Hello.
Welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Neil.
And I'm Sam.
And we are sitting here in New Broadcasting House, in the middle of London.
Would you say, Sam, that this is an isolated place?
Oh no, not at all.
Isolated means far away from other places and people.
Does that mean then, do you think, that you can't be lonely here, with all these people
around and all these things to do?
Ah, good question.
Can you be lonely in a crowd?
Yes, of course, I think you can be because being lonely isn't about physical isolation.
I think you can be lonely anywhere if you feel that you are disconnected from the world
around you, if you feel that no one understands you.
If you are living happily in isolation in The Scottish Highlands, for example, I'm sure
you could feel lonely if you came here to London.
Well, loneliness is today's topic.
The BBC has just completed a big survey about it which we will learn more about shortly.
But first, of course, a question: Where is the most isolated inhabited place on the planet
- by which I mean the place furthest away from anywhere else with the fewest people
living there.
Is it:
a) McMurdo Station in Antarctica
b) Siwa Oasis in Egypt's Western Desert, or is it
c) the island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic
What do you think, Sam?
I've got absolutely no idea, so this is just a guess - I think it's the one in Antarctica.
I'm going to go with that.
Well, we'll have the answer later on in the programme.
Loneliness is seen as a big problem for the mental health of the population, so much so
that the British government has a minister for loneliness.
But which age group suffers most from loneliness.
Here is a BBC report about the research.
There is a common stereotype that loneliness affects only the old and the isolated.
It does, but what this experiment also shows is that loneliness is felt throughout life.
People aged between 16 and 24 experience loneliness more often and more intensely than any other
age group.
So according to the research, Sam, which section of society is most affected by loneliness?
This might be a surprise, but it's 16 to 24 year olds.
I was surprised by that because like many, I would've guessed that it was older people.
The reporter did say that that was a stereotype.
A stereotype is nothing to do with stereo music, but it's the noun we use to describe
a very simple and basic judgement of someone and their character and personality based
on their age, nationality, profession and so on.
So a stereotype of British people is that we can't cook, we have bad teeth, we are very
reserved and never say what we mean.
I don't know what you mean, my cooking is wonderful, Sam.
And the stereotype is that old people get lonely.
Much like the stereotypes of British people, this may be true in some cases - I've eaten
some of your home-cooked meals remember, Neil - but it's not true for the majority.
It is young people who feel lonely more often and more intensely.
Intensely here means strongly.
The feeling of loneliness is stronger in young people than older people.
The reporter goes on to give some explanation for why young people might be more lonely.
Researchers from the University of Manchester who analysed the data, suggested feeling lonely
may plague the young because it's a time of identity change.
Figuring out your place in the world and of learning to regulate emotions.
He says that feeling lonely may plague young people, what does he mean there?
If you are plagued by something, it means that it troubles you, it bothers you and not
just once, it's something that happens continually or repeatedly.
And he says this may be because at that age we are still figuring out our place in the
world.
We are trying to understand the world and what we are supposed to do with our lives.
He also suggests that younger people have not yet learned how to regulate their emotions,
which is another way of saying to control their emotions.
Right.
Time to review this week's vocabulary, but before that let's have the answer to the quiz.
I asked: Where is the most isolated inhabited place on the planet?
Is it:
a) McMurdo Station in Antarctica
b) Siwa Oasis in Egypt's Western Desert or
c) the island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic
What did you say, Sam?
I said a).
Well, I'm afraid to say the answer is actually c) the island of Tristan da Cunha in the South
Atlantic.
It has a population of fewer than 300 and it's only accessible by a 6-day voyage by
ship from South Africa.
So not a popular place for a weekend break!
Indeed not.
Now it's time for a recap of our vocabulary.
The first word was isolated which Tristan da Cunha certainly is.
It means far away from other place and people.
Then there was stereotype the noun for a simplistic view of person or group based on their nationality,
age, profession and the like.
Intensely means strongly.
Being plagued by something means it causes you problems and difficulties.
If you are trying to figure something out, you are trying to understand it.
And to regulate something means to control it.
Well, sadly, that's the end of the programme.
Hopefully you won't feel too lonely without us, remember we are always here on Instagram,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, our App and of course the website BBClearningenglish.com.
See you soon.
Goodbye.
Bye!
Hello.
Welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Neil.
This is the programme where in just six minutes we discuss an interesting topic and teach
some related English vocabulary.
And joining me to do this is Rob.
Hello, Neil.
Now Rob, you seem like a happy chappy.
What's the point of being miserable?
Well, that are many things that could make you feel down in the dumps – a phrase that
means 'unhappy' – but what are the things that keep you feeling happy, cheerful and
chirpy, Rob?
Oh, many things like being healthy, having good friends, presenting programmes like this
with you, Neil!
Of course – but we all have different ideas about what makes us happy – and that can
vary from country to country and culture to culture.
It's what we're talking about today – concepts of happiness.
Now Neil, you could make us even happier if you gave us a really good question to answer.
Here it is.
Happiness is an emotion that actually gets measured.
The World Happiness Report measures "subjective well-being" - how happy the people are, and
why.
But do you know, according to a United Nations agency report in 2017, which is the happiest
country on Earth?
Is it… a) Norway
b) Japan, or c) New Zealand?
WeIl, I think they're all very happy places but the outdoor life of many New Zealanders
must make New Zealand the happiest place.
OK, we'll see.
I'll reveal the answer later on.
But now back to our discussion about happiness around the world.
Happiness can be hard to define.
Research has suggested that while personal feelings of pleasure are the accepted definition
of happiness in Western cultures, East Asian cultures tend to see happiness as social harmony
and in some parts of Africa and India it's more about shared experiences and family.
It's something author and journalist Helen Russell has been looking at – she's even
created an 'Atlas of Happiness'.
Her research focused on the positive characteristics of a country's population – and guess which
country she found to be one of the happiest?
New Zealand?
Actually no.
It was Japan.
Here she is speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour programme.
What concept – or belief – is it that promotes happiness?
