5 Minute Fluency - Volume I

5 Minute Fluency - Volume I
35 Lessons for Learning on the Go

1. Do You Need a Doctor to Speak Better English?!...................4
2. Delayed Gratification The Secret to Success?!....................6
3. The Sunshine Vitamin!............................................................8
4. How to Improve Your Pronunciation: Shadowing!.................10
5. The Power of Human Touch!.................................................12
6. Turmeric The Wonder Spice!..............................................14
7. Earthships Sustainable Homes of the Future!....................16
8. Extensive Reading for Better Fluency!..................................18
9. Eagle Creek Travel Bags!......................................................20
10. Stress the Natural Mosquito Repellant!............................21
11. Cell Phones The New Cigarettes?!...................................23
12. English Pronunciation Poem!...............................................25
13. How To Pass The Hardest Test!...........................................27
14. Top 5 Regrets of the Dying!.................................................29
15. The Power of Visualization!.................................................31
16. Visualizing Your Future Success!........................................33
17. The Real Chocolate!............................................................36
18. Music and Learning!............................................................38
19. The Purpose of Life!............................................................40
20. Are You Creative? Take the Test!.........................................43
21. Deep Breathing for Well Being!...........................................46
22. Power Your Body Power Your Mind!.................................48
23. Guinea Pigs as Food Source?!............................................50
24. The 80/20 Rule For English Learners!.................................52

25. How to Travel the World For Free!.......................................55
26. Make Practicing English Easier On Yourself!.......................57
27. Can Money Buy Happiness?!..............................................60
28. Can You Make Better Decisions in English?!......................62
29. Want To Eat Healthier? Try Sleeping More!.........................64
30. What Is Your Body Mass Index?!.........................................66
31. The Smell of Romance!.......................................................68
32. The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15!....................................70
33. Alex Grey: a Unique Artist!...................................................74
34. Walking Your Way To Fluency!............................................76
35. One Way Ticket To Mars!.....................................................78

1. Do You Need a Doctor to Speak Better English?
-----> Click Here to Get the Lesson Online <-----
Photo by Helga Weber
Do you need to see a doctor to speak better English? Asmall group of people
in Koreathink so. These people believe that Korean children have naturally
shorter tongues than Americans, and this stops them from correctly
pronouncing English sounds. These parents are so worried that their children
wont speak correct English that they bring them to the doctor to get an
operation on their tongue. These operations are calledfrenectomies. During
frenectomies, the doctors cut the tissue under the tongue. This is supposed to
make the tongue more flexible and more able to pronounce English sounds.
What do you think? Is a doctor the answer for English learners? There are a
lot of crazy ideas about how to learn English out there, but this is maybe the
craziest. If Korean children really had a problem with theirtongues, than
Koreans born in America would also have trouble with their English
pronunciation. Of course, this isnt true. There are over one million Korean-
Americans in the US and Im sure all of their children speak perfect English.
Just like all children around the world, they learn by speaking a lot and
listening a lot. Their tongues have nothing to do with it.
Unfortunately, this silly operation doesnt just happen in Korea. Recentlya

young British college studentwho is studying Korean had a reverse operation
on her tongue to help her learn to speak better Korean! What do you think
about this operation? Let us know in the comments or onour Facebook page.
2. Delayed Gratification The Secret to Success?
Photo by flattop341
Whats the secret to success in life? Some people think that delayed
gratification is the secret to success.Delayed gratificationmeans to give up
pleasure now to get a greater reward in the future. Here is an easy example:
You stop yourself from eating junk food during the winter, so when summer
comes, you will look good at the beach.
In 1972 there wasan experiment. It tested childrens ability to delay

gratification. In this experiment a researcher offered a small child a choice.
The child could have one marshmallow now or 2 marshmallows if the child
could wait for 15 minutes. The researcher left the child alone in the room with
one marshmallow on a tray. The child was filmed with a secret video camera.
Most of the children couldnt wait and soon ate the marshmallow.
However, about 30% were able delay gratification and get the second
marshmallow. Interestingly, the children were tested for the next 30 years and
guess what? The ones who could wait for the second marshmallow
weremore successfullater in life! They got higher test scores in school. They
had fewer problems with drugs. They were much more likely to go to college.
They had lower body fat. And they made more money as adults. Delayed
gratification is a type ofself-control. We can all benefit from it. And we can use
it to be successful.
The children in this experiment used a lot of techniques to delay gratification

