Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

B2-C1

Tired of Doomscrolling?

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

6.3M views 2 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What does “doomscrolling” mean to you?
Why do you think people keep reading bad news even when it makes them feel worse?
What could someone do instead of doomscrolling when they feel stressed about the world?

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Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

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Tired of Doomscrolling?

Dark times and the need for a different story (00:00 – 01:10)

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1. What emotion does the speaker say many people feel about the state of the world?

Anger only about local politics
Doom, hopelessness, and sadness
Pride and excitement
Mostly boredom and indifference

2. According to the speaker, what kind of creature are humans (quoting Terry Pratchett)?

The rational ape
The social ape
The tool-making ape
The storytelling ape

3. How does the speaker describe this video’s approach?

It is a political campaign message
It is a science video with strict evidence
It is mainly a comedy about the internet
It is subjective, and viewers don’t have to fully accept it

Tired of Doomscrolling?

From the universe to humans: a long rise in complexity (01:10 – 04:36)

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1. What does the speaker say stars did in the story of the universe?

They froze the universe and stopped change
They prevented planets from forming
They created life directly on every planet
They turned simple stuff into complex stuff and spread it after dying

2. What “jump in complexity” does the speaker mention after early life (cells)?

Cells becoming plants, animals, and fungi
Plants becoming planets
Molecules becoming galaxies
Animals becoming stars

3. What does the speaker say “snowballed into civilization”?

Modern factories and global trade
Space travel and satellites
Social media and online communities
Agriculture and the first villages and temples

Tired of Doomscrolling?

Human nature, modern power, and a possible better future (04:36 – 09:14)

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1. What is described as the “real tragedy of humanity today”?

We cannot tell stories anymore
We are powerful but have not awakened to our potential
We have no technology left to improve life
We have stopped evolving biologically

2. What comparison does the speaker use to describe our starting point in history?

Like reading a book with the last chapter missing
Like being handed a save file of a game with millions of hours of work already done
Like rebuilding civilization from nothing after a disaster
Like exploring an empty planet with no tools

3. Which future changes does the speaker mention as possible examples of a new “jump”?

AI, biotechnology, and sustainable energy harvesting
A return to hunter-gatherer life
Only more wars and more poverty
A complete end to all technology

Tired of Doomscrolling?

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main purpose of the video’s “story”?

To explain how to use social media more efficiently
To prove scientifically that everything will be fine
To deny that suffering and injustice exist
To offer a helpful narrative that can coexist with the world’s darkness

2. What is the speaker’s overall claim about the future?

Technology will automatically solve every problem without effort
Nothing can be improved because human nature is fixed
Big improvements are possible but not guaranteed, and setbacks will happen
The apocalypse is certain and near

3. What tension does the speaker emphasize about modern life?

We have enormous power but still carry old instincts from a harsher world
We have no problems left to solve, only boredom
We are more moral than nature and never violent
We are weaker than our ancestors but more optimistic

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Tired of Doomscrolling?

The speaker says humans “think in narratives.” What story about the world do you think social media encourages, and why?
Do you agree that we live in “dark times,” or do you think that view is incomplete? Give examples.
Which idea in the video feels most optimistic to you, and which part feels unrealistic or too hopeful?
If you could “make it better” in one specific area (poverty, climate, health, war, education), what would you focus on and what would be a realistic first step?