Millennials and perhaps older people are better at remembering wabi-sabi – this traditional
Japanese concept around celebrating imperfection, which I think is something so helpful these
days, especially for women – it's this idea that there is a beauty in ageing, it's to
be celebrated rather than trying to disguise it, or trying to cover up the scars instead
you gild them with kintsugi – if you break a pot instead of chucking it away, you mend
it with gold lacquer so the scars, rather than being hidden, are highlighted in pure
gold…
We all have laughter lines and rather than being ashamed of them, they're something to
be celebrated.
So in Japan, there is a belief that people should celebrate imperfection.
Imperfection is a fault or weakness.
So rather than hiding something that's not perfect, we should celebrate it.
Getting old, for example, is not something to be ashamed of – don't hide your wrinkles
or laughter lines – these are the creases you get as you skin ages or even you get from
smiling too much!
Rather than spending time being ashamed of our faults, we should accept what and who
we are.
This concept is something that Helen feels is particularly being celebrated by Millennials
and older people.
Yes, and Helen compared this with the process of kintsugi – where the cracks or scars
on broken pottery are highlighted with gold lacquer.
This is called gilding.
So we should highlight our imperfections.
This concept is something that maybe English people should embrace more because according
to Helen Russell's research, they are not a very happy population.
Here she is speaking on the BBC's Woman's Hour programme again – what word does she
use to describe people like me and you?
In England what we have is 'jolly', which many of us now associate with this kind of
'jolly hockey sticks' or maybe an upper-class thing but actually it's something that really
plays through a lot of British culture in a way that we may not think of so much.
So there's this sense that in a lot of our comedy, in a lot of our approach to life you
just sort of… you get out there, you go for a dog walk, you have a boiled egg and
soldiers ['soldiers' in this case are small slices of toast that you can dip into your
egg and eat], and we do sort of get on with things – it's a coping mechanism, it's not
perfect but it's worked for many Brits for a while.
In the past we would use the phrase 'jolly hockey sticks' – a humorous phrase used
to describe upper-class school girls' annoying enthusiasm.
But Helen now thinks 'jolly' describes an attitude that is used as a coping mechanism
– that's something someone does to deal with a difficult situation.
We smile, do everyday things – like walking the dog – and just get on with life.
I guess she means carry on without complaining.
Well, here's something to make you happy, Rob – the answer to the question I asked
you earlier, which was: according to a United Nations agency report in 2017, which is the
happiest country on Earth?
Is it… a) Norway
b) Japan, or c) New Zealand?
And I said c) New Zealand.
The answer is a) Norway.
The report has been published for the past five years, during which the Nordic countries
have consistently dominated the top spots.
OK, now it's time to remind ourselves of some of the vocabulary we've mentioned today.
We mentioned the phrase down in the dumps – which is an informal way of describing
the feeling of unhappiness, sometimes with no hope.
The next word was imperfection, which is a fault or weakness.
You won't find any imperfections in this programme, Rob!
Glad to hear it.
Maybe we should gild this script – to gild something is to cover it in a thin layer of
gold.
We also heard about the word jolly which means 'cheerful and happy'.
And being jolly can be used as a coping mechanism - that's something someone does to deal with
a difficult situation.
If something doesn't go well, you just smile and carry on.
Well, there's no need to do that in this programme.
Now there's just time to remind you that we have a website with lots more learning English
content.
The address is bbclearningenglish.com.
Thanks for joining us and goodbye.
Goodbye!
Hello.
This is 6 Minute English, I'm Neil.
And I'm Rob.
What do you remember of your teenage years?
Oh, I was a nightmare.
I was rude to my parents, always stayed out late, never did my homework, hung out with
the wrong people and made lots of bad decisions.
How about you, Neil?
Well, much the same really.
People always say that about teenagers, don’t they?
That they go through a period where they are out of control and behave badly.
But apparently, it’s not their fault.
At least not directly.
So whose fault is it?
Our brains’, apparently.
Teenagers’ brains are still developing in areas that control behaviour, which could
mean that you can’t blame them for acting the way they do.
Before we find out more, let’s have our question.
There have always been teenagers, but when was the word ‘teenager’ first used to
refer to the 13 – 19 age group?
Was it:
a) the 1920s
b) the 1930s
c) the 1950s
Any ideas, Rob?
Well, I think it came along around the time of rock and roll, so that would have made
it the 1950s.
That’s my guess.
I'll have the answer later in the programme.
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore from University College London specialises in the workings of the
brain, particularly the teenage brain.
Recently she was a guest on the BBC Radio programme, The Life Scientific.
She explained that the understanding that the brain is still developing during the teenage
years is quite new.
When does she say the first research came out?
The first study showing that the human brain undergoes this very substantial and significant
development throughout adolescence and into the twenties; the first papers were published
in the late 90s.
Before that, and for example when I was at university, the dogma in the text books was
that the vast majority of brain development goes on in the first few years of life and
nothing much changes after mid-childhood.
That dogma is completely false.
So when did the research into the teenage brain come out?
Surprisingly, it wasn’t until the late 1990s.
This was when she said that the first papers on this subject were published.
Papers in this context means the results of scientific research which are published.
And she didn’t actually talk about teenagers, did she?
No, that’s right.
She talked about the period of adolescence.
This noun, adolescence, is the period when someone is developing from a child into an
adult and it more or less is the same as the teenage years.
What I found interesting was that before the 1990s people believed something different
about the way our brains develop.
Yes, Professor Blakemore said that the dogma had been that our brains are mostly fully
developed in early childhood, long before adolescence.
Dogma is a word used to describe a strong belief that people are expected to accept
as true.
So our brains are still developing much later than was originally thought.
What does this tell us about teenage behaviour?
Of particular interest is an important part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex.
Here is Professor Blakemore again.
What excuse can she give for teenagers who don’t get their homework done in time?
The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain right at the front, just behind the forehead
and it’s involved in a whole range of very high-level cognitive tasks such as decision
making and planning - we know that this region is undergoing very very large amounts of development
during the adolescent years.
And so in terms of the expectations that we place on teenagers to, for example, plan their
homework, it might be too much given that we know that the region of the brain that
critically involved in planning is not developed yet.
So the prefrontal cortex is important in cognitive tasks.
What are those, Rob?
A cognitive task is one that requires conscious thinking and processing, such as making decisions
and planning.
It doesn’t happen automatically, you have to think about it.
So in the adolescent years this part of the brain is not fully developed.
