Forwarded from Listening Practice
Transcript:
Marco: The big four-oh, Charles!
Dora: Oh!! It's your 40th!
Marco: Are you planning a party?
Charles: Nah, I never celebrate birthdays. I don't see why this one should be any different.
Dora: Why not?
Charles: First, you know me, I can't be bothered with the hassle. It's my birthday but I'm supposed to do all the hard work – contacting people, finding a venue, organising food, worrying who will show up. No, thanks.
Marco: Ah, someone's angling for a surprise party, eh, Dora?
Charles: Marco, stop! Even worse. Having to pretend to be delighted 50 people just sprang up in your living room when you thought you were coming home to put your feet up. Probably having a heart attack at the shock.
Dora: Note to self: never to organise you a surprise party. OK then!
Marco: You've got to do something, though, Charles. It's your 40th.
Charles: Why? What's so great about getting old?
Dora: Er … still being here to have your birthday?
Marco: Yeah, 'Ageing is better than the alternative', as they say.
Dora: Yeah, and it's true – so why not celebrate?
Charles: You guys can have parties for your 40ths if you like. I just don't go in for that kind of self-indulgent attention-seeking.
Dora: Wow, that's a bit harsh! I had a huge bash for my 30th. And you came. And enjoyed yourself if I recall. Are you trying to say I was just doing it for attention?
Charles: Not exactly … but … well … at least a small part of you must have been.
Dora: Remind me not to invite you to my 40th then, so you won't have to put up with my huge ego while I feed you and provide free drinks all night because I thought we were friends.
Charles: I meant, er, I mean, not all attention-seeking is bad. It's just not my style is all.
Dora: Whereas it is mine?
Marco: Anyway ...
Charles: I didn't say that!
Dora: Er, yes, yes, you did. You said celebrating birthdays is self-indulgent and ...
Marco: Guys, guys! Who knew birthdays was such a touchy subject? Speaking of which, I have to sort out my nine-year-old’s party the weekend after next.
Charles: Now, that's a party I'd love to organise.
Marco: Really? It's a nightmare. It's not like when we were kids. Now you have to take them all rock-climbing or hire a make-up artist to come and teach them how to look like a zombie or a film star. And there'd be trouble if someone else in school had the same kind of party and your kid gets accused of copying. That fear you said about no one turning up? It's a million times worse when you're scared your kid is going to have no one turn up.
Charles: Is there that much pressure?
Marco: Yeah, it's crazy. Last year, I got it right with a cinema trip. Simple, but always a winner. But we can't do the same thing again apparently. It says it in my 'Official Laws for 9-Year-Olds' book.
Charles: That's a pity. I've got so many fond memories of birthday parties as a kid. Party food and games and watching cartoons until your parents arrived.
Marco: Trust me, your parents were stressing out!
Dora: At the risk of restarting the argument, when do you think you stopped enjoying birthdays then?
Charles: I dunno really … somewhere around moving away from home and getting a job and being a grown-up. I don't mean birthdays are immature. I mean, it takes a while to make new friends and so birthdays just become more low-key and it's drinks with a couple of friends or dinner or something. And I just got out of the habit, I guess. Maybe I just need to have a kids-style party like we used to have! Play musical chairs and eat pineapple and cheese on sticks and all that.
Dora: Very retro. I bet people would love that.
Marco: Yeah, they would. Well, I would anyway. And maybe it'll catch on with my kids and it'll start a new party trend.
Charles: You've got me thinking … it's not a terrible idea. Maybe I will have a party this year!
#Transcript
#Listening
#Intermediate
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Marco: The big four-oh, Charles!
Dora: Oh!! It's your 40th!
Marco: Are you planning a party?
Charles: Nah, I never celebrate birthdays. I don't see why this one should be any different.
Dora: Why not?
Charles: First, you know me, I can't be bothered with the hassle. It's my birthday but I'm supposed to do all the hard work – contacting people, finding a venue, organising food, worrying who will show up. No, thanks.
