned to spend quality time with those who are important to you?
• Have you learned any useful tips from this video?
Sources: The Punk Rock MBA Podcast; Wakeupproductive (Eben Pagan)
76
LISTENING
Is the Internet making us addicted to distractions?
Listen to an interview with Tony Schwartz,

CEO of the Energy Project about the role of
the Internet on distraction.
Complete the extracts below with the right

word/words.
1. An article says the Internet has become an addiction defined as _________________

______________ (2 words)
2. The host implies the Internet _____________ with our capacity to focus (1 word)
3. Due to overuse, even a/an _____________ can turn into an liability (1 word)
4. The effects upon one’s mental wellbeing of being constantly drawn to the Internet are
described as ______________ (1 word)
5. The interviewee says he is ________ _______ by literature, no matter how mediocre (1 word)
6. The uncontrollable urge to constantly check our phones __________ a ________ on our memory
skills (2 words)
7. Excess information will not be retained unless it is processed in the __________________ (1
word)
8. The brain is much better at approaching tasks __________ than simultaneously shifting
between different ones. (1 word)
9. Tony suggests that Internet users should not take their capacity to ____________ going back to
the Internet for granted (1 word)
! Source: Is the Internet making us addicted to distractions?

YouTube Channel: CBS This Morning
77
Speaking: Managing Distractions and Coping with

Procrastination
At this point in your life, what would you prefer to have? More time or more money? Explain your
choice.
Tony Schwartz said in the interview you just heard that our brain becomes proficient at that
which it does repeatedly. Therefore, if we interrupt ourselves frequently while doing something
important and get distracted (checking our phones, social media, emails, the news, etc.), we get
good at that. Do you use any technique or app (Pomodoro, online timers, etc.) to stay focused? If
not, what do you use instead?
How long does it take you to achieve focus while working or studying? Do you need to transition
from easier, less demanding tasks? Do you prefer to tackle first those activities or tasks which are
more creatively and cognitively demanding?
Are you more focused and productive early in the mornings or later in the evening? Is there any
time during the day where you feel more fresh and creative? Is it irrelevant?
“Time and Distraction

Management. Productivity”
78
READING AND SPEAKING
What is shiny object syndrome and how does it destroy your focus and
productivity?
GETTING STARTED
• Is it difficult for you to focus on a given task,

project, or work and complete it? When you
embark on a project/endeavor/goal, are you
usually satisfied with the results?
• If so, do you find it complicated to be consistent
because of distractions (Internet, social media,
interruptions…) or for other reasons?
• Do you find yourself switching from one project
or goal to another without ever finishing what
you started? Do you know anyone who acts like
this?
Read the following article from the website focusme.com, to find out more about Shiny Object Syndrome
(SOS).
Even if you have never heard of Shiny Object Syndrome, (not an actual medical condition), you have
probably already got some idea of what it is based purely on the name itself.
If you have spent much time around young children, you will notice that not many things satisfy them
for long. As soon as they get their hands on the object of their desire, they instantly begin the search
for the next big thing. It is this constant desire for the “latest and greatest” that characterizes Shiny
Object Syndrome rather than a biological attraction to shiny objects.
While it may just be a pop-cultural psychological concept, it’s real enough to do serious damage
to your productivity. In its more extreme forms, SOS leads to massive wastage of time, money, and
energy. Besides our insatiable need for new stuff that we often do not really need, many modern
people living in developed societies also struggle to focus on just a single objective at a time or
struggle to see projects through to completion. This is understandable when you consider that we live
in a world so packed full of options and stimuli that it is impossible to ever run out of new things or
ideas to be attracted to.
Causes of Shiny Object Syndrome:
• Craving for success: we chase status and success as if they are the be-all and end-all, and this
is especially pervasive in an economic system which has supercharged our desires for financial
success. This insatiable need (verging on greed, really) is one of the main causes for SOS.
79
• Fear of falling behind: in a highly competitive world, it is easy to get left behind or to lose out
if you do not keep up with the times. And this will be your fate if you devote all your energy to
keeping up with the competition, while neglecting the core aspects of success and productivity
(aka: consistency).
• The belief that newer is always better: when technological advancement and novel solutions
become prized above everything else, we tend to forget that newer does not necessarily mean
better.
• Short attention spans: obviously worsened in this day and age, and whether you call it ADHD or
any other fancy label, the inability to stick to one single task until its successful completion is one
of the primary causes of SOS.
Consequences of Shiny Object Syndrome:

These include the following: inability to finish tasks or see projects through, underdeveloped
execution, half-assed performance (usually way below what you are truly capable of), wasting money
and excessive amounts of time on endeavors which ultimately turn out to be fruitless, the feeling
of juggling too many projects at the same time, without giving each of them the attention that is
necessary, failing to master new skills, because you are perpetually stuck in the beginner phase of
learning new ones, and never actually achieving any of your goals, because you spend too much time
rehearsing and planning and not enough time doing.
How to kick the habit:
• Take your time to consider new projects and ideas before you jump in; once the initial
excitement subsides, you will gain clarity so as to ascertain whether they will add value to your
life or instead, make it more complicated.
• Ask people you trust for their opinions. They may provide you with a more objective perspective.
• Do not abandon projects on a whim. Before you decide to quit because something is not
working, be honest to yourself and consider if you would be better off preserving it (and
optimizing your performance), rather than embarking on the umpteenth new project.
• Learn to see past the hype. Self-explanatory! Do not be fooled by the next big fad!
• Improve your signal-to-noise ratio: reducing distractions is less about “discipline” than about
managing the sources of distraction. Being part of too many groups or subscribing to every
newsletter and website that catches your eye will inevitably lead to chasing after the so-called
“shiny objects”. Take the time to decide which sources provide real value and ditch those that do
not.
! How To Stop Shiny Object Syndrome From Crippling Your Productivity
80
DISCUSSION
• What do you think of these ideas?

• Do you think it is feasible to stay focused and work on our priority goals bearing
some of the aforementioned information in mind?
• Did you recognize some of the described patterns in your own behavior when
learning a new skill or embarking on a new personal or professional project?
"Shine on you, crazy diamond"
81
LISTENING
Donata White and Mike Matthews discuss time management and productivity
Listen to Donata White and Mike

Matthews, discussing Time
Management and Productivity.
For questions 1-12, decide whether

the idea is expressed by only one of
the speakers, by both or by neither
of them.
Write D for Donata, M for Michael, B for both or N for Neither.
1. Does not even take the issue into consideration ________

2. Awareness about not being exemplary in this skill ________
3. Acknowledging a rather monotonous routine ________
4. Sets an example for many, though unintentionally ________
5. The talk is bound to be an enlightening one ________
6. Finds information about time management unintentionally ________
7. Logic is often taken for granted ________
8. Personal experience that echoes the listeners’ own concerns ________
9. Having always been concerned about lack of time ________
10. Being overwhelmed with too many duties at some point ________
11. Plateauing is inevitable ________
12. Avoiding the all-or-nothing mindset ________
! Source: Donata White on How to Get the Most Out of Every Day
YouTube Channel: Mike Matthews YouTube Channel
82
SPEAKING
Topic: Time and Distraction Management. Focus and Productivity.
Can you think of a strategy or some recent behavior that you have implemented
that has been a game changer for you?
When was the last time you had to skip sleep for some reason? Was it because
studies, insomnia, unexpected events, or just because you were enjoying
yourself?
Can you think of some tedious book/movie/lecture/play that you had to sit
through and thought was way too long?
Can you think of a band/artist that should have called it quits before, or whose
career dragged on for way too long?
Are you usually held up by traffic? Are you sometimes late to any important date
or duty because of that? Is that something which you can somehow avoid?
How long can you work or study/be focused on something before you call it a
day?
Have you recently had to make some changes in your schedule, postponing or
bringing forward some event as the circumstances had changed?
When working from home or studying, do you get to be focused and productive,
or do you get distracted and end up messing around quite a bit? How does that
make you feel?
When you finally get the ball rolling in some project/work/initiative you are
involved in and you have picked up momentum (focus, productivity, work getting
done), what kind of things can kill/make you lose said momentum?
83
PART 4
HABITS, CHOICES,
ROUTINES
“
“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow
an action, reap a habit; sow a habit,
reap a character; sow a character,
reap a destiny.”
Stephen Covey
SMALL
TALK
“95% of what we do is the result of a habit” (Aristotle). Would you say setting habits is
important to you?
Have you got a morning routine? What about a night/bedtime ritual? Do you get
enough sleep?
Do you look forward to your weekly/daily routine? How do you feel at the beginning of
an average day? Sluggish/lethargic or fired up/energetic/active?
Would you like to adopt/acquire any habit? Would you like to swear off/quit any?
84
LISTENING
Decision fatigue
and the paradox of
choice
! Source: The Paradox of Choice Explained:

Why You’re Unhappy With Your Decisions
YouTube Channel: The Awesome Life
Open Questions
Question 1
Why can such a great variety of options be detrimental? Isn’t that contradictory?
Question 2
How does the concept of paralysis/decision fatigue apply in real life?
Question 3
What does the concept of “opportunity cost” mean? How can it impact someone’s satisfaction and
happiness?
85
Question 4
What is “escalation of expectations”? How can it lead to self-blame?
Question 5
Who are the “Maximizers”? and the “Satisficers”?
SPEAKING
Can you think of a time when making a decision between different options took you
way too much time, to the extent of experiencing “paralysis/decision fatigue”?
What about regretting making a choice? (Opportunity cost) Did the other choices seem
more attractive all of a sudden?
Would it be reasonable to be a “maximizer” in certain situations? In which ones is

it better to be a “satisficer”? Do you often find yourself reversing those strategies in
situations when you should adopt the opposite role?
86
ENGLISH MASTERY
LISTENING & WRITTEN MEDIATION
Environment design: Why resolutions do not work and why willpower is vastly
overrated.
GETTING STARTED
Which are the most common habits people resolve

to do or to kick out? (Whether it is at the beginning
of the New Year or during another period).
Are most people successful in making these
changes? What do you think is the reason?
a) They do not have enough willpower.

b) They set unrealistic goals.
c) They follow the wrong plan and strategy.
d) Other.
LISTENING & SUMMARIZING KEY INFORMATION

Listen to a podcaster talk about environment design and take notes about the takeaways of this podcast.
What does he say about the following?
The disconnect between our intentions and our actions. What is the role of willpower in this?
Disparity in organ donation rates between different countries. Did sociocultural factors explain these
differences? What was the key reason?
What is the consequence of these findings (i.e.: choosing the path of least resistance by default),
according to the author? Can you think of how this could apply to your goals (health, education,
careers, fitness, etc.)?
87
DISCUSSION
Environment Design: Can you imagine ways of implementing “environment design” so as to

improve different aspects of your life? (diet, lifestyle, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, managing one’s own
finances, educating oneself, reading, watching less TV, not wasting one’s time, being environmentally
responsible…)
READING
IT IS MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
Open gap fill
For questions 1-12, read the text below and decide which word fits best in each gap (in some gaps, more than
one option will be possible). Use ONLY one word in each gap. Example 0 is given.
It is a proven fact that we humans are highly resistant to change; 0.__(once/when)__ we have
developed some habits, and for some reason we conclude they work, we stick to them like glue,
1._______ if they do not. Apparently, we are wired to never- or very reluctantly- admit that we were
wrong about some idea, belief, method, or strategy that we 2. ______ as gospel. That would mean
admission of ignorance, which not 3. _______ malice/ evil intent, it is a trait that by no means do we
acknowledge as part of us. It is the 4. ________ who are wrong, not us. That is why you see thousands
of Internet users viciously quarrelling on the social media over whatever topic and tearing each
other 5. ________: it could be Pilates enthusiasts against Yogis, who deem the 6. _______ unskilled,
amateurish practitioners of a watered down, mainstream, and utterly 7. __________ of spirituality
version of Yoga for the masses. Or Ketogenic/Paleo diet zealots against anyone who 8. ___________
challenge their no-carb, modern cavemen-like frugality, and iron-willed path to glory. Our ancestors
did not consume dairy or grains until say ten thousand years ago, so what is up with that pasta and
parmesan plate you are 9. __________ to gulp down, you weakling? At the end of the day, who cares if
there are other ways to keep healthy lives, be fit, learn some skill, or accomplish whatever goals one is
pursuing, which are 10. ____________ as effective, or even more, yet way less sacrifice-laden? It is my
tribe, my group, my gang. They are right and everyone else is wrong.
But, hey, even though objectivity trumps emotion and sense of belonging when it 11. _________
to results, it is hard to step back and contemplate facts from a totally detached point of view. And
compliance is king. So, if Keto or CrossFit or Pilates are your thing and you passionately believe they
work for you, 12. __________ to them, and you will obtain some pretty fine results, albeit not the best.
© Javier Blanco Pérez
88
0 ONCE/WHEN
10
11
12
LISTENING
DEEP WORK
Interview with Cal Newport
1. About his TED Talk, Cal Newport finds it ironic that

a. It ended up having such a huge impact.
b. It went viral online.
c. He did not put that much effort into it.
2. The most remarkable aspect about the concept of “Deep Work“ is:
a. The ability to remain unaffected by distractions for long stretches of time.
b. How valuable it is in today’s economy.
c. Allowing oneself to not be subject to standard work schedules.
3. What makes “shallow work” vastly different from Deep Work is that...
a. It demands much less energy to be executed.
b. It does not produce any tangible value.
c. Unlike deep work, it has a slightly negative connotation.
4. Deep and shallow work complement each other in that
a. They combine the administrative and expansive components of entrepreneurship.
b. You need the shallow work to find a job and the deep to keep your position.
c. You cannot avoid either type of work entirely.
89
5. Multitasking/switching between different tasks at the same time is inadvisable because…

a. Unlike computers, the human brain processes one task at a time.
b. Computers can switch contexts effortlessly, the human brain cannot.
c. It takes a lot of energy and time to delve deeper into a particular task.
6. The idea behind “context switching” is that
a. Its role in huge financial losses has been proven.
b. It is a more sophisticated way to refer to more menial tasks, like replying to emails, phone
calls, etc.
c. Any interruption of a task, regardless of its duration, will seriously impair its performance.
! Source: Cal Newport explains deep work

Lifehack YouTube Channel
1 2 3 4 5 6
ORAL MEDIATION
Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants of Time Management

CONTEXT
Lars is a 24-year old guy from Copenhagen (Denmark) you met two months ago. Despite holding a degree
in English literature, he was working in a bar you usually went to after work. You soon hit it off and became
good friends. He really likes life in your country, so he decided to stay, at least for a couple of years, before
figuring out whether he wants to return to Denmark or not.
However, after that initial enthusiasm, Lars finds himself sleepwalking through life. He changed jobs
recently because he found a job at an academy as an English teacher, which turned out to be less than
satisfactory. You also believe that he is a really gifted person, with lots of interesting ideas, and that job
definitely falls short of his potential. The problem is that being stuck in that monotony, and not being fluent
in your language have ended up isolating Lars, and making him rather miserable. He doesn’t want to
return, for the moment, to Copenhagen, and you believe that he could do incredibly well in your country,
provided that he got his act together and ditched those fruitless tasks that he engages in aimlessly every
day. He for sure should be getting more out of life.
You heard of the author Stephen Covey and his bestseller “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” but
didn’t have the opportunity to read it. However, you came across an article (see chart and article on
the following pages), flicked through it and found it enlightening enough so as to share some of that
information with Lars, hoping that this information strikes a chord with him and gives him a much needed
push to take the reins of his life.
Read the information in the chart and the article below and send Lars a voice message (WhatsApp or similar)
or have a conversation with him, trying to share with him the most relevant information.
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Urgent Not Urgent
ENGLISH MASTERY
Quad I Quad II
Activities Results Activities Results
• Crisis • Stress • Prevention, capabili- • Vision, perspective
ty improvement
• Pressing Problems • Burn-out • Balance
• Relationship building
• Deadline Driven • Crisis management • Discipline
• Recognizing
• Always putting out fires new opportu- • Control
Important
nities • Few crisis
• Planning, recreation
91
Quad III Quad IV
Activities Results Activities Results
• Interruptions, some callers • Short term focus • Trivia, busy work • Total irresponsibility
• Some email, some reports • Crisis management • Some email • Fired from jobs
• Some meetings • Reputation – chame- • Personal social media • Dependent on others
leon character or institutions for ba-
• Proximate, press- • Some phone calls sics
ing matters • See goals/ plans as worthless
• Time wasters
• Popular activities • Feel victimized, out of control
• Pleasant activities
Not Important
• Shallow or bro-
ken relationships
UNIT 2. THE PARETO PRINCIPLE
STEPHEN COVEY'S 4 QUADRANTS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
Urgent means it requires immediate attention. It’s “Now!” Urgent things act on us. A ringing phone
is urgent. Most people can’t stand the thought of just allowing the phone to ring. You could spend
hours preparing materials, you could get all dressed up and travel to a person’s office to discuss
a particular issue, but if the phone were to ring while you were there, it would generally take
precedence over your personal visit.
Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They’re often popular
with others. They’re usually right in front of us. And often they are pleasant, easy, fun to do. But so
often they are unimportant! Importance, on the other hand, has to do with results. If something is
important, it contributes to your mission, your values, your high priority goals. We react to urgent
matters. Important matters that are not urgent require more initiative, more proactivity. We must
act to seize opportunity, to make things happen. If we don’t practice Habit 2, if we don’t have a
clear idea of what is important, of the results we desire in our lives, we are easily diverted into
responding to the urgent.
Look for a moment at the four quadrants in the time management matrix. Quadrant I is both urgent
and important. It deals with significant results that require immediate attention. We usually call
the activities in Quadrant I “crises” or “problems.” We all have some Quadrant I activities in our
lives. But Quadrant I consumes many people. They are crisis managers, problem-minded people,
deadline-driven producers. As long as you focus on Quadrant I, it keeps getting bigger and bigger
until it dominates you. Some people are literally beaten up by problems all day every day. The only
relief they have is in escaping to the not important, not urgent activities of Quadrant IV. So when
you look at their total matrix, 90 percent of their time is in Quadrant I and most of the remaining 10
percent is in Quadrant IV, with only negligible attention paid to Quadrants II and III.
There are other people who spend a great deal of time in “urgent, but not important” Quadrant
III, thinking they’re in Quadrant I. They spend most of their time reacting to things that are urgent,
assuming they are also important. But the reality is that the urgency of these matters is often based
on the priorities and expectations of others. There are other people who spend a great deal of time
in “urgent, but not important” Quadrant III, thinking they’re in Quadrant I. They spend most of their
time reacting to things that are urgent, assuming they are also important. But the reality is that the
urgency of these matters is often based on the priorities and expectations of others.
Effective people stay out of Quadrants III and IV because, urgent or not, they aren’t important. They
also shrink Quadrant I down to size by spending more time in Quadrant II. Quadrant II is the heart of
effective personal management. It deals with things that are not urgent, but are important. It deals
with things like building relationships, writing a personal mission statement, long-range planning,
exercising, preventive maintenance, preparation—all those things we know we need to do, but
somehow seldom get around to doing, because they aren’t urgent.
To paraphrase Peter Drucker, effective people are not problem-minded; they’re opportunity-minded.
They feed opportunities and starve problems. They think preventively. They have genuine Quadrant
I crises and emergencies that require their immediate attention, but the number is comparatively
small.
Source: Covey, Stephen R. (2009-12-02). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Kindle).
RosettaBooks - A. Kindle Edition.
92
FOLLOW-UP
Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants of Time Management
Think about how you spend a usual week day

Write down the main activities you do from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed.
Which category/quadrant does each of those activities fall under?
Think about how you spend time on a normal weekend

Write down the main activities you do from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed.
Which category/quadrant does each of those activities fall under?
How do you feel about the way you spend your time? Would you like to make some changes/to spend
your time differently?
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ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Habits, Routines and Choices.
• Do you ever rely on apps to take the guesswork out of whatever issue you’re
interested in (i.e.: expense trackers, calorie and macro tracking/dieting, scheduled
workout/exercising apps, Google Calendar and other diary/journal apps, wine
shopping, etc.).
• Do you ever track anything, in order to set objectives (sleeping hours, steps
walked, money spent, calories consumed, the weights you lift at the gym…)? Do you
usually shoot for a specific number, or do you prefer to play it by ear and go as
feel?
• Have you ever taken part in some activity with some initial motivation but for some
reason your involvement or enthusiasm ended up petering out?
• Can you think of any habit that is totally ingrained in your routine and other/
another which will take some time to stick?
• For which hobbies or activities are you willing to go out of your way in order to get
them done?
• Are you more into short-term, intense changes or subtle, long-term, small actions
which add up to the final goal?
• In order to improve your health, is there any habit or product which you try to keep
at bay? What do you do to make it happen? Have you been successful?
• Do you believe in lifestyle/environment design strategies to enhance behavior
change? Have you tried implementing any specific action?
“Habits, Routines and

Choices”
94
WRITING
A podcast review
STEP 1. Listen to a podcast reviewing Stephen R. Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People”.
Work out the answers to the following questions:
• What values do people tend to pay little attention to?

• What personality traits are incompatible with gaining control over one’s life?
• Why does the reviewer think readers may not enjoy the book itself too much?
• “The way you spend your time is a result of the way you see your time and the way you see your
priorities”. What does this mean?
• What experiment does the reviewer suggest their listeners do in relation to their time?
• Should we only pay attention to the things we are doing in our daily life? Why (not)?
STEP 2. Do some research about the book and its author. You do not need to spend
hours looking into the matter, a quick search on Wikipedia or Google Books will do ;-)
After that, write a review on the Podcast, like the ones people usually write on iTunes.
Did you find it inspiring? Has it made you want to read the book? After researching the subject, do
you think the podcast host does a good job in drawing people’s attention to the book and the subect
matter (time management/ managing one’s priorities/ advancing in one’s life)? Did it miss out some
important information that you think should’ve been mentioned? Do you think all this is a bit of a fad
or do you think it could be a life-changing perspective? You can help other podcast listeners with your
comments and reviews. Thanks!
A range of 200-300 words should suffice.
Write your review of the podcast in the space provided below:
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ENGLISH MASTERY
A Podcast Review
General Guildelines when writing a podcast review (iTunes, iVoox, Spotify, etc.)
It’s all about the podcast host and other listeners
Podcasts are incredibly cool and, in my view, a much more helpful way of starting one’s day than
turning to the usually dreadful news. I do not know how many books I ended up reading after having
heard them namechecked on podcasts. Most podcasters record their podcasts out of passion and
for the sake of sharing a message. They were probably inspired by others, and want their message
to resonate with other people, in turn. The thing is that, with so many podcasts online and so many
streaming services (Apple podcasts, iTunes, iVoox, etc…), it is easy for most podcasters to go
unnoticed. Unless you do them a tiny little favor by either supporting them via Patreon, or at least
rating and reviewing their podcasts. That alone can increase their visibility (or, as those in the know
say, “searchability”). This can help potentially interested listeners find their way to the podcast, so it
is not unusual to hear podcasters ask you to leave a comment, rating or review.
Keep it brief, keep it informative
It is not an essay, so it shouldn’t be incredibly long.

You don’t have, however, to stick to the 280-character Twitter template, and make it too short to even
say something meaningful about the content therein included. So long as the person reading your
review can infer from it the kind of content and information they are going to find in it, you will have
done a good job!
Say what you think
Even though acknowledging the effort made by the podcaster and being respectful are taken for
granted (this is not 2005, you know!), there is nothing wrong in suggesting some improvements
or pointing at the aspects you think were left out. No need to mindlessly praise the podcaster, and
this kind of feedback will make the host hone his/her podcasting skills and, probably, increase their
audience as a result.
96
Bibliography: Recommended Reads
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of

Turning Trials into Triumph (Ryan Holiday, 2014)
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a

Distracted World (Cal Newport, 2016)
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

(Stephen R. Covey, 1989)
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health,

Wealth and Happiness (Richard H. Thaler, Cass R.
Sunstein, 2008)
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UNIT 3. ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT
3
ALL HAPPY FAMILIES
ARE ALIKE
Parenting and education.
Growing up and emotional well-being
in the 21st century
“
“Wisdom does not necessarily come with age.
Sometimes age just shows up by itself.”
Tom Wilson
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ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 3. ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE
About this unit

The third unit of the method English Mastery addresses the topics of education, health, and family
relationships, which are broken down into different sections, dealing with more specific contents.
The first section is titled “Parenting Styles. Child Rearing and Upbringing in the 21st Century”, and
the title is self-explanatory: why the addition of the “21st Century” to it? Have family relationships
and raising one’s kids changed that much in this century so far? Well, the truth is that there are many
challenges that both parents and children encounter nowadays that they did not have to deal with
in the past: different ways of socializing, information and communication technologies oftentimes,
superseding face-to-face communication and even play, the enormous amount of information and
stimulation that surrounds children nowadays, new types of families, parents postponing starting a
family until well into their 30s, etc. What has not changed is parents’ desire to give their kids the best
education, values, and ensure that their offspring grows up healthy and happy. There are different
ways to do this, some may be more or less successful, and we analyze some of them within these
pages.
Closely linked with the former section is part 2 “Generation Clash. Adolescence and Emotional
Turmoil in the 21st Century”. Every generation has to cope with different circumstances and realities,
social changes, technological advancements, and even new ways of speaking and communicating
(“it’s all Greek to me!”, some would say), often unknown to those belonging to a different generation.
Of course, everyone thinks their generation had it worse, were more hard-working and less whiny
than the rest and, therefore, is more deserving of credit, and even respect from other generations.
Millennials and Generation Z-ers are often given a bad name and are met with a lack of understanding
by their older counterparts. And the same happens with adolescence, for sure a key and often
complicated stage in a person’s development. We try to shed some light on these conflicts and
clashes, and the emotional unrest that ensues as a result.
Not coincidentally, we have placed the contents which tackle mental and emotional health right
after the former section in part 3, “Anger Management and Emotional Wellbeing”, as a great deal
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ENGLISH MASTERY
of angst, anguish and melancholy has been traditionally associated with adolescence. The Stoics
thought that anger was probably the worst of all negative emotions, and in the majority of cases,
the intensity and the breadth of its manifestation is certainly unjustified. This is strongly related to a
deficient emotional management and, in any case, we feel miserable after a silly tantrum, because we
end up looking like spoiled little brats to ourselves. But we are not doomed to these outbursts. There
are many ways out of them. We will address some of those too.
The last part “21st Century Education Challenges” deals with, well, that specifically. Again, and like
in the first section (about parenting skills), the current times we are living through have some special
characteristics which make them unique and deserving of a specific approach which pays attention to
the newer challenges present in today’s education, and which are totally different to those in previous
decades or centuries. Nelson Mandela said once that “education is the most powerful weapon which
one can use to change the world”, and few would argue that he was wrong. But, as a weapon, it
can be used with good or evil intentions, and the results will be completely different depending on
that intention. What is undeniable is that the role of education in shaping a healthy personality and
identity, and in providing a set of invaluable life skills (as well as some useful knowledge in a variety
of areas) is key; provided one gets the right type of education (aka “the type of education that proves
more useful in a specific context”). Topics like discipline in today’s education, technology in the
classroom, homeschooling and other are included in this section.
Hope you like it.
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ENGLISH MASTERY
Table of Contents
Reading/Use of English:
All Happy Families are Alike. (Lexical Cloze)
Why Kids Nowadays are More Depressed than Ever. (Gapped Text)
You Met Me at a Very Strange Time in my Life. (Word Formation)
Hold your Horses! (Open Cloze)
The Age of Emotional Incontinence. (Multiple Choice Test)
Let’s talk about Education. (Lexical Cloze)
Listening
Amy Chua Sheds Light on the Tiger Mom Issue. (Sentence Completion)
Teen Moms in the UK. (Sentence Completion)
The Generation Warfare. (Dual Conversation)
Anger Management Tips. (Sentence Completion)
Jordan Harbinger and Daniel Goleman Discuss Emotional Intelligence. (T/F)
Katherine Birbalsingh and Matt Allen Discuss Discipline at Schools. (Multiple Choice)
Daisy Christodoulou and Craig Barton on Tech in the Classroom. (Multiple Choice)
Written Mediation
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Objectives. (Intra-linguistic)
Kid Nation and how it Relates to Group Psychology. (Intra-linguistic)
Speaking
Parenting Styles and Family Issues.
Generation Clash. Adolescence and Emotional Turmoil.
Keeping your cool. Anger Management.
21st Century Education Challenges.
Writing
Opinion Essay- Homeschooling & Technology in the Classroom
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ENGLISH MASTERY
PART 1
PARENTING
STYLES. FAMILY
RELATIONSHIPS IN
THE 21ST CENTURY
“All I wanted was a Pepsi, and she wouldn’t give it to me”

“
“Institutionalized” Suicidal Tendencies
SMALL
TALK
Are you happy with the way you were brought up? Do you think your parents made
some mistakes/have made any mistakes when raising your family? How would you
describe their parenting style?
When thinking of raising your own kids, would you adopt the same style as the way you
were educated?
When raising children, do you think it is preferable to have more lenient or stricter
parenting styles? Why?
Do you sometimes feel tempted to judge/criticize others’ child rearing/ parenting skills?
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ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 3. ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE
Parenting Styles
Have you heard of the concept

“Helicopter Parents”? What does it
make you think of?
Read the following headline and, in your

groups, try to guess the story behind
these.
! Source: ABCNEWS
OHIO STUDENT WINS STALKING ORDER AGAINST EXTREME

HELICOPTER PARENTS
Watch this video to find out: https://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=18081699
What do you think of this story? Is it a bit surreal or do you think it is not that strange?
Who do you think was right and wrong?
Who strikes you as the weirdest party? The parents or their daughter?
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ENGLISH MASTERY
LISTENING
5 Ways helicopter parenting can affect you
Source:
!
5 Ways Helicopter Parents Can Affect You
YouTube:
Channel: Psych2Go
Nowadays, many teenagers feel that their parents are being too overprotective and suffocating.
Helicopter parenting is a term used to describe how some parents pay extremely close
attention to a child’s life, to the point of controlling many of the child’s experiences and
knowledge. One may argue that doing this will allow the child to grow up safely. Yet, there are
adverse consequences of not letting children experience life for themselves.
How can this parenting style affect children and their development as individuals?
According to the information provided in the video, how can helicopter parenting
impact…?
1. Decision making?
2. Life skills?
3. Anxiety and depression?
4. Self-esteem?
5. Resentment towards one’s parents.
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ENGLISH MASTERY
Do you think this parenting style can actually have a lasting impact on someone’s life?
Can it be detrimental in the long run?
Are kids resilient enough to grow out of it?
105
READING & USE OF ENGLISH
Multiple Choice Lexical Cloze
ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE

Complete the gaps in the following text with a suitable word from the box below.
So begins Leo Tolstoy’s legendary work, (1) ____________ the pinnacle of the Realist novel (though
there is a broad consensus among writers and critics alike about this).
But the topic of the present text has much less to do with the mishaps of a group of Russian
aristocrats in the late 1800s, than with how (2) _________ some wise men were about the concept
of the family nucleus two centuries ago. And they were not the first, nor will they be the last piece
of creative work to give documentary evidence of the drama, doom and gloom, and despair that (3)
______ this sacred institution. From Greek tragedies and Shakespeare’s plays to the Lannisters or any
Scandinavian filmmaker of your choice, including that Suicidal Tendencies song, where mutual lack of
(4) _________ between a teenager and his parents and the latter’s refusal to give him a Pepsi would
(5) _______ a really ugly shitshow, the menace of calamity for some reason always (6) __________
over our households. Stories of jealousy, betrayal, conspiracy, incest as well as an array of all kinds of
mental illnesses infest these works of fiction, and that seems to appeal to an engrossed audience.
My question is, was there anything wrong with these (undoubtedly gifted in the creative department,
yet possibly deeply flawed in the personal domain) geniuses? Or conversely, what if they were right
and it turns out that there is little if any (7) ___________ to be found in the family nest? My conclusions
are nowhere that misanthropic and way more earthy: like most important things in life, raising a family
requires hard work and it is by no means easy, and therefore not something that every person can (8)
_____ off. Being the well-meaning fellow that I am, I tend to think that, barring a number of wrong
doers, the majority of people are (9) _____ with the noblest of intentions and do their best. And, yes,
that includes that rather lenient mom who seems to have no (10) ________ over her unruly kid in the
mall or the restaurant.
So, before you turn to social media, to lecture everyone about how terrible they are at bringing up
their offspring, and how you have everything figured out, remember to- following the words of
Canadian professor Jordan B. Peterson- “set your house in perfect order before you criticize the
world”.
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ENGLISH MASTERY
1 a Arguably b Certainly c c. Definitely d Surely
2 a Cynical b Malicious c Naïve d Spiteful
3 a Afflict b Invade c Harass d Intimidate
4 a Awareness b Judgement c Rationale d Understanding
5 a Involve b Enforce c Implode d Unleash
6 a Permeates b Looms c Lurks d Stalks
7 a Calm b Composure c Provision d Solace
8 a Pull b Push c Take d Try
9 a Endowed b Given c Involved d Possessed
10 a Coercion b Discipline c Order d Sway
SPEAKING
Read the following piece of news:
Can- in your opinion- hitting, disciplining or even punishing a child be justified in any case?
Some psychologists advise against the use of punishment for behavioral change. Do you agree
with this approach?
107
LISTENING
Amy Chua sheds light on the Tiger Mom Controversy
Listen to an interview with Amy Chua,

author of the best seller “Battle Hymn
of the Tiger Mother”, about parenting
styles in Asia and America. Complete
the sentences below (1-8) with a
suitable word/phrase.
1. The TV presenter describes the reaction to Amy Chua’s book and its message as a/
an _______________ (1 word)
2. Being subject to really strict parenting styles, the interviewer remembers not
being allowed to have playdates or _________________ ___________ (2 words)
3. Amy defends herself, saying that the book was misunderstood as a _________
_______ (2 words)
4. Amy says she is rather ____________ at the repercussion of her book (1 word)
5. She acknowledges that diverse parenting styles can be successful, from Western
to Eastern, from stricter to _______________ ones (1 word)
6. The presenter says that, as a reaction to her parents’ upbringing, she embraced a
________________ Western parenting style (1 word)
7. About the issue with the Mother’s Day card, Amy’s daughter stood up for her
stating that the card was ____________ (1 word)
8. Apparently, Amy says in the book that, when it came to her children’s education,
she would not be contented with a/an ___________ (1 word)
Source: Amy Chua/Tiger Mom, "Didn't Expect this Level of Intensity!"

Youtube Channel: ABC news.
Do you believe Tiger Parenting approaches may work better than helicopter parenting when raising
one's children? Do you think it would be more appropriate to be a Helicopter Parent? Should we
strike a balance between both? What, if not, would be an optimal strategy?
What about imposing discipline? How far should parents go to ensure discipline among their kids?
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ENGLISH MASTERY
LISTENING
Teen moms in the UK
Listen to a report on teenage pregnancy

in Britain and complete the missing
information in the statements below
(one gap per word)
12 POINTS IN TOTAL.
The issue with teenage pregnancy in the UK is deeply rooted in the nation’s
1 (2 words)
economic and ________ _________
2 12-year-old mothers are, according to the reporter, ____________ (1 word)
In this problem, the __________________ of conventional family styles may

3 (1 word)
have an important influence.
The myth about young mothers being “promiscuous scroungers” is often
4 (1 word)
__________ by the tabloid press
Adolescents living in ____________ areas have twice as many possibilities of
5 (1 word)
being teenage parents that those who don’t.
According to a psychologist, it can be an especially difficult situation for
6 (1 word)
young girls who were already ____________
Initial stages of denial and shock may be followed by shame and guilt when
7 (2 words)
pregnancies are _______ and ____________.
The change from a careless adolescent to a busy mother happened to a
8 (1 word)
young girl ____________.
The reporter says that although Kenia really loves her child, in
9 (1 word)
____________________, she would have waited longer.
The reporter says that, unlike Kenia’s case, most teenage pregnancies end up
10 (1 word)
in a/an__________________
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ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Is teenage pregnancy a common issue in your country too? Do teenage parents get any
aid/subsidy from the state?
What is the average age at which young couples start to shack up? At which average age
do they start a family? Does that strike you as too soon? Too late? The right time?
In case you thought it is a bit late, what do you think dissuades most young couples from
having their kids earlier? (Eaborate on your answer).
Lack of job security.
Lack of state benefits for childcare.
Lack of work-life balance.
Taking too long to advance in one’s career.
Deliberately procrastinating maternity and paternity for other reasons.
110
ORAL MEDIATION
Context
You are working at a Singaporean private language school teaching English to locals and also foreign
students. You moved there a couple of years ago, with the intention of returning to your country of
origin and looking for a steady job there, but you fell in love with Singapore. The conditions at the
school are really good, the economy there is doing exceptionally well, you find its culture fascinating
and, well, those were enough reasons to stay longer than originally planned.
One of the students from one of the previous years, Laura (19) from Riga (Latvia), gave birth to her
baby just two months ago. She moved to Singapore to study English and eventually work in some
business there, and met a Singaporean guy that she started a relationship with. However, he dumped
her when he found out she was pregnant. She is on her own and so far, she has been able to subsist
on the money her parents have been sending to her, and also on the salary she was earning as a
kitchen assistant at a local restaurant.
However, she had to leave work due to her pregnancy a couple of months ago and has asked you to
help her find out if she is eligible for some kind of help from the Singaporean state, as she would not
like to have to return to Latvia, since her original plans involved eventually pursuing a professional
career in Singapore.
You find a leaflet (look at the infographic below) with some information which can be useful for
Laura. As her English is at an intermediate level, you are going to help her understand the details and
information which may help her in this situation.
Send Laura a voice message (WhatsApp or similar), with the most relevant steps and information she
should bear in mind in case she is entitled to any sort of help/financial aid. (2-3 minutes long).
Jot down your ideas to prepare for your mediation here.
111
112
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Family Relationships and Parenting Styles
• When someone is starting off in a new company/job/position/ learning a new skill, do

you believe it is better to supervise and monitor them the whole time or should they
sometimes be left to their own devices?
• Are kids/pupils nowadays more prone to answer back and challenge their parents/
teachers than in the past? Why?
• Can you think of strategies to teach young children/your kids to pull themselves up
by their own bootstraps? Even as adults, what can we do ourselves to be more self-
sufficient and less dependent on others?
• Is it ok for parents to disagree about core aspects when raising their kids, or should
they strive to see eye to eye in that regard?
• What sort of thing would make you fall out and sever ties with a relative/close
friend/anyone that you were close to?
• When arguing with someone about something you have strong opinions about, do
you usually compromise and meet each other halfway, or do you tend to stand by
your original position?
• When negotiating with one’s kids, to which extent should parents compromise and
meet their children halfway, even when they think they are right?
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PART 2
GENERATION
CLASH.
ADOLESCENCE
AND EMOTIONAL
TURMOIL IN THE
21ST CENTURY
“
“You met me at a very strange time in my life.”
Edward Norton, “The Fight Club”
SMALL
TALK
Do you think it is difficult for different generations to understand each other?
Are today’s younger generations (millennials, generation Z) having a harder time than
the previous ones (work, housing, society, relationships, mental and emotional health,
expectations…)?
How easy/difficult is being happy for young people nowadays? What problems do they
usually come across?
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ICEBREAKER
"Kid Nation" and how it relates to leadership and peer pressure
Small Talk
In many series and movies, you can see clear archetypes regarding adolescents/life at school/high school, like
the athlete, the popular guy/girl, the wallflower, the weirdo, the oversensitive one, the bully/thug… Did you fit in
with/conform to any of these stereotypes? Can you remember people you went to school with that fit in with
any of them?
What kind of behaviors/clothes/physical attributes would make kids in your class get picked on? What would
make them "easy targets"?
What kind of attributes would make a child/teenager the “leader” of a group?
Kid Nation: a sociological experiment
Kid Nation is a popular reality show which premiered in 2007 and is still on. By looking at the picture
above, can you guess what its plot is about?
115
ENGLISH MASTERY
Before watching:
Vocabulary
Match the phrase (in bold letters) from the video script in the left column (1-13) with the definitions in
the right column (A-M).
1 “Bonanza City, whose first inhabitants A To bribe someone

ran it into the ground”.
2 “And it’s up to small children to bring it B To believe you are superior to others
back to life”.
3 “This show has already decided who C To exhaust a place/destroy something
the target is too. This kid’s screwed”.
4 “So the kids have to lug their shit the D To challenge someone
rest of the way to Bonanza City”.
5 “So the town council immediately acts E To be in a difficult situation
like they’re hot shit, and don’t work”.
6 “And Mike decides he needs to stand F To be aware of social issues and inequality (and
up to him to prove himself as a town call attention to this awareness)
council leader”.
7 “Silver lining? Now Alex is off the G It won’t be too complicated to improve upon some-
hook”. thing
8 “At this point, the bar is pretty low”. H To carry your personal belongings
9 “Laurel bites off more than she can I An extremely unpleasant place
chew by telling Jimmy she’s a viable
substitute for his parents”.
10 “They also decide to reveal, at this J To start all over again
point, that there is only one out house
for all forty kids”.
11 “It’s like that old show about wild and K To get away from punishment, abuse, etc.
crazy kids, but with an all child, hell-
scape as the stakes”.
12 “Fast forward to the next morning, and L To commit to do something which is daring and
Sophia is now fully woke” will be difficult to pull off
13 “Maybe the people in the town saw M Latrine/toilet

that Sophia knew too much and paid
her off to avoid a revolution”.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
116
While watching:
Watch the following video about the first episode of the reality show “Kid Nation."
While you watch, talk with a classmate about the following:
What are these kids supposed to do in that deserted area?
What does it say about a comparatively older guy with long hair who wears a hoodie?
Why do they mention a child with transition lenses?
What is the 20,000-dollar prize for?
The process of learning how to cook.
When a kid tries to challenge another kid named Greg.
Who emerges as a leader?
What happens when the town is divided into 4 districts?
What dilemma are they presented with when having to decide for a prize?
If anyone wants to leave, can they back down and stay if they change their mind?
117
ENGLISH MASTERY
After watching:
Written Mediation
Context:
You are a user of the discussion website Reddit, and one of the groups/communities you visit more often- just
for the sake of fun- is r/realitytv . Another member asks the following question:
KartBoi27
“I’m not crazy about what’s on lately on Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime: apart from old TV shows, which I
was already familiar with, I checked some recent ones that everyone raves about and it turns out that they
don’t do much for me.
I was looking for some good old entertainment. Nothing too brainy or complicated. Something I can chill out to
while idling on a Sunday. Any recommendations?”
After watching the video you just saw, write a comment, replying to KartBoi27’s entry, talking about the
plot, features and shtick that make “Kid Nation” a noteworthy TV show that may (or may not) be up his
alley.
(150-200 words)
118
ENGLISH MASTERY
READING
Gapped Text
There is a reason why kids today are more anxious and depressed than ever.
Read the text below and decide which phrase from the list fits best in each of the eight gaps and
write the letter in the corresponding place in the grid below. There are four phrases too many.
The first item has been done as an example.
A. And the scientific community reacted with a mixture of skepticism and disdain.
B. As if good looks and financial security had ceased to matter to them.
C. But reveals a change in people’s attitude towards life.
D. If progress is measured in the mental health and happiness of young people, then we are
going backwards at least until the 1950s.
E. It remains consistent even when the measure and said criteria are constant.
F. It follows that this seems to have much more to do with the way the young view the world
than with the way it actually is
G. The reverse was true during the 1960s and 70s.
H. There is ample consensus that the methodology behind these studies-which have not been
replicated- are flawed.
I. They are more likely to get good jobs they enjoy, take care of their health, and play active roles
in their communities.
J. They include high income, status, and good looks.
K. To the extent that my sense of satisfaction comes from my progress toward intrinsic goals, I
can control my emotional wellbeing.
L. When people believe that they have little or no control over their fate, they become anxious.
M. You might think that the sense of personal self-control would have increased over the last
decades.
119
Rates of depression and anxiety among young

people in America have been increasing
steadily for the past 50 to 70 years. Today,
by at least some estimates, five to eight times
as many high school and college students
meet the criteria for a diagnosis of major
depression and/or anxiety disorder as was
true half a century or more ago. This increased
psychopathology is not the result of changed
diagnostic criteria; (0)____________.
The most recent evidence for the sharp

generational rise in young people’s depression,
anxiety, and other mental disorders comes from a just-released study headed by Jean Twenge at San
Diego State University. The results are consistent with other studies, using a variety of indices, which
also point to dramatic increases in anxiety and depression—in children as well as adolescents and
young adults—over the last five or more decades. (1) ____________.
The question I want to address here is why. The increased psychopathology seems to have nothing
to do with realistic dangers and uncertainties in the larger world. The changes do not correlate with
economic cycles, wars, or any of the other kinds of world events that people often talk about as
affecting children’s mental states. Rates of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents
were far lower during the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and the turbulent 1960s and
early ‘70s than they are today. (2)____________________.
One thing we know about anxiety and depression is that they correlate significantly with people’s
sense of control or lack of control over their own lives. People who believe that they are in charge of
their own fate are less likely to become anxious or depressed than those who believe that they are
victims of circumstances beyond their control. (3) _________________. And yes, it is true that some
progress has been made in our ability to prevent and treat diseases; the old prejudices that limited
people’s options because of race, gender, or sexual orientation have diminished; and the average
person is wealthier than in decades past. Yet the data indicate that young people’s belief that they
have control over their own destinies has declined sharply over the decades.
The standard measure of sense of control is a questionnaire developed by Julien Rotter in the late
1950s called the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. Many studies over the years have shown
that people who score toward the Internal end of Rotter’s scale fare better in life than do those
who score toward the External end. (4) ____________________________ —and they are less likely to
become anxious or depressed.
In a research study published a few years ago, Twenge and her colleagues analyzed the results of
many previous studies. They found that over this period average scores shifted dramatically—for
children aged 9 to 14 as well as for college students—away from the Internal toward the External end
of the scale. The rise in Externality on Rotter’s scale over the 42-year period showed the same linear
trend as did the rise in depression and anxiety.
It is reasonable to suggest that the rise of Externality (and decline of Internality) is causally related to the
rise in anxiety and depression. (5) __________________ “Something terrible can happen to me at any time
and I will be unable to do anything about it.” And when said anxiety and the sense of helplessness that
goes along with it become too great people become depressed: “There is no use trying; I’m doomed.”
120
Twenge’s own theory is that the generational increases in anxiety and depression are related
to a shift from “intrinsic” to “extrinsic” goals. Intrinsic goals are those that have to do with one’s
own development as a person—such as becoming competent in endeavors of one’s choosing
and developing a meaningful philosophy of life. Extrinsic goals, on the other hand, are those that
have to do with material rewards and other people’s judgments. (6)___________________. Twenge
cites evidence that young people today are, on average, more oriented toward extrinsic goals
and less oriented toward intrinsic goals than they were in the past. For example, an annual poll of
college freshmen shows that most students today list “being well off financially” as more important to
them than “developing a meaningful philosophy of life”(7) _________________________
This shift toward extrinsic goals in recent decades could well be related causally to the shift toward
an External locus of control. We have much less personal control over achievement of extrinsic goals
than intrinsic goals. I can, through personal effort, quite definitely improve my competence, but that
does not guarantee that I’ll get rich. I can, through spiritual practices or philosophical delving, find my
own sense of meaning in life, but that doesn’t guarantee that people will find me more attractive or
lavish praise on me. (8) __________________. The opposite sequence tends to yield far less favorable
outcomes.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
! Abridged version of the following article: The Decline of Play and Rise in Children’s Mental Disorders
Courtesy of Peter Gray Ph.D.
PRONUNCIATION
Word Stress
The following are words which are usually mispronounced, usually due to placing the stress on the
wrong syllable. Underline the stressed syllable on them.
Determined Anxiety
Develop Editorial
Decisive Deterrent
Towards Hierarchy
Ignorant Hygiene
Sociology Maniacal
121
ENGLISH MASTERY
READING AND USE OF ENGLISH
Word Formation
YOU MET ME AT A VERY STRANGE TIME IN MY LIFE

Read the text below and change the word in parentheses to complete the text so that it makes sense. Write
the right word in the gap.
Oh, blessed are the youths for they have their entire life ahead of them! Youth and especially
adolescence get a lot of praise heaped upon them, all the time. Indeed, no other life stage has been
as 1. ________________ (DOCUMENTATION) in fiction, music, movies, and even scientific research
as this hormone-filled, acne-laden, sexually 2. ________________ (WAKE) and sometimes spanking-
deserving period in our lives. I mean, think about West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, that 3. (BEAR)
_______________ cornball Twilight saga, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women- one wonders whether that
would not be deemed kinda “sexist” by today’s PC police- or Alice Cooper’s 4. ______________ (TIME)
masterpiece “I’m Eighteen” (“Lines form on my face and hands, lines form on the ups and downs, I’m
in the middle without any plans, I’m a boy and I’m a man”). They all deal with the process of coming
of age, and all the anguish, emotional unrest and sense of discovery that goes along with it. I honestly
think it is grossly 5. _________________(RATE). I mean, what is there to like about being a socially
insecure, half-developed, mouthy, little young misfit? Yet this stage never fails to be ludicrously 6.
______________ (ROMANCE). And yes, I get it. Been there myself. It is all the myriad of changes that
adolescence entails that justify so much fascination with that life phase: wanting to impress friends
and not parents, puffing on a cigarette and pretending we liked it- only to gag in disgust when being
alone-, feeling drawn to the bad guys, the 7. ________________ (TROUBLE) at school, and wanting to
emulate them, kissing someone for the first time, what have you. In all actuality, I guess it is easy to
look back and dismiss this age altogether, without realizing that our maturity today stems from our
lack thereof back then. And what is more, generalizing is never a good thing. Today the lines between
adolescence and young adulthood have been blurred, and one can find as many self-centered,
8.___________________ (EMOTION) incontinent, entitled narcissists in their late 20s (and older) as
self-disciplined, insightful, not adverse to hard work kids in their teens who would take you aback
with their precocious development. “The Kids are Alright” says the title of a popular show and a song
by British Rock band The Who, and, yes, it turns out that sometimes they are.
122
LANGUAGE ACTIVATION
The Generation Warfare! Are millennials really entitled?
Listen to Jason Dorsey and Charlotte Hays,

two American authors and researchers
discussing how the different generations
misunderstand each other. For statements
1-10, decide whether the opinion is
expressed by only one of the speakers, by
both or by neither of them. The first item (0)
is done for you.
Write J for Jason, C for Charlotte, B for both or N for Neither.
0. Boomers should be more patient with millennials ____ J____
1. Each generation has their share of complaining _________
2. Millennials’ entitlement was passed on by parents _________
3. Millennials have not pulled themselves up by their bootstraps _________
4. Millennials are indeed good with technologies _________
5. Many millennials are essentially idling _________
6. Employers needing the millennials' talent need to compromise _________
7. Employers have certain prejudices towards millennials _________
8. Millennials lack in social skills and etiquette _________
9. The dysfunctional family background seems to be the problem _________
10. Millennials cannot expect dream jobs right away _________
! Source: Jason Dorsey's channel on YouTube
123
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Language activation
Topic: 21st Century Adolescents and Generational Clash.
• As an adolescent, would you channel your anger/anxiety through some activity?

