Which country does the most good for the world?

Which features should have the country that does the most good for the world?

1. Prosperity & Equality

2. Culture

3. Peace & Security

4. Science & Technology

5. Health & Wellbeing

6. Planet & Climate

7. World Order

It's an unexpected side effect of globalization: problems that once would have stayed local- say, a bank lending out too much money- now have consequences worldwide. But still, countries operate independently, as if alone on the planet. Policy advisor Simon Anholt has dreamed up an unusual scale to get governments thinking outwardly: The Good Counntry Index. In a riveting and funny talk, he answers the question, 

"Which country does the most good?" 

The answer may surprise you.

http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_anholt_which_country_does_the_most_good_for_the_world?language=en&utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=talk&utm_term=global-social%20issues

The award goes to...

IRELAND!

Vocabulary:

Persist- to continue to do something despite opposition or difficulty.

The snow persisted throughout the day.
John persisted on his idea, so they gave up.



Fuss about- to complain about something.

You shouldn't fuss about so much.
She is fussing about her career.



Leap of faith- an act of accepting or believing in something that is unprovable, or without empirical evidence.

Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith to understand the world.
It is impossible to avoid the leap of faith.


Staggered- surprised or shocked.

She was staggered that he didn't find the burglar.
He was staggered to read that she bought a car.



Drift off (to sleep)- to gradually start to sleep.

Unfortunately I drift off during the lesson.
She drifted off every night with a smile on her face.




Additional materials:
https://goodcountry.org/index/overall-rankings

What will humans look like in 100 years?

What does this picture show?



Humans, of course.

But what about this picture?

Or this one?

Is it also a human?




Our topic wouln't be about modifications or scarifications but about whether it is ethical to evolve human bodies. In a visionary talk that ranges from medieval prosthetics to present day neuroengineering and genetics, Juan Enriquez sorts out the ethics associated with evolving humans and imagines the way we'll have to transform our bodies if we hope to explore and live in a places other than Earth?

If you want to know what will humans look like in 100 years, just watch the video:

https://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_what_will_humans_look_like_in_100_years

VOCABULARY:

Periodically- happening regularly.

She makes periodically trips to Europe.
Airplane parts are checked periodically.

Dissipate- to dissapear, or to make something dissapear.

Something moved out and dissipated around them.
It moved near our house and dissipated last night.



Magnitude- the large size or importance of something.

She was still unaware of the magnitude of the problem.
She seems not to undestand the magnitude of her decision.



Alter- to change, or to make something or someone change.

We have to alter our plans.
Do you want to alter your appearance?



Prosthetic- an artificial body part that replaces a missing part.

Do you want to know how prosthetic hips are made?
It was the best prosthetic job she'd ever seen.



Additional materials:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/12/what-will-humans-look-like-100000-years-from-now/#6f2706976bfe


http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-this-is-what-humans-will-look-like-in-1-000-years

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3285381/What-humans-look-like-1-000-years-Video-suggests-develop-RED-eyes-darker-skin-better-looking.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16536598

Suki Kim: This is what it's like to go undercover in North Korea

For 6 months, Suki Kim worked as an English teacher at an elite school for Nort Korea's future leaders. As she helped her students grapple with concepts like ''truth'' and ''critical thinking'', she came to wonder: Was teaching these students to seek the truth putting them in peril?

http://www.ted.com/talks/suki_kim_this_is_what_it_s_like_to_go_undercover_in_north_korea?language=en

VOCABULARY:

Immerse- to be or become completely involved in something.

Her parents immersed her in the arts as  a child.
She immersed herself in this issue.



Proselytize- to try to persuade someone to change their political or religious beliefs or way of living to your own.

Proselytizing is the capital crime in North Korea.
He wants to proselytize for the Christian faith.



Recipient- someone who receives something.

He is a recipient of the an award.
The letter couldn't be delivered because recipient was not at home.



Persecution- to treat someone cruelly or unfairy because of their beliefs, religion, or race.

She was persecution for her beliefs.
The prosecution said there was no significant evidence in this case.




Map sth out- to plan sth in detail.

Her life was meticulously mapped out.
They have to map out their journey.






If you want to know more about North Korea I highly recommend you these documentary films:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHCvVHZBok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP7u-gb4dTs

One more reason to get a good night's sleep

The brain uses a quarter of the body's entire enegry supply, yet only accounts for about 2% od the body's mass. So how does this unique organ receive and, perhaps more importantly, rid itself of vital nutrients? New research suggests it has to do with sleep.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep?language=en

Rehydrate- to make your body absorb water or other liquid.



It can take 24 hours to rehydrate your body properly.
Water is the best way to rehydrate your body.

Murky- secret and involving dishonest or illegal activities.



She became involved in a murky business.
He is a man with a murky past.

Nutrient- any substance that animals need to eat and plants need form the soil to live and grow.



The plants use their roots to absorb nutrients.
This meal has a lot of nutrient elements.

Byproduct- something that is produced as a result of making something else.



Fun is a byproduct of having done everything right.

Tolerance should be a byproduct of education.

Mundane- ordinary, not interesting.



I don't want to talk about mundane things.
I will do this mundane work for you.

What makes a good life?

What makes us happy and help us get through life healthly?

Scientists have found the answer to that question after running the longest study ever performed on humans. For 75 years, three generations of scientists studies a group of 724 people from different environments.

http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness/transcript?language=en

Hindsight- an ability to understand an event after it has happened.

An examination, with a benefit of hindsight, is very important.

In hindsight, maybe you shouldn't have told her the truth.

Downright- extremely rude/dangerous/ugly, etc.

She had been caught in a downright lie.

University traditions range from the serious to the downright odd.

Sophomore- a student studying in the second year at a US university or high school.

My sister was a senior when I was a sophomore.

As a sophomore in 2003, he joined the local football team.

Octogenarian- a person who is between 80 and 89 years old.

But for the octogenarians, the nation's history was their personal property.

Let the octogenarians speak for themselves.

Take a toll- to cause suffering or harm.

His work takes a toll on his family.

The long hours at work takes a toll on my personal life.