Questions & things to do:
- What does the TED speaker list as not awesome?
- What does she list as truly awesome?
- What would you add to her list of awesome places, people, things or events?
- What point is the speaker making?
- What does "awesome" actually mean?
- List and learn words that use the prefix "awe-" and the suffix "-some".
- List and learn other words that are used a lot to express approval (which words did your parents and your grandparents tend to use?).
- What words of approval do you tend to overuse?
- Do you think Americans are "too positive" in the way they express themselves?
- Do you think your teachers should be more positive in their appraisal of pupils' work?
Short essay:
Young people are incapable of describing their experiences because their
linguistic skills are inadequate and their vocabulary insufficient (that is why
they overuse expressions like “awesome”). Is this the result of our conformist and
unimaginative education system? Is it due to our consumerist, apathetic and
shallow culture?
Homework assignment:
Spend the week trying to make popular among your friends a word or interjection (of your choosing or invention) you will use to express approval !
Homework assignment:
Spend the week trying to make popular among your friends a word or interjection (of your choosing or invention) you will use to express approval !