and control themselves. You can see how they act in the video below. Some
turn around so dont see the tray and the marshmallow. Some cover their
eyes so they cant see the marshmallow. Some kick the desk. Some pull their
hair. Others stroke the marshmallow as if it were a doll. These are all
techniques to control their focus. They are childish techniques, but they work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo4WF3cSd9Q&feature=player_embedded
-!
These children were lucky to develop self-control from a young age. But,
many people think that adults can also develop self-control through practice.
With that self-control they become more successful and reach their goals.
What about you? How much self-control do you have? What techniques do
you use to delay gratification now to get greater rewards later? Let us know
what you think in the comments.
3. The Sunshine Vitamin
Photo by Matt McGee
We all know that exercise and diet are very important for our health. However,
another really important way to stay healthy is to get plenty of sunshine. When
sunlight hits our skin, we turn it intoVitamin D. Vitamin D is super important
for staying healthy. People who havelow levels of Vitamin Dhave higher
rates of illness, such as cancer, bone problems, heart disease, and even the
common cold.
Did you know that humans spend less time in the sun today than at any point
in human history? Its true! Due to modern city life, people spend more time
indoors than ever before. Also, the companies who sell sun-block cream
influence us tocover our skin in chemicals, preventing us from getting natural
Vitamin D. The point is, most of us arent getting enough vitamin D to stay
strong and healthy.
Of course, we have to be careful not to get a sunburn (which can also cause
skin cancer), but we should all try to get a good dose of sunshine on our skin
each day, especially in the winter months. Best of all, sunshine is free and it
feels good on our skin. So get out and spend more time in the sun. Its a great
way to stay healthy.
Heres a cute video on the benefits of Vitamin D. Enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrBIDdgFTRc&feature=player_embedded
4. How to Improve Your Pronunciation: Shadowing
Part 1
Before we talk about improving you pronunciation, I have a question for you.
What did English sound like before you learned English? Did it sound
completely alien? Did it sound like nonsense? Maybe this video will help you
remember. When you finish watching, play the next recording and lets talk
about improving your pronunciation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZXcRqFmFa8&feature=player_embedded
Part 2
Did you understand the song? Dont worry, I didnt understand it either. Its not
English. Hes singing nonsense that sounds like English. Even for me, a
native English speaker, it sounds like English. Its nonsense but the tones and
rhythm are close to English tones and rhythms. This guy has a natural talent
for getting the pronunciation, sounds, tones and rhythms of English, without
actually speaking real English.
At Deep English, we believe that meaningful English is the best way to

improve, but sometimes its good practice to try something completely
different. Try stepping away from the meaning and just experience the
language in a musical way. Just like music, each language has a rhythm and
a melody. The speed and stress makes the rhythm and the intonation makes
the melody.
A technique calledshadowingis a good way to work on your pronunciation,

rhythm and intonation. Shadowing is a technique where you practice
repeating after the speaker as soon as possible. This is different than a
normal listen and repeat technique. Dont wait and listen to the whole
sentence and then repeat. You want to repeat as soon as possible almost at
the same time as the speaker. Watch this video to see an example:
Part 3
Photo by Nattu
Ok, now you know the technique. You can use any English content. Try it with
one of the downloads you received in ourfree one-week course. Remember,
dont read along. This is a listening and speaking activity.
Also, YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES! This is normal. Dont stop the recording
and try to get it perfect. Just continue. Worry will only slow you down. Using
the shadowing technique, you dont worry about the pronunciation or
understanding the meaning. If the content you choose is too fast, try using the
slow speed sample we gave you in the free one week course.
Shadowing works with any kind of English content, but the best choice is
meaningful and interesting English. Check out our4-month True Stories
courseto get the best in meaningful English learning content.
5. The Power of Human Touch
Photo by Unhindered by Talent
Do you want to be a better communicator?