Marco: Ah, someone's angling for a surprise party, eh, Dora?
Charles: Marco, stop! Even worse. Having to pretend to be delighted 50 people just sprang up in your living room when you thought you were coming home to put your feet up. Probably having a heart attack at the shock.
Dora: Note to self: never to organise you a surprise party. OK then!
Marco: You've got to do something, though, Charles. It's your 40th.
Charles: Why? What's so great about getting old?
Dora: Er … still being here to have your birthday?
Marco: Yeah, 'Ageing is better than the alternative', as they say.
Dora: Yeah, and it's true – so why not celebrate?
Charles: You guys can have parties for your 40ths if you like. I just don't go in for that kind of self-indulgent attention-seeking.
Dora: Wow, that's a bit harsh! I had a huge bash for my 30th. And you came. And enjoyed yourself if I recall. Are you trying to say I was just doing it for attention?
Charles: Not exactly … but … well … at least a small part of you must have been.
Dora: Remind me not to invite you to my 40th then, so you won't have to put up with my huge ego while I feed you and provide free drinks all night because I thought we were friends.
Charles: I meant, er, I mean, not all attention-seeking is bad. It's just not my style is all.
Dora: Whereas it is mine?
Marco: Anyway ...
Charles: I didn't say that!
Dora: Er, yes, yes, you did. You said celebrating birthdays is self-indulgent and ...
Marco: Guys, guys! Who knew birthdays was such a touchy subject? Speaking of which, I have to sort out my nine-year-old’s party the weekend after next.
Charles: Now, that's a party I'd love to organise.
Marco: Really? It's a nightmare. It's not like when we were kids. Now you have to take them all rock-climbing or hire a make-up artist to come and teach them how to look like a zombie or a film star. And there'd be trouble if someone else in school had the same kind of party and your kid gets accused of copying. That fear you said about no one turning up? It's a million times worse when you're scared your kid is going to have no one turn up.
Charles: Is there that much pressure?
Marco: Yeah, it's crazy. Last year, I got it right with a cinema trip. Simple, but always a winner. But we can't do the same thing again apparently. It says it in my 'Official Laws for 9-Year-Olds' book.
Charles: That's a pity. I've got so many fond memories of birthday parties as a kid. Party food and games and watching cartoons until your parents arrived.
Marco: Trust me, your parents were stressing out!
Dora: At the risk of restarting the argument, when do you think you stopped enjoying birthdays then?
Charles: I dunno really … somewhere around moving away from home and getting a job and being a grown-up. I don't mean birthdays are immature. I mean, it takes a while to make new friends and so birthdays just become more low-key and it's drinks with a couple of friends or dinner or something. And I just got out of the habit, I guess. Maybe I just need to have a kids-style party like we used to have! Play musical chairs and eat pineapple and cheese on sticks and all that.
Dora: Very retro. I bet people would love that.
Marco: Yeah, they would. Well, I would anyway. And maybe it'll catch on with my kids and it'll start a new party trend.
Charles: You've got me thinking … it's not a terrible idea. Maybe I will have a party this year!