Note the adjective form here of the noun we had earlier adolescence.
So this gives a good excuse for not doing your homework!
Ha, ha, I wish I’d known that.
I used to say that I’d left my homework on the bus or that the dog had eaten it.
Now I could say, "Sorry sir, my brain isn’t developed enough for the cognitive task of
planning my homework".
Yes, I’m sure that would work!
Before we wrap up, time to get the answer to this week’s question.
I asked when was the word ‘teenager’ first used to refer to the 13 – 19 age group?
Was it:
a) the 1920s
b) the 1930s
c) the 1950s
Rob, you said?
I guessed c) 1950s
The answer is actually b) the 1930s.
Very well done if you knew that.
Now a quick review of today’s vocabulary.
Adolescence is the noun for the period of change from child to adult and the adjective
is adolescent – this same word is also the noun for someone who is in that teenage period.
So an adolescent might be responsible for adolescent behaviour in his or her adolescence.
Exactly.
Papers is the word for published scientific research.
Dogma is strongly held beliefs that are not challenged.
The prefrontal cortex is an important part of the brain which deals with cognitive tasks.
And cognitive tasks are mental processes that require active thought and consideration,
such as planning and making decisions.
Well, my decision-making skills tell me that it’s time to finish.
Well, your skills are working well Neil.
We may be going now but you don't need to – you can listen or watch us again and find
lots more learning English materials on our social media platforms.
You can also visit our website at bbclearningenglish.com.
See you soon, goodbye.
Bye!
Hello.
This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
I’m Neil.
And I’m Sam.
Do you cry easily, Sam?
I mean, when was the last time you cried?
Let me think…
Last week watching a movie, probably.
I was watching a really dramatic film and in one scene, the heroine gets separated from
her children.
I just burst out crying.
How about you Neil - when was the last time you cried?
Men don’t cry, Sam.
Come on, Neil!
That’s a bit stereotypical, isn’t it? – the idea that men don’t show their emotions
and women cry all the time.
Well, that’s an interesting point, Sam, because in today’s programme we’re discussing
crying.
We’ll be investigating the reasons why we cry and looking at some of the differences
between men and women and between crying in public and in private.
And of course, we’ll be learning some related vocabulary along the way.
I guess it’s kind of true that women do cry more than men.
People often think crying is only about painful feelings but we also cry to show joy and when
we are moved by something beautiful like music or a painting.
So, maybe women are just more in touch with their feelings and that’s why they cry more.
Well actually, Sam, that brings me to our quiz question.
According to a study from 2017 conducted in the UK, on average, how many times a year
do women cry?
Is it: a) 52
b) 72, or c) 102
Hmm, it's a tricky question, Neil.
I mean, there are so many different reasons why people cry.
And what makes me cry might make someone else laugh.
I think some of my female friends probably cry around once a week, so I‘ll guess the
answer is a) 52.
OK, Sam.
We’ll find out later if you were right.
Now, while it may be true that men cry less often, it also seems that they feel less embarrassed
about crying in public.
This may be because of differences in how men and women think others will view their
public displays of emotion.
Here’s BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour speaking to therapist Joanna Cross about the issue
of crying at work.
Let’s take the workplace.
If you’ve got somebody who seems to cry regularly, I think that’s not helpful for
the individual because then if they cry over something that really is important to them,
they might not be taken so seriously - or they get a label.
But I do think crying is often a build-up of frustration and undealt-with situations
and it’s a bit of a final straw moment.
So people who regularly cry at work risk not being taken seriously – not being treated
as deserving attention or respect.
And they might even get a label – become thought of as having a particular character
whether that’s true or not.
Here’s Joanna Cross again:
You build up your resentments, your lack of boundaries, not being able to say ‘no’
and then somebody says, ‘Can you go and make a cup of tea?’ and you suddenly find
yourself weeping.
And everybody says, ‘What’s wrong with her?’
but actually that’s often a backlog of situations.
So, a common reason for crying at work seems to be a build-up of resentments - feelings
of anger when you think you have been treated unfairly or have been forced to accept something
you don’t like.
When left undealt with, these feelings can create a backlog - an accumulation of issues
that you should have dealt with before but didn’t.
Right.
And then, like Joanna says, someone asks you to do something very simple and easy, like
make a cup of tea, and you start weeping – another word for crying.
That’s a good example of a final straw moment, a term which comes from the expression, ‘The
straw that broke the camel’s back’.
The final straw means a further problem which itself might be insignificant but which finally
makes you want to give up.
I hope this programme won’t be the final straw for us, Sam.
I doubt it, Neil.
The only time I cry at work is when you used to bring in your onion sandwiches for lunch.
In fact, I can feel a tear rolling down my cheek right now…
Ah, so that counts as one of your cries, Sam.
Remember, I asked you on average how many times a year women in the UK cry – and you
said?
I said a) 52.
Well, don’t cry when I tell you that you were wrong.
The actual answer was c) 72 times a year.
Which on average is more than men, but less than parents of new-born babies, both mothers
and fathers.
They cry almost as much as their babies!
Today, we’ve been talking about crying – or weeping, as it’s sometimes called.
People who often cry at work risk not being taken seriously – not treated as deserving
of attention or respect.
This means they might get a label – becoming known as someone with a particular kind of
personality, even though that may not be true.
But crying is also a healthy way of expressing emotions.
It can help deal with resentments – feelings of anger that you have been treated unfairly.
If we don’t deal with these feelings in some way, they can grow into a backlog – an
accumulation of unresolved issues that you now need to deal with.
And if you don’t deal with them, you might become a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
Then anything someone says to you can become the final straw – the last small problem
which makes you want to give up and maybe start crying.
What’s the matter, Neil?
Was it something I said?
No, Sam – I’m crying because it’s the end of the programme!
Ahh, don’t worry because we’ll be back soon for another edition of 6 Minute English.
But bye for now.
Bye.
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English.
I'm Neil.
And I'm Dan.
Now then, Dan, do you ever feel awkward?
Awkward?
Yes, feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed or self-conscious in a social situation where
something isn’t quite right.
Sometimes.
I remember always feeling very awkward watching TV with my parents if there was an explicit
love scene.
You know, people canoodling.
Oh yes, me too!