What is a good way for aggressive/troubled kids to channel their aggression and
frustration?
• When you were younger, did you try to fit in with the group/your peers? What
would you do to get the approval of your peers?
• Do you think that virtue signaling is more common among adolescents today than in
the past? Is it more common among today’s adolescents than among today’s adults?
Have the lines between both groups been blurred?
• With all social media nowadays and everyone looking great on Instagram/Tik Tok,
etc., is it inevitable for young people to have hang-ups (about their appearance/body/
status)? How can we prevent it from becoming a serious problem?
• What kind of behaviors/clothes/physical attributes would make kids in your class get
picked on? Did teachers ever have a go at you for misbehaving?
• In many series and movies, you can see clear archetypes regarding adolescents/life at
school/high school, like the athlete, the popular guy/girl, the wallflower, the weirdo,
the oversensitive one, the bully/thug… Did you fit in with/conform to any of these
stereotypes? Can you remember people you went to school with that fit in with any
of them?
124
ENGLISH MASTERY
PART 3
ANGER
MANAGEMENT AND
EMOTIONAL WELL-
BEING
“
“My devil had been long caged; he came out roaring”
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
SMALL
TALK
Would you describe yourself as an emotional, intense, or temperamental person?
Do you ever lose your temper/flip out in the face of rather trivial problems?
Do you find it easy to talk about your emotions with other people? Do you wear your
emotions on your sleeve? Do you, instead, tend to conceal them and/or keep them
private?
125
ENGLISH MASTERY
QUIZ
Are you in control of your emotions? How impulsive are you?
Have you ever?
Purchased an item you did not really need and later regretted doing so?
Sent someone a text late at night that you later considered either angry or inappropriate?
Published a hateful/venomous post online about any controversial topic?
Engaged in an argument online (via WhatsApp or similar) about some contentious issue?
Lashed out very angrily at a partner/close relative/friend in the middle of an argument and
later regretted it?
Screamed your lungs off because you knocked down some object at home?
Cursed because your phone/computer was taking too long to load?
Stormed off/slammed the door in the middle of a dispute?
Yelled at and/or flipped off somebody in the middle of a traffic jam? Given in to road rage?
Broken into tears because you thought your mark on the exam was unjust?
! If you have checked three or more of the statements above, you may have some issues
related to anger or emotional management you might want to look into!
126
USE OF ENGLISH
Whoa! Hold your horses!; That may not be such a huge problem…
Open Cloze
Read the following text and complete the box below (1-12) with a suitable word in each gap.
In 2006, just a year after YouTube was founded, a video featuring a chubby, screaming, angry
little German kid smashing his faulty computer, which he (1) ______ was taking way too long to load
whatever data, went (2) ______. Nobody knows who was filming the stark-raving mad young creature
and (3) ______ it was with his consent or not, but the boy (4) ______ up a laughingstock. No wonder,
for both the subject of his ire and the amount of it seemed, quite (5) ________, misdirected and
disproportionate. How could one get so angry, so sillily and for such trivial reasons?
You know what? I try to remind myself of said video whenever I am tempted to let (6) _______of my
anger, especially when the context does not justify such a display of cursing, yelling, and venting. It
is (7) ______bit as asinine, absurd, and downright laughable as that poor bloke (I do not know, by the
way, if he had to undergo therapy or whether he managed to (8) ______down all that shame. What a
price to pay for a transient moment of fury, my friend!). But yes, it is really that ridiculous. And karma
seems to play a role in appeasing you, too. Whenever I (9) __________it, to the pettiest of things, it
looks as though the stars and asteroids, probably under the supervision of the different Gods above,
just line up and make things worse. All of a (10) ________, more obstacles appear in the way. Like, the
more worked up you (11) ______, the more bumps in the road, you fool.
Remember (and this is something that I often say to myself, as a reminder) that you are not (12)
________ to die of this rather menial issue, so hold your horses, will you?
127
ENGLISH MASTERY
10
11
12
LISTENING
Anger management techniques
Sentence completion test
Listen to a podcast about tips and techniques to control and manage anger outbursts. Complete the
statements below (1-8) with a suitable word/words.
1. One of the signs of anger being unleashed is screaming, yelling or a __________ __________
out of one’s forehead. (2 words)
2. Even though it is an ugly emotion, anger is so pervasive that even those calm by nature have
___________ certain words when they find themselves in stressful situations. (1 word)
3. Letting out anger is far from recommendable, as one’s immune system is _______________ as a
result. (1 word)
4. Taking into consideration numerous studies that link this emotion and a handful of diseases, it
is clear that ___________ _____________ of anger are harmful for oneself. (2 words)
5. It is suggested that we breathe deeply instead of screaming or _______ _____ the horn. (2
words)
128
ENGLISH MASTERY
6. In order to relax our muscles, we are told to loosen our shoulders and ___________ our fists. (1
word)
7. To get out our anger, the narrator suggests making use of the well-cast ___________. (1 word)
8. In summary, we should contextualize our anger by putting it in writing, relax and breathe
____________ . (1 word)
! Source: Anger Management Techniques

YouTube Channel: Watchwellcast
ORAL MEDIATION
Anger map for kids
Context:
You are friends with a young Israeli couple who you used to hang out with quite often before they
had their kid. You still try to see each other, but it is definitely more complicated for them, especially
as their 7-year-old boy, Daniel is going through a particularly challenging phase where he not only
throws tantrums, but has started breaking things, experiencing anger fits, crying desperately in the
face of really minor frustrations and even being a bit mean to his parents. Of course, this has impaired
his performance at school, but Maya (28) and Aaron (27) - his parents- are definitely more worried
about their child's mental and emotional state than anything else.
As they know you studied psychology and specialized in developmental psychology, Maya mentioned
it to you a couple of weeks ago, in a brief phone conversation you had.
Incidentally, the other day, when flicking through a specialized magazine, you saw an interesting
strategy that is apparently already quite popular in the US: anger maps for kids (see infographic on
the following page). It immediately called your attention, but you do not have the magazine at home
right now (it is at the office). However, it was a rather simple graph, and you can remember most of
the information in it, and the whole concept around anger maps.
Send Maya a voice message (1-2 minutes long) with the information that you saw in that article and which
you think could be useful for them in order to tackle that complicated issue.
! Source: Play Attune
129
ANGER MAP FOR KIDS. HELPING YOUR KIDS RECOGNIZE

THEIR NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
130
WRITE HERE
What kind of face do you

have when you are angry?
What kind of things do you

say?
How do you behave when

you are angry?
What can your anger help

you achieve?
How do you feel after being

angry?
What kind of things make

you calm?
131
LISTENING
Jordan Harbinger and Daniel Goleman: A Logical look at Emotional Intelligence,

today’s youths, and use of technology.
Listen to podcast host Jordan Harbinger

interviewing writer and Emotional
Intelligence expert Daniel Goleman. Which
SEVEN the following ideas are mentioned
in the interview?
There are FIVE extra statements you do

not need.
A. The idea discussed is a widespread one.

B. The interviewee’s judgement is more credible than the average.
C. Advantages of technology are outweighed by its drawbacks.
D. Certain relationships are more likely to being impaired by overusing technology.
E. Technologies are especially harmful to today’s adolescents.
F. Social interaction is essential for personal development.
G. Observing others’ behavior is indispensable for making interaction possible.
H. It is not unusual to stumble upon famous people on the streets of New York.
I. Some celebrities prefer not to be bothered.
J. TV is no longer as detrimental for children’s development.
K. The interviewer admits he lacks sufficient information to make a judgment.
L. The interviewer regrets being judgmental with other parents.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
! Source: Daniel Goleman: A Logical Look at Emotional Intelligence | TJHS Ep. 232
YouTube Channel: Jordan Harbinger Show
132
“
“Those who emote the most are
believed to FEEL the most.”
The Crucible
(The Rogue Theatre)
SPEAKING
Check "Keeping your Cool.

Anger Management" in
Speaking Mastery.
133
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Anger Management and Emotional Well-being.
• If all of a sudden a partner, close friend, or relative goes into/is in a

sulk, how do you deal with it? Do you try to make up with them? Do
you try to figure out why they are upset? Do you ignore it and wait for
the issue to blow over?
• When you are feeling worked up, and angry or moody for no apparent
reason, how do you manage to get a grip?
• Is there anything you wished you had got off your chest at some
point, with a friend, colleague, boss, but you did not? Are you, on the
other hand, someone who is sometimes too blunt and straightforward?
Do you ever say things out of bluntness/in the heat of the moment,
which you later regret?
• In stressful periods, how do you get rid of stress? Do you let off
steam by exercising?
• As an adult, do you ever throw temper tantrums? Do you know other
adults who do?
• When was the last time you felt hard done by someone?
• After a heated argument with someone (a partner, a coworker, a
friend), does the issue or dispute blow over, or do you hold a grudge
against them?
• Can you remember any situation when you had to bite your tongue
and hold yourself back to not make things worse with someone?
134
PART 4
21ST CENTURY
EDUCATION
CHALLENGES
“
“High School is better than Junior High;
They’ll call you names, but not as much.”
Dawn Wiener
“Welcome to the Dollhouse”
SMALL
TALK
What are, in your opinion, today’s society's challenges in relation to education?
What do you think of education today in our country? Many criticize it- according to
them, it has declined- and long for the old days. Do you agree with them?
What would you highlight about your education journey? Looking back, would you have
changed anything?
What should be the role of schools in children’s education? What should be the role of
parents?
135
LISTENING
Katherine Birbalsingh and Matt Allen discuss today’s education problems
Listen to a conversation between

two education experts about some
problems taking place in nowadays’
education.
For the statements below, choose the

right option (a, b, or c) according to
what you hear. Item 0 is done as an
example.
0. About the mentioned report, Katherine mentions that

a. It may be specific to the context it was written for
b. Its depiction is partially flawed
c. The answer to the problem is implausible
1. The idea of “cultural responsiveness” strikes Katherine as
a. An attempt to become friends with children
b. A condescending one
c. A way for educational institutions to shun discipline
2. What point does she make about linking poverty and misconduct?
a. It is not a question of race or ethnicity
b. Low expectations can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy
c. Too many amenities and conveniences have worsened children’s behavior
3. How can disruption in classes be reduced?
a. By means of transitioning from less challenging tasks
b. Physical exertion can reduce children’s rowdiness
c. Teachers spending less time on restoring order
4. About school management, she states
a. They do not mind disorderly behavior taking place at schools
b. They focus too much on idealistic goals
c. They are totally against discipline being implemented
5. What point does Katherine make about using cellphones in class?
a. They are rather useless
b. They are about to be banned in her school
c. They lead to violent behavior
136
1 2 3 4 5
! Source: The Matt Allen Show
SPEAKING
“21st Century Education

Challenges”
Is lack of discipline in schools a serious problem in your country? Is bullying a cause for concern in
schools nowadays? Did it use to be a problem in the past as well? Have bullying and intimidation
changed over the years?
Are hard work, effort, talent, or teamwork encouraged in your country’s education system?
Some complain that the standards of education in the past regarding knowledge, contents, exams,
etc., were higher than today. Do you agree?
Should education be made more fun and “entertaining” to engage students more? Even at the
expense of “dumbing down” contents and exams? Are students burdened with too much
information at schools?
137
ENGLISH MASTERY
READING
LET’S TALK ABOUT EDUCATION

Complete the gaps in the following text with a suitable word from the box below.
Should education be solely centered on passing knowledge or should it not 1__________________

instilling certain values? If the latter, is there a fine line between teaching basic conventions of civility,
and indoctrinating the children of today to be servants in the future and obedient disciples of the
agenda that rulers want to 2_________________? If the former, should said knowledge be ultimately
aimed at making competitive, productive, resourceful individuals in an ever-changing world?
And what if that utilitarian focus 3_________________ at the expense of a more humanistic approach?
It is, certainly, a contentious issue, with plenty of conflicted angles and positions, each of which may
be-or not- equally legitimate, but that are often hardly 4__________________.
And precisely because education is, indeed, a delicate topic, it should not dissuade us in the least from
delving into it 5_______________ on, to determine what is wrong with today’s education, because
there are definitely many things about it which, honestly, leave much to be desired.
But what are those things? Ask a libertarian and they will tell you it has 6_____________________ into
a weapon of indoctrination and that politicians should get their dirty hands off our children’s education
right away. Ask a conservative who longs for the old days, and they will stress how discipline
should be brought back to classrooms and how authority should be 7_____________________
upon teachers, who have been deprived of it altogether. A liberal/leftist will probably blame lack
of equality between different backgrounds and overwhelmed teachers as the explanation for
8____________________ performance in some of them and will demand that education free itself from
those 9___________________ vestiges regarding language, and even a handful of contents, which are
deeply rooted in a patriarchal society.
The interesting thing is that none of them is 10_____________________ of reason in some way. Those
debates bear a more rational, less emotional, closer look. And an honest one. Countries like Finland,
Hong Kong, or Singapore are constantly 11____________________ as extremely successful education
systems. Why do we not pay attention to what they are doing? Are they dumbing down exams, or
are they making them harder? Are they favoring the deterioration of the teaching profession or are
they making it a respectable one and making sure that only the best and most dedicated professionals
make their way into our kids’ development? And finally, are in those countries concepts like hard work,
merit, talent, and effort deemed something snobbish, elitist, something which contributes to the class
divide and the perpetuation of an unjust status quo, or are they clearly 12_____ after? I suspect it is
the latter.
138
ENGLISH MASTERY
1 a Ignore b Refuse c Reject d Shun
2 a Compel b Enforce c Expand d Pull
3 a Conquers b Defeats c Imposes d Predominates
4 a Imaginable b Practicable c Reconcilable d Relatable
5 a Face b Hands c Head d Right
6 a Decayed b Geared c Evolved d Progressed
7 a Bestowed b Endowed c Handed d Given
8 a Appalling b Dismal c Second-class d Subpar
9 a Aged b Archaic c Elderly d Senior
10 a Absent b Devoid c Lacking d Missing
11 a Downplayed b Hailed c Magnified d Overrated
12 a Chased b Prosecuted c Pursued d Sought
LISTENING
Daisy Christodoulou and Craig Barton discuss technology in the classroom
Listen to education researcher

Daisy Christodoulou and
mathematics teacher, podcaster,
and author Craig Barton talk
about the use of technology in
education.
Choose the right answer (a, b, or

c), according to what you hear.
139
ENGLISH MASTERY
1. About the rise in the use of interactive whiteboards in schools, Daisy says
a. Her opinion about them has gradually turned more favorable.
b. They had the financial support of the government.
c. This drastic change did not really take her by surprise.
2. What is her main objection to interactive whiteboards?
a. Teachers using it as a projector.
b. Their cost is way too disproportionate.
c. They do not really serve the purpose they were meant for.
3. About his experience with interactive whiteboards, Craig Barton adds
a. Because of his age, he was expected to be knowledgeable with technology.
b. He found them to be a fascinating tool.
c. When he started teaching, they were barely any.
4. Craig also mentions that
a. Most teachers have a more favorable opinion of whiteboards than him.
b. The investment made in them exceeded most schools’ budgets.
c. They were practically forced down teachers’ throats.
5. Daisy concludes that…
a. It was the teachers' choice to implement this technology in the classroom.
b. The lack of teacher training was the main problem.
c. Whiteboards exemplify technology for technology’s sake in education.
1 2 3 4 5
! Source: Mr Barton Maths Blog
Do you agree with Daisy and Craig that technology is being

overused in education?
In which ways can teachers and students benefit from technology

and artificial intelligence in education?
140
WHAT IS CHATGPT AND HOW CAN IT IMPACT EDUCATION?
Watch a video about the risks of ChatGPT. Jot down some notes so that you can relay the most relevant
information to your classmates. You can use these questions to outline the video's takeaways.
What tends to happen with most prophecies made by doomsayers?
What is exceptional, however, about ChatGPT?
How can it affect writing skills?
Is there any point in mastering writing skills when they can be automated?
Discussion: The consequences of implementing AI in schools
Watch this reel on the use of AI in Chinese schools.
Is there anything about it that you find worrying?
Do you think, instead, that this approach could be beneficial for

students and teachers (if only partially)?
Some people believe that more authoritarian schooling systems

(such as the Chinese) should not be disqualified altogether, as
they set an example for a model in which authority is given back
to teachers.
Do you agree with this point of view?
141
WRITTEN MEDIATION
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Objectives
Some preliminary questions

If technology and AI make it easier to automate less cognitively demanding tasks and those not
requiring a great deal of creativity, then how can talent or compelling work be measured?
Is there any point in doubling down on those rather undemanding/mechanical tasks?
There is a saying that goes "you haven't learned something until you've done it." Do you agree with
this?
How does one make sure that they have fully learned something, to the extent that they can do
something of worth with it? Is there a long journey between understanding something and mastering
it?
CONTEXT
You are finishing a course on children’s pedagogy and are taking part in a group project to suggest
ways to promote mindful learning among primary education students.
You come across the graphic depicting Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives (see picture above)
and a brief description of each of them. You think it can make a really interesting addition to the work
you are carrying out with your teammates.
Send your classmates a short email/text message (175-225 words) with the information you deem worth
highlighting.
142
ENGLISH MASTERY
Note: the authors of this (revised) taxonomy underscore this dynamism, using verbs and gerunds
to label their categories and subcategories (rather than the nouns of the original taxonomy). These
“action words” describe the cognitive processes by which thinkers encounter and work with
knowledge:
Remember Understand Analyze Evaluate Apply Create

Recognizing Interpreting Differentiating Classifying Checking Generating
Recalling Exemplifying Organizing Summarizing Critiquing Planning
Executing Attributing Inferring Producing
Implementing Comparing
Explaining
WRITING
Choose one of the following options and write an opinion or argumentative essay.
A range of 350-450 words should be fine
OPTION A
After reading an article on the pros and

cons of using technology in the classroom,
write your own argumentative essay on the
matter.
How is technology being used nowadays in

schools?
Are the effects mostly positive/negative?

What is your overall judgement on this
issue?
Where do you think education is heading in

the next decades?
143
OPTION B
Education philosopher James Arlington

recently declared in a congress about
today’s education that “homeschooling is a
scam, the latest fraud in educational trends.
Real education has, is and will always take
place at schools”.
Do you agree with that?
Write an opinion essay about your views

on the issue.
144
WRITING GUIDE
An Argumentative Essay vs. an Opinion Essay
Are there any differences between argumentative and opinion essays?
On the surface, the lines between these two types/formats of writing are blurred, and it
is easy to use the terms interchangeably, even though there are some- subtle- differences
between each.
Both involve the writer providing information in a text to either back up or refute an idea.
These two types of writing are also aimed at convincing the reader of the writer’s own
viewpoint.
The kind of information and the way this is laid out throughout the written piece tends to be
different, however.
In argumentative essays robust evidence matters, so regardless of your own viewpoint,

you should corroborate the idea being suggested (or questioned) with actual facts, data
or research (this brings to mind US senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s words “everyone is
entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts”). As far as text structure is concerned,
it makes sense to roughly follow a structure like this:
Introduction
Paragraph X- presenting an argument, backed-up with facts.
Paragraph Y- presenting the counter-argument, again backed-up with facts.
A series of arguments vs. counter-arguments can follow until we get to a…
Conclusion
In an opinion essay, the idea we want to support or prove wrong is not backed up with
objective facts and solid evidence, but as its name says, our opinion. We can back it up,
instead, with personal experiences, quotes or opinions of people we agree with (yes,
it is time to indulge in all that authority fallacy, appeal to authority or argumentum ad
verecundiam we love so much. Just, for the record, understand this doesn’t make it more true
or valid!).
145
ENGLISH MASTERY
Useful language in an Argumentative Essay

Irrespective of some personal preferences and the writer’s personal touch (which are what
are ultimately going to make your essay more unique, compelling and worth-reading), along
with a range of language that is suggestive enough to keep the reader’s attention, some useful
language and phrases are typically found in argumentative essays:
• Language used to describe data, statistics (the data reveal/show/lay bare/reflect…), trends
(an upward/downward trend has been observed in/ a positive/negative correlation is found
between X and Y…), and the way these changes (or lack thereof) are evolving (a steady
decline, a gradual/progressive improvement, a sharp fall, levels have plummeted, this trend
peaked in X year…).
• Showing contrast between what is expected and what the results show: “contrary to
popular belief, against all odds the effects of these policies have been negligible at best…”
• Language to describe cause and effect: This has led to/resulted in/brought about/
sparked…//… it all stems from/originates in/can be traced back to/attributed to… (For more
useful expressions of cause and effect, check Speaking Mastery Language Activation,
grammar activation unit 9: describing cause and effect).
• Stating the obvious: it follows that, it goes without saying that, needless to say… (For more
useful language in this regard, check Speaking Mastery Language Activation, grammar
activation unit 8: stating the obvious)
Spice it up!
At this level, you need to challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone and use language
which is more advanced, precise and colorful. The Speaking Mastery Language Activation
book contains hundreds of expressions, phrases and words to help you with that goal and
sound more meaningful, and make your written and oral performances more compelling,
when writing or speaking about multiple topics. You may as well check them out.
146
SPEAKING
21st Century Education
• Should contents or values be prioritized in today’s education?

• Do you think the standards in education are being gradually lowered? Is
today’s education settling for mediocrity?
• Some modern approaches advocate for the elimination of special
education. What is your opinion about that?
• Should gender inclusive language be made compulsory at schools?
• What is your take on the use of technology in the classroom? Is it being
overused? Is it underused instead in your country? Can you think of examples
where its overuse can be detrimental in education? Are senior teachers
reluctant to use technology in education in your country?
• Gamification in the classroom is revered as the be-all and end-all in today’s
education. Do you think it is also effective when teaching adults?
• Do you think groupwork/working in teams is recommendable to make
sure that students learn to cooperate and pull their weight? If so, what
criteria should teachers bear in mind when creating those groups? Should
they leave pupils to their own devices? Should they take part?
• Regarding discipline, how can teachers ensure it exists in class without
becoming too authoritarian? How can novice teachers prevent students
from getting on top of them/making their lives miserable?
147
ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 4. TO INFINITY AND… BEIJING
UNIT
4
TO INFINITY
AND… BEIJING
Traveling, staying.
Cities and houses.
Urban sprawl, urban decay
“
“Home is Where You Are”
Tessa Marie
148
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 4. TO INFINITY AND… BEIJING
About this unit

This unit- the fourth in the C2 Mastery course- is all about places. Whether they are the destinations
we travel to, the sights we marvel at, our neighborhood, the city limits, or our own home. The
outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an unexpected change, and probably a different
outlook on how people perceive traveling (due to enforced restrictions) and the relationship with their
own home (due to lockdown in most parts of the world).
The first section (“Wanderlust. A Love of Travel”) addresses travel and tourism, regarding both
their positive and negative aspects (i.e.: the desire to venture into the unknown and indulge in the
overwhelming beauty that can be found everywhere around us, vs. the vandalism, ruckus and
disorderly conduct, plus the environmental damage that can ensue when mass tourism gets out of
hand).
Traveling has always been part of humankind, and later on transformed into an extremely thriving
industry, but probably, due to the advent of social media, it acquired a new dimension (prior to
Covid-19, mind you). Travel blogs, Instagram posts, and YouTube channels have made travel even
more glamorous than before.
On the other hand, in some places in the world (this is certainly true about the country I come from,
Spain), there has been a debate in recent years about the effects of tourism (economy, the country’s
reputation, environmental footprint, etc.), to the extent that different legal initiatives have taken place
to curb what is deemed “bad tourism” (their words, not mine). We will take care of those issues, too,
of course.
The second section of this unit, “Making Yourself at Home. Getting on the Property Ladder”, tackles the
housing problem. One may think that housing shortage or lack of affordable housing is only an issue in
their own country, but a quick Google search would prove one wrong: it is a universal phenomenon. There
are some sociocultural differences, though, related to leaving home or “overstaying one’s welcome” (being
ironic, of course) among youngsters of different nationalities, and that makes for an interesting discussion.
149
ENGLISH MASTERY
Besides, the lockdowns most people had to endure in the recent past taught them that, well, you'd
better make your house a place you can call your home, a place you would rather stay and linger in
than flee. The way you set up your house may have something to do with this, apparently.
The third and last part of unit 4 deals with City Life. 80% of North Americans and 75% of Europeans
live in urban areas so, for many, “living” and “city” are two inseparable entities. And cities may have
improved (they have, indeed) a lot over the years (safety, sanitation, transport, services…), but in many
cases, they are far from perfect. Issues such as lack of housing development and housing affordability,
displacement, abandonment of certain areas along with all economic, social, and psychological
problems resulting from social distancing, restrictions, bans, and closures which followed the
Covid-19 outbreak, are worth discussing. And that's exactly what we will do.
Enjoy!
150
Table of Contents
Throughout this unit you will practice the following skills
Reading Comprehension
Return to Provincialism. (Lexical Choice Cloze)
Please, do not Tell Anyone How I Live. (Gapped Paragraph Test)
Future Cityscapes: Expectation vs. Reality. (Word Formation)
Listening tests
Airbnb in the Time of Covid-19. (Multiple Choice)
Drunk Tourists Wreak Havoc in Magaluf. (Sentence Completion)
Detroit’s Foreclosure Epidemic. (T/F)
Gentrification of Harlem. (Sentence Completion)
Laura Clark and Sonja Trauss on San Francisco Housing Shortage. (Multiple Choice)
Oral Mediation
Airbnb Cancellation Policy During Covid-19. (Intra-linguistic)
Covid-19 Restrictions in Melbourne. (Intra-linguistic)
Written Mediation
Housing trends in Europe and Spain (Intra-linguistic/Cross-Linguistic)
Speaking
Wanderlust. A love of travel.
Tourism Problems.
Making Yourself at Home. Getting onto the Property Ladder.
City Landscape and Urban Issues.
Writing
Co-production: Proposal on City Improvements.
151
ENGLISH MASTERY
PART 1
WANDERLUST, A
LOVE OF TRAVEL
“
“The core of one man’s spirit comes
from new experiences.”
John Krakauer, “Into the Wild”
SMALL
TALK
Some people are extremely passionate about traveling. Do you have/experience

“wanderlust” or are you a “homebody”?
There is a widespread idea about “traveling broadening your mind”. Do you agree with
this, or is it just a cliché? If so, in which ways can traveling widen/broaden one’s mind?
Some distinguish between “travelers” and “tourists”. How are they different? Which
category do you fall into?
152
ENGLISH MASTERY
GROUP DISCUSSION
Travel Habits
When choosing a traveling destination, what influences your decision?
a) A friend raved about a place they loved so much.

b) Online resources/travel blogs (Lonely Planet, Airbnb, Maptia, etc.)
c) Pictures of Instagrammers/your friends’/acquaintances’ social media activity.
d) An all-time desire to visit one place.
e) Other…
Do you think social media has affected/influenced people’s attitude about traveling?
When looking at people’s photos of their trips/sceneries on social media (Instagram, Facebook,
Snapchat, etc.), do you feel jealous/indifferent/overwhelmed/sorry for them?
“Wanderlust: a love of travel”
153
UNIT 4. TO INFINITY AND… BEIJING ENGLISH MASTERY
READING
THE RETURN OF
PROVINCIALISM
Complete the gaps (1-14) in the

following text with a suitable word
from the box below.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a post for a blog, titled “Shoestring budget travelers of the world,
unite!”, in which I was trying to 1. _____ the widespread idea that long-haul travel is somehow a
costly, elitist luxury available only to a privileged few. And of course, it is not, provided people were
willing to do without some comforts and amenities. I also pointed out how the travel industry had
never stopped 2.______, unaffected by outbreaks of Ebola, Avian flu, or even local tumults. But alas,
those were the cherished pre-pandemic times. Nowadays with all Covid-19 enforced restrictions
3._________ rampant, do we have to abandon all hope of exploring the countless awe-inspiring
worldly spots which we had vowed to ourselves we would explore some day? For good? Is this the
final nail in the 4. ________ of the unfortunately weakened travel and hospitality industries? Is our
Mother Earth ecstatic at our finally giving her a well-deserved break? Have the flora and fauna of
exotic destinations lengthened their lifespan for being 5.___________ of our travel footprint? What do
locals think about this? Are they concerned about the loss of their livelihood impoverishing them? And
more importantly, have we freed ourselves at last from the insufferable wannabe influencer on social
media 6.____________ their carefully curated and methodically filtered photos in our faces, reminding
us that our lives suck, while theirs rule? I am joking about this last one of course. I couldn’t care less.
Or yes, I do care, and envy is a vice not entirely missing from this humble servant’s 7._________
of sentiments. But it is one very few dare to admit, so just for the record, no, I do not care about
pretentious inveterate travelers.
I could go on for ages ranting about how travel and tourism- especially with the advent of social
media, the ultimate outlet for vanity- have evolved into a phony box-checking rat race, where
genuine, actual enjoyment 8._______ second to boastfulness. But hey, who am I to judge? I have
had it with those smug do-gooders who dwell on their fantasy moral high ground and spend their
lives preaching and 9._______ everyone else online for not having figured it out yet. And I do not
want to sound like that. I am now a live-and-let-live kind of person so, if you are the kind of person
who gets their 10.________ from taking one thousand selfies in front of La Mona Lisa, with your face
actually obscuring that of Da Vinci’s best in all of the pictures, I should not, nor should anyone else,
11.___________ you.
154
ENGLISH MASTERY
The issue, however, seems to be different now. What if traveling widely eventually became a
privilege? This may sound like a half-baked, ill-reasoned dystopia, but think about it: soaring fuel
prices, mandated quarantines upon arrival, Covid-19 passports, scarcity of accommodation- i.e.:
local, family-owned business succumbing to lockdowns-, and the vilification of air travel (due to its
undeniable environmental impact) can 12.________ tourism unaffordable for the majority. Or at least,
THAT type of tourism. I know there is a great deal of 13.______ demand, and some will continue
traveling, anyway. But barriers inevitably narrow down the number of individuals participating in
those activities affected by said barriers.
Are we going back to the way our parents and grandparents used to travel? Will we have to make do
with a 2-week jaunt to the nearest beach? Are we bound to feel the urge to scout those 14.________,
unsung sites in our region? And more importantly, will we fully enjoy these simple pleasures as if we
did not miss out on anything, after all? Are we maybe witnessing a return to provincialism?
1 a Deny b Overturn c Refute d Reject
2 a Flourishing b Leading c Rising d Succeeding
3 a Getting b Going c Running d Shooting
4 a Carriage b Coffin c Grave d Tomb
5 a Eased b Saved c Unburdened d Unhindered
6 a Hailing b Rubbing c Throwing d Waving
7 a Array b Category c Label d Number
8 a Comes b Results c Waits d Winds
9 a Accusing b Berating c Exposing d Pestering
10 a Highs b Joys c Kicks d Laughs
11 a Blacklist b Chastise c Oppress d Scapegoat
12 a Convert b Render c Transform d Turn
13 a Buried b Concealed c Motionless d Pent-up
14 a Forgotten b Rare c Uncharted d Underground
155
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Group Work: make your own Travel Ad

Instructions
You run a travel agency and want to promote a package holiday deal so as to publicize
your business. In your groups, you will create a short commercial, which is to be shared
on social media (YouTube shorts/Instagram/Tik Tok reels), and which is geared
towards potential customers. Remember that you will film your ad (between 1-2
minutes long), so make sure it is attractive and interesting! (You know, IG/Tik Tok-
worthy)
In groups, take turns to include some of the following information in your ad.
Travelling destination
Transport and accommodation details
Activities offered (sports, day-trips, cultural
stopovers, sightseeing tours...).
Testimonials of former customers
Whatever makes your deal more attractive than

those in the competition (price, all-included
packages, etc.).
156
LISTENING TEST
Airbnb in the time of Covid-19
Listen to the following report on how Airbnb

accommodations have been affected by the
Covid outbreak and choose the right option
(a, b, or c) according to what you hear.
1. The presenter says travelers wanting to make a trip during the pandemic.
a. Are still skeptical of Airbnb rentals.
b. Have plenty of good deals at a reasonable distance.
c. Refuse to go to hotels.
2. About the impact on the travel industry at the beginning of the pandemic
a. It took a toll on Michigan’s economy.
b. It almost spelled ruin for Wayne Everson and Rachel Johnson.
c. Was rather dramatic nationwide.
3. About the accommodations the couple offers on Airbnb, they say that
a. Are based on themes of popular shows.
b. Their differential nature is a bonus for travelers.
c. They offer all the amenities of a hotel plus their unique touch.
4. The increase of Airbnb business in June
a. Has been particularly noticeable in travel within the US.
b. Means people are less concerned about air travel than in previous months.
c. Reveals a greater desire to travel once it is relatively safe.
5. The reason behind short term rental accommodation’s success
a. Airbnb rentals get better reviews than the competition.
b. Owners abide by strict cleanliness compliance policies.
c. People are still fearful of traveling by plane.
1 2 3 4 5
Source: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
157
LISTENING
Is there any downside to the tourism industry?
It is estimated that tourism (domestic and foreign) comes up to a tenth of Spain’s GDP. In 2019, it was
the second country worldwide (after France) with the largest number of foreign visitors and also the
second (after the US) by tourism income.
Is tourism an important part of your country’s economy as well?

What makes your country such an attractive tourist destination?
Is there any downside to the tourism industry?
What do you think of news stories like this?
Drunk tourists wreak havoc in Magaluf
Listen to this news report on tourism problems

on the island of Majorca. Complete the spaces
with the right word/words.
1. Magaluf is still regarded as __________ ________ by young tourists (2 words)

2. Bans on alcohol as well as limiting ________ _______ are some of the measures
implemented recently (2 words)
3. The owner of a popular club on the island says curbing street drinking has
prevented people from making a fool of themselves and ____________ (1 word).
4. Tourists are given a sheet with a civil ___________ of _________ at the hotel (2
words).
5. The press informed about _________ _______ taking place a year ago (2 words).
6. As a part of a _________ _________, now “Bobbies” (British police officers) are
patrolling the area (2 words).
7. Alfonso, the _______ _________ believes the presence of the British police can be
really useful. (2 words).
8. The fact that police officers do not patrol during the small hours makes no sense,
according to a ______ ______ (2 words).
9. The authorities affirm that the measure could become a __________ _______ if
needed. (2 words)
! Source: 5 News
158
SPEAKING LANGUAGE ACTIVATION
Does your country rely too much on the tourism and hospitality industries?
Do you think your country has been a magnet for brawly / drunken / unruly tourists?
Can you think of sites which are hotspots for trouble?
Do you think they usually get away with their rather despicable / contemptible behavior?
Which tourists are the ones who have justly earned a reputation as troublemakers?
IHow do you think that the tourism industry can become a sustainable, profitable source of income/
revenue while doing without most of its drawbacks?
“Tourism Problems”
159
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic: Travel and Transport. Tourism Problems
• What kind of amenities are you willing to do without when traveling? Are you
ready to “rough it” in certain situations? Is there anything (accommodation, travel,
restaurants…) that you prefer not to skimp on?
• Have you ever had to cut a vacation short for some reason? Have you ever had to
cut short any kind of social event due to some unexpected news?
• Is your profession a popular/well-respected one? In case it sometimes stirs mistrust
among some people, who or which kind of behaviors give your profession a bad
name?
• When some of your friends on social media post lots of pictures of their holidays,
why do you think they do it? Do you feel like they want to show off and rub their
enjoyment in people’s faces, or are they just sharing nice memories?
• Do you think your country is losing ground in any aspect or field in which it
previously had a prominent position? (Foreign policy, technology, political influence,
human development, civil rights, economic/industrial/military power, environmental
awareness, etc.). Do you feel like you are losing ground in any aspect that you had
a reasonable command of/knowledge about?
• When was the last time you felt that you had to get away from it all? What kind of
problems/stress were you experiencing at the time? Did you opt to travel anywhere?
• When traveling, are you drawn to uncharted/off the beaten track spots, or do you
prefer to not take risks on things you may miss on such as basic amenities/services?
• Do long journeys end up wearing you out? Does the prolonged company of
someone end up wearing you out? What about your company, does it weary
anyone out?
160
ENGLISH MASTERY
PART 2
MAKING YOURSELF
AT HOME. GETTING
ONTO THE
PROPERTY LADDER
“
“Please, do not tell anyone how I live.”
Lenny Leonard, “The Simpsons”
SMALL
TALK
How difficult/easy is it for young people in your country to become emancipated/leave

home/leave the nest?
When choosing to live in a particular place, what sort of things do you consider (Price,
location, amenities, social atmosphere…)?
Are you interested in the philosophy of simple living/living with less? Are you into
minimalism?
161
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Housing Affordability and Leaving Home
Some people state the middle class no longer

exists. Today’s generation of young adults
enjoy a variety of amenities, but in the end, as
far as possessions are concerned, they have
nothing. Do you agree?
Eliza Owen, in this TED Talk tries to prove wrong older generations who question
the unwillingness of the youths when venturing into buying a house. What are her
arguments about the following issues?
1. About discussing housing issues with people from a different generation.

2. The median as a measurement to determine the typical value of houses in Sydney.
Why is it more reliable than the average?
3. Is the median value of a house in Sydney affordable for most young people? Why?
4. Why is the argument that housing in Sydney has always fluctuated, and that this
can be offset by hard work and sacrifice, a fallacious one?
5. Have salaries and housing prices in Sydney evened up? Can non homeowners
compete with homeowners when bidding for housing?
6. Why is it advisable to become knowledgeable about economics?
Speaking/ Language Activation
Do you sometimes feel patronized by older people, ranting about how much easier life is
for you? When compared to your parents/older generations, do you think you experience
a similar standard of living?
Is now a good time to invest in property/buy a house? Is it a better option to rent one?
How difficult do you think it is for young people to get on the property ladder? Why?
Can you remember what it was like when you left home? What difficulties did you come
across? In hindsight, would you change anything? If you have not left home yet, what
prevents you from doing so?
In order to tackle housing problems, do you think there is any point in lobbying for higher
housing supply?
Do you think that young people let important issues (regarding health, education,
economics) wash over them, just because those seem difficult to grasp?
162
ENGLISH MASTERY
READING
Please, do not tell anyone how I live
Gapped Paragraphs.
Read the following text about leaving

home in different European nations.
Complete the gaps between paragraphs
A-F with the missing paragraphs 1-6
below. There is one extra paragraph
you do not need.
A. A couple of months ago I was casually surfing the web when I came across an
article which stated that Spanish young adults were the fifth oldest in Europe to leave
home (at an average age of 28.9 years), only beat by Croatians, Maltese, Slovakians,
Greeks, in line with Portuguese and Italians, and way above the Swedes (the most
precocious by far), who leave home on average as early as 19.6 years.
Insert missing paragraph here
B. The thing is that this information did not surprise me in the slightest: I guess Northern,
protestant cultures tend to value and foster more independence and abandoning
the family nest, whereas family bonds tend to be stronger in Southern, Catholic
countries, which probably prevents their youth from leaving home so early. Besides,
that exact age was incidentally the age at which I left home myself!
C. In other words: paying the average rent/ mortgage and making ends meet,
while living on the jobs which most people between 20 and 30 get offered
is unthinkable, unfathomable, just out of the freaking question. Sad but true. Yes, we
all enjoy mommy's hot, nice meals, but that is not the only reason why we still live with
mom and dad well into our 20s.
D. Firstly, if you thought the dreary conditions of the labor market described in the
paragraphs above suddenly change- for the better- as if by magic, once you turn
30, you probably live on Mars or something. Well, of course, they do not; the main
difference between today's working-class young adults and a Charles Dickens' novel
is that people nowadays usually have smartphones, use WhatsApp, and take selfies
looking cheeringly happy which they will-of course- immediately upload on Instagram
to spare everyone else their suffering and show them that, "yeah", they're living the
high life.
163

E. Add child support/alimony to the equation, and the issue gets worse, for sure. And you
know, no matter how strong the emotional link is between an individual and their beloved
parents, having to return- with one's tail between the legs- to your parents' home after
having experienced the joys of self-determination must be tough.
F. They brag about the convenience and comfort of having your meals made, your
laundry done, not having to deal with annoying payments, etc. Yeah, right. Let's face it,
anyone in that situation is likely to be considered a weirdo, if not directly a lazybones or
slacker by many. Personal and financial independence, accountability, resourcefulness,
or just maturity are values that correlate with higher social standing… it is like, come
on… who is still living in their mom’s basement at the age of forty? But, you know, "one
man's meat is another man's poison"/"there's no accounting for taste", and what have
you...
Choose among these 6 paragraphs the ones which fit between paragraphs A-F. There is one paragraph too
many.
1. Anyway, I have the sneaking suspicion that culture, tradition, and family values are not the
only aspects influencing this comparatively late age in Southern European countries, and
definitely not in Spain: lack of job security, low wages and- quite frankly- shitty jobs all lead
to young adults being priced out of the housing market.
2. I had just broken up with my then girlfriend, who I had been living with during the previous
three years. Living on two meager salaries and not being able to afford most amenities
which we had separately become accustomed to enjoying- back at our parents’- did not
make things easy in the end. And it was probably too much, too soon, but it was a nice
experience, which taught me you should not rush into shacking up if the time is just not
right.
3. Moreover, one's once pretty neat living conditions might change at the stroke of a pen:
people unfortunately get divorced or are made redundant and then, everything changes.
A double-income household might be able to bear all the expenses that the family
unit entails (you know, mortgage/rent, bills, food, kids, etc.); however, doing the same on
one or NO income is far more difficult.
4. Talk about "embarrassment". While the standard, regular, normal leaving-home process
has been discussed in the previous paragraphs, we all personally know dozens of cases of
people way older than the 28.9 average age who, much to their chagrin- or not-, still live
at their parents' home. The reasons? Well, they are definitely of a pretty varied nature:
5. The last predicament featured here is probably the less frequent one, yet we are
introduced to an archetype which we may somehow be familiar with: we all may have
a friend or acquaintance who, despite having a good job and being able to live semi-
comfortably on their own, freely chose to go on living with their parents, even if they are
35-40 or even older!
6. The latter share with other Nordic fellows (The Danes, Finns, and Norwegians) that
tendency to leave home at an early age (around 20-21). Between both ends of this
continuum lie the rest of European countries (Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria,
Belgium...), whose youngsters move out of their parents' place at an average age of 23-24.
164
VOCABULARY
DESCRIBING GRAPHS, CHARTS AND TRENDS
Types of Graphs /Charts- Do you know what these are called?
You can refer to the data points as: vertical - horizontal axis/data point
DESCRIBING DATA
Slight/slightly Describing Figures

To increase An Increase To decrease A Decrease
Sharp/Sharply (the) number/amount/percentage (of)
Abrupt/Abruptly
To rise A Rise To fall A fall Describing Visual Information
Rapid/Rapidly
Sudden/Suddenly
To show
To climb A Climb To plunge A plunge Dramatic/ To compare X to Y
To project
Dramatically
Drastic/Drastically X can be observed

To predict
To ascend An Ascent To decline A decline Significant/ in/can be inferred
To forecast
Significantly from
Steady/Steadily
An To even up/balance
To improve To descend A descent Insignificant/ To look forward
Improvement out
Insignificantly
An increase in
(sales…) Stand at
To worsen/ To lay bare/to reveal/
To recover A Recovery A slip An increase of (5 To Bottom out
get worse to expose
%...) To Peak
To increase by 5 %...
To An upward/
To go up A growth A dip Time Reference
deteriorate downward trend
To soar An expansion To even out A drop To hold steady Over time From X to Y
An A To remain steady/ Over the Period

To shoot up To plateau Between X and Y
enlargement stagnation stable/constant shown
165
ENGLISH MASTERY
ORAL MEDIATION
Housing trends in Europe
Context:
You are a graduate in Social Sciences and are studying a master’s degree at a foreign university,
where the vehicular language is English. Different economic trends around the globe are dealt with
in the master’s and in this particular module, housing trends and problems (property bubble, housing
affordability, evictions, foreclosure auctions, etc.) are being addressed. Judging from the testimonies
and contributions of other students from numerous countries, most of these problems seem to be
happening just everywhere.
Your own presentation focuses on housing affordability among the young, and the problems that the
younger generations are having by leaving home and accessing the property market, living on the
rent, etc. There seems to be a trend in most developed countries by which the younger generations
are having much more trouble finding affordable housing than the previous ones (Australia, US, other
European countries), and the age at which the young decide to leave home seems like an illustrative
indicator.
Use the picture below (showing differences between European young adults leaving home or staying
with their parents) and the vocabulary in the former section, to include in your presentation all the
ideas you think are worth considering.
Use the questions below the map to help you through your written and oral mediation task.
166
Look at the following map:
Write a short text to relay the following information to your classmates.
Do Spanish and other European youngsters leave home at similar rates? Are there any
differences?
Can some trends be found in relation to different countries? What is your explanation to
this phenomenon? Is it due to culture? Religion? Geographic proximity? Family traditions?
167
ENGLISH MASTERY
LISTENING TEST
Detroit Foreclosure Epidemic
Listen to this report on home auctions in Detroit

and decide which 6 of the following ideas are
mentioned in the clip. There are four extra
statements you do not need.
A. Detroit’s revitalization has been uneven

B. The Hagermans allow broke owners to dwell in their homes
C. The Hagermans are in charge of house maintenance
D. Occupiers have agreed to sell their property
E. Judy Keller bought her home at the end of the economic recession
F. Judy inherited her home from her ill mother
G. High taxes and college fees put a strain on Judy’s finances
H. An unjust situation is possible due to a legal loophole
I. During the 2010s, Detroit’s homes have been overpriced
J. Home assessment imbalances have not changed significantly over time
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Vice News
168
ENGLISH MASTERY
WRITTEN MEDIATION
Los jóvenes españoles y la vivienda (estadísticas)
Context
You are a graduate in Social Sciences and are studying a master’s degree at a foreign university,
where the vehicular language is English. Different economic trends around the globe are dealt with
in the master’s and in this particular module, housing trends and problems (property bubble, housing
affordability, evictions, foreclosure auctions, etc.) are being addressed. Judging from the testimonies
and contributions from other students from numerous countries, most of these problems seem to be
happening practically everywhere.
Your own presentation focuses on housing affordability in Spain and the problems that the younger
generations are having to leave home and access the property market, living on the rent, etc.
With the aid of the first chart (line chart), you will reflect in writing those trends described above.
Use the questions in each chart to help you through your written and oral mediation task.
Instructions:
Write a short text about the following graphic, to guide you through your presentation, addressing the
following issues:
What does the line chart/graph show?
How have buying and renting homes evolved amongst the young in our country in the
last decade?
The years 2011-2013 were the peak of the economic recession. Is there anything worth
highlighting during that period?
Evolución del Régimen de Tenencia de la Vivienda entre los hogares de 16 a 29 años

(2004-2016).
Source: Injuve
169
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic: Making Yourself at Home. Getting on the Property Ladder
• Who is in charge of your building upkeep and maintenance? If improvements

need to be made, who is in charge of the expenses?
• Are you a city slicker or do you prefer to escape from the city rush?
• Do you find it easy to declutter and get rid of unused stuff or do you sometimes
find yourself clinging/holding on to items for emotional reasons? Do you tend to
buy new items and end up piling/stacking up stuff for no reason?
• Have you ever fallen behind on any payment? What are the consequences in your
country for someone who defaults on the mortgage/rent, etc?
• Would you rather buy a newly furnished apartment/with all mod cons, or would
you prefer to buy an old house, take down everything and do some expansion
works and refurbish/do it up yourself?
• Are evictions and foreclosure proceedings a serious problem in your country?
What are the consequences for someone being evicted? What options do they
have?
• Is squatting an issue where you live?
• Which circumstances would make you pull up stakes and relocate to a different
city or even country? What kind of things would make you homesick?
• Do orderly arrangement of items and spick-and-span houses make you relaxed
and at ease? Do you tend to be kind of indulgent when it comes to neatness,
cleanliness, and orderliness? Do they have a rather negligible effect on your well-
being?
• Have you tried minimalism? Do you think that simple living means living better?
170
PART 3
CITYSCAPE. URBAN
SPRAWL, URBAN
DECAY
“
“Spent my whole life in the city where junk is king
and the air smells s***ty.”
"I Love Livin’ in the City” Fear
SMALL
TALK
What aspects do you think are important to make life easy in the city? Affordable
housing? Work opportunities? Nightlife? Cultural Activities/Leisure Time?
Has your city/town changed much over the years? For the better/worse? Do you think it
is a good place to settle down?
How could the area where you live be improved? Do you believe city dwellers should
have a more active role in improving life in their community?
171
SPEAKING
Cities of the future
Science-Fiction films from the 80s

and 70s, like “Blade Runner”, “Back
to the Future”, and “Soylent Green”
were set in roughly the present time.
How did they depict the cities of the
2010s and the present decade? Do
their depictions match the way present
cities actually look like?
How do you predict cities will evolve in the next decades? How do you imagine the average city of
the future regarding the following?
• Architecture/cityscape
• Transport/services and infrastructures
• Relationships between their inhabitants/social interaction
• Crime and safety
• Green areas/environment and urban pollution
• Entertainment
READING
Future cityscape: expectations vs. reality
Word Formation
Read the text below and change the word in parentheses to complete the text so that it makes sense.
Include your answers in the corresponding box.
Did you know Blade Runner is actually set in 2019? Yes, this 1. _______________ (PIECE) of cinematic
art, arguably the epitome of the Dystopian subgenre (though many, and with good reason, would
point at 1984’s movie version of Orwell’s homonymous novel), and 2. __________________
(DISPUTE), the peak of the Cyberpunk genre (that is right, very few argue that there was a finer work
in that class), was set in an ominous, gloomy, neon-lit, machine-controlled future which is actually 4
years in the past now!
172
Looking back, it's easy to dismiss director Ridley Scott (inspired in turn by 1968 novel “Do Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep?”) as as a naïve, 3. ______________ (OVER) optimistic, and definitely flawed
visionary, but back in the 80s, the 2000s and obviously, the 2010s and beyond would conjure up 4.
______________ (FUTURE) visions of laser armed police forces, towering skyscrapers, flying space
cars, and inhabitants with a demi-human, almost robotic appearance to them, wearing tech-laced
clothes. You were not alone, Ridley.
The thing is, do those audacious predictions bear any kind of 5. _______________ (RESEMBLE) to
what cities have actually become, or have today’s conurbations, on the contrary, deteriorated and
evolved into 6. _______________ (POOL) of dirt, squalor, violence, insecurity, ugliness, and pollution?
Well, it would be hard to generalize. Let us say that modern metropolises have taken different paths.
Think about Los Angeles ( just to stick to the chosen scenery of the above-mentioned movie), for
instance: once the so-much 7. ___________ (FANTASY) about, burgeoning dreamland of sunshine,
fame, glamor, and luxury; a city which oozed and reeked of excess and rock and roll, is now being
abandoned by thousands of former residents, who complain about growing insecurity, unbearable
pollution, soaring housing prices, and- according to some-, California’s 8. ______________ (ASPHYXIA)
taxes. Anyway, that is only one side of the story. I am sure millions of Angelinos are still proud of their
SoCal heritage and 9. ____________ (BLISS) happy about living in a city which to this day still rejoices
in its iconic nature.
And even if you thought that cities like say Dubai, Copenhagen, or Singapore evoke far friendlier
images and are paradigms of spotlessness, smooth management and gigantic, 10. __________
(DROP) architecture, don’t let that mislead you. There is no such thing as the perfect place to live.
Some places are finer than others, though.
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
173
ENGLISH MASTERY
LANGUAGE FOCUS: THE EXPRESSION OF EMPHASIS
12 tricks to improve your speech and sound more persuasive and convincing
Adding emphasis to our

communication is essential to make
it sound natural, spontaneous, and
real. But even advanced students
sometimes fail to do so, which can be
attributed to both a lack of knowledge
of emphatic resources and, definitely,
to a lack of practice.
Here are 12 ways of making our speech much more emphatic. Understand that in spoken English,
stress, rhythm, and intonation play a FUNDAMENTAL role in actually sounding emphatic.
1. Fronting/ Cleft Sentences: Look at the following examples. In all of them the
traditional structure of the sentence is changed so as to convey a meaning of
emphasis, intensify a particular aspect of our message, or correct what we or
someone else said. The language devices to do so are numerous:
What people tend to like more is the number of green areas the city has.
All people want to do here as soon as they turn 20 is move to the capital; nobody
really wants to work in the country anymore.
What was great about my former town was that it felt like a big family; everyone
seemed to know and care for each other.
It’s the incredible nightlife which made me move from my old, convenient
residential town to this city.
What I find weird is that the old brothel was turned into the city’s cultural center!
It’s all the hipster, overpriced cafés which/that makes me despise that area so
much. Yes, you can call it gentrification, indeed.
2. Use of the Emphatic “DO”.

- You don’t like this place that much, do you? - I DO like the place! I tend to like
locals less, though.
- I did warn you about not venturing into that part of the town, but you wouldn't
listen.
174
3. Use of “extreme” adjectives.
Huge, enormous, gigantic, awful, appalling, nauseating, exorbitant, spotless,

putrid, filthy, gorgeous, hideous…
You saw Thomas the other day, right?

Sure, I did.
I’ve heard he’s got big.
Big? Man, he’s MASSIVE!
4. Using SO/SUCH

Look, just hearing that politician talk makes me cringe; so, so full of himself.
Yeah, such an idiot that guy.
5. Adding “dead/ deadly” (as an adverb) to the adjective.
Mark says he’s really committed to playing in the band.

