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Inside Listening and Speaking 3
Transcripts
© Oxford University Press. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use. 1
Unit 1 Recycled Buildings
ARCHITECTURE
LISTENING SKILL: Using Abbreviations in Notes
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U1_Watch
M1: So, we’re going to watch a video clip about an innovative movement in green
architecture, also known as sustainable architecture. Architects are finding all kinds
of new ways to create environmentally friendly buildings. We talked a little about
green architecture last time, so you know it’s a very popular approach to building
design. The architect's goal in this kind of design is to minimize the impact that new
construction has on our environment. That means using materials that the builders
can get locally, and also materials that require as little energy as possible. That's one
reason local building supplies are important. It takes less energy to move them to
the construction site.
Also, the materials used in sustainable architecture should be renewable. That
means using materials that are naturally replaced quickly, such as bamboo, or wood
from certain fast-growing trees. A sustainably designed building also utilizes as few
resources as possible when people are in it. For example, the walls might be
designed to help keep the air temperature inside cool when it's very hot outside.
This means the building needs less electricity to run an air conditioning system
inside the building.
Another goal in green architecture is to reuse materials as much as possible. For
example, an architect may use the byproducts of another industry as building
material. A byproduct is something created in the process of creating something
else. So let’s look at an example of that. Very large metal shipping containers are
utilized to send products all over the world. These containers are also the focus of a
new model of sustainable architecture. In many places around the globe, designers
and architects are transforming used shipping containers into homes!
Some people might think of the containers as junk, just a byproduct of trade
between countries. At the end of the video, the narrator says we might expect these
to be "ticky-tacky" homes. The word "ticky-tacky" means something is made cheaply
and with low-quality materials. On the contrary; these living spaces can be really
modern and luxurious. And I think the home in the video looks really nice! So think
about this question: can you see yourself living in a home made from reused
shipping containers? Let's watch this video clip now and we’ll discuss your thoughts
after.
Narrator: Ian Felton is proud of his new digs.

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Ian Felton: I always have a real joy at the surprise on people's faces when they visit
for the first time. And you know, they're like, "Wow!"
Narrator: It's not that the place is a nice modern living space or that it passes the
"location, location, location" test, perched beside the river. Ian Felton's apartment is
a revelation because of what it's made out of.
It's got all the comforts of home and the view isn't bad either.
But the important view here is from the outside in. This whole building is made out
of what would otherwise be junk, out of shipping containers, and it may be part of
the future.
Look carefully. The entire building is actually a giant Lego set, a pile of blocks made
out of the byproducts of modern trade. The shipping container is used to ferry goods
around the world. The problem is that trade is mostly one-way. Goods are shipped
from the Far East to Europe and America. Sending empty containers back doesn't
make sense. It's cheaper to make new ones.
Eric Reynolds: To ship 40 feet of air would not be terribly sensible.
Narrator: . . . wrapped in a steel shell.
Eric Reynolds: Exactly.
Eric Reynolds: No. So, more sensible to do what we're doing.
Narrator: What Eric Reynolds is doing is recycling the containers into buildings,
homes, schools, offices. Lie them on their sides, pile them up, stand them on edge,
cut window shapes into them. It's a handy, quick, and cheap way to build.
Eric Reynolds: Our aim was to find something that we could construct reliably, to
good standard, that we could rent to people at a low cost.
Narrator: Several projects have already been built in London. There's a plan for one
in New York and inquiries from other places, and satisfied customers who impress
their friends.
Ian Felton: They kind of assume, I guess, that I'm living in some kind of squat, you
know, in some rusty old steel box. Then when they actually come into the space, as
you can see it's a lovely home.

Transcripts
Narrator: Unlike the little boxes in the song, these aren't made of ticky-tacky and
they don't all look the same. Mark Phillips, CBS News, London.
SPEAKING SKILL: Signal Phrases in a Speech
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U1_Listen
Lecturer: Good afternoon. Today I’m going to talk to you about some really creative
sustainable homes. The most sustainable way to build a home is not to use recycled
materials, but instead to re-use materials. Now let me explain the difference.
Recycled materials have actually gone through a lot of processing. For example, to
recycle metal, you have to melt it all down, and then reshape it. That uses additional
energy. On the other hand, salvaging materials saves them from being thrown away.
For instance, turning an old door into a tabletop by adding legs, instead of just
throwing the door away. Using anything that already exists minimizes a building’s
impact on the environment by using fewer resources. So the most sustainable way
to build a home is to reuse materials that already exist ... to salvage rather than
recycle.
I’ll begin today’s talk with a brief overview of using salvaged materials in
architecture. Then, we’ll discuss two very interesting ways that ordinary people
have turned salvaged structures and objects into homes. Finally, I’ll read you a brief
section of my book, Second Life Architecture, which is about designing homes using
salvaged construction materials. Ready to get started? Okay. Great.
First, let’s talk about what we mean when we say “salvaged structures.” I know you
studied houses made from shipping containers. Those are salvaged because they’re
made from material that already exists, instead of cutting down new trees for wood.
Architects can also use salvaged material for only some components of a home – for
instance, if an old house has been taken apart, you can use the window frames and
glass in a new house.
There are a couple of reasons why building with salvaged resources has become
more popular.
First, salvaged materials are cheaper. They can cost fifty to even seventy-five
percent less than new versions of the same thing. One great example of that is wood
flooring. New oak flooring can cost builders around ten US dollars per square foot.
Salvaged oak wood taken from the floor of an older structure, however, usually costs
around $3 per square foot. So the new wood costs over three times as much money
– and the floor assembled from old, salvaged wood will be just as strong and
beautiful.

Transcripts
Second, salvaged materials are easy to find. When an old building is taken down, the
bulk of its stone, wood, and metal can be used again. A lot of cities have architectural
salvage yards where that reusable material is available for sale. Anyone can buy
what they need to construct a new building. The Internet has removed the distance
factor through websites where people can buy and sell old fixtures, like door knobs
– salvaged elements that are easy and inexpensive to send by mail.
Now, there are some disadvantages to constructing a home with salvaged materials.
Finding all the components of a building yourself can be very time-consuming, even
with the Internet. Also, there is the significant effort of modifying them so that you
can use them in your structure. They won’t come from the factory in the exact size
and shape that you want – you’ll need to do that yourself. You might have to fit
oddly-shaped stones together, for instance, since the stones may not have perfect
corners.
For everyone I interviewed who built a home this way, though, the extra time and
effort was worth it. Now I’d like to tell you about some really unique, creative homes
that people have built with salvaged materials.
Okay, let’s talk about the first example. I mentioned the house made of shipping
containers. Well, some people have been making homes out of a structure that’s
even easier to find – old buses. More and more people are converting used buses
into comfortable, affordable, and environmentally friendly homes. And the walls are
just the outside of the bus – so the structure is completely assembled. People only
need to add whatever furniture and other elements they want for comfort. For
instance, many people living in converted buses use solar panels for electricity,
which is another great way to live sustainably. One couple I interviewed for my
book, Carol and Phil Madison of Essex, England, installed plumbing in their bus so
that they had running water. Other people living in converted buses really enjoy the
freedom factor. Because their home is a vehicle, they can move it anywhere they
want.
Now let’s move on to the second example. When I was interviewing people for my
book, I met Laura and George Sorvino, who built their own home in Oregon, U.S.A.
They built it in the traditional way, from the ground up, but they used non-
traditional, salvaged materials. Their house is made out of car parts. That’s right.
George extracted almost all the components of their house from old, abandoned cars
– he used car roofs for the sides of the house, and he collected car windows as house
windows. They assembled a safe and comfortable home with minimal impact on the
environment, because no energy was used to recycle the metal in the cars.

Transcripts
To summarize, the more we reuse, the less raw material we have to take from
nature. This is minimizing possible negative impacts on the land and water around
us.
And now, I’d like to read you this short passage from Second Life Architecture that
really shows how manageable a salvaged building project can be for anyone…
Unit 2 Rethinking City Spaces
URBAN PLANNING
LISTENING SKILL: Using a T-chart to Take Notes
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U2_Listen
Interviewer, Tom Brody: This is Tom Brody and you’re listening to City Life.
Today’s topic? Megacities: how can we keep our green space? As the rate of
urbanization increases, cities are becoming megacities. And they’re still growing.
Inevitably, people have social and environmental concerns: how can we maintain a
sense of community in such individualized living situations? How can city residents
find a patch of green in these growing concrete jungles? Today we’re talking to city
planner and architect Laila Mann about just that. Thank you so much for joining us,
Laila.
LM: Thanks, I'm happy to be here, Tom.
TB: So, Laila, please explain for our audience what a megacity is.
LM: Sure. Megacity describes an area with a very dense population, usually more
than ten million people. So it can be one big city, two cities joined together, or even a
chain or group of cities . . . there are a few ways to reach megacity status.
TB: And what are some of the main issues here? Why should we be concerned?
LM: Well, right now we’re looking at a period of worldwide urban growth that has
never been seen before. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, 6 out of
ten people will be living in a city by 2030—that’s sixty percent of the world's
population!
TB: Wow. And what does that mean for us?
LM: What that means is that many of us will soon be living in megacities, if we're not
already.