And that feeling of awkwardness is what we are looking at in today's 6 Minute English,
and how it is all connected to social rules.
Social rules are the unspoken rules which we follow in everyday life - the way we interact
with other people and particularly with strangers.
Yes.
For example, if you’re waiting at a bus stop, it’s OK to talk about the weather
to a stranger.
But it would be very awkward if you broke that social rule by asking them about, oh
I don't know, how much money they earned.
Oh yes, that would be wrong, wouldn't it?
And we’ll find out about another awkward situation on the underground railway later
in the programme.
Before that though, a quiz.
Which city has the oldest underground railway?
Is it:
a) London
b) New York or
c) Tokyo
Aha!
Well, I’m pretty confident about this!
I think it’s London.
Well, I’ll have the answer later in the programme.
Dr Raj Persuad is a psychologist.
He was a guest on the BBC radio programme Seriously.
He was talking about social rules.
How does he say they affect our lives?
How do we understand what the implicit social rules are that govern our behaviour?
They're so implicit.
They're so almost invisible - yet we all obey them - i.e. they're massively powerful that
the only way to get at them, because you couldn't use an MRI brain scanner or a microscope…
What's the tool you would use to illuminate the social rules that actually govern our
lives?
How do they affect our lives?
He says that they govern our behaviour, they govern our lives – this means that they
'control' our lives.
They 'rule' our lives.
What’s interesting is that he says these social rules are implicit.
They are not written down anywhere.
They are unspoken but understood.
If they are unspoken and not written down, how can scientists and sociologists study
them?
How can they find out about them?
They need a way to illuminate the rules.
This means a way of shining a metaphorical light on them to see what they are.
Here’s Dr Persaud again.
How do we understand what the implicit social rules are that govern our behaviour?
They're so implicit.
They're so almost invisible - yet we all obey them i.e. they're massively powerful that
the only way to get at them, because you couldn't use an MRI brain scanner or a microscope…
What's the tool you would use to illuminate the social rules that actually govern our
lives?
One way to find out about a rule is to break it.
Another word for 'break' when we're talking about rules is breach and breaching experiments
were used to learn about social rules.
Here's Dr Persaud describing one of those experiments.
You breached the social rule on purpose.
So a classic one – people would go into the Metro, the underground railway – Tube
– and there'd be only one person sitting in a carriage.
You would go and sit next to that person.
And if that led to awkwardness or discomfort, where the person got off the tube stop immediately,
you had discovered a social rule.
So, what was the experiment?
Well, quite simply, find a nearly empty train carriage and then go and sit right next to
someone rather than a distance away.
If that person then feels uncomfortable or awkward, and that's something you can tell
by watching their behaviour – for example, do they change seat, move carriage or get
off the train completely?
If they do, then you know you’ve discovered a rule.
So you find a rule by breaking it or breaching it.
OK, time to review our vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to the quiz question.
I asked which city has the oldest underground railway.
Is it:
a) London
b) New York and
c) Tokyo
Dan, you were pretty confident.
I was!
I said London, but now I’m having second thoughts.
I think it might be New York.
Oh…
That's a little bit awkward, isn't it?
Well, it is London, so I don't know if you're right or wrong!
I feel a bit uncomfortable now.
The facts are that London opened in 1863.
New York was 1904 and Tokyo, 1927.
Well done, and extra bonus points if you knew any of those dates.
Now it's time for our vocabulary.
I hope it doesn’t make you feel awkward, but you can you start, Dan?
Of course!
And the adjective awkward, and its noun awkwardness, are on our list for today.
They mean 'an uncomfortable feeling in a social situation'.
This is all connected with the idea of social rules – unspoken, but well-known rules which
we follow in daily life to avoid awkward situations.
The rules, as Neil said, are not spoken and they are not written down but we know them
and understand them.
They are implicit.
And these implicit rules govern our lives.
The verb govern means to 'control and rule'.
To see something clearly, either in reality or metaphorically, you need to put some light
on it.
You need to illuminate it.
And that was the next of our words, the verb illuminate.
And finally we had a word which means, when we're talking about rules, the same as break,
to breach.
In experiments, they breached the rules to learn more about them.
Well, we don’t want to breach any rules so it’s time for us to leave you for today.
But don’t worry we will be back.
In the meantime, you can find us in all the usual places online and on social media, just
look for BBC Learning English.
Bye for now.
Bye-bye!
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English.
I'm Neil.
And I'm Rob.
Now, Rob, would you say that you are an introvert or an extrovert?
What a good question!
Well, extroverts are confident in their personality.
They're outgoing and comfortable in social situations.
So, I would have to say that, if anything, I’m the opposite.
I’m more of an introvert.
I’m really quite shy.
I feel uncomfortable in social situations.
For example, if I go to a party, where I don’t know anyone I usually feel very embarrassed
and I find it impossible to start conversations with strangers.
But you do all of this on the radio and videos for Learning English, don’t you?
Some would say you have to be an extrovert to do what we do.
Ah!
Well, maybe I’m pretending to be an extrovert to hide the fact that I’m an introvert.
It’s quite a common thing, you know.
Well, it might not be so easy to hide in the future because researchers have developed
a computer program that can tell your personality from looking at where you look, by tracking
your eye movements.
Wow!
That sounds pretty hi-tech, and scary.
Well, we’ll learn more shortly, but first a question on the topic of clever computers.
The letters 'AI' stand for Artificial Intelligence but what are the letters 'AI'?
Are they
A) an abbreviation
B) an acronym, or
C) an initialism?
OK, I thought that was going to be easy, but I think it’s an abbreviation, isn’t it?
Well, you’ll have to wait to the end of the programme to find out!
Sabrina Hoppe is a researcher at the University of Stuttgart.
She was interviewed on the BBC Radio programme All In The Mind.
She spoke about an experiment in which they tracked the eye movements of people in real
situations.
This is what she said about the research.
Was she confident the experiment would work in the real world?
The main finding in our study is that it is possible at all to just look at eye movements
and then predict something about their personality.
And before our study, it was not clear at all if this would be possible from eye movements
in such an unconstrained real world setting.
So, was she confident this would work?
No, not really.
She said that before the study it wasn’t clear if it would be possible in an unconstrained
real-world setting.