Do you want to be physically and mentally healthier?
Do you want to perform better in whatever you do in life?
If you answered yes to these questions, then you might need more human
touch.
Thats right:touch. Its the first language we learn as babies. And its one of
the best ways to communicate our emotions. There are three main benefits
that come from human touch.
The first isbetter communication. We can communicate better when we

touch others. This is especially true if you are speaking in a foreign language.
This could be a handshake, a high five, a hand on the shoulder, a hug, or a
touch on the arm; whatever is appropriate for the situation. Touch builds trust,
and so it can make a relationship much stronger and more satisfying.
The second isbetter health. Human touch reduces stress and blood
pressure almost immediately. And we all know that stress is one of the main
causes of sickness and disease. So if you are feeling anxious or depressed or
simply stressed out, being touched by another person is one of the best
cures.
Finally there isbetter performance. Interestingly, touch can actually improve

your performance in whatever you do.Scientists in Californiastudied the
touch habits amongst professional NBA basketball teams. They found that the
most successful teams were the ones that touched each other the most
during the game: hugs, high fives, bumps, on so on. Interesting, huh?
Here are two more examples oftouch improving performance:

1. Students who received a touch on the back or arm from a teacher were
twice as likely to volunteer in class than those who were not touched.
2. Patients reported visits from a doctor were twice as long when they
were touched by that doctor, than patients who were not touched. But
the length of the doctors visit was the same in both groups.
In sum, touch is a powerful way to improve the quality of your life. And as a
language speaker, how can touch help you to become a better
communicator? Do you think human touch can help you perform better when
speaking English? What is your opinion?
6. Turmeric The Wonder Spice
Photo by Carol Mitchell
Most of us love to eat delicious food. We also want to stay healthy, strong,
and energetic. Well, there is a bright yellow spice from the East that we can
put in our food to help us do both. Its calledTurmeric.
For thousands of years, turmeric has been used as a dye, a spice, and a
medicine in South East Asia, India, and the Middle East. It has long been
known for its health properties, but recently Western scientists have
discovered just howpowerful of a medicineturmeric really is. It can help
prevent cancer andAlzheimers disease, reduceinflammation, lower
cholesterol, improve our liver function, and more.
Because turmeric is so healthy and delicious, we should try to use more of it

when we cook. For example, it tastes great with onions, garlic, curries,
steamed vegetables, and eggs. And one of my all-time favorite dishes
isturmeric chicken.
So, make sure you have some turmeric on your spice rack and use it often,
because there is nothing better than delicious food that keeps you healthy.
How often do you use turmeric when you cook? Is turmeric expensive where
you live? Do you know of any good turmeric recipes from your home country?
Let us know in the comments below.
7. Earthships Sustainable Homes of the Future
Photo by Todd Dwyer
Have you ever wondered what homes of the future will be like? In our opinion,
they will be cheap, environmentally friendly, easy to build, and will use
sustainable energy sources. Actually, these types of homes already exist.
They are calledEarthships.
An Earthship is made from natural and recycled materials like tires, cans,
bottles, earth, used wood, and plastic. Also, they areoff-the-grid homes,
meaning that they do not need to rely on public utilities (like electricity) which
is usually generated with fossil fuels or nuclear power. The burning of fossil
fuels leads to pollution and global warming, while nuclear power plants can be
highly poisonous if they leak.
Earthships rely mostly on (the) sun and the wind for their energy. They
alsoharvest rain waterfor drinking and bathing, and recycle that water for
washing clothes, watering the garden, and for flushing the toilet. And some
Earthships havetheir own greenhouse, where they grow herbs and
vegetables all year round.
Wow! A house made of garbage and used materials? That must really look
ugly, right? Well, on the contrary, these Earthships are trulyworks of art. Have
a look atsome of the photosand youll see what we mean. And best of all,
they are cheaper to build than most conventional homes, especially since
most of the materials are free or very cheap to collect.
What do you think of Earthships? Would you like to live in one? Would you
like to build one? Do you think sustainable living is important? Let us know in
the comments below. Remember, the last step of the Deep English method is:
Use it or lose it!
Also, watch the trailer for a documentary about Earthships below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEg74ZMP4tM&feature=player_embedded
8. Extensive Reading for Better Fluency
Photo by Striatic
Would you like to become a more fluent English speaker? Your answer is
probably, yes. But did you know that to become more fluent, you need lots
and lots of practice? And to do that, you need more contact hours with the
English language. That is, you need a lot of input that you can actually
understand. You know, you can be surrounded by English speakers all the
time, but if you cant understand them, then you wont progress as quickly.
So what should you do? Well, one way to increase your
contact hours with English that you can actually understand
is through a practice calledextensive reading. The idea is
that you choose books to read that are very easy to
understand, and you then read lots and lots of them. For
most learners, this involves usinggraded readers, that is,
books written using the most common English words for
people who are not yet fluent at English. And if you read at a
level just at or just below your actual level, then you can read easily and
smoothly. Then you can focus on the actual content of what you are reading
instead of the language itself.
When you can just enjoy the story, then you can forget about the language.
And then guess what? You are exposing your mind to many different English
patterns over and over again. And if you see a new vocabulary word, you just
skip right over it and infer the meaning. Youll see it again anyway. You dont
actually need a dictionary. You simply internalize these vocabulary words and
sentence patterns. And then when you go to speak, the patterns can express
themselves through your speech since you have seen them so many times.
Interesting, huh?
If you want to try extensive reading, you will need to get some graded readers
from the library. Some popular graded reader series areOxford
Bookworms,Cambridge English Readers,Penguin Active Reading, and so
on. If your local library does not have any graded readers, then urge your
librarian to purchase them. They will be a great community resource for
everyone.
Let us know what you think about extensive reading.