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TB: Uh-huh.
LM: And a lot of unusual challenges come up for city planners when they work with
these huge cities. It’s becoming more difficult to make life comfortable and healthy
for city residents. I mean, these cities are getting so huge that it’s hard for some
people to get away from them—like, get out to the countryside or get away from all
the traffic, people, and high-rises, you know what I mean?
TB: Yeah, I do know what you mean. I guess I never thought of that before. OK, so
what needs to be done?
LM: Well, in my opinion, these types of areas need to invest a lot of time and
resources into providing places where people can get some relief from city life. You
know, places where they can get together in a natural area and just relax or hang out
with friends. Having park networks within any sort of urban development offers
diversity in environments. I believe that this is a key factor in maintaining a civil
society.
TB: Sounds right to me.
LM: I mean, we’re in an unusual situation right now. More and more people are
living in these huge apartment buildings where you can live for years and never
meet your neighbors. Many would say that we’re losing our sense of community, the
social contact that is one of the basic foundations of society. We all need a balance
between privacy and social contact. Having areas where people can gather and
enjoy nature as well as the company of others is extremely important in maintaining
that balance.
TB: Right. So, let's say I'm a city planner. What can I do to create an urban
environment with this kind of balance?
LM: Well, first of all we need to encourage people to go out and interact with others.
Not be so isolated. It’s very important to get people out of their homes. And one way
to do this is to offer beautiful green spaces where they can go to relax after a hard
day--or week--at work. You can do that in restaurants, but why not provide a
beautiful and free place to do it, such as a park, or a river walk, or something like
that?
TB: So whose responsibility is it to do this?
LM: You know, when cities grew quickly in earlier years – for example, Los Angeles
and San Francisco in the U.S. – the planners didn’t always take the time to create a

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lot of natural areas. In contrast, most city governments today commission designers
and artists to consult on how to make their cities greener and more beautiful. And I
think that’s just great. Consultants like these bring out the relationship between the
natural landscape and the urban environment. I’ve seen them use light to accent the
natural beauty of an area, or put green spaces into unexpected places like subways
or rooftops. This type of design achieves diverse effects in a way that’s completely
different from traditional schemes.
TB: I know what you mean. I’ve visited the river walk area in San Antonio, in the U.S.
I think they’ve done a wonderful job of featuring the river in the city and getting
people outdoors to enjoy it.
LM: Exactly. That’s a good example of successful urban design that accents the
natural landscape within the city. It’s also very successful because it encourages
people to get out and walk along it – there are a lot of benches and other areas
where people can get together and talk or go to free events. Another good example
of successful urban design is Paris, France. Designers have started adding gardens
inside the metro system there. It’s very relaxing for travelers and some research
even indicates that it may reduce commuters’ stress levels.
TB: Interesting. I’m sure that’s something a lot of our listeners would like to see in
their cities. But do most cities have the budget capacity to create things like that? I
mean, that type of design must be expensive, right?
LM: Mm . . . . yes and no. Yes, it can be expensive to blend nature with man-made
designs, but not a lot more expensive than traditional concrete structures. Also,
there are sometimes government funds available for designs that include green
areas for the public. I’d argue that this type of funding can do a lot to help make
green designs worth investing in.
TB: True. Lots to think about there, Laila, but we’re out of time for today. Thank you
for joining us. And thank you to all our listeners. Until next time, on City Life.
SPEAKING SKILL: Supporting Your Opinion in a Discussion
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U2_Watch
Teacher: Okay, class. Today, to wrap up our city planning unit, we’re going to be
talking about the final three civil projects for our city square. We’re in the final
round of our "Keep Our City Beautiful" campaign for the city’s hundred-year
anniversary, and we need to narrow these projects down to one. So first, let’s review
the basic plan for each project. Ready? The first one would prohibit cars from
driving in the city square. Instead, the square would be made into a pedestrian-only

Transcripts
zone--no cars or motorcycles--with art exhibits and food and beverage stands all
around. The second project would add two small parks to the outside of the square.
The final project would create a skate park for the young people of the area to use
for skateboarding, inline skating, and other activities.
As you discuss these three projects, remember that the city planner is listening to
ideas from our group and others for her final design. So, you can help her transform
the way we use our old city square. You should really take this task seriously,
because you‘re helping to change the historic part of our town. Any questions? Okay.
You've got ten minutes to make your decisions.
Student 1: Before we start, I think we should develop some criteria to help guide
our decisions. For example, with my last group, we came up with three “must haves”
to help use make our decision.
Student 2: Okay. What criteria should we use?
Student 1: Well, in my opinion, whatever the project brings needs to be fun. I read
an article where a researcher said cities with fun urban spaces have healthier
residents.
Student 3: Right, but it also needs to be practical. I don't think they should change
the personality of our square too much. We've already seen the problems that
inevitably happen with bad planning.
Student 2: Like what?
Student 3: Like when they placed speakers around all of the ponds to mimic the
sounds of nature, for instance. Remember? It scared away all the ducks! We're still
trying to get the poor little guys to come back.
Student 1: So we want the project to be fun and practical. That’s two criteria. I'd
also like to add that the change should attract young people to the city center. That
survey by the mayor's office showed that seventy-five percent of people ages 16 to
24 felt that they didn't have any good places to hang out in town. Those kinds of
numbers suggest that we need to create a space for those people.
So we’re looking for something fun, practical, and draws young people. So let’s talk
about which project plans meet our criteria. So, closing the square off would
encourage more people to walk around in the old square and we could set up some
stands and stuff, which might be fun, but it might not bring a significant amount of
young people in. I mean, there are already lots of places to walk in town.

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Student 3: I agree. It would also be really inconvenient to have to drive around the
square to get to the other side of town. I drive through that square at least twice a
day.
Student 2: Right, but eventually some roads are probably going to be closed off to
cars. The chapter we read in our book last week said there's a trend towards
encouraging more walking in city centers. It's a health issue. It’ll probably come up
at some point.
Student 3: Eventually, maybe, but it's not something I’d vote for right now. I just got
my license. I love driving. Taking away my chance to drive in the city center
wouldn’t be practical or fun for me.
Student 1: I agree. I was hoping we’d say no to the pedestrian walkway project.
Besides, according to the mayor, we need something a bit more imaginative.
Student 2: Well, what about the skate park idea?
Student 3: Are you kidding? Those places are dangerous! A lot of the kids don’t
wear the right equipment. Who’s going to be responsible for what happens there?
Not the city . . .
Student 2: That’s true. But I read that skate parks can have a lot of benefits for kids,
like improved physical fitness and a place to hang out in a healthy environment.
Student 1: That’s an interesting point! I think the skate park idea might be our
winner. The mayor’s survey also showed that 6 out of 10 parents would like their
children to be more active. A skate park would definitely create more activity
options for younger people.
Student 2: Right, But . . . is it practical? I mean . . . are the kids really going to use it?
What about the winter? I don't think they’re going to hang out a lot outdoors then,
so we’d only get those advantages for part of the year. And then there’s the
responsibility thing. Kids getting hurt would really be in contrast with the goals of
this project, so I don’t think the city would want to risk it.
Student 1: True, maybe this idea isn’t practical--or safe. What about the third idea?
The one about parks?
Student 3: Hm . . . well, the article we read last week argued that parks have two big
benefits. First, they give people a place to be active and get together. They can walk,
run, play games . . . stuff like that. The article also explains that parks enhance the
lifestyle of city residents by giving them a place to be in nature. The journalist who

Transcripts
wrote it, Richard Louv, argues that protecting our natural spaces in the country isn’t
enough. We have to create green spaces in the city as well. Project three does help to
do that.
Student 1: I like this park idea . . .
Student 3: Yeah, people could also have picnics in the park.
Student 1: So I’d say that the park idea definitely meets the criterion of fun. And
parks do attract young people. There are always a lot hanging out there whenever I
go to Prior Park. So it meets both of those criteria . . .
Student 3: And the plan is practical. It would be easy to turn those empty lots into
park space. For instance, you could roll out some sod, plant some fast-growing trees,
and stick some shrubs and bushes in. Easy . . .
Student 2: OK, So are we deciding to vote for the parks?
Student 1: Yeah, I think the park idea fits our criteria better than the other two
ideas. It's fun, practical, and interesting to young people. According to the guidelines
for the campaign, we need a plan that benefits every citizen in town. I think a park
does that, too.
Student 2: OK, sounds good. So . . . the parks get our vote. Agreed?
Student 1: Agreed.
Student 3: Agreed. The parks it is . . .
Teacher: All right class, so we’re ready for the final vote.
End of Unit Task (Audio)
ILS_L3_U2_End
M1: Ladies and Gentlemen of the commission, thank you for giving me the
opportunity to speak at today’s meeting. We have a serious problem in our city. We
don’t have a recycling program. We’re getting complaints from residents who want
the city to be more environmentally friendly, and I have to say I agree. I’ve therefore
done a little research on possible solutions to this problem, but they all cost money.
I’ve spoken with our treasurer about our budget situation and it seems that we only
have money to do one of the ideas we came up with. Each has its pros and cons so I’d
like to review those with you now.