#Transcript
#Listening
#Intermediate
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Forwarded from Listening Practice
Transcript:
With every year, machines surpass humans in more and more activities we once thought only we were capable of. Today's computers can beat us in complex board games, transcribe speech in dozens of languages, and instantly identify almost any object. But the robots of tomorrow may go futher by learning to figure out what we're feeling. And why does that matter? Because if machines and the people who run them can accurately read our emotional states, they may be able to assist us or manipulate us at unprecedented scales. But before we get there, how can something so complex as emotion be converted into mere numbers, the only language machines understand? Essentially the same way our own brains interpret emotions, by learning how to spot them. American psychologist Paul Ekman identified certain universal emotions whose visual cues are understood the same way across cultures. For example, an image of a smile signals joy to modern urban dwellers and aboriginal tribesmen alike. And according to Ekman, anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise are equally recognizable. As it turns out, computers are rapidly getting better at image recognition thanks to machine learning algorithms, such as neural networks. These consist of artificial nodes that mimic our biological neurons by forming connections and exchanging information. To train the network, sample inputs pre-classified into different categories, such as photos marked happy or sad, are fed into the system. The network then learns to classify those samples by adjusting the relative weights assigned to particular features. The more training data it's given, the better the algorithm becomes at correctly identifying new images. This is similar to our own brains, which learn from previous experiences to shape how new stimuli are processed. Recognition algorithms aren't just limited to facial expressions. Our emotions manifest in many ways. There's body language and vocal tone, changes in heart rate, complexion, and skin temperature, or even word frequency and sentence structure in our writing. You might think that training neural networks to recognize these would be a long and complicated task until you realize just how much data is out there, and how quickly modern computers can process it. From social media posts, uploaded photos and videos, and phone recordings, to heat-sensitive security cameras and wearables that monitor physiological signs, the big question is not how to collect enough data, but what we're going to do with it. There are plenty of beneficial uses for computerized emotion recognition. Robots using algorithms to identify facial expressions can help children learn or provide lonely people with a sense of companionship. Social media companies are considering using algorithms to help prevent suicides by flagging posts that contain specific words or phrases. And emotion recognition software can help treat mental disorders or even provide people with low-cost automated psychotherapy. Despite the potential benefits, the prospect of a massive network automatically scanning our photos, communications, and physiological signs is also quite disturbing. What are the implications for our privacy when such impersonal systems are used by corporations to exploit our emotions through advertising? And what becomes of our rights if authorities think they can identify the people likely to commit crimes before they even make a conscious decision to act? Robots currently have a long way to go in distinguishing emotional nuances, like irony, and scales of emotions, just how happy or sad someone is. Nonetheless, they may eventually be able to accurately read our emotions and respond to them. Whether they can empathize with our fear of unwanted intrusion, however, that's another story.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Intermediate
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
With every year, machines surpass humans in more and more activities we once thought only we were capable of. Today's computers can beat us in complex board games, transcribe speech in dozens of languages, and instantly identify almost any object. But the robots of tomorrow may go futher by learning to figure out what we're feeling. And why does that matter? Because if machines and the people who run them can accurately read our emotional states, they may be able to assist us or manipulate us at unprecedented scales. But before we get there, how can something so complex as emotion be converted into mere numbers, the only language machines understand? Essentially the same way our own brains interpret emotions, by learning how to spot them. American psychologist Paul Ekman identified certain universal emotions whose visual cues are understood the same way across cultures. For example, an image of a smile signals joy to modern urban dwellers and aboriginal tribesmen alike. And according to Ekman, anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise are equally recognizable. As it turns out, computers are rapidly getting better at image recognition thanks to machine learning algorithms, such as neural networks. These consist of artificial nodes that mimic our biological neurons by forming connections and exchanging information. To train the network, sample inputs pre-classified into different categories, such as photos marked happy or sad, are fed into the system. The network then learns to classify those samples by adjusting the relative weights assigned to particular features. The more training data it's given, the better the algorithm becomes at correctly identifying new images. This is similar to our own brains, which learn from previous experiences to shape how new stimuli are processed. Recognition algorithms aren't just limited to facial expressions. Our emotions manifest in many ways. There's body language and vocal tone, changes in heart rate, complexion, and skin temperature, or even word frequency and sentence structure in our writing. You might think that training neural networks to recognize these would be a long and complicated task until you realize just how much data is out there, and how quickly modern computers can process it. From social media posts, uploaded photos and videos, and phone recordings, to heat-sensitive security cameras and wearables that monitor physiological signs, the big question is not how to collect enough data, but what we're going to do with it. There are plenty of beneficial uses for computerized emotion recognition. Robots using algorithms to identify facial expressions can help children learn or provide lonely people with a sense of companionship. Social media companies are considering using algorithms to help prevent suicides by flagging posts that contain specific words or phrases. And emotion recognition software can help treat mental disorders or even provide people with low-cost automated psychotherapy. Despite the potential benefits, the prospect of a massive network automatically scanning our photos, communications, and physiological signs is also quite disturbing. What are the implications for our privacy when such impersonal systems are used by corporations to exploit our emotions through advertising? And what becomes of our rights if authorities think they can identify the people likely to commit crimes before they even make a conscious decision to act? Robots currently have a long way to go in distinguishing emotional nuances, like irony, and scales of emotions, just how happy or sad someone is. Nonetheless, they may eventually be able to accurately read our emotions and respond to them. Whether they can empathize with our fear of unwanted intrusion, however, that's another story.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Intermediate
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Forwarded from Listening Practice
Why Mount Everest's height keeps changing - English.pdf
30.6 KB
Forwarded from Listening Practice
Neurons are the tiny processing units within the human brain and nervous system.