Yeah, you bet he’s dead/deadly serious about it.
6. Using “extreme” verbs and nouns. (i.e.: “those endowed with a very intense
meaning”)
Stink, stench, lurch, annihilate, massacre, humiliate, obliterate…

My teacher’s ruthless criticism has obliterated my self-esteem.
7. Using Adverbs. Sort of a no-brainer, right? Yet even advanced students who use
them at ease are an anomaly.
“… and then, this ridiculously/ incredibly/ astoundingly hot woman came into the
restaurant and sat next to the old man and started groping him! He must be
loaded!”
8. Using expressions like “hands down”/ “period” (usually in company of

superlatives, though not exclusively)
It’s hands down the best restaurant in that side of the city.
175
If you’ve been to Los Angeles but haven’t taken a stroll in Santa Monica beach, you
haven’t been to Los Angeles, period.
9. Using “absolutely/ totally” … to reinforce an idea/ show agreement
I’m totally positive the local government will end up raising taxes after the
elections
Yeah, absolutely!
10. Using “Honestly/ seriously/ I swear (to God)”.
I swear to God it is the filthiest place I’ve ever walked into.

Seriously, that is a spot you cannot miss!
11. Using interjections (Wow, Gosh, Yuck…)
Did the show live up to your expectations?

Wow… Man… where do I even start?
12. Using expletives (curse/swear words). Yeah, they are also part of conventional
written and spoken language. However, bear in mind that 1) expletives read/sound
pretty inappropriate in academic language and 2) do not get used to relying on
curse words (f- word and others) to mask a poor range of language. They should
only be used sparsely, when the communicative situation demands it.
He got caught molesting young children. Man, what a bloody disgrace!

We were stuck in this traffic jam and the goddamned/goddamn light would not
turn green.
176
ENGLISH MASTERY
LANGUAGE ACTIVATION
Try to improvise a conversation with a classmate/in groups about some of the following ideas. Make sure
that either as the person who tells the story or the one listening, you do your best to use as many of the
aforementioned emphatic resources.
SMALL
TALK
• A city/ country you have visited (recently), which surprised you in a

positive/ negative way.
• A city in your country which has changed considerably for the better.
• A city in your country which has deteriorated/changed for the worse.
• A place in your town/another city that you are familiar with that used to
be really nice/fun but now (for a variety of reasons) has gotten worse.
• How the cost of living/prices/housing have changed in the area where
you live.
• A person who has changed a lot (physically/caracter).
• A recent news story who has surprised/outraged you.
• A book/film/song/CD that you have enjoyed immensely/found terrible.
LISTENING
On the gentrification of Harlem
Complete the gaps in the

extracts of the following
report on Harlem’s
gentrification with 1-3
words.
177
ENGLISH MASTERY
1 The landscape of Harlem has changed, with new condominiums and a variety of
upscale urban amenities replacing the old _______________ housing complexes.
2. Apart from the cityscape, the demographics of Harlem have also changed
___________ keep moving into this area.
3. Activist Nellie Bailey questions the gentrification as not everyone benefits from the
area’s __________________
4. Nellie H. Bailey voices the feeling of Harlem’s old-timers, wondering why the
development of the area was only worthwhile when ________________.
5. In the light of how the improvements in Harlem have not been made until very
recently, Nellie wonders what _______________ all of this.
6. Harlem has witnessed the decline of black population, as people displaced by
gentrification had to ______________ to more affordable parts of the country.
7. At the beginning of the 20th century, many blacks settled in Harlem rather than
other parts of the city due to the ________________ of landlords to rent to people
of color.
8. During the era known as “the Harlem Renaissance” (1920s-30s), the city turned
into the _______________ of the explosion of black culture.
9. The renowned “Cotton Club”, besides being a pivotal part of the history of the
neighborhood, even to this day has a pretty loyal ______________.
10. Many people from Harlem share a history of marginalization and abandonment
by the state. The area was subjected to severe ______________________ of public
spending on vital services.
! Source: The Real News Network
ACTIVATION
Do you know parts of your city/ another city that has been gentrified? Has it been at
the expense of any particular sector of the population? Which have been the most
remarkable changes (price, facilities, residents…)?
Is there any difference between the revitalization and the gentrification of one area/city?
Can you think of examples of both?
Are there any advantages to a place/area/city being gentrified? And disadvantages?
178
ENGLISH MASTERY

Language Activation:
“City Landscape and Urban

Issues”
LISTENING
Laura Clark and Sonja

Strauss on San Francisco
housing development
1. Laura and Sonja’s original organizations...

a. Got started around the same time.
b. Had access to similar databases.
c. Weren't reachable on social media
2. Laura’s explanation to the housing problem is that…
a. Housing was developed to favor certain demographics.
b. Prices of new houses have gone through the roof.
c. Taxes should be higher for developers and home-owners.
3. Sonja adds that they tried to tackle the problem by...
a. Holding weekly meetings in the community.
b. Bringing closer neighbors and pro-housing organizations.
c. Raising awareness among apathetic neighbors.
179
ENGLISH MASTERY
4. About the incident with her neighbor, Laura says that...

a. It made her take notice of Sonja.
b. Her neighbor’s threat to paper the neighborhood was the last straw.
c. When compared to others, she may have overreacted.
5. Sonja’s disappointment with other NGOs has to do with
a. Their decision to move to wealthier neighborhoods in the Bay Area.
b. Their lack of empathy and support for neighbors in less privileged areas
c. Their refusal to move to Oakland.
6. Laura concludes that, in relation to displacement...
a. It should be dealt with by higher housing supply.
b. People should be looking for jobs elsewhere.
c. Promoting public transportation would be a feasible solution.
! Source: Zennie62 Oakland News
1 2 3 4 5 6
Talk about your own city/town/community. In which of these aspects do you think it
could be improved?
• Facilities/ Infrastructures/ Technology

• Sustainability/ Eco Friendly materials/Energy
• Housing availability. Are there public initiatives to tackle the problem?
180
ENGLISH MASTERY
• Transport network (public transport/ cycle lanes, etc.)

• Cultural/ Sport Facilities
• Charity/social relief
• Waste management/ environmental issues
• Art infrastructures (museums, concert halls...)
• Services and Facilities for pets
• Other…
… what “Grassroot movements” are?
Definition: “A grassroots movement is an organized effort undertaken by groups of

individuals in a given geographic area to bring about changes in social policy or influence
an outcome, often connected with a political issue. By harnessing spontaneous support at
local levels to bring about policy changes at local, regional, national, or international levels,
grassroots movements are considered bottom-up, rather than top-down efforts—much in
the way grass grows.”
SPEAKING: Should inhabitants of a city/area have a more active role in improving the lives of the
community? Have you heard of any social movements (e.g.: “grassroots”)/initiatives in that regard?
(Crowdfunding, demonstrating, petition signing, raising awareness…). Have they been successful in
their demands?
181
WRITTEN CO-PRODUCTION/INTERACTION
Your town’s city hall has approved a budget item in order to improve deficient urban facilities. These
are some of the improvements the majority of the neighbors have identified as the most pressing and
urgent. You are a member of a neighborhood association, have strong bonds with your peers and are
actively involved in the improvement of life in the community.
Write your proposal (250-300 words) exposing the problem/situation, explaining how it could be improved
and trying to persuade those in charge to choose one of these options as the recipient of the city hall's
funds.
A. Sports Center Renewal: the facilities of the local sport center are downright
obsolete, as it is seriously lacking in equipment. Also, the locker rooms should
be done up and cleaning personnel hired. The sports center has always offered
low fees for the less affluent, giving everyone the opportunity to do exercise, but
years of neglect and lack of investment from the local government has rendered it
practically unusable.
B. Deficient signposts, roads need repair; streets need to be cleaned up. Numerous
traffic and everyday problems result from poor traffic signs and deficient pavement
of streets and roads. Even some of the recent car crashes could be even blamed
on it. Besides, the garbage and waste management service is dodgy at best. As a
result, the streets are dirty and garbage bags pile up on them.
C. Old Library Reopening: The city’s legendary library has stood idle for many
years, mainly due to the lack of private funding. It not only has plenty of symbolic
importance for the city, but also many libraries of neighboring cities have agreed to
donate part of their catalog. The building needs to be restored and refurbished.
D. More public safety: The city has witnessed a noticeable increase in its crime
figures; the lack of safety has become a cause for concern for many and some
feel it is downright dangerous to walk around some parts of the town. That
money should be used to hire new police officers and provide them with the right
equipment, cars, etc.
182
SPEAKING
Crime and surveillance:

security vs. privacy
To which extent do the following disrupt life in a city? How serious (1-5) are they?
Mugging, burglary, graffiti, vandalism, squatting, illegal street trading, protest marches,
demonstrations, gangs, pickpocketing, hooliganism, rowdy tourists, beggars....
Do you think cities nowadays are safer/risk-free places than in the past or rather more dangerous/
hostile environments than they used to be?
Have any cities in your country deteriorated/turned into cesspools of crime/insecurity? If so, do you
find any explanation to that?
How is information about crime/civil insecurity being conveyed by the media? Is it downplayed or
rather exaggerated/overplayed?
Have you seen the 1998 movie “Enemy of the State”? There, the role of CCTV cameras and other
surveillance devices which somehow interfere in our lives and privacy is questioned. Or at least,
awareness is raised about such matters.
Discuss in your groups/in pairs whether you think surveillance/safety should prevail at the expense of
personal privacy or not. Where should the limit be?
183
A Proposal
The goal of a written proposal
• A proposal is a written text sent to a figure of authority (plant manager, local governor,
mayor, head of a department, etc.) in which an individual or a group of people are giving
ideas, suggestions, recommendations on the actions to undertake so as to make improve-
ments in a given area. The addressee in theory has the capacity of making those changes
possible, or can exert their influence and convince those in charge of a department, plant,
ministry, etc.
Text Organization and Layout
A proposal is very similar to a report, but unlike a report, it is not a simple and objective
account of facts. We expect some improvement to be made; we expect the reader to take the
actions necessary to solve a problem.
However, in relation to formal aspects, like register, text organization and layout, is not that
dissimilar from a report:
• The register is formal (therefore, contractions are avoided, and so is slang or way too
colloquial expressions).
In relation to text organization/layout, proposals roughly follow this structure:
• Introduction- this proposal is aimed at/the purpose of this proposal is to…, outline/
describe/assess the state of…/request/call your attention on/draw your attention to the
following…
• Description of the problem- It is evident/obvious/clear that…, In the light of the
following… according to many of my peers/the majority of the neighbors/most neighbors
agree that… The reality is that…/what most people find here is…
• Recommendations/suggestions- we suggest/recommend (not demand!) that X measures
are taken to…We suggest focusing on… It is key/crucial/essential to… It would be advisable
to… We believe this to be a priority, as/since…
184
• Conclusion: I/we hope the aforementioned recommendations/suggestions will be taken

into consideration/this proposal will be given due consideration…We are certain/positive
the investment made will yield invaluable benefits for the community/we are certain/
positive the benefits for the community will outweigh the investment…
Useful language in a Proposal
Emphasis is key in a text when we aim at persuading the reader; therefore, the following
emphatic devices can be useful to convince the addressee that our proposal should be taken
into consideration:
• Strong adjectives: …the state of roads in the town appalling, dismal, disastrous…
• Cleft sentences… What first shocks the visitors as soon as they step their foot in the
neighborhood for the first time is…/what stands out is the blatant abandonment…
• Grammatical inversion: … not only would this be a feasible solution, but a fairly positive
one, as… no sooner had the library stopped receiving funds, than young people became
uninterested in…
• Rhetorical questions: Is this the kind of city we want to leave to future generations? Is
this what the authorities consider a safe neighborhood?
• Intensifying adverbs: It is painfully obvious that…/… gym memberships have skyrocketed
and most commercial gyms are now charging ridiculously high prices for even a basic…
• Using so and such: … such neglect/abandonment has rendered this part of town
inhabitable...
Aim at originality
And last, but definitely not least, you can also hone your writing skills by developing a
personal, unique style of writing. Yes, even in these more formal contexts, there is room
for giving a text your own spin. You definitely need to combine the formal, stylistic aspects
described above with your own idiosyncrasy when it comes to writing. Also in the case
of seemingly more aseptic writing formats, like reports or proposals. No one wants to read
a bunch of texts which seem like a carbon copy of each other. It makes the reader (in this
case, teacher) lose interest. Remember: practice makes perfect (although PERFECT practice
makes even more perfect!).
185
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic: Cityscape. Urban Issues
• Would you say your city/town/region is ideal for people to settle in? Why/Why not?
• Does your town/city/area boast sufficient urban amenities and services? Are there
any amenities/infrastructures that your city lacks?
• Have there been any attempts from authorities/public or private investors to
revitalize your area? Is there any cultural event/economic investment which has
made it possible to put a city/town/area in your country on the map?
• Has any area/region/town in your country suffered an economic downturn in recent
years? Has it suffered any other kind of problems (environmental/political/social/
natural disasters…), which has resulted in the decline of the area? How have those
affected the lives of its inhabitants?
• Has any area in your town/region/country fallen into disrepair due to neglect/
abandonment by the authorities/lack of investment/economic downturn? Why
would a given neighborhood in a city be redlined?
• Are there any unfinished buildings/construction works standing idle in your area?
Do you know the reason why they remain unfinished?
• Have, on the other hand, gentrification and lack of affordable housing resulted in
the displacement of some locals in any city in your country? Have they been forced
to relocate to any other area?
• Have restrictions and mandates ensuing from the Covid-19 pandemic made life
complicated for business owners in your town? And for citizens as a whole?
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ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 5. GET A LIFE!
UNIT
5
GET A LIFE!
Money, wealth and financial
independence. Self actualization and
transcendence. Work and careers.
Entrepreneurship.
“
“What a man can be, he must be.”
Abraham Maslow
187
UNIT 5. GET A LIFE! ENGLISH MASTERY
About this unit

“Get a life” is the fifth of the ten units in the C2 Mastery course, and it deals with the topics of money,
work, and careers. The last section addresses specifically entrepreneurship, but even that one is
closely linked to the former topics.
The unit is titled after a colloquial expression in English, which tends to mean that the person to
whom this is said should do something of worth with their own life. We honestly do not believe that
everyone should pursue the same objectives in life; one should be free from having to conform to
some social standards or expectations about what they are supposed to be or to become. But it is
important that everyone feels satisfied with themselves, and the life they are living, and not have the
feeling of falling short of one’s expectations (while being grateful for what one has!). But again, just
as we mentioned in one of the previous units (unit 2, “The Pareto Principle”), this involves awareness
about our calling: about where we want to go and what we want to do.
The first part tackles money, spending, and financial independence. Money is certainly a complicated
topic, in that it is rude to ask about how much money one makes (or even worse, to brag about how
much money one is making), and in that acknowledging financial aspirations may make you come
across as a shallow materialist. But we know that complicated topics make fascinating discussions.
And, besides, we are going to explore the different connections that can be made between money
and personal satisfaction, more often than not as strong as you would think. Wealth, so it seems,
happens to be a much broader concept than just a given figure.
In the second part of the unit, we peek into the lives of a couple of individuals who went down in
history. What made them so memorable? Why have history books concluded they were a cut above
the rest? Well, their deeds probably had something to do with it.
In any case, those individuals are still spoken about centuries later, and we want to discuss if our
contemporary world can produce human beings of the same caliber or, on the contrary, that kind of
epic is nowhere to be seen. Or even expected.
The third section, titled “Another Day at the Office” deals with the humdrumness and drudgery
188
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 5. GET A LIFE!
that many people associate (their) jobs with. For God’s sake, an enormous amount of people actually
report post-vacation depression! What makes, then, so many so miserable at work? Is work not
something meant to contribute to one’s contentment and self-fulfillment? If so, we are certainly doing
something wrong. There must be another way.
This leads us to the fourth and last part of the unit, “What the mind of the man can conceive…”
(And yes, we apologize if you keep seeing male references all over the place in these quotes and
titles, while their female counterparts seem to just go unnoticed. They are actually quotes or extracts
of some older works, which have been borrowed and written literally, as rephrasing them so as to
accommodate them to the sensibilities of the 21st Century felt a bit like an unnecessary bastardization.
But we can always mentally replace “men” or “man” by “humans” or “person”). In any case, here we
are dealing with entrepreneurship, wanting to step out of the pack and chase one’s dreams. Not that
there's anything wrong at all with keeping a normal job and being an employee, but where I live,
entrepreneurs are a rare breed, and their boldness has always fascinated me. What is your take on
this?
I hope you find the following pages entertaining!
189
Table of Contents
Reading/Use of English:
The Science behind Budgeting (Word Formation)
From Rags to Stitches. Dissecting the Think-and Grow-Rich Literature (Multiple Matching)
Labor Omnia Vincit… Or Does It? (Open Cloze)
Listening
How to Attain Financial Independence in your 20s. (Multiple Choice)
The Role of Eustress. (T/F)
How to Use Parkinson’s Law to your Advantage. (T/F)
Is the Gender Pay Gap Real or a Myth? (Multiple Choice)
Andy Morgan and David Nolan on Building a Successful Online Coaching Business.
(Sentence Completion)
Oral Mediation
Subvención a Startups con Base Tecnológica (Cross-linguistic)
Despidos Durante Estado de Alarma (Cross-linguistic)
Written Mediation
La Ley de Parkinson y el Efecto Bike-shedding (Cross-linguistic)
Oral and Written Mediation
The 4-Hour Work Week and Flow Reviews (Intra-linguistic)
Speaking
The Wealth of the People. Frugality vs. Lavishness.
Another Day at the Office. Anxiety, Depression, and other work issues.
What the mind of the man can achieve… Entrepreneurship and dream pursuing.
Writing
Written Interaction: Crowdfunding project.
190
PART 1
MONEY, WEALTH
AND FINANCIAL
INDEPENDENCE
“Money doesn’t buy happiness. Does poverty?”

“
MJ de Marco, “The Millionaire Fastlane”
SMALL
TALK
Discuss the following ideas with your group:
What role does money play in your life? How would you define wealth?
How important to you is it to attain financial independence?
In your opinion, how are money and happiness related?
How much money is enough… to live a decent life (i.e.: the bare minimum)? To live a
totally fulfilling life (i.e.: any additional money would not make any difference)?
191
Does money buy happiness? What studies have to say
Listen to a clip
discussing whether
happiness can be
linked to a specific
amount of money.
Answer the following

questions:
• Why that amount?

• Why is less not enough?
• Why does more tend to be irrelevant?
• The reason for the wealthy being happier.
Do you agree with these findings?
How much money would make you totally fulfilled? Can you think of a specific figure?
Why that much and not more/less?
READING
The Science behind Budgeting
Word Formation
“You cannot manage what you cannot measure”. This line has been attributed to different people.
1. (WITHSTAND)_____________ the authorship of the quote, those words are certainly not devoid
of reason. Enter the concept of budgeting. This concept not only applies to personal finances but is
also used with time or even calories. We plan ahead what we can and can't spend, and that gives
192
us accountability and a sense of 2.

(OWN)___________. Of course, as with
any behavioral change, we cannot expect
a sudden, 3. (NIGHT)_________ U-turn.
These habits take time to stick. You
cannot go from being a careless spender
to 4. (PAIN)_____________ tracking all
your expenses. It is also important to
apply common sense to this strategy.
There are some expenses- the key ones-
which need to be monitored regularly
and there are other more insignificant,
almost 5. (CONSEQUENCE)__________
expenses which have little if any impact on our finances. So, if you need to get yourself a coffee
from the vending machine on a given day, do not stress too much over it. There are other situations,
however, when we will need to assess those seemingly 6. (REPRESSION)__________ urges that we
experience every now and then when purchasing an item which, on the spur of the moment, we deem
7. (DISPENSE)__________, but which, in the cold light of the day, we could do perfectly well without.
Revise those mindless purchases, evaluate the dent they are making in your finances, and act 8.
(ACCORD)__________.
A rule of thumb is to ask yourself the million-dollar (or euro) question: do I NEED this, or do I WANT
this? It turns out that the vast majority of consumer items fall under the latter category. Certainly, bar
some basic goods (food, water, energy, shelter, some clothes…), we can survive and even live pretty
comfortably without much of the stuff we 9. (PILE) __________ for no reason. Just give your consumer
rush a rest. And well, there will be certain times when you will need to give yourself a break. Like,
“Yes, I do not really NEED this, I am definitely not going to perish without it, but so? I WANT it. I have
not treated myself in a while and I feel like doing it today”. Great point you have got there. Go ahead,
that is a 10. (WILL) __________ choice, but at least there was some reasoning behind it. Just make
sure that this kind of rationale does not dictate the majority of your purchases.
10
! Source:© Javier Blanco Pérez
193
LISTENING
Attaining financial independence in your 20s
Listen to an interview
with Leanne, a 23-year-old
who works in the music
industry, about strategies
to save and ensure
financial independence (FI)
without surrendering your
life, and choose the right
option (a, b, or c)
1. The interviewer introduces Leanne as

a. A departure from the usual topics addressed in the podcast.
b. An awesome character in her own right.
c. Their first foray into the information technology industry.
2. Leanne’s involvement in the music business
a. Began earlier than expected.
b. Grew from seeing others’ dissatisfaction with their jobs.
c. Stemmed from her research on online music journals.
3. She cultivated her professional skills by
a. Consuming content related to the entertainment industry.
b. Becoming self-employed.
c. Choosing not to continue her formal education after school.
4. Her determination to be financially independent stemmed from
a. Being born to poor parents.
b. Realizing that her career had no real prospects.
c. The volatile nature of the field she is working in.
5. The interviewer’s interest in Leanne
a. Allowed both to feel comfortable face-to-face.
b. Grew after meeting in person.
c. Was sparked after some online discussions on the FIRE* subject.
6. About FI, Leanna says
a. It made her realize the importance of saving for retirement.
b. She came to know of it through a podcast.
c. She was blown away by such a groundbreaking idea.
! Source: Financial Independence EU
* Financial Independence, Retire Early
194
VOCABULARY/SPEAKING: Money. Spending, Saving, and Wasting.

Look at the following sentences. Do you understand the vocabulary in bold?
Discuss these statements in pairs/your group.
Having fewer things is really liberating. I hate being weighed down by too much stuff.
I sometimes indulge in mindless spending because I’ve got some savings to fall back on.
Many say it is a good time to purchase a home as mortgages are reasonable nowadays, but not
everyone can afford a down payment of around 30 or 40 thousand euros.
When doing a kitty (for someone’s birthday gift, for instance), whoever is in charge of purchasing the
item must be ready to write off some of the money. Trying to get everyone to settle up with you and
chip in their part is complicated.
If I cut back on some expenses (eating out, going to the pubs) and cut out others altogether, I would
be able to save some money for the really important stuff.
Setting up automatic transfers to a savings account is the best way I can imagine to actually save.
One thing is being frugal (which is good), another is being cheap (which is not). Can you think of any
examples which demonstrate the difference?
During the recession, some people I know rode it out, but others have been to hell and back and
have endured great hardships.
Using apps like Wallapop or Vinted sounds like a phenomenal idea to sell off some unwanted stuff
and make some extra cash. Have you ever used them?
I prefer to eat out less often and not have to skimp when going to nice restaurants.
Author MJ de Marco advises his readers to shift from the "consumer" (i.e.: "spender", hence, "broke",
"perpetually in debt") to the "producer" mentality. That is, for most people, money is a vehicle for consumption,
and their salaries are a way to maintain that consumption (on top of their unavoidable expenses). Most people
struggle to save or even make ends meet. Discuss in groups ways and ideas to "reverse" this process and
increase one's wealth by the way of reducing one's expenses (i.e.: saving) and the often overlooked "expanding
one's income". How can you do both?
Some of the language found in the following sentences may help you come up with your own ideas:
There's a couple of key products and services that I'd rather not skimp on, as the RIO (return of investment) is
really high.
Last month we ran up an electric bill of 120€. We have wiggle room to cut back on that if we are more careful.
There are plenty of online courses on platforms like Udemy. I think I could offer my own course and entice users
with great deals, affordable prices, etc.
Setting aside a little bit of money as soon as I get my salary paid in is the most realistic way I can think of.
I have a ton of clothes I haven't worn in ages, and I was thinking of giving them away, but I may as well sell
them off on a recommerce platform (such as Vinted).
Working extra hours at the office is completely out of the question, but on weekends I could offer private lessons.
I recently downloaded an app which sends me notifications whenever retailers online are knocking off prices.
Money was always tight in my family, so I learned to be penny-wise. I rarely get carried away with buying.
I am about to cancel a couple of monthly suscriptions to services I barely use.
195
SPEAKING
On the literature of wealth and financial independence
“Think and Grow Rich”, by Napoleon Hill

(1937) is considered the forerunner to all the
self-help and self-improvement literature
which followed. It is essentially the result of a
20-plus year study, consisting of interviews
with more than 500 of the wealthiest men
in the early 1900s (including names such
as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, John
Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, and
Thomas A. Edison) in an attempt to disclose
the secrets that earned them such incredible
fortunes. In his book he lays out the seventeen
principles of success, which could make one
grow rich. In this work, he also framed the
concept of “positive mental attitude.” This led to the birth of a really prolific field of literature, with
thousands of books being published on the matter.
Some quotes from Hill’s work.
What do you think of the following quotes? To which extent do you agree that they are
“
true?
“What the mind of the man can “Millions of people believe themselves
conceive and believe, the mind of the doomed to poverty and failure, due to
man can achieve.” some strange forces over which they
believe they have no control; they are
“All riches have their origin in an idea.” the creators of their own misfortune.”
“Every failure brings with it the seeds of “Your mind has a secret invisible
an equivalent or greater success.” talisman; on one side the letters
PMA (positive mental attitude) are
“Do more than what you are paid for emblazoned, and on the other, the
and soon you will be paid more for letters NMA (Negative Mental Attitude).
what you do.” PMA will attract all the good and
beautiful, while NMA will rob you of all
“Every person who desires to win in that makes life worth living.”
an endeavor must be willing to burn all
their ships and cut all sources of retreat. “No one is ready to achieve anything
Only by doing so can one maintain a unless they see themselves in
state of burning desire.” possession of such achievement.”
196
When thinking of wealth (or “riches”), what comes to mind?
Listen to Hill’s list of 12 things which constitute real riches:
1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________
6. _______________________
7. _______________________
8. _______________________
9. _______________________
10. ______________________
11. ______________________
12._______________________
SPEAKING
Topic: Money, Spending, and Financial Independence
• If all of a sudden, you lost your job, would you have a financial
cushion/buffer to fall back on?
• Do you sometimes wish you had been born with a silver spoon?
• What trait do you dislike more in someone, being a spendthrift, or
being tight-fisted?
• Are you worried that you will not be able to live on the state pension?
Would you consider taking out a private pension scheme/plan?
• Do you use any app to keep track of your expenses? Do you use any
to keep track of other things? (Steps, exercise, calories, etc.).
• Is there any product, item or service that you prefer not to skimp on?
• At which point do you think a lot of money ends up being a liability? If
so, how could you manage that?
• In the event of a new healthcare/epidemiologic crisis, what items do
you think people would stock up on first? Would you stock up on any?
• Are you in favor or against the idea of a universal basic income? Why?
197
PART 2
DESTINED FOR
GREATNESS.
BIOGRAPHIES
You rise, you fall,

you are down then
you rise again
“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by
sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling
upward in the night.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“
SMALL
TALK
When you think of someone who has been professionally and financially successful,
what do you attribute their success to?
How important is it for you to find inspiration in others’ lives/actions/speeches, etc.?
Can you think of a speech/words/personal story that has resonated with you?
Are you into reading biographies? Do the works/legacy of historical figures inspire you?
198
Are you familiar at all with Maslow’s Pyramid (also known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs)?
What is it about?
According to Maslow, only a minuscule percentage of

humans will ever achieve the superior stages of self-
actualization and self-transcendence.
Do you think that this stage is only reachable for those
whose works and deeds will eventually go down in
history (e.g.: Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, William
Shakespeare, Mahatma Gandhi, Alexander the Great,
Napoleon, Michael Jordan, etc…?)
What made these historical figures such forces to be

reckoned with? Was it their talent? Their imposing personality? Their ambition? Living in troubled
times? Facing great adversity? Has the importance of their feats been overstated?
Can we expect modern day men and women to go down in history like those above mentioned did?
Do today’s leaders, strategists, politicians, athletes, and intellectuals possess the same degree of
greatness? Do you think they will be remembered in the future like those mentioned?
199
Biographies. Fascinating facts about fascinating characters
• Are you into reading?

• If so, why do you deem it important?
• If not, are you concerned about not having acquired
this habit?
• Do you ever read/ have you ever read any
biographies? Why do you think they may be popular
among readers?
• What do you think of audiobooks/would you rather
READ a book or LISTEN TO a book?
• Do you take reviews into account before deciding to
read a book? Do you ever pay attention to them?
Vocabulary: talking about books
Adjectives describing books/stories: intriguing, realistic, disturbing, gripping, thought-provoking,

heartbreaking, poignant, chilling, compelling, lightweight, heavy/dense…
Verbs related to reading: skim/flick through, browse, glance, be engrossed/absorbed in, look through,
scan, study, scrutinize…
Parts of a story/ narrative: the plot is...it is set in/ revolves around/centers on…, deals with…, the
central characters/protagonist, explores the events of…, the book is told in the first/ third person...
Parts of books/ Types of books: chapters, book blurbs, foreword, appendix, glossary... hardcover,
back paper, book cover, spine of the book, memoir, autobiography, journal…
Common Collocations and expressions: compulsive reading, bedtime reading, a bookworm, a page-
turner, (can’t) put a book down, (not) to get into a book, an easy read…
Common expressions to express liking something: to grow to like something, an acquired taste, to
be partial to…, can’t get enough of…
200
WRITTEN AND ORAL MEDIATION
Student/ Group A: You are going to listen

to a review of the biography of Alexander
the Great, by Philip Freeman. Take notes
regarding the aspects below and be
ready to share the information with other
students/groups.
What does Alexander the Great represent in the greater scheme of history?
What traits made him extraordinary?
His role in the development of history/ Christian religion.
A display of courage and generosity.
How that anecdote relates to leadership in real life.
201
Student/ Group B: You are going to listen

to a review of the biography of Julius
Caesar, by Philip Freeman. Take notes
students/groups.
In which ways is Caesar comparable to Alexander the Great?
What made him different from Alexander the Great?
Anecdote: Alexander Hamilton challenges Thomas Jefferson.
A proof of true love and devotion.
A genuine, revengeful, fearsome individual.
How this can teach us a lesson.
202
Student/ Group C: You are going to listen

to a review of the biography of Benjamin
Franklin, by Walter Isaacson. Take notes
students/groups.
Why the reviewer enjoys this particular

book so much.
Personality traits that made Franklin unique.
First takeaway: “To pour forth benefits for the common good is divine”. How this relates to real life.
Second takeaway: “Stoop, young man, as you go through this world; stop and you will miss many
hard thumps”. What this means.
Third takeaway: “He lived usefully, then he died rich”
Fourth takeaway: “those who deliberately contribute nothing to society should expect nothing in
return”.
Fifth takeaway: Get some, give some.
203
Biographies. Fascinating facts about fascinating characters
GROUP HISTORICAL CHARACTER VOCABULARY TO HIGHLIGHT
Siege, skirmish, hardened

GROUP A soldiers, the embodiment
Alexander the Great, by Philip of…, escapades, to lay the
Freeman foundations of…, exploits,
relentless drive…
Shifty (political intrigues),

astounding exploits, to be
groomed by, clout, overthrow,
GROUP B outwit, outmaneuver, an
Julius Caesar, by Philip arising politico, to comply,
Freeman to defy someone, weakened
health, crippling, hardship,
trials and tribulations, ransom,
befitting, loot…
To play a pivotal role, stellar

GROUP C business career, to go out of
Benjamin Franklin, an one’s way, humility, to grow
American Life by Walter vs. to swell as an individual,
Isaacson able-bodied people, to do
something for the sake of…
Advanced structures to highlight
• Certain grammatical inversions can help convey a sense of emphasis: Not only did
he conquer…, but he did so in absence of…
• Adverbs/expressions to distance ourselves from the information: allegedly, he…, he
is believed to have brought about the Christian cult…
• Fronting/ Cleft sentences: What made him extraordinary was…
• Using SO/SUCH: Apparently, such atrocities were common back in those days….
! Source: Mike Matthews’ YouTube Channel
204
Interesting Concepts
Inspirational dissatisfaction
“We shouldn’t be poor. S.B. And don’t ever let me hear you say that it is
God’s Will that we are poor. We are poor – not because of God. We are
poor because father has never developed a desire to become rich. No
one in our family has ever developed a desire to be anything else.”
(S.B. Fuller’s mother to a young S.B. “Success through a Positive Mental

Attitude”
Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone)
The term “inspirational dissatisfaction” was first introduced to the public in the book “Success
through a Positive Mental Attitude”, by Napoleon Hill & Will. Clement Stone.
It basically describes one’s extreme unhappiness with their current circumstances, to the extent that,
rather than making them more depressed and helpless, it motivates them to take the reins of their life
and radically change their really unfavorable situation.
Watch this brief biography of S.B. Fuller, one of the first and most defining African American
entrepreneurs of his era.
What do we know about Fuller?
What was his childhood and family background like?
What was so bold/audacious/venturesome about his entrepreneurial endeavor?
! Source: Nate Prince’s YouTube Channel
Have you ever been close to experiencing “inspirational dissatisfaction”?
Have you ever been in a situation when you were fed up with your circumstances/current situation?
(work/family/financial/relationship problems)
If so, how did you handle said situation? Did you accept it and roll with it? Did you make any
changes?
205
LISTENING
Listen to John Sader and Michael Peroumal, two

Australian high-performance specialists discussing
the differences between distress and eustress.
Choose which SIX of the ideas below are true

according to what you hear.
A. Stress imposed by others is more detrimental to our health.

B. The medical profession overplays the gravity of stress.
C. Questioning statistical information about stress.
D. Enduring discomfort can wind up in a positive way.
E. Stress should be addressed dispassionately.
F. Both John and Michael are free from medical conditions.
G. Stating that he has been stressed out throughout his entire life.
H. Many petty problems can add up and create a feeling of stress.
I. Equating life events as stressful is the main problem.
J. People with distress believe they are at the mercy of external circumstances.
K. Some external factors will inevitably impact our health.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Infinity Effect Podcast
206
PART 3
ANOTHER DAY
AT THE OFFICE.
ANXIETY,
DEPRESSION AND
OTHER WORK-
RELATED ISSUES
“
“Most people choose unhappiness over uncertainty.”
Tim Ferriss. “The 4-hour work week”
SMALL
TALK
What are your priorities when choosing a job? What contributes to happiness and well-
being in the workplace?
Is the job you do suited to your personality? Are you happy in your job?
What is your dream job? Does it resemble the actual work you do?
What makes a good boss?
207
Work and depression
Group discussion:
The following are the jobs with the highest rates of

depression.
1. Residential/nursing care
2. Waiters
3. Social Workers
4. Teachers/Professors
5. Artists/writers
6. Doctors/nurses
7. Administrative assistants/personal assistants
8. Sellers
What do you think makes each so miserable/depressing?
One Factor Causing Anxiety and Depression in the Workplace
Watch the following video/listen to

the following recording and answer
the questions below:
1. How do 13% of workers surveyed in the mentioned study (Gallup's study on

employee engagement) feel about their job?
2. What happens to 63% of workers surveyed?
208
3. And to 24% of them?
4. What did Australian social scientist Michael Marmot discover in relation to “being
controlled” at the workplace?
5. When talking about physiological and psychological needs, why is a sense of

belonging important?
6. What is our modern culture getting worse at?
7. What was making Meredith Keogh- the woman he met in Baltimore- so miserable?
8. How did her husband Josh feel about his job and his boss?
9. What did Meredith, Josh, and his colleagues decide to do? What actions did they
carry out in their new workplace? Was the work they were doing that different?
10. What is wrong, according to the speaker, about the “top-down” hierarchical order
prevailing in most jobs and modern corporations? What would be an optimal
alternative- what he calls an “antidepressant”- to this?
! Sources:
BigThink’s YouTube Channel
Gallup’ Study on Employee Engagement
Which of the following statements would make a good headline for the information presented in the
video/recording? Discuss your choice with your classmates.
a. The vast majority of workers are unsatisfied with their jobs.

b. The structure of modern corporations and workplaces is conducive to depression.
c. It is important for workers to feel their contribution is important and that they make a
difference at work.
Do you agree with this information? Is it true about most jobs in your country?
209
SPEAKING
Now, talk about yourself (or about someone you know).
1. How do you feel about your own job/the work you do? In which of the 3 categories
found in Gallup’s study would you put yourself?
2. To which extent is your personal satisfaction and contentment derived from the work
you do?
3. Do you have enough capacity to make decisions in your job? Would you like to have
more? Less? Why?
4. In which way does your actual job resemble the ideal workplace? Which factors
could make it improve? (Salary? Tasks? Responsibilities? Working Hours? Colleagues/
Working Environment? Proximity? Other…?)
READING
Labor omnia vincit… or does it?
Open Cloze
Read the following text and complete the box below (1-12) with suitable words in each gap.
Perpetual dissatisfaction seems to be a constant when it comes to the world of work. And it seems
to be almost irrespective of the work one does. No sooner do we get our dream job 1. _________ we
grow displeased with it. Why? This may either be a symptom of what self-indulgent societies, where
basic subsistence is 2. ________________, have become, or just an impulse inherent to human nature,
always determined to find something better than what we possess, and 3. ____________, to never be
content with what we have.
When trying to spot what makes people so miserable at work, we may need to reverse-engineer
the sequence and identify what makes them 4. _____________, and discover why we are failing to
find that joy in work. It may be because of the monotony and drudgery of repetitive tasks, rendering
us, qualified workers, just a mere 5. ______ in the wheel and depriving our output and execution of
any soul or humanity. Or maybe it comes 6. __________ to the fact that modern workplaces favor
individuality and competition rather than connection and cooperation, and that even solid, amicable
relationships can 7. __________ sour at the drop of a hat, and even more when being run down by the
passage of time. 8. ____________ there, seen that.
Another aspect that bothers me is the sometimes pathological pursuit of certainty and job security,
almost to the 9. ___________ of everything else, including personal fulfilment, possibility of promotion,
or enjoyment of the work one is actually doing. Popular author and lifestyle guru Tim Ferriss said in the
book which made him a 10.___________ name - The Four-Hour Work Week- that “most people choose
unhappiness over uncertainty”, and boy, was he right. Millions of people apathetically 11. _____________
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onto jobs which do not make them happy in the first place, probably because their once burning
passion quickly evaporated as soon as they realized they would not have to fight for that job ever
again. And while that may sound like a 12. ______________ in disguise for many, for me, having to
stick to a routine that feels like a chore, for the next 20, 30 or 40 years, sounds more like a curse.
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
SPEAKING
• Is burnout a recurrent problem in the world of work?

• Do people in your country prioritize job security over other aspects?
• Do you think there is any relation between job security and personal
satisfaction? And between job security and job performance?
• Is it possible to stay in the same company or position for many years
and still keep one’s passion and motivation to do the job well?
211
VOCABULARY: THE WORLD OF WORK. Working conditions, stress, burnout,

and other issues
Look at the language in the sentences below

describing the world of work and discuss the
following statements in groups/pairs.
Do you agree with these statements?
• Most people cannot muster up the courage to quit the job they are unsatisfied with
and look for something which will make them genuinely happy.
• I sometimes feel weighed down by work.
• In my workplace, there is a pecking order for almost anything. Those at the higher
end of the hierarchy (managers, principals, supervisors, head of departments…) are
likely to be overall more competent.
• Talking shop is absolutely forbidden when you get together with colleagues after
work! It is strictly a time to unwind and chill!
• Building rapport is an essential quality of good managers.
• Soft skills are given as much importance as hard skills by employers nowadays.
• Which qualities do you need to stand out at work? How important are the following
when wanting to rise through the ranks? job performance, flexibility/adaptability,
availability, teamwork skills, embracing change, risk-taking, problem-solving
skills…
Which of the following problems have you experienced in the last years? How serious
are they?
• Coping with long/unsocial working hours

• Physical discomfort at work
• Feeling snowed under with work.
• Having to cope with lots of red tape.
• Being overworked and underpaid
• Rushing your work to meet expected deadlines.
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• Fear of being laid off/dismissed.

• Being stuck in a dead-end job/stuck in a rut/experiencing monotony/not having job
satisfaction.
• Having to burn the midnight oil day in and day out.
• The impossibility of getting ahead in your career.
• A sense of unfairness. Favoritism.
• Interpersonal conflict.
• Rivalry/gossiping/hostility among employees.
• Multitasking/ stress tolerance.
DISCUSSING JOB SATISFACTION
In groups/pairs discuss how important the aspects from the list below are when feeling happy
at work/how much each one contributes to job satisfaction. Order them 1-10, from most to least
important and compare your choices with the others'.
• Salary
• Paid Vacation/ Holiday arrangements
• Working conditions (workplace conditions: facilities, working
materials, having to commute, etc.)
• Working environment (social relationships)
• Working Hours
• Possibility of promoting
• Job Security
• Degree of responsibility (I.e.: having none vs. having too much)
• Possibility of taking decisions
• The job itself (degree of satisfaction obtained)
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Parkinson’s Law Explained: how to use it to your advantage
Listen to Chandler Bolt, the founder of the

Self-Publishing School talk about Parkinson's
Law. Choose which of the following SIX
statements are true according to what you
hear.
A. People’s spending tends to increase in correlation with their income.

B. Grouping different tasks together in shorter time slots of time increases productivity.
C. When the time allotted to complete a task shrinks, the results do not suffer.
D. He admits he would not make as many videos with longer deadlines.
E. By using Parkinson's Law he finally managed to complete a book.
F. Procrastinators take advantage of Parkinson’s Law.
G. Pushing tasks until the last minute has proven beneficial for the speaker.
H. The speaker is not particularly fond of lectures and presentations.
I. Self-imposed deadlines work better than those set by others.
J. This law explains people’s laziness in their studies.
K. Applying Parkinson's Law allows him to maintain his morning routine.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Chandler Bolt’s YouTube Channel
What do you think of this information? Do you think you could also get more work done with shorter
deadlines?
Is it possible for most people to thrive and be more productive when they have less time to
accomplish their work?
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SPEAKING
Topic: Work and Related Issues
• Is sucking up to a boss common nowadays? Does it help employees

rise through the ranks?
• In your job, do you have to deal with some menial, throwaway tasks?
Are they inevitable, or could they be replaced by more meaningful
work?
• Can you think of a public figure who has recently been in the firing line
for something they have said or done?
• Are employees in your country entitled to severance pay? Under which
circumstances would they lose that right?
• In which circumstances would you stand down from your current
position?
• Have you ever walked away from a job? If so, why did you decide to
do it?
• Do you think that in any job you have ever neglected some tasks/
duties? Did you get away with it?
• Have you had to pull back on an activity that you were totally invested
in? If so, why did you decide that it was too much?
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PART 4
WHAT THE MIND

OF THE MAN
CAN CONCEIVE…
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AND PURSUING
YOUR DREAMS
“What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning,

he goes to bed at night and in between, he does what he wants to do”
“
Bob Dylan
SMALL
TALK
From 1-10, how likely is it to do what you love doing for a living, whatever that happens
to be and be paid for it?
Would you trade job security for the opportunity to pursue your dreams?
How far should one go in chasing their dreams?
Do you agree that time is the most valuable asset one has?
Do you agree that “all riches have their origin in an idea”, that is, that one can become
wealthy because of an original, innovative design or plan?
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SPEAKING: THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
Colloquial English: Making a Killing. Success and Failure
The following are rather informal expressions to talk

about success and failure. Match them with the right
definition in the box below:
1 To hit one’s stride a Success was unexpected
2 Against all odds b Success is ephemeral
3 To be in one’s prime c People are oblivious to something
4 At the top of one’s game d It stands the test of time
5 Ahead of the curve e Leading some trend or movement/a

forerunner of a popular trend
6 To hold up f Paves the way for more successful outcomes
in others
7 X walked so that Y could run g To achieve peak performance
8 To paint oneself into a corner h To make things complicated for oneself by

doing something
9 To put all your eggs in one basket i You would not put faith in this contender
10 A flash in the pan j During one’s most successful/happiest time
11 To go under the radar k To become proficient (and confident) in the

work you do
12 Underdog m Too overconfident that something will turn
out well
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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Discuss in pairs/groups:
What made these ideas successful? What is the reason why they are so popular with people?
Why did some of these hit the big time while others fell off?
Some of the following ideas/services/products did considerably better than their counterpart.
Can you guess why? Discuss it in pairs/groups.
YAHOO! (Web portal/Search Engine). In the GOOGLE (Artificial Intelligence/Technology).

early 2000s, it was the world's leading search While it began as another search engine (even
engine. second to Yahoo!), nowadays it is arguably the
world's largest technology/AI multinational
corporation.
MYSPACE (social network). It was extremely INSTAGRAM (social network). It was launched
popular during the late 2000s. Went out of in 2010. In 2012 Facebook acquired the
fashion during the mid 2010s. company and its popularity has not stopped
growing since.
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READING/ USE OF ENGLISH
From Rags to Stitches. Dissecting the “Think and Grow Rich” literature
As part of my almost pathological compulsion to devour any smart work related to personal
development that crosses my path, I inevitably came across literature which delves into
entrepreneurial skills and, yes, wealth accumulation. (I know: I am aware of all those “money does not
bring happiness” platitudes, but to quote MJ de Marco, “does, then, poverty?”. There is no greatness in
poverty. Stop (1) _______ it.
There must be a bazillion books on said matter, so I did some research and tried to narrow them down
to the most seminal, influential, and ultimately timeless works (let us face it, time is a limited (2) _____,
so one has only so much of it to read redundant, comparatively subpar, and uninspired read-alikes).
Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” (the progenitor to this kind of literature), “The Four-Hour Work
Week” by Tim Ferriss, Thomas Stanley’s “The Millionaire Next Door” and last, but most definitely not
least, “The Millionaire Fastlane” by MJ de Marco made it through the filter and, good God, do all of
them make for a riveting read. Every single one of those works is superbly written, full of (3) ______,
and has their own take on a subject that most are secretly curious about. That alone would justify
your purchasing them.
However, if I had only two days left to live– God forbid- and one book to pick, I guess my choice
would be “The Millionaire Fastlane”. And I have to confess that at the beginning I was skeptical. One
is wary enough of all these gurus, full of air, who want to lure you with the self-confidence they (4)
__________ and the “I made it and so can you”-shortcut to quit a life of mediocrity and soon be rolling
in dough, baby. And DeMarco’s introduction sounds dangerously close to all that BS. When someone
needs to remark they are not (5) __________ a scam on you, you can usually bet they are. Besides,
his mocking contempt for the old advice “work hard, live frugally, save regularly, sacrifice today’s
pleasures for tomorrow’s relief, and one day you will be able to retire reasonably well off” obnoxiously
defies really robust principles of reasoning and common sense.
But, man, was I wrong and did the thing soon pick up. While at the beginning, he sounds like your
average filthy rich twat (6) __________ his wealth and rubbing it in your face, soon it is clear that
this is by no means the point: MJ’s book is definitely not a praise of mindless materialism, but quite
the opposite. While he attributes some (7) __________ value to certain material possessions (a so-
coveted Lamborghini, in his case), he only does so inasmuch as they do not burden you with debt
(i.e.: “if you think you can afford it, you can’t” or, to put it simpler, “you either buy it with cash, in a
lump sum, or don’t buy it at all. No credit, no installments, nothing”) and only if they embody the
realization of a personal dream, project, or ambition. And he has something to say about the foolish
hyper-consumerist rush that corrodes our modern lifestyles. From the poor dude who lives paycheck
to paycheck and has been (8) ________- via credit- into thinking he can afford his lavish lifestyle,
but is one something (layoff, illness, economic recession…) away from being broke, to the capricious
celebrity, or high-income earner who always manages to live beyond their means and (9) __________
their entire fortune in no time. Sure, the ultimate paradox exists: you can be income-rich and wealth-
poor.
He also makes a (10) ____________ case for the nature of work: the book does not portray most jobs
in a very positive light, either. In essence, they are equated with servitude: by submitting to a job, you
219
are (11) ___________ your freedom (i.e.: “time”, i.e.: “life”) for money. It is a losing game, according to
DeMarco. We anxiously await the weekend, so as to recover from the (12) ___________ of the week,
but the trade (“give me 5 and I will give you 2 in return”) is always far from profitable and leaves us
defeated, going through the motions of life, cognizant of a cycle that in the best case will be repeated
for, like, 40 or 50 years (if you are lucky), and begging for the next paycheck as a consolation prize.
We take for granted that this is the way life goes but, apparently, according to MJ (and to Ferriss, and
to some (13) __________, Hill, and Stanley), it does not have to be like that.
To conclude, just let me state that even though I centered on “The Millionaire Fastlane”, every single
one of these works is a must-read if you are remotely interested in personal and professional growth,
and while each one is different in their approach to the issue, they all have a two-fold common (14)
____________: the point is not whether money buys you happiness, but how wealth serves to grant
you freedom and that, if you want wealth and, therefore, freedom, you need to have a plan.
1 a Flattering b Glorifying c Indulging d Overplaying
2 a Amenity b Commodity c Good d Produce
3 a Dexterity b Naïveté c Vision d Wisdom
4 a Depict b Embody c Exude d Portray
5 a Casting b Pulling c Throwing d Thrusting
6 a Boasting b Bragging c Flaunting d Praising
7 a Certain b Inner c Internal d Intrinsic
8 a Cheated b Lied c Tricked d Wired
9 a Disappears b Evaporates c Misuses d Splurges
10 a Compelling b Convincing c Reliable d Truthful
11 a Delegating b Delivering c Relinquishing d Subjecting
12 a Wounds b Mishaps c Misfortunes d Rigors
13 a Extreme b Extent c Manner d Regard
14 a Axis b Denominator c Outlook d Standpoint
220
LISTENING TEST
Andy Morgan and David Nolan on building a successful online business. Choosing
your niche
Listen to an interview with online fitness coach, Andy Morgan and complete the statements below withthe
appropriate word(s), according to what you hear.
1. The Interviewer acknowledges it is more feasible to have a rigid _________ _________

process when being financially stable (2 words)
2. Andy (interviewee) says that even a/an _____________ reputation can be broken if
your work is not consistently good. (1 word)
3. Andy says that in some cases, you may have to _______ _______ with a client if they
refuse to compromise. (2 words)
4. Greg, a friend of Andy's, argued that when one can rely on a stable income, it is
easier to ________ _________ a client. (2 words)
5. The interviewer thinks sometimes coaches can become ____________ ______
negative comments despite all the positive feedback. (2 words)
6. Andy is rather upset with a client that does not follow his instructions thoroughly
when it comes to _________ ________ and measurements.
7. His conclusion is that the fee this particular client pays may not be ____________
enough to him (1 word)
8. Andy admits that incident is __________ him at the moment (1 word).
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SPEAKING
When choosing your niche/target clientele, do

you think it is better to aim to a more general,
wider type of client, or is it better to have a more
specific niche? Why?
If you have a certain policy/philosophy around

your business plan, is it better to compromise so
as to accommodate the preferences of the client
or is it better to stick to your guns/stand your
ground?
To which extent would you be willing to lower

your fees? Would that be the same as selling
yourself too short?
In groups/pairs, try to brainstorm the pros and cons of being self-employed/an entrepreneur vs. being an
employee/public administration worker.
Where would people achieve more…
• Freedom?
• Security?
• Money?
• Self-realization?
Read the article “Arguments AGAINST work-life balance" and discuss the questions below:
Would you rather pursue a lucrative or a rewarding career? Can people aspire to both?
Apart from tough economic times and our culture, what makes it difficult for most young people to
become entrepreneurs? Why are self-employment and entrepreneurship rarely the default option for
the majority?
If you decided to launch your own idea/business/ project and become an entrepreneur, which of the
following aspects/assets would be crucial for that endeavor? Which ones would be more challenging/
complicated?
Coming up with an innovative/original (or just “good”) idea.

Finding a product/service which can benefit other humans.
Surrounding oneself with like-minded/ equally enthusiastic people.
222
Devising a definite/specific plan for the attainment of your goal.