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Our first option is contract the recycling center in the town nearest to ours, that’s
Smithsville, to recycle our garbage as well. The company they use has done a great
job for them. Having a recommendation is always good. Also, they were able to
recycle 50,000 tons of waste last year and have the capacity to process 75, 000 tons
per year - that 25,000 tons is more than enough capacity to handle the garbage from
our city so we know they can do the job. It’s also a solution that we can start with
immediately – they said they could take our waste starting next month. Plus we’d
avoid the costs of setting up our own center, not to mention the headache of
organizing everything. The downside of this option is that it could be quite
expensive. The estimated cost for having them handle all of our waste is about
$200,000 per year. This might be about the same amount of money we’d save by
having less material handled by our own garbage service, but we’re not sure. There
would be also some additional costs and pollution from the trucks needed to haul
the garbage to Smithsville, but that shouldn’t be significant.
A second option would be to add a tax on all sales to help cover the cost of starting
up our own program in five years. This one is a bit trickier. On one hand, having our
own center would reduce costs in the long run. After we pay for building the center,
the annual costs would only be about $125, 000 per year – that’s $75,000 less per
year than option 1. That’s a big difference. It would also give us a bit of
independence; we’d be in control of our own center instead of dependent on
another town. A third big plus would be that it would create a lot of jobs right here
in town. That’s always a great economic benefit and it would make a lot of our
unemployed residents very happy. The big issue here is the initial cost. It would be
at least $750,000 to build – and that’s just an estimate, it could be even more. We’re
proposing that we add a sales tax to help cover it, but the project will still likely eat
up a lot of the town’s resources. Another possible problem here is that not all of our
residents agree that we need to recycle. These people might resist having an
additional tax for something they don’t think we need.
Our third and final option is to simply do a survey to find out which option people
would prefer. The main problem here is it’s not a solution, it’s just a better way to
find one. We will still be throwing away a lot of recyclable garbage and harming the
environment. However, it would buy us some time to make sure we make the right
decision. It’s also the cheapest option since the city could do the survey itself so the
costs would be minimal, maybe a couple of thousand dollars. Another good thing
would be that it would involve city residents in the decision process. Lots of studies
show that this is important in making people feel satisfied with their government
and more people would likely take part in any program we choose. The last thing we
need is to start a recycling program and then have no one want to do it!
So there you have our three options. If there are no questions, I’d like to go ahead
and ….

Transcripts
Unit 3 High-Tech Art
ART AND DESIGN
LISTENING SKILL: Comparison and Contrast
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U3_Watch
Professor: So, we're going to be talking about 3-D printing today. I think it’s a
fascinating topic. Let’s start by talking about what 3-D printing is. You should have
read this in your homework for today. Anyone? How about you, Mike.
Mike: Um . . . well, 3-D printers are a kind of hardware. Basically, they’re like regular
printers since they work with electronic files, but these printers can take electronic
design files and turn them into physical objects--like a ball, a statue, machine parts.
So with 3-D printers, people can use computers to turn electronic designs into real,
physical things. Umm . . . what else. Oh, the 3-D stands for three dimensional, you
know, length, width, and depth. Those measurements are what make the actual
shape.
Professor: Excellent, thanks Mike. So now, what do we mean when we talk about 3-
D electronic design files? What kinds of files can be used and how do we make them?
Can someone help us out? OK, Sheila. Tell us what you know about that.
Sheila: Well, you can create 3-D electronic files in a lot of ways. Some 3-D files are
made in a way similar to regular design files. You just use a CAD program to draw an
object in two dimensions, with lines, and then change the design to 3-D.
Professor: And CAD, or C.A.D., stands for . . .
Sheila: Oh . . . it means computer aided design.
Professor: Right. Yes, that’s one way to make 3-D designs: design in 2-D on a
computer and then convert the file to 3-D. How else can we make them?
Mike: Well, there are other programs, too. Like you design in 3-D and you build
things from the bottom up, you know, like you’re working with virtual building
blocks.
Professor: Yes, good.
Zayd: I also think there are some CAD programs where you can make a drawing on

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paper and then scan it and convert it to three-dimensional design.
Professor: Right, that’s correct. There are lots of different methods for creating 3-D
designs, but basically, they all have one thing in common: they allow the user to
build an object digitally in a virtual 3-D work space. Now, CAD is nothing new--it’s
been around since the ‘80s. In fact, a lot of the things you have in your home
probably spent some period of their development as a CAD drawing: your phone,
your TV, even your car. So the use of CAD is quite common, but the revolutionary
thing nowadays is that we can make the design become an actual object in 3-D! We
can make something abstract into a real thing. Now designers can see how a product
is really going to look--and from all angles. Unlike building design models by hand,
which took a lot of time and a lot of money, this idea is simple. Now, a 3-D printer
can do it at the click of a button. Both methods work well, but a 3-D printer can do
the job much more cheaply and in less time.
But now, let’s think about it--how simple is it really? Does anyone know how these
machines actually work? How do they make these three-dimensional objects? What
do you remember from your reading?
Sheila: Um, it’s not like traditional sculpture. With that you chip away at a big block
of stone or something, whereas with 3-D printing, it’s more like the object is built
up. The process is called "additive manufacturing." Instead of cutting away to make
a shape, the machine actually adds layers of materials to make the object. So if you
cut the object in half, you would see that it's made up of thousands of very thin
layers. You can do it with lots of different materials--metal, paper, stuff like that. My
roommate got one for a design class – it uses plastic. It lays down layer after layer of
plastic in different sizes until you get a shape. It’s pretty cool.
Zayd: Really? What kinds of things does your roommate make? Does she just make
objects, or can she make things that work--like a lamp or something?
Sheila: Well, she’s never tried to make a lamp that’s functional, but I don’t think you
can make things that really work yet. You could probably make the lamp shade, or
maybe the base. . . . She’s only been doing basic things, like boxes and balls, but I
heard these kinds of printers are now in the early stages of making circuitry that
actually works - you know, electrical parts in a phone or computer.
Professor: That’s right. These printers are already able to make working devices
with moving parts--like a pizza cutter with a moving wheel. Eventually they should
be able to create both the outer and inner workings of things, so a 3-D printed
bicycle would come off the printer ready to be ridden.
Mike: Wow. That's pretty amazing.

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Professor: Yeah--it is.
Apply B (Video)
ILS_L3_U3_Listen_ApplyB
Professor: So let’s get back to talking about 3-D printers. As I was saying, these
machines may one day be able to make more 3-D printers ...
Zayd: So they’d reproduce themselves . . . sounds like a science fiction story . . .
Professor: Yeah, it does sound kind of unreal. But there’s even more to it. Think
about what you could do with a 3-D scanner and a 3-D printer. In the same way that
you can scan documents to a computer, you can also scan objects to a 3-D printer.
Zayd: Wow. So, if you scanned a phone, the printer could create the exact same
phone?
Professor: Well, it probably wouldn’t be a working phone—yet, because the
scanner wouldn’t be able to scan the inner circuits--but yes, the technology is
moving in that direction. Eventually, we could make a replica of that phone, an exact
copy.
Sheila: So I could scan a chair, and make another chair.
Professor: Yes, and you’d also have an electronic copy of the chair--so you could
make it again and again, send it to other people, or post it online.
Zayd: Wow . . . that’s hard to imagine, . . .
Professor: Yeah, it’s going to take time for people to get used to the possibilities.
There are actually already programs that can turn smart phones into functional 3-D
scanners. You can use your phone to create electronic images of basically any object.
Another area that will likely expand with 3-D printers is customization--you know,
making special products for particular needs. We’ll no longer have to manufacture
thousands of exactly the same product—in fact, conversely, we’ll be able to make
small changes to each electronic file to make a product just right for every customer.
Mike: So, I could special order my next computer keyboard to be designed exactly
for my hands?
Professor: Yes--that’s the right idea--customized everything. A final advantage of 3-
D printers would be in something called “collaboration and purchasing.” Product

Transcripts
designers can already use the Internet to work closely with product makers virtually
anywhere on Earth. With 3-D printers, when the product is finished, a customer in
yet another place could customize it exactly to their needs, then order it and get the
electronic file for it in a few seconds. They would then just print it out and use it--no
waiting for delivery, no shipping, nothing; you’ve got it right now.
Sheila: Amazing . . . I bet there are all sorts of uses for that--
Professor: There are. One of the most interesting applications is in the visual arts.
Nowadays artists are as interested as technical designers in using this type of
technology. Let’s talk a bit more about that . . .
SPEAKING SKILL: Summarizing Information
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U3_Listen
Nina Bankar: Hi, everyone. I’m Nina Bankar and my presentation today is about the
influence of technology on modern art. I’ll be discussing how technology has
changed how artists show their work and how consumers view that work. I’ll also
explain how technology is making traditional works of art more available to the
public. And finally, I’ll talk a little about how technology has changed the way artists
create their work.
One important influence that technology has had on the art world is to make it more
accessible. In the past, people felt that only famous artists, museum curators, or
gallery owners could decide if a work was good enough to be shown to the public.
Without the consent of these very powerful people, it was often impossible for
artists to share their creativity with the world. However, the widespread use of
technology has really changed all of that. In the age of the Internet, artists can easily
share their work. Eric Patterson is the Director of Art Network. Mr. Patterson
believes web-based art sites are a good mechanism for connecting artists all over
the world. For example, art sites such as Behance.net allow artists to share their
work and get feedback. Some sites even allow customers to buy and print digital art,
which makes sales fast and easy. These sites help to create a sense of community
among artists and art lovers, even though they may be anywhere in the world.
Technology has also changed our ability to view famous pieces of art. Before, it was
usually only possible to see famous art in museums or private collections. But in her
article “No Entry Fee,” journalist Iryna Kachmarek describes one instance where a
group of artists went into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and
took notes on the details of several sculptures there. Then they created 3-D designs
identical to those sculptures and made them available to the public for free. So now
anyone with a 3-D printer can create exact replicas of some of the most famous art