Our brains have about 86 billion neurons.
Even more are spread throughout the body, communicating by electrical and chemical signals through incredibly thin cables.
Whenever we see, hear, or otherwise perceive the world, thousands of sensory neurons send signals to our spinal cord and brain.
And thanks to other neurons, we’re able to make sense of those perceptions and react accordingly.
Scientists have been studying the brain for millennia. In fact, the oldest known scientific document is a 4,000-year-old anatomical report on traumatic brain injuries.
But the brain is an extremely difficult organ Even if you manage to get a brain sample under a microscope, you basically just see a tangled web of cells.
In 1873, Italian physician Camillo Golgi found a way to stain brain slices, to show the tissue in far more detail than ever before.
named Santiago Ramón ee ca-HAL discovered that even though the cells were connected, they were still individual structures.
Which became known as neurons.
By breaking down the nervous system into its smallest components, Cajal set the foundation for the next century of neuroscience.
He and Golgi split the Nobel Prize in 1906.
Because neurons are miniscule pieces in a giant system, their power lies in their ability to communicate with other neurons.
This happens over small gaps called synapses.
When neurons communicate frequently, the synapses between them get stronger, making it easier to send future signals.
This happens all the time, all across the brain.
And it explains how we learn and form memories: we literally rewire our brains through our experiences.
We refer to the brain’s fundamental ability to change as “neuroplasticity.”
Humans have most of our neurons from birth.
Neurons start out as stem cells, before moving to different brain regions where they assume.
Early in our development, the brain prunes away excess neurons and their connections, leaving the ones that remain stronger.
Those that remain become part of our sense of smell, others our ability to walk or perform other motor skills.
Unlike other cells in the body, which regenerate at intervals and then die, most neurons last a lifetime. At least, ideally.
People lose neurons in brain regions they stop using.
For instance, if you never left your home again, you’d likely lose neurons in the
brain region involved in spatial navigation.
Neuron death can lead to loss of basic brain functions and motor skills. That’s what happens in degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, where neurons stop functioning properly and die off.
There’s some evidence that these diseases result from protein clumps clogging the brain, but scientists are still working to figure out exactly how this happens.
That may be essential for finding effective treatments, which have remained largely elusive. Neurological changes aren’t necessarily permanent.
In addition to the brain’s general neuroplasticity, there’s solid evidence that even adults
are able to form new neurons, through a process called “neurogenesis.”
Researchers are still studying the extent to which neurogenesis happens in adults. But they think it may be important for healthy brain functioning. And because neurons communicate through electrical signals, we can directly alter brain circuits with electrical stimulation.
Scientists have found ways to stimulate the brain and spinal cord to restore function to paralyzed muscles and relieve chronic pain.
Private companies are also trying to jump on the hype, claiming their brain stimulation products can improve memory and accelerate But researchers are still trying to figure out which effects are real and which are a placebo. And since zapping your own brain could pose
serious health risks, it may be best, for
now, to train your neurons the old-fashioned way.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Our brains have about 86 billion neurons.
Even more are spread throughout the body, communicating by electrical and chemical signals through incredibly thin cables.
