TED Radio Hour
Based on TED
Talks given by very interesting speakers, each show is centered
on a common theme – such as happiness, innovation, power, or unexplainable
connections – and includes in depth conversations with the speakers of the TED
Talks. See more at the TED Radio Hour website.
Level: Advanced and up
Vocabulary: To help
learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might
be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the
lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story
(in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).
Definitions
are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s
Learner’s Dictionary
Buggy:
having many problems or errors that prevent proper operation, mainly for
computer programs or systems; having many bugs.
Behold: to
look at something; to see something.
Marvel: someone or something that is extremely good,
skillful, etc.
Predictable:
capable of being known
before happening or being done.
Enron: A very successful American company that was destroyed
because the leaders cheated and lied about their accounting methods.
To come
on the scene: to arrive at a place; to become part of the
situation.
To explode:
to
increase very quickly.
(Bad)
Apple: bad member of a group who causes problems for the rest of
the group.
Endemic:
common
in a particular area or field.
To giggle:
to
laugh in a nervous or childlike way.
To put
the spin on something: to twist an event or story to one's
advantage.
To
shred: to cut or tear (something) into long, thin pieces.
To live
up to expectations: to be as good as one expects it to be.
Prevalent:
common
or widespread.
To
fudge: to change (something) in order to trick people.
The Ten Commandments: In the Jewish and Christian religions,
the most important rules given by God that tells people how to behave.
Atheist: A
person who believes that God does not exist.
Honor
code: A set of rules or ethical principles for an academic
community (school or university) that define what is honorable behavior for its
members.
MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; one of the
world’s top universities, especially for science and technology.
Incentive:
something
that encourages a person to do something or to work harder.
Token: a round
piece of metal or plastic that is used instead of money.
Distorted:
to
change something so that it is no longer true or accurate.
Stock: a share
of the value of a company, which can be bought, sold, or traded as an
investment.
Derivative:
a
certain type of financial investment.
Mortgage:
a
legal agreement in which a person borrows money to buy property (such as a
house) and pays back the money over a period of years.
To behoove:
to
be necessary or proper for someone.
Grammar
Tip: Words in Context: To
cheat
As a verb:
To break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage at
something; no object.
They
wouldn’t have won the game if they hadn’t cheated.
She
usually cheats at cards.
He
failed the class because he cheated on
the exam
To take something from someone by lying or breaking a rule;
+ object.
Criminals
often try to cheat elderly and naive people out of their money.
To prevent someone from having something that he or she
deserves or was expecting to get.
The
tour company said that the trip would be great, but it was so awful that they felt
cheated out of a great vacation.
To avoid
(something bad, dangerous, etc.) by being cleaver or lucky; + object.
Every time he climbs mountains without safety equipment,
he feels like he’s cheating death.
To break a promise made to (someone, such as your wife or
husband) by having sex with someone else (informal).
The
second time he cheated on his girlfriend, she left him for good.
As a noun: Cheat or cheater
Don’t
trust him. He’s a dirty, rotten cheat.
Cheaters
never prosper (a common expression).
Discussion
questions:
1. Why do people cheat?
2. Do you agree with the saying “cheaters never prosper?”
3. What’s your ‘personal fudge factor’? Are there little
things that are okay to cheat at and where is the line that should not be
crossed to bigger things?
4. What helps make people cheat less often?
5. Is it ever fair to cheat or do something against the
rules if it’s for a good cause?
6. Do you agree with the speaker that we need to challenge
our intuitions about cheating?
7. Does money keep people honest?
8. How should society
deal with cheaters and prevent cheating? 
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