Building rapport/leading and inspiring others.
Resilience in the face of stress/discomfort/setbacks. Not quitting at the first sign of
adversity.
Obtaining funding/ start-up funds.
Be willing to put in lots of work/time.
Budgeting of time and money/bookkeeping.
Building self-discipline and persistence.
Maintaining a burning desire/enthusiasm/positive mental attitude.
Check in Speaking Mastery the following section:
What the mind of the man can conceive…

Entrepreneurship and Pursuing your Dreams
223
ORAL MEDIATION TASK
Student A: Listen to the summary of Flow, by Mihaly

Csikszentmihalyi and take notes on the following aspects:
• The true key to happiness

• What people usually get wrong when searching for
happiness
• The relationship between material things/income
and happiness
• The state of “flow”. Its definition
• Some examples
• Adjusting the level of difficulty of tasks
• The “flow channel”. Why it is so empowering.
• The case of the Shuswap Indian tribe
• What is wrong about watching too much TV/
spending too much time on social media.
Share with student B the information you learned in the book review.
Discuss the following statements:
Do you think people usually spend a considerable amount of time in a state of “flow”?
When have you experienced such a feeling?
224
ORAL MEDIATION TASK
Student B: Listen to the summary of The Four-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss and take notes on the
following aspects:
• Lesson 1: DEFINE FEAR

• Lesson 2: AUTOMATE INCOME
• Lesson 3: BE EFFECTIVE, NOT EFFICIENT
• Lesson 4: OUTSOURCING
• Knowing which duties to outsource and eliminate.
• Lesson 5: RELATIVE INCOME
• Lesson 6: MINI-RETIREMENTS & GEOARBITRAGE
Share with Student A the findings you learned from the

book summary.
Discuss the following:
How viable/feasible are the ideas you learned about in the review?
Do you agree it is possible to live a really fulfilling life while working very few hours?
225
WRITING: A CROWDFUNDING PITCH
"All riches have their origin in an idea.”
Context
You want to realize a personal project, but in doing so, you will need
to invest some money which you simply do not have. Launching a
crowdfunding campaign to raise that money may be the solution.
Anyway, you need to find investors who are likely to fund your
project. You will need to make your project one worth investing in.
Find more about Crowdfunding here:
First, decide what your project is about (maybe you want to record
and release an album for your band? What about setting up your
small business? You want to make a film? Rent an art gallery to
exhibit your art works, photographs? Publish your first novel? Launch
your own magazine/ fanzine?)
You will also have to decide which contribution each investor will have to make and what they will
get in exchange. How will they make their contribution? (by PayPal? Patreon? Donating by other
means?). Do different contributions get different rewards?
Task: write a persuasive pitch to entice potential investors and convince them to contribute to
your project/business plan/idea.
200-250 words
226
A Crowdfunding Pitch
5 TIPS FOR WRITING A PERSUASIVE CROWDFUNDING PITCH
1. Choose a catchy title. Do not expect everyone to read your entire pitch – they won’t. Better
to convince them straight off with a persuasive title. The best titles are short but paint a
clear picture, illustrating the overall impact of the project in a few well-chosen words.
2. Keep it short. Always provide information that is tangible and specific to the project you are
funding. Avoid long sentences and complex concepts. Focus on creating empathy and showing
how your project makes a difference in ways that really matter to people.
3. Use a few key facts to back up your position. A few objective facts or statistics will please
the rational thinkers in your audience. They are also a useful way of anticipating objections
and/or answering concerns that people have about whether your approach really works.
4. Include encouragement to be generous. People visiting a crowdfunding page should know
that they are invited to donate, right? You would think so, but it’s best to reinforce the call to
action by explaining how different amounts can move the project forward. You can also use
the list of perks to show “giving levels” or, even better, simply state that all donations, no
matter how small, will make a difference.
5. Above all, be friendly. Although the pitch is a written text, it is not a formal request for a
grant. Avoid the copy-paste! Instead, imagine that you had the opportunity to say these
words, face-to-face, to a friend; simple, courteous, and friendly language is natural and
effective.
227
GROUP WORK: SALES PITCH
"All riches have their origin in an idea.”
Context
Work in pairs/groups and try to sell the idea you came up with in the previous Crowdfunding Project
writing task (or any other, for that matter).
You can follow the scheme presented here:
1. Define the problem: what issue is making the lives of potential customers/target audience
more difficult/less convenient?
2. Present solutions: people pay more attention to products or services that address their
problems. How does your idea benefit them? How does it improve their health? Their
education? Their relationships? How does it make them save time/money? How does it turn
them into more valuable, happier individuals?
3. Provide a plan and offer value: all riches have their origin in an idea. However, no matter
how potentially good or useful your service/product looks on paper, your target customers
will not be interested unless you present some plan, data, statistics, or visuals which attest
to the plausibility and convenience of your brainchild. Use graphs, images, evidence of how
X leads to Y.
4. Share social proof: very few customers really trust salespeople, but nothing can beat the
power of other customers’ testimonials, ratings, or reviews. These are the ones that really
move the needle. If possible, include them in your pitch.
5. Round it off with a compelling call to action: if you are not assertive or proactive enough
to really call attention to your product, you are not going to make it. You believe in your idea,
so go and tell them to believe in it, too.
228
SPEAKING
Topic: Topic: Entrepreneurship
• Do you think you have an eye for business? Do you know about
anyone who has business acumen?
• Can you think of an entrepreneurial initiative/business operation in your
country (or elsewhere) that spelled ruin for those involved?
• Can you think of a product which has been launched in recent months,
has been an immediate success and has flown off the shelves/sold
like hotcakes?
• Which kinds of businesses have reasonably low overheads? Are they
more likely to do well because of that?
• What kind of services of companies in your country are being
outsourced? Does it have any consequences for the nation’s economy?
• What can a company/service do to ensure customer satisfaction?
Have you ever quit a service/canceled a membership because the
customer service was not meeting your expectations?
• Do you rely on objective figures to gauge the process you are making
in some endeavor (career/projects, studies, health, fitness, skills…)? Do
you rely on your instincts, instead?
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ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 6. COUNTERCULTURE SHOCK
UNIT
6
COUNTERCULTURE
SHOCK
Artistic expression, creativity
and shock value.
The music business
and the film industry
“
“Perfection is not achieved when there is nothing more to add,
but when there is nothing more to take away”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
230
ENGLISH MASTERY
About this unit

In this unit we get to address a favorite topic of yours truly: art, in the several forms it can adopt.
One of the most fascinating aspects about an artistic creation (be it a painting, sculpture, a musical
composition, a theater play, a movie…) is that, besides the obvious, minimal technical skills required
to produce a work of any worth, well, the appreciation of a piece of art is going to be extremely
subjective and will largely depend on the beholder’s experience, sensibilities, and values, all of which
will lead to a greater (or lesser) propensity to be positively (or negatively) impacted by a given work.
That is, precisely, the underlying idea behind the first part of the unit, “Modern Art”. Contemporary works
of art have, for the most part, not shunned experimentalism and an open defiance of classic conventions
of beauty, proportion, and quality, and that is why it is hard for many people (both the uninitiated and
some art connoisseurs) to relate to it. It is like everyone could do that, right? Well, that might be a bit too
bold of a statement, but the controversy stirred by the alleged lack of technical and artistic quality of some
works, and the ridiculous sums of money paid for some of these works always make for a nice discussion.
And in the C2 Mastery method, we are all about fascinating and enlightening conversations. Gotcha!
The second part “Creativity, Freedom of Expression, and Shock Value” is the logical extension of the
previous one. If it is hard to determine the quality of an artistic work, given the subjective component that
molds one’s assessment, to try to define and set the line of what is moral, immoral, or amoral, to decide what
should be expressed and what should be avoided altogether is also a tricky endeavor. Like does anything go
in the name of freedom? Are there some topics, images, or words that are too reprehensible and disgusting
to be acceptable and be part of mainstream culture? We will get to debate that in this second section.
“Popular Music” is the title of the third part of the unit. Just for your information, music is my art of
choice, so it is a topic I could speak and write about ad nauseam. I do not only enjoy listening to music,
but also reading about it, researching about it, finding connections between this and that artist, and this
and that genre. Like a true music nerd, in the good (passionate about and certainly acquainted with)
and the bad (you know, the geeky thing) sense of the word. I do not know if teachers and students
reading this share this passion-turned-obsession, but if you do, lucky you! You will enjoy yourselves
231
ENGLISH MASTERY
throughout these pages. If your relationship with music is a more, say, occasional and detached one,
you will find some interesting topics to discuss, on top of some challenging tasks to do, as usual.
The last section of this unit deals with the state of today’s Film Industry. The arrival of new forms
of media entertainment (Netflix and other platforms and streaming services) have revolutionized
the way users consume entertainment. And Hollywood had to take note of this, of course. This,
along with the sad scandals revolving around sexual harassment which erupted in 2017, and a new
penchant for remakes of superhero movies have influenced not only the way new entertainment is
made (photography, length, format, films being broken down into episodes so as to accommodate to
increasingly shorter attention spans), but also the contents and the stories themselves. Whether this
has resulted in higher-quality films is a personal conclusion that you will have the opportunity to discuss.
Enjoy!
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ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 6. COUNTERCULTURE SHOCK
Table of Contents
Reading
Shock Me if You Can. (Gapped Text)
In Praise of the Computer Algorithm. (Multiple Matching)
Fear in Post-Weinstein Hollywood. (Open Cloze)
Listening
Should the arts be publicly funded by governments? (Multiple Matching)
Can we Separate Art from the Artist? (T/F)
“El Mal Querer” by Rosalía. Review by Anthony Fantano. (Sentence Completion)
The Truth about Popular Music. (Matching Headings)
“Allied” Review by Chris Stuckmann. (Multiple Choice)
Oral Mediation
Contemporary Art Exhibition (Intra-linguistic)
What’s on Guide. (Intra-linguistic)
Written Mediation
Should the Arts be Publicly Funded by Governments? (Intra-linguistic)
Speaking
Modern Art. Plastic Arts
Arts, Free Speech and Shock Value
The Music Business
The Film Industry
Writing
Written Interaction: A comment in an online newspaper story.
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UNIT 6. COUNTERCULTURE SHOCK ENGLISH MASTERY
PART 1
MODERN
ART
“
“But the emperor has nothing at all on!”
The Emperor’s New Clothes
SMALL
TALK
Discuss the following ideas with your group:
What is your art of choice? Painting? Photography? Architecture?

Sculpture? Performance Arts? Music? Literature? Other?
Do you think artistic talent can be measured? Is it something completely
objective?
British philosopher Roger Scruton made a case for “Why beauty matters”
in a popular documentary. Do you agree that beauty matters? Do you agree
that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”?
Some forms of contemporary art which are highly popular strike many
people as something that anyone could do. Do you agree with that
sentiment?
234
ENGLISH MASTERY
GROUP WORK/ SPEAKING INTERACTION
The Dictionary Game
WHAT MAKES “A WORK OF ART”?
Create your own definition of the phrase

“work of art”. Try to define it so that it could
pass for an actual definition such as the
ones you could find in a dictionary, but
make sure it also reflects what you actually
believe makes a work of art. Cut your written
definition into a strip of paper and give it to a
group member. He/she will mix the different
definitions.
a) Vote for the definition you think is the one found in an actual dictionary
RULES
I. You cannot vote for your own definition.

II. If you guess it right, you score ONE point.
III. If someone mistakes your definition for the “official” one, you score TWO points.
IV. If you guess it right AND yours is mistaken for the official one, you will score THREE
points.
b) Try to rate (on a scale of 1 to 5) to which extent you agree with each of the definitions
according to your opinion. Discuss your decision in your group.
235
SPEAKING
Look at the following news items (true stories!).
Have you ever been to an exhibition where you didn't get what made the exhibits so amazing? Has
any work of art that you have seen at a museum struck you as something as simple as these objects?
“Students left a pineapple in the

middle of an exhibition and people
mistook it for art”
“Someone put glasses on museum

floor and visitors thought it was art”
“BUT..., THE EMPEROR HAS NO

CLOTHES!”
Listen to a graphic designer talking about modern art. What fault does he find with it? Do you agree
with him?
! Source: Brian Holdsworth YouTube Channel
236
Mastery. The Ultimate Advanced English Course. Unit 6. Counterculture Shock
Has modern art degraded the word "art" itself?
Do you think modern works can hold a candle

to those of the past (Neoclassical, Renaissance,
etc?)
Look at the following picture. It shows 1961

artwork “Artist’s Shit” by Italian artist Piero
Manzoni, consisting of 90 tin cans, each of
which contained actual feces from the artist.
Does it strike you as an actual piece of art?
Why (not)? Do you think there is genuine talent
involved or just cultural snobbery? What makes,
in your opinion, a true work of art?
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: DISCUSSING MODERN ART
Listen to two people talking about modern art exhibits in Los Angeles.
• What is the two guys' criticism on modern pieces of art they recently saw at an
exhibition?
• What examples do they give of how terrible they think it is?
• Do they despise art exhibitions altogether?
• What is funny about the anecdote regarding a family visit to the museum?
! Source: JRE Clips
SPEAKING/ VOCABULARY ACTIVATION
Which would you say is the most stunning/

mesmerizing/dazzling work of art you can think of?
Do you agree with the saying "beauty is in the

eye of the beholder"? That is, can something
be deemed beautiful or hideous depending on
someone’s opinion of it?
Do you instead believe there are some objective

standards of beauty (in arts/aesthetics, architecture,
etc.) that no amount of media influence or social
engineering can obliterate?
237
ENGLISH MASTERY
Are you particularly fond of cutting-edge/avant-garde art? Why?
What do you think is more important in an artistic creation (of any kind, music, painting, sculpture,
performance…)? Skill/technical ability/mastery? The artist’s right to self-expression? A novelty
factor/originality?
Do you think art-for-art’s-sake is of any worth? Should it comply with certain standards of aesthetic
excellence or beauty? Can beauty be found in ugliness?
Some suspect that in these works’ patronage/auctioning/investment, there could be some form of
tax evasion/money laundering? Do you agree? Why?
What should be prioritized in architecture? Form or function? Why? Do you think that modern
architecture pays more attention to aesthetics than functionality?
Can you think of an artist for whom the sky is the limit? Why?
Can you think of a time when a plan/approach/action did not turn out the way you intended and you
had to go back to the drawing board?
Modern Art. Plastic Arts
238
ENGLISH MASTERY
LISTENING/WRITTEN MEDIATION/SPEAKING
Should the arts be publicly funded?
Multiple Matching
Listen to six people giving their opinion on whether art should be publicly funded by governments.
Which speaker(s) state(s) the following ideas? There are FIVE statements too many.
A. Art is vital for a nation’s identity.

B. Being selective with the works is key.
C. Giving a chance to those without an innate artistic inclination
D. Government subsidies leave little room for private investment.
E. In the past art’s success did not depend on funding
F. Lack of funding forces artists to produce quality work.
G. Other branches/sectors should be prioritized.
H. Public funding can conceal indoctrination of the public
I. So much focus on the economic factor seems rather inhumane.
J. The economy needs to be in good shape.
K. Up-and-coming artists have no opportunities otherwise.
Speaker 1. _______
Speaker 2. _______
Speaker 3. _______
Speaker 4. _______
Speaker 5. _______
Speaker 6. _______
239
ENGLISH MASTERY
WRITTEN MEDIATION
Should the arts be publicly funded?
Context
Your teacher has told you to write an entry on the course blog on the advisability (or not) of publicly
subsidizing different arts (films, exhibitions, galleries, etc.). You will take sides with the option you
prefer (IN FAVOR/AGAINST), taking into consideration the following opinions expressed by different
participants in a forum discussion.
Task: Read the following entries and summarize them in your blog entry according to the position you
side with (75-100 words)
Emma: “Subsidies can crowd out private funding, as comparisons with the United States
seem to suggest. Indeed, in the UK over recent years, as government subsidies for the arts
have declined in relative terms, private finance has increased.”
Joey: “It is viciously wrong to take the money of rational men for the support of ideas
diametrically opposed to their own. This is a profound violation of an individual’s integrity
and conscience.”
Ivy: “I am convinced that the arts are a significant public good, that civic well-being is
damaged when the arts are unsupported and, while they make an important economic
contribution, their profitability is not a sufficient measure of their quality or their success.”
Geraint: “When the government is not the paymaster, the key relationships are between the
providers of the arts, those attending performances and those giving voluntary donations.
Accountability is strong. When people are voluntarily financing the arts, the provision of
culture will be intrinsically linked to the community. But when the government is financing
the arts, bureaucratic attitudes will dominate”.
240
Kendra: “Artists and educators are and should be obliged to create opportunities for people
from all backgrounds to encounter the very best artistic experiences. When we do this well,
the results are staggering - individual confidence soars and life opportunities are radically
improved.”
Justin: “There are many branches which are not able to survive without additional support
from the state authorities. Therefore, governments should fund some kind of the arts which
should be scrutinized before. The governments should be assured that they do not support
low quality art.”
Write your entry here
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Discuss in your groups the following topic. Should artists of different modalities be publicly
funded?
241
SPEAKING
Topic. Modern Art
• Have you grown to appreciate art that in the past you found too
impenetrable?
• What do you think of the works of modern art that you have seen
in museums? Do you acknowledge the talent behind it, or do you
sometimes snub your nose at them?
• Do you think modern artists – painters, sculptors, etc.- can hold a
candle to those from previous eras?
• Is there any item/picture/photo/gift that you are very fond of and have
given pride of place in your house?
• Do you think you have to wise up to the newer trends in music, art,
movies, technology, or even free time activities, or have you concluded
that they are just not for you?
• When someone openly despises modern art, how do you decide
if their opinion is legitimate and genuine, or it is just a form of
philistinism?
• Can you think of a public figure- artist, sportsperson, businessperson,
etc.- that has opted to keep a low profile? Why do you think that is?
• Have you ever seen a work (architectural, artistic, etc.) that you would
describe as an eyesore? What makes it so hideous?
242
PART 2
CREATIVITY,
FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION AND
SHOCK VALUE
“
“You’ve got to scale down your monstrosities.
A scream is not a discovery.”
John L’Heureux
SMALL
TALK
According to the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States

of America, freedom of speech should be an inalienable right. Do you
agree that free speech should always prevail? Even if some individuals or
collectives are offended/denigrated?
How can we judge what is acceptable- on the grounds of free speech-
and what is not?
When an artist creates a work which is disturbing, vulgar, or obscene, do
you think there is genuine talent involved, or are they trying to disguise its
lack or absence with shock value tactics?
243
ENGLISH MASTERY
SHOCK VALUE
Definition (Wikipedia.org) “the potential of an image, text, action, or other form of communication,
such as a public execution, to provoke a reaction of sharp disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar
negative emotions.”
Debate
Look at this quote by American painter and sculptor Robert Longo. Do you agree?
Given the controversy stirred by some artworks- some of them mocking religious figures- and the
violent backlash in some Muslim countries ensuing from some comic strips where religious icons were
being mocked, as well as the fact that some people believe artists sometime create their works purely
for shock value, an online social platform has asked their members to take part on a debate on the
subject “art and controversy: is freedom of speech sometimes taken too far?”.
Arts, Free Speech and Shock

Value
244
READING
Shock me if you can
Context
Gapped Sentences
Read the following article and choose from the statements below A-J the five that fit best in each of
the gaps (1-7). There are three statements you do not need.
Freedom of expression has become a rather contentious issue these days. Most agree that it is a
valuable asset, and many even think it is an inalienable right, so long as they are the ones who can
exert it, unilaterally, usually with little regard for those getting offended, hurt, vilified, or pointed at. 1.
_____. But freedom of expression comes with a price, and the possibility of being mercilessly abused
by a legion of online thugs, disgusted by the vileness and amorality of a given tweet, or revolted by
the gut-wrenching, gruesome descent into horror and sheer ugliness of a work of art – film, painting,
sculpture,…- is the one you pay when actual freedom exists.
As a long-time Punk Rock enthusiast, I always understood (and took for granted) that contempt,
mockery, even blasphemy, and an unequivocally irreverent, sacrilegious, and iconoclastic nature were
all part of the equation. But hey, even punks knew that you can only be so punk, punk. The legendary
Sex Pistols got their arse kicked by The Stranglers (other punks) who were setting the score with the
former, as the Pistols had dissed them (they may have been called “old pricks” or something along
those lines). 2. ____________. One exercised their right to express their disdain, and the other reacted
to those disdainful words.
Do you know what else exemplifies that law? The infamous terrorist attacks on the (French satirical
magazine) Charlie Hebdo premises, in November 2015. And by no means am I justifying the brutal
reaction of a fanatical, murderous mob to some satirical vignettes, even if some may find that mocking
Mohamed, Buddha, or any other figure of religious worship is a bit mean-spirited. But that tragic
incident showed how values vary in the importance different cultures and people give to them. 3.
____________. And the preservation of the unblemished, immaculate nature of their deities is more
important to them than your entitlement to deride them. 4. ______________ (after all, in many Western
countries there is separation between church and state, religion has ceased to be a fundamental part
of many people’s lives, and Christ putdowns are not an anomaly), but you need to understand that a
violent, vengeful backlash may be on the cards. I still prompt you to do it, if you need it so badly. At
your own risk.
I don’t really know whether this has to do with the “you cannot cheat Karma” principle, because being
killed for throwing some random insults at icons of spiritual cult is rather disproportionate and, thus,
would violate the sacred principles of Karma. What I mean is that when we are uttering some words,
disseminating a certain message, or coming up with our own creation, and we want those words or
creations to impact on others, we may need to think about WHAT TYPE of impact we intend to have.
If we are aiming for notoriety for its own sake, 5. __________, it is not unthinkable to imagine the
recipients of that hatred fighting back in some way. “When you spit in the sky, it falls into your eye”
says an old Jamaican proverb. And you know Jamaicans mean business, boy.
245
ENGLISH MASTERY
This brings to mind the work of shock artists. I understand and applaud that conventions of artistic
quality, aesthetics and good taste need to be constantly challenged. 6. _________. I even welcome
artists’ desire to explore the darkest underbellies of the human psyche, reminding us of our monstrous
side, which could rear its ugly head if we give in too much to our basest, selfish instincts. It is just
that if the sole purpose of a work is to revel in the pain, suffering and brutality it evokes, I am not
interested. I concede that the creator’s adventurousness and defiance make it a commendable
endeavor, and hey, if it sounds like that type of stuff is up your alley, go watch it. The bad aftertaste
does not make it worthwhile for me, though.
With all this being said, I am really glad that free speech and limitless, unrestrained artistic expression
are cornerstones of Western civilization- where I happen to belong-, even if that implies turning some
stomachs and enraging some religious zealots.7. ________. These can and should be articulated,
no matter the outrage they stir. We can always pay no mind to them, and we can also take the jerk
to court if they cross the line. However, the world is one big place, with almost 8 billion people, and
hence, with a multitude of perspectives. Assuming that everyone abides by the same principles would
be a bit naïve, and probably ethnocentric. Should that dissuade you from your legitimate right to
shock? That is something for you to figure out, mate. By the way, you may also want to ask yourself
why you are so bent on shocking others.
A. After all, they are known for being a wee bit thin-skinned.
B. And to attain it we spare no contempt or hate for individuals or collectives.
C. But that is not even the core of the matter.
D. Even if we have seen a decrease in online vitriol since then.
E. It is the ultimate act of selflessness and tolerance towards the other and their
opinions.
F. Some people do not like it when you make fun of their Gods.
G. They may not be so keen on being mocked, ridiculed, satirized, satanized, or
dehumanized by others, though.
H. This unimportant anecdote evidences the unimpeachable law of action and reaction.
I. To do otherwise would render newer artistic creations too conservative, conformist,
derivative and uninteresting to even be of any worth.
J. You still can persist in your right to mockery and satire.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Source: © Javier Blanco Pérez
246
WRITING
An exhibition about Pop Art and the darkest side of Andy Warhol’s
catalog is being held in town. Warhol did himself indulge in some
debauchery (drugs, promiscuous sex, orgies…) during The Factory
years (1962-67) and these works precisely focus on that era. The
issue is that in order to advertise the exhibition, a poster of Andy
Warhol’s “Fellatio”- depicting the graphic image of a man performing
oral sex on another man- (1978) is being used and displayed in
different parts of the city (billboards, street furniture, etc.), where
everyone can see it (children, the elderly, etc.).
Conservative groups have launched a campaign voicing their outrage

and demanding the cancellation of the exhibit. You have seen the
piece of news on the local newspaper’s website and want to give
your opinion on the comments section.
• Should the exhibition be cancelled?

• Should the posters be censored?
• Should at least the most explicit parts of the image be covered/blurred?
• Wouldn’t that be a modern form of puritanism?
• Have the organizers gone too far in the shock value factor?
(200-300 words)
247
A Comment on an Online Newspaper Story
The goal of a comment/thread on an online newspaper

Well, this is pretty self-explanatory: you are voicing your opinion on an issue. It turns out t
hat, just as in the case of that cartoon and the backlash ensuing from the dismissal of the
cartoonist, this very story is one which will leave no one indifferent. Whatever your position
is (either in favor or against its prohibition), you can expect other users replying to your com-
ment, so make sure the tone is appropriate.
The language and stylistic features found on a comment like this are not dissimilar from tho-
se you would find in an argumentative text:
Discourse markers to introduce opposing arguments: There’s no denying that…, while I

believe free speech should be…
Useful expressions: where can we draw the line (between X and Y), ... this is one step too
far,… all this puritanism/degeneracy is beyond me...
Colorful/emphatic language: pre-modifying adverbs: downright obscene, undoubtedly gif-

ted artist, hands down inappropriate, laughably prudish...
248
ENGLISH MASTERY
Can you (and should you) separate art from the artist?
Listen to a radio show about artists and their past controversies.

SIX of the following ideas/concepts are mentioned in the clip by
either of the speakers. There are 5 statements you do not need.
A. Doubt is being cast upon the cult status of a star.

B. Accusations of sexual abuse proven wrong.
C. Attitudes towards religion totally spoil somebody’s
enjoyment of the author’s work.
D. Not being aware of the accusations on Bowie allowing
him to enjoy his music.
E. Stating that the leader of a popular Heavy Metal band
is a flat out conservative.
F. Bowie being aware of the actual age of underage
female fans.
G. Acknowledging not being affected by artists' actions beyond their works.
H. Distinguishing truly reprehensible acts from petty misbehaviors.
I. Not disqualifying Mel Gibson entirely.
J. An artist’s political views will prevent you from enjoying their work.
K. Disagreeing about the limits which would impair the appreciation of a work.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: The David Pakman Show
• Can you think of an artist whose work you appreciate, but dislike on a personal level?
• Is there a dividing line, regarding an artist’s behavior or ideas, that would totally
impair your enjoyment of their work? What would an artist do that would make you
abhor the person and not even give their art an opportunity?
• On the other hand, have you ever started taking into consideration an artist that you
had previously ignored, due to liking them at a personal level?
249
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic. Free Speech and Shock Value
How can “hate speech” be regulated? What do you think would objectively
qualify as “hate speech”? Who do you think should be in charge of labeling
someone a hatemonger? What should they do about it? Should their freedom of
expression prevail or not?
In which circumstances do you think it is ok to cancel someone on social media/
shut down their accounts, or to deplatform public figures?
Should people with a huge following online repress themselves because they can
incite violence or bad behavior? Do they have to answer for the actions that their
words ensue, or should the blame be put exclusively on the perpetrators?
Is there any food that grosses you out?
Do you remember any scene in a film that you had to flinch away from?
Have you heard of anyone that has been slandered/defamed online lately? What
have they done about it?
When you are on holiday (Christmas, summer…), do you usually go overboard
with spending, eating, drinking, or do you manage to do those in moderation?
What kind of smell/images/news turn your stomach?
With some artists/public figures that only seek notoriety by relying on shock for
shock’s sake, do you think the media should not publicize them, as people are
sometimes drawn in by that controversy? Should the right to information prevail?
250
PART 3
POPULAR
CULTURE, THE
MUSIC BUSINESS.
CULTURAL
APPROPRIATION
“I wish there had been a music business 101 course

“
I could have taken.”
Kurt Cobain
SMALL
TALK
Are you a huge fan of music or just a casual listener?

Would you describe your musical taste as “eclectic” or are you partial to a
specific music genre?
Do you think the golden era of music is long gone or are there exciting,
talented new artists making great music these days?
With all the recent events borne in mind, how do you predict the future of
the music business/industry will look like?
251
ENGLISH MASTERY
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: SPEAKING
What’s great about this song?
Look at the following words and phrases;

they are used to describe music and are
often used by music journalists and found
in online music magazines, such as Mojo,
Pitchfork, NME, or Alternative Press (to
name but a few).
Slick Affected Angular

Tuneful Sound-alikes Heartfelt
Rough around the edges Harmonized Faux
Derivative Unique time signatures Second-tier
By the numbers Also-rans Genre-defining
Epochal Over the top Cringe-worthy
Sickly sweet Groundbreaking Interplay
Raspy Underwhelming Drunken
Syncopated Grating Dissonant
Minimalistic Snarling Doesn't do much for me
Puerile To be a sucker for Stuffy-nose
Dry Formulaic Tight
Gross Over-hyped Overproduced
Which ones are used to describe…
• An album/song?
• A musical genre?
• Vocals/singing style?
• Musicianship/The music itself?
• A band/artist?
• Lyrics?
• Production/Sound?
What do you think they mean? Can you describe them using other words? Which ones have a
positive or negative connotation?
Can you think of bands/artists/songs or albums where you could use some of these words and
phrases to describe them?
252
The popular YouTuber Rick Beato is a studio musician and music educator who has lectured at
numerous universities, such as the prestigious Berklee College of Music. To say that he is extremely
knowledgeable about music would be an understatement.
On his YouTube channel (with more than 3 million subscribers) he has a section called “What makes
this song great?” where he breaks down, dissects and analyzes popular songs from a musical, vocal
and lyrical point of view to find out why people seem to love them so much.
SPEAKING
Think of a song that you are loving at this moment. It could be an all-time favorite, or a recent earworm
that you cannot get out of your head. Either way, you love it and think it deserves to be shown, talked about
and shared with other people.
What’s so great about this song?

• Its lyrics? Do they have an interesting message? Are they childish, but fun nonetheless?
• Does it bring back nice memories? Does it strike a chord with you? Why can you relate to it so
much?
• The sheer musical quality? Is it musically memorable in any way?
• The vocal hook/melody/the vocals? Does it have a hooky/catchy chorus? What about the verse?
Is it catchy/hooky all the way through?
• Does it have a memorable guitar riff that you can hum? Does it have a bouncy, gripping
bassline?
• Is it an obvious winner, an instant hit from the very beginning, or is it instead more of a slow
burner that eventually grows on you?
• Does it get you in a good mood? Does it get you fired up?
• Is it somehow unique and different to other songs or records of the same genre?
• Do you know whether it is relevant in its social, historical and cultural context? Would you say it is
a genre-defining song?
• Is the rest of the album this good, or is this one the only standout track, and the rest of the album
is mostly filler, riddled with throwaway tracks? Is it, on the other hand, a solid, consistent record
that you can listen to front to back/back to front?
• Would you recommend delving into this band/artist beyond this record/song, or was this the peak
of their career? Was the artist/band in their prime when they released this record? Did they hit
their stride by the time of this release?
253
Cultural appropriation
Do you know anything about the term "Cultural Appropriation"?
Wikipedia defines it as "the adoption of

elements of a minority culture by members
of the dominant culture. Because of the
presence of power imbalances that are a
byproduct of colonialism and oppression,
cultural appropriation is distinct from equal
cultural exchange. This is often seen in cultural
outsiders' use of an oppressed culture's
symbols or other cultural elements, such as
music, dance, spiritual ceremonies, modes of
dress, speech, and social behavior, notably
when these elements are trivialized and used
for fashion, rather than respected within their
original cultural context. "
The most ardent supporters of the idea of cultural appropriation have denounced its existence in
different cases, such as hairstyles (dreadlocks, Mohican hairstyles), music (hip-hop, Flamenco...),
fashion and costumes (Native American outfits, for instance, during Carnival or Halloween) or even
tribal dances during sport events being adopted by those (generally, white people) not belonging to
the culture/ ethnic group in which that custom originated (generally, those historically disadvantaged
minorities).
Is there in your opinion any difference between cultural appropriation and simple cultural exchange?
Watch the following video where stand-up comedian Jonathan Pie mocks the idea of cultural
appropriation.
• How does he define the concept?

• Why does he think it is laughable? What examples does he give?
• He says the whole idea is rather "patronizing" towards minorities. Why?
• Why would some people end up deeming Adele racist, according to Pie?
254
LISTENING TEST (Sentence Completion)
Incidentally (and accidentally), the Spanish singer Rosalía generated some controversy, as she was
accused of "cultural appropriation" on social media. Are you familiar with her? Do you enjoy her
music?
Listen to the following review of Rosalía’s second album “El Mal Querer” by YouTube celebrity Anthony
Fantano. Complete the statements below with a word or short phrase.
1. The evolution experienced by the singer since her last album has happened in a
__________________________.
2. This change implies becoming a pop sensation after mainly performing Spanish and gypsy
______________.
3. She has managed to be peerless in ____________ international interest.
4. Traditional Flamenco features (singing, handclaps) along with more modern ones, like the sensual
pop production, synthetic beats and base and ________________ are present in Rosalia's hit
singles.
5. "Di mi nombre" is cited as an example of successfully combining different styles in a song without
having to __________________________ the production so as to appeal to a larger audience.
6. Fellow musician (and producer), El Guincho's usual musical style (Neo Psychedelia) is evidently
not her _______________________.
7. In the song "Que no salga la luna" her vocal performance is described as "__________________,
wild bravado".
8. In contrast to the more hit-or-miss moments in the record, often the modern production and
complementary instrumentation turns out _________________ and ____________.
! Source: The Needle Drop
255
EXAM PRACTICE. READING COMPREHENSION TEST

(MULTIPLE MATCHING)
In praise of the computer algorithm
Read the following short reviews of songs of a random playlist on Spotify and match each question below
with the corresponding review. There is just one statement which matches each review.
1. “Sister Surround”. The Soundtrack of our Lives (Behind the music, 2001).
The spirit of Jagger and Richards looms over this monster of a song. And I mean it in a good way.
Sure, everything here screams Stones, circa 1969-72 (and that is saying something), but writing
off these Swedes as mere clones would be a sacrilegious mistake. The Dandy Warhols tried
that out and failed miserably. It was all swagger but nothing else. Not the case of this one, which
combines that early 70s Stonian finesse with early 2000s Indie Rock sensibilities.
2. “Raisans”. Juliana Hatfield (Forever Baby, 1992)

A minor classic from the late 80s College Rock (pre-Indie Rock) scene re-recorded, watered down,
and slicked up for the early 90s Grunge generation (also labeled Generation X back in the day,
remember?). What a beautiful rendition, Juliana! I swear by J Mascis’ signature fuzz guitar sound
and slacker earnestness, but Hatfield’s girly voice (music does not sound that different really) really
makes one shiver with earnestness 2.0 skills.
3. “Golden Brown”. The Stranglers (La folie, 1981)

How this gorgeous ditty bypassed me (a so-called Punk Rock connoisseur) bears no defense. True,
this early 80s album eludes the well-deserved acclaim of their Rattus Norvegicus/No More Heroes/
Black and White crowning trifecta, but not even that should extenuate my unawareness. What
a song. And if someone is not reminded of Van Morrison, they should declutter their eardrums,
for everything here (the keyboards, the vocal melody, the odd-tempo-ed riff) is a dead-ringer for
Belfast’s best. Go get a clue!
4. “Tight Jeans, Loose Leash” Turbonegro (Sexual Harassment, 2012)

Mighty frontman Hank Von Velvete quit the band (amidst rumors of heroin addiction and affiliation
with Scientology) at the end of the 2000s and many would just give them up for dead. They
returned in 2012 with Tony Silvester as a replacement and quite a few would still be uninterested.
Forget the naysayers (I was one!), because this is a SOLID rock and roll record. Greasy, raunchy,
256
loud, and still retaining their trademark darkness in their sound and a penchant for good ol’
debauchery in their lyrics. A recycled take of the “Brown Sugar” lead riff with way more oomph for
the 21st century audience.
5. “Disparate Youth” Santigold (Master of my Make-Believe, 2012)

The untrained listener might be reminded of Rihanna, and I am not going to scold them for doing
so, but Barbados’ sexiest export does not get hailed in the hip music press as Electropop’s great
black hope as this Brooklyn prodigy does. Is there any reason- besides the critics’ “file Rihanna
under guilty pleasure category” self-indulgence- for that? Well, actually there may be, for this
hit is a bit of a detour from the rest of the record and there are enough standalone tracks to
grant Santigold- a one-trick pony she is not- the tag of pleasure, period, with no pre-modifying
adjectives attached.
6. “Walk, Idiot, Walk” The Hives (Tyrannosaurus Hives, 2004)A hooky riff that is a dead ringer
for The Who’s “Can’t Explain” propels this kickass song. Not kickass in the slam dancing-pogo
hopping-breakneck thrashing sense of the word, but in the “heck this is SO catchy” one. This
self-appointed “best band in the world” may have a flair for the art of the overstatement, but boy,
if I told you this track gives their 2000 scorcher “Hate to Say I told you so” a run for its money, you
should believe me.
7. “(Gotta Get some Action) Now” The Hellacopters (Supershitty to the Max, 1996)
No wonder that, after 25 years, this still tops their fans’ pick lists. A textbook example of how to
kickstart your debut album and take the whole Garage Rock community by storm. A wall of way
too hyper-distorted for their own good guitars blast off a couple of seconds into the song and
kinda bury a great memorable lick into obscurity, though. But song wise, this is a downright classic.
It earned that status already in the late nineties and surely it proudly retains it to this day.
Which review mentions…?
A. A band has weak songwriting. _______

B. A band is overrated. _________
C. Production could have been even better. _______
D. Some may secretly like an artist. ______
E. The album is not as hyped as others. _______
F. The artist is probably too hyped-up. _______
G. The music is a little bit too aggressive. _______
H. The music is a little bit too commercial. _______
I. The song is a cover. _______
J. The song is as good as another by the same band. ______
K. The song reminds one too much of another band. ________
L. The reviewer justifying himself for not knowing the song. ______
M. The writer was skeptical of this record. ______
! Source: Javi Blanco.
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MUSIC QUESTIONNAIRE
Talk in your groups about some of these questions.

Add more information. If surprised by your
classmates' choices, express your surprise (Really?
How come? You’ve got to be kidding!), but remember,
there’s no accounting for taste:
• Your musical coming of age.

• A band/artist/song you have completely
grown out of.
• Can you think of an artist/band who is/
was a one-hit wonder?
• A band/song/record you grew out of, but you still have a soft spot for
• A musical “guilty pleasure”.
• A riff you can hum/ you think is memorable.
• Your favorite artist/band/album ever/ your desert island record/records.
• Music somebody (a relative/friend/the media) turned you onto/got you into.
• A genre you cannot stand/ a band you have tried but can’t get into.
• Music to chill out to vs. Music to lose your head to (in a good way)/music to jog to.
• An overplayed song by an artist/band you like, that you got sick of hearing.
• An overplayed song that you still like anyway.
• A mainstream, successful star with no musical talent whatsoever?
• An artist/band which you think are samey/ a one-trick pony.
• Have you ever felt like you were playing second fiddle to somebody?
• Do you remember ever hitting the wrong note with something you said?
• Do you know anyone who just dances to somebody else’s tune?
• The media where you listen to music (mp3, CD, radio, Spotify, vinyl records, cassettes)
• Do you think that modern technology and media (itunes, Youtube, Spotify, p2p file
sharing software, social media etc.) benefits or harms music and musicians?
Popular Music
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LISTENING
The Truth about Popular Music
You are going to hear a report on modern popular music. Match the number of the extracts (1-10) with the
statements. There are FOUR extra statements you will not need to use.
A. Algorithms being used to make hits.

B. Artists and bands in the past were more willing to take risks musically.
C. Lyrics of the most popular songs being an example of how music is gradually
dumbed down.
D. Modern music’s homogeneity rendering litigation attempts useless.
E. Modern production values sacrificing subtlety.
F. The music industry in the 1960s allowed for more adventurousness.
G. A need for modern music to be incessantly catchy.
H. Record labels chastising the artists’ songwriting attempts.
I. Sentimentality has always been a constant in popular music.
J. Sex being a recurrent topic in modern music.
K. Studio tricks masking modern stars’ incompetence.
L. Striving for uniqueness in popular music is an anomaly.
M. Successful producers plagiarizing each other’s hits.
N. The subject matter of songs today being even more inane than in the past.
! Source: Paul Joseph Watson’s YouTube Channel
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Extract 1. _____
Extract 2. _____
Extract 3. _____
Extract 4. _____
Extract 5. _____
Extract 6. _____
Extract 7. _____
Extract 8. _____
Extract 9. _____
Extract 10. _____
SPEAKING
Topic: Popular Music
Do you get your kicks from listening to any particular style of music? If
that is not your main choice, what do you get your kicks from?
Can you think of an artist whose music you liked at the beginning, but
whose subsequent records were a letdown?
What is the last song that you know which has hit the charts recently?
Do you like it? Why/why not?
Can you think of a song which you like and whose melody you can hum,
but do not know the lyrics? Is it sung in your mother tongue or in a foreign
language?
Have you ever bought tickets for a gig from a ticket scalper/tout? If so,
did everything go well?
What is the highest ticket price you would pay to see an artist you really
like?
If a band that used to play non-commercial music (Hard Rock, Heavy
Metal, Noise Rock, or Experimental music) or used to write really
provocative/irreverent lyrics, all of the sudden turns to a more commercial
style or mellow out, do you think they are sellouts?
If you are into live music and festivals, can you remember one whose
lineup was particularly good? Who were the headliners? And the
opening acts/supporters?
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PART 4
THE FILM
INDUSTRY.
HOLLYWOOD
IN THE POST-
WEINSNTEIN ERA
“I have ten commandments; the first nine are thou shalt not bore.
The tenth is thou shalt have right of final cut.”
“
Billy Wilder
SMALL
TALK
Do you still go to the movies as much as in the past? If not, what is the
reason?
Do they make great movies anymore?
Do you think that, because of Netflix et al., the days of movie theaters are
numbered?
When comparing your favorite movies or series of the 80s/90s/00s with
today’s Netflix/HBOs, and other similar services’ megahits, do you think the
former stand the test of time?
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Cinema, Hollywood in the Post-Weinstein Era
The always irreverent and downright Un-PC English comedian and actor Ricky Gervais has been
the presenter of the Golden Globes ceremony for the last five years prior to Covid-19. Last year’s
opening speech was especially biting and scathing, leaving no punches pulled (i.e.: no room for political
correctness or fear or offending anyone). It certainly made the headlines. Here are some bits of his
speech.
Discuss in your groups to see if you can guess what the puns were referring to. What is supposed to be
funny about each? What is each making fun of?
“In this room are some of the most important TV and film executives
in the world. People from every background. They all have one
thing in common: They're all terrified of Ronan Farrow. He's coming
for ya. Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile
movies. Surviving R. Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes.”
“We were going to do an In Memoriam this year, but when I saw

the list of people who died, it wasn't diverse enough. No, it was
mostly white people”
“No one goes to cinema, no one really watches network TV. Everyone
is watching Netflix. You could binge-watch the entire first season
of Afterlife instead of watching this show. That's a show about a
man who wants to kill himself 'cause his wife dies of cancer and it's
still more fun than this.”
“Seriously, most films are awful. Lazy. Remakes, sequels. The actors
who just do Hollywood movies now do fantasy-adventure nonsense.
They wear masks and capes and really tight costumes. Their job isn't
acting anymore. It's going to the gym twice a day and taking steroids,
really. Martin Scorsese made the news for his controversial comments about the Marvel franchise. He
said they're not real cinema and they remind him of theme parks. I agree.”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere
and by the end his date was too old for him. Even Prince Andrew was like, "Come on, Leo, mate. You’re
nearly 50-something."
“Apple roared into the TV game with The Morning Show, a

superb drama about the importance of dignity and doing
the right thing, made by a company that runs sweatshops
in China.”
“So if you do win an award tonight, don't use it as a platform

to make a political speech. You're in no position to lecture
the public about anything. You know nothing about the
real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta
Thunberg.
So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your
agent, and your God and fuck off, OK? It's already three
hours long. “
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Anthony Mackie explains why modern Hollywood movies suck
Watch this video with actor

Anthony Mackie, who plays
Falcon/Sam Wilson in the Marvel
franchise Captain America, talking
about what is wrong with today’s
film industry.
What are the main takeaways from his talk?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
SPEAKING
Do you agree that the quality of Hollywood movies (cinema in general) has declined over the years?
Do you believe the topics/themes of modern films are getting lamer/more boring?
Do you think that the abundance of superhero movies (Marvel franchise et. al) betray/reveal a lack of
ideas/ the infantilization of modern culture?
Do you think actors/stars should refrain from using their position as a platform for making political
speeches/social commentary or should they take advantage of their position to make a difference?
Can you think of a movie you used to love but think has not aged well/doesn't hold hp/does not
stand the test of time? Why do you think so? (Acting, special effects, plot, dialogues…)
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“The Film Industry”
LISTENING
Multiple Choice Listening Test
For the questions below, choose the right option (a, b or c).
1. About the two main characters’ relationship, the reviewer says:
a. It will be hard for them to hide their romance.

b. People doubt that their relationship is real.
c. They naturally belong to each other.
2. About Robert Zemeckis’ film-making career, he says:
a. Dialogs are carefully planned.

b. Most of his films feature computer-generated (CG) scenes.
c. There is usually little filler in the scenes of his movies.
3. About “Allied” he highlights:
a. Camerawork is somehow unusual.

b. Costume design is the most remarkable aspect of it.
c. It lasts longer than recent Hollywood productions.
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4. About reminiscences of classic films, according to the reviewer
a. It feels like Zemeckis is plagiarizing them.

b. They can turn out to be a downside.
c. They help this movie have its own character.
5. He also says that:
a. Most people will enjoy Allied much more than he did.

b. The final result would have improved with shorter shots.
c. The romance between the characters is not intense but is convincing enough.
6. The scene with Brad Pitt walking into a room
a. Is an example of one of the movie’s flaws.

b. Only works because he is a handsome actor.
c. Should have been left out of the movie.
7. The use of special effects in this movie
a. Is excessive.
b. Makes the viewer think of Casablanca.
c. Blends in well with the old-fashioned feel of it.
8. His final judgement on Allied is that…
a. It is an average film.
b. It should have focused on the romance between the protagonists.
c. The most important sequences of the film are rather weak.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
! Source: Chris Stuckmann YouTube Channel
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SPEAKING
Topic: The Film Industry
Would you describe yourself or anyone you know as a nerd/geek/fanboy in

relation to any movie saga/genre/music band?
Is there any recurrent theme/topic in contemporary cinema which you think
is a bit hackneyed? Why?
Can you think of any filmmaker who has a flair for interesting/beautiful
photography?
When was the last time that you heard that an artist had a standing
ovation from the public? What happened?
Can you think of a director whose films are reminiscent of other, older
films/genres? Is that a good thing, in your view?
When was the last time that you heard of accusations of plagiarism
between musicians/directors/artists?
Have you seen a film lately that you thought was too long and could have
improved provided it had been edited/some scenes had been cut?
Can you think of an actor/actress who tends to be typecast as a given role?
Can you think of one who was miscast in a specific movie?
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ORAL MEDIATION TASK
Instructions
You are friends with a couple of guys and girls from the US and UK who are working as language
assistants at different primary and secondary education schools, universities, and language
schools in the area. During the last couple of weeks and months your leisure time together has
been limited to just hanging out at the bars, eating tapas, drinking, and chatting and little else. You
all agree it would be good to do something different, for the sake of variety, as all of you also enjoy
arts and culture. And there are plenty of those activities in the town.
While having breakfast at a café, you flick through a newspaper (written in English, as it is aimed
at the British community residing in the area) and find inside it a “What’s on Guide”, with most
of the cultural events taking place over the weekend described in it (see page 2). Unfortunately,
you have neither taken your mobile phone with you, so you cannot snap a picture of it and send
it to your friends, nor can you take the newspaper with you or rip up that page. Therefore, you
are going to ask for a pen so as to take notes of the different events and later inform your friends
about the most plausible options.
Take notes first of how likely each of the options are to appeal to your friends, and then use those
notes to pass the information (via voice message or any other means) to them.
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268
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 7. LOVE IN THE TIME OF NEWSPEAK
UNIT
7
LOVE IN THE TIME
OF NEWSPEAK
Marriage, love, romance, and sex in
today’s world
“
“Pleasure of love lasts but a moment.
Pain of love lasts a lifetime.”
Bette Davis
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UNIT 7. LOVE IN THE TIME OF NEWSPEAK ENGLISH MASTERY
About this unit

Relationships. Who doesn’t love talking about them? Right, most of the other topics discussed so far
(work, music, art, parenting, travel, etc.) are, undoubtedly, captivating ones, but they cannot hold a
candle to the eagerness that the topic of romantic relationships incites. We all can relate to them,
and that is irrespective of how old we are or how many experiences we have had in the past. Love,
sex, connection are inherent to humans, and besides appeasing some physiological or emotional
needs, they are linked to our need to belong, to be aware that someone out there cares for us or, at
least, has taken notice of us. One definitely cannot survive without water, food, and arguably shelter.
One can theoretically survive without loving or being loved, but that would be a very sad existence.
The first part of the unit “The Game: Attraction and Seduction. Courting, Dating, and Mating”
borrows its name from the best-seller by Neil Strauss’ “The Game”, an amusing foray into the world
of the pick-up artists of the early 2000s. Concepts like SMV (Sexual Market Value), hypergamy,
assortative mating and many more may seem a bit odd for the newbie, but apparently there IS a
science, or at least a METHOD (in the sense of “system/strategy”) which applies in the field of dating,
and increases one’s likelihood of finding a partner (whatever the reason and ultimate purpose of said
quest). You may be already engaged and will probably have no interest whatsoever in finding a new
partner, let alone a casual one but, hey, you cannot deny this makes for an interesting topic, right?
The second section “Online Dating. Secrets. Deception. Infidelity. Polyamory” stems from the previous
one and addresses the never-ending and ever-growing jargon linked with Online Dating (hence, the name
of the unit- Love in the Time of Newspeak-). If you thought that “ghosting” was too much of a novelty
word, you clearly have some catching-up to do. As usual, our native English-speaking counterparts are
ahead of the game when it comes to creating labels and terms for everything. Let’s keep up with them!
In the English Mastery method we do not shun some unconventional and even difficult topics, and that applies
to polyamory and infidelity (two very distinct ways of allowing variety into one’s love life). Honesty, and sincerity
are key and taken for granted, but even those come in short supply sometimes in modern relationships.
The title of the third part “Toxic Relationships. Bad Companies. Finding your Tribe” makes it clear that
toxicity and poisonous relationships are not limited to one’s romantic partners, but can also be found in
270
friendships, colleagues and even within the family. And whoever has ever been entangled in this type of
relationship knows that walking out of them is not easy. What makes them so addictive? Let’s look into it!
The last section- "Bouncing back from Breakups, Growing and Maturing from Relationships"-
of the unit tackles breakups, heart break, but also encourages us to reflect on creating healthier
relationships with others. Communication is king in this regard. That makes all the difference. And,
in the event that despite our best intentions, our much treasured relationship goes wrong, it should
not be the end of the world. Lay down and die we shall not. There is always a way out of that!
Hope you find it amusing!
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Table of Contents
Reading
Love in the Time of Newspeak. (T/F)
A Quick Guide to Modern Dating Glossary.
Find your Tribe (Gapped Text)
Listening
What do Women Like in Men? (T/F)
Dating FAQs. (Matching Headings)
Is Polyamory Possible? (Sentence Completion)
The Science behind Infidelity. (Multiple Choice)
Jim Jefferies and the decline of marriage. (Multiple Choice)
Love in the Time of Covid19. (Sentence Completion)
Oral Mediation
Infidelity in the Internet Age.
Eliminating Toxic Influences.
Written Mediation
Registro de Parejas de Hecho.
Speaking
The Game: Attraction and Seduction. Courting, Dating, and Mating.
Lies, Deception, and Infidelity.
Bad Companies and Toxic Relationships.
United we Stand. Fixing Relationships.
Writing
A Post in a Discussion Forum: Ask Ally.
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PART 1
THE GAME:
ATTRACTION
AND SEDUCTION.
COURTING, DATING,
AND MATING
“Your kiss so sweet; your sweat so sour; sometimes I’m thinking

“
that I love you, but I know it’s only lust.”
“Damaged Goods” Gang of four
SMALL
TALK
Discuss the following ideas with your groups:
Do you like dates? Do they make you nervous/insecure?