Unconstrained here means that there wasn’t strict control over the conditions of the
experiment.
It took place in the ‘real-world’ – so not in a laboratory.
The result of the experiment - or the finding, as she called it - was that by following eye
movements, a computer programme was able to work out the personality of the subjects.
Let’s listen again.
The main finding in our study is that it is possible at all to just look at eye movements
and then predict something about their personality.
And before our study, it was not clear at all if this would be possible from eye movements
in such an unconstrained real world setting.
So how does the software work, for example, what are the differences in the eye movements
of extroverts compared to introverts?
We still don't really know in detail what makes the difference.
We can only tell that there are differences and that we know computer programs that can
pick up those differences.
Maybe extrovert people look up a lot because they want to look at people's faces, whereas
some super introvert person maybe just stares at their own shoes, if you want to take the
extreme examples.
So, probably it somehow changes gaze.
But we only know that this information is there and somehow our program figured out
how to extract it.
So how does it work?
Well, that’s the strange thing.
She said that she didn’t really know, at least not in detail.
She did say that our personality somehow changes gaze.
Gaze is another word for looking at something.
So maybe we gaze in different ways depending on our personality.
Extroverts may look up more and introverts, like me, may look down more.
Yes, it was interesting that she said that she didn’t know how it did it, but the program
somehow managed to figure it out.
The phrasal verb to figure something out means 'to understand or realise something'.
Time to review today’s vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to the quiz question.
I asked what are the letters AI?
Are they
A) an abbreviation
B) an acronym
C) an initialism
Rob, what did you say?
I said A) an abbreviation.
Well sorry, no, AI is C), so to speak.
It's an initialism.
It’s the first letters of the words 'artificial intelligence', but it’s not pronounced like
a new word, just the initial letters.
Right, time now to review today’s vocabulary.
Yes.
We had the word extrovert.
This describes someone who has a very outgoing personality.
An extrovert is confident and socially comfortable.
By contrast, an introvert is someone who is shy and not comfortable in social situations
and doesn’t like being the centre of attention.
Our report today talked about the findings of some new research.
A finding is something that has been learnt, discovered or indeed, found out.
It is the conclusion that is reached.
Then we had unconstrained to describe the experiment which was not carried out in a
controlled environment.
So unconstrained means 'not limited or restricted'.
Our next word was gaze.
This is a word that means 'our way of looking at something'.
Yes, the findings of the research suggest that our personality can affect our gaze.
And this was something the computer was able to figure out.
To figure out means 'to study something and reach an answer to a particular question or
problem'.
Right!
Well, you know what I’ve just figured out?
Do tell!
It’s time to bring this edition of 6 Minute English to an end.
We hope you can join us again, but until then we are bbclearningenglish.com and you can
find us on social media, online and on our app.
Bye for now.
Bye-bye!
Hello.
This is 6 Minute English and I'm Neil.
Joining me for our discussion is Georgina.
Georgina
Neil Now, Georgina, you’re a chatty, sociable
kind of person, aren’t you?
Georgina
But would you go up to a stranger and strike up a conversation?
That might be going too far – if you don’t know them, what are you going to start talking
about?
A good question.
But maybe you should – because in this programme we’re looking at how talking to strangers
might actually be good for you!
But first, let me talk to you about today’s question.
I’d like you to answer this.
To make conversation we need words – so according to the Oxford English dictionary,
approximately how many words are in use in the English language?
Is it… a) 171,146
b) 271,146 c) 371,146
We use a lot of words in English, but not 371,000 – so I’ll go for a) 171,146.
OK.
Well, as always I will reveal the answer later in the programme.
Now, let’s continue our conversation about having conversations with strangers!
Many of us spend part of every day surrounded by strangers, whether on our commute to work,
sitting in a park or cafe, or visiting the supermarket.
But we rarely reach out and talk to them because we fear it would make us both feel uncomfortable
– or awkward.
And Gillian Sandstrom, social psychologist from Essex University in the UK, can explain
why.
Here she is speaking on BBC Radio 4’s All In The Mind programme….
We kind of underestimate, we have this negative voice in our head that's telling us "I shouldn't
have said that, why did I do that?
I said that story better last time".
But the other person doesn't know any of that and they’re probably… they might be anticipating
that they won't have a positive conversation and then they do.
And they think, wow, that person was amazing.
So we walk round with this fear that the other person isn’t going to be interested in talking
to us.
Fascinating stuff.
So we have a negative voice in our head telling us about all the bad things that might happen.
We basically underestimate ourselves.
To underestimate means to think that something is smaller or less important than it really
is.
We worry that what we say won’t be interesting or important enough.
Ah, but the other person doesn’t know that.
They’re also anticipating – or guessing - the outcome.
They're thinking that if they have a conversation, it won’t go well.
But of course, when strangers do talk to each other it normally goes well.
Yes, it’s just fear that is stopping us.
But if we get over that fear, and get chatting, people might actually like us – and we might
make new friends.
Another reason why you should pluck up the courage to talk to strangers is that it’s
good for our health!
‘Pluck up the courage’ – that’s a good phrase, Georgina, meaning force yourself
to do something that you’re scared about and… research by the University of Chicago
found we may often underestimate the positive impact of connecting with others for both
our own and others' wellbeing.
And connecting here means starting or having a good relationship with someone.
So the research found that, for example, having a conversation with a stranger on your way
to work may leave you both feeling happier than you would think.
Gillian Sandstrom also spoke about her research and the power of talking to strangers on the
You and Yours programme.
Listen out for the word ‘connected’…
What we've shown in the research is that it's really good for your mood.
So people are in a better mood after they reach out and have a conversation, however
minimal, and the other thing that the research has shown is that just makes people feel more
connected to each other.
There you go!
Talking to strangers is good for our mood – and mood means the way we feel.
It’s good for our mental health – and we might discover people actually like us!
And even if we’re an introvert – a person who prefers to be alone rather than with other
people - experiments have shown that talking to others can make us happier.
The problem remains, Neil, that when speaking to someone new, what do you talk about?
How about some interesting facts – like approximately how many words are in use in
the English language?
Which is what I asked you earlier.
Is it? a) 171,146
b) 271,146 c) 371,146
What did you say, Georgina?
I said 171,146.
Was I right?
Spot on, Georgina.
