Read the vocabulary, watch the video, and then answer the questions. The answers are at the end.
What reality are you creating for yourself?
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/isaac_lidsky_what_reality_are_you_creating_for_yourself
Vocabulary:
| Word | Type | Pronunciation | Definition |
| fascinated | verb | /ˈfæsɪˌneɪtəd/ | to cause someone to be very interested in something or someone |
| Used in a sentence: Her paintings fascinate me. | |||
| wagging | verb | /wæɡɪŋ/ | to move something from side to side repeatedly |
| Used in a sentence: The dog wagged its tail. | |||
| propel | verb | /prəˈpel/ | to push or drive someone or something forward or in a particular direction |
| Used in a sentence: He grabbed him and propelled him through the door. | |||
| harbor | verb | /ˈhɑrbər/ | to have something, such as a thought or feeling in your mind for a long time |
| Used in a sentence: He still harbors deep feelings of resentment toward his former employer. | |||
| bias | noun | /ˈbaɪəs/ | a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly |
| Used in a sentence: He showed a bias toward a few workers in particular. | |||
| blindness | noun | /blaɪndnəs/ | unable to see |
| Used in a sentence: Diabetes is one cause of blindness. | |||
| retinas | noun | /ˈretɪnəz/ | the sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that receives images and sends signals to the brain about what is seen |
| Used in a sentence: The accident caused damage to his retinas. | |||
| bizarre | adjective | /bɪˈzɑr/ | very unusual or strange |
| Used in a sentence: I just heard the most bizarre story. | |||
| morphed | verb | /mɔrft/ | to gradually change into a different image |
| Used in a sentence: The picture of a dog morphed into a picture of a cat. | |||
| transitory | adjective | /ˈtrænzɪˌtɔri/ | lasting only for a short time |
| Used in a sentence: The transitory phase will only last 6 months. | |||
| kaleidoscope | noun | /kəˈlaɪdəˌskoʊp/ | a tube that has mirrors and loose pieces of colored glass or plastic inside at one end so that you see many different patterns when you turn the tube while looking in through the other end |
| Used in a sentence: The landscape was a kaleidoscope of changing colors. | |||
| amateur | noun | /ˈæməˌtʃʊr/ | a person who does something (such as a sport or hobby) for pleasure and not as a job |
| Used in a sentence: These photos were taken by both amateurs and professionals. | |||
| visual cortex | noun | /ˈvɪʒuəl ˈkɔrˌteks/ | a part of the brain responsible for vision |
| Used in a sentence: The accident caused damage to his visual cortex. | |||
| illusion | noun | /ɪˈluʒən/ | something that looks or seems different from what it is |
| Used in a sentence: The video game is designed to give the illusion that you are in control of an airplane. | |||
| subconsciously | adverb | /sʌbˈkɑnʃəslɪ/ | existing in the part of the mind that a person is not aware of |
| Used in a sentence: Things can influence us subconsciously. | |||
| contradiction | noun | /ˌkɑntrəˈdɪkʃən/ | a difference or disagreement between two things which means that both cannot be true |
| Used in a sentence: There is a contradiction between what he said yesterday and what he said today. | |||
| deterioration | noun | /dɪˈtɪriəˌreɪʃən/ | the act or process of becoming worse |
| Used in a sentence: The deterioration of the tool’s quality is the result of a change in suppliers. | |||
| ambiguous | adjective | /æmˈbɪɡjuəs/ | able to be understood in more than one way |
| Used in a sentence: We were confused by the ambiguous wording of the message. | |||
| critic | noun | /ˈkrɪtɪk/ | a person who criticizes someone or something |
| Used in a sentence: Critics said the new book was not good. | |||
| misconceptions | noun | /ˌmɪskənˈsepʃənz/ | a wrong or mistaken idea |
| Used in a sentence: I’d like to clear up a few misconceptions about the schedule. | |||
| embellish | verb | /ɪmˈbelɪʃ/ | to make a story more interesting by adding details, especially ones that are not completely true |
| Used in a sentence: He embellished his speech with a few quotations. | |||
| exact | verb | /ɪɡˈzækt/ | to demand and get something, especially by using force or threats |
| Used in a sentence: He was able to exact a promise from them. | |||
| engender | verb | /ɪnˈdʒendər/ | to be the source or cause of something |
| Used in a sentence: The issue has engendered a considerable amount of debate. | |||
Short Answer Questions:
- What is a “backwards swimming fish?”
- What is something unique you learned about the speaker?
- How does fear affect your body and mind?
Discussion:
What is the biggest thing you learned from this talk? What “backwards-swimming fish” do you see/have in your life?
Answers:
- What is a “backwards swimming fish?” 🡪 A “backwards swimming fish” is an assumption we make about something. Even though it is not true, we make judgments and decisions based on what we think we know about things.
- What is something unique you learned about the speaker? 🡪 He graduated from Harvard at 19 with an honors degree in mathematics. He runs a construction company in Orlando. He starred on a television sitcom. He lost his sight to a rare genetic eye disease. He served as a law clerk to two US Supreme Court justices.
- How does fear affect your body and mind? 🡪 When you are fearful of the uncertain, you brain fills in the missing information with the worst possible option. Fear replaces the unknown with the awful. It makes it difficult for to you think and make decisions. Fear is a self-realizing prophecy.
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