When it comes to dating, what have you got going for you? What personal
attributes can you use to your advantage?
Some people seem pretty talented when it comes to hooking up with those
they find attractive (i.e.: they are good game players/are pick-up artists).
Are you one of them? Do you know anyone like that? What is their secret/
gift/trick?
When looking for a partner, do you have an ideal type? What (physical/
personal) attributes do you look for in a potential partner?
273
Personal and Professional Relationships. Marriage, Love, Romance and Sex in

Today’s World
Introduction
Look at the following language. They are either slang words/phrases or rather scientific terms referring
to romance, dating, attraction, and sex in today’s world, all of which are pretty popular already in English
speaking countries. Do you know what they mean?
Catlady Microcheating Sexting
FWB (Friends with benefits) A “player” Slut-shamming
Hypergamy Punch Above one’s Weight SMV- Sex Market Value
A "chad" Sexodus To Seal the Deal
Use your imagination or think of what the word/term suggests, and, in your groups, try to come up
with definitions for some of them, which look/read articulate and illustrative enough and write them
onto a strip of paper. Do not write the name of the word in the definition and swap your strip of
paper with other groups so as to make them guess which word you were trying to define. Do the
same with the other groups’ cards.
The science of attraction
Speaking: In pairs or groups, discuss the following questions:

Is the concept “attractiveness” a totally subjective one?
Do you think there are some objective standards most women and men
would agree about?
What are the components of attractiveness, in your view (Looks? Facial

features? Body shape? Attire? Voice? Charm? Status?)?
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LISTENING
What do women like in men?
Listen to various women being interviewed on the street about the

type of men they are attracted to. Which 7 of the following ideas
are mentioned? (There are 5 extra statements you do not need).
A. I do not like hairy men.

B. I do not like men who talk all the time.
C. I have had bad luck with men in the past.
D. I like men who are both sensitive and
assertive.
E. I like men who are good listeners.
F. I like men who offer a good conversation.
G. I like men who respect my autonomy.
H. I like men with imposing bone structure.
I. I like men with good social skills.
J. I like tall men.
K. I pay attention to men’s clothes.
L. Men are less likely to hold grudges than
women.
! Source: KamaTV
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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READING COMPREHENSION
Read the following article and decide which of the statements below are true, according to the text. There
are 5 extra statements which you do not need.
Love in the Time of Newspeak
Boy, you have got to love all these pickup artist books. Whether you are reading them for the sake of
enjoying an engrossing, professionally written story packed with juicy anecdotes (Neil Strauss’ “The Game”
definitely pulls that off, and there is a great deal of juiciness therein, but you can also check “The Mating
Grounds” podcast, just for the lulz), or you want a more say scientific essay on the skill of wooing and
courting, with comprehensive accounts of the exploits and savoir faire of the most prestigious seducers
of all time (duh, buy Robert Greene’s “The Art of Seduction” yesterday!). Maybe you would like to pick a
few tricks to throw here and there, feel more confident when interacting with other humans and go from
awkward wallflower to a digital age Giacomo Casanova, Serge Gainsbourg (or Cleopatra, for that matter),
with that kind of James Cagney look on their face which screams “I am not even interested” -but steals
the show anyway, leaving other muscle-bound, perfectly attired contenders contemplate their defeat in
dismay-. Whatever your motivation, there is no real reason to not read those works.
But wait, are there REALLY books for this too? How preposterous and self-indulgent can the entire
self-help, or self-improvement genre get? Is that not simply a question of randomly coming across
someone, hitting it off and, voila, forever partnered hereafter? Since when does one need to read a
freaking essay on this, let alone, take part in a workshop on it? (They exist, I swear to God). Once
again, the BS-shooting armada strikes again, trying to cash in on people’s insecurities. Are they trying
to indoctrinate readers into the art of manipulation to hypnotize others and make those fall under their
spell? Is that not akin to some sort of slightly more sophisticated date rape? Shame on you! As an
enraged Greta once said, “how dare you!”. Hold my beer while I just leave the room.
Well, while I think that a healthy amount of skepticism will spare you some trouble and, especially a
big deal of wasted time and MONEY, I am here reminded of Littlefinger’s famous line (“information
is power”) and definitely, doing some reading will do you little harm. It is rarely a foul investment and
well, one always has the option of putting the thing down and even putting it away if you decide
it is not for you after all. This is not a social engineering plot designed to infect you with subliminal
messages of mind control and plant the seeds of evil in your brain. Gosh, how far can the PC police
go? Remember when not everything was subjected to the painstaking scrutiny of self-righteous
Fahrenheit 451 zealots and some yokel saying that X or Y is super-hot, and how he would like to get
in her pants would NEVER break the news? Yes, I do long for those times.
This does not mean, however, that you should lower your guard to ridiculously low heights and fall
for smirking, eyelash batting quack. There are many of them, fraudsters, and you should definitely
watch out for these snake oil sellers on YouTube, Instagram, and sites of their ilk. How that guy who
went from a soft-spoken, chubby, balding dork to a ponytail sporting, self-assured, muscle-flexing,
wannabe James Bond (yet as soft-spoken as in his beginnings) created such an economic empire
out of essentially nothing is beyond me. It looks like he started looking after himself, read some
books, learned through his own missteps and, by adding those non negligible tweaks to an already
competent communicative skill and his trademark sinuous voice and, certainly, exploiting his wit, got
to increase his SMV (sexual market value) and got a ton of dates in the way. Cool. Kudos to that. But
276
that is not the message spread on his media. “This trick never fails”. “Tell her X and she will fall head
over heels for you”. Yeah, right. Good luck with that, stud.
Speaking of SMV, though few want to admit it (I dunno, does that sound unfair in the land of milk and
honey and equal opportunities?), it does matter, son. Ever felt like you were punching above your weight,
mate? Yes, we have all been there. Ever wondered why the guy you slept with after a night of boozing
and oozing seems so elusive and rarely returns your calls, and the event of a second date withers at the
speed of light? It may all come down to SMV. And sorry if that sounds abrupt but yes, SMV exists. The
good thing is that, fortunately for everyone involved in partner searching, it is not a motionless, unvarying
numeral. For sure, one can increase their, so to speak, desirability. The not so good news is that not unlike
those things that we really want in life, it is not easy (remember, nobody wants easy!).
Anyway, there's too much information here. And thank God, life in general, and social life in particular
are not always about making the right move on the chess board and devising THE strategy to
vanquish the enemy and rise triumphant and humiliate your competition. No, it is not. Whether one
wants more friends, find their lifetime significant other, or enjoy oneself and make up for whatever
they may have missed out on a stale relationship a couple of years too long, it all starts by putting
oneself in the appropriate environment and shifting gears, and going back to the drawing board when
necessary. And even being willing to fail and to embrace said failure. Like that menacing-looking, but
peacefully behaving ex-Navy Seal, Jocko Willink says in one TED talk “Good!” So, if sometimes you
lose your face or you face rejection, understand it is part of the journey, and learn from it. But do not
forget to get those reps in and to keep your pantry relatively empty of garbage, haha. That may help
in pumping those three infamous initials a couple of notches above, for sure.
A. Avoid paralysis by analysis.

B. Disguised strategies to make people act against their will.
C. Enjoyment of a work is at the readers discretion.
D. Gimmicks advertised in the media are useless.
E. Increasing one's options in the mating market is worth it.
F. Most people are unrealistic about their possibilities.
G. Some people are not interested in committed relationships.
H. There are university degrees on the art of attraction.
I. Wannabe seducers should not skip the gym.
J. We live in rather intolerant times.
K. A work is backed by scientific evidence.
L. You can find hilarious information here.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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LISTENING
Women and Men and the Biological Science

of Attraction
Before listening to an interview with an Evolutionary

Psychologist, go through the statements below,
discussing in pairs or groups whether you think they
are true or false.
• Do you agree with the idea that “opposites attract” or do you rather believe that
“birds of a feather flock together”?
• It is believed that it is girls/women who get to choose the best potential partner. That
is, they are the ones who “select” men. Fact/Myth?
• There is a stereotype which says women/girls are somehow attracted to bad guys/
the Alpha male. Could it be right or is that complete nonsense?
• Women go for men taller than them. True? Oversimplification?
• Educated, highly intelligent women have a hard time finding a partner. Agree?
• Men can be intimidated by intelligent women. Myth/fact?
• When a man does not progress at the same rate as his female partner, this can take
a toll on the relationship. True? Not?
• The theory behind hypergamy (female partners looking for spouses of higher status)
is usually true. Agree?
• A man is generally expected to pay on a first date. Cliché? Partially true?
• Money, attire, and clothing can have a stronger effect on women than in men when it
comes to courting/dating.
• The stereotype of girls being drawn to the artist type is rather true.
SPEAKING
Talk about the following ideas
“Seduction is a form of deception”. What do you think this

quote means? Do you agree/disagree? Is finding a partner
some sort of marketing scheme? Do you think that pick-up
lines are useful at all?
Can you think of signs that a first date is going well? (Good
eye contact, smooth conversation, giggling, etc.) What are
278
signs of the opposite?
Do you think there are unmistakable signs of

someone being attracted to another person,
which could justify their pulling a move/
making an advance without fear of being shot
down? Which are they?
What qualities are more important when

having good game (i.e.: trying to seduce/
date new partners)? Physical attractiveness?
Attire? Status? Self-confidence? A charming,
charismatic personality? Conversation skills?
Should we try to seduce partners who are way more attractive than ourselves? Would that be
“punching above our weight”?
Being overtly sexual on a first date could be counterproductive. Agree? Is it better to play hard to get
with potential partners?
Is there a “double standard” when it comes to sexual licentiousness for men and women? Are
promiscuous males and females being treated the same way? (i.e.: he’s likely to be seen as a “player”,
she, as a “slut”).
Do you think a relationship of Friends with Benefits can be sustained for a long time?
“The Game. Courting, Dating,

and Mating”
279
LISTENING
The Mating Grounds. Courting, Dating

and Mating
Listen to the Q&A section of a podcast about

romantic relationships and dating. Which
of the following enquiries from listeners are
the hosts addressing? There are three extra
questions you do not need.
A. How do I go from a conversation to sex?

B. I am in love with my colleague’s girlfriend. How do I get her to leave him and fall for
me?
C. I can sense that a girl at work may be into me. How do I ask her out?
D. I met this girl and I really like her, but she is already engaged.
E. I am addicted to porn. How can I overcome my addiction?
F. I think I am a closeted homosexual, but I still do not want to admit it to myself. Any
tips?
G. Many of my male friends have high standards for women but are mostly alone. Any
advice?
H. What can I do if the girl I am dating is interested in a steady relationship, but I am
not?
I. While I am already in a committed relationship, I still want to flirt with other girls.
What can I do?
J. Why do I never get out of the friend zone when I interact with women?
Call # 1. _____________
Call # 2. _____________
Call # 3. _____________
Call # 4. _____________
Call # 5. _____________
Call # 6. _____________
Call # 7. _____________
! Source: The Mating Grounds Podcast
280
SPEAKING
Topic. The Game. Seduction and Attraction. Courting, Dating, and Mating
Have you ever led somebody on when you were just being yourself? Have
you ever been led on by someone, in turn?
What do you think of the concept of “punching above one’s weight”?
Should everyone have the right to chat up the person they like even if
that person is more attractive/wealthier/better known, etc., or is that a bit
audacious?
If someone you are trying to date implied/insinuated that they are out of
your league, would you be upset with that person?
What do you think of the idea of “sexual market value”? Do you think that
happens in real life?
Some people advise that before a person commits to a long-term,
monogamous relationship it is not a bad idea to sleep around a bit, what
do you think?
First loves are sometimes romanticized, and some say you never forget
your first love. Is that true in your case? Did you fall head over heels with
your first love?
How can one drop hints at a person he/she is interested in without being
too obvious and thus, potentially making the other person lose interest?
Drooling over a person that you like a lot is going to hurt your prospects.
Agree?
Is it a good idea to play hard to get with someone? Is there a risk that the
person can lose interest?
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PART 2
ONLINE DATING.
SECRETS.
DECEPTION.
INFIDELITY.
POLYAMORY
“When you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
“
Mark Twain
SMALL
TALK
What do you think of online dating? Why do you think it is so popular? Do

you think it can substitute face-to-face wooing?
Do you think a polyamorous relationship can work? Do you think it could
work for you?
How important is sincerity in your relationships? What makes people cheat
on their partners? Under which circumstances would you tolerate his/her
infidelity?
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SPEAKING AND READING
• What do you think of online

dating and apps like Tinder,
Grinder, etc?
• Some people think they remove
the charm from traditional, face-
to-face courtship. Agree?
• Are they convenient in some
ways?
Watch the following video with comedians

going through modern day sex and dating
vocabulary. Did you know any of those words/
phrases?
READING
A quick guide to modern dating glossary
Look at the definitions of words related to modern-day (Tinder/Digital-era) dating. In pairs, try to agree
(or at least, discuss) the three you find the funniest.
Benching: not totally discarding a potential date/lover, but not actually making the move to date
them as it is not your first option. Maybe if the desired lover fails to succumb to your charm.
Catfishing: a fake profile. Usually stunningly good-looking guys/girls who would surely turn heads
on the street. And they have swiped right on YOU! Yeah, right (indeed).
Breadcrumbing: leading someone on/giving them false hope of actually having a date by dropping
subtle, misleading- but ultimately devoid of any romantic interest- hints. (Liking a photo, post,
sending kissy face emojis, etc.).
283
Zombieing/Haunting: like returning from the dead. When a

person who has previously ghosted us, subtly returns, and
sends a sporadic text, likes a photo/post of ours on social
media, just to let us know he/she’s there.
The cuffing season: settling for a partner during the fall/

winter, or those occasions when we don’t feel like going out
and looking for more partners. When sunny days and warm
nights come back, we may drop them and embark on the
uncuffing season.
Kittenfishing: a form of fraud consisting in retouching a profile

photo on a social media site/dating app so much that the
person doesn't look anything like their ludicrously airbrushed online persona.
Orbiting: much like zombieing, but on this occasion, actual physical connection (aka, “sex”) has
occurred between the orbited and orbiting people. After weeks, months, etc., of neglect, they return to
remind us they’re there.
Roaching: having multiple sexual partners at one time, yet not being honest with their dates- who are
made to believe they are the only/special ones- about it. That is, concealing that “completely irrelevant
fact”.
Thirst trap: putting a sexually alluring photo of ourselves on social media sites/apps, to either attract
many “likes” (with the subsequent ego boost), or to manage to attract the attention of a potential
lover/date and, ultimately, get laid.
Peacocking: quite illustrative; like peacocks do, the male displays an array of virtues (a costly watch,
Armani clothes, sports car, guitar playing skills, a chiseled six pack they show off on the beach…) in
front of the female with the aim of alluring her.
Tindstagramming: being swiped left (that is, not liked/

rejected) on Tinder, yet managing to find our unrequited
love on Instagram and following them. Persistence is
not always a good thing!
Microcheating: displaying half-innocent, half-

mischievous behavior (sending love emojis, provocative
messages, engaging in lewd conversations) with
someone we actually have not had any physical
encounter with and withholding it from our partner,
who most definitely, would not be happy at all with the
situation.
DTR-Conversation. Stands for “Define this Relationship”. A moment when an undefined, ambiguous
relationship needs clarification on which path needs to be taken.
Emergency Call: a fake call which saves us from a tedious date/ someone we do not want to be stuck
with. It could be an actual call made by an accomplice friend or completely feigned. Good acting skills
needed!
284
Incel: short for “involuntary celibate”. They are guys

99.999% of the time. They will settle for the bottom
of the pecking order in the sexual market and yet, not
even those female specimens reciprocate. Improve
yourselves or remain a virgin forevah! (Paying for
consensual sex could be another, less romantic and
socially/morally appropriate option).
Half-night stand: a one-night stand involves at least,

spending a night together, cigarettes after sex, having
breakfast, a nice conversation the morning after, what have you… A half-night stand, on the other hand,
involves walking away right after relieving oneself. Why lose oneself in the constraints of diplomacy?
Stashing: having a sexual relationship with a lover, yet hiding them from friends, relatives, colleagues,
etc. We all play some roles in life and theirs is not forming part of our lives outside the sack.
Stealthing: skillfully removing a contraceptive in the middle of sexual intercourse without the female
counterpart noticing. Not that condoms do not suck from time to time, but unprotected sex is riskier
than doing bungee jumping with resistance bands and this is a very dishonest thing to do, for sure.
FBO (Facebook Official): when a couple/or someone decides to let their Facebook brethren know they
are in a relationship (or conversely, they are single again). For the world to see.
Sapiosexual: when a date turns us on not due to their looks, but rather their overwhelming
intelligence and education and conversation. They say that statistically more women than men fall
under this category, but you know, that’s only statistics.
Textlationship. Self-explanatory: when a relationship is limited to text messaging. It is like forever

remaining in the WhatsApp friend zone. Bummer!
Left on Read: our message (IG, Messenger, WhatsApp…) has obviously been received by the receiver
(they continue posting stuff online and are online all the time) but is ultimately ignored. Is there a
more callous form of humiliation?
Ostriching: blocking someone because after 24 hours of being left on read after texting them, they
haven’t replied, and you would rather bury your head underground (in an ostrich fashion) and respond
with vindictiveness than cope with the embarrassment of being rejected.
285
SPEAKING
Online dating quiz
• When single, have you ever been on the dating game? Were you successful at all? If
so, what do you attribute your success/skills to?
• Do you think Internet dating/apps are the best avenue for seeking dates/sexual
partners?
• What kind of photos can make girls swipe left on dating apps? What kind of
attitudes (blusterous, cocky, overconfident?) portrayed by those can be a turnoff?
• When having a match (on Tinder, etc.) with a really attractive girl/guy, how does it
feel? Do you suspect you’ve getting catfished?
• Would it ever be justified to leave someone high and dry in the middle of a date
(bar/movie/restaurant) because you have decided you do not like them at all?
• What examples of microcheating would upset you? Which ones would not bother
you at all?
• At which point is it reasonable to have a DTR conversation in the context of a casual
relationship?
• If you had a date with someone and when they turned up, you realized you had been
kittenfished, would you be upset? Would you be rather forthright with them or
would you politely wait for the date to end?
• When going steady with someone, do you feel compelled to let others know on
social media, like making it FBO? And if becoming single, do you feel like dropping
hints online of your recent spinsterhood/bachelorhood?
• If you were Left on Read by someone you had an interest in, would that bruise your
ego, or would you instead roll with it and dust yourself off?
SECRETS, DECEPTION, AND INFIDELITY
“When you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” (Mark Twain)
When do you think that a marriage is more

vulnerable to infidelity? During which phases of the
relationship is infidelity more likely to occur?
Do you think cheating is more commonly done by

men or women? Do you think this trend has evened
out in recent times?
286
Some people argue that men feel the urge more so than women to have multiple sexual partners,
and that it is part of their biological makeup (probably as a way to excuse that behavior when it is
done by their male brethren). What do you think about this?
What are the signs of someone being unfaithful to their partner? What kind of behavior would raise a
red flag?
RED FLAG-O-METER
Rate the following signs according to the likelihood of being cheated on. From 1 red flag (nah,
some semi-innocent fishing-for-compliment-almost-micro-cheating kind of thing) to 5 red
flags (in the land of cuckoldry, you would be the king/queen)
• Your partner looks emotionally distant/absent.

• Your partner spends a lot of time on their smartphone. More than usual.
• They are busier than the Queen. Errands and social obligations at all times.
• Sudden decrease in need for sexual intimacy. They do not feel like doing it
most of the time.
• Sudden increase in need for sex. He/she is suddenly hypersexual.
• A new interest in their appearance/looks.
• Being a bit too defensive.
• Accusing YOU of being paranoid/ being hypercritical.
• Asking you about your whereabouts, schedule.
• They often come home late from work.
• Rather protective of their cellphone, laptop, etc.
• Being unreachable too often.
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LISTENING
Top signs she is cheating on you
Listen to a clip by a dating expert on signs to identify whether your- female- partner is cheating on you.
Agree with those signs?
Speaking
• What do you think makes someone cheat on

their partner? Could you brainstorm different
reasons/scenarios?
• If one has the slightest suspicion of being
cheated on, is it ok to rely on one’s gut
feeling and prompt a conversation about the
issue? Is that being too paranoid?
• Do you agree with the saying “once a
cheater, always a cheater”?
• Would you be able to forgive your partner
altogether if they had been unfaithful to you?
Check Speaking Mastery: “Secrets, Deception, and Infidelity”
288
The science of cheating, according to Evolutionary Psychology
Listen to an interview with evolutionary

psychologist Saad Gad on the biological
and evolutionary implications of infidelity.
Choose the right answer (a, b, or c).
1. The experiment Gad refers to…

a. Identified sense of humor with a sign of romantic connection.
b. Measured fluctuations of stress levels in the participants.
c. Revealed low levels of stress in hypothetical sexual infidelity in female participants.
2. About male participants in the experiment and the results revealed, it is said that…
a. The possibility of raising another male’s offspring is highly undesirable for men.
b. Their aversion to sexual infidelity in their female partners is the result of social
conditioning.
c. They showed little physiological distress before imaginary scenarios of romantic
infidelity.
3. About patterns of infidelity between men and women it is mentioned that…
a. Even a one-time affair can pre.date the demise of a relationship.
b. Infidelity in a husband is seldom forgiven.
c. Men trying to get away with denying any emotional connection will not succeed.
4. About the evolutionary component of infidelity, Sad concludes that...
a. Even sound theories cannot be taken at face value.
b. Our sense of morality is stronger than our sexual desires.
c. Our religious beliefs mitigate our natural urges.
1 2 3 4
! Source: JRE Clips
289
MEDIATION
Infidelity statistics
Context
You are studying a degree in Human Development and

Family Studies at the College of Health and Human
Development in Pennsylvania State University.
Your final year dissertation is centered on how technologies

have impacted human relationships and, more specifically,
whether romantic relationships are more vulnerable or not
and tend to last less on average, as a result of the use of
Internet technology and social media.
You are going to introduce your dissertation with some

information about statistics regarding infidelity, interplaying
with different factors (familial, social, and technological),
focused on women aged between 16 and 29. You want
to address both the causes and potential solutions to the
problem: whether in the face of challenges this complicated,
a relationship is doomed or not.
Use the statistics in the following page to include the information

you deem more relevant to your presentation (3-4 minutes)
290
SPEAKING
Topic. Online Dating. Secrets, Lies, Infidelity
Even if you could forgive an infidelity, would you give your partner the
benefit of the doubt and continue with the relationship?
In which ways can someone try to gaslight another person, in the event of
an infidelity? And in a different context?
When someone finds out they have been cheated on for a long time, who
do you think has a harder time living it down, them or the cheater?
Psychologists and relationship counselors advise that if in a relationship
there has been an infidelity- either one of them, or both partners-, if they
decide to stay together, they should wipe the slate clean. Do you think it is
possible? Or easy?
Do you agree that during the midlife crisis, it is more likely that
unfaithfulness can occur? Are there other life stages during which infidelity
is equally or more likely to occur?
Have you ever let slip some secret because you were tipsy or just by
accident?
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PART 3
TOXIC
RELATIONSHIPS.
CHOOSING YOUR
TRIBE
“
"Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky."
Robert Greene
SMALL
TALK
“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. Do
you agree?
Do you think your social circle on the whole has had a good influence on
you? Do you think friends, partners and colleagues can get us closer to our
life goals? Do you think they can push us away from them?
Do you have an eye for people who possess negative qualities? Have you
had bad experiences with some sort of negative relationship in the past?
Have you learned anything positive from those negative experiences?
292
Gapped text
Read the following article and complete the missing lines with the statements below. There are three statements
you do not need.
Find Your Tribe
Have you ever heard of the line “You are the average of the 5 people you spend most time with”?
Another goes “If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room”. … and the
list goes on and on…“Don’t be the big fish in a small pond”. “Show me your friends and I will show
you your future”. “Eagles don’t fly with pigeons”. What about the theory on the “crab mentality”? (1)
_________ Is that not too centered on achievement, success, at the expense of simply good clean
fun and bonding with one another? Does this mean I should quit my friends because they are not
making millions and they do not grind it out in the gym every goddamned day and oh, God forbid,
every now and then, they like getting pissed and talking gibberish? Sheer elitism, if you ask me. (2)
___________ A quick venture on YouTube will have you exposed to dozens of “don’t hang out with
losers”-type videos. Jeez, that is cruel, isn’t it?
I'm not so sure. However deplorable a message seems to appear on the surface, I always
recommend people play devil’s advocate, step out of their unwavering beliefs, and try to find some
validity in it. (3) _________________. I guess it has to do with your values and priorities in life and
whether your social circle is somehow aligned with those and is, therefore, more likely to get you
closer to these goals or, on the contrary, not in line with those at all (more like the opposite) and
they end up impairing your journey. Another stark reality is that well, one only gets to live one life.
(4) _____________ and not get caught up in a never-ending, and at times absurd pursuit of success,
the same principle applies to not renouncing one’s calling, sleepwalking through life, and refusing to
progress and evolve, for a disproportionate sense of fellowship with people that do not really care
that much about you, in the first place.
(5) ___________________. A true friend would be happy to see you mature, grow, and even succeed,
and will never hold it against you, or throw some ambivalent remark, probably out of envy or
resentment with themselves. If you identify patterns of patent disagreeableness, frustration turned
outward, or subtle signs of hostility in people of even your close circle, there is no written (or
unwritten, for that matter) law which says you should stick with them. (6) _______________ . Nothing
too raucous, mind you. Skip the drama if you will, but make sure you part ways with them, albeit in
the most diplomatic and amicable way possible, for sure.
A. And this is what I have done with the whole find-your-tribe concept.
B. Are those not too many dogmas on the ancient art of just socializing and procuring
oneself with friends, or like-minded individuals?
C. I always failed to do exactly this in the past.
D. Let them figure out the source of their misery and kick them out of your life before it
is too late.
293
E. The reality is that spiteful people do exist.

F. These messages seem to contradict each other.
G. This also evokes the concept of toxic relationships.
H. This is hustle culture overrunning the world of relationships.
I. While this is a reason powerful enough to cherish true friendship, remain loyal to
one’s buddies.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Copyright: Javier Blanco Pérez
SPEAKING
Toxic relationships
The online relationship counseling service

Ask Ally has asked their users to come clean
about poisonous, harmful, dysfunctional
(aka “toxic”) relationships. In order to offer
better advice, they are trying to compile
useful information and experiences from
subscribers of their YouTube channel and
Web users, on an online discussion forum.
These are the different issues they have asked

their users to share their views about:
• Are we attracted to our polar opposites?

• What are, in your view, the signs of a toxic relationship?
• When looking for a partner/making friends, are people usually drawn to the wrong
type? In those cases, why do you think that is?
• What makes some people linger on a toxic relationship?
• “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but not the beam in your own?”
We can be pretty judgmental of others’- allegedly toxic- relationships but are way
more lenient/lax when it comes to finding fault with our own. Agree?
294
• Have you ever felt like you were walking on eggshells in a relationship (friendship/
couple relationship)?
• When dealing with a particularly domineering partner, how can one tell it is just
“tough love” and not controlling behavior/ emotional abuse?
• If you were aware about a close friend/family member who is trapped in a toxic
relationship, would you advise them against the person? How would you approach
the issue?
• There is a degree of intensity in toxic relationships which makes them quite addictive.
Agree? Is there anything we can do about it? Is it just part of our nature?
• Do you agree with the saying “familiarity breeds contempt”? What do you think it
means?
• Have you ever been close friends with someone but ended up growing/drifting
apart? What happened?
• After falling out with a friend/ an acrimonious split, do you think it is possible to
make up and remain good friends?
WRITING
Pick from 1 to 3 of the speaking topics above and write a post for the discussion forum on Ask Ally’s website.
(200-250 words each).
A Post in a Discussion Forum
The Goal of a Post in a Discussion Forum
The stylistic aspects which define this writing type have already been described in unit 1 (page 49).
However, on this occasion, the topic is different and (in this case) you are meant to be informative and
to share with the rest of the users/members of the forum your own experiences in the hope that a)
these experiences will resonate with them and b) that these members can learn from your mistakes
(i.e.: I made all these mistakes so that you don't have to!).
Some suggestions
As this is not a cookie-cutter type of writing where you are supposed to display your ideas following
a certain sequence, and your ideas (i.e.; content) is arguably more important than form (like paragraph
organization, etc.), we suggest that you strive to be as emphatic and meaningful as possible (by using
specific language related to the topic of relationships gone sour and also advanced vocabulary and
grammar which makes your message more captivating): "I held on a relationship which turned out
to be utterly destructive, but in hindsight it was evident that I wasn't able to see the writing on the
wall..."
Check Speaking Mastery Language Activation for language suggestions to spice up your writing.
295
Pre-writing lead-in- LISTENING- 5 warning signs HE’S poisonous for you.
One of their relationship coaches, Matthew Hussey, uploaded an audio clip to help users
identify whether they could be involved in a toxic, abusive relationship. He identifies five
behavioral patterns in toxic partners. Which are they? What are they characterized by?
What does he say about the following?
1. Your partner one-upping you (i.e.: trying to gain advantage over sb/outperforming sb).
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Having to walk/tread on eggshells when talking about complicated issues.
__________________________________________________________________________
3. The root of all evil.
__________________________________________________________________________
4. My strength feeds on your weakness.
__________________________________________________________________________
5. Brushing off your accomplishments.
__________________________________________________________________________
6. Partnering with a teamplayer
__________________________________________________________________________
! Source: Matthew Hussey
296
Post-listening activation:
Can you think of other symptoms of unhealthy, unsupportive, undesirable relationships?
Do these signs tend to appear mostly within romantic relationships, or can they also be
found in other types of relationships?
Did you ever experience something similar in any kind of relationship?
SPEAKING
Eliminating Toxic Influences
Context
You work as a school counselor in a high school in Richmond, Virginia. You have a degree in social
work and specialized in socio-emotional mediation.
One of the students -Sasha, 16- is having a hard time keeping up with her studies lately, showing
inconsistent behavior, bouts of anxiety and depression, and even flirting with substances. You have
been informed that it could be the result of getting involved with an older person that may be a bad
influence for her- Nick, a 19-year-old guy who dropped out of school and has been involved in various
petty crimes-; in short, she seems to be engaged in an inappropriate relationship way too soon.
You receive a copy of a leaflet on how to detect and eliminate toxic relationships from the Mental
Health Association of America at the school counseling department and you think some information
in it may be useful for Sasha. You ask her homeroom teacher to grant you an interview with her, as
you would like her to spot some of those signs in Nick and decide for herself whether she should
leave the relationship and turn her life around.
Task: You will call Sasha and will get through the most relevant information on the leaflet on the following
pages:
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298
299
SPEAKING
Topic. Bad Companies and Toxic Relationships
Have you ever felt that you were holding on to a relationship for too long?
Can you think of a relationship you or someone else were in which lasted a
couple of months or even years too many?
Are there any situations, in some specific social situations where you feel
like you have to walk on eggshells with what you say, so as not to upset
someone?
Have you ever met someone (friend, partner, lover, coworker, family
member) who would always try to one-up (i.e.: outclassing/outdoing) you
whenever you were speaking about something, trying to either downplay
your anecdote/achievement, or draw attention to him/herself? Is that
common in many relationships?
Can you think of a person that you know who you would describe as a bit
clingy?
Do you think that controlling/manipulative individuals and insecure/
dependent ones tend to naturally match up and feed off each other?
If a friend/partner started to find fault with different aspects of you, would
you steer clear/step away from him/her?
Some people believe that after a painful breakup, when people get
together with a new partner, especially if they are of a gentle/kind type,
they might miss the previous excitement, even if it included a great deal of
toxicity. Do you think we sometimes tend to covet what we don’t have?
300
PART 4
BOUNCING BACK FROM

BREAKUPS. FIXING
RELATIONSHIPS.
GROWING AND
MATURING FROM
RELATIONSHIPS
“You took my dreams from me when I first found you. I kept them babe, I put them
“
with my own. Can’t make it all alone; I’ve built my dreams around you.”
The Pogues “Fairytale of New York”
SMALL
TALK
Have you ever broken up with someone or been broken up with? If so, how
do you remember the experience?
How important is communication in a relationship? How would you
describe communication in YOUR relationship?
Why do so many relationships fail? What do you think are the most
frequent reasons for couples to break up?
Why do, on the other hand, some couples succeed to have long-lasting,
reasonably happy relationships/marriages? What is their secret?
301
SPEAKING: QUESTIONNAIRE
How good is communication in your relationship?
Answer the following questions in your pairs. Decide which of the options given
reflects your opinion best.
1. You and your partner have been going out for a couple of years but have not lived together
yet. He/she throws out the idea of shacking up, but you are not sure, as you really cherish your
independence and having your own space. What do you do?
a. Maybe he/she is right. True love is about compromising. And our relationship will
really flourish that way.
b. You give in and accept trying it out, yet unwillingly/reluctantly. Time will tell if that
was the best option.
c. I give it some thought and write a decision matrix with pros and cons of living
together and whatever option wins will be my choice and I will stick to it.
d. I will try to dissuade him/her. Maybe we are doing so well because we don't live
together!
2. Your partner has let himself/herself go quite a bit and has gained 10 pounds in the last year.
Nothing irreversible which cannot be undone by getting on track again, but he/she resembles
little the person you fell in love with. What do you do?
a. What do you expect? Beauty fades away and true love lies inside. I love my partner
anyway. I would roll with it.
b. I would drop some hints: buy him/her a gym membership/sport shoes, withhold sex
for some time… just to see if he/she gets the hint.
c. If you can’t beat’em, join’em! I would strike back by letting myself go too!
d. I would have a conversation, though a polite one, about the issue and suggest that
he/she get back in shape,.
3. Your partner has been terribly busy lately and completely forgets about your birthday. You used to
do something special, but unfortunately, not this time. What do you do?
a. That’s life. Nothing to make a big fuss about. We’ll make up for it next time. No big
deal.
b. I would be in a sulk for a couple of days, just to see if they get why I am upset.
c. I would just bring out the subject and suggest that we go out and enjoy ourselves, if
not exactly on the given date.
d. I would prompt a conversation about his/her attitude about work, as it could be
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detrimental to our relationship.
4. Do you ever talk about sex in your relationship?
a. Do you really need to TALK about sex? Is that not something that happens
spontaneously?
b. Let us face it, passion fades away. As time goes by, mutual understanding, respect,
and confidence are much more important.
c. Sex? What is that? The last time my partner and I had physical intimacy Britney
Spears still looked young and naïve!
d. I think it is a good idea to have satisfying sexual relationships for a long time. And I
think it is necessary to keep the flame alive. Otherwise, you do not know if we are
doing that well in the sack.
Jim Jefferies about the Decline of

Marriage
Listen to this funnny clip by Australian

comedian Jim Jefferies on the decline
of marriage on Western civilization and
choose, in the questions below, the
right option (a, b, or c) according to the
information you hear.
1. What point does Jim make when comparing marriage with Blues Traveler, Air Pump Sneakers,
and smoking in hospitals?
a. Just like those, its demise will be inevitable eventually.
b. Millennials are unfamiliar with all of these.
c. They are all trends which did not stick.
2. Why does he deem marriage something unnatural?
a. Long lasting marriages are an anomaly.
b. People are skeptical about couples succeeding after many years of marriage.
c. Mutual contentment in a long marriage is very unusual.
3. What was marriage originally meant for?
a. A way to spread one’s genetic material.
b. One’s physical integrity was more likely.
c. Procurement of food was easier.
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4. Why is he so skeptical about happiness and fulfilment to be found in marriage?
a. It is practically impossible to find a so-called soulmate out there.
b. Over the last years, the goals in a relationship have shifted.
c. We place too high expectations on a romantic relationship.
5. How does he regard marriage in relation to its evolution over time?
a. It is antiquated.
b. It is incompatible with feminist ideas.
c. It is sexist.
6. Why would he not bother to ask his wife to change her second name?
a. He does not care about people’s prejudices and opinions.
b. Her discontent would make it obvious that she is engaged to him.
c. The idea of a woman “belonging” to him seems ridiculous.
7. What other alternative to marriage does he suggest?
a. Having a relationship without the pressure of a binding commitment.
b. Setting clear limits about what would end a relationship.
c. Thinking of a current relationship as a steppingstone.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
! Source: Comedy Central
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SPEAKING
How to bounce back from breakups. Creating nurturing, healthy relationships
“Choose not to be harmed, and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed, and you’ve never been.”
(Marcus Aurelius)
Speaking
What do you think makes relationships so complicated? (If you think they are complicated, that is).
Why are divorces and breakups more frequent than in the past?
“It’s not you, it’s me…” what to do after a breakup
You have just stepped out of a relationship.

You have either broken up with a partner,
been broken up with or it may have been a
consensual decision. Either way, it hurts.
Which of the following strategies are

in your view the best way to handle a
breakup? Which are the worst?
• Break the news on social media to get your online friends’ comfort and support.
• Meet with friends so that they can give you their advice, viewpoint, etc.
• Seek your ex out on social media. Put some nice, attractive photos, make them long
for you and win him/her back.
• Don’t listen to music that reminisces of the relationship. Yeah, THAT song ;-)
• Go out, socialize, drink a bit, and party the pain away.
• Take a timeout from social media. A break, a hiatus from it all.
• Don’t shy away from the pain. Revel, wallow in it, even. It can be a source of growth.
• Think about everything that was wrong about your ex-partner, so that you can
move on more easily.
• Spend some time alone; find time for self-reflection and introspection. To figure out
what YOU want.
• Get some dates, sleep around, so you alleviate the pain of losing your ex.
• Build yourself up. Improve yourself. Work out, get back in shape, read, start that
project, take up hobbies…
• Stop being friends on social media. Block them on WhatsApp, etc. Burn all bridges.
• Throw away stuff that reminds you of them (gifts, clothes, photos…)
• Be a bit selfish. Treat yourself. Take that trip you always wanted.
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Debate: creating nurturing, healthier relationships
Heartbreak, breakups, splitting up, separation…

They all do suck but, how can we learn from
mistakes we made in our previous relationships?
How do we make sure that for once, THIS ONE
is going to be the one? How can we become
great partners while being true and honest to
ourselves?
• What about knowing the deal-breakers? Non-negotiables? What are yours?

• What about NOT trying to find the right person and becoming the right person?
• Should we expect a problem-free relationship? Is it a question of character/
personality?
• Should we accept conflict/arguing/obstacles as being inherent to relationships? To
what extent?
• Should we try to become better listeners? And better communicators?
• Should we develop a true, sincere interest in another person?
• Should we try to cultivate empathy? Look at things from another person’s
perspective?
• Should we stop making our significant other the center of our universe?
• Should we, at the same time, put their interests before ours? Should we be able to
set limits and hold our ground?
• Should we try and enjoy their presence AND their absence?
306
SPEAKING
Topic. Bad Companies and Toxic Relationships
Is it important that two people in a relationship are on the same page/wavelength
about most things? About some basic things? Which?
After a complicated breakup, is it usual that someone may want to trade down/aim
lower in relation to new partners so as to spare themselves new complications and
problems?
When starting a relationship with someone (friendship, romantic, professional, etc.),
what type of behaviors need to be nipped in the bud?
How long do you think it takes to fully bounce back from a breakup? Does it depend
on any factor? Which?
Can you remember the last time you really dropped the ball in your relationship with
someone?
When do you think it is the right time to shack up with someone you have met and
have had a nice relationship with?
What can people do to build themselves up after a painful breakup?
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UNIT 8. AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT
8
AMUSING OURSELVES
TO DEATH
Instant gratification
and the pleasure trap. Mental health.
Social media and violence
“
“Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.”
Jerzy Gregorek
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ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 8. AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH
About this unit

The eighth unit of the English Mastery course tackles a rather complex and even delicate topic: health.
A long time ago, the concept of health was subject to a change of paradigm and was no longer limited
to “the absence of illness or injury”. Concepts like “wellness”, or “holistic health” (encompassing
physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and mental health) have gained ground among the medical
profession, therapists and even many citizens, all of whom understand that “being healthy” is more
akin to the ideas of fulfilment, happiness, joy, or flourishing, than to getting ok results in our yearly
medical checkup. An aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown was a spike in a
variety of mental and emotional disorders in people of all ages and circumstances, so the importance of
mental health cannot be understated and it needs to be dealt with, which we will do in the present unit.
The first section, titled “The Pleasure Trap. Modern Addictions” addresses- obviously- addictions
(most will automatically think of substance addiction, though their scope is way more far-reaching
than that), but also links them to humans’ propensity for instant gratification, conservation of energy
and avoidance of pain (the three main components of the pleasure principle), which have proved
beneficial for the survival of our species, and are, as a result, deeply rooted in us. The problem seems
to be, however, that those primal instincts have not been tamed that much and have not been able
to keep up with environmental and technological changes. In short, while that pleasure seeking
mechanism allowed humans to survive and perpetuate the species in hostile environments (by having
access to food, shelter, sex, etc.), the behaviors that ensue due to said mechanism can be much more
detrimental in an era of plenty, abundance and constant stimulation, (hence, instant gratification),
overrun with technology to spare us effort (conservation of energy), and all kind of amenities to
protect us from any harshness and inclemency (avoidance of pain).
The second part addresses one of today's most pressing addictions: the ever-present social media.
Along with food, it is one of the most ubiquitous and easily accessible forms of instant gratification
and has impacted the lives and habits of both digital natives and immigrants, even turning the- in
theory- more mature and educated among us into validation and acceptance junkies. Heck, who does
not enjoy a nice compliment? And while these technologies and platforms may be a recent invention,
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vanity, narcissism, and the need to belong are urges probably as old as humankind itself. And when
this thirst for the approval of others cannot be quenched and becomes insatiable, then we have a
problem. Is a digital detox a plausible solution? Let’s look into it.
The third part of the unit deals with human movement (a concept whose scope is broader than
what we understand as "exercise"), but also violence- analyzing both violent instincts remaining in
today’s humans, and the use of violence to intimidate and coerce other humans-. It may sound like
an unexpected topic but, unfortunately, violence is more present in our world than we would like
(wars, riots, abuse, oppression, persecution…). However, are societies becoming less violent and more
civilized? Are they, on the contrary, evolving to be more dehumanized and hostile? If these and other
topics lead to thought-provoking and engrossing discussions, they will have served their purpose.
Today’s world is one where appearance, looks and image are emphasized and paid a lot of attention
to. And in this context, fitness (or “The Fitness Industry”) has thrived and turned into a form of
escapism for many, for whom conforming to a specific body type ended up becoming the sole
reason for their existence. Should then “fitness” (in the sense of attention paid to physical exercise,
nutrition, and recovery) be disqualified altogether? Well, no if it helps one improve their physical,
emotional, mental, and social health, or their mobility, flexibility, athletic capabilities (i.e.: what their
bodies are capable of doing), vigor and energy levels. That would be like ruling out medicines and
vaccines for potential adverse side-effects resulting from an overdose. Besides, much has been said
about the health (and let’s face it, aesthetic) benefits of exercising more, eating a more nutritious and
balanced diet, and paying enough attention to rest and stress management, but the influence it has
on people’s mental and emotional health, as well as in forging one’s self-esteem is often understated.
We sometimes tend to have an “all-or-nothing” kind of mindset, and have a dichotomous way of
thinking, like “you can either cultivate the body or the mind, but not the two simultaneously”, as if
taking care of one’s intellect and education, but also physical health were incompatible. We think that
it is possible to reap the benefits of all the former. Let’s discuss this and much more, shall we?
Enjoy!
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Table of Contents
Reading
The Infantilization of Western Culture. (Multiple Choice)
Amusing Ourselves to Death. (Word Formation)
Cry Havoc! and let Slip the Dogs of War. (Gapped Paragraph)
About the Importance of NEAT. (T/F)
Listening
The Dietary Pleasure Trap. (T/F)
Social Media as a Pleasure Trap. (Multiple Choice)
Strength and Conditioning in UFC. (Multiple Choice)
Debate over Defunding Police Continues at Seattle City Hall. (Sentence Completion)
The untold truth about Bodybuilding (T/F)
Flexible Dieting vs. Intuitive Eating. (Sentence Completion)
Oral Mediation
A Quick Visual Guide to Macros.
Written/Oral Mediation
How to Kip Up.
Vocabulary
Advanced Vocabulary for Movement
Fight for your life
Speaking
The Pleasure Trap.
The Social Dilemma.
Violence, Fighting and Order.
The Fitness Industry.
Written Production
A post on a Reddit thread
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PART 1
THE PLEASURE
TRAP. MODERN
ADDICTIONS
“What comes easy won’t last; what lasts won’t come easy.”
“
Jacob C. Smith
SMALL
TALK
Do you think modern societies are too centered on obtaining pleasure and
immediate gratification? Do you think this may interfere with our long-term goals?
Are cravings and addictions (alcohol, social media, food, TV, video games,
smartphones, shopping and consuming, sex…) more common nowadays than
they used to be in the past? Are there things (like exercising, work, or even
romantic love) that if done excessively could also be a problem? When could
these activities turn into a problem?
Is there anything (working out, watching sports, videogames, certain foods, or
drinks, etc.) you think you could not live without. In case you have any, how do
you manage to curb them?
Do you ever pursue goals/want to satisfy some urges or desires, but as soon as
you get them, you are no longer contented? If so, why do you think this happens?
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UNIT 8. AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH
ENGLISH MASTERY
VOCABULARY: MODERN-DAY ADDICTIONS
Listen to a clip. Do you agree that all people are slave to something?
What do the following words have in common? Do they have exactly the same meaning? Order
them according to how serious you think they are (from 1-the least serious- to 8- the most
serious.
a) Detrimental
b) Pernicious
c) Fatal
d) Adverse
e) Counterproductive
f) Deadly
g) (Self-)Destructive
h) Harmful
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Match the expressions in the left column (1-10) with the definitions in the right column (a-j)
1 To catch up with sb a To lose self-restraint

2 To quit cold turkey b To be high on drugs
3 To hold accountable c To succumb to temptation
4 To stuff your face d To become uncontrollable
5 To give in to e To return to a worse condition, after a period of re-
covery
6 Strung out f To have a sense of restraint

7 Go overboard g To binge on food
8 To hold oneself back h To bear the consequences of some action
9 To spiral out of control i To lead to unpleasant consequences in the mid/long
run
10 To relapse j Sudden withdrawal from an addiction, with no plan

or gradual approach
313
SPEAKING
On the nature of addiction
In your pairs/ groups try and come up with a definition which describes the different shades of meaning
of the concept “addiction”.
Discuss in groups/pairs:
Which of the following addictions do you think is more serious/worrying?
Can you discuss the risks that each one entails for someone’s personal life and health?
Which addictions/behaviors are more socially stigmatized?
What advice would you give to a friend who was addicted to each of these?
Validation online Caffeine

Alcohol Dating/casual sex
Exercise Weed
Self-image Work
Spending/consuming Cocaine
Food Video games
Porn
Can you think of any other substances/behaviors which have not been included here but should have?
314
MENTAL HEALTH, ADDICTIONS AND INSTANT GRATIFICATION
The Mukbanging Phenomenon: taking Bingeing to the next level
About the term “Mukbang”?
Mukbang is a South Korean term, which results from the combination of the words “meokneun”
(eating) and “bangsong” (broadcast). Mukbangs are video challenges which involve a streamer eating
enormous amounts of food in front of their audience and interacting with them. These kind of videos
have been extremely popular on YouTube, and while they originated in South Korea, Hong-Kong
and other Far East countries, they soon caught on in the West. The Ukrainian-American YouTuber
Nikocado Avocado (born Nicholas Perry) is arguably the most renowned Mukbanger of the last
years, with his YouTube channel boasting more than 3 million subscribers.
Task: watch the following video and tick, in the box below, the issues/personal problems which are
mentioned in it:
Acknowledging compen- Feigning ignorance of his Sleeping problems

satory mechanisms weight gain
Being on the verge of a Financial struggles Switching diets
heart attack
Bipolar personality dis- Increasing appetite Tribalism of Internet Com-
order munities
Bouts of hysteria Infidelity Viewers egging him on
Drawing a line that Refusing to change his Weight gain denial

should not be crossed lifestyle
Exploitation of emotional Sexual dysfunction Weight spiraling out of con-
breakdowns trol
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WRITING: MODERN-DAY ADDICTIONS
The Mukbanging Phenomenon: taking Bingeing to the next level
Which are the key takeaways from this short documentary, in your opinion?
Write a brief summary/review of the video “The Tragic Transformation of Nikocado Avocado”,
including your conclusions about both this particular case and the Mukbang phenomenon.
• Do you see it as a passing trend/fad?
• Do you think, instead, that it is indeed worrying, and that parents/educators should be
concerned? Who are more vulnerable to this phenomenon?
• Is there anything that schools/parents can do in order to prevent behaviors like these (and others
involving addictive/compulsive behaviors or mindless consumption), which are oftentimes fueled
by social media?
(200-225 words)
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READING AND USE OF ENGLISH
Amusing ourselves to death. The pleasure trap and the paradox of hedonism
explained
Word formation
Read the text below and complete the gaps by changing the word in brackets (1-8) so that it fits in the
space in the same line. The first word has been done as an example.
Pleasure seeking, pain avoidance and conservation of energy are principles which seem to be 0.
(WIRE)- hardwired- into our DNA and motivate the behaviors of not only us humans, but most living
organisms. This is a survival mechanism which has allowed us to essentially circumvent death, spare
ourselves a great deal of unnecessary suffering, and perpetuate the species in this way. The trend,
for sure continues up to this day, and perhaps, 1. ___________ (ADVERT), has led to a wide array of
problems, including obesity, overspending, gambling, alcoholism, pornography addiction, Internet and
social media overuse, and many other sorts of addictions. In our modern world, in most countries,
we are not subjected to the same 2. _________(DEATH) hazards as our fellow cavemen were and
the majority of our basic physiological needs (food, shelter, healthcare assistance…) can be satisfied,
but the pleasure principle remains so deeply rooted in us, that the behaviors that ensue from it can
surely be 3. _______________ (PRODUCTION). Conservation of energy, avoidance of pain and pursuit
of pleasure 4. _____________ (DISPOSITION) us to seeking immediate gratification and avoiding
long-term reward, which tends to correlate more with ultimate gratification and happiness. We are
also inclined to rely to much on these transient 5. __________ (BODY) pleasures, to the extent that it
becomes a problem. One thing is giving in to these short-term treats, another altogether different is 6.
__________ (INDULGENCE) with no sense of moderation, which in turn also distorts our tolerance to
the substance or behavior we are so drawn to, to the degree that the amount of it which could quench
our thirst in the past is no longer 7. _________________ (PLEASE) enough. We need to eat more of
it, buy more stuff, spend more, go back to our cellphone notifications more often, watch more porn
and of a more depraved type, etc. And this is doubly insidious, as none of those sources of fleeting
contentment are conducive to real, sustainable happiness and long-term satisfaction. This apparent
8. ____________ (CONGRUENT) between short-term pleasure and long-term happiness ultimately
explains the pleasure paradox.
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SPEAKING
Exhibit A: (Unhealthy) Food Addiction
“Most Americans are obese because the easiest and cheapest instant gratification comes from food.”
(MJ de Marco, “The Millionaire Fastlane”)
Small talk
Have you heard of the terms “Foodie” or “Food Porn” on social media? Some people just do not
care much about food (it is just a source of energy and nothing else), while for some others it is a
cornerstone in their personal and social life. Where do you stand?
Is there any type of food you cannot get enough of? Is there any food or drink you think people tend
to eat or drink compulsively/mindlessly or find it difficult to consume in moderation?
If one day you overindulge or binge on some food/drink, do you ever feel miserable or disappointed?
Do you ever punish yourself and try to offset it by eating too little or fasting for long periods of time
afterwards? Do you just enjoy it, as it is not something you do
every day?
Why do you think those foods which people tend to overeat

are precisely the ones which are more conducive to health
problems? (Obesity, diabetes, etc.)
Do you think it is challenging to consistently eat a healthy

diet? If so, what are the biggest obstacles?
“Instant Gratification.
Addictions and the Pleasure
Trap”
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LISTENING
The dietary pleasure trap
Listen to a TED Talk with Douglas Lisle, a clinical psychologist, where he discusses the concept of the
dietary pleasure trap.
Which SIX of the following ideas are mentioned during his talk?
A. Disruption of living organisms' environment leads to deadly consequences.