9. Eagle Creek Travel Bags
How would you like to use a high quality travel bag at an extremely low price?
Well, its possible if you buy a bag from a company calledEagle Creek. They
have alifetime warrantyon their travel bags. That means they fully guarantee
their bags against wear and tear. If the bag ever rips, or the zipper ever
breaks, all you have to do is send the bag back to the company, and they will
either repair it or replace it with a brand new one!
I bought my first Eagle Creek bag back in 1991, and I still use it. Twice the
zipper has broken, once in 1995 and the second time in 2001. Both times the
company gave me brand new bags of the same size and type. I spent about
200 dollars to buy the bag originally. So after 20 years of use, that comes out
to 10 dollars per year, or less than a dollar a month! And they are great bags,
too, designed by travelers for travelers.
So if you are looking for a good bargain, I highly recommendEagle

Creektravel bags. They are the best and, in the long run, the cheapest.
Watch this short video demonstrating the great design of Eagle Creek travel
bags:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTPzhRsW-No&feature=player_embedded
What do you think? Do you think the company is crazy for offering a lifetime
warranty? Would you buy an Eagle Creek Travel Bag?
10. Stress the Natural Mosquito Repellant
Photo by mfophotos
Stress. We often hear about how bad it is. Stress can harm your body and
mind, and can lead to many different illnesses. Interestingly however,
scientists are learning that stress might actually protect you from the worlds
deadliest animal:the mosquito.
Did you know that themosquito kills more peopleevery year than any other
animal on earth? This is because mosquitoes carry the diseasemalaria,
which kills close to 3 million people each year, many of them children.
Anyway, nobody likes mosquito bites. And in order to protect ourselves, we
cover our skin with nasty chemicals likeDEET to keep those mosquitoes
away. Some of those chemicals are actually quite harmful to the human body
as well.
But now,scientists are discoveringthat when we are stressed, our skin

