English Conversation Questions

Deception

Questions

1. How often do you lie?
2. Why do people lie?
3. Do you think not telling the whole truth is a lie?
4. Were you a good liar when you were a child?
5. Have you ever lied in a job interview?
6. Do you think white lies are OK?
7. Have you told any lies today?
8. Do people lie a lot in your country?

Videos

A male firefly emits a series of enticing flashes. He hopes a female will respond and mate with him. A female from a different species mimics his patterns: by tricking the male, she lures him in — and turns him into a meal.

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Where else do we see this kind of trickery in the animal kingdom? Eldridge Adams details the surprising complexity of how animals manipulate predators, prey and their rivals.

Lesson by Eldridge Adams, directed by The Duke and the Duck.

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Keywords: Animals | Deception

Former Chief of Disguise for the CIA, Jonna Mendez, explains how disguises are used in the CIA, and what aspects to the deception make for an effective disguise.

Category:  Psychology
Keywords: Deception | Invisible | Visible
Loki the mischief-maker, writhes in Thor’s iron grip. The previous night, he’d snuck up on Thor’s wife and shorn off her beautiful hair. To fix what he’d done, Loki rushes to the dwarves and tricks them into making gifts for the

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gods. Wanting to best their smith rivals, the dwarves make a set of golden treasures, including a hammer called Mjolnir. Scott A. Mellor traces the legend of Thor’s hammer.

Lesson by Scott A. Mellor, directed by Remus and Kiki.

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Category:  History & Culture
Keywords: Deception | Tools
Vox
For a thrifty shopper, a “Buy one, get one” (BOGO) deal can sound like the best way to get more bang for their buck. But the appeal of BOGO is why it’s hard for consumers to see it for what it is.

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BOGO is meant to get you to spend more money, not less. The deal disguises the fact that, unless you already intended to buy two items, it really isn’t all that big a discount.

The Goods by Vox explains what we buy, why we buy it, and why it matters.

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Category:  Business & Marketing
Keywords: Deception | Prices | Shopping

Vocabulary:
cove
secluded
float
shore
anchor
lighthouse
greenhouse
handsaw
hammer
power tool
nail
board (noun)
ton
land sick
biomass
canoe
paddle
real estate
prosper
fulfilled

Expressions:
subsistence living
hon

Vocabulary:
word
word
word
word
word
word
word
word
word

Expressions:
expression
expression
expression
expression

Vocabulary:
prestigious
involuntary
swindler
fraudulence
unwarranted
concern
unfounded
impostor
syndrome
faculty
pervasive
prevalent
disproportionately
underrepresented
downplay
abnormality
self-esteem
spiral
accolade
threshold
susceptible
voice (verb)
peer
dismiss
excel
ease
mentor
competence
banish
frank

Expressions:
nagging doubt
shake a feeling
put something to rest
surefire way

Vocabulary:
filmmaker
principle
handcuff
clown
distill
underdog
aspect
familiar
unfamiliar
chopsticks
keyboard
organic
grounded
clarity
stuntman
steady
gag
perfectionist
rhythm
distinct
continuity
elbow
bunch
flail around
unlike
invincible
impressive
humanize
asset
payoff
relentlessness
finale

Expressions:
kick ass
going above and beyond
get smacked in the face
sell a joke

Vocabulary:
explosion
smoke (noun)
engine
unique
pilot
route
unemotional
terror
instant
reach out (to someone)
postpone
urgency
purpose
regret
humanity
ego
reflect
eliminate
frame (verb)
artistic
talent
bawl
miracle

Expressions:
bucket list
brace for impact
mend fences
make sense
connecting dots