Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED – YouTube Dictation Transcript & Vocabulary
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Interactive Transcript & Highlights for Dictation
1.So in college, I was a government major, which means I had to write a lot of papers
2.Now, when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this
3.So, you know -- (Laughter) you get started maybe a little slowly, but you get enough done in the first week that, with some heavier days later on, everything gets done, things stay civil
4.(Laughter) And I would want to do that like that
5.That would be the plan
💡 Tap the highlighted words to see definitions and examples
Key Vocabulary (CEFR B1)
civilization
B2An organized culture encompassing many communities, often on the scale of a nation or a people; a stage or system of social, political or technical development.
Example:
"We're in an advanced civilization, and the Monkey does not know what that is."
importantly
B1(sentence adverb) Used to mark a statement as having importance.
Example:
"And importantly, he's the only thing the Monkey is terrified of."
sneakiest
A2Difficult to catch due to constantly outwitting the adversaries
Example:
"but remember: the Monkey's sneakiest trick"
hypothesis
A2Used loosely, a tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation. As a scientific term of art, see the attached quotation. Compare to theory, and quotation given there.
Example:
"Now, I had a hypothesis"
interviews
A2An official face-to-face meeting of monarchs or other important figures.
Example:
"and ends much, much later with us watching interviews"
literally
A2Word for word; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor
Example:
"Literally thousands of emails came in,"
engineers
A2A person who is qualified or professionally engaged in any branch of engineering.
Example:
"These are people who were nurses, bankers, painters, engineers"
especially
A2(manner) In a special manner; specially.
Example:
"especially since we've already used a bunch of those."
amazing
A2To fill with wonder and surprise; to astonish, astound, surprise or perplex.
Example:
""This guy is amazing!""
obvious
B2Easily discovered, seen, or understood; self-explanatory.
Example:
"it's not that obvious, but just take a look, OK?"
| Word | CEFR | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| civilization | B2 | An organized culture encompassing many communities, often on the scale of a nation or a people; a stage or system of social, political or technical development. |
| importantly | B1 | (sentence adverb) Used to mark a statement as having importance. |
| sneakiest | A2 | Difficult to catch due to constantly outwitting the adversaries |
| hypothesis | A2 | Used loosely, a tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation. As a scientific term of art, see the attached quotation. Compare to theory, and quotation given there. |
| interviews | A2 | An official face-to-face meeting of monarchs or other important figures. |
| literally | A2 | Word for word; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor |
| engineers | A2 | A person who is qualified or professionally engaged in any branch of engineering. |
| especially | A2 | (manner) In a special manner; specially. |
| amazing | A2 | To fill with wonder and surprise; to astonish, astound, surprise or perplex. |
| obvious | B2 | Easily discovered, seen, or understood; self-explanatory. |
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Grammar & Pronunciation Tips for Dictation Practice
Chunking
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Linking
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Intonation
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