Well done!
Yes, there are an estimated 171,146 words currently in use in the English language,
according to the Oxford English Dictionary –plus many more obsolete words.
I shall pick a few of them and make conversation with someone on the Tube later, but not before
we recap some of the vocabulary we’ve explained.
Yes – so we highlighted six words, starting with underestimate which is to think that
something is smaller or less important than it really is.
Anticipating means guessing or expecting a certain outcome.
I anticipate this programme to be 6 minutes long!
That’s a given!
Next, we mentioned the phrase to pluck up the courage,meaning to force yourself to do
something that you’re scared or nervous about.
When you connect with someone, it means you start or have a good relationship with someone.
I think we’ve connected on this programme, Neil!
Absolutely, Georgina.
And that’s put me in a good mood – mood means the way we feel.
And finally, an introvert is a person who prefers to spend time on their own.
Thanks, Georgina.
Well, that’s our conversation over, but you can hear more from us on our website and
on our app.
Goodbye!
Bye!
Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English.
I'm Neil.
And I'm Sam.
Sam, do you know Stephen Fry?
Not personally, but I know of him.
Stephen Fry is an English writer and comedian and is well known for being extremely intelligent
and very knowledgeable about many things cultural, historical and linguistic.
To be knowledgeable means 'to know a lot about something'.
I wish I was half as knowledgeable as he is!
I wish I were a quarter as knowledgeable!
There is still time, Sam!
And maybe this week’s question will help you become just a little bit more knowledgeable
on the topic of the telephone.
The first long distance telephone call was made in 1876.
Approximately what was the distance of that call?
Was it:
A: 10km?
B: 15km?
Or C: 20km?
What do you think Sam?
So when you say long distance ……?
For the time, yes.
Remember the telephone was only a baby in 1876.
In that case, I’ll say approximately 15km.
But that’s just a guess - a long distance guess.
We’ll find out if you’re right at the end of the programme.
Stephen Fry is also known as a technophile.
The suffix ‘phile’ means 'a lover of that thing'.
So a technophile is someone who loves technology.
Fry was a guest on the BBC podcast Word of Mouth and was talking about the technology
of communication.
It seems he’s not a fan of the telephone.
But why not?
I think the telephone was a really annoying blip in our communications and that's old
technology.
I mean that's 1880s, 90s.
When you're on the telephone to someone, especially if you're British – you know, that Bernard
Shaw thing – oh, you know, the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman
despises him - when you're speaking to someone on the telephone all the age, class, education,
vocabulary all come into play because it's in real time and it's embarrassing.
I hate being on the telephone to people - especially strangers in shops and things like that because
it's embarrassing and awkward.
So, why doesn’t he like the telephone?
Well, he uses a quote from the writer George Bernard Shaw.
It’s not the exact quote but the meaning is that as soon as an English person speaks,
another English person despises them.
To despise someone is a very strong emotion and it means 'to really hate someone'.
So, what is it about the English person’s voice that leads others to despise them?
Stephen Fry goes on to explain that there is a lot of information about someone that
people get from their voice.
You can make a judgment about someone’s age, level of education and class from the
way that they speak and the vocabulary they use.
Class refers to your economic and social position in a society.
In Britain, we talk about three classes: upper class, middle class and working class.
The family into which you are born dictates your class.
These used to be a lot more important in British society but there are still different prejudices
and negative feelings related to the relationship between the classes.
Exactly, so hearing someone’s voice on the telephone might make you think something negative
about someone based on very old-fashioned ideas of class.
What makes it worse is that these conversations happen in real time.
This means they are 'happening live', 'not recorded', so you have no time to really think
about it.
So he may be a technophile, but he’s not a fan of the phone!
Indeed.
He called it a blip, which is a word for when something is not quite right - when there
is a fault or a mistake which is usually not long lasting.
So do you think he’s right?
Well, actually, I don’t like to talk to strangers on the phone very much myself, but
that’s just me.
But I do think that although the class divisions in British society are much less obvious and
much less important than in the past, we still do make judgements about people based on how
they speak and those judgements can often be completely false.
Right, nearly time to review our vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to today’s
question.
The first long distance telephone call was made in 1876.
Approximately what was the distance of that call?
Was it:
A: 10km?
B: 15km?
Or C: 20km?
What did you think, Sam?
I guessed 15km.
But it was just a guess.
Well, sadly, on this occasion it was not a correct guess.
The correct answer is approximately 10km or 6 miles.
Congratulations if you go that right.
Now on with the vocabulary.
We started with the adjective knowledgeable, which means 'knowing a lot about something'.
A technophile is someone who loves technology.
To despise someone is to hate someone strongly.
Class refers to a group in society you are said to belong to from your birth.
Certain stereotypes are often attached to different classes to do with intelligence
and education, for example.
In real time is an expression that means 'happening live, without any pauses or breaks'.
So for example, you aren’t listening to this programme in real time,
Well, I am.
Well, of course, you are Neil, because you are here with me as we are recording.
But if you’re listening to the podcast, it’s no longer real time.
It’s been recorded and edited.
And we had one other word, didn’t we?
Yes, a blip, which is a temporary fault, or mistake.
Well, that's all we've got for this programme.
For more, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our YouTube pages and, of course, our
website bbclearningenglish.com, where you can find all kinds of other programmes and
videos and activities to help you improve your English.
Thank you for joining us and goodbye!
Bye!
Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English.
I'm Neil.
And I'm Sam.
In this programme we'll be talking about the emotion of shame.
What can you tell us about this word, Sam?
ell, it can be a verb or a noun.
As a noun it's an emotion for the uncomfortable feeling we have when we feel embarrassed or
guilty about something that we've done.
It’s a very strong feeling.
We’ll explore this topic in more detail shortly, but first a question.
Now it might seem like a random question, but all will become clear later, I promise.
The chemical which was used to make cooking pans non-stick was discovered by accident,
when was this?
Was it… a) 1930s
b) 1960s or c) 1980s
What do you think, Sam?
Ah – well, first, I've no idea what non-stick cookware has to do with our topic of shame
but as to the question itself, I think it has something to do with Nasa and the space
programme, so I’m going to say 1960s.
Well, we will find out later in the programme if you are right.
