Uploaded June 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Would you pay to listen to Professor Ariely giving a poetry reading? Or is he so terrible that you would have to be paid to endure the ordeal? Amazingly people are not sure – even after they have been given a ‘sample recital’. If they were then asked ‘How much would you be prepared to pay to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable; if they were asked ‘How much would they have to pay you to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable too! The Moral: The way an experience is framed can often determine how it is going to be perceived – not only in terms of degree (e.g. very vs somewhat difficult / easy / painful etc.) but even in terms of whether it is positive or negative!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
Would you pay to listen to Professor Ariely giving a poetry reading? Or is he so terrible that you would have to be paid to endure the ordeal? Amazingly people are not sure – even after they have been given a ‘sample recital’. If they were then asked ‘How much would you be prepared to pay to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable; if they were asked ‘How much would they have to pay you to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable too! The Moral: The way an experience is framed can often determine how it is going to be perceived – not only in terms of degree (e.g. very vs somewhat difficult / easy / painful etc.) but even in terms of whether it is positive or negative!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
![Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 3 [Tottenham]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ybkqUWw3i5o/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 3 [Tottenham]
[To download a worksheet (+ KEY, + Script) just click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC3QwWZuGXdQkwxY3RheVJDVHM/view?usp=sharing ]
Scientists have recently discovered a new human (sub-)species. It’s called ‘Homo Devis’. Most of us plebs refer to them as ‘the super posh’ and ‘the filthy rich’, though people have been known to use other names as well… These people live differently, they think differently, they speak differently.
A brilliant comment on class stratification by the very talented Catherine Tate. Taken from the BBC TV Series ‘The Catherine Tate Show’. Level: C1 – C2 Topics: Rich – Poor / Class / Discrimination / Values.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this audio clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
A: And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon Englands mountains green?
S: Oh mummy, I do enjoy our visits to Gillaume.
D: He really is the greatest ….charcutier (sic).... in London – if not the home counties!
M: (suddenly concerned) Good God in heaven above!
D: What is it?
M: I must have taken a wrong turning… We seem to have driven into a place called ‘Tottenham’! *
S: Mummy, look! What’s that?!? * Can we feed him?
M: No, if you do that he may follow us, so… *
S: Mummy, this is scary… I’m looking but everyone is wearing brogues! *
M: Calm down, we must remember the time when we were on safari in the Serengeti. * We keep the windows and doors locked, and don’t let the locals see the windscreen wipers moving, in case they try to rip them off… *
S: Mummy, look at this! (sign says ‘Iceland.co.uk’) *
M: Yes, I’ve heard of that; * I think they sell…
D: Sell what, mummy?
M: …frozen food… * Now try not to panic, but the traffic lights are red, and there’s a man standing next to them with a bucket of dirty water and a sponge… * Just smile and look out front. .... * (the man knocks on the windscreen) * Don’t look him in the eyes! He wants you to look him in the eyes, but you mustn’t! *
S: He’s going away – we did it!
D: I can’t wait to tell them at school – ‘My Day in Tottenham’… *
A: (the man splashes soapy water on the windscreen and they all scream) We’re all going to die!! **")