Transcripts
in the world. Obviously, that project was a bit controversial, but it’s a good example
of technology’s influence on the way people interact with the art world.
Another way technology has changed the art world is that artists can often do far
more technically complex projects than ever before. They have many more tools.
Take a digital art project referenced in a recent art journal, for example. In this
project, a group of artists brought images of the watery canals of Venice, Italy, to the
dry Sahara desert in Tunisia, using video projection equipment set up in large
vehicles. The machines projected the images of the busy city of Venice onto dry sand
and rocks. In her presentation on multi-media art, artist Karen Day explains that the
Venice project was so successful precisely because it contrasted extremes like
crowded and empty, light and dark, wet and dry. This is a great example of a
memorable and creative piece of art made possible through the use of technology.
In conclusion, technology is really changing the art world. Artists are more able to
share their work and interact with other artists. We can also use technology to bring
well-known, more traditional types of art to people around the world. And finally,
artists themselves are using more technological advancements to make interesting
new types of art. Thanks to technology, art has become more dynamic and exciting.
The art world is now open to just about anyone with a computer and an
imagination. Thank you for listening. Any questions?
Apply A (Audio)
ILS_L3_U3_Speak_ApplyA
Narrator: One.
F1: Now, to continue our last lecture about technology and art, today I’d like to talk
about several masterpieces at the National Gallery of London that have been
digitally photographed. Now viewers can purchase prints online on demand –
whenever they want them. Another way technology is increasing access to art is by
allowing rare collections to be viewed on virtual tours. Remote museums in places
such as Ethiopia, India, and Australia are now able to showcase pieces that have
never been seen by most of the world. Because technology offers so many useful
possibilities for sharing beauty, museums should explore their technology options
as soon as possible. Now let’s move on to . . .
Narrator: Two.
M1: Today, we’re going to talk about one of the biggest technical advances that
people are using to make artistic pieces. It’s digital recording, and it’s almost like the
new paintbrush and canvas of today’s art world. At this point in time, several new
artists are using video or digital media exclusively – no sculpture, no paintings. Now,

Transcripts
one way you can use video in art is in the form of an installation. This is when an
artist creates a special environment to showcase his or her video, sometimes with
other media. For example, in one instance an artist brought a bus into a museum.
She then set up her videos around the inside of the bus so that each viewer had an
individual experience as they sat in the different seats. Another way that video is
being used is . . .
Apply C (Audio)
ILS_L3_U3_Speak_ApplyC
M1: Another example involves images that look like beautiful photographs or
abstract designs. However, if you examine them closely, the photographs are
actually detailed scans of very small objects. What looks like trees in a forest is
actually human hair, for example, and what looks like a heart is actually a grain of
sand. An art review in the Melbourne Gazette suggests that these images represent
the beauty in everyday life that people couldn’t see until now. And once again it is
technology that makes this art possible. The images are made with a scanning
electron microscope, or SEM. This equipment scans tiny images onto a computer
monitor so we can see them in a larger size. Without technology, this small-scale
beauty would never be seen.
End of Unit Task (Audio)
ILS_L3_U3_End
Announcer: Hi everyone, and welcome to Technology Now. Today we’ll be speaking
with Jessica, a set designer for major plays in London, England, as well as Samer, a
toy designer in Dubai, in the UAE. Thank you for joining us Jessica, Samer.
Jessica: My pleasure.
Samer: Thank you for having me.
Announcer: So, we’re going to talk about how 3-D printers have changed your jobs.
I understand you both use a Trident model T3J, correct?
Jessica: Yes, I do.
Samer: Uh-huh, I use that printer as well.
Announcer: Ok. Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you use 3-D
technology, Jessica.

Transcripts
Jessica: Well, I design sets for shows. For each play, I decide what the stage will look
like--you know, what the furniture will look like, what items the actors need. I like to
create a very small, model stage set for each play, with small sofas, chairs, tables,
things like that. That way I can experiment with what’s on stage, and how the crew
will move things on and off.
So, in the past, I usually made these little models using foam or wood. Individually--I
mean I sculpted each piece.
Announcer: Wow, that must have taken forever!
Jessica: Yeah, it was a lot of work. But now, I can just design a plan for the stage on
my computer in 3-D. Then, I run the designs through my 3-D printer so I can see
what the pieces will look like and move the actual objects around. It’s great because
now I can spend more of my time designing sets and less time making models.
Announcer: Interesting. And you, Samer? How do you use 3-D-printers at work?
Samer: Well, Jessica and I both have the same printer, but I use mine differently.
Instead of creating items that few people will see, I design prototype toys for
children, so lots of people see them.
Announcer: Prototype? What exactly does that mean?
Samer: Um. . . .it’s like I make “practice” toys to see if they’ll be successful.
Announcer: Got it. And how does that work?
Samer: Well, we draw a new toy using CAD to make a 3-D version, and we print out
several copies. Then we bring in a bunch of children to play with the toys. That way
we can see if the toys are interesting enough, safe enough, you know, that type of
thing.
Announcer: And so does having a 3-D printer make your life easier?
Samer: Oh definitely! I can now make a model in a few days rather than a week.
Before, I used to have to sculpt the toy design, and then we had to make a mold of it
and create a model from that.
Jessica: I know what you mean. The 3-D printer really saves me time and materials.
I used to use a lot of wood and foam, but the printer uses just a little bit of plastic,
and I can buy that for a fairly low price.

Transcripts
Samer: We definitely have that in common. I used to use a lot of materials in each
step of the design process. Now, my 3-D printer uses plastic, like Jessica’s, but
whereas she buys plastic, I find recycled plastic locally.
Announcer: What do you mean?
Samer: Well, I have a machine that cuts plastic I’ve found into strips. I can then use
that to make my designs. It saves the company a lot of money. Plus it also recycles
local materials so they don't end up in the trash.
Announcer: Nice. That sounds like a win-win situation.
Jessica: Yeah, and one that I’m going to check out too. Unlike Samer, money’s not
usually an issue for the people I work for, but I always want to recycle when I can.
It’s better for the environment. Thanks, Samer.
Samer: No problem.
Announcer: And thank you for listening. That’s all we have for today, but join us
tomorrow for our show on . . .
Unit 4 The Virus Game
PUBLIC HEALTH
LISTENING SKILL: Figurative Language
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U4_Listen
Moderator, Jack Nkosi: I'm Jack Nkosi, and today we’re interviewing author
Yasmeen Aslam, who is writing a book called The Game of Health. It’s about a video
game, a virus, and the scientists who studied them. How can a video game that gave
us insight into how diseases spread? We hope to get to the bottom of that mystery
today. Yasmeen, welcome to the show.
Yasmeen Aslam: Thanks, Jack, I’m happy to be here.
JN: Now, your book is going to be about an advance in virology, the study of
viruses…but you say that your book isn’t really going to be for scientists?
YA: Well, yes, and that’s because the book will mainly be about a video game! I’m
focusing on an incident that occurred in a huge online game called World of

Transcripts
Warcraft. It’s one of those games where players make their own characters who
interact with each other in the virtual world of the game.
JN: Oh, uh-huh, one of those big online role-playing games.
YA: Right. So in what’s called the Corrupted Blood Incident, game designers
introduced a virtual virus into World of Warcraft. And when the virus spread, it
acted in ways the game designers didn’t expect. It really took on a life of its own.
They accumulated data as the virus spread, and in the end, they learned a lot about
how real people spread diseases.
JN: Right. That's the heart of the matter, isn't it? Can you give a little background on
what happened? I mean, they didn't want half the characters in their game to die, I
assume.
YA: No, absolutely not. In fact, it was an accident - a bug in the software. The code
for the virtual virus had errors. Game characters who were infected became much
sicker than intended. Other characters were infected, and eventually, many of them
died. So the company that controls the World of Warcraft game, Blizzard
Entertainment, monitored what was happening with the virus. They weathered a
storm of criticism from their players. Finally they just reset the game, because so
many characters had died.
JN: Got it. So how did this become something that scientists learned from?
JA: Well, a professor at Tufts University, Dr. Nina Fefferman, took an interest in the
incident. She noticed a lot of similarities between this virtual outbreak and real-
world outbreaks of diseases like bird flu and SARS. For example, the World of
Warcraft disease could affect both human and non-human creatures. Likewise, some
characters in the game contracted the virus but showed no symptoms. This happens
in the real world too. And also, the virus first cropped up in an isolated area and was
carried to high-population areas.
JN: Right. Did Blizzard Entertainment think about having a quarantine?
JA: Yes, they did. Most of your listeners probably know that in real life, ill people
may be kept isolated, away from healthy individuals. This quarantine lasts until the
ill person can no longer infect other people. But in real life, quarantines don’t always
work, and they didn’t work in the World of Warcraft either. Curious game characters
rushed into an affected area to check it out. Once they saw what the in-game illness
did, they rushed back out – and they brought the virus with them.
JN: Oh, just like…

Transcripts
JA: Journalists! Dr. Fefferman pointed out that in real life, journalists behave like
those game characters. They sometimes rush into affected places to cover news, and
then leave. They become carriers of the illness that way. Curiosity killed the cat, you
know? Except, hopefully, no one dies in real life.
JN: Ok, but does this online game incident really predict how we can prevent
diseases from spreading in the real world?
JA: Well, scientists hypothesize that it does. Of course it's unethical to release a virus
into a real population to study its effects, and no one would want to do that. But a
virtual world using mathematical models? Perfect. No one actually gets harmed, and
we can obtain some important insights. People's poor choices in the game—like
ignoring quarantines, wandering into affected areas, things like that—have taught
public health officials to get involved in a serious disease early, and set up
parameters for a strict quarantine. That lesson is key.
JN: So the more we learn about saving virtual lives, the more human lives we can
save in the real world.
JA: Right! And that’s why I’m writing The Game of Health. We never know where our
next insight is going to come from. Anyone with an idea that could help others
should take it and run with it, like Dr. Fefferman did.
JN: Good point. Now, I’m sure our listeners have lots to ask you. We’re in good shape
for time, so we’ll take some questions from callers after this break. Listeners, don’t
keep your questions bottled up – give us a call.
SPEAKING SKILL: Using Idioms to Engage Your Audience
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U4_Watch
Instructor: Ok, now let’s hear what you all thought about that interview with
Yasmeen Aslam. Your assignment was to write a reaction to the interview. Riya, can
you start? What was your reaction? Class, feel free to jump in with your own
thoughts.
Riya: Well actually, I was surprised that video games had any positive qualities. I
mean . . . my little brother still can’t get those games out of his system. He's 22 and
still plays them every day. My parents keep hoping against hope that he gets a job,
but . . . Oh, sorry. Back to viruses and video games. I think it's great that video games
can simulate real-world problems. To think, my brother and his games could help
save someone's life!