The idea of shame is not new, by any means, but social media has made it a very modern
concept, hasn’t it?
Yes, when it’s used as a verb, to shame someone, it means to say or write things in
public designed to make other people feel bad about their behaviour and this is something
we see a lot In social media.
This topic was discussed on a recent edition of the BBC radio programme Woman’s Hour.
One of the guests was Hetta Howes from City University, London.
Does she think that shame is always a bad thing?
If you have too much shame it’s crippling, it's sort of debilitating and that’s bad,
but the right amount of shame can be really positive because it effects change and I wonder
if we’re starting to see that a bit in modern culture as well from sort of social media
platforms because if someone’s done something that we consider to be a little bit wrong,
we can sort of publicly shame them and maybe effect some positive change.
So is shame always bad?
Well, she does say that too much shame can be crippling and debilitating.
Both these words mean that shame is so strong that we really can’t manage the emotion,
we can’t deal with it, we can’t do anything to put it right.
But she does say that a bit of shame can be positive because it effects change.
This means that it causes change.
If someone is shamed on social media, it’s very public and can mean that they change
their behaviour.
I suppose though there is one group I think have to accept public shaming, and perhaps
deserve it more than others.
I think I can guess.
Would it be politicians, perhaps?
These days we are very cynical about politicians, aren’t we?
Social media is one area where the public can directly contact and comment on what their
representatives are or aren’t doing.
But politicians are a particular kind of person, aren’t they?
Cultural historian Tiffany Watt-Smith made this comment on the same Woman’s Hour programme.
Shame is ... can be very very useful and the idea of someone who doesn’t experience that
at all, like a sort of Teflon-coated politician, I mean, that's… that’s a kind of frightening
image.
What’s she saying here, Sam?
She’s talking about how some politicians to do not seem to be bothered by shaming.
They just ignore it and move on.
She describes them as Teflon coated.
This is – aha – a reference to non-stick cookware!
Teflon is the brand name of the chemical which was used to make pots and pans non-stick.
The pans were coated or covered in this material.
The reference to politicians is that there are some to whom criticism and shame just
don’t stick.
They manage to avoid any negative consequences of their actions and this, she says, is scary.
Here’s Tiffany Watt-Smith again.
Shame is ... can be very very useful and the idea of someone who doesn’t experience that
at all, like a sort of Teflon-coated politician, I mean, that's… that’s a kind of frightening
image.
It’s nearly time now to review our vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to the
quiz question, which was about non-stick coating on cookware, or Teflon, as we heard.
When was it invented? a) 1930s
b) 1960s or c) 1980s
What did you think, Sam?
I guessed the 1960s as I think it was invented as part of the US space programme.
Well, a lot of people think that and, like you, a lot of people are wrong.
It was actually discovered, by accident, in 1938.
So well done if you got that right but no shame if you didn’t!
Now on with today’s words.
OK.
Yes, we were talking about shame, an uncomfortable feeling of guilt and embarrassment at something
we’ve done.
Shame can be crippling and debilitating.
Both these adjectives mean making someone unable to deal with the situation.
They can feel so badly about what they have done that they find it difficult to move forward
emotionally.
We then had to effect change.
This means to make change happen.
Note this is 'effect' with an 'e' and not 'affect' with an 'a'.
Teflon is a non-stick covering for cookware.
And something that is coated with something is covered with something.
So Teflon coated means covered in Teflon.
Well, that’s all for this programme.
We’ll be with you again soon, but if you can’t wait, you can find us in all the usual
places on social media, online and on our app.
Just search for bbclearninglish.
Goodbye!
Bye!Neil
Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English.
I'm Neil.
And I'm Sam.
In this programme we'll be talking about the emotion of shame.
What can you tell us about this word, Sam?
Well, it can be a verb or a noun.
As a noun it's an emotion for the uncomfortable feeling we have when we feel embarrassed or
guilty about something that we've done.
It’s a very strong feeling.
We’ll explore this topic in more detail shortly, but first a question.
Now it might seem like a random question, but all will become clear later, I promise.
The chemical which was used to make cooking pans non-stick was discovered by accident,
when was this?
Was it… a) 1930s
b) 1960s or c) 1980s
What do you think, Sam?
Ah – well, first, I've no idea what non-stick cookware has to do with our topic of shame
but as to the question itself, I think it has something to do with Nasa and the space
programme, so I’m going to say 1960s.
Well, we will find out later in the programme if you are right.
The idea of shame is not new, by any means, but social media has made it a very modern
concept, hasn’t it?
Yes, when it’s used as a verb, to shame someone, it means to say or write things in
public designed to make other people feel bad about their behaviour and this is something
we see a lot In social media.
This topic was discussed on a recent edition of the BBC radio programme Woman’s Hour.
One of the guests was Hetta Howes from City University, London.
Does she think that shame is always a bad thing?
If you have too much shame it’s crippling, it's sort of debilitating and that’s bad,
but the right amount of shame can be really positive because it effects change and I wonder
if we’re starting to see that a bit in modern culture as well from sort of social media
platforms because if someone’s done something that we consider to be a little bit wrong,
we can sort of publicly shame them and maybe effect some positive change.
So is shame always bad?
Well, she does say that too much shame can be crippling and debilitating.
Both these words mean that shame is so strong that we really can’t manage the emotion,
we can’t deal with it, we can’t do anything to put it right.
But she does say that a bit of shame can be positive because it effects change.
This means that it causes change.
If someone is shamed on social media, it’s very public and can mean that they change
their behaviour.
I suppose though there is one group I think have to accept public shaming, and perhaps
deserve it more than others.
I think I can guess.
Would it be politicians, perhaps?
These days we are very cynical about politicians, aren’t we?
Social media is one area where the public can directly contact and comment on what their
representatives are or aren’t doing.
But politicians are a particular kind of person, aren’t they?
Cultural historian Tiffany Watt-Smith made this comment on the same Woman’s Hour programme.
Shame is ... can be very very useful and the idea of someone who doesn’t experience that
at all, like a sort of Teflon-coated politician, I mean, that's… that’s a kind of frightening
image.
What’s she saying here, Sam?
She’s talking about how some politicians to do not seem to be bothered by shaming.
They just ignore it and move on.
She describes them as Teflon coated.
This is – aha – a reference to non-stick cookware!
