Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

B2-C1

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

TED

61.2M views 10 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear the word "procrastinator," what kind of person do you imagine?
What are some situations where people usually procrastinate (school, work, health, relationships)?
Based on the title, what do you think we will learn about how a procrastinator thinks?

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Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

College papers and the 90-page thesis (00:00 – 02:55)

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1. What does the speaker say he had to do a lot of in college?

Build computer programs
Write a lot of papers
Practice public speaking every week
Run experiments in a lab

2. How much time did the speaker have left when he finally started the senior thesis?

One month
Two weeks
A full semester
Three days

3. What does the speaker admit about the quality of his thesis?

He never turned it in
It was the best the school had ever seen
It was very, very bad
It was average but acceptable

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

The procrastinator’s brain: the Monkey, the Dark Playground, and the Panic Monster (02:55 – 10:05)

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1. What extra character does the speaker say exists in the procrastinator’s brain?

A Memory Elephant
An Instant Gratification Monkey
A Time-Keeping Robot
A Motivation Coach

2. What does the speaker call the place where leisure happens when it is NOT supposed to be happening?

The Blue Zone
The Dark Playground
The Makes Sense circle
The Orange Zone

3. According to the speaker, when does the Panic Monster wake up?

Anytime something is fun
Whenever the Rational Decision-Maker gets tired
When a deadline gets too close (or there is danger of public embarrassment)
Only on weekends

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

Two kinds of procrastination and the Life Calendar message (10:05 – 14:04)

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1. What is the key problem in situations with NO deadline?

The Rational Decision-Maker becomes stronger than usual
The Monkey becomes afraid of leisure activities
The Panic Monster doesn't show up
People become more productive automatically

2. What does the speaker say long-term procrastination can make people feel like?

A spectator in their own lives
A professional planner
A natural leader
A winner who achieved every dream

3. What is the Life Calendar?

A chart of daily deadlines for one year
A calendar of TED events
One box for every week of a 90-year life
A list of rules for stopping procrastination

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

Transcript will load here…

1. In the speaker’s model, what usually allows a procrastinator to finally start working before a deadline?

The Instant Gratification Monkey gets bored
The Rational Decision-Maker disappears
Friends do the work for them
The Panic Monster wakes up and scares the Monkey

2. Why does the speaker say long-term procrastination can be especially damaging?

Because it only happens to students
Because it makes people work too fast
Because without deadlines, the effects can extend outward forever
Because it is always funny and harmless

3. What is one main purpose of the talk?

To explain what goes on in the heads of procrastinators to non-procrastinators
To argue that deadlines should be removed from school
To teach neuroscience terms from MRI research
To show that procrastination always improves performance

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

Which character do you relate to most (Rational Decision-Maker, Instant Gratification Monkey, Panic Monster)? Why?
Do deadlines help you work better, or do they create stress and lower quality? Give an example.
What are some important "no deadline" goals people often procrastinate on (health, relationships, career changes)? Which one matters most to you?
The speaker suggests we should start paying attention "today" (or soon). What is one small action you could take this week to reduce procrastination?