Transcripts
Instructor: Thanks, Riya. Did anyone else write something similar?
Carrie: Yes, I wrote that good news can appear in the strangest places. You know
that's how the medicine penicillin was discovered, right? The story is that Alexander
Fleming didn't tidy his workspace. When he came back from vacation, penicillin was
growing in some of his petri dishes. Furthermore, it was killing the bacteria that had
been growing there! We have to keep our ears to the ground to find out where the
next breakthrough will come from. Fifty years from now, the World of Warcraft
accident might be remembered for helping scientists get ahead of the game with
vaccines. Anyway, the thing that I think was the most interesting from the talk is the
virus spreading from rural to urban areas. We live in a heavily populated, urban
area.
Vincent: You know, I wrote about how the UK has experienced outbreaks of disease.
I have a cousin who lives there and she told me about it. They had a problem with
hoof and mouth disease. It affects farm animals, mainly--cows, sheep. They thought
they’d gotten rid of the disease, but it still persisted in Britain into the twenty-first
century. When it cropped up again, public health officials enforced a strict
quarantine. Even though it's very rare that humans contract hoof and mouth
disease, officials there didn't take any chances. Animals raised for meat had to be
destroyed. It’s too bad about the animals, but it made me feel really relieved that the
British government acted quickly. It kept my cousin safe, and maybe even people all
over the world.
Riya: Let's make no bones about it. I also feel safe knowing there are qualified
professionals protecting the public from disease. I want to become a public health
official one day because I think research that improves human health is the most
important work happening today. Did you hear about Bikul Das, the scientist who
recently discovered where tuberculosis bacteria hides in the body? It's been a
mystery for decades, but he found it. It hides in bone marrow…you know, the soft
material in middle of some bones. And now that we know where it is, we can
develop medicines to treat it better. We can significantly lower the incidence of
tuberculosis. Maybe even wipe it out completely.
Carrie: Yeah, I’d heard about tuberculosis bacteria hiding in the bones. That’s a
really important discovery. Sometimes I feel like we should all go out and thank a
scientist - in situations where people used to be on pins and needles, science is
helping people feel more relaxed. Tuberculosis, for example – it’s no longer a life or
death situation in many places. Now it can be treated. The same goes for my
penicillin example earlier. Bacteria can be a silent killer. Now, we have tools to fight
it. It all just reinforces the idea that we need to be prepared for the next big scientific
advance to come from anywhere, maybe where we least expect it.

Transcripts
Instructor: Thanks, Carrie, and thanks everyone for your contribution.
Unit 5 Recording Our Lives
FILM STUDIES
LISTENING SKILL: Listening for Details
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U5_Watch
M1: Today I’m going to be speaking about the trend of using viral videos as a
marketing technique. Now, what exactly is a viral video? Actually, there is no specific
definition. Sometimes people use the term viral to mean a popular video, that’s
shared a lot with others. But there’s more to it than extreme popularity. From a
marketing point of view, the concept isn’t really about the video itself at all—it’s
about that special quality of the video that makes people want to share it. That’s
what you need to make a video go viral and reach your market. But how do you find
that special quality? Is there some way to capture it? Well, the short answer is—
we’re not really sure.
So, let me explain why. Nowadays, everyday people are attaining global popularity
with their own short film clips. Think about the guy who dances in famous places
around the world. You’ve all seen him, right? Or a video of a crazy moment in a
sports game. Someone’s probably shared something like that with you as well. All
just for fun, right? Well, not always. What you need to remember here is that the
interest in these videos is not only about content. The act of sharing the video also
makes a statement about both the sharer and the receiver. Because of this, there’s a
sense of identity that goes along with video shares. The sharer wants to be seen as a
cool person with good taste—the one who’s found a great video before anyone else.
This sharer then forwards the video to people he or she feels also have good taste.
It’s today’s new method of connecting with others—sharing the experience of
watching the video, and comparing opinions. And this is one reason it’s so difficult
to use viral videos as a marketing tool. We don't know yet how to consistently create
a video that a lot of people will want to share. That’s what advertisers want to figure
out.
Now let’s talk about the history of the viral video. In the early years, from around
2000 to 2006, most viral videos were things that got filmed accidentally – videos
about funny animals, or embarrassing moments caught on camera. Next came the
more organized approach to going viral. People shot their own music videos,
homemade films, and personal commentaries, for example, to capture other
people’s interest. And there was the emergence of artists who edited existing video

Transcripts
clips to make new videos called compilations. It was these purposefully viral videos
that made marketing professionals aware of a huge media opportunity—viral video
as a marketing tool.
That's when more and more brands started to look at what was happening on video
sharing sites such as YouTube. Companies realized that with a few funny videos,
they could reach the same number of people as their larger, much more expensive
advertising campaigns did. So, even the biggest brands started filming quick clips in
the style of a home video. They used the Internet instead of more traditional media
such as TV and magazines. Brand names such as Evian bottled water and the body
scent Old Spice did hundreds of short, funny videos to get people’s attention. The
notion that interesting content was more important than a particular product was
not a new idea in advertising. But the new question for marketers became, how do
we make viral video content interesting for everyone?
Well, this question is one of the main challenges in viral video marketing. We all
know how quickly these videos can spread, but we can’t really assign any rules
about what’ll be popular. I mean, who would have thought that a bunch of roller
skating babies would become one of the biggest Internet hits ever? Apparently
Evian did, but how did they know? Some video producers now actually specialize in
creating viral video. They focus on creating two to three-minute stories. These
experts have a couple of key strategies for creating videos that viewers want to
share. One is to include a character that people identify with and relate to. They
capture the customers' attention—and loyalty—with a video series or Web channel
that people want to watch regularly. Another key point is to be funny, faster.
According to marketing research, people don’t want to wait to find out what makes
a video worth watching. Since the viewers want immediate satisfaction, the punch
line, or interesting part, has to come quickly—usually within the first few seconds of
viewing.
The problem is, other than these hints, there still isn’t much information about how
to make successful viral videos for marketing. This leads us to a bigger debate – is
viral video an appropriate marketing choice? Are we capable of mastering the style?
Or will marketers simply keep saying "Hey, this might work" or "Let’s try this?” We
really won’t have the answer to that for a few years, although statistics do show
viral video ads are becoming more popular. In 2012, audiences watched 150 video
advertisements per second – that’s incredible news for marketers! So what we’re
seeing right now is a transition from viral video being a trend to becoming a useful
medium for marketing, public relations, and who knows what else. YouTube has
changed the media world, and it’s still changing. No one really knows what’s going
to happen when it reaches its full potential. But when it does, it’s going to be
something very, very, powerful. Now, does anyone have any questions or comments
about what we’ve been discussing today? . . .

Transcripts
Apply A (Audio)
ILS_L3_U5_Listen_ApplyA
Narrator: One.
Speaker 1: I’m looking for a new job since my current project will finish at the end
of this year. Please let me know if you hear of any openings.
Narrator: Two.
Speaker 2: Carleton University in Ottawa is looking for a Professor of Film Studies.
The candidate should have knowledge in a range of film topics, such as animation
and silent film.
Narrator: Three.
Speaker 3: The Internet is also a great place to find a film studies job. Monster.com-
-that’s M-O-N-S-T-E-R dot com--can usually give you a good idea of the jobs in your
area.
Apply B (Audio)
ILS_L3_U5_Listen_ApplyB
There are a few reasons that film studies are popular right now. For one thing, film
is a popular medium. Video is everywhere and people want to know how to use it.
Another reason is that video technology is changing so fast, people need to study to
keep up with the latest techniques. But beyond these reasons, we need to examine
. . .
Film has been making a huge impact on the advertising world. More and more
businesses—even big ones--are putting their marketing message into videos that
they hope people will share. Take that famous “sheep video,” for example. The
technology company Samsung hired artists put lights on the backs of sheep. Then
they moved the animals around to make designs that moved, like fireworks. The film
became one of the most viewed viral ads, with about 12 million views. The work was
quite impressive . . .
SPEAKING SKILL: Making a Concise Presentation
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U5_Speak