releases a natural chemical a hormone that repels mosquitoes. Thats
right, the skin of people with stress actually smells bad to mosquitoes, and
therefore keeps them away! So, scientists are now trying reproduce that
hormone in the lab, so that they can develop a safer, more natural mosquito
repellant.
So the next time you are at a summer barbeque with your friends and family,
pay attention to who doesnt get bitten by mosquitoes. It might actually be the
most stressed out person of all!
11. Cell Phones The New Cigarettes?
Photo by Ricardo Liberato
I sometimes wonder if cell phones are the new cigarettes. Now Im not talking
about addiction, even though some young people seem to be addicted to their
cell phones by checking their text messages every five or ten minutes. But
what Im talking about is the long-term health risks of cell phone usage.
You see, back in the 1940s and 1950s people were smoking cigarettes
frequently, and it was very popular and very en vogue to smoke cigarettes.
Everybody was doing it! But the population at large did not understand the
long-term health risks of cigarettes. It wasnt until the late 60s and early 70s
that lots ofmedical research came outthat linked smoking cigarettes with lung
cancer. Only then did people become more concerned, more worried about
their cigarette smoking habits. And I wonderis the same thing happening
with cell phones?
You know, cell phoneshavent really been around that long. I remember first
seeing them in the 1990s. So Im wondering if cell phones are actuallyjust as
dangerous as cigarettes. You see, cell phones emit, or give off, lots
ofelectromagnetic radiation, and when you place a cell phone next to your
ear, youre placing it next to your brain. And that electromagnetic radiation hits
your brain cells. And if you are doing this on a daily basis, its possible that it
could be damaging your DNA and perhaps even causing cancerous tumors to
form over time.
Now there has been someresearch that has come outin the last five years or
so that suggests there may bea danger to cell phone usage, especially in
children, whose brains are very susceptible to this kind of radiation. So, if you
are using a cell phone, I think you should consider using it on speakerphone
or getting a special headset that allows you to talk with the phone away from
your head rather than next to it. I would be concerned about that. Be careful.
12. English Pronunciation Poem
Photo by h.koppdelaney
Below is an excerpt from the classic poem,The Chaos (1922). It was written
by Charivarius, also known as Gerard Nolst Trenit(1870~1946).
Listen and read. Try to pronounce the words. Do shadowing.
Download audio file (thechaos1.mp3)
(right-click, save-as)
Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.
Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how its written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.
Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciations OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.
Read more
13. How To Pass The Hardest Test
Photo by Budzlife
The Navy Sealshave one of the most difficult tests in the world. The test not
only requires an incredible amount of physical strength, it also requires a lot of
mental toughness and will power. On average, 75% of soldiers who enterNavy
Sealschool voluntarily quit or suffer injuries that force them to quit. The Navy
has found that teaching 4 simple psychological techniques has successfully
increased passing rates.
Goal Settingis the first technique. Navy Seals in training are taught to not
only make long-term goals but also mid-term and short-term goals. Their
training is very stressful and they are taught to focus not on finishing the 2-
week course but just to survive until lunch or just to complete the next activity.
Mental Rehearsalis the second technique. Navy Seals in training are taught
to visualize themselves succeeding. They dont just think about succeeding.
They practice the tests in their mind and see themselves succeeding.
Self-Talkis the third technique. Humans have the ability to mentally say over
700 words a minute. A surprisingly large number of these words are negative.
Seals in training are taught to talk positively to themselves even though they
are often tested in very stressful and dangerous situations.
Arousal Controlis the fourth technique. Navy seals in training are taught to
control their breathing and relax when they face challenges. People under
stress release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that can make it difficult
to think. With breath control, they are able to slow their heart rate and focus
on the challenges in a calm way.
Even though this is one of the most difficult tests in the world, these 4 simple
techniques increased passing rates from 25% to 33%. While youre probably
not training to become an elite soldier, these ideas can be applied to many
different goals. When youre making your goals and plans for the new year,
dont just decide what you want to achieve. Take some time to think about
how you will do it. What mental techniques can you use to help you achieve
your goals?
14. Top 5 Regrets of the Dying
Photo by steve_steady64
What can people at the end of life teach us about how to live? Bonnie Ware
has taken care of people in the last stages of life for many years. She often
asked them during their last weeks and days about their biggest regrets. If
they could do things again, what would they change?Here is what they said:
1. I wish Id had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life
others expected of me.
This was the number one regret that Bonnie heard. When the end is near
people often remember all the dreams that they didnt follow.
2. I wish I didnt work so hard.

Many people told Bonnie that they became so focused on making money that
they didnt spend enough time with their partners and children. When they
were on their deathbed, they realized that time with their family was more
important than having more money.
3. I wish Id had the courage to express my feelings.