Teflon is the brand name of the chemical which was used to make pots and pans non-stick.
The pans were coated or covered in this material.
The reference to politicians is that there are some to whom criticism and shame just
don’t stick.
They manage to avoid any negative consequences of their actions and this, she says, is scary.
Here’s Tiffany Watt-Smith again.
Shame is ... can be very very useful and the idea of someone who doesn’t experience that
at all, like a sort of Teflon-coated politician, I mean, that's… that’s a kind of frightening
image.
It’s nearly time now to review our vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to the
quiz question, which was about non-stick coating on cookware, or Teflon, as we heard.
When was it invented? a) 1930s
b) 1960s or c) 1980s
What did you think, Sam?
I guessed the 1960s as I think it was invented as part of the US space programme.
Well, a lot of people think that and, like you, a lot of people are wrong.
It was actually discovered, by accident, in 1938.
So well done if you got that right but no shame if you didn’t!
Now on with today’s words.
OK.
Yes, we were talking about shame, an uncomfortable feeling of guilt and embarrassment at something
we’ve done.
Shame can be crippling and debilitating.
Both these adjectives mean making someone unable to deal with the situation.
They can feel so badly about what they have done that they find it difficult to move forward
emotionally.
We then had to effect change.
This means to make change happen.
Note this is 'effect' with an 'e' and not 'affect' with an 'a'.
Teflon is a non-stick covering for cookware.
And something that is coated with something is covered with something.
So Teflon coated means covered in Teflon.
Well, that’s all for this programme.
We’ll be with you again soon, but if you can’t wait, you can find us in all the usual
places on social media, online and on our app.
Just search for bbclearninglish.
Goodbye!
Bye!
Hello.
I'm Neil.
Hello.
I'm Dan.
Neil, aren't you going to say the 'welcome to 6 Minute English' bit?
Hmmm maybe.
How's your mood today, Dan?
Feeling happy?
Oh yes, very happy.
I’ve just had lunch.
What about you?
Well to be honest, I haven’t had the chance to eat yet and it’s making me a bit grumpy.
Why haven’t you eaten?
Well, I was doing some research for today’s topic which is all about feeling angry when
you are hungry.
You know what I’m talking about?
Oh yes, we’re talking about being ‘hangry’.
It’s quite a new word, isn’t it?
A combination of hungry and angry.
Yes, hangry is our topic.
But before we learn more about it, here’s today’s quiz.
English has quite a few words which are made by joining two different words together like
‘hangry’, for example: brunch, motel, Brexit.
What do we call these words?
Are they…
a) Suitcase words b) Portmanteau words, or
c) Backpack words
Well, I think I know this one, so I’ll keep the answer to myself - don’t want to give
away any spoilers.
What I do want to know is if hanger is a real thing – or is it just something that’s
been made up by grumpy people, like you?
Let’s hear from Sophie Medlin, who is a lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s
College London.
Is hanger a real thing and where does the word come from?
We’ve long recognised that hunger leads to irritability - in science.
But the wonderful world of social media has merged the two words for us and now we know
it as hanger.
So, is hanger a real thing and where does she say the word comes from?
According to Medlin it is a real thing.
She says that science has recognised that hunger leads to irritability.
Irritability is a noun which means being easily annoyed, not in a good mood.
And she says that it was the wonderful world of social media that joined the two words
together.
She used the verb merge.
Merge, meaning join together.
I know social media is responsible for many things, but the word hangry actually appeared
in the 1990s – so a little before the arrival of social media.
But it’s certainly true that social media has made it more prominent.
Me, right now, hashtag hangry!
Let’s listen to that clip again.
We’ve long recognised that hunger leads to irritability - in science.
But the wonderful world of social media has merged the two words for us and now we know
it as hanger.
So now we know that hanger is a real thing, let’s learn a bit more about it.
Why does it happen?
Why do we get angry when we are hungry?
Here’s Sophie Medlin again.
As the blood sugars drop, we increase our cortisol and adrenalin – so our kind of
fight or flight hormones – and those have an impact on our brain and the neuropeptides
– the things that control our brain, the chemicals in our brain, the ones the trigger
for hunger are the same ones that trigger for anger and also for rage and impulsive
type behaviours.
So that’s why you get that sort of same response.
So it’s all to do with blood sugar, isn’t it?
Yes, it seems so.
When we are hungry the level of sugar in our blood is lower and this causes an increase
in particular hormones.
Hormones are the chemicals we make in our bodies that control certain biological and
psychological functions.
The hormones released when we are hungry are the same as our fight or flight hormones.
They are the hormones that the body uses to prepare us to either fight or run away from
a dangerous situation.
When these hormones are increased, it can cause anger and rage.
Rage is another word for being very angry.
And when we are angry we can behave impulsively.
Impulsive behaviour is when we do things without thinking, without considering the consequences.
So when we are hungry, the same emotions can run through us.
We can be angry and make poor decisions.
And that is hanger.
Which brings us nicely to our quiz question.
What do we call words, like hanger, that are made by joining two different words together?
Now you said you knew the answer Dan?
I did!
What was it?
Portmanteau words.
And you are absolutely correct.
The answer is portmanteau words.
Congratulations if you knew that.
I did.
Alright then smarty pants.
No need to boast!
I can see that you're still a bit hangry Neil.
Yes, I’m hungry and that is making me angry!
But I think I can hold on to get through a review of the rest of today’s vocabulary.
Well, we also had the noun irritability, meaning getting annoyed very easily, just like…
Don’t, just don’t.
Or I might just merge my fist with your face.
Ouch.
Yes, merge meaning join different things together.
I can see your fight or flight hormones are kicking in.
Those chemicals in the body that prepare us for aggression or escape.
I haven’t quite reached rage yet.
This was another of our words, rage, and it means a state of being very, very angry.
Our last word was impulsive.
This is an adjective to describe when we do things without really thinking about them.
We just do them without any control and without thinking about the consequences.
Now I’m off, I’m starving.
I’ve got to eat before I do something impulsive.
That is it for this programme.
For more, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our YouTube pages, and of course our website
bbclearningenglish.com, where you can find all kinds of other programmes and videos and
activities to help you improve your English.
Thank you for joining us and goodbye.
Bye!