Transcripts
M1: One way companies advertise to their customers is with three to five-minute
videos. I don’t really think they work, but that’s really just my opinion. In this
presentation, you'll learn how these short, popular videos--what we call "viral
videos”—are teaching advertisers about us. I’ll also have a brief discussion
concerning the matter of what advertisers are capable of doing with that
information. Their goal is to attain the same type of popularity with their
advertisements as the viral videos they're modeled after. And with that popularity?
Sales and money from you, the consumer. In short, in this presentation I'm going to
teach you how to keep more of your money where it belongs--in your pockets.
So what do effective ads do? They get consumers--that is, customers--to buy
particular products. And that's good, for the sellers . . . and usually for the buyers as
well. People like to buy things, and businesses like that we buy things. Like last
week, I bought a really neat hat. Afterwards I realized I'd done this just because I
saw an ad with someone wearing it. Silly, huh? Anyway, when you're more aware of
advertisers’ tricks, you’ll behave appropriately when it's time to spend your hard-
earned money.
When you think about viral videos, you probably think of two types: the ones that
tell a story and the ones that make you laugh. Let's talk about the stories first.
People love stories. I know I do and all my friends do too, except my friend Tim – he
hates telling and hearing stories. But anyway, for most people, stories make us feel
connected to one another. We like to know that people share our feelings and
experiences. And the closer you are to people, the more likely you are to trust or
value what they say. Advertisers use this trust. They study what videos people are
sharing the most, and figure out what's made those videos touch our hearts. And
they try to repeat those techniques in their advertisements by making really funny
or cute videos that people want to share. Have you seen the viral video about the
two friends meeting on the train? You can see that they hadn't seen each other in
twenty-five years, and the video starts with one friend getting on a train in New
Delhi, and the other friend getting on a train in Mumbai. Both trains are headed for
Ahmedabad -- the middle point between the two cities. You see that according to the
train schedules, both trains arrive in Ahmedabad at around the same time. But only
if the trains are both on time. At the end of the video, we see the two friends running
into each other in Ahmedabad--a nice, happy reunion. The video was meant to be a
short movie, not an ad. Nevertheless, Indian Railways saw the video, and people's
reaction to it, and decided to turn it into an advertisement. I just wish I were the guy
who made the first video, I bet he got a lot of money for it! The ad is the same video,
but at the end, the announcer says, "If you want to arrive on time, always use Indian
Railways!" Now, if you're considering long-distance travel for subsequent trips in
India, they want you to think positively about Indian Railways because of how that
story made you feel. They are relying on your emotions.

Transcripts
The second type of viral video that gets people's attention are the funny ones.
Laughing feels good and helps keep your brain active and alert. You’re more likely to
remember the things that make you laugh. Think about your funniest friend – you
probably really like him or her. I know I have a lot of positive thoughts about my
cousin Tina--she’s really funny. Well, the same is true of other things that make you
laugh--movies, television shows, and of course, product advertisements. You're
much more likely to remember a product that made you laugh. And you're also
much more likely to talk to your friends about the video, which gives the company
free advertising. Maybe you didn't need the product when you first saw the video.
But later, when you do, they want you to remember it positively. The video made
you laugh, right? Why not give the company some money? That's how these
advertisements work. It's a formula. They create positive feelings, you buy their
products regardless of the fact that you may not need them. I don’t think it’s really
fair, but there’s nothing we can do about it now--advertising is here to stay.
Now that you know how advertisers are appealing to you, you can be ready for them
by becoming a smart consumer. Just because an advertiser tells you a good story
doesn't mean you need to buy their product. You can, but you don't have to. There
are a few tools to help you do this. The main thing is to think logically about how ads
make you feel. This can help you make clear-headed decisions. Advertisers don't
want you to react logically and question if you really need their product. Instead,
they want you to react emotionally and spend more money. If a company already
has you feeling good, it's much easier to "feel good" about buying an item. So, as a
general rule, in a situation in which this happens, take a step back from the emotions
and ask yourself, "Is this an item I really need? Does this company have a reputation
for good quality products?"
It’s important to be smart, and also to be aware of a vicious cycle. When too many
customers walk away without a purchase, advertisers refine their approach in order
to reach those people. That is, as you get smarter, the advertisers get smarter, too.
Although I think that advertisers are already much smarter than most consumers--
they can really get us do what they want. The use of viral videos is a good example of
the way advertisers have gotten smarter recently, and who knows what they’ll do
next. But we need to remember, no matter how it’s presented, companies’ goals are
still the same: they want your money. But by learning to become a better consumer,
we can maintain our goal: saving our hard-earned cash for quality products that
deserve it, not thoughtless purchases that we may later regret.
Apply C (Audio)
ILS_L3_U5_Speak_ApplyC
M1: Good morning! Thank you for your attention and I’m glad to have the
opportunity to speak with you. My presentation today is a review of the

Transcripts
documentary Regal Eagle. It’s a recent production by director Slade Green. It was
not so well received publically, but I liked the film. It was funny, original, well
written, and generally nicely done. Nevertheless, there were some weak points and
I’ll be discussing them as well. I hope to give you a nice general overview of why I
feel the film is a success.
Unit 6 Beyond Earth
ENGINEERING
LISTENING SKILL: Annotating Lecture Notes
Listen1 (Audio)
ILS_L3_U6_Listen1
Dr. Holman: Hello, I'm Professor Jane Holman, Chair of the Department of
Engineering. Welcome to this month’s Science Day discussion. We’re excited to be
talking about space, science and engineering today. Many people dream of becoming
astronauts when they're young. I know I did. When I was in fifth grade, the last of
the Apollo missions put people on the moon. That really inspired me.
People who want to work in space come to universities like ours and study physics,
engineering, biology, geology, math, or some combination of these. Dr. Marwan
Karimi is a graduate of our engineering department. His current employer, Asahi
Space Systems, has accommodated his desire to go out and talk to students like you,
who are interested in space engineering and science. Hence, he's traveling to
colleges around the country to talk about his experiences. So, it is my pleasure to
welcome Dr. Marwan Karimi to our Science Day discussion.
Dr. Karimi: Thanks, Professor Holman. It's a pleasure to be here. Hello, everyone.
Well, like many people, I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid. But not
everyone can be an astronaut. Because of my poor eyesight, I didn't meet the
requirements for space flight at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
– you probably know them as NASA. Despite this disappointment, I didn't give up
my dream of working in space travel. I applied to the Engineering doctorate
program here and worked hard until I earned my PhD in Systems and Engineering.
That was more than 25 years ago, and in the intervening years, I went on to work for
NASA after all.
Since graduating, I've worked as an engineer and a rocket specialist. I’ve planned
shuttle launches as well as scientific research projects for the International Space
Station. I've also worked with several other governments on their space programs.

Transcripts
Now I work for the successors to government space programs: private companies
such as Asahi Space Systems.
Asahi is a new company that specializes in private space flight for tourists and
research scientists. Their first private flight will be to the moon, and it's scheduled
to launch in two years. So despite the fact that I never got to be an astronaut, I get to
work with astronauts every day.
When people hear that I work for a private space flight company, the first thing they
ask about is safety. My answer is that safety is a top concern. Private companies
must conform to government safety standards, which means that private space
shuttles are as safe as government space shuttles. In fact, with improved technology,
I think they're even safer.
Of course, space travel still has a lot of risks. I mean, we're putting people in metal
ships and shooting them into space. There's a lot to think about if you go to work in
space travel. For example, what do you do when your shuttle gets hit by a small
piece of space debris? How do you facilitate space station repairs from 230 miles
away on Earth's surface? Those are both situations my team has faced in the past 15
years. Our education prepared us to solve each successive problem. This doctoral
program teaches you those problem-solving skills, so you're studying in a good
place. Space programs will be very lucky to have you on their teams after you
graduate.
So when you think about where to look for work after graduation, keep in mind that
private space companies like Asahi are facilitating some of the most exciting space
discoveries right now. One of our competitors, StarX, is actually making plans for a
trip to Mars. It’s tough to create a shuttle that can accommodate astronauts for such
a long journey, but they're making progress.
Now private companies aren't the only groups thinking about Mars. Governments
are still major players in the space business. Several world governments are
working together to send astronauts to Mars by 2025, and actually Asahi is
facilitating communications between ten of these governments. Scientists and
people all over the world want to know if Mars can support human life. Wouldn't
you love to go to Mars? Or be part of sending someone there?
Well, there are special problems with sending people to Mars. First, the project is
very expensive. It’s difficult to get governments or private companies to commit to
financing such a big project. We'll face even greater challenges if people stay on
Mars for a long time. The Martian atmosphere is thin and mainly made up of carbon
dioxide. So, if people lived on Mars, they'd need to live in artificial accommodations,
like domes, that would be filled with air we can breathe. Also, Mars is farther from

Transcripts
the Sun than Earth is, so it’s a lot colder there. The average temperature on Mars is
about minus sixty degrees Celsius. We’d need to intervene in the atmosphere there
to warm the place up. One idea is to put mirrors above Mars to reflect sunlight to
heat up the planet. So there's a lot to think about. Despite the excitement, the job
won't be easy. We're looking forward to you joining us to help solve these problems
in the future. Now, I'd love to answer specific questions from your students,
Professor Holman, if they have any.
Dr. Holman: Wonderful, Dr. Karimi. Thank you. Let's take a short break, and then I
know people have lots of questions for you . . .
SPEAKING SKILL: Signaling the End of a Speech
Listen2 (Audio)
ILS_L3_U6_Listen2
Futa Shinobara: My name is Dr. Futa Shinobara, and I represent the engineering
division of Asahi Space Systems. I’m happy to share our exciting news with you
today.
With me here is Gloria Chavez, our chief operating manager. We'll be taking your
questions after we've each given our remarks.
First, I'd like to report that Asahi Space Systems is honored to have received one of
the annual X-Prizes for space tourism. We will be cooperating with the other
recipient, Orion Stratosphere, to bring thousands of tourists to the International
Space Station by 2025. I'm going to turn the floor over to Gloria to explain this
cooperation.
Gloria Chavez: Thank you, Futa. Hi, everyone. Nice to see you all today. As Dr.
Shinobara mentioned, we’ll be teaming up with Orion Stratosphere, which is based
in London, England. Together, we can offer safe, reliable, and fairly inexpensive
travel to the International Space Station. We've allocated a great deal of financial
resources and employee time to this partnership with Orion, and we expect flights
to begin within the next three years. The X-Prize will allow us to finance four
spaceships that will be able to bring twenty tourists at a time into space. The best
thing about these new spaceships is their fuel economy. They’ll use a lot less fuel to
get to the International Space Station, and less fuel means cheaper tickets for our
customers. Using classic fuel technology, a shuttle carries more than 1,984 pounds
of fuel. With new technology, we estimate that we can cut that fuel load in half.
Before concluding, I want to give you a moment to think about that. 1,984 pounds of
fuel to 992 pounds. That's an amazing difference and huge accomplishment. Dr.
Shinobara will talk about how this will be achieved.

