Learning objectives

1. To figure out “more is not necessarily better than less”, and to realize the importance of being a wise decision-maker.

2. To understand and use the words, phrases, structures, rhetoric in the text, and to use thinking-map to analyze the text structure.

Task1. Listen to a talk about why people are often irrational. Based on what you hear, match the questions with the answers by placing a letter next to the number.

1  (   )   According to the speaker, how can people behave in a rational way? 

2  (   )   What are the consequences of people’s irrational behavior? 

3  (   )   What has MIT Professor Ariely discovered? 

4  (   )   What is the example in the talk regarding irrational behavior? 

5  (   )   What does the speaker say about this irrational behavior? 

A  People tend to behave irrationally in a predictable fashion.

B  People should act according to logic and reason required in a situation.

C  It causes problems to themselves as well as to others. 

D  He doesn’t think this irrational behavior is always intentional.

E  If a person knows someone suffers from a disease, he will feel he suffers from the same disease.

Task 2. Listen to the talk again and answer the two questions

1. In your opinion, what is an irrational behavior? Give some examples.

2. What do you think may cause people’s irrational behavior?

Watch a video clip concerned that Professional organizer Peter Walsh helps a compulsive hoarder dig out, and discuss the following question:

What do yo think of "Less is more"?

In our daily life, sometimes we need to make hard choices. What should we do on these occasions? Watch this video and answer the question.