50 people 1 question
Spring is slowly making its arrival and so this week’s question is: If you could wake up anywhere, where would you wake up?
Before you watch these people in London give their response, what would you guess most answers are?
London (B1 and up)
And then in New York City (B1 and up)
Are there any cultural differences? Do you think the city affects their answers?
Here are this month’s collection of interesting links..all about our brains!
How our Brain Works (B2 and above–typical London cab driver’s accent!)
The Gap on Creativity (B1and above) We are all creative and we just have to keep working on it to make it good and close that gap.
The Evolution of English (B1 and above) and a comprehension test
The Benefits of Learning Languages
Photo: Michael Neugebauer, courtesy of The Jane Goodall Institute
Have you ever had one of those moments when you are introduced to someone, you say hello and then the conversation dies? Not a good feeling. Here are some tips to remember when we are greeting someone:
If they say: You Respond With:
-How do you do? (Formal) – How do you do?
-How are you? -Fine thanks. And you**?
-How are things going? -Great, busy, but great. How ‘bout you?
-Hi/Hello! – Hi! Good to see you
-Hey! How you doing? (Informal) -Hey, great! See you!
**this is very important! Always respond with a final “and you?”…it keeps the conversation going.
And for more formal, business greetings:
If they say: You Respond With:
Hello, my name is……….. Hello my name is …………….
It’s a pleasure/Nice to meet you …………. It’s a pleasure/Nice to meet you too
And remember to pay attention to the difference between: How do you do? What do you do?
It is now common to reply to “How do you do?” with “I’m fine, thank you.” But in the past, businessmen in the UK would have just repeated the same phrase, “How do you do?” with “How do you do?” and whilst tipping their hat, they would go on repeating! Although, in very formal settings, you can still reply with “How do you do”.
Did you know?
We use to meet someone when it is the first time. After, you need to use to know.
• When did you two meet? Last summer, at a business conference.
• How long have you two known each other? For ages, at least 15 years!
A short video on how to greet someone: Greetings Video (A2 and above)
And don’t forget to double check how they greet in each culture: Wall Street Journal
Photo Source http://life.time.com/history/jfk-in-texas-photos-from-before-and-after-the-killing-of-a-president/?iid=lf|mostpop#4
We know most of you don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day and you probably call it a “Hallmark” holiday (aka Corte Ingles Holiday) but we can’t help showing you a little history on this very romantic day…
The History of Valentine’s Day (Level B2 and above–advanced vocabulary)
An Easy Step by Step Story (Level B1 and above)
See if you can answer these questions (in reference to the first video):
1. What did the Roman Pagans sacrifice and why?
2. In what century was St. Valentine’s declared?
3. What did Emperor Claudius II Ban? And why
4. Who would visit Father Valentine and why?
5. How much money does the holiday bring in annually to the USA, thanks to Cupid?
Photo Source: http://addictedtoconsumerism.tumblr.com/post/74047975663
So, how big do you think your vocabulary is? Take this http://testyourvocab.com/ to find out
And if you scored low, try keeping track of new words on this great app: http://quizlet.com/
Finally, to make sure you know your vocabulary, try this emotions test. How good are you at reading people?
New studies prove that the more you read, the better you will understand emotions. Do you agree?
photo source: http://theorphanbutterfly.tumblr.com/post/19210072457
Will Digital Technology Disappear? (Video–Level B2 and above)
And how about mono-tasking? Would this device work for you? (Video–Level B1 and above)
Another fun test: What Career Should you Actually Have?
What is the difference between a career and a degree?
Photo Source: http://designspiration.net/image/1033194365751/
It’s the end of January and many of us find it hard to focus this time of year. So much happening, a new year full of things to do, things to begin, things to continue. Here are a few tips from fundersandfounders.com to help you focus better. How many of these do you already do? Which ones would you never do?
And here is a list of all hacks:
- Keep food on your desk. Glucose helps your brain focus.
- Turn off the phone. Most phone calls are not urgent.
- Get a good chair. There is a reason- bosses don’t sit on cheap chairs.
- Time yourself and see how much you did in 1 hour.
- Shut off everything that you are not really using.
- Clear your desk completely.
- Put on headphones. Classical music or no music is best for focusing.
- Make a list. Make it short.
- Reward yourself. If you get focused, be proud of yourself.
- Frame a picture of your goal. And look at it every morning before work.
- Bring your pet with you. They help you focus
It’s review time and most of you are getting ready to see how you have progressed in the last few months. So, we thought we could give you a fun test to see if you belong in the city you are at.
But before you do that, answer this: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Now take the test. Did you get the same city?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/what-city-should-you-actually-live-in
Photo Source:http://shephaestion.tumblr.com/post/20178804120/foxontherun-via-design-theodore
Recently, a lot of people have been talking about Generation Y or The Millennials.
In other words, The Entreprenuers . The Digital Era. The Narcissists. Selfies! Born between the years 1980 and 2000’s, they are shaping our economy and work force today.
Watch this video, take notes and tell us, what generation do you belong to?
2000/2001-Present – New Silent Generation or Generation Z
1980-2000 – Millennials or Generation Y
1965-1979 – Generation X
1946-1964 – Baby Boomers
Do you agree with the comments on the video? And what are the pros and cons of the different generations they mention?
Photo Source: http://www.maddisongraphic.com/we-make-stuff-happen.php
Happy 2014! And May the Kings be Kind to you All!
Source: James Abbott McNeill WhistlerNocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket, 1877