Transcripts
FS: I'll tell you as much as I'm allowed. The technology is fairly straightforward.
Nothing too complex. First, we're building lighter shuttles than the classic space
shuttles you're used to seeing, which means we’ll need less fuel to escape Earth's
gravity. Also, we're able to use the sun's energy to power some of our systems, so
that’s even less fuel we’ll need to carry. Finally, advances in battery technology will
add to our efficiency. To wrap up: our ships are more energy efficient than the
original shuttles. Gloria has information about safety.
GC: Yes. Safety is our top priority, of course, and I want to put any safety concerns to
rest. As Asahi and Orion begin to earn more revenue from the space tourism
packages we’re planning, we’ll continue to invest in safety measures. We've actually
sent two teams into space using prototypes of the ships we'll be using for our space
tourists, and everyone has returned to Earth with a smile on his or her face. In
summary, we're fuel-efficient and we're safe.
FS: And we're also unique. What differentiates the Asahi-Orion partnership from
other space tourist operations is our dedication to the customer. We recognize that
some of our first customers will be people who are excited to see science fiction
become science fact. In addition to our standard space tourist package, we will offer
packages for the more adventurous. We call it the Wanderer Package. We will first
bring you to the International Space Station, and then we take a three-day excursion
to the moon. So, a moon package differentiates us from our competition. We will
also offer the Experiment package, which is for the scientists among you. We're
building a private laboratory in the International Space Station, where travelers can
conduct approved experiments in zero gravity. I'll leave you with this: while other
companies are getting you into space and back as quickly as possible to increase
their revenue, we're invested in offering tourists a profound space experience. And
now back to Gloria, who will wrap up for us today.
GC: Thanks, Futa. The best part is something that I've saved for last: the price. Some
of our competitors offer trips to space for a small fortune. Not many of us have an
extra 20 million dollars lying around. Because of our X-prize, fuel efficiency, and
other cost reductions, we're able to offer our packages starting at 250,000 dollars.
Compared to 20 million dollars, this is a significant savings to our customers.
Already, we have a waiting list of one hundred people! With flights starting in less
than ten years, it's time to start thinking about your future in space. Okay, I think
that’s it. We've reached the end of our press conference. At this point, we'd love to
take questions from the media.
Unit 7 Our Amazing Brains
NEUROSCIENCE

Transcripts
LISTENING SKILL: The Cornell Method to Take Notes
Watch (Video)
ILS_L3_U7_Watch
Since the dawn of man, we have looked up and wondered about the mysteries of
outer space.
We still know little about it. And we know even less about inner space, the space
inside our heads. You are looking at the most sophisticated computational
information processing system ever made. It is lightning fast, clever, adaptive, and
can often tell if something is wrong with it.
In fact, there are as many neurons within this boy’s brain, as there are stars in the
galaxy he is currently viewing. But the universe inside his head, and yours, and
mine, is still so vast, and so unexplored, that we can barely understand how a three-
pound human brain knows how to pick up a glass of water and drink it.
The mysterious human brain: we know enough to know we’ve only just begun to
understand the basics. We’re not clueless though; we do know a few things. And
those things I like to call brain rules.
It’s extraordinary what some of our brains can do. Go ahead and multiply the
number 8,388,628 times 2, in your head.
Can you do that in a few seconds? Eh, probably not.
There’s a young man who can double that number 24 times in the space of a few
seconds. He gets it right every time. There’s a boy who can tell you the precise time
of day at any moment, even in his sleep. There’s a girl who can correctly determine
the exact dimensions of an object 20 feet away. Yet none of these kids could be
taught to tie their shoes. Indeed, none of them have an IQ greater than 50.
Your brain may not be nearly so odd, but it is no less extraordinary. My goal is to
introduce to you 12 things we know about how that extraordinary brain works. The
brain rules covers such topics as: exercise, memory, stress, sleep, vision. The
supporting research for each of my “brain rules,” must first be published in a peer
review journal and then successfully replicated. The problem is that so much of
what we do in our modern world ignores these brain rules.
We try to drive while talking on our cell phones, even though it is literally
impossible for our brains to multi-task when it comes to paying attention. We have
created high-stress office environments, even though a stressed brain is
significantly less productive. Our schools are designed so that most real learning has
to occur at home. That could be funny if it weren’t so harmful. Let’s find out why.

Transcripts
SPEAKING SKILL: Asking for and Giving Clarification
Listen (Audio)
ILS_L3_U7_Listen
Emma: Alright, let’s get started. Did everybody bring their notes? Nora?
Nora: I did.
Emma: Andrei?
Andrei: Yes, I’ve got them right here.
Emma: Okay, great. What did you think about Professor Britt’s lecture?
Nora: It was interesting. I have a book of brain games, so I was looking forward to
hearing what the professor thought about them.
Andrei: I thought it was interesting, too. I took a lot of notes! But I was reading
through my notes again last night and I was hoping you could help me clarify
something Professor Britt said…
Nora: I had a few questions, too.
Emma: Great! That’s what we’re here for.
Andrei: I wrote down “the brain is a muscle and it needs exercise.” Later in my
notes I also wrote down “not all exercise helps the brain.” So now I’m confused. Do
you remember what he was saying about exercise?
Emma: I think he meant that some kinds of exercise are more helpful than others.
For example, exercise that makes us breathe quickly and deeply, like running, helps
our brains solve problems and pay attention. But exercises that don’t make us move
much don’t change our brains much--lifting weights, things like that. Is that what
you understood too, Nora?
Nora: Yes. That’s exactly it. Exercise is always good for us, but exercise that
increases breathing helps our brains more than other kinds of exercise.
Andrei: Okay. That makes sense. Thanks!
Nora: Wasn’t there also something in the lecture about how sitting still for a long
time, like we do in class, is bad for our brains?

Transcripts
Andrei: I do remember something about that. What was he saying about that?
Emma: I remember he said that humans used to move around a lot, all day long. But
now office workers sit for 8 hours a day or more. That can’t be good for us.
Nora: Yeah, I agree… I feel better all day when I exercise in the morning. And I can
concentrate better in class, too.
Andrei: And take better notes!
Nora: It really is true. I was trying to remember, did Professor Britt give any reasons
for why exercise makes us think better?
Andrei: I wrote down that when we exercise, our brains are getting more oxygen.
Emma: That’s right! Professor Britt said that exercise increases how much oxygen
we breathe in, which helps us to feel mentally sharp.
Andrei: Maybe we should have classes outside then, so we can walk while we learn.
Nora: I’m not sure how Professor Britt would feel about that.
Andrei: What questions did you write down in Part A of your notes, Nora?
Nora: The first one I have is: “Do brain games improve our memory?”
Emma: That’s a good one.
Andrei: Oh, mine is somewhat similar to that. I wrote, “Does brain training actually
work?”
Emma: So what do you think? Does it work?
Andrei: The way I understand it is that practicing visual games, like Memory or
crossword puzzles, only makes you better at those games, not at anything you need
to do in real life. Is that what you thought he meant?
Nora: I think so. I wrote down that getting a high score in a memory game doesn’t
mean you’ll remember where you put your keys.
Emma: That’s what I understood, too. It seems like in general Professor Britt
doesn’t think those games work too well.

Transcripts
Andrei: Did you understand the part about playing cards? I wrote down “don’t play
the same card game again and again,” but I can’t remember what he was saying
about that.
Emma: I think he meant activities that are comprised of doing the same thing over
and over aren’t as good as learning something new. To give you an example, I wrote
down that it’s more useful to study a foreign language than to keep practicing the
same brain game.
Nora: But I thought he said that playing cards can be useful because it’s a social
activity. I know he said it’s crucial for older people to keep in touch with their
friends.
Andrei: Oh, that’s right! I remember Professor Britt talked about how important it is
to spend time with other people as we get older. Here it is – I wrote down “research
shows that brain training games have a more intense effect if they’re played in
groups.” So we don’t really know if the benefit is from the games themselves, or
from talking with the other people during the game.
Emma: Got it. Did you have any other questions about the lecture?
Andrei: At the end of the lecture, do you think he was saying that the brain games
could actually be harmful to our brains?
Nora: Well, not harmful, but I think he was suggesting there are better ways to keep
our minds active. For example, if we’re sitting around playing games, then we’re not
exercising. We need to keep our bodies active, too.
Andrei: That makes sense.
Emma: Well, that’s the end of our notes. Did you want to talk about anything else?
Nora: No, I think you both answered my questions.
Andrei: Me too. Thanks for your help! I always feel better after our study sessions.
End of Unit Task (Video)
ILS_L3_U7_End
Liz: We devised a whole load of games involving skills like problem solving that
exercise the frontal lobes, memory that stretch the temporal lobes, and math that
use the parietal lobes.