Whenever we see, hear, or otherwise perceive the world, thousands of sensory neurons send signals to our spinal cord and brain.
And thanks to other neurons, we’re able to make sense of those perceptions and react accordingly.
Scientists have been studying the brain for millennia. In fact, the oldest known scientific document is a 4,000-year-old anatomical report on traumatic brain injuries.
But the brain is an extremely difficult organ Even if you manage to get a brain sample under a microscope, you basically just see a tangled web of cells.
In 1873, Italian physician Camillo Golgi found a way to stain brain slices, to show the tissue in far more detail than ever before.
named Santiago Ramón ee ca-HAL discovered that even though the cells were connected, they were still individual structures.
Which became known as neurons.
By breaking down the nervous system into its smallest components, Cajal set the foundation for the next century of neuroscience.
He and Golgi split the Nobel Prize in 1906.
Because neurons are miniscule pieces in a giant system, their power lies in their ability to communicate with other neurons.
This happens over small gaps called synapses.
When neurons communicate frequently, the synapses between them get stronger, making it easier to send future signals.
This happens all the time, all across the brain.
And it explains how we learn and form memories: we literally rewire our brains through our experiences.
We refer to the brain’s fundamental ability to change as “neuroplasticity.”
Humans have most of our neurons from birth.
Neurons start out as stem cells, before moving to different brain regions where they assume.
Early in our development, the brain prunes away excess neurons and their connections, leaving the ones that remain stronger.
Those that remain become part of our sense of smell, others our ability to walk or perform other motor skills.
Unlike other cells in the body, which regenerate at intervals and then die, most neurons last a lifetime. At least, ideally.
People lose neurons in brain regions they stop using.
For instance, if you never left your home again, you’d likely lose neurons in the
brain region involved in spatial navigation.
Neuron death can lead to loss of basic brain functions and motor skills. That’s what happens in degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, where neurons stop functioning properly and die off.
There’s some evidence that these diseases result from protein clumps clogging the brain, but scientists are still working to figure out exactly how this happens.
That may be essential for finding effective treatments, which have remained largely elusive. Neurological changes aren’t necessarily permanent.
In addition to the brain’s general neuroplasticity, there’s solid evidence that even adults
are able to form new neurons, through a process called “neurogenesis.”
Researchers are still studying the extent to which neurogenesis happens in adults. But they think it may be important for healthy brain functioning. And because neurons communicate through electrical signals, we can directly alter brain circuits with electrical stimulation.
Scientists have found ways to stimulate the brain and spinal cord to restore function to paralyzed muscles and relieve chronic pain.
Private companies are also trying to jump on the hype, claiming their brain stimulation products can improve memory and accelerate But researchers are still trying to figure out which effects are real and which are a placebo. And since zapping your own brain could pose
serious health risks, it may be best, for
now, to train your neurons the old-fashioned way.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Forwarded from Listening Practice
Time management is something that we all struggle with. Here are six tips that I found really useful in under 60 seconds. Let's go.
1. I don't have time is a myth. If we don't have time for something, it means it's just not enough of a priority.
2. Set a daily highlight. This is the one and only thing that we absolutely to get down today.
3. Time block the daily highlight. Once we figure out what thing that we're gonna do today, we should put a block on our calendar, we're actually gonna do the thing.
4. Protect your time.
It's way too easy to say yes to absolutely everything. So block your time in your calendar for important things like self care and taking breaks and all that stuff and protect it with your life.
5. Understand Parkinson’s law. That work always expands to fill the time that we allocate to it. So if we just give ourselves less time to thing that we want to do, we'll probably get it done in that time. It'll probably be the same quality as we'd spent twice as long as it.
6. Automate your scheduling.
It's an absolutely nightmare trying to get people's calendars to line up when arranging a call or meeting. So use an app like calendly or woren to make that a lot easier.