B. Consumption of junk food is higher than ever.
C. Humans do better with plant-based diets.
D. Sugary and fatty foods stimulate pleasure chemicals.
E. Tolerance to energy-dense food decreases over time.
F. People are not aware of the consequences of their poor eating habits.
G. We are wired to find whole foods pleasurable.
H. Nutrients are lost during food processing.
I. Long-term health is not a priority for obese people.
J. 24-hour fasting (i.e.: no food or fluids) is the first step to cleanse one's organism.
K. Fasting enhances our sense of taste.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: TED Talks
319
Exhibit B: Pornography and the hypersexualized society
Trivia: at the beginning of the Covid-19

lockdown in Spain, in March 2020, the online
platform Pornhub offered free access to all
interested users, allegedly to “alleviate” their
ordeal. What is your stance on this?
Do you think pornography has any adverse effect on viewers? In their emotional wellbeing? Overall
mental health? Physical health? Social adjustment? Their personal/romantic relationships?
Listen to someone talking about watching pornography. What does he say about the following?
• Pornography as a dopamine trap.

• A substitute for human relationships.
• VR Porn.
• Celebrities.
• Hypergamy.
• The hypersexualized society and lack of focus.
• Pornography as a risk for long term relationships.
• Withholding information.
Do you think that sex/sexual degeneracy/objectification of women is pushed through the media/
mainstream entertainment?
Do you think this tends to banalize sexual relationships and human connection?
Is this attitude too puritanical/conservative in your opinion? Are you more of a live and let live kind of
person?
Source: Mike Matthews Podcast
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UNIT 8. AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH
ENGLISH MASTERY
SPEAKING
Topic. The Pleasure Trap. Modern Addictions
When you are on holiday (Christmas, summer…), do you usually go

overboard with spending, eating, drinking, or do you manage to do those
in moderation?
Is there a dividing line between enjoying something immensely (social
drinking, food, sex, work, shopping…), and calling yourself an addict? When
should someone consider seeking professional help?
Sometimes, when people are feeling down, many of them choose to try
to drink or party the pain away. Have you tried doing that yourself? If so,
does it work? Do you think it works for most people?
When you are really looking forward to having a GREAT time, how do you
choose to get your rocks off?
Have you ever binge-watched Netflix or any of your favorite shows/TV
series for hours? If so, which has been your most extreme case of binge-
watching?
When you let your hair down and party/drink/eat or spend probably more
than you should, but only occasionally, do you manage to not worry about
it, or do you fear that it could catch up with you?
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PART 2
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDICTION.
DIGITAL DETOX
“Sometimes you have to give up on impressing people.

Not because you do not care, but because THEY don’t.”
“
SMALL
TALK
What is your relationship with social media? Do you use them very often? What
for?
Do you think people lived happier lives before the arrival of social media?
It getting people’s approval and validation important to you? Why do you think
people use filters to alter their image online?
What do you think of the idea of a digital detox? Would that impair your everyday
life significantly?
322
LISTENING
Listen to a clip about social media addiction:
Discuss the following in pairs/groups:
• Are you aware of compulsive/obsessive behaviors when it comes to your use of

smartphones or social media?
• What do you think of the strategies suggested in the clip?
• Some experts link the overuse of social media and seeking validation with higher
prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression. Any theory on why this may be?
• Have you ever suffered from the phantom vibration syndrome?
• Do you sometimes feel the urge of constantly checking your phone (for texts,
notifications, etc.)? Do you sometimes suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
Does this prevent you from quitting/checking out from social media?
• Are social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, other…) a form of
escapism?
• Do you feel compelled to reply to all WhatsApp texts messages/emails as soon as
you receive them? Do you think these mediums have enforced a new type of tyranny
(i.e.: the so-called “Tyranny of Email”)?
• How can one distinguish genuine acts of generosity/charity/kindheartedness or
goodness online from mere virtue signaling?
! Source: Paul Joseph Watson’s YouTube Channel
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Social media as a pleasure trap
Multiple choice test
Listen to Dr. Jen Howk, a social

scientist, discuss on the “Beat Your
Genes” podcast the perils of social
media and their addictive nature.
Choose the right option (a, b, or c)
from the questions below:
1. The comparisons between social media and slot machines are used to show...
a. How the people designing both devices are aware of their addictive nature.
b. The disproportionate number of times we go back to our social media.
c. The unpredictability which makes both so addictive.
2. In relation to our attention being hijacked by social media, she says that
a. It leads to a feeling of failure.
b. It is intentionally created to be like that.
c. Social media users should not worry too much about it.
3. According to the specialist, Instagram differs from Facebook, Twitter, and others in that...
a. Instagram is less focused on bonding with the community.
b. Instagram is more banal and frivolous.
c. Other apps are more centered on users’ social standing.
4. What does the “Self-control” app do?
a. Force you to avoid distractions and be more focused.
b. Help you make better choices about Internet use while doing something cognitively
demanding.
c. Limit the number of sites you can access in a given time.
5. How can the so-called “Pseudo Esteem “concept be traced back to our ancestors?
a. In the past we also would be alert to different social signals.
b. Back then, we would use social information to compete with our peers.
c. Our ancestors also wanted to be aware of what was said about them.
6. About making public statements online, people are so drawn to it because...
a. Backing down from those declarations is harder once they have been made public.
b. Of sheer stubborness when it comes to rejecting contrary evidence.
c. Of a sense of identity with one’s opinion.
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1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Beat your Genes Podcast
Exam Practice
Multiple Choice Test
The Infantilization of Western Culture
Read the following article, and for the questions below, decide which option (a, b, or c) is the correct one,
according to the information in the text. Write the correct option in the answer box.
If you regularly watch TV, you’ve probably seen a cartoon bear pitching you toilet paper, a gecko with
a British accent selling you auto insurance and a bunny in sunglasses promoting batteries. This has
always struck me as a bit odd. Sure, it makes sense to use cartoon characters to sell products to kids
– a phenomenon that’s been well-documented.
But why are advertisers using the same techniques on adults? To me, it is just one symptom of a
broader trend of infantilization in Western culture. It began before the advent of smartphones and
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social media. But, as I argue in my book “The Terminal Self,” our everyday interactions with these
computer technologies have accelerated and normalized our culture’s infantile tendencies.
Society-wide arrested development
The dictionary defines infantilizing as treating

someone “as a child or in a way that denies
their maturity in age or experience.” What’s
considered age-appropriate or mature is
obviously quite relative. But most societies and
cultures will deem behaviors appropriate for
some stages of life, but not others.
As the Bible puts it in 1 Corinthians 13:11,

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put childish ways
behind me.”
Some psychologists will be quick to note that not everyone puts their “childish ways” behind them.
You can become fixated at a particular stage of development and fail to reach an age-appropriate
level of maturity. When facing unmanageable stress or trauma, you can even regress to a previous
stage of development. And psychologist Abraham Maslow has suggested that spontaneous childlike
behaviors in adults are not inherently problematic.
But some cultural practices today routinely infantilize large swaths of the population. We see it in our
everyday speech, when we refer to grown women as “girls”; in how we treat senior citizens, when we
place them in adult care centers where they’re forced to surrender their autonomy and privacy; and in the
way school personnel and parents treat teenagers, refusing to acknowledge their intelligence and need for
autonomy, restricting their freedom, and limiting
their ability to enter the workforce.
Can entire societies succumb to

infantilization? Frankfurt School scholars such
as Herbert Marcuse, Erich Fromm and other
critical theorists suggest that – like individuals
– a society can also suffer from arrested
development. In their view, adults’ failure to
reach emotional, social, or cognitive maturity
is not due to individual shortcomings. Rather,
it is socially engineered.
A return to innocence
Much has been written about higher education’s tendency to infantilize its students, whether it’s
through monitoring their social media accounts, guiding their every step, or promoting “safe spaces” on
campus. Meanwhile, tourist destinations like Las Vegas market excess, indulgence and freedom from
responsibility in casino environments that conjure memories of childhood fantasies: the Old West, medieval
castles and the circus. Scholars have also explored how this form of Las Vegas-style “Disneyfication” has
left its stamp on planned communities, architecture and contemporary art.
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Then we’ve witnessed the rise of a “therapy culture,” which, as sociologist Frank Furedi warns, treats
adults as vulnerable, weak and fragile, while implying that their troubles rooted in childhood qualify
them for a “permanent suspension of moral sense.” He argues that this absolves grown-ups from
adult responsibilities and erodes their trust in their own experiences and insights. Researchers in
Russia and Spain have even identified infantilist trends in language, and French sociologist Jacqueline
Barus-Michel observes that we now communicate in “flashes,” rather than via thoughtful discourse –
“poorer, binary, similar to computer language, and aiming to shock.” Others have noted similar trends
in popular culture – in the shorter sentences in contemporary novels, in the lack of sophistication in
political rhetoric and in sensationalist cable news coverage.
High-tech pacifiers
While scholars such as James Côté and Gary Cross remind us that infantilizing trends began well
before our current moment, I believe our daily interactions with smartphones and social media are so
pleasurable precisely because they normalize and gratify infantile dispositions. They endorse self-
centeredness and inflated exhibitionism. They promote an orientation towards the present, rewarding
impulsivity and celebrating constant and instant gratification. They flatter our needs for visibility
and provide us with 24/7 personalized attention, while eroding our ability to empathize with others.
Whether we use them for work or pleasure, our devices also foster a submissive attitude. In order to
take advantage of all they offer, we have to surrender to their requirements, agreeing to “terms” we
do not understand and handing over stores of personal data. Indeed, the routine and aggressive ways
our devices violate our privacy via surveillance automatically deprive us of this fundamental adult
right.
Democratic policymaking requires debate, demands compromise, and involves critical thinking. It
entails considering different viewpoints, anticipating the future, and composing thoughtful legislation.
What is a fast, easy, and simple alternative to this political process? It’s not difficult to imagine
an infantile society being attracted to authoritarian rule. Unfortunately, our social institutions and
technological devices seem to erode hallmarks of maturity: patience, empathy, solidarity, humility, and
commitment to a project greater than oneself. All are qualities that have traditionally been considered
essential for both healthy adulthood and for the proper functioning of democracy. While we might
find it trivial or amusing, the infantilist ethos becomes especially seductive in times of social crises and
fear. And its favoring of simple, easy, and fast betrays natural affinities for certain political solutions
over others.
1. The use of cartoon characters in advertising.
a. Has increased with the arrival of social media and communication technologies.
b. Reflects a social change.
c. Should be limited to products aimed at children.
2. Behaving in a childish manner.
a. Does not have to be a problem.
b. Is something many people engage in unconsciously.
c. Results from traumatic experiences.
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3. About the example of Las Vegas, the author states.
a. Its architecture evokes puerile themes.
b. Its cultural and social impact has been the subject of academic research.
c. Tourists are lured by its indulgent and permissive atmosphere.
4. What is said about the prevailing “therapy culture”?
a. It exonerates adults from a sense of morality.
b. It is over simplistic and links most present problems with childhood issues.
c. It results in poorer language skills.
5. How have smartphones and social media NOT impacted our infantile tendencies, according to
the article?
a. By eroding our right to privacy.
b. By jeopardizing social interaction.
c. By impairing long-term thinking.
6. How does the process of infantilization relate to freedom and democracy?
a. By making citizens opt for totalitarian politicians.
b. By making us more dependent on technologies.
c. By making us more vulnerable to adverse situations.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Simon Gottschalk. Adapted from www.theconversation.com
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SPEAKING
Look at the following headlines.
Do you think there is an actual problem with the issues above described?
Why are we/people so keen on filtering /photoshopping/ airbrushing (i.e.: altering) the photos we put
on social media?
Watch the following video where Dr. Neelam Vashi addresses the Snapchat Dysmorphia
phenomenon:
Who are the “big players” in the game, as Vashi calls them?
• How does she describe “Snapchat Dysmorphia”?

• What shift has there been between the models and actors/actresses of the past with
today’s role models?
• What is the downside of being so fixated on looking like in those filtered photos?
Social media becomes increasingly judgmental when it comes to attractiveness. Self-esteem can
be largely informed by the likes (or lack thereof) that selfies and other photos receive. What is your
opinion?
The ultimate goal of these devices is to increase our perceived attractiveness before others. Do
people have a hard time accepting themselves the way they are?
Do you think these filters could trigger some issues with body image and low self-esteem amongst
teenagers?
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SPEAKING
Smartphone addiction, nomophobia and digital detox
Do you tend to reach for your smartphone first thing in the morning? If so, do you find this worrying?
Which are the 5 apps you most frequently use on your phone? Do you often use your phone to make calls?
Would you ever consider (or recommend that someone you know try) digital detox?
What do you think of the idea of a 30-day cleanse? With technology, and not unlike other addictions,
do you think it is more efficient to quit cold turkey, or take baby steps?
Would you consider installing website blockers /time-limiting apps (Freedom, StayFocusd, Forest,
Screentime, Digital Wellbeing, etc.) on your phone/computer?
How does the idea of uninstalling apps like Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp off your phone sound?
Could you live without them?
What about regressing to “dumb phones”? Would that impair your life significantly?
“The Social Dilemma”
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Micro-mediation: Summarizing Information
Context
A close friend of yours has confessed that he/she is totally addicted to their phone, to the extent that it
is interfering with their health, and he/she is starting to be overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. You,
yourself, have tried digital declutter and digital detox, and it worked out really well for you. You find a
nice 5-step to digital detox online and are going to send him/her a pretty brief voice message telling
them about some of these tips. (1 minute long)
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SPEAKING
Topic. The Social Dilemma
Do you find a link between the use of social media and a spike in emotional
and mental disorders?
Do you agree that, when compared to the past, talented, creative people
(musicians, writers, artists, entertainers…) are few and far between?
Where is it more common to see users trolling each other? Facebook?
Instagram? Twitter?
Can you spot fake engagement (i.e.: bot-generated likes, comments and
followers, used to inflate/overstate a user’s/business’ following) on social
media?
It is said that social media algorithms are employed to bombard us with
information that accentuates our already fixed views and opinions. What
can someone do to prevent themselves from going down the hole of one-
sidedness and polarization?
In case you were scrolling through a dating app, in a casual/offhand
fashion, what would make you swipe left on a user? And swipe right?
How long could you do without a smartphone, and just stick to a
“dumbphone”, even as a digital detox experiment?
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PART 3
HUMAN
MOVEMENT.
FIGHTING AND
VIOLENCE. LAW
AND ORDER
“Everybody has a plan until they are punched in the mouth.”

“
Mike Tyson
SMALL
TALK
Do you ever think about how you move around? When describing your
lifestyle, do the words “active/dynamic/lively/busy” or “static/inactive/
motionless” come to mind?
Some claim that “modern life has turned us into weaklings” Do you agree?
Do you enjoy contact sports? Would you like to have some fighting skills?
It looks like societies are getting less and less violent. Do you think violence is
just a primitive, irrational vestige of our animal origins bound to disappear? As
we progress towards an ideal society, could communities eventually do without
weapons/armed forces/law enforcement/police forces?
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Exploring the breadth of human movement with Ido Portal
“Live more dynamically. Move more.” (Ido Portal)
Watch the following trailer about

Ido Portal’s Movement Culture
documentary.
What is his approach to exercising/ moving?
What movements could you spot in the video?
What do you think of Ido’s philosophy?
When comparing adults to kids, the latter are usually

engaged in “play”. There is (or at least, there used to
be) an element of “play” in children’s activity. Do you
think that is present in conventional exercise regimes?
Can you think of some disciplines (yoga, pole-dancing,
parkour, skateboarding, ballet, gymnastics, martial
arts, etc.) where said element exists?
Do you believe modern societies/ our current lifestyles

render us less active/more rigid?
What consequences for health/posture etc., do
modern lifestyles have?
How do you feel about the way you move around? Do

you find that it is limited?
Do you feel compelled to explore the breadth of what your body is capable of?
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ICEBREAKER
What do you know about MMA?
Watch the altercation between Connor

McGregor and Floyd Mayweather during the
promotional tour before their Boxing match
in August 2017.
Here’s the full script of their face-off:

Floyd Mayweather: Let's go face-to-face.
Connor McGregor: Shut your mouth.
Floyd Mayweather: Yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea.
Connor McGregor: Look in my eye. I'm gonna bounce your head off the canvas. That's what I
do. One shot. One shot is all it takes me. Anywhere on the dome.
Floyd Mayweather: Not me, not me.
Connor McGregor: You can keep your gloves up. I break the guard. My shots break the guard
and your little temple, your little ass temple.
Floyd Mayweather: We'll see, we'll see. This is a whole other level. Easy work, easy work,
easy work.
Connor McGregor: Four rounds and you're unconscious.
Floyd Mayweather: You aren’t making it out of the first round. Keep talking.
Connor McGregor: Yeah right, yeah right. You aren’t knocked nobody out in about 20 year
motherf***er… brittle fists, brittle fists. Those hands sore already? Do they hurt more in the
cold? Make sure you get them massaged out.
Floyd Mayweather: You right, you right. You'll see, you'll see. You getting stopped. You
getting stopped.
Connor McGregor: I'm a f****ng animal. If this was a real fight you're dead already. If this
was a real fight you're dead in 20 seconds. 20 seconds and I'd smash you within an inch of
your life. You'll s**t yourself.
Floyd Mayweather: Just show up, just show up, just show up.
Connor McGregor: I'm here motherf****r...
Floyd Mayweather: Show up. Just show up.
Connor McGregor: I'm here son. I'm right here. You aren’t gonna do s***.
SPEAKING
• How would you describe each of the contenders’ attitude?
• Who seems more intimidating/ fearless/ downright scary?
• Do you think this is genuine, or is it just a setup?
• Why do you think boxers/ MMA fighters engage in these kinds of verbal attacks/ putdowns?
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LISTENING
Strength and Conditioning in MMA
Listen to Jacko and Tim from the

School of Calisthenics podcast talk
with Duncan French, a UFC/MMA
(Mixed Martial Arts) coach talk
about MMA fighters’ strength and
conditioning programs/regimens.
Choose the right option (a, b, or c)
for the questions below:
1. In what ways are MMA fighters different from other athletes (basketball players, other…)?
a. Their skills are transferable to other sports.
b. They are overall more athletic than other athletes.
c. They have to be really competent at any athletic capacity.
2. Which of these is not mentioned as an especially important quality in MMA fighters?
a. Being eligible for UFC tournaments at any time.
b. Having a tough and resilient personality.
c. Withstanding the rigors of their training regime.
3. What does the metaphor about the newspaper and encyclopedia mean?
a. Being able to master a specific capacity.
b. It reflects MMA fighters' need to use many skills simultaneously.
c. The capacity of relying on more varied resources.
4. What implication is there in MMA not being a “locomotive” sport?

a. It is extremely unpredictable and nowhere mechanical.
b. It is more physically demanding than running-based sports.
c. It relies on explosiveness rather than on stamina.
5. What is the difference between other heavily physical sports (Rugby) and MMA?
a. The aim of the sport.
b. They are not as aggressive.
c. They feature lower risks of injury.
1 2 3 4 5
! Source: The School of Calisthenics Podcast
336
SPEAKING
What of the following qualities do you think are MOST essential for a good fighter to
possess?
Physical conditioning? (Endurance, speed,
athletic conditioning, explosiveness…)
Physical attributes (bodyweight, limb length,

heavy hands, other…)
Character traits (persistence, resilience, self-

confidence, self-discipline, other…)
Fearlessness/ toughness/ heart of a champion/

fighting spirit…
Do you think some are born natural, talented

fighters and others are not?
Can your personal circumstances/socio-

economic background toughen you up?
VOCABULARY
Fight for your life: the language of boxing and mma in metaphors
The following are expressions which

are part of the boxing/fighting jargon,
but which can be used to describe other
type of struggles (personal, financial,
relationships…). Match them with their
definition.
337
a. A low blow 1. To compete with brutal vigor, ferocity and intensity.
2. To relax/to cease to protect oneself, often with

b. To be on the ropes
negative consequences.
3. An extremely daunting task/a struggle which is

c. To be spoiling for a fight
really demanding from the get-go.
4. To show/announce one’s intentions of taking part in

d. To come to blows
a competition/battle.
5. To take full action to turn a situation to your

e. To fight tooth and nail/claw
advantage.
6. To refuse to try any longer/to surrender or give up

f. The gloves are off
about something.
7. When diplomacy fails/ unleashing of hostilities/to

g. To go for broke
get physical.
8. Accept an unfavorable circumstance without

h. To lower one’s guard complaining/courageously, or to endure some hardship/
setback with stoic courage.
i. To go in for the kill 9.Eager to engage in an argument; belligerent.
10. A serious dispute is about to take place/people are

j. No holds barred/ no punches pulled
beginning to behave in a more hostile way.
11. Unfair/unscrupulous/unsportsmanlike attack,

k. A sucker-punch
criticism or insult.
12. To succeed/defeat your competition decisively/with

l. To take it on the chin
ease.
13. In a vulnerable position/in the brink of collapse/ruin/

m. To tap out
failure/nothing to lose.
14. Unrestrained/unconstrained/no rules apply/

n. To throw one’s hat in the ring
everything goes.
15. To risk everything in an all-out effort/ try to

o. An uphill battle succeed against great odds/put all your resources into
a plan or idea to make it succeed.
16. An unexpected move/reaction from someone which

p. To win hands down
totally takes one by surprise.
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SPEAKING/ VOCABULARY ACTIVATION
Fight for your life
Have you ever been in a situation (face to face/ online)

where a heated discussion/dispute about a certain
topic was taking place, the situation escalated
you felt like some participants were spoiling for
a fight? (Contentious remarks, belligerent tone,
overall vehemence…). Why do you think winning an
argument hands down is so important for many?
Can you think of a moment when in trying to

accomplish something (an academic/ professional
feat, career move, relationships, financial situation,
etc.), you thought you had nothing to lose and decided to go for broke?
If a person you loved decided to break up with you, do you think you’d fight tooth and nail/claw to
save it/keep them, rationalize the situation (“They weren’t that special, actually”) try to talk them out
of their arguably impulsive/snap/spur-of-the-moment decision, or would you rather take it on the
chin?
In an argument between friends, coworkers, partners, which kind of comments or remarks can come
across as a low blow?
When thinking of the relationship between the press and the powers that be, what prevails
nowadays? An atmosphere of subservience/docility towards governments? A no-holds barred/no-
punches-pulled scrutiny/criticism? Which approach is more beneficial for a society?
Can you think of a situation when you entered a new position/job/held some responsibility/started a
relationship and after shaky beginnings you thought you could relax and lower your guard, as it felt
like you got the hang of it? Did it turn out right?
Recovering from a serious setback (injury/job loss/ loss of a loved one/financial crisis/breakup) seems
like an uphill battle for many. Do you believe that even in those moments of great adversity, there is
an opportunity for growth and self-development?
“Violence and Fighting. Law

and Order”
339
How to kip up
As you watch the following tutorial, take

notes so you can pass the most salient
information there on to your audience.
What is a “kip-up/kick-up”? Can you describe it?
Do you think it would be difficult to perform it?

What makes it so difficult?
What are the problems people may experience

when trying to do this move?
Is there any way to make it easier?
What are the steps to accomplish it?
(Pay special attention to verbs/phrases related to

movement)
ORAL MEDIATION
You are studying a degree in Sports Science in Cardiff (Wales). You are in your first year and are taking
part in a group project called “The 7 components of Fitness”, in which you need to cover those seven
components (speed, strength, coordination, agility, balance, flexibility and endurance). You and a couple of
other students will focus on the speed and coordination component. You have decided to look for a move
which embodies, in usison, both aspects of athleticism: speed and coordination.
Searching on the Internet, you have found a nice tutorial on one of the flashiest and most visually
impressive moves, the kip/kick up, so ubiquitous in martial arts movies. From Bruce Lee to Uma Thurman’s
character in Kill Bill, whenever one sees an actor/stunt perform this move, they cannot help, but be
impressed. One of your goals as a group is to gain the attention and interest of the rest of the students, so
it makes sense to pick one feat which most will find outstanding.
Watch the tutorial and take notes on the following page. You will use those notes to compose your essay.
Try not to miss out on the relevant information in the tutorial!
With the aid of the notes you have taken during the written mediation part, share with the
rest of the students attending the talk “The 7 components of Fitness”, your presentation
(“The Kick Up, a feat of COORDINATION and SPEED”. (3 minutes)
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Law Enforcement, Police Defunding.
Watch the following debate between Professor Phil

Groff and Police inspector Michael Harrison about
defunding the police.
What is the main point that Dr. Groff makes about law enforcement forces having to cope with a variety
of issues?
a. It is unrealistic to expect them to do well in so many situations.

b. More resources should be devoted to preventing social issues instead.
c. The fact that they are carrying guns and are entitled to take people’s lives is
disquieting.
Why is Officer Harrison incredulous of the idea?
a. It could be detrimental for citizens at the moment.

b. It surely will work in the future, but not now.
c. It is not a measure to be taken lightly.
What is Phil Groff’s final rebuttal?
a. Other services have lacked funding, so it is fair to cut police funds too.
b. Public funds should be more wisely distributed.
c. What is insidious is that money goes to fund punitive forces.
Do you think it would be feasible and/or desirable to progressively do without law enforcement/police
forces?
How could public safety be guaranteed if that happened? Is a future society without injustice and
inequality a realistic alternative to law enforcement?
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READING
Cry “Havoc!” and let Slip the Dogs of War
Gapped paragraph reading comprehension test
Read the following article and decide which of the extracts A-E in the box below go between the following
paragraphs. (1-6)
1.
“Those who abjure violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf”.
This quote is part of George Orwell’s superb 1945 essay “Notes on Nationalism”, where he challenges
the platitudinous assertions of different types of dogmaticians, including Trotskyists, Tories, staunch
Communists and pacifists, the latter of which are met with a certain dose of healthy skepticism and
confronted with the fact above. This raises questions about the naïveté of daydreaming about a world
of non-violent individuals holding hands together, and denying humans’ most primitive and territorial
urges, perennial vestiges of our less enlightened, ancestral origins.
2.
Yes, there are many perks about being a docile, compliant citizen, but that does not mean disowning
our rowdier forebears, whose ways still lie within our basest instincts. Bloodshot eyes, clenched fists,
grinding teeth and other involuntary reflexes are evidence of the remains of these animal impulses in
our modern age. People will go to the greatest of lengths, however, so as to prove this fact wrong.
3.
One obvious example could be the savage tribalism which lies beneath allegiance with clubs and
teams in mass sports, but that is like duh, going for the low-hanging fruit. Another one: on election
day, people from all walks of life line up to cast their ballots, in the hope of influencing who gets to lay
the iron fist upon them, to appoint their rulers, to hand over control of their lives to their masters. And
they do so with the most primal of passions.
4.
And is that not rather childish? Quarreling over who gets ahold of the people’s hard-earned tax
money? Just so they can exert control and authority on us, and possibly curtail our freedom. And this
tends to be irrespective of ideology. All governments — left, right or other — are by their very nature
coercive. They have to be, for order demands violence: any rule, from regulations on littering, social
distancing, to clauses stipulating rent deadlines, not ultimately backed by the threat of violence, is only
a suggestion. Every single one of them demands a gradual progression of penalties which, in the end,
result in the forcible seizure of property or incarceration, by armed men willing to inflict violence in the
event of resistance or non-compliance.
5.
Without action, words are just words. Without violence, laws are just words. And while it is patently
true that violence is not the only answer, in this context, it is the final one. Developed societies have,
thank God, gotten less brutalized and violent, and riots, skirmishes are seldom part of the urban
landscape, let alone lynchings, which were not an anomaly just a couple of decades ago. But the
chimerical daydream of a violence-free society still remains a chimaera. In order to wish this away, we
342
can resort to mental gymnastics, ethics, and appeals to reason, emotion, aesthetics, and compassion,
all of them really persuasive arguments, all of them very compelling moral principles to live by. No
irony whatsoever implied here.
6.
There is a HUGE caveat to this, though: the willful submission of the mass to a collective bargain
based on goodwill and the heartfelt refusal to ever pick up the arms again only works so long as
everyone sticks to the bargain and every single person in every subsequent generation agrees to
henceforth do so... unless and until one unruly individual decides to not conform to the rule and
refuses to compromise for the sake of our social contract, and impervious to our commendable
attempts to bring him back to reason, he is still adamant that intimidating, terrorizing, pillaging,
forcibly seizing others’ property, or even raping are legitimate means to satisfy his physiological and
emotional needs. What if our troublemaker, in the face of all our words, just shrugs their shoulders
and goes “or else what?”. Well, violence is the final answer to that “or else what?”.
A And let me stress once again that I definitely do not think we are doomed to violence and
brutality. Crime stats prove that violent crimes are decreasing, which means people resort
to violence less and less to confront whatever situation they deem unjust (from a spouse
leaving us, to being laid off, to our football team being thrashed by its arch enemy, to a
perceived inequity). And that is PHENOMENAL news. But this is also a by-product of social
evolution. Between Rousseau (“man is born good, society corrupts him”) and Hobbes (“a
man is a wolf to another man”... but society tames him), I definitely side with the latter. And
this is an extremely positive thing. Should the trend continue, and a pacifist’s dream of a
peace-laden society would not be unfathomable. And not even a world where weaponry
has been rendered useless. Likewise for law enforcement.
B Even a sneak peek into history will punch us back to reality and confront us with our
animal, our domineering, our fierce, our bellicose, in short, our violent wirings. Child
rearing, school, and awareness of conventions of civility (and to some extent, of the penal
code) may have helped to tame these in order to successfully cope with the process of
socialization and to avoid being lumped into the prison material category.
C Just look at the zealous fervor those who deem themselves victors in the electoral battle
- yet who will never reap the fruits of the so-coveted power their representatives get to
quench- display, not to mention the never concealed Schadenfreude over the dismay of
their much beloathed opponents, who retaliate with equal vitriol wishing the so-called
victors death and obliteration from existence.
D Let us put this more graphically: I miss the deadline to pay my road tax. A written warning
makes it to my mailbox. I shrug it off and throw it in the trash. I get a second one. I wipe my
butt with it. I receive a mandatory injunction to go to court. I pay no mind to it. I get a second
one. Same response. The police come to my doorway and politely ask me to accompany
them. I flip them off and slam the door in their face. They ring the doorbell again, and I keep
ignoring them. They vigorously pound on the door and yell at me demanding that I turn
myself in. Same luck. Well, chances are that at this point, they are going to bust down the
goddamn door, grab me by my hair, drag me through the floor, and forcibly push me into the
cop car, and even punch me in the mouth if I refuse to cooperate. See?
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E Most of us like to think of ourselves as non-violent and we generally claim to abhor the use
of violence, which is viewed negatively by the majority of folks. Many even fail to tell just
from unjust violence and those especially vain and self-righteous believe they have risen
above the nasty, violent cultures of their ancestors and the mantra that says violence is not
the answer and does not solve anything is, well-meaningly, commonplace. They’re wrong
and are destined for a massive letdown when they discover that they rely on it more often
than not.
! Source: © Javier Blanco Pérez, inspired by Violence is Golden, (Jack Donovan)
SPEAKING
Topic. Law and Order. Violence and Fighting
Does someone’s physical presence command respect? What other aspects

of a person (personality, attire, way of speaking, status….) do so? In which
way is each of these different?
When you can sense that, in the course of a discussion/debate, someone is
spoiling for a fight, what do you do? Do you back off/back away from the
confrontation, or do you fight back with a more aggressive attitude?
Are some groups/collectives co-opted and weaponized by political leaders
nowadays? If so, which ones?
Are there some injustices occurring in your country/region/city that are
sometimes shrugged off by those who should be taking care of them?
How can someone prove that, besides those who perpetrate violence,
one/a group is the intellectual instigator*? (*this is also known as
"stochastic terrorism")
Is there any law/social norm that you think it is ok to refuse to abide by?
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PART 4
THE FITNESS
INDUSTRY. BRO
SCIENCE AND FAD
DIETS
“
“When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
Abraham Maslow
SMALL
TALK
Are you into fitness at all? Are health and fitness synonymous? How important is being
fit/healthy to you?
Does looking a certain way affect your confidence/wellbeing?
What is more important in order to be in good shape? Exercise or nutrition?

Do you think that societal pressures are pushing certain body types/shapes?
Are thinness and leanness rewarded in our society? Do people who do not conform to
the standard body type live more difficult lives?
“Don’t ask the guy who’s not in shape how to do it. Ask the guy who’s in shape how
he DID it.” (Chris Heria) Do you agree with this quote? If you wanted to hire a personal
trainer/coach/nutritionist, or if you were to take fitness advice from someone, what
would influence your decision more, their credentials/academic training or the way they
look?
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ICEBREAKER
Biggest Gym Turnoffs
Are you a member of any gym?

If not, which are your biggest objections whe-n it
comes to joining one?
• I find other ways of staying/getting in shape/

exercising much more appealing.
• I would rather exercise outdoors.
• I do not like exercising, honestly.
• The price.
• How inconvenient (opening times, etc.) it is/
cannot get my workouts in.
• I find the gym environment intimidating and
unwelcoming.
SPEAKING
From 1-10 (1 being not bothered at all to 10, being really off-putting), how much of a turnoff are the
following behaviors in gyms/health and fitness centers? Do you like it less when they are done by a man
or a woman?
Talk about these with a classmate/in groups and try to explain your rating.
Gym bros grunting when they are lifting

Users who don’t put weights/plates back in their
Sweaty/smelly gym-goers place/not unloading racks/bars, etc.
Gym bros flexing muscles in front of the gym People taking too much space/using different
machines at once
People taking selfies
People using the machines for TOO long
Gym bros looking at me in a condescending way
Having to dodge people who film themselves
Unsolicited workout advice
People staring at me/creepy looks
Gym bros ignoring me when they see me
struggling Unsolicited comments about my looks
Users dropping weights (The noise these make)

Trivia: At the beginning of 2023, a reel published on Tik Tok by popular fitness influencer Jessica
Fernandez, in which she was exposing “gym creeps”, went viral and got a great deal of backlash, as
many thought she had overreacted. Other YouTubers made fun of the incident with parody videos.
Are you also bothered by other gym members looking at you?
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LISTENING
The untold truth about bodybuilding
Listen to an interview between the popular podcaster Joe Rogan and Derek (from the YouTube channel
“More plates, more dates”) discuss some issues related to modern bodybuilding.
Decide which 6 of the 9 statements below are true, according to the recording.
A. Anabolic steroids are taken for granted in competitive bodybuilding.

B. Steroids are also used by some Jiu-Jitsu athletes.
C. Famous grapplers have been involved in criminal activity.
D. The bodybuilders’ physical appearance tends to mislead people.
E. Getting extremely lean to compete in bodybuilding does not have to be life-threatening.
F. A friend of the interviewee’s dieted down so much that he could no longer walk.
G. Bodybuilders resort to pharmaceutical drugs to push through the hunger.
H. Even top-tier bodybuilders get tiny prizes.
I. Competitive bodybuilding is so demanding than other crucial areas are usually neglected.
1 2 3 4 5 6
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Science or bro science? What the gym bros have to say
Bro Science: Unfounded pseudo-science and myths about fitness that manage to persist.
Student A
Read the following statements and discuss whether they are facts about fitness with enough
scientific/empirical validity or simply groundless, preconceived beliefs people still hold onto.
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Science or bro science? What the gym bros have to say
Bro Science: Unfounded pseudo-science and myths about fitness that manage to persist.
Student B
Read the following statements and discuss whether they are facts about fitness with enough
scientific/empirical validity or simply groundless, preconceived beliefs people still hold onto.
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SPEAKING
Which of the following statements summarizes the best your attitude about fitness,
exercise, and nutrition?
• I cannot be bothered. I have more important things to do. That sounds too shallow to
me. I am all about cultivating the mind instead.
• I cannot be bothered. I can eat anything I want and not exercise at all, and I am happy
with the way I look.
• I would like to exercise more and eat more healthily. I just do not have enough time,
really.
• I would be happy to lose some weight/look a bit more athletic for the summer, or
whenever I have to be shirtless. An aggressive three-month fat loss will do.
• I am pretty conscious of the benefits of exercising and having a healthy diet. And I do
both. I am not too bothered about the way I look, honestly.
• Even though I acknowledge the benefits of exercising and eating healthily, I also like
to have results to show for. I find it frustrating to spin my wheels and not look like I
exercise as much as I do.
• Have I worked out today? Hahaha. I NEVER skip a workout, son.
What do you think is more challenging? Being consistent with your workouts/sticking to
a training regimen, (i.e.: getting one's workouts in) or being consistent with your diet/
sticking to a healthy diet?
DISCUSSION: FITNESS INFLUENCERS AND BODY POSITIVITY

When someone says that they do sport just
for the health benefits, while they do not care
at all about the way they look/the aesthetic
benefits, do you think that is sincere?
What is your opinion of fitness celebrities
on social media? Do you think they are
promoting healthy habits regarding exercise
and nutrition, or rather promoting unrealistic
beauty standards?
Is there such a thing as “an ideal body”? Is
there any type of physique that most men
and women who are into fitness would like
to attain?
What is your opinion about “body
positivity”? Do you think that mainstream
media, the entertainment industry,
commercials, etc., should be give more
attention and prominence to people with
“non-normative” bodies?
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Never underestimate the importance of NEAT

(Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
Read the following text and decide which 7 of the statements below are true, according to the information
in the text. There are 4 statements you do not need.
When one thinks about fitness and "looking fit", we are likely to conjure up images of the gym bros
and gals grinding it, out and religiously pushing through their deadlift, bench press or squat PRs at
their local gym, CrossFit dudes and girls killing their WODs, bonding with one another and giving
each other high fives after completing those ridiculously intense workouts. We may also think of those
girls and guys who would rather be toned than look heavy and diligently sweat it off on the treadmill
for an hour a day, every day, or are more drawn to the social and even playful component of exercise
and may consider trying bodypump, cardiobox, bosu ball or whatever new gimmick becomes the
latest fad for the more uninitiated. And I am glad more and more people understand and want to reap
the benefits of just moving more and exercising, but I believe that the concept of "movement" is far
more comprehensive and, thus, more important. Sure, I think in this day and age of modern comfort
and ubiquitous technology and gadgets galore, it is necessary to include in our routine scheduled/
regulated (that is, subjected to rules and standards assessing their correct or ill-performance)
physically demanding activities (i.e.: exercising either indoors or outdoors and giving our heart, lungs,
joints and muscles some extra work to do), but I also believe the greater service (or disservice) we are
doing to our bodies and health occurs outside the gym, the occasional 10k run, the spinning class or
the Paddle tennis game.
Of course, the way we eat (aka: "our diet") is going to play a CRUCIAL role in the way we look and
feel, but I also think little attention is paid to our everyday/routine NON-exercise movements.
I mean, have you ever wondered why some people brag about eating like a horse and look
consistently lean while others moan about not skipping one single day at the gym, putting in the work,
and doing whatever their Zumba/CrossFit/Body Pump/ Cardio instructor tells them to, sticking to a
sucky, life-depriving diet, and yet, keep struggling to make their bodies reflect even slightly the effects
of such a Spartan discipline? Many will thank or curse their genetics for one or the other, whilst others
will point at their "shitty" metabolism ("man, just breathing makes me fat!"). And some will foolishly
believe they burned like a gazillion calories in that 15-minute WOD, and that they can get away with
murder, just to throw everything away (and worse) in the communal, post-workout feast.
I have a couple of pet theories about this. First of all, the lean/skinny guy/girl who brags about eating
whatever they want and never putting on gram are lying, as they tend to OVERESTIMATE what
they eat, and believe me, the freaking laws of thermodynamics apply to them as to the rest of living
organisms, so YES, if you consistently eat more than you need, you will eventually store that extra
energy as fat. There is no way anyone can elude the merciless rule of energy balance. And conversely,
the person struggling with their weight might not eat that little and may be UNDERESTIMATING their
caloric intake (we all do, so do not feel bad about it!) There might be exceptions, OF COURSE (both
naturally lean people and people with hormonal and metabolic dysfunctions do exist!).
But more importantly, and regarding movement: just look at the skinny/lean guy/girl and the way they
move throughout the day (ever heard the words/phrases "fidgety", "live wire", "hyperactive" "that
who cannot stand still if their life depended on it????"), I mean, some are just terribly active when
they're not doing sport (walking, cycling, taking the stairs, getting up, cooking, cleaning, picking up
things, being irrepressibly expressive and gesticulating....) and, not surprisingly, I'm afraid that is going
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to OUTWEIGH (pardon the pun!) that 6 to 7 aerobics class at your neighborhood's fitness center. So if
you wanna see better results in shedding some unwanted fat and keeping that weight off, just get off
your ass and move more! Also, understand that a day is only 24 hours long so, if that 10k run you’re
reluctantly committing yourself to every single morning is leaving you knackered for the rest of the
day, and you find yourself feeling miserable and trudging through life, maybe you should pull back a
bit. Or even considering something altogether different.
Again, just don't call me superficial for giving certain importance to something some might label
"shallow/trivial/banal/ frivolous/ worth of Instagram-obsessed dorks" (besides, it's not "body types"
that we're discussing here! That is far more complex); I might be concerned about my own body, but
I'm rarely concerned about anybody else's. It's the effect this may have on someone's health (physical,
mental, emotional, mood, self-confidence, wellbeing...) which interests me way more.
I suggest you take your time and read this article, which incidentally deals with the same matter.
"I move, therefore, I am."
A. CrossFit promotes social interaction more than the standard gym.

B. Different people gravitate towards different physiques.
C. Ideally, we should combine an active lifestyle with some actual exercise.
D. It is a mistake to do a sport that we do not enjoy.
E. Non-regular exercisers are usually drawn to fitness fads.
F. Most people think they eat less than they do.
G. Some people do not need to do conventional exercise to stay thin.
H. Spontaneous movement consumes more energy than programmed fitness activities.
I. Taking part in strenuous sports can make some people gain weight.
J. The author does not actually give too much importance to physical appearance.
K. There are some exceptional cases of people for whom general principles do not
apply.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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LISTENING TEST
Intuitive Eating vs. Flexible Dieting
Listen to an interview between Danny Lennon, a podcast host and nutritionist, and Jeff Nippard, a
professional bodybuilder and nutrition expert discuss the benefits of intuitive eating. Complete the
following statements with the missing word/words:
Example
1. Jeff implemented an intuitive eating strategy during a (gaining phase) for various
months.
2. The interviewer mentions that there tends to be a ________________________ about
the concept itself.
3. Jeff admits that the term’s ______________ led to some skepticism about it.
4. The practical application of this idea opens a _________________, according to the
interviewee.
5. Intuitive eating differs from clean eating, traditional meal planning, and flexible dieting
in regard to the rigidity of its _____________.
6. Jeff suggests that to do well with this approach, one needs to pay attention to
____________ and hunger cues.
7. Danny Lennon says there is usually a _______________ between real hunger and
emotionally-induced eating.
8. Jeff says that like any other ability, intuitive eating is something that can be
________________.
9. He admits that had he tried this approach after a bodybuilding competition in the past,
it would have led to a ________________ nightmare.
10. A drawback of flexible dieting is that when focusing on hitting numbers one may
eat while full or __________ their hunger.
11. He also adds that not having to hit one’s macros may be conducive to better
______________ results.
! Source: Sigma Nutrition Podcast
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ORAL MEDIATION
A quick visual guide to macros
Context
A friend of yours who is doing a degree in sports science and nutrition has started to work as a trainer
at a popular gym in your town. He is pretty well versed in the training component of fitness, but he
has not delved into the nutrition aspect that much.
As part of the internship program, he has been asked to design a meal plan for a client who wants to
lose some weight (i.e.: lose fat) while getting stronger and looking athletic (i.e.: building/preserving
muscle mass), so the client’s diet needs to have an appropriate distribution of macronutrients (aka
“macros”), like follows: carbohydrates (35% approx.), proteins (30%) and fats (the remaining 30%).
He has also told you that the client would not like to be stuck with the typical super clean diet and
essentially live on brown rice, chicken, and broccoli. It looks like a flexible approach will guarantee a
greater adherence to the diet and, therefore, better results. With so much conflicting information
running rampant online these days (Is Keto the be-all and end-all? Is it intermitting fasting? What
about Paleo? Is it a question of choosing the right supplement?), this client and, to some extent, your
friend, are a bit lost when it comes to knowing what should be prioritized.
As he is not extremely knowledgeable about how those macros translate into different food choices
and is not that aware of the composition of many foods, he asks you for your help.
You find two pretty illustrative graphics (see below) on Instagram and think they can be really useful
to provide your friend with ideas to design that person’s meal plan.
Instructions: send a voice message (WhatsApp voice message or similar) with some ideas of foods he
could include in said meal plan (2-3 minutes)
Mediation micro-skills: Linking to previous knowledge, amplifying a text by explaining things more
explicitly, giving examples or clarifying.
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WRITING
A Comment on an Internet Forum Thread
You are part of a community on the discussion website reddit. A member of the community (aka
“Subreddit”) centered on fitness (named r/fitness) started a thread by asking the following question:
“Are fitness models on TV and social media and the prevailing standards of beauty causing more
harm than good, or the other way around?”
Different members of the community have expressed their opinions in this thread:
“Their overall influence is, hands down, pretty negative. I’d go as far as saying that regulations to ensure that body diversity is
also part of the fitness and entertainment industry should be passed. Because not only does this happen on Instagram or Tik
Tok, which I guess are more complicated to regulate, but also when it comes to conventional television; as soon as you turn on
the TV, every single woman who works as a broadcaster, weather forecaster, co-host, presenter, commentator, etc., conforms
to today’s standards of beauty and looks like a model. They are all slim (when not skinny) and athletic, toned, impeccably
dressed and looking amazing and hot (well, what most guys out there who have been brainwashed with these unrealistic
standards would consider “amazing” and “hot”). No wonder why most youngsters (and especially, young girls) feel inadequate
and develop body image issues. Regulations must ensure that people with bodies which do not conform to those standards
also do those jobs on TV and are also part of the fitness industry on social media”.
Kayla (Wales, 23)
“I’m sorry to contradict the former user: no offense, Kayla but your arguments strike me as naïve and unreasonable, if not plain
childish. Imagine you want to learn to play the guitar and when you buy an online course and watch the tutorials and videos, it
turns out that the coach can barely play or has rather average skills. You would feel scammed!
The person advertising a fitness program or a diet plan or anything needs to inspire us. They must be someone who is in
phenomenal shape, and someone whose physique is worth pursuing, not someone who looks average or even worse than us.
That makes sense, right?
I am not saying that some tricks that fitness models use on social media (lighting, airbrushing, filters…) do not spark insecurities
and feelings of inadequacy in young people, who end up believing that there are people who look like that all the time. This is
due, however, to the novelty effect and even young internet users should be able to grow out of those insecurities eventually. In
a couple of years even the youngest will be able to see through the BS and all those tricks will wash over them.
And demanding that quotas be introduced on TV shows to have a greater share of overweight and plain-looking people is
going against human nature: viewers would just turn to TV shows with more attractive people, instead. Sorry”.
Josh (Australia, 27)
WRITING TASK
Follow the tread and write a comment on the forum, giving your opinion about the issue (200-225
words)
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WRITING GUIDE
When it comes to the formal elements (text and paragraph organization, layout, text structure…) of
a comment on an online forum or a social media comments section, one needs to avoid unnecessary
complications: comments are rather straightforward and free-form in this regard.
It is more about expressing a message and sharing one’s opinions with the rest of the users than
about structuring that message in a certain way.
It is not, however, as informal and lacking in elaboration as your average WhatsApp text; it is meant
to be informative and descriptive enough, so that you ensure that you can get your point across.
Useful Language in a Comment in a Discussion Forum
Apart from the language which is specific to the area of interest that a community is interested in
(technology, philosophy, science, sports, a particular music genre, an author, etc.), we, once again,
need to pay attention to emphasis: we do not want to enforce our opinion on other users, but we
do not want it to go unnoticed because the writing is plain, underwhelming and uninspiring. If we
are reading a forum thread and we go out of our way to write a post (no one is asking us to do it,
actually), it is because we want other users to read it and interact with us.
The following emphatic devices (i.e.: ways to make our message more meaningful and captivating)
can be useful to convince the addressee that our proposal should be taken into consideration:
• Expressing amazement or surprise: …Why people keep falling for these scams is beyond me, really.
• Expressing skepticism or disbelief: Good luck with trying to look like that in just 90 days, like most
of those programs online promise.
• Using emphatic adverbs and interjections: … downright/outright… These influencers can’t just say
they are outright trying to get your money, so they use all this downright corny language which
tries to be motivational…/ period… Having a six-pack all year round and not sacrificing your social
life is impossible, period.
• Rhetorical questions: Does being healthy equal looking in a certain way?
• Using fixed expressions and phrasal verbs which are spot-on: What you cannot do is take all
these people at face value! You really need to take most of these influencers with a pinch of salt… I,
personally, do not gravitate towards that kind of muscular physique, but many of my friends do, so
if that makes them exercise more and drink less, where’s the harm in that?
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SPEAKING
Topic. The Fitness Industry
If you are currently exercising, do you do it just for its health benefits,
or would you like to reap some aesthetic benefits? If so, which kind of
physique do you gravitate towards?
In case you are into fitness, when you go out on weekends and indulge a
bit, or even overindulge, do you manage to enjoy it or do you get worried
that you may lose your gains?
Some people believe that getting one’s workouts in first thing in the
morning is the most efficient way of not letting something get in the way
later on in the day. Does it work like that for you?
Many people have mixed feelings about cardio. Some believe it is the go-
to option to stay fit and healthy and lose weight (or maintain a healthy
bodyweight), for other people, it feels like a chore, and they would rather
do without cardio altogether. What is your opinion of it?
In case you incorporate some cardio in your exercise regimen, which type
do you prefer? Short bursts of high-intensity cardio (aka: HIIT)? Steady-
state cardio? Walking? Biking? Running?
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UNIT 9. SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT
9
SCIENCE FOR
DUMMIES
Information, beliefs and opinions
in today’s world. Group pressure.
Environmental concerns.
“
“The problem with the world is that the intelligent are full of
doubts, while the stupid are full of confidence”
Charles Bukowski
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ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 9. SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES
About this unit

“Science for Dummies” is all about opinions and facts. There is a quote by American sociologist
and politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan which says “Everybody is entitled to their own
opinion, but not to their own facts”, and this illustrates what, for the most part, does not
happen nowadays. Our opinions, beliefs, and ideas stem more from our emotions than they
do from objective facts, data, and information, and the more unwavering and firmer our ideas
and convictions are, the more monolithic and resistant to change they become, impervious to
objectivity, scrutiny, or empirical evidence. The funny thing is that this mindset totally subverts
the scientific method, the cornerstone of wisdom, research, and knowledge for the last five
centuries. This method states that, in order to prove an idea that we suspect is true (called
“hypothesis”), we have to first consider that it may be false or flawed, contrast it with all contrary
ideas, and then assess the weight of the evidence to conclude whether we were right or wrong.
This is certainly an extremely simplistic overview of the scientific method (Science for Dummies,
indeed!), but in essence, that’s about it. And this rarely occurs nowadays. Our ideas are gospel,
and we take them in blind faith. We confirm them by turning to the sources which support our
views, and of course, whoever dares to disagree with us is blatantly wrong (if not immoral) and
needs to be mocked, censored, if not directly ostracized. A little more humility and a willingness
to read and research past clickbait headlines and one-hundred-word tweets would help us open
our mind, and become wiser in the process, probably.
Another problem seems to lie in group pressure and tribalism. It is so hard to disagree with the mob.
It is so difficult to step out of the herd. We may be chastised and cast out if we deviate from the
collective mindset, social conventions, and prevailing opinions. And, as social animals, that doesn’t
sound fun, so we are more likely to give in, shun dissenting views and conform to mainstream
thinking. Or, alternatively, we form groups to unleash our most primal and tribal tendencies, find
solace in them, equate those inside as bearers of truth and morality, and rebuke everyone outside the
group for being wrong. It is a pernicious game (Robert Greene analyzes this mindset in a chapter of
the masterful “Laws of Human Nature” whose title is “Resist the Downward Pull of the Group. The
Law of Conformity”) and we shouldn’t get carried away with it.
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Special mention should be made of the role of the mass media, who are not exactly favoring critical
thinking and individual reasoning, but that is a different story… which we will discuss, of course.
All of the previously described cognitive processes, the group mentality and humans’ tendency to
cling to our views apply to different areas, from our political stance or social prejudices to our views on
science (i.e.: what we think is universally true) or the environment (i.e.: whether the way our planet is
changing fits our ideological agenda or not). All of them make fascinating topics of conversation and,
as such, there is room for them in our class.
Hope you have fun while doing so!
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Table of Contents
Reading
Hate Inc. Reviews. (Multiple Matching Test)
The Dunning Kruger Effect Explained. (Lexical cloze test)
Signs a Scientific Study is Bogus. (Matching Headings)
Listening
Confirmation Bias and How to Avoid it. (Multiple Choice)
Is Cancel Culture a Threat to our Freedoms? (Multiple Matching)
Science and the Media: “Science-sploitation” (Multiple choice)
Natural Science vs. Social Sciences. (T/F)
Interview with Chay Harwood of Extinction Rebellion. (Sentence completion)
Meat Consumption and its Carbon Footprint (T/F)
Oral Mediation
Polémica con Nutriscore (Cross-linguistic)
Speaking
I Believe; Therefore, I am Right. Ideas, Beliefs, and Dogmas.
Science for Dummies. Understanding Data and Statistics.
Climate change, Global Warming, and Denialism.
Writing
Written Production: Animal Shelter House proposal.
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PART 1
IDEAS AND
BELIEFS. BIASES,
DOGMAS AND
ECHO CHAMBERS.
PEER PRESSURE
“People don't want to hear your opinion; they want to hear THEIR
SMALL
opinion coming out of YOUR mouth”
“
TALK
What role do your personal beliefs/ convictions/ ideology play in your life? Are
they a pivotal part of your identity? How far would you go so as to defend your
principles/ things you deem just/fair?
Are you easily convinced or persuaded by others’ arguments? Do you instead tend
to stick to your guns? To which extent are your values and ideas actually your
own, and not a by-product of the influence of peers/the media/other influential
figures?
Do you usually refrain from controversy when posting or sharing information
online? Are you concerned about your views offending others? Would you shy
away from conflict so as not to be disliked by others?
When arguing about a topic, how important is it for you to “win” the argument?
Why?
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LISTENING/ SPEAKING
Our own ideas and group pressure
How to avoid being sucked into an ideology

(Jordan Peterson)
Canadian psychologist Jordan B. Peterson discusses why

people align with ideologies and what can be wrong about
that (he calls them “parasites”).
What is his point about it?
What do you think about his reasoning?
Did the interview change your vision about ideologies at all?
ORAL MEDIATION
Asch's Experiment. The Power of Peer Pressure
Have you heard of Solomon Asch’s Experiment on conformity?
Student A
Watch the following video about said experiment and explain what happens in it to a classmate
(Student B).
Student B
Take notes of your classmate’s (Student A) explanation and be ready to summarize and present the
key information regarding Asch's study on conformity.
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SPEAKING: IS CRITICAL THINKING DEAD?
Do you think that people’s ability to process complex information and form their own opinions has
improved or declined in the last years/decades?
If so, which factors have eroded critical thinking? Do you think any of the factors above have had a
negative impact on critical thinking?
SOCIAL MEDIA
CONTEMPORARY JOURNALISM
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES
MODERN EDUCATION TRENDS
ENTERTAINMENT
e-COMMERCE/MODERN
MARKETING STRATEGIES
Listen to a clip about why critical thinking has (in the opinion of the narrator) declined:
What does the narrator say about:
• Old TV shows. What was special about them?
• The ups and downs of (in theory) always finding the answer to everything online?
• Why/how confirmation biases are more common nowadays?
• Modern economic competition. How modern businesses thrive and survive?
• Use of emphatic language and superlatives?
• The importance of nuanced information vs. what we usually find online?
• How to come across as someone authoritative and worth following?
• Why we turn to leaders and gurus.
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LISTENING
Listen to the following recording and
choose the correct answer (a, b, or c)
according to the information you hear.
1. Humans’ capacity to apply rational thinking
a. Has led to commendable achievements.
b. Is impaired by excessive information.
c. Is imperfect due to personal beliefs.
2. Confirmation bias
a. Has more than one hundred subcategories.
b. Makes people unconsciously select information that suits them.
c. Seems impervious to sound evidence.
3. The purpose of reasoning
a. Has changed in parallel to technological evolution.
b. Includes the pursuit of truth and finding evidence for our beliefs.
c. Is often misunderstood.
4. Collaborative communication
a. Involves discernment between good and bad information.
b. Involves speakers persuading listeners, who are eventually convinced.
c. Makes people come to logical conclusions.
5. Group argumentation and communication
a. Makes confirmation bias unlikely to happen.
b. Means all viewpoints are agreed upon.
c. Promotes superior reasoning to individual argumentation.
6. Information and technology in the digital age
a. Is narrowed down to suit our preferences.
b. Leads to reasoning in isolation.
c. Renders group communication attempts useless.
7. As a solution to overcome confirmation bias it is suggested that
a. A more thorough analysis of each other’s arguments should be carried out.
b. People group together according to their goals.
c. We expose ourselves to opinions we disagree with.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
! Source: Animated Lessons
SPEAKING
The Media Narrative. Divisiveness and Polarization
Watch the following video. What aspect of

mass media do you think it highlights?
Discuss the following statements/ideas

in groups/pairs:
Do you usually follow traditional media (TV/

Radio/printed/online press)? How much
credibility do you give them?
When reporting about economic/political/

social issues, do you think they usually act in
good faith and try to stay objective, or do they
instead have some vested interests/an axe to
grind?
How can the truth be distorted? Can you think of examples of manipulation/exaggeration you have
seen in the media?
Do traditional media have a political agenda? Do they display a clear (ideological) bias? Is there any
reason for this? Aren’t they alienating/antagonizing a big part (roughly half) of the viewers/readers/
listeners by doing that?
Unscrupulous/unprincipled politicians feed off people’s ignorance/prejudices/hostility and use the

media to serve their purpose. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Ever wondered why some stories hit the headlines only to then disappear into oblivion?
When a subject/group contradicts the media/establishment’s interests, they will be subjected to
ruthless libel/defamation. Agree or disagree?

