by Hans Rosling

a Swedish medical doctor, academic and public speaker.  He is Professor of International Health at the Karolinska Institute, a medical university just outside Stockholm.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

gap:  distance between two things
aspirations:  things you want to get
the West:  developed countries
mindset:  the way you think
acquired:  bought
emerging:  catching up with the leaders
projection:  an educated guess about the future
invest:  put money into
in process:  already happening
bubble:  circle

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Richard St. John

a researcher, having interviewed over 500 successful people, and inspirational speaker.  He has a black belt in judo, and is a runner, a cyclist, and a mountain climber.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

made it:  became successful
comfort zone:  the place where we feel most comfortable
go downhill:  become unsuccessful
I figured:  I thought
coming up with:  thinking of
hot shot guy:  very important person
ignored:  didn’t focus on
distracted:  not focusing on the right thing
antidepressants:  medicine that makes you feel happy, like Prozac
black cloud:  bad feelings
clients:  people who buy your service
sustain it:  keep it going

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Matt Cutts

head of the Webspam team at Google, a company he joined as a software engineer in 2000.  He wrote the first version of SafeSearch, Google’s parental control program.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

in a rut:  doing the same things day after day (idiom)
follow in the footsteps:  do the same thing as another person (idiom)
it turns out:  the result is (idiom)
habit:  an activity that you do without thinking
subtract:  stop doing
challenges:  difficult actions
(time) flying by:  (time) passing quickly (idiom)
memorable:  easy to remember
self-confidence:  feeling of being able to do things
computer nerd:  a person who knows computers really well
adventurous:  willing to do new things
novel:  a book created by someone’s imagination
from scratch:  from nothing (idiom)
sleep deprived:  not getting enough sleep
awful:  terrible
sustainable:  lasting for a long time
stick:  continue forever
guarantee:  promise
give it a shot:  try it, do it (idiom)
© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Arianna Huffington

a Greek-American author best known for her news website The Huffington Post.  She was named number 12 in Forbes’ Magazine’s first-ever list of the Most Influential Women in Media.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

dormant:  present but not active
Type A:  people who work long hours everyday
sleep deprived:  not getting enough sleep
fainted:  fell to the ground unconscious
exhaustion:  having no energy at all
stitches:  sewing of the skin
productive:  doing more things
inspired:  having a lot of motivation
lead the way:  go first
virility symbol:  a thing that makes a man feel masculine
bragged:  said proudly
brilliant:  very smart
IQ:  intelligence quotient, smartness
crises:  dangerous situations
gratitude:  thankfulness
effectiveness:  ability to work well
urge:  strongly want
© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Neil Pasricha

a blogger whose blog, “1000 Awesome Things,” is visited by millions of people.  The blog shows people the free, easy joys that make life sweet.  His blog has won two Webby Awards, the Internet’s highest honor.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

taking for granted:  accepting as normal
settled down:  decided to live in one place
sitcom:  funny TV show
tougher:  harder, more difficult
heavy:  serious
brink:  edge
collapse:  death, end
livelihoods:  ways to make money
challenging:  difficul
dark clouds:  sadness
the positives:  the good things
mood: general feeling
blogs:  websites where someone keeps adding new things
skyrocket:  go up very fast
fake:  not real
overshadowed:  made less importance
lumps and bumps:  troubles
doom and gloom:  hopelessness, sadness
move forward:  leave the past behind
hanging out with:  being with
centerpiece:  flowers in the middle of the table
embracing:  loving
authenticity:  being yourself
NFL:  National Football League
chicks:  women
fulfilled:  satisfied with life
atlas:  a book of maps of the world
fleeting:  passing quickly
© 2014 Ambien Malecot

Aimee Mullins learned to walk on artificial legs and then run.  She broke records at the Paralympic Games in 1996.   She is a model, actor, and supporter of women and sports.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

curious:  wanting to know
influences:  teaches indirectly
unruly:  without order, too excited
disabled:  unable to do normal things like walking
potential:  possibilities
attendees:  people who attend a conference
decade:  a period of ten years
form:  the shape of something
function:  what something does
aesthetics:  the beauty of something
numerous:  a large number, many
prosthetic:  an artificial body part
stunning:  very beautiful
transform:  change
polyurethane: a kind of plastic
door jams:  the top of doors
profoundly: very much
augmentation:  becoming better than normal

© 2014 Ambien Malecot