Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. unsure
    • ex. He was unsure whether to accept the job offer.
  2. indecisive
    • ex. He was indecisive, so it took him a long time to choose a restaurant.
  3. end up
    • ex. We missed the last bus, so we ended up walking home.
  4. problem-solving
    • ex. The game helps children develop problem-solving skills.
  5. kick in
    • ex. The medicine will kick in after about 30 minutes.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Every day, people make a lot of choices, including when shopping or choosing a movie to watch. However, behavior experts say it can make people feel stressed and unsure. Research shows that having too many options can make people indecisive. Psychologist Barry Schwartz said, “There have been hundreds of studies showing that there can be too much of a good thing.”

Actually, people often end up making worse decisions with more options, Schwartz said. Why? A psychology professor said the brain is designed to save people from thinking. The brain tries to save energy by using past experiences instead of carefully thinking about every decision. And usually, the problem-solving part of the brain only kicks in after a decision is made.

So, what can you do to help your brain feel less stressed? Some people suggest changing your habits to make daily life easier. Author David Epstein now limits small decisions. For example, he buys the same style of T-shirt in different colors. He followed the idea that people should choose an option that is “good enough” instead of always searching for the perfect one.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Making Decisions

  • What everyday decisions make you feel stressed (ex. choosing what food to order, choosing what movie to watch)? Discuss.
  • Do you think you are indecisive? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Psychologist Barry Schwartz said, “There have been hundreds of studies showing that there can be too much of a good thing.” What do you think this means? Discuss.

The Brain

  • The article says the brain tries to save energy by using past experiences instead of carefully thinking about every decision. Why do you think the brain tries to save energy? Discuss.
  • What do you think you can do to help your brain feel less stressed when making decisions? Discuss.
  • Do you think you have good problem-solving skills? Why do you say so? Discuss.