"Facts and Beliefs. Ideas and Dogmas"
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READING
Hate Inc. book reviews
Multiple matching test
Read the following five reviews of the book

“Hate Inc.: why today’s media makes us despise
one another”.
Which of the reviews (A-E) mentions the following? There is an extra statement you do not need.
1. Adventurous journalism is discouraged. ________

2. Political campaigns are an example of the dirty tricks herein described. ______
3. The author refrains from aligning with leftist or conservative media. _______
4. The tone of the book betrays some evident bias. _____
5. The book pays tribute to earlier works. _______
6. The book shuns unnecessary aggressiveness. ______
7. This work has been updated. ______
8. Today’s new generation of journalists are part of an exclusive elite. _______
A
In his book Hate, Inc., veteran journalist Matt Taibbi proposes that our news media intentionally makes
us madder. At its best, the media works to inform us so that we may be good citizens. But too often
what we get is media that manipulates our emotions and becomes “an instrument of tragedy, dividing
us all and filling our lives with pessimism and mistrust.” This book, an incisive critique of the current
state of journalism, was published in 2019—pre-covid, pre-facemask era. We already hated each
other like Hitler back then, but our hatreds could be carried around quietly. We could be standing right
beside our ideological opponent and not even know or care. Now we have to wear (or not wear) our
allegiance on our faces, and, either way, be hated by the other side.
Taibbi’s book is brilliant, but he is also modest and unhyperventilating. He acknowledges his own
complicity in creating our caustic culture by tossing “red meat to political audiences.” He humbly
admits that although he works in the media business, he still does not know who to trust. Easy
answers are not to be had. In Hate, Inc., Taibbi invites us to join him in contemplating this quandary:
“How much of our disdain for each other is real, and how much of it is a product of the media
machine?”
367
B
In this characteristically turbocharged new book, now in a new post-election edition,
celebrated Rolling Stone journalist Matt Taibbi provides an insider’s guide to the variety of ways
today’s mainstream media tells us lies. Part tirade, part confessional, it reveals that what most people
think of as “the news” is, in fact, a twisted wing of the entertainment business.
In the Internet age, the press has mastered the art of monetizing anger, paranoia, and distrust. Taibbi,
who has spent much of his career covering elections in which this kind of manipulative activity is most
egregious, provides a rich taxonomic survey of American political journalism’s dirty tricks.
After a 2020 election season that proved to be a Great Giza Pyramid Complex of invective and digital
ugliness, Hate Inc. is an invaluable antidote to the hidden poisons dished up by those we rely on to tell
us what is happening in the world.
C
As he explains in the opening pages of Hate Inc., Matt Taibbi set out to write something akin to
an updated version of Manufacturing Consent, the book by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky
detailing their “propaganda model” of mass media in the United States. Taibbi incisively describes the
retooling of major media since Herman and Chomsky first published said book in 1988.
In a chapter titled “The Ten Rules of Hate”, he argues there are now only two formats of permissible
opinion in the US commercial news media, Republican and Democrat, or Liberal and Conservative,
confining stories within a nuance-lacking binary construction defined by narrow, partisan-based
ideological parameters. Fear of costly lawsuits, coupled with the growing conglomeration that has
produced station managers and producers increasingly divorced from the practice of journalism as
a public good, has left consumer reporting almost exclusively focused on “soft targets”, incapable of
fighting back.
D
The book’s premise is that news reporters began to consciously divide and radicalize audiences
on both sides of the political spectrum. The subject, as he points out, is the wholesale phasing out
of independent journalism – not just by Fox News, MSNBC and other cable channels – but by the
mainstream media as well and replacing it by siloing it into deeply politicized programming on both
sides. “Which ‘side’ is immaterial: neither approach is journalism.”
Of course, there is a great deal more to it than that, beginning with the debasement of the American
education system, with the teaching of government, civics and history vanishing down the STEM
– science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – rathole. There is also the proliferation of
absolutely irresponsible websites including Infowars, QAnon, Breitbart on one side and the Palmer
Report, Patribiotics and others on the left.
Taibbi is provocative to a fault. A great deal of the book goes to pointing out the obvious – that the
major press organizations hire almost exclusively from the Ivy Leagues, ending up with a workforce
that has nothing in common with most of America and writes like it. But there are other gems in
which he describes how much the media, especially on television, has adopted, consciously or
unconsciously, its methods of covering politics, from Wrestlemania.
E
With his new book Hate Inc.; Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise One Another (O/R Books, 2019),
Matt Taibbi enters this field with a journalist’s background, and the eye of an academic. Taibbi is a
368
reporter for Rolling Stone, and a self-appointed media critic. The book begins and ends with touching
paeans to his father, an old-school gumshoe reporter, and is peppered with fanboy homage of (and an
interview with) academic Noam Chomsky. This journalist/academic background gives Taibbi a unique
insider’s take on modern journalism, one with an eye toward the bigger picture.
Taibbi calls Hate Inc. a “serialized book,” which means it is a collection of essays on various topics
about today’s media environment.[2] Taibbi’s observations are anecdotal, and suffer from the same
axe-grinding that weighs down Manufacturing Consent. Still, the anecdotes, at various times, will
shock, amuse, and enrage.
It is rage, though, that is the gist of Taibbi’s thesis. In sum, Hate Inc. documents the fall of actual
reporting, and the rise of what we now call “influencers.” Their rise was in service of dividing the
audience into equal halves, whipping both sides into mutual rage, directed against one another. The
result is a news product that has increasingly less to do with facts and context, and more to do with
dumbing down the message, and consequently, the audience.
! Sources:
Henry County Local.
O/R Books.
Sage Journals.
Asia Sentinel.
Patrick Goggins.
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Debate on Cancel Culture
Listen to a debate on whether the so-called “cancel culture” is threatening people’s freedom, where 4
speakers take one side or the other regarding said proposition.
TASK 1 TASK 2
For questions 1-4 choose from the list (A-G) For questions 5-8 choose from the list (A-G)
what each speaker says about examples of what each speaker says about a plausible
how “cancel culture” takes place in their solution and approach to this problem (There
environment (There are THREE extra items are THREE extra items you do not need).
you do not need).
A. Attacking members of disadvantaged A. Accepting that the status quo must be

collectives with dissenting views. challenged.
B. Being arbitrarily arrested by the police. B. Being tolerant towards dissenting
C. Complicity of mainstream press voices.
D. Demanding that a TV show be taken C. Giving more exposure to social injustices
off the air. in the media.
E. Demanding that a college professor D. Not directing the anger towards the
resign. wrong targets.
F. Resistance of the powerful to have their E. Openly discussing racial struggles at
power questioned. universities
G. Trampling on the rights of college F. Promoting tolerance and reasoning.
students. G. Voicing the demands of LGBT activists.
! Source: Intelligence Squared
1. (Ayaan Hirsi Ali) 2. (Billy Bragg) 3. (Julie Bindel) 4. (Kehindre Andrews)
_______ _______ _______ _______
5. (Ayaan Hirsi Ali) 6. (Billy Bragg) 7. (Julie Bindel) 8. (Kehindre Andrews)
_______ _______ _______ _______
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ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 9. SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES
SPEAKING
Topic. Ideas and Beliefs. Biases, Dogmas, and Echo Chambers. Cancel
Culture
Are there some opinions which should never be publicly debated or

exposed?
Should ideas be censored? If so, which ones? If case some ideas should be
eradicated from public platforms (online forums, social media, YouTube),
who should decide which messages are unacceptable?
Is it ok for people to shut down/cancel somebody else’s speech/lecture/
vehicle for self-expression in public spaces if they deem it unacceptable?
Should this person be allowed to express themselves and later on have
their ideas refuted with opposing arguments? Would it be worthless?
When contentious topics (politics, religion, family issues, money, other
delicate matters...) are being discussed, do you shun/stay away from/
evade conflict or controversy? Do you tend to impassionedly (even
“belligerently”) take part in it, instead? Do you often see yourself
entangled in heated debates/arguments?
Do you think that current education fosters critical thinking? Do you
believe it is necessary?
Which kind of irrational emotions and basic instincts do populist politicians
feed off? Which emotions do their speeches appeal to?
Is there any cause of which you are a staunch supporter?
Have your ideals changed much over the years? On second thought, do
some of your past beliefs seem a bit naïve/radical today?
Do you ever take part in heated conversations where people just seem to
talk past each other? Which are the usual topics of conversation when this
happens?
“If you are not radical at the age of 20, you have no heart. If you are still
radical at the age of 40, you have no brain”. Do you agree with this quote?
371
PART 2
SCIENCE-
SPLOITATION.
SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH AND
INFORMATION FOR
THE MASSES
“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own

facts.”
“
Daniel Moynihan
SMALL
TALK
Have you got any interest in science/scientific research?

Do you tend to take scientific studies/findings presented in the media at
face value? Do you instead take them with a grain of salt?
If mainstream media is not the best source of scientific and health
information, what sources can we rely on? The Internet? Social Media?
Other?
If someone boasts about being knowledgeable about essentially anything,
do you tend to believe them or are you rather skeptical? How can we tell a
charlatan from a true expert?
372
The Dunning Kruger effect explained
Multiple choice lexical cloze test
Read the following text and choose from the box below the word that fits best according to the information
and the context.
“The first rule of the Dunning Kruger club is that you do not know you are a member of the Dunning
Kruger club” said psychology professor David Dunning in a recent interview.
But what is the Dunning Kruger effect? It is essentially low-ability people assessing their competence
in a given 1 ______ (or in any, for that matter) as much higher than it actually is. And this imbalance
between real competence and pereceived competence also 2_______ their perception of others’
skills: they consider themselves much smarter and more competent than basically anyone else. If you
thought ignorance and humility went hand in hand, think again, for it 3 ______ much more often with
arrogance, actually. You probably have encountered a couple of these types in recent months. Heck,
you (and I) may suffer from the syndrome too, so let us not be too hard on ourselves and examine
instead the reasons for such widespread cognitive malaise.
In this information-overload digital society, where fake news, outright lies, and misinformation
spread rampantly and inconvenient truths are easy to ignore, any individual 4____ to shortcuts, quick
solutions, and answers which either fit their narrative or are easy with a wee bit of mental gymnastics,
to accommodate. And we even go out of our way to find on the Net other like-minded 5_____
defenders of exactly the same view as ours, who do nothing but reinforce our ill-informed claims. And
this is the perfect environment for a combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability to
6______.
There is also what Dunning calls “naïve realism”, an inclination to perceive as a/an 7_____ fact what
is, in actuality, only a conclusion we came up with and which sits well with our outlook, preconceived
ideas, and prejudices. So, anytime someone (or even yourself) sounds adamant and seems
overconfident (to the point of belligerence and opinionatedness) and 8_______ to contrary evidence
and persuasion, make sure to double-check both what they are stating so vehemently and even, more
acutely, whether they have a vested interest in pushing an agenda.
The antidote? Probably 9______ “intellectual humility”, that is, acknowledging and understanding that
your wisdom is limited, and you may actually be wrong about a variety of things. And why not, for
once, calling upon the words of arguably the most renowned of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece,
Mr. Socrates himself when, in spite of the breadth of knowledge this man possessed confessed that
“I know that I know nothing”? This level of earnest modesty seems to be for the most part, lacking
nowadays. Another quote that is probably more 10______ but every bit as descriptive is the one
sometimes attributed to American icon of anti-hero literature, Charles Bukowski (though there is
far from unanimity about its authorship, so do not go 11_____ me on that one) seems slightly more
appropriate in today’s reality: “the problem with the world is that the intelligent are full of doubt while
the stupid are full of confidence”.
373
1 a Domain b Extent c Theme d Thesis
2 a Dispels b Skews c Subverts d Thrusts
3 a Correlates b Evolves c Fuses d Underlies
4 a Defaults b Steers c Sways d Switches
5 a Authoritative b Bigoted c Intolerant d Zealous
6 a Boost b Creep c Disseminate d Thrive
7 a Conspicuous b Prominent c Overarching d Unsurmountable
8 a Dubious b Impenetrable c Impervious d Unaffected
9 a Accepting b Displaying c Embracing d Undertaking
10 a Biting b Hateful c Hurtful d Ironic
11 a Calling b Namechecking c Objecting d Quoting
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
SPEAKING
Do you get TRUE science?
Discuss the following questions

in groups/pairs:
374
• Quite often every new piece of research about a matter (health, illness prevention,
nutrition, etc.) seems to contradict previous studies that were taken as gospel. Do
you take these at face value, or do you instead take them with a pinch of salt?
• What kind of inaccuracies in the studies/scientific research/statistical data that we
see touted in the media should we watch out for?
• What are the red flags that point to a so-called scientific study being bogus?
• When statistical information (mainstream scientific advice, voting intention/opinion
polls, sociological studies, etc...) are presented in the media for mass consumption, do
you tend to give credit/lend weight to them, or do you usually raise your eyebrows
to possible inaccuracies? Do you think that mainstream scientific information tends to
be sensationalist?
• Can you tell correlation from causation?
• Every now and then, some product/food/remedy/exercise/diet/trend is hailed by
allegedly scientific sources/the media as the new be-all end-all, while others fall in
disgrace, even if they were once worshiped too. Do you think that this is the result of
more comprehensive, rigorous scientific research or are there some vested interests
behind it?
• How do you approach new information which sounds or looks “too good to be
true”? Are you immediately distrustful of it or does wishful thinking influence your
embracing that information?
375
LISTENING TEST
How to tell a good scientific study from a bad one
Listen to the following extract of one of the chapters of Mike Matthew’s book “Fitness Science” and decide
which option (a, b, or c) is correct for each of these questions.
1. The reason why the media misrepresents scientific research is due to

a. Health matters being rendered marginal in the news.
b. Sensationalism having proven profitable.
c. The public’s unwilligness to understand complex information.
2. Why is the cited British study on smoking and lung cancer flawed?
a. Doctors could lie about their habits when filling out the forms.
b. It failed to consider a multitude of variables.
c. It relied on an observational type of research.
3. What do we learn about the link between diet soda and obesity?
a. A more recent study has shed some light on the relationship between the two.
b. It is flawed since obese people actually rely on it to lose weight.
c. Obese individuals are the biggest consumers of diet soda.
4. What was wrong about the way the website dealt with the study on red wine and physical
exercise?
a. Alcohol had less importance on the effects than what was stated in the article.
b. It intentionally omitted key information.
c. It promoted unhealthy habits among their readers.
5. What is the bottom line of the way contemporary journalism informs the public about science?
a. Accurate scientific studies get less attention on the Internet.
b. Rigorousness of scientific information is not a key priority.
c. The media takes advantage of people’s lack of scientific knowledge.
6. Why would mainstream media bypass the weight of the evidence in scientific reports?
a. Because of an inclination for controversial topics.
b. Due to the journalists' own biases.
c. To reinforce the opinions people already have.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Mike Matthews YouTube Channel
376
READING
6 signs a scientific study is bogus
Matching Headings test
Match the headings A-I with the paragraphs below 1-6. There are THREE extra headings you do not need.
Introduction
Eat chocolate, lose weight! In March 2015, the results of a new study by researchers in Germany
made waves with the claim that chocolate could be part of a slimming regime. The study, conducted
by one Johannes Bohannon, research director of the nonprofit Institute of Diet and Health, showed
that adding chocolate to a low-carb diet actually increased weight loss.
The only trouble was that the study was completely bogus. Johannes Bohannon was actually a
science journalist named John Bohannon. Bohannon concocted the study to demonstrate how little
fact-checking the media engages in when it comes to reporting on science.
While the "study" made a splash in the tabloid media, few if any reputable outlets covered it. Maybe
that is because they recognized the telltale signs of a bogus study. Let's find out what those are.
It combines public and private funding.
A. It combines public and private funding

B. It relies too much on sensationalism.
C. It is plausible, not provable.
D. It is self-reviewed.
E. It is too new.
F. It is unrepeatable.
G. It was carried out inside the same university.
H. It proves a point (follow the money).
I. The samples are unsound.
1. ____________________________
Everybody conducts studies. When you see babies dropping their sippy cups from their high-chairs
over and over again, they are engaging in one of the most consequential experiments of their lives.
The object of their investigation? Gravity. No matter how many times we drop cups, they always fall to
the ground. This fact is one of the basic principles of any study.
2. __________________________
Once upon a time, observational studies suggested that having a "Type A” personality put you at
higher risk for having a heart attack. But follow-up randomized clinical trials could not repeat these
results, and it is now known that the original finding was completely false. How did this happen?
377
Observational studies can, of course, be enormously useful and enlightening. But there is a potential
for misleading results. One problem is that you can get statistically significant results by chance about
5 percent of the time. So, if you ask enough questions (and sometimes these studies can include
thousands of questions), the data might appear to render something important.
3. __________________________
Surprising results from odd research studies are a regular feature of the news cycle these days.
But if you can get your hands on the actual research study, the design of the project might surprise
you even more than the results. The case about one particular 2013 study about virginity is that its
subjects were extremely homogeneous. In fact, it turns out, they usually are when it comes to studies
in psychology and social science. Since many of these studies are conducted by academics, the typical
sample population for such research is — surprise, surprise — college students. That makes them
WEIRD — an acronym for Western, Educated and from Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic countries.
In other words, not exactly representative of global society as a whole.
4. ____________________
When trying to figure out whether a study is bogus, some common sense is useful. If 99.9 percent
of the experts in a given field say one thing and a handful of others disagree, have a look at where
the skeptics' funding is coming from. Willie Soon is one of the handful of researchers who deny
that human activity has anything to do with climate change. The fact that he works at the Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics lends a degree of prestige to his opinions. However, the Center
for Astrophysics has an arms-length relationship with Harvard, and researchers there are not on
salary and receive no funds from the university. In fact, it turns out that the bulk of Soon's funding has
been coming from sources such as Exxon Mobil and the American Petroleum Institute, among others
in the energy sector.
5. ___________________
Hynung-In Moon, a medicinal plant researcher at a university in South Korea, was having good luck
with the reviews of the studies he was publishing in "The Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal
Chemistry." Aside from a few suggestions about how to improve his papers, they were quickly
approved. Very quickly. In fact, the peer reviews were sometimes coming back to the editor of the
journal within 24 hours of his having sent them out. Growing suspicious, the editor asked Moon what
was going on. The researcher fessed up — those fast, approving reviews were coming from none
other than himself. Following common practice, the journal had asked Moon to suggest some potential
reviewers. When he did, he gave them a combination of real and fictitious names with fake contact
information, including email addresses that came to Moon's inbox.
6. ___________________
Every other day we hear of a new study that has found vitamin X, Y or Z prevents cancer
or Alzheimer’s or autoimmune disorders, and we rush out to buy vast quantities of the stuff. Before
mainlining yet another trendy supplement, it might be wise to sit back and wait a little while to see
whether subsequent research bolsters or debunks its value. When it comes to science, novelty is not
necessarily a good thing.
! Source: howstuffworks.com
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SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Check Extra Task document for

Extra Task 3: Listening. Social
vs. Natural Sciences
Do you think ideologies should not “pollute” scientific research?
Is it impossible for scientific studies to be completely detached from ideological biases?
Do you believe that it is unethical or immoral to even research some topics that may result in
inconvenient findings/results? Should science be contemplated instead dispassionately, with no moral
or ethical judgment?
Are scientific studies and their results sometimes twisted so they can fit the narratives of those in power?
You can check the sections

“Science for Dummies.
Understanding Data and
Statistics” and “I believe;
therefore, I am right. Ideas,
Beliefs, and Dogmas” in
Speaking Mastery to help
you produce a more eloquent
and accurate speech.
379
ORAL MEDIATION
Polémica NUTRISCORE
Context
You have a friend, Susan (47) who moved to Spain a couple of years ago with her two young kids. She
lives in a small town, mainly with other British expats and does not speak Spanish that well.
She is concerned about her own health, but especially about her children’s health and as she knows
the diet in your country is apparently healthier than in the UK, she would like to take advantage of
that, and make sure only healthy food makes it into her household.
However, a recent nutritional rating system called Nutriscore, has been implemented in most of
the products which can be found in grocery stores and supermarkets, labelling foods according to
supposedly how healthy or unhealthy they are (From A- very healthy- to E- mostly unhealthy). She
is confused as foods she previously thought were perfectly healthy such as olive oil, get a pretty low
rating.
She asks you to help her understand all this confusing information.
You come across an article which addresses the controversy regarding this nutritional rating system
and are going to send her a voice message (WhatsApp or similar) for her peace of mind and to not
take this system too seriously and to help her make healthy choices.
380
¿Cómo funciona el sistema Nutri-Score?
La idea general del algoritmo es relativamente sencilla, aunque luego hay excepciones y
particularidades varias. La nota Nutri-Score es mejor cuantos menos puntos se obtienen en el
algoritmo, y es peor cuantos más puntos.
Suman puntos los aspectos negativos como la cantidad de calorías, azúcares, grasas saturadas y
sal; mientras que restan puntos los contenidos beneficiosos, como el porcentaje de frutas o verduras
empleado para obtener el producto, así como su aporte de fibra, vitaminas y proteínas.
En conclusión, esa única nota para cada producto supone que si estamos ante una A o una B se trata
de un alimento saludable, mientras que una D o una E nos deberían poner en alerta. La finalidad
última consiste en facilitar un resumen visual del valor nutricional del producto.
Recordemos que el código NutriScore consiste en un gráfico con coloración gradual del verde al
rojo en cinco niveles, como si de un semáforo se tratara. Cada producto destacará el color que le
corresponda en función de su contenido en azúcares, grasas saturadas, sal, calorías, fibra y proteínas.
Los colores verdes identificarán los alimentos más saludables y los rojos, los de menor calidad
nutricional.
Según explica Dieta Coherente, NutriScore "parece a priori, un logotipo de fácil comprensión", ya
que con su uso debería ser más fácil saber la calidad nutricional de los productos que se consumen.
"Pero cuando se mira la letra pequeña sobre este nuevo sistema, han surgido las primeras polémicas",
asegura.
GRANDES 'SORPRESAS'
La ONG Open Food Facts, que recoge información sobre productos alimentarios de todo el mundo, ha
calculado lo que establecería ese nuevo semáforo sobre decenas de alimentos que están a la venta. La
plataforma SinAzúcar.org, ha recopilado la información para recrear las etiquetas de NutriScore con
determinados productos.
La principal sorpresa, según explica la nutricionista Amil López Viéitez, creadora de la Dieta
Coherente, es que, "aunque los refrescos tienden a estar mal valorados, la Coca-Cola Zero sale muy
bien parada con una B (verde claro, es decir, un notable). En cambio, el aceite de oliva, el alimento
más venerado y utilizado en la dieta mediterránea, suspende de forma rotunda con solo una D".
"Como los valores se calculan por 100 gr de producto y tiene mayor peso en el algoritmo, el valor
calórico total del alimento sobre las ventajas de las grasas saludables del aceite de oliva, aparecen
ciertas incongruencias", indica. Según esto, tendría mejor nota una Coca-Cola Zero que el aceite de
oliva virgen extra, algo verdaderamente llamativo.  ¿Por qué el semáforo nutricional NutriScore da
una mala nota al aceite de oliva virgen extra?
Una de las claves de la discusión es que la herramienta penaliza a los productos con un único
ingrediente, como el aceite de oliva, la leche, la miel o los huevos. Además, Nutri-Score no discrimina
los productos de una misma categoría según su valor nutriente, de tal forma que el aceite de colza o
el de nuez reciben la misma nota (C) que el de oliva, a pesar que este último contiene una proporción
mucho mayor de ácido oleico, un componente beneficioso para la salud cardiovascular.
Nutri-Score realiza las valoraciones entre productos pertenecientes a una misma categoría o entre
381
alimentos pertenecientes a familias diferentes, que suelen compartir espacios en las estanterías de
los supermercados: yogures comparados a postres lácteos o cereales del desayuno comparados a
galletas, bollería industrial o panes industriales. En el caso del aceite de oliva, lo compara entre las
diferentes grasas, y obtiene una baja calificación por su contenido en calorías, grasas totales y grasas
saturadas. De este modo, se da la paradoja que este producto básico de nuestra dieta mediterránea
obtiene una nota peor que algunos productos ultraprocesados.
Sources:
https://www.oleoestepa.com/blog/polemica-con-el-sistema-de-nutriscore-que-es-y-por-que-lo-critican-los-nutricionistas/
https://www.foodretail.es/food/nuevo-etiquetado-polemica-nutriscore_0_1273972607.html
382
SPEAKING
Topic: Science for Dummies
When some research is publicized in the media, do you try to read

between the lines to check it is rigorous enough?
Is there any public figure whose words you take as gospel? Who? Why?
Is there anyone whose words you take with a pinch of salt? Who? Why?
Closer scrutiny of human behavior in today’s people lays bare primitive
instincts that haven’t changed that much in millennia. Agree?
When you are planning how much money you are intending to spend in a
month/year (i.e.: budgeting), do you factor in unexpected expenses?
In case you are tracking your calories for some reason, do you usually
factor out cheat meals and excessive snacking on weekends?
How can you distinguish a sound argument from a fallacious one?
383
PART 3
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS.
CLIMATE CHANGE
& DENIALISM. DIET
AND CARBON
FOOTPRINT
“
“The world is not our facility; we have a responsibility to use
all of our abilities to keep this place alive.”
Fugazi “Burning Too”
SMALL
TALK
Do you believe that climate change and global warming are a problem we
should be very concerned about?
Are environmental problems something we can individually make a
difference in, or does it mostly come down to the action of governments
and big corporations?
Some believe climate change/global warming, or any human-induced
environmental damage has been blown out of proportion, and some even
go as far to say it is a hoax. What is your opinion on the issue?
Do you think humans have lost touch with nature? What about animals?
Have we become more sensitive to their suffering? Do you think pets are
sometimes humanized?
384
Group discussion
Which of these do you think is likely to have a greater negative impact on your own health and your
children’s/ the next generations? Can you predict how each one could damage people’s health?
• Your own dietary/lifestyle • Water scarcity/ water pollution

choices (meat consumption,
• Loss of Biodiversity/ endangered
processed foods, alcohol, sugar,
species
smoking…)
• Land Management/ Urban
• Dependence on fossil fuels
Sprawl
• Pollution
• Overpopulation
• Global Warming/ Climate
• Natural Resource Depletion
Change
• Overuse of plastic
VOCABULARY
Language Focus: Cause and Effect
Look at the following phrases describing relationships of cause-effect. Do you think they are all
interchangeable? Do they have different connotations/shades of meaning/ contexts of usage?
X CAN BE LINKED TO Y X CAUSES Y X BRINGS ABOUT Y
X BREEDS Y X LEADS TO Y X CAN BE RELATED TO Y
X CAN BE CONNECTED WITH Y X RESULTS IN Y X GIVES RISE TO Y
X GENERATES Y X CAN PRECIPITATE Y X CAN SPARK Y
X TRIGGERS Y Y STEMS FROM X Y SPRINGS FROM X
X SETS OFF Y X LIES BEHIND/ UNDERLIES Y
In which of the problems previously described do you think you can exert any influence at all/ is there
anything you can do about any of them?
385
SPEAKING
Would you be willing to give up your favorite products if you knew their manufacturing entailed a
huge environmental impact/loss of biological diversity, etc.?
Are you concerned about your consumption habits leaving a big carbon footprint? Would you be
willing to modify them if that were the case?
Do you think you rely too much on plastic products and packaging in general?
GROUP SPEAKING
Our carbon footprint
What effect do the following everyday actions have on polluting/damaging the environment? What
is their carbon footprint (according to your impression)? Are you willing to sacrifice any of them to
reduce your carbon footprint? Are there any other more environmentally conscious alternatives? Do
you think individual actions matter less than government/ corporate decisions?
• Use of plastic items • Consuming Dairy

• Commuting to work • Replacing computers, tablets,
and smartphones too soon
• Consuming red meat
• Leaving the TV (and other
• Air Travel
electronic items) plugged in
• Shopping sprees
• Using the Internet
• Using dishwashers and dryers
• Using toilet wipes
• Ordering takeaway food
386
LISTENING
Interview with Chay Harwood of Extinction Rebellion
Listen to an interview with environmental

activist Chay Harwood, who is part of the
movement Extinction Rebellion. Complete
the sentences below with the missing
words/phrases.
1. A number of women participated in a ____________________________ as a way

to support the Extinction Rebellion movement.
2. One of the protesters wonders about what kind of planet the future
generations will ____________.
3. The group is known for not eluding provocation to spread their word and, for
instance, used __________________ in a demonstration on Wall Street.
4. Chay says that his former and current interests converge in combating a system
of corruption, ___________________ and _______________________.
5. Chay says they want to pressure officials to carry out measures to not only
combat crises, but also to prepare for when _________________.
6. Although Chay acknowledges the discontent of many workers, he states
that they needed to turn to more drastic measures when signing petitions and
_______________________ were proven useless.
7. Chay defines their movement as one composed of ___________________ rather
than a political one.
8. He is confident that, not unlike after WWII, the country can bring out the same
level of ______________________ as it did back then.
9. Chay downplays Boris Johnson’s derogatory words on the movement, stressing
that those words come from an _________________ minister.
10. About Johnson, he also says he seems to be _______________ taking part in the
solution to the problem.
! Source: Extinction Rebellion UK
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SPEAKING TOPIC DEBATES
Climate change, denialism and activism
• Do you believe that climate change is a fact? Do you think its effects have been
rather overstated?
• How can governments/ citizens address the threat of climate change? Do you think
“Conscious capitalism” is a feasible idea?
• Do you think climate change advocates have an ideological agenda? In your opinion,
do those who deny (or even downplay) climate change/global warming have an axe
to grind?
• Climate change deniers/skeptics claim that shifts in the Earth’s temperature have
been consistent along previous centuries/decades. Do you agree with those claims?
Why/Why not?
• Environmental activists have no right to disrupt and interfere in people’s lives
(blocking roads/bridges, occupying parliaments, closing access to airports, etc.) vs. It
is a necessary means of raising awareness (as someone said, “without disruption,
nobody will pay attention to you”). Which statement do you agree more with?
• Governments of all developed countries should agree and declare a “climate
emergency” and enact laws accordingly. Agree?
• It is hypocritical of people to take part in climate change-related protests while
indulging in the use of technology and modern-day conveniences. Agree?
• Are you in favor of implementing eco-taxes (having authorities levy taxes on
activities/ products potentially harmful for the environment)? - diesel, air travel,
plastic items, imported goods, etc.-
• Is it possible to mitigate/counteract climate change/global warming and its effects
without totally sacrificing our current lifestyle?
388
LISTENING
Veganism and Dietary Carbon Footprint: what the Gamechangers movie got
right and wrong
Listen to Muscle for Life podcast host Mike Matthews talk with author and Paleo diet advocate
Chris Kresser about the environmental impact of vegan vs omnivore diets. Decide which SIX of the
following statements are true according to the recording.
A. Different livestock farming methods need to be considered.

B. Traditional farming methods result in higher greenhouse gas emissions.
C. Cattle production and transport contribute roughly to the same amount of emissions.
D. Veganism proponents have made deceptive assertions.
E. Environmental damage induced by holistic farming management is overplayed.
F. The film seems to be trying to push an agenda.
G. Feedlot cattle in the US pollutes below the world average.
H. Holistic farming has proven to be more beneficial than detrimental.
I. Switching to vegan diets has zero effect on humans’ carbon footprint.
J. According to a study, switching to a vegan diet would entail fatal nutritional deficiencies.
1 2 3 4 5 6
! Source: Mike Matthews YouTube Channel
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WRITING
Animal shelter house proposal
Context
You have two dogs at home and, when you go for a walk with them, you have noticed quite a few
abandoned dogs in the neighborhood lately, something which you find disheartening. There is
a close-knit animal loving community in town, but not even those pet enthusiasts can put up an
increasing number of animals that wander alone on the streets. Most of them haven’t even lived in the
wild, on the contrary, they have been forsaken by their owners and left to their own devices. Being run
over by a vehicle or left to starve are the most likely scenarios.
You think that if the local authorities built an animal shelter house, where abandoned pets can have
accommodation, food, training, and care while new owners are sought, that would be a feasible
solution.
Your neighbors have suggested that someone write a petition, and they will attach a document with
numerous signatures backing it up. You are known to have quite decent writing skills, so you will be in
charge of writing it. (200-300 words)
Remember to
• State the purpose of the proposal.

• Include the reasons why this initiative
is necessary.
• Use different headings and paragraphs
for each of the points made.
• Offer solutions/recommendations on
how to improve/fix the situation.
390
UNIT 9. SCIENCE FOR DUMMIES
ENGLISH MASTERY
A Proposal
The goal of a written proposal
A proposal is a written text sent to a figure of authority (plant manager, local governor, mayor,
head of a department, etc.) in the hope that some suggestions (usually aimed at improving
upon a deficient area/service, etc.) are taken into consideration.
A proposal is very similar to a report, but unlike a report, it is not a simple and objective
account of facts. We expect some improvement to be made; we expect the reader to take the
actions necessary to solve a problem.
However, in relation to formal aspects, like register, text organization and layout, is not that
dissimilar from a report:
In relation to text organization/layout, proposals roughly follow this structure:

• Introduction- I come through this letter to draw your attention to the current situation
regarding the increasing number of…
• Description of the problem/current situation- Many are the concerns with regard to the
numerous dogs that wander around … First and foremost, we are talking about living and
sentient creatures and… The reality is that…/what most people find here is…
• Recommendations/suggestions- It is paramount that actions on this matter are
undertaken with the most haste.. In the longer term, a local animal shelter would house
them while a committed owner is sought...
• Conclusion- There are multiple reasons why the abovementioned proposals should be
considered; they will enhance the sense of belonging in our community as people will be
involved in...
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SPEAKING
Topic: Climate Change vs. Denialism
Do you think climate change/Covid-19/vaccination deniers/skeptics have

an axe to grind? Why would they?
Do you think climate change and global warming are indisputable facts? If
so, which is the evidence which bears out your conviction?
Do you think climate change activists/proponents have blown the issue
out of proportion? Why would they?
What kind of social and economic problems do governments tend to
sidestep/overlook more often?
Is conscious capitalism some fancy concept and just a red herring?
Is there some environmental, social or economic issue that has snowballed
over the last decades?
When people taking part in a demonstration of any kind end up smashing
windows and breaking things, do you think their anger is legitimate?
Are today’s youth suffering from Eco-Anxiety? If so, do you think their
fears are well- or ill-founded?
392
ENGLISH MASTERY UNIT 10. BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD
UNIT
10
BRIGHT FUTURE
AHEAD
Artificial intelligence.
Humor, comedy and censorship.
Passing of time and memories
“
“Being happy is the best revenge.”
Tiffany Reisz
393
UNIT 10. BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD ENGLISH MASTERY
About this unit

You finally made it to the end of the English Mastery course, kudos to you! I really hope the journey
was an entertaining and a stimulating one.
“Bright Future Ahead” is an ode to optimism. I know it is hard to keep one’s spirits up with so many
bad news and tragedies around us, and the Covid-19 pandemic certainly unleashed a great deal of
reasonably founded doom-and-gloom among many of us, who had previously remained detached
from true adversity and hardship (which is not something many humans living in deprived conditions,
or in third-world countries can say). Too many uncertainties. Fear, paranoia, anguish, and distress
everywhere.
But I read somewhere that “there is a silver lining in every cloud”. And, while it sounds like your fourth-rate
inspiring quote, suited for mindless Instagram consumption, it still resonates with me. If anything, we got
to appreciate things that we had taken for granted, such as the company of loved ones, quality time spent
with others and good, old social interaction; you know, with hugs and kisses and whatnot.
That is the spirit behind the first part of the unit, “The Science of Happiness”, certainly inspired by
amazing podcasts like “The Happiness Lab”, “Daily Stoic”, and the works of Carol Dweck (about the
“Growth Mindset”, in opposition to the “Fixed Mindset”), and Ryan Holiday (author of the best-seller
“Obstacle is the Way”, and a writer who many consider their first foray into modern Stoic philosophy).
There are a couple of interesting behaviors I would like to draw attention to. First, when we truly care
for someone (a family member, a friend, a partner…), we tend to treat them with much more kindness
than we sometimes treat ourselves. And this includes the kind of language we use or the advice we
give them. Like really looking out for their well-being.
And I am not exactly fond of being self-indulgent (as self-indulgence impairs the path towards a
better life), but self-sabotage may be equally as pernicious, if not more.
The other aspect which is a constant in today’s era of plenty is our focus on the negative, as if we
were enslaved, chained, whipped, starved, and left to die, or afflicted with an incurable illness (I hope
394
this is not the case, by the way). Gratefulness does not abound nowadays, unfortunately. Let us, just
for a short while, look on the bright side of things, shall we?
The second section “Artificial Intelligence” deals with- duh-, AI, but also with how information is
spread and consumed in the digital era, and how our personal data are handled. I am sure everyone
has memories of them being a child and just trying to imagine what the future would be and look like.
And the amount of technological progress that has occurred in the last few years has been nothing
short of astonishing, for sure. But is this the kind of future we imagined? the sort of social, economic,
and technological Eldorado that our most optimistic predictions would conjure up? Are there some
Dystopian elements lurking around? This makes for a nice topic of conversation, right?
The third part deals with humor, comedy, and censorship. I don’t know about you, but a good sense
of humor is an absolutely essential characteristic that I need people to have if we are going to have a
close relationship. It is ok to be a quieter, moodier, even more morose type of guy/girl, mind you, but
someone being humorless and taking themselves too seriously makes me like them a bit less. Sorry
(that’s just me). And this includes the capacity of poking fun at oneself. I am also aware that humor
and comedy cannot be detached from social changes pertaining to the historical period they are
part of (like “that joke is not funny anymore, mate”), so I think that revisiting comedy of the past and
observing- with today’s sensibilities- how it has aged is an interesting thing to do.
The fourth and last part of the unit (and the entire course!) is titled “Aging, Memories, and the
Passing of Time” but it could very well have been named “Memento Mori” (i.e.: remember you have
to die), as this gives us some perspective to cope with our everyday setbacks, mishaps, and petty
problems too. Remember we are going to die and think “am I living my life to the fullest”? “Do I spend
too much time worrying about trifles?” and especially “Am I taking for granted people I cherish around
me, and especially, myself and my own existence?”. Gosh, did I get a bit too profound there, but, yes,
do “memento mori” every now and then; it will probably have a noticeable impact on your happiness.
I hope you found it enlightening. My pleasure!
395
Table of Contents
Reading
The pursuit of happiness: ten plus doable steps to an easier life.
Who checks the fact checkers? (Gapped Text)
China’s social credit system. Facial recognition software.
10 types you will meet at your high school reunion dinner. (Matching Headings)
Listening
Why we should focus on the positive. Interview with Steven Pinker
How does fact-checking work? (Multiple Choice)
What is surveillance capitalism? (T/F)
Owen Jones discusses humor and political correctness with Jonathan Pie. (Multiple Choice)
Michio Kaku: Immortality is Ours (Sentence Completion)
Oral Mediation
Funny Ha-ha? Revisiting 80s standup comedy (Intra-linguistic. Interpreting comedy and
humor)
United Swears of America (Intra-linguistic. Explaining data)
Written Mediation
The psychology of second place (Intra-linguistic. Processing a text)
Happiness and Age (Explaining Data)
Speaking Worksheets
The Science of Happiness
Artificial Intelligence & Information Warfare
Humor, Comedy, and Censorship.
Aging, Memories, and the Passing of Time.
Writing
Written Interaction: A letter to the editor.
396
PART 1
LARGER THAN LIFE.

THE SCIENCE OF
HAPPINESS
“That is how you beat them, Butch. They keep underestimating you.”
“
Butch Coolidge, Pulp Fiction
SMALL
TALK
Do you think happiness is a transient state of mind, or is it rather an

attitude?
What can you do to make yourself happier today?
Does your happiness depend on your expectations? Does it depend on how
you see yourself in relation to other people?
Are you optimistic about the future? Do you think societies are bound to get
better or worse in the next decades? (Environment, social problems, crime,
jobs, economy, relationships…)
397
Bright future ahead?
In the light of the events of recent times

(Covid-19 and subsequent healthcare,
social, and economic crises, political
polarization, migratory movements,
environmental issues, etc.), do you think
we have solid reasons to be optimistic
about the future?
Listen to Canadian experimental

psychologist Steven Pinker discuss with
podcast host Joe Rogan about why people
tend to focus too much on the negative and
what to do instead.
• How does Pinker describe the mindset of the enlightenment?

• What point is made about the “bad news”?
• What is “negativity bias”?
• How has the way the news is reported evolved over the years?
• How does the “time scale” affect the attention drawn to negative stories?
• Should we have a “reactive” (i.e.: wait for events to unfold) or “proactive” (i.e.:
making things happen in one direction or the other) attitude about the future?
! Source: Grey Matter
Did you know about the term "Anticipatory Anxiety"?
Anticipatory anxiety describes fear and worry around bad things

that could happen. It can happen in a lot of different contexts, but it
commonly focuses on things you cannot predict or control.
With anticipatory anxiety, you might spend a lot of time imagining worst-
case scenarios. Over-focusing on these unwanted outcomes can also
increase your frustration and hopelessness.
Say your partner seems a little preoccupied lately. When you mention it, they say nothing’s wrong.
You do not believe them and start to worry they want to break up, and you cannot stop imagining
398
the breakup conversation you believe is forthcoming. Thinking

about losing your partner makes you feel sick, and you have
trouble eating and sleeping normally.
Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca said the following:

“There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to
crush us; we suffer more in imagination than in reality”.
Do you agree with that quote?
Do you sometimes spend too much time anticipating

arguments, conflicts, problems, etc. even when there is little
evidence that they are likely to happen? If so, how does that
make you feel?
How do you manage to get out of negative thought spirals?
Ten things you can do today to make yourself happier
We are asking our readers on The Science of Happiness blog, to come up with tips on feasible
actions we could do just today to bring a little bit of ease, contentment, and happiness to our lives.
Here is what they wrote:
“Take a break from social media.”
“This is coming from someone who is absolutely hooked on Instagram, lives in a constant FOMO (fear of
missing out) state, and checks Facebook like twenty-seven times a day. For no particular reason. But really,
what is to be found there? Why are we so interested in the lives of others, and why do we care so much
about impressing others? Is it boredom, curiosity, gossip, vanity?... Anyway, it makes us look like complete
dorks. I have concluded that the more one spends on social media, the less satisfied they feel with their
time and their life in general. And I know there's tons of useful information there, but we should learn to
be more efficient with handling the information available online. Grab something you like about the topic/
hobby you are interested in, and just do something with it! Do not just fall into the trap of "paralysis by
analysis”. And then, just get the hell out of the goddamned page!!”
Fernando, 26. Peru
“Get rid of unwanted stuff: give it away, throw it away.”

“This is pretty self-explanatory, yet we fail to do it again and again. But, boy, does it feel good to
make room for the useful stuff at home or just make room, period! Ever since I heard of the Minimalist
podcast, I embraced this philosophy and have never looked back!”
Lilith, 31. Belgium
399
“Try an information detox.”

“It is a fact. Constantly checking your email, text messages, and above all, the news makes you
depressed. And speaking of the news, I sometimes get the impression that the powers that be want
to keep us in a constant state of anxiety, despair and negativity. About things we cannot control. I say,
enough!”
Stephan, 29 Ireland
“Create more, consume less.”

“I'm pretty sure some are gifted with the ability to customize clothes they already have and reinvent their
closet, so what is the point of splashing out your hard-earned money on the umpteenth dress, or jacket
when you have enough gear? The same goes for eating out, which is great, for sure. Why not try from
time to time to make some great, delicious meals and treat yourselves and impress others with memorable
dinners and make restaurant visits a less frequent thing? Or write, or play music, or paint. Just create!”
Mark, 41. Canada
“Spend quality time with people you like.”
“I stress here the QUALITY component. So, let us cut down on the cell phone gazing, right? Drop it for
a while in a place where it is just out of reach and then laugh with, share stories with, compliment…
family, friends, pets and loved ones. And LISTEN to what they have to say, for God's sake! And, as a
corollary, kick negative people out of your life NOW. They are not going to change, they only keep you
as a friend so as to sink you down into their cesspool of negativity, and every time you spend time
with them, you end up feeling worse about yourself… Misery loves company, indeed!”
Alejo, 36. Argentina
“Exercise or, rather, MOVE.”

"Exercise is not a punishment for what you eat, but a celebration of what your body can do”. God, do
I love that line. This is quite simple. Even if you are not naturally drawn to the idea of getting a gym
membership and dealing with that rather frothy environment and atrocious music gyms usually have.
Right, I’ll give you that. But just try to have a more active lifestyle: walk, cycle, take the stairs, get a
pet (it will force you to be more active), dance, jump in bliss, heck... if you feel like smashing some
pushups or bodyweight squats, do not hold yourself back... just MOVE!”
Raquel, 31. Spain
Don't give in to anger (or negative emotions for that matter)

“This does not mean being a perpetual wimp and remaining cold and unaffected by all kinds of life
events which may not be fun. But reveling in anger does not go anywhere. Believe me, I know what
I am talking about. Try to handle any of the arguments, disputes, or everyday minutiae with less
vehemence. It just makes one look like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum”.
Keith, 38. United Kingdom
“Embrace discomfort if necessary!”