Transcripts
Adrian: You guys generally think that the brain training has improved your brains?
Audience: Yes.
Yes.
Adrian: Okay, who's keen to find out what the scientific results of this study were?
Audience: Yes.
Yes!
Adrian: Me too. Liz.
Liz: Okay. It's time for the moment of truth. Now, we already know brain training
games make you better at those games, but do they improve your brainpower like
some of the commercial games imply? Thank you to all of you in our studio and at
home who took part. We could not have done this without you. First up, let's look at
the control group that did no brain training at all, but they did spend time on the
computer searching the Internet. Now, our scoreboard represents roughly the range
of scores for all our participants. Let's look at their mental ability at the beginning of
the six weeks.
F1: This is how they scored on our tests of memory and problem solving.
Liz: There it goes. Excellent. So that's the score they got before the six weeks.
Average score of 4.6. And this is how the control group did after the six weeks.
F1: Now, in theory, there shouldn't be much difference.
Liz: There we go. There we go. Right. Our test gave them a score of 4.8. So not much
of a change there. Remember, that's the result of our control group. So, so far, so
good. But now for the interesting bit -- does brain training have any effect on your
overall mental abilities? Brain trainers, let's see how you did before brain training,
shall we? There it goes. Our tests of memory and problem solving gave you an
average score of 4.6, exactly the same as our control group. But how did you score
afterwards? Did brain training make any difference? Six weeks, remember, of brain
training, thousands of you across the nation. Did you do any better than our control
group? Are you ready to find out?
Audience: Yes.

Transcripts
Liz: Let's find out. Where's it going to stop? That's almost the same as our control
group. Can you believe it?
Our test gave you, our brain trainers, an average score of 4.9. Are you shocked and
horrified? How are you feeling about this? Adrian, can I ask you to join me. I am
frankly quite surprised by the results. Okay, so we've got 4.8 from our control group,
4.9 from our brain trainers. So it's .1 of a difference. Does that mean anything? Well,
unfortunately, when we do the direct comparison between the brain trainers and
the controls--
Audience: Yeah.
Adrian: The difference is statistically completely meaningless. There is no
difference between them.
Liz: Unbelievable. Okay, but what about the difference between the brain trainers
pre and the brain trainers post training? So we've got 4.6 to 4.9. Does that mean
anything?
Adrian: I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you again, Liz. That difference is
so small, again, it's statistically not meaningful.
Liz: Can we actually say that brain training games don't work?
Adrian: The result is crystal clear. Brain training is only as good as spending six
weeks using the Internet. There is no meaningful difference between the two
groups.
Liz: Pretty surprising stuff. I'm sure you've agreed. Adrian, thank you so much for
joining us.
Unit 8 Dangerous Gossip
PSYCHOLOGY
LISTENING SKILL: Listening for Fact and Opinion
Listen1 (Audio)
ILS_L3_U8_Listen1
Jenila Smith: My name is Jenila Smith, and I'm an assistant professor of Psychology.
I'm excited to be here today to talk to you. First, I want to thank your professor for
letting me visit you to talk about my favorite topic: gossip. Why is it my favorite
topic? Because most people don't understand what it's really about. People usually

Transcripts
only register gossip as a bad thing, thinking that only people with bad manners
gossip. And while gossip can be hurtful at times, I'm here to tell you that everyone
gossips. As a matter of fact, we do it for very good, psychological reasons. To set up
my lecture, I want to tell you a story. I wish that I could have taped the conversation
I'm going to tell you about, because it’s such a good example of how gossip can be
useful. Instead, you'll have to settle for my memory of the conversation.
So I was at a cafe, waiting to order my lunchtime coffee. The café was really busy, so
I had to wait in line longer than usual. That gave me a chance to listen to the people
around me. In front of me were two people talking about their jobs. They worked
together at an advertising company, and the woman was a new employee. The other
person, a man, seemed to be a coworker at about the same level in the company. The
woman mentioned that she was thinking of taking a long lunch break to run a few
errands, since their manager was busy in meetings and wouldn’t notice her absence.
As I listened, the man started telling her about a former employee at the company,
who I’ll call Nadia. I learned that Nadia had suddenly resigned from the company
over a year before, after her manager discovered she was regularly away from the
office for over an hour at lunch, without permission. The man I was hearing implied
that Nadia had been asked to leave her job. He attributed a terrible consequence to
taking a long lunch break without speaking to a manager about it first.
As the man gossiped about Nadia, the new employee shook her head as she
registered each new piece of information. She was surprised that the company was
so strict about the lunch hour. As we moved closer to the front of the line, she asked,
"Do you really think Nadia was fired for taking a few long breaks?"
The man said that at their advertising company, being asked to leave was seen as a
valid consequence of poor attendance.
The new employee responded, but I didn't hear what she said because the cafe
opened another cash register. The line moved more quickly, and I got my coffee and
left for work.
I also left with a great example of how gossip works and why it's important. People
pass down rules of behavior through gossip. Gossip helps people set clear guidelines
about getting along. It can also be used to include or exclude people from a group.
Gossip lets people know the rules of group membership. The man was describing
what happened to Nadia as a warning for the new employee. So the gossip could
actually help the person he was talking to. We almost always use the word gossip to
imply something harmful and hurtful--and it can be these things. But gossip can also
be helpful.

Transcripts
Think about the two people I overheard in the cafe. Was the man saying bad things
about Nadia to be mean? No. Instead, think of it this way. He was describing
unacceptable behavior to the new employee. He was saying that to be a successful
member of the group--and by that I mean "to keep your job"--you should not act like
Nadia acted. The new employee might have thought she was listening to gossip, but
she was actually learning a valid lesson about what is expected of employees at that
particular company.
Now, I'm not saying that all gossip is good. Gossip can be hurtful--especially when
it's false gossip. Rumors that imply negative and false things do hurt people. But
that's a different category of gossip. I call it false gossip. Gossip based on true
information is actually more useful than it is hurtful. Gossip keeps groups together.
That doesn't mean that you have license to gossip about everyone you know. But
you'd be surprised to know that research shows people of both genders spend 20 to
60 percent of their conversational time gossiping. That's a lot of gossip! The truth is,
humans are social beings, and gossip is one way we identify with groups. We use it
to keep our groups together or exclude people from them. It’s a useful thing, even
though it can hurt the feelings of people who have broken the group's rules.
In the next part of my lecture, we'll talk some more about the psychology behind
gossip. Let's take a short break and then come back, okay?
SPEAKING SKILL: Citing Information
Listen2 (Audio)
ILS_L3_U8_Listen2
Jenila Smith: Welcome back, everyone. Ok, let’s keep going with our lecture on
gossip. I want to review a few key ideas from the first part before I continue. First,
and most importantly, gossip can have a positive use. It's how groups teach rules of
behavior to new members. It's also how groups remind current members of those
very same rules.
So, I told you a story about two advertising executives I overheard in a café. They
were talking about Nadia, a former employee at their company who had left her job
suddenly. Ultimately, the gossip about Nadia could be seen as a lesson for the new
employee about what behavior the company expects. This gossip taught the new
employee the rules. Last, I shared a statistic to show just how much of our day we
spend gossiping: 20 to 60 percent, according to several studies. The point is: gossip
is everywhere, and it serves an important function.
But why? What is it about our psychology that makes gossip important?

Transcripts
Reputation and reputation building are the key reasons gossip is necessary.
According to Dr. Mona Cates, a professor of philosophy and social science,
reputation also helps to exclude people from certain groups. Basically, Dr. Cates is
saying that if someone’s reputation does not match the rules of the group, that
person could be excluded from the group. For centuries, reputation has facilitated
cooperation among humans. People care what others think about them--even if they
pretend they don't. People work hard to build and maintain a positive reputation,
and they don't want to do something bad that others will talk about. So they follow
the rules of the group so that people won't spread negative gossip about them. The
ultimate goal is to be liked by people within their group. They want to keep their
good reputation.
But why?
Well, the theory is simple. People don't usually like to work with other people who
have negative reputations. We see the effects of this basic psychological truth every
day. Think about the last thing you bought. Did you look up reviews before you
bought it? You probably looked for relevant opinions about the product. You
probably wanted to know if other people thought it was a quality product, or if
anyone had bad experiences with that product. In other words, you wanted to know
the gossip about that product. Well, business interactions follow that same idea, that
gossip and reputation are linked. People want to know that someone is good and
trustworthy before they initiate a cooperative business relationship with him or her.
Gossip helps us figure that out. It's not just a philosophical discussion; gossip really
does impact business and commerce. You just have to make sure that you trust the
source of the gossip you’re hearing.
And the source isn't the only factor that affects whether gossip is useful. Research by
Dr. Dorothy Holman suggests that the quantity, or amount, of gossip is important as
well. The more a person hears the same information about someone’s reputation,
the more that person will believe it. If I need a lawyer, and fifty people tell me a
certain lawyer is not knowledgeable, I will let that gossip guide my decision. I won't
hire that lawyer. It's that simple, it's how our brains work. Online reviews work the
same way. The more times you hear a relevant, positive opinion about a product, the
more likely you are to purchase it. Multiple valid pieces of gossip create a more
complete picture.
In fact, a study initiated by Dr. Larry Coleman and Dr. Mei Ling shows that a single
piece of gossip alone wasn't enough to change one person's opinion of someone else.
Participants in the study were each told one piece of gossip about another person.
With that information, participants were then asked if they wanted to cooperate
with that person on a project. Even if the gossip was negative, most participants
decided they did want to cooperate with that person. However, once participants

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