Listening Practice: Ted.com Video

Título: Dan Pink The Surprising Science of Motivation

🎥 Duration: 30 minutes
📘 Level: Upper-intermediate +
🎯 Language Focus: Listening Comprehension
🧠 Objective: Understanding video, Current Event, Vocabulary

Watch the Talk

Dan Pink on the Surprising Science of Motivation

Watch as Dan Pink tells us about motivation in the workplace.
What motivates you at work? At school? In general?

Vocabulary

Look at the definitions before watching. As you watch, look for the words in context.

• To dust off: to make something usable after it has not been used for a long time

• Reward (noun/verb): something given or received as compensation / to give someone compensation for something

• Tasks (noun): responsibilities or duties at work

• “Carrots and sticks”: expression used to describe a system of positive feedback (carrots) and negative feedback (getting hit with a stick)

• Employee turnover: the rate at which employees leave a company

  • Example: “This company has high turnover; employees only stay for 1 year and then leave.”

• To narrow/to widen focus: to reduce or increase in width – in this case, to restrict or amplify focus

• White collar vs. blue collar:

  • White collar jobs → trained professionals in non-labor-related jobs (e.g. politician, professor)

  • Blue collar jobs → generally labor-related jobs (e.g. mechanic, construction worker)

• To sponsor: to finance/provide money for a project or event

  • Example: “Nike is the official sponsor of the Olympic Games.”

• Outdated (adj): not current, old-fashioned

  • Example: “Writing letters is a bit outdated. Nowadays, people send emails or SMS.”

Comprehension Questions

Part 1 (to min 5:00)

1. Why does Dan mention his law school past?

2. What is the “candle experiment”?

   • What does it prove?

Part 2 (min 5:00–12:15)

1. What is the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation?

2. What was Dan Ariely’s study? What were its conclusions?

   • Is there a cultural bias (subjectivity) in these experiments?

Part 3 (min 12:15–end)

1. What are the three elements of intrinsic motivation?

2. Give examples of autonomy.

Discussion

After you watch:
Do you agree with Dan Pink? Why or why not?