For more tips on exactly how to manage your time and how I personally do it, check out this video link in the video description. Thanks for watching and see you later.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
1. I don't have time is a myth. If we don't have time for something, it means it's just not enough of a priority.
2. Set a daily highlight. This is the one and only thing that we absolutely to get down today.
3. Time block the daily highlight. Once we figure out what thing that we're gonna do today, we should put a block on our calendar, we're actually gonna do the thing.
4. Protect your time.
It's way too easy to say yes to absolutely everything. So block your time in your calendar for important things like self care and taking breaks and all that stuff and protect it with your life.
5. Understand Parkinson’s law. That work always expands to fill the time that we allocate to it. So if we just give ourselves less time to thing that we want to do, we'll probably get it done in that time. It'll probably be the same quality as we'd spent twice as long as it.
6. Automate your scheduling.
It's an absolutely nightmare trying to get people's calendars to line up when arranging a call or meeting. So use an app like calendly or woren to make that a lot easier.
For more tips on exactly how to manage your time and how I personally do it, check out this video link in the video description. Thanks for watching and see you later.
🌹🌹🍀🍀
#Transcript
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
Forwarded from Listening Practice
Every day, a sea of decisions stretches before us. Some are small and unimportant, but others have a larger impact on our lives. For example, which politician should I vote for? Should I try the latest diet craze? Or will email make me a millionaire? We're bombarded with so many decisions that it's impossible to make a perfect choice every time. But there are many ways to improve our chances, and one particularly effective technique is critical thinking. This is a way of approaching a question that allows us to carefully deconstruct a situation, reveal its hidden issues, such as bias and manipulation, and make the best decision. If the critical part sounds negative that's because in a way it is. Rather than choosing an answer because it feels right, a person who uses critical thinking subjects all available options to scrutiny and skepticism. Using the tools at their disposal, they'll eliminate everything but the most useful and reliable information. There are many different ways of approaching critical thinking, but here's one five-step process that may help you solve any number of problems. One: formulate your question. In other words, know what you're looking for. This isn't always as straightforward as it sounds. For example, if you're deciding whether to try out the newest diet craze, your reasons for doing so may be obscured by other factors, like claims that you'll see results in just two weeks. But if you approach the situation with a clear view of what you're actually trying to accomplish by dieting, whether that's weight loss, better nutrition, or having more energy, that'll equip you to sift through this information critically, find what you're looking for, and decide whether the new fad really suits your needs. Two: gather your information. There's lots of it out there, so having a clear idea of your question will help you determine what's relevant. If you're trying to decide on a diet to improve your nutrition, you may ask an expert for their advice, or seek other people's testimonies. Information gathering helps you weigh different options, moving you closer to a decision that meets your goal. Three: apply the information, something you do by asking critical questions. Facing a decision, ask yourself, "What concepts are at work?" "What assumptions exist?" "Is my interpretation of the information logically sound?" For example, in an email that promises you millions, you should consider, "What is shaping my approach to this situation?" "Do I assume the sender is telling the truth?" "Based on the evidence, is it logical to assume I'll win any money?" Four: consider the implications. Imagine it's election time, and you've selected a political candidate based on their promise to make it cheaper for drivers to fill up on gas. At first glance, that seems great. But what about the long-term environmental effects? If gasoline use is less restricted by cost, this could also cause a huge surge in air pollution, an unintended consequence that's important to think about. Five: explore other points of view. Ask yourself why so many people are drawn to the policies of the opposing political candidate. Even if you disagree with everything that candidate says, exploring the full spectrum of viewpoints might explain why some policies that don't seem valid to you appeal to others. This will allow you to explore alternatives, evaluate your own choices, and ultimately help you make more informed decisions. This five-step process is just one tool, and it certainly won't eradicate difficult decisions from our lives. But it can help us increase the number of positive choices we make. Critical thinking can give us the tools to sift through a sea of information and find what we're looking for. And if enough of us use it, it has the power to make the world a more reasonable place.
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
#Transcript
#Listening
#Teamjimmy
@Sirjimmy
#Transcript
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