“If succumbing to one's fury is rarely going to work in solving one's personal problems, shying away
from pain or sadness won't do the job, either. Pain is an essential part of our lives, and a source of
reflection, learning, and change. Maybe the greatest life-changing decisions emanate from hardship,
from breakups, from pain. If one is constantly pleased with their life, why change? But when
discomfort hits hard, just do not avoid it and rather take your life to another level.”
Kiichi, 30. Japan
400
“Stop comparing yourself with other people”

“Let’s face it: there will always be people who are smarter, more attractive, wealthier, better dressed,
with sexier partners than you, who will never refrain themselves from rubbing it in your face on social
media, and who always seem to be in a perpetual state of bliss and joy. Part of that is fake, mind you.
When you are really enjoying yourself, you couldn’t care less about putting up pictures; there is no
use in wanting to outfake them. But what if someone is actually more intelligent or better-looking
than you? Who cares? Sexy looks or IQ alone do not mean a thing: there are hundreds of stories
of depressed celebrities who dread aging or geniuses who end up taking their life. Try to improve
yourself in whatever you think matters in your life and forget about the rest.”
Mario, 47. Uruguay
“Listen to your favorite music, preferably in the morning”

“I read somewhere about the importance of morning rituals, and the powerful effect they have on
setting the tone for the rest of the day. I have noticed that for me personally, listening to those songs
that I sometimes hum in my head when I walk my dog first thing in the morning puts me in a terrific
mood! It is, next to my morning espresso, the jolt of energy that gets me pumped up throughout the
day and that I look forward to every single morning. Listen to me: ditch the news, and just get your
hands on that kickass, catchy tune you dig so much!”
Hank, 44. U.S.A.
SPEAKING
Ten things you can do today to make yourself happier
What do you think of these tips? Do you usually follow any of them? Do they have any effect on your
wellbeing?
Can you come up (in pairs/groups/individually) with more strategies and habits to make yourselves
happier?
Does happiness depend on the events that happen to us? Or rather, is it an attitude? Do you think it is
a combination of both?
Do you sometimes find yourself feeling unhappy or upset in the face of trivial issues? Do you know
anything at all about Stoic philosophy/mindset?
“ The Science of Happiness”
401
ORAL MEDIATION
The Psychology of Second Place and Expectations
Context:
You are studying a master’s degree in Sports Psychology. A couple who are close friends of yours are
really concerned, as their kid, who has been enrolled in professional sports from a very young age,
who has shown evident signs of talent since the beginning and received plenty of praise for all his/her
accomplishments, is starting to show symptoms of stress, anxiety, and even mild depression. He/she
dreads going to the practices and has hinted at quitting the sport altogether. They suspect it has to do
with a recent losing streak he/she and his/her team have been going through in the past months. As
they know you are knowledgeable on the matter, they ask for your advice.
You read an article in a specialized magazine, along with some pictures and charts, and think some of the
information contained in it could be of great help.
Send them a voice message (WhatsApp or similar) and tell them about how placing too high expectations
on oneself could be detrimental for their kid. (2-4 minutes)
I am actually not very interested in sports, but one particular aspect of the Olympics has captured
my attention – the media coverage of silver medal winning athletes and their ‘bitter’ faces (McKayla
Moroney’s podium scowl, pictured below, has even
become a meme). Despite the fact that they are being
ranked as the second best in their field, there are
many examples of silver medalists looking dismayed,
annoyed, or petulant. This reminded me of the famous
finding of Medvec, Madey & Gilovich (1995) that athletes
were happier coming third than second place, as silver
medalists could not help thinking about how close they
came to gold, while bronze medalists would be happy they
placed at all.
This study is often used in psychology textbooks to

demonstrate category-based counterfactual thinking, where a person’s emotions regarding an
actual outcome is affected by thoughts of what might have been. In the case of Olympic athletes,
silver medalists were predicted to make upward comparisons with imagined outcomes, resulting in
a situation where they felt less satisfaction from an objectively better outcome. In order to test these
expectations, Medvec et al. showed students tapes of all bronze and silver medalists in the 1992
Barcelona Olympics on finding out where they placed and receiving their medals and asked them to
rate the reactions on a scale of “agony” to “ecstasy”.
The post-event interviews with athletes were also analyzed to see whether they were preoccupied
with thoughts of how they could have done better or worse by judging the content of their speech
(including use of the terms “almost” and “at least”) and any comparisons made to better or worse
achieving competitors. The silver medalists were rated as significantly less happy, and this measure
correlated with how focused they were judged to be on finishing higher.
! Sources: brainbender.wordpress.com, www.peaksports.com
402
An alternative hypothesis could predict similar

expressions if the athletes were comparing their
performance to their own expectations. The happiness
of bronze medalists could then be explained as them
surpassing their expectations and the silver medalists’
disappointment as due to failing to meet their own
expectations.
“Shoot for the moon… Even if you miss, you’ll land

among the stars.”
Many athletes adopt this philosophy.
Unfortunately, athletes with this type of mentality heap excessive demands upon themselves
believing this method will still result personal best or optimal performances.
The reality is that excessively high expectations rarely result in high-level performance. When
expectations are high, so is the pressure to meet those expectations.
High expectations lead to increased pressure and other negative consequences for athletes and
teams, such as reduced confidence, anxiety, fear of failure, overthinking, inability to move past
mistakes, negative thoughts, and underperformance.
How to manage high expectations:
Instead of focusing on individual expectations, such as not making any mistakes in the game or being
the leading scorer of a team, replace them with more manageable goals that help you focus on your
role on the team, such as “find open space” or "make stops on defense”.
403
SPEAKING
Topic: The Science of Happiness
Can you think of some inspiring words that have struck a chord with you?
Is there any advisable habit that took you some time to warm up to?
On a stressful weekday, what news or surprise would make your day?
When you are feeling down, how do you manage to keep your spirits up?
Is there any person or even aspect about yourself that you have lately
come to terms with (i.e.: accepted regardless of their flaws)?
Many people do not have time for reflection and introspection and end up
sleepwalking through life, without a sense of purpose. Agree? Do you
know anyone like this?
404
PART 2
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND
INFORMATION
WARFARE
“
Neo: "Why do my eyes hurt?"
Morpheus: "You had never used them.”
"The Matrix" (1999)
SMALL
TALK
What role do information and communication technologies play in your life?

Have they brought about any significant changes in aspects of your life?
Are you concerned about what big corporations or governments could do
with your personal data? Do you ensure that the information which you find
online is trustworthy? How?
Do you fear that computer algorithms could modify, influence, or predict
your future behavior/opinions/emotions?
Many of the jobs done by humans nowadays will be done by robots/
computers in the future. Are you concerned about that? What do you think
you bring to the table which a machine does not do?
405
LISTENING
How does fact-checking work?
Listen to coach John Green describing

how fact-checking information online
works.
For questions 1-5 choose the right

answer, a, b, or c.
1 What does he say about his own profile in the New Yorker, which was fact-checked?
a) He felt that the fact-checker was too inquisitive.
b) It did not contain an actual photo.
c) The fact-checker asked questions about the profile’s spelling.
2. What does he say about the experiment which involved college students, History professors
and fact-checkers?
a) One of the associations whose facts they examined is a more recent one.
b) One of the associations whose facts they examined is not respected by experts.
c) Participants gave more credit to the more unbiased association.
3. Why does the coach state that one of the websites was more reliable?
a) It complied with fundamental criteria of veracity.
b) The fact-checkers subjected that website to a more thorough analysis.
c) The participants spent more time scrutinizing it.
4. About the importance of knowing who is behind a piece of information, he says that
a) Even he can have vested interests when presenting information.
b) Journalists are usually more influenced by their own experience than by personal interests.
c) Your friends may share untrue information about themselves.
5. How is the validity of a claim determined?
a) Opinion statements should be disregarded.
b) The source where the information comes from is key.
c) Watch out for claims not supported by scientific evidence.
1 2 3 4 5
! Source: Crash Course
406
Do you think information online

should be fact-checked to
guarantee its veracity?
How can we distinguish reliable

from dubious information? What
kind of aspects do you pay
attention to?
READING COMPREHENSION TEST
Who checks the fact checkers? (Gapped Text)
Read the following article on fact-checking in the USA. For items 1-7 choose the phrase or sentence which
best fits. Write your answers in the box below. There are FOUR extra statements you do not need.
Once upon a time in America, it was okay to be misinformed. People were not hassled for believing
the “wrong” thing or buying into a crazy conspiracy theory — because everyone had the right to be
wrong or crazy. (1) _______. But those days are gone.
Today, we have the freedom to believe whatever we want — as long as what we believe is “right.” Being
misinformed is no longer an option and sharing the “wrong” information can even be dangerous.
Whenever there is breaking news, a swarm of stories are pushed to our devices carrying headlines
like What You Need to Know About XX or Why XX Is No Big Deal. (2) ______; they tell us what
to think about it and how we “should” react. They let us know if we should freak out because it is the
end of the world as we know it or simply look the other way because it is Russian disinformation.
The media that dispense 90% of our news — companies owned by five conglomerates and the
wealthiest people on the planet — now determine who and what we should or should not believe,
which stories are real, and which are fake. They have the power to define how we perceive events and
even how we perceive each other. (3) ______.
This is an Orwellian phenomenon I’ve written about and cover extensively in my new book, Reality
Bites, and it has profound implications for all of us. (4) ______— and it is the corporate-owned media
that is qualified to determine who those sources are. Why? Because they can be trusted to do
something you and I can’t: fact check.
Don’t get me wrong. (5) _____. But if mainstream media gets to decide what’s real and what’s fake, is
it worth asking who’s holding them accountable? Who is fact-checking the fact-checkers?
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In 2015, Fact Checker (a section on the Washington Post newspaper, where facts made by politicians,
online, etc. are verified, corroborated or refuted) received a $250,000 grant from Google News
Initiative/You Tube to create video fact checks. Google News Initiative, in case you haven’t heard, is
the tech giant’s $1 billion venture to “collaborate” with journalists to help build “the future of news.”
(6) ____. What could possibly go wrong?
Google News Initiative also pays news publishers to “curate content” that gives readers “more insight”
and “perspective” on important stories. This raises obvious questions: (7) ___ And why does Google
want to provide such insight and perspective?
If the WaPo-Google partnership was the only unsettling link in the fact-checking chain, it would
not be so alarming. But PolitiFact and FactCheck.org —two “independent” leaders in the war on
disinformation— also have questionable affiliations.
Because it encourages us to doubt anything we hear unless it comes from “credible”

A
sources.
Fact-checking is extremely important, and it is the best way to make informed

B
decisions
C I still stand by my dislike of fact-checking strategies
It is what gave us an edge over people living under authoritarian governments and
D
who were forced to think in lockstep with everyone else.
E Many of the well-meaning among us think those times are gone for good.
One of the world’s most powerful corporations has partnered with one of the
F
country’s biggest newspapers to fact-check news
G Orwell was not the first one to call attention to the perils of thought control
These easily digestible, conveniently packaged summaries do not tell us what

H
happened
I They have the power to shape our reality
J To which extent do we need Google to supervise the ultimate truth?
Why do consumers need assistance from a multinational corporation to gain insight

K
and perspective on news?
! Source: Monica Harris (Medium)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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POST-LISTENING LANGUAGE AND IDEAS ACTIVATION
• After listening and reading different opinions on the topic of fact-checking, do you
think fact-checking companies do more good than harm to the information we
consume and to our freedom? Or is it the other way around?
• Do you think that social networking sites such as Twitter, YouTube or Facebook offer
reliable sources of information?
• According to different sources, 5 multinational conglomerates (Facebook, Apple,
Microsoft, Google, and Amazon) control a huge chunk of the world’s economy and
information. Are you concerned about that?
• Do you fear that there may be some vested interest in fact-checkers to obscure or
censor some information and give more prominence or veracity to other sources?
LISTENING
What is Surveillance Capitalism?
Listen to a review of Soshana Zuboff’s book “Surveillance Capitalism” and decide which SIX of the statements
below are true, according to the information you hear. There are FOUR statements you do not need.
The first statement is done as an example.

A. Google’s search bar is an example of them applying principles of industrial
capitalism to their business model.
B. Google users found their service more convenient, while Google got access to users’
personal data.
C. Information initially disregarded turned out to be really valuable.
D. Predictions about users’ emotions and objectives were deemed more relevant than
predictions about their character or hobbies.
E. They manage to predict our behavior based on our purchasing habits.
F. New Google users were the advertisers.
G. Google’s incentive was to enhance its prediction power.
H. Computer algorithms emerged as the new means of production in surveillance
capitalism.
I. Surveillance capitalists were no longer interested in improving users’ convenience.
J. Users are made to be willing to share more and more personal information.
K. The changes in the Facebook like button are not aimed at giving their users more options.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
! Source: Poiesis
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Do you find this argument worrying, or do you think

it is a bit too far-fetched?
Have you been bombarded with advertisements

lately without explicitly looking for a certain item or
product?
Have you ended up buying something online which

you did not originally intend to buy?
The complicated truth about China’s social credit system
China's social credit system has been

compared to Black Mirror, Big Brother and
every other dystopian future sci-fi writers can
think up. The reality is more complicated —
and in some ways, worse.
Brits are well accustomed to credit checks:

data brokers such as Experian trace the timely
manner in which we pay our debts, giving us
a score that's used by lenders and mortgage
providers. We also have social-style scores,
and anyone who has shopped online with eBay has a rating on shipping times and communication,
while Uber drivers and passengers both rate each other; if your score falls too far, you are out of luck.
China's social credit system expands that idea to all aspects of life, judging citizens' behavior and
trustworthiness. Caught jaywalking, do not pay a court bill, play your music too loud on the train —
you could lose certain rights, such as booking a flight or train ticket. "The idea itself is not a Chinese
phenomenon," says Mareike Ohlberg, research associate at the Mercator Institute for China Studies.
Nor is the use, and abuse, of aggregated data for analysis of behavior.
How does the social credit system work?
The target, eventually, is that the government

system will be country wide, with businesses
given a "unified social credit code" and
citizens an identity number, all linked to a
permanent record. "If you go to a credit China
website, and you have an entity's credit
code, you can type that in and pull up credit
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records," explains Samantha Hoffman, senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and
expert in tech-enhanced authoritarianism. "Individuals will have ID-linked codes." It is less a score,
she says, and more of a record.
Some reports talk about a blacklist; that's part of the official government social credit system, which
means if you owe the government money, for example, you could lose certain rights. There is a
difference between getting a low social credit score and being blacklisted by the government, such as
for refusing to pay a fine.
The criteria that go into a social credit ranking

depends on where you are, notes Ohlberg. "It's
according to which place you're in, because they
have their own catalogs," she says. It can range
from not paying fines when you are deemed fully
able to, misbehaving on a train, standing up a
taxi, or driving through a red light.
One city, Rongcheng, gives all residents 1,000

points to start. Authorities make deductions for
bad behavior like traffic violations and add points
for good behavior such as donating to charity.
One regulation Ohlberg recently read specifically
addresses stealing electricity. Of course,
you'll have to get caught first or be reported
by someone else. While facial recognition is
infamously used to spot jaywalkers, in some
cities it is not so automated, Ohlberg notes.
What happens if you are blacklisted?
Liu Hu is a journalist in China, writing about censorship and government corruption. Because of
his work, Liu has been arrested and fined — and blacklisted. Liu found he was named on a List of
Dishonest Persons Subject to Enforcement by the Supreme People's Court as "not qualified" to buy
a plane ticket, and banned from travelling some train lines, buying property, or taking out a loan.
"There was no file, no police warrant, no official advance notification. They just cut me off from the
things I was once entitled to," he told The Globe and Mail. "What's really scary is there's nothing you
can do about it. You can report to no one. You are stuck in the middle of nowhere."
What recourse is there? With the government system, if you want to be removed from a blacklist, you
can either pay your bill or appeal to the court, says Jing Zeng, a researcher at the University of Zurich.
"Bring your money to the court and then you get removed from the system," she says. "It's not a
judicial system by itself, it's still the court you need to [appeal to]."
However, the Chinese justice system leaves much to be desired, says Hoffman. "There are no genuine
protections for the people and entities subject to the system," she says. Alongside the potential for
abuse of power, the knock-on effects of statewide surveillance, and the likelihood of incorrect data,
Ohlberg notes that a few bad marks on a social credit record could spark a negative spiral.
! Source: Wired.co.uk
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EXPORTING DYSTOPIA: CHINA'S SOCIAL CREDIT SYSTEM
Watch the following video on China's Social Credit Score System
How does the Chinese government justify this monitoring

and tracking of their citizens?
What sort of information does the Social Credit System

take into consideration?
What is the role of facial recognition technology in this

Credit Score System?
Which kind of actions can pump up your score?
Which can lower/damage/mar it?
What was Liu’s- the Chinese journalist mentioned in the

news report- predicament?
SPEAKING
What do you think of this kind of social credit experiment? Do you think it could be useful in
democratic societies? (To prevent and prosecute crime, ensure citizen’s correct behavior, instill values
of civility in citizens, create a cohesive social environment, etc.).
Can you imagine some positive outcomes to its implementation? What about its drawbacks?
Do you fear that even non-authoritarian governments would feel tempted to exert too much control
and surveillance on their citizens? Are you concerned that they could take advantage of extraordinary
circumstances (such as the outbreak of a pandemic, social conflicts, etc…) for such a purpose?
What do you think of the use of facial recognition and surveillance technologies?
“Artificial Intelligence &

Information Warfare”
412
SPEAKING
Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Information Warfare
• Do you think we are expected to be and think in lockstep with one

another on social media as if dissenting opinions were almost frowned
upon?
• Can you think of some information leak which has taken place
recently?
• Do you think that the digital divide between digital natives and digital
immigrants is something worrying for either? What is each generation
missing in relation to the other?
• Do you think fact-checking and monitoring of opinions online are a
necessary evil to ensure safety and veracity of information?
• What kind of information is labeled as conspiracy theories/hoaxes
nowadays? Why do you think that these are so popular?
• Is there any software or technology that you had no experience with
but have managed to latch onto?
• Are you able to tell rigorous videos on YouTube/information on social
media from mere clickbait?
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PART 3
HUMOR AND
COMEDY. POLITICAL
CORRECTNESS,
PROFANITY AND
CENSORSHIP
SMALL
TALK
“
“F**k them if they can’t take a joke.”
Bette Midler
How important is sense of humor in your life? Is it a quality that you

possess? Do you consider it important in other people?
Do you sometimes poke fun at yourself? Do you take others’ comments or
jokes about you very seriously? Do you sometimes get offended by them?
What do you think of cursing? Are you sometimes a bit foul-mouthed?
Do you also take the piss out of other people? How can one tell
lighthearted jokes and inoffensive remarks from mean-spirited/malicious/
venomous ones?
Do you like comedians/stand-up comedy? What comedy style/shtick do
you find funnier? What type of comedians do you find boring? Do you think
there are some subjects one should never make fun of?
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LISTENING
Clive Jones discusses Humor, Comedy, and Political Correctness with Jonathan Pie
Listen to journalist Clive Jones have a

conversation with stand-up comedian Tom
Walker (known as “Jonathan Pie”) about
political correctness and comedy nowadays.
For questions 1-8 choose the right option (a,

b, or c), according to the information you hear.
1. About the creation of his alter ego -Jonathan Pie- Walker says:
a. He mocked newsreaders who seemed artificial and stilted.
b. He was inspired by imagining what newsreaders really felt about the news.
c. He was inspired by Labor party candidate Jeremy Corbin.
2. About the key to the success of his character, he states that…
a. He can get away with a great deal of cursing.
b. He is very spontaneous about it, so everything comes out naturally.
c. His shtick is unusual for both older and younger audiences.
3. What do both Jones and Walker agree on regarding the environment of political polarization in
the UK?
a. Humor and comedy started declining in the Blair years.
b. The two sides are two well-defined archetypes.
c. Tories and Laborites’ political programs are not that different.
4. What point does he make about “free speech”?
a. He defines it as the right to express offensive opinions.
b. People with genuinely racist feelings must openly express it.
c. Repressing any opinions, even reprehensible ones, is detrimental.
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5. Which of these options does Owen Jones NOT mention when talking about dealing with racism
and other social conflicts?
a. Talking and debating is useless at the end of the day.
b. The 1950s were a time of great social conflict but also social activism and advancement.
c. There should not be place for the discussion of certain ideas.
6. What does Walker say about shutting down certain debates?
a. Dissenting opinions are equated with intolerance.
b. The leftists are the ones who do it.
c. You are likely to be called a Nazi if you express controversial ideas.
7. About the example of openly calling for violence against gay people, they both agree that…
a. If that was just a sarcastic remark, it should not be an issue.
b. Incitement to violence is already categorized as a crime in the penal code.
c. Those words are unacceptable and whoever express them should be arrested right
away.
8. About people calling Walker/Pie a Nazi apologist or misogynist, he says…
a. People in general know very little about history.
b. Terms like Nazi or misogynist are so overused that they lose their meaning.
c. The term misogynist is prohibited nowadays, as it implies hatred of women.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
! Source: The Guardian
Funny, ha ha? Revisiting humor and comedy of the 80s
ORAL MEDIATION
Student A
Watch the performance (between 3’45’’ and 8’00”) by

stand-up comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, presenting his
standup show “Delirious” in 1983.
416
Explain to Student B the most remarkable

aspects of Murphy’s performance/humor style/
shticks, by paying attention to the following
aspects:
• Did you get the jokes?

• Are many of the gags difficult to get/understand?
• What does he say about…
• The way he walks on stage while doing stand-up? Why does he walk like
that?
• His nightmares about Mr. T, or Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton being gay?
• Men and women hanging out with gay people?
• Venereal diseases then and in previous years?
• Do you think Murphy was a funny stand-up comedian? If so, what kind of tricks/
gimmicks does he rely on?
• Do you find some of his jokes gross/distasteful/mean-spirited? Would a kind of show
like this be acceptable nowadays? If not, why do you think it was ok back in the day?
Funny, ha ha? Revisiting humor and comedy of the 80s
ORAL MEDIATION
Student B
Watch the performance (roughly, up to minute 4) by

stand-up comedian Bill Hicks in 1985, in Houston, TX.
Explain to Student A the most remarkable

aspects of Hicks’ performance/humor style/
shticks, by paying attention to the following
aspects:
417
• Did you get the jokes?

• Are many of the gags difficult to get/understand? Do you think it is due to the
language barrier? To a lack of socio-cultural knowledge?
• What does he say about…
• Oklahoma?
• Living in Houston?
• Inbreeding and high-carb diets?
• The Marlboro Man?
• “Dirt for Sale”?
• Calling his dad on Father’s Day/Relationship with his father as a child?
• Do you think Hicks was a funny standup comedian? If so, what kind of tricks/
gimmicks does he rely on?
SPEAKING
Check the “Humor, Comedy,

and Political Correctness”
section in Speaking Mastery
to talk about the following
topics:
• How do you prefer humor/comedy? Tongue-in-cheek? Irreverent/ mischievous?

Absurd?
• Are you into stand-up-comedy? Any comedian in particular? How would you
describe their style?
• Some gags/jokes of the past would be unthinkable today. Should humor adapt to
social conventions of the present time?
• Can too much emphasis on political correctness render humor unfunny?
• Do you think comedy should have no taboo subjects or do you believe instead that
some topics should have no place in it? What do you think of comedians or even
people who punch down when making jokes or wanting to be funny?
• Should a comedian have the right to make fun of everything and everyone or should
there be certain limits to their self-expression?
418
• Can you think of any successful comedian of the past who fell into oblivion/in
disgrace/ceased to be funny?
• As a teenager, did you ever make “prank calls”? Can you remember any funny
anecdotes related to it?
• Can you think of a comedy sketch/gag which you remember as hilarious? Does it
hold up to this day? Has the joke, instead, worn thin?
• It is quite challenging to “get a joke” in a foreign culture, even if you speak the
language fluently. Agree?
• Do you usually catch sarcasm in people’s remarks?
WRITING
A letter to the editor
Recently, Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle

was subject to a great deal of controversy,
after making fun of the way that people who
suffer from Down Syndrome speak, the clothes
they wear, or the way they wear their hair. The
bad taste gag sparked an immediate outrage
and many citizens, including parents of Down
Syndrome sufferers, mental health associations
and many others demanded that his tour in the
UK be canceled.
While Boyle apologized afterwards for having hurt those who felt offended by his number, he says he
will not back down and cancel his remaining gigs. Next week, his show is opening in your town, and
many are organizing to boycott the show and force the venue to shut down Boyle’s performance.
Your local newspaper, in its online edition, has run a newspaper about the issue and encourages their
readers to express their opinion about it.
Write a letter to the editor, which will subsequently be published in the online newspaper giving your
opinion about the following:
Write between 300-400 words.
• What you think about Boyle’s incident.

• Whether the show in your town should be cancelled or not. Give reasons.
• Add some of your thoughts about whether there should be some limits in humor or
not. Are there some issues or targets which should be avoided altogether?
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A Letter to the Editor
General guidelines when writing a letter to the editor

What a letter to the editor should look like
We may feel the urge to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper/journal/magazine (either
in paper format or in digital version) when we have a strong opinion about some recent, up
to date, issue or news story, and we would like to share our opinion with other readers. We
may also want to point at some fact or argument that we think has been neglected in the
way the facts have been reported so far, or just express our discontent about the issue in
question.
We address the editor of the publication in the hope that our letter is deemed interesting
enough, and therefore, published in the paper (or online publication).
This type of writing is rather formal in style, but as getting our point across is our main
objective, we should not make it too intricate or bookish. We essentially want the readers
to get our point, and probably to resonate with it, so if our use of language renders the
message impenetrable, we will fail in our original goal. This does not mean, however, that
when writing a letter to the editor you should stick 100% to some template or immutable
blueprint. Always try to reflect your personality and your own personal ideas in your writing.
With that being said, there are some formal elements to be taken into account:
Some elements are expected in a letter to the editor, whether it is written on paper or sent
by email:
• Subject: This is especially useful when sending an email: “About Frank Boyle’s gig
cancellation request” or a very brief line where you are making it clear which story/issue
you refer to should be enough.
• Greetings/salutation: if you know the name of the editor, you can directly start by “Dear.
Mr. García”, “Dear Mrs/Miss. Jones”, for instance. In case you do not know their actual
identity and gender/sex, something like “Dear Sir/Madam” will do.
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UNIT 10. BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD
ENGLISH MASTERY
• Introduction/Introductory paragraph: here, you mention the issue/news story (“I am

writing in relation to the outrage caused by… words and the subsequent backlash…”, “I
would like to share my own thoughts on a very controversial issue recently published…”),
and also lay bare your opinions/intentions (“While I advocate for freedom of expression/
Although I am a firm believer in free speech…”, “While I have nothing but sympathy
for those suffering from Down syndrome and feel compassionate about their…, I must
express my disagreement/displeasure…”), which will be developed throughout the
following section.
• Body: in the subsequent paragraphs, you enumerate the reasons why you side with
one or another option (“Firstly, there is no reason for someone to use such demeaning
language…”, (“To begin with, Mr. Boyle clearly crossed a line that is beyond…”, “First and
foremost, much as I find Boyle’s joke totally gross and distasteful…”/”Secondly…”), and so
on…
• Conclusion/closing paragraph: add some final idea as a conclusion to wrap up the
message you wanted to share (“The fact that this demeaning/mean-spirited kind of
humor resonates with so many people holds a mirror up to our social values…” “… The
best service we can do to this type of comedy is paying no mind to it; trying to cancel it
only gives it undeserved publicity…”) and a final salutation (“yours sincerely,”- provided
you know the name of the recipient-, “yours faithfully,”- if you don’t-).
Some tips when writing a Letter to the Editor
Apart from the general advice we gave at the beginning of this handout, try to bear the following in
mind:
• You may have really strong opinions about an issue, and that is perfectly fine. However, do not
get too emotional and get carried away with anger, to the point of making way too polarizing or
disrespectful comments. Try to make your point in the most eloquent way possible.
• Try to keep it relatively brief: the art of conciseness is an understated one. Why spend one thousand
or more words to make your point clear, when you could do it in no more than three hundred?
(which, coincidentally, is the word limit for most writing tasks of this level). Try your best to make
your ideas as straightforward, concise and synthetic (while not sacrificing meaningfulness and
substance) as you can.
• Use emphatic, vivid, colorful language to spice up/jazz up your writings: intensifying adverbs (…
downright unacceptable, flat-out offensive, came across as utterly hateful…), strong adjectives
(appalling, reprehensible, contemptible…), unusual discourse markers and attitudinal adverbs (“so
much so that many have demanded it be cancelled, and rightfully so…”), rhetorical questions,
fronting (“The aspect that goes unnoticed for the majority is…), grammatical inversions, and any
other language that can make your writing read more compelling and advanced.
• On the other hand, try not to use flowery words and phrases to mask poor, generic writing: what
matters most is the point you are trying to make, the ideas you want to share (even if these are a
bit edgy, audacious or contentious). Do your best to acquire your own identity when writing in
English.
• And last, but not least: double-check and revise your writing (especially in an exam) before handing
it in. It makes a world of difference, and you may be astounded at the silly mistakes that pop up.
Get rid of them!
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SPEAKING
Topic: Humor, Comedy and Censorship
• Can you think of any artist/music band/comedian that you didn’t know
much about but ended up stealing the show at a festival?
• Do you think that standup comedians who tell offensive jokes should
include trigger warnings at the beginning of their shows?
• Have you got a self-deprecating side? Do you think it is a favorable
trait to possess, or a detrimental one?
• Is there anything that an artist/comedian/politician/lecturer would say
that would make you boo them off the stage?
• What would a comedian/musician/artist say or do that would make you
think of boycotting them?
• Have you ever been in a conference, gig, or stand up comedy show
where there were some hecklers in the audience?
• Are you ok with some language profanity/gross humor in a comedy
show? At which point would too much language profanity make a
comedian sound humorless?
• Is there any comedian/filmmaker/writer/TV presenter that you know
who has a flair/knack/gift for satire or even black humor? How would
you describe their style?
422
PART 4
AGING, MEMORIES.
THE PASSING OF
TIME
“The years teach much which the days never know.”

“
Ralph Waldo Emerson
SMALL
TALK
Do you agree that “time heals all wounds”? Do you find yourself dwelling
on the past sometimes? Does it bother you?
Have you got any relatives who live behind the times? In what sense? Have
you learned to spend quality time with those who are important to you?
Is there any aspect/event in your life you would change if you could turn
back the hands of time? If today’s you met yesterday’s you (5/10/15 years
ago), what would you tell them?
Have you changed much throughout the years? For the better/worse? In
which aspects? (personality/appearance/interests/beliefs…) Does aging
concern you? Do you ever fantasize about staying young forever?
Do you try to hide/fight the effects of aging?
Is it important for you to look young and conceal the passing of time?
Do you think that it will ever be possible to live twice as long as today or
even combat mortality?
423
LISTENING
Michio Kaku. Immortality is Ours (Sentence Completion)
Listen to an interview with scientist Michio Kaku and complete the

following extracts:
1. Michio is a renowned futurist as well as a _____________

_____________ . (2 words)
2. The resulting device stores the applicants’ digital
footprint in ___________ ___________ systems (2 words)
3. Michio argues that death should not be a
___________________ of life (1 word).
4. Thanks to that innovation our grandchildren may be able to converse with us in
about _________ years (1 word)
5. The EU and the American government have _____________ one billion dollars to fund
the project (1 word)
6. Michio states that in the future one’s mental and emotional attributes will survive
although our bodies ___________ (1 word)
7. The interviewer namechecks _______________ programs as an example of biological
immortality ventures (1 word)
8. The interviewer inquires whether in the future it will be possible to resuscitate
_________ ________ (2 words)
WRITE YOUR ANSWERS IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE
! Source: Aging Reversed
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READING
The 10 types you will find at your high-school reunion dinner (matching headings)
Read about different profiles of high-school

reunion attender types (1-10) and match them
with an appropriate title (A-J)
1. _______
No, seriously.
I’ve never seen you in my entire life and I have an absurdly good memory for things that happened
at school. I remember the time Andi claimed to get attacked by spider monkeys at the zoo in Year
8, simply to get out of doing the worksheet we'd been given. I remember when Sarah sustained
an injury during preparation time for debating because she got excited and jumped on a desk. I
remember when Jessie performed a reimagined Shakespearean monologue so inappropriate and
politically incorrect, I won't even repeat it.
But I do not remember you. You did not go to my school. But hello, what are you up to these days?
2. _______
The "Oh my God, my life is so great, hashtag blessed” thing gets old quick, but there’s always one
(or more) at your usual reunion! The person who will not stop talking about how many life-changing
experiences they’ve had, all the things they’ve accomplished and places they’ve been. They are “living
the dream” while you and your other classmates work 9 to 5 to raise a family and make ends meet.
Maybe they got rich after school or maybe they just never grew out of the jet-setting lifestyle they
were raised in, but one thing is for sure: they sure can talk a lot about it!
3. _______
Age changes all of us, and high school reunions are a great opportunity to see just how it has
impacted your friends and former classmates. New wrinkles and curves pile up every year, so if your
high school reunion has an open bar, now’s the time for a drinking game!
At least one of your former classmates will have gone from beauty queen bombshell to train wreck-
425
in-a-dress, and some of those bespectacled, brace-faced nerds will definitely have grown up into jaw-
droppers by the time of your ten- or twenty-year reunion, so don’t be too shocked if your one-time
crush or that prom date you turned down has completely changed for better or worse.
4. _______
There are so many of them.
It turns out a lot of people think school reunions are lame, which I dunno, seems a little rude.
But apparently people can be too busy to hang out with the people they went to school with. Some
had a better party to attend. Or they are living overseas. Or they have all new friends now and do not
have any connection with who they were as a teenager.

Lots of people say they see the people they want to from school, and there is a reason they don't
socialize with the others, which I guess is fair enough. Their life is way too glamorous for such
frivolous engagements.
But these types make me feel like maybe I should've had something better to do than go to my
reunion? Which I didn't. I was really free, and also... genuinely keen.
5. _______
We all love a good success story, but who doesn’t like a little schadenfreude that comes from seeing
the guy voted “most likely to succeed” show up to the class reunion in board shorts and a hoodie
despite being well into his 50s and a severe case of ‘failure to launch’ instead?
In a high school class of hundreds, there are bound to be plenty of wash-ups, or rising stars that never
quite reached the heights everyone expected for them, and they’re sure to show up when the class
reconvenes for its periodic reunions – some to reconnect with old friends, some to mooch off a night
of free food!
6. _______
Remember that classmate who had ambitions towards becoming president someday? Well now
they’re a state senator at the age of 32! That’s right, every class has the success story, that one
student who went above and beyond and really crushed that whole “adulting” thing.
Or maybe it’s something less tangible than that – maybe your old classmate was an underachiever
who barely graduated, only to completely turn their lives around and are now respectable, clean, and
cooler than you’d ever think they could’ve been back when you were in school. It’s these real success
stories that show you how much people can really change over the years!
7. _______
If he hadn’t injured his ACL in senior year, he could’ve gone places! Talk about team spirit, this guy
won’t let it go! The star may have been the most popular man on campus 30 years ago, but everyone
else moved on. He still can’t let it go, however, and is trapped reliving the glory days. We’ve all seen
this guy lurking by the punch bowl, snagging whoever he can, to talk about the big game where he
took the school to the championships. It never gets old for him, but it’s old news for everyone else.
Maybe another drink or two will take the edge off, and who knows, you might enjoy hearing those
tales of the “glory days” for the 30th time!
426
There’s one (or a hundred) in every crowd, right? No matter who shows up to the reunion, you’re
bound to have a great time seeing where your friends have gone in life. Cheers to another exciting
high school reunion!
8. _______
Even if you were a fly on the wall at a reunion for another school, you'd be able to spot the cool
people. They gravitate towards the same group, their confidence goes through the roof, and there's
something about the way they carry themselves that says, 'I was cool then, and yes, I'm still cool now'.
No matter what, you feel a bit... patronized by them?
They've maintained their cool aura since school, probably being cool at work and making other cool
friends. But as an adult, it doesn't really matter as much. People value other things.
9. ________
No longer can they attend a social event solo - such is their love for their significant other.
Even if they're ultimately banned from doing so, they will spend the entire night referencing their
companion, and answering questions as though they are, in fact, their spouse, rather than themselves.
You leave knowing more about the person they're in a relationship with than you do about them, and
to be honest, Mark doesn't really sound that interesting.
10. __________
When you go to a reunion you (naively) expect there is somewhat of a clean slate. But never, EVER
underestimate the power of a trivial long-forgotten feud that neither of you can remember the cause/
conclusion of to fuel a lifetime of hate.
Because that sh*t lasts forever.
! Sources:
https://apparelnow.com/blog/the-five-people-youll-run-into-at-your-high-school-reunion/
https://www.mamamia.com.au/types-of-people-at-high-school-reunion/
A. THE CHATTERBOX TYPE

B. THE “FROM NOT-TO-HOT” (AND VICE VERSA)-TYPE
C. THE “HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND OUT ABOUT THIS EVENT?”- TYPE.
D. THE “MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED” WHO DIDN’T-TYPE
E. THE “NO-SHOW, FAR TOO COOL TO GO TO A REUNION”-TYPE
F. THE PERSON WHO REALLY, REALLY WANTS TO SHOW OFF THEIR PARTNER-
TYPE
G. THE PERSON YOU FOUGHT IN YEAR 8 BUT STILL WON’T TALK TO YOU-TYPE
H. THE “REAL SUCCESS STORY”-TYPE
I. THE “TOP ATHLETE WHO COULD’VE GONE PRO”-TYPE
J. THE UBER COOL WHO WILL NEVER CHANGE AND WILL ALWAYS RIDE THAT
COOL-WAVE TYPE
427
SPEAKING ACTIVATION
Have you ever attended one of these reunions (primary school, high-school, university)?
Had your ex-classmates changed much? Had everyone aged gracefully? Did anyone conform to
the types/archetypes described above? What about you? Do you recognize yourself in any of those
descriptions?
The following graph shows the results of seven surveys about how age and happiness intersect.
! Source: Google Search
Write a brief description/give a brief presentation to the class commenting on the data displayed on the
chart.
• How does happiness correlate with age according to the data?

• Do the results of all the surveys match?
• Do you personally agree with this data?
428
SPEAKING
A blast from the past. Talking about memories
Can you recognize some of the following people/objects?
If so, describe them to your younger classmates/those from a different generation.

If not, try to speculate about what they are. Why they may have been relevant in the past
• Who were these people/ objects?

• Why were they so popular back in the day?
• Are there some similar forms of entertainment/famous celebrities nowadays?
• Whose times do you think were more fun?
• Do you feel nostalgia about those times?
429
Taking a walk down memory lane
• Why do you think someone would

desire to bury/block out/ blot out
a certain memory?
• Do you get notifications/ alerts
on social media about events/
photos, etc. from the past? Do
they evoke/ bring back/stir up
some memories? How do you feel
about it?
• When thinking of memories
from primary school/ preschool,
are they normally vivid or rather
distant/ vague?
• Can you think of one of your most
treasured/cherished memories of
your childhood? Any particularly
traumatic/disturbing/dreadful one
that you feel like speaking about?
• Is there any person/place whose
mere mention conjures up/
evokes/ rekindles particularly
good/ bad memories?
To level up your speaking skills,

check the following section in
Speaking Mastery Language
Activation:
“Passing of Time, Aging and

Memories”
430
SPEAKING
Topic: Aging, Memories, and the Passing of Time
• Do you think that the midlife crisis is a fact or just a cliché? If so, when,
or why does that the midlife crisis take place?
• Some people actually say that “life begins at 40”? Do you agree with
this? Why?
• Is there any book/film/song that you avoid revisiting for the memories it
stirs/brings back?
• When you get together with older relatives, do they spend some
time walking down memory lane? Does it worry you at all? Do you
sometimes do that yourself, too?
• Do you think your parents are behind the times regarding some
aspects? Do you try to talk them out of those ideas, or do you accept
that as a generational difference?
• Do you agree with the saying “familiarity breeds contempt”? In
hindsight, is there any former friend/acquaintance you are glad you
drifted away from?
• Does someone trying to counteract/mitigate/reverse the aging
process strike you as immature, or is it something you would like to try
to do yourself?
431
ENGLISH MASTERY
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
UNIT 1
What Learning Style Are You? And Why It Doesn’t Matter! (2018, 1 marzo). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
What Type Of Learner Are You? Study Tips For Each Learning Style! (2015, 7 noviembre). [Vídeo].
YouTube.
https://gianfrancoconti.com/2016/11/26/the-ugly-truth-about-school-based-modern-language-
teaching/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-luck/201302/the-science-first-impressions
Are You Passive Aggressive? (2018, 30 julio). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=cyWsQ-y5O8c
English & Proud - Garry Bushell on what it means to be English! (2015, 23 agosto). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
What do London’s EU nationals really think of Brexit? (2016, 27 junio). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Hughes, Melanie M. University of Pittsburgh Department of Sociology, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
“Intersectionality: Marginalized Identities in the Classroom.” Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh University Center
for Teaching and Learning (2019).
Identity Politics: Embracing Diversity or Creating a House Divided Against Itself? (2018, 17 junio).
[Vídeo]. YouTube.
UNIT 2
80/20 Rule Explained | How To Apply The 80/20 Principle In Life | Work Less Achieve More. (2018, 16
febrero). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPwJmtACUO4&t=141s
Tartakovsky, M. M. S. (2015, 8 julio). 9 Tips for Identifying and Living Your Priorities. Psych Central.
https://psychcentral.com/blog/9-tips-for-identifying-and-living-your-priorities#1
Beaton, C. (2017, 11 marzo). We’re Wired to Take the Path of Least Resistance. https://www.
psychologytoday.com. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gen-y-guide/201703/were-
wired-take-the-path-least-resistance
How I Cope With Failure. . . | Russell Brand. (2019, 1 julio). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Geoff Thompson - Forgiveness is theOnly Revenge | London Real
Is the Internet making us addicted to distractions? (2015, 2 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Cammell, B. (2021, 28 julio). How To Stop Shiny Object Syndrome From Crippling Your Productivity.
FocusMe.
Donata White on How to Get the Most Out of Every Day. (2017, 31 mayo). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
The Paradox of Choice Explained: Why you’re Unhappy with Your Decisions. (2015, 18 noviembre).
[Vídeo]. YouTube.
Cal Newport Explains Deep Work - Lifehack Summit Highlight Reel. (2018, 13 septiembre). [Vídeo].
YouTube.
432
ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 3
Ohio Student Wins Stalking Order Against Extreme Helicopter Parents. (2012, 28 diciembre). https://
abcnews.go.com. https://abcnews.go.com/US/student-wins-stalking-order-overly-involved-parents/
story?id=18080707
Psych2Go. (2018, 3 Agosto). 5 Ways Helicopter Parents Can Affect You [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H79UI4LzEko
Gray, P. (2010, 26 enero). The Decline of Play and Rise in Children’s Mental Disorders. https://www.
psychologytoday.com. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201001/the-decline-
play-and-rise-in-childrens-mental-disorders
Millennials entitled? Every single one?? The Boomer vs Millennial debate gets ugly--and fun! (2014, 9
marzo). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvYlxnIC2RQ&t=1s
Anger Management Techniques. (2012, 26 September). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BsVq5R_F6RA
Anger Ladder Chart and Activity. (2021, 18 June). Play Attune
How Your Phone is ruining emotional intelligence | Daniel Goleman Ep. 232. (2019, 4 August).
[Vídeo]. YouTube.
Barton, C. (2021, 8 febrero). Daisy Christodoulou – Teachers vs Tech! Mr Barton Maths Blog.
UNIT 4
Source Airbnb Played Us Like Puppets | Brian Chesky Financial Scam. (2020, 14 marzo). [Vídeo].
YouTube
British police start patrols in Magaluf to combat drunken holidaymakers. (2015, 10 agosto). [Vídeo].
YouTube.
People Are Making Big Money Kicking Detroit Residents Out Of Their Homes (HBO). (2017, 8
diciembre). [Vídeo].
Columbia U., Race, Class and the Gentrification of Harlem. (2011, 24 julio). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
SFYimby Sonja Trauss, Laura Clark Interview On Housing In San Francisco Bay Area. (2017, 21
marzo). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
UNIT 5
M. (2019, 14 febrero). Episode 035 – Using Mini Retirements and Fun Funds as a FI Strategy.
Financial Independence Europe. https://financial-independence.eu/podcast/episode-035-using-mini-
retirements-and-fun-funds-as-a-fi-strategy/
Here’s Why You Should Read «Alexander the Great». (2017, 27 octubre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
My Top 5 Takeaways from Julius Caesar by Philip Freeman. (2019, 3 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Mike Matthews’ YouTube Channel
S.B. Fuller and the Invisible Talisman. (2020, 2 julio). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=_9eCbtIC1to&t=190s
Eustress vs. Distress: Making Stress Work for You | Infinity Effect Podcast Episode 16. (2019, 23
septiembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTlNwgOgZN4&t=548s
433
ENGLISH MASTERY
The one factor causing depression and anxiety in the workplace | Johann Hari | Big Think. (2018, 25
junio). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Parkinson’s Law - And How To Use It To Get More Done! (2019, 23 julio). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Synapse Performance Podcast: Episode 19 - Andy Morgan: Fat loss diets & weight fluctuations,
Tracking Progress & Client communication (direct & indirect). (2016, 13 octubre). https://
hpadvancement.libsyn.com.
UNIT 6
Why is Modern Art so Bad? (2017, 29 septiembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Can You Separate Art from the Artist? Question. (2016, 6 febrero). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=5VD87PSEPR4
Rosalía - El mal querer ALBUM REVIEW. (2018, 6 noviembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=E93gYPKfC8U&t=205s
The Truth About Popular Music. (2016, 25 febrero). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=IP0wuwJBdMI
Anthony Mackie Explains Why Hollywood Movies Suck Now. (2017, 31 octubre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj8JK6c5x3M
Allied - Movie Review. (2016, 23 noviembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=E88s0DbzGH0
UNIT 7
What women like about men? (2017, 4 junio). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=PeaqYEWhkgI&t=62s
Joe Rogan & Gad Saad - Men, Women, Money and Mating. (2018, 20 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
Apple Podcasts. (2016, 28 marzo). What To Do After You’re Done With The Mating Grounds
Episodes. https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/what-to-do-after-youre-done-with-the-mating-
grounds-episodes/id894712811?i=1000365784827
Signs she is a cheater! (2018, 27 noviembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube
Joe Rogan & Gad Saad - Men, Women, Money and Mating. (2018, 20 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
5 Warning Signs Your Relationship Is Toxic (Matthew Hussey, Get The Guy). (2020, 19 enero).
[Vídeo]. YouTube.
Marriage in Decline - The Jim Jefferies Show. (2018, 4 septiembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
UNIT 8
The pleasure trap: Douglas Lisle at TEDxFremont. (2012, 5 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
The Truth About Social Media. (2018, 3 abril). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=PgwluZdJwpo&t=350s
205 Moderation vs fanaticism in life pursuits, Social media as pleasure trap. (2020, 23 mayo). [Vídeo].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCRnm3jwFdk&t=1222s
434
ENGLISH MASTERY
Gottschalk, S. (2018, 1 agosto). The infantilization of Western culture. The Conversation. https://
theconversation.com/the-infantilization-of-western-culture-99556
Ep 133 // Strength, Conditioning & Calisthenics in the UFC with Dr Duncan French. (2020, 8 julio).
Pod.Casts. https://pod.casts.io/podcasts/school-of-calisthenics-podcast/episodes/ep-133-strength-
conditioning-calisthenics-in-the-ufc-with-dr-duncan-french
Lennon, D. (2017, 31 mayo). SNR #181: Jeff Nippard – Intuitive Eating, Control-Based Eating & Body
Recomposition. Sigma Nutrition. https://sigmanutrition.com/episode181/
UNIT 9
Source: Asch Conformity Experiment. (2007, 22 diciembre). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=TYIh4MkcfJA
Confirmation Bias: How to avoid it and make better decisions. (2018, 21 noviembre). YouTube. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=469ANHsysXc
Greene, R. (2018, 20 noviembre). 6 Biases Holding You Back From Rational Thinking - Mission.
org. Medium. https://medium.com/the-mission/6-biases-holding-you-back-from-rational-thinking-
f2eddd35fd0f
HATE INC: Why Today’s Media Makes us Despise One Another | Matt Taibbi. (2021, 7 abril). OR
Books. https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/hate-inc/
SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class research journals. (2021, 21 octubre). SAGE Journals.
https://journals.sagepub.com/action/cookieAbsent?journalCode=jmqc&
Berthelsen, J. (2020, 20 marzo). BOOK REVIEW: Hate, Inc.: Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise
One Another. by John Berthelsen - Asia Sentinel. https://www.asiasentinel.com/p/book-review-hate-
inc-why-todays-media
Goggins, P. (2019, 29 julio). Book Review: Matt Taibbi’s “Hate Inc.” - Patrick Goggins. Medium. https://
pgoggins.medium.com/book-review-matt-taibbis-hate-inc-2c143c8814e8
Source: Cancel Culture Debate with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Julie Bindel, Kehinde Andrews & Billy Bragg.
(2020, 22 septiembre). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBOfye7F6vM
Good Science, Bad Science: The Difference and Why It Matters. (2020, 31 agosto). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nBBq8TBowQ&t=2s
Curran, O. (2020, 2 octubre). 10 Signs That Study Is Bogus. HowStuffWorks. https://science.
howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/10-signs-that-study-is-bogus.htm
Legge, A. (2021, 8 diciembre). Research Review: Are Ketogenic Diets Best for Fat Loss? Legion
Athletics. https://legionathletics.com/ketogenic-diet-study-review/
Chay Harwood interview with Bianca Nobilo | The Brief CNN BRK | Extinction Rebellion. (2019, 14
octubre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvKnKPA5kJA
Chris Kresser on What The Game Changers Got Right and Wrong, According to Science. (2020, 1
enero). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
435
ENGLISH MASTERY
UNIT 10
Steven Pinker On Media Negativity Bias. (2018, 6 febrero). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
How to Develop a Growth Mindset. (2016, 18 junio). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9DVdclX6NzY
The Facts about Fact Checking: Crash Course Navigating Digital Information #2. (2019, 15 enero).
[Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZsaA0w_0z0&t=186s
Monica Harris (Medium). Harris, M. (2021, 13 junio). Who’s Checking the Fact Checkers? - Thoughts
And Ideas. Medium. https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/whos-checking-the-fact-checkers-
359034ebd772
What is Surveillance Capitalism? (2020, 28 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=FcADchWhwUk&t=3s
Kobie, N. (2019, 7 junio). The complicated truth about China’s social credit system. WIRED UK. https://
www.wired.co.uk/article/china-social-credit-system-explained
The Guardian. Owen Jones meets Jonathan Pie | «Identity politics are used to shut down debate».
(2018, 4 mayo). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA6OwzQ-P1Q&t=239s
Bill Hicks Early Stand Up 1985 Houston. (2010, 30 diciembre). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=-lMhIrEPhJQ
Eddie Murphy - Delirious (1983) Part 1 of 8 [Stand Up Comedy]. (2017, 22 agosto). [Vídeo]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex-5QF-htV0&t=220s
Aging Reversed. Michio Kaku - Immortality Is Ours. (2017, 6 enero). [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=gv6Gxbp8Rvs&t=1s
Stephens, C. (2017, 8 junio). The eight types of people at every high school reunion. Mamamia.
https://www.mamamia.com.au/types-of-people-at-high-school-reunion/
436

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ENGLISH MASTERY

Imágenes: © freepik, shutterstock, p. 72, http://bit.ly/movquotes, p. 90, thesun.co.uk, p. 95,

Diseño y maquetación: Daniel Caballero.

To access audio files, answer keys and transcripts, click on the

UNIT 1 PLEASED TO MEET ME 7

UNIT 2 THE PARETO PRINCIPLE 52

UNIT 3 ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE 100

UNIT 4 TO INFINITY AND BEIJING 150

UNIT 5 GET A LIFE! 189

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 434

About this book

“The Art of War”. Sun Tzu

About this unit

Hope you like it.

Throughout this unit you will practice the following skills:

LISTENING & SPEAKING

Do you know anything about learning strategies and learning styles?

Quiz: What type of learner are you?

Listen to the descriptions

1. Which is your predominant learning style according to your quiz results?

3. Which top tip is given regardless of your learning style?

a) Learning the Handstand or the Natarajasana (dancer pose) in Yoga.

! Source: YouTube Channel The Pocket Mentor App

EXAM PRACTICE: LISTENING TEST

Study with Jess

Write the corresponding letter in the boxes below.

! Source: YouTube Channel Study with Jess

EXAM PRACTICE: READING & USE OF ENGLISH

Zen or the Art of ACTUALLY speaking good English

1 a Expose b Fabricate c Unveil d Unleash

2 a Deficiencies b Flaws c Shortcomings d Errors

3 a Compose b Devise c Invent d Assume

4 a Marginal b Subpar c Minor d Insignificant

5 a Committed b Compelled c Pressed d Bound

6 a Hitting b Punching c Striking d Searing

7 a Breaking b Coming c Getting d Pulling

8 a Bouncing b Doubling c Matching d Tearing

9 a Quitting b Shunning c Dropping d Ditching

10 a Performed b Elaborated c Implemented d Conceived

! Source: © Javier Blanco Pérez

Successful vs. Unsuccessful Language Learning

How do you think each correlates with successful language learning?

Check Speaking Mastery:

“The Learner Identity”

READING: THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT SCHOOL-BASED MODERN LANGUAGE

Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Test

! Source: The Language Gym

Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Test

1. In the first paragraph the author

4. About the succession of different Language Teaching and approaches, he states:

Topic: Language Learning and Verbal Communication

I. On which conditions would you consider working abroad for a couple of

Gapped Reading Text

The Science of First Impressions

A. Along with other undesired side effects

! Source: The Science of First Impressions. Karla Starr (Psychology Today)

Meeting people. First impressions

When interacting with others for the

Are you mostly indifferent to or rather observant of people’s body language/words/behavior?

What cues provide some information about a person’s behavior/true emotions/intentions?

What sort of behavior/actions/mannerisms/gestures put you off when meeting someone

Being imprecise (describing people/ things)

He’s KIND OF overweight, rather plump.

Body Language/ Gestures/ Mannerisms:

1. President Trump is an outright racist _M_