A lot of people said that they would have been happier if they had been more
honest about their feelings. These people had pushed their true feeling down
and worried too much about what other people thought.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

In their last days of life, many people thought back to all the wonderful
friendships they had had and felt bad that they had lost contact with them.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Many dying people also told Bonnie that they wish they had been more open
to change. Happiness is a choice. Over the years they had followed the same
patterns and closed the door on new choices that could have made them
happier.
Bonnie Ware haswritten a bookabout these 5 regrets in hopes that people

will learn from the dying about how to live a fuller life.
15. The Power of Visualization
Photo by Patrick Hoesly
To visualize means to create an image in the mind. So,visualizationis the act

of creating an image in the mind. And we can use visualization to improve our
performance in whatever we do in life.
The Experiment
How does it work? Well, lets first look to the results of avisualization
experiment performed by a doctor named Blaslotto at the University of
Chicago in 1996. Dr. Blaslotto wanted to find out whether or not visualization
improves performance, and he chose shooting free-throws with a basketball
as the activity for his test. Then he gathered together a random group of
students and measured their percentages of free-throws made. After that, he
divided the students into three groups and asked them to perform three
separate tasks over a 30-day period.
The Results
The first groupwas told not to even touch a basketball for 30 days; no
playing or practicing at all.
The second groupwas told to practice shooting free-throws for a half-hour a
day for 30 days.
The third groupwas asked to simply close their eyes and visualize
themselves making free-throws for a half-hour a day for all 30 days. They did
not even touch a basketball.
So what do you think happened? Well, the first group showed no

improvement in their free-throw percentages. And not surprisingly, the second
group, who practiced every day, showed a 24% improvement. So what about
the third group, the one who only visualized shooting free-throws? Well, they
showed a 23% improvement, which is virtually identical to the group who
actually practiced with a ball.
So this experiment suggests thatvisualization is equally as effective as

doing the real thing!And if visualization works for shooting free-throws, then
it should also work for any type of mental/physical task, including language
speaking.
What About English Speaking?

What if instead of complaining about not having a conversation partner
what if you visualized yourself having a conversation with another person in
English? What if you spent 30 minutes a day speaking English in your mind,
on a variety of topics? What if you imagined yourself at a job interview,
answering difficult questions? Or what if you visualized yourself in a debate at
a meeting or a discussion at a party?
In my opinion, visualization is a powerful mental activity that should not

overlooked by English learners, especially during those moments of the day
where there isnt much else to do, like riding a train, jogging, taking a bath,
etc. Start visualizing yourself as a successful, fluent English speaker and you
might be surprised at the eventual results.
16. Visualizing Your Future Success
Photo by Andria
Last week we talked aboutvisualization and English learning.We learned

about basketball players who imagine shooting better in their minds and then
they do better in real life. This is a common experience in the sports world.
We also talked about how you can imagine conversations in your head. You
can think of different situations and imagine how you would start or continue a
conversation. This is a very useful kind of visualization but today we want to
talk about a different kind of visualization. You could call this Future Self
Visualization.
Imagining your future self is imagining who you will become.Your ideal
self. Your most successful future self. This is not dreaming. This is deciding
who you want to become and then regularly focusing your mind on it. All
success begins in the mind with our ideas. We need to choose carefully what
we focus on because this will affect the speed and the direction that we move.
So what is your ideal image as an English learner?Is it being able to
speak smoothly? Is it being able to easily understand native speakers?
Decide who you want to become and imagine it in as much detail as you can.
This is your future self. Make your image as positive and bright as you can.
How does it feel? This is your future self but you want to feel it now as
strongly as you can.
Before you can imagine strongly,you need to look deeply at yourself.What

negative ideas do you have that can stop you from being successful? What
are your biggest fears as an English speaker? What are your problem areas?
Is it listening, speaking, pronunciation, conversation skill, motivation? How do
you feel when you have problems? Embarrassed, shy, stressed? Think about
it carefully. Now, I want you to write your answers down. Next we need to
transform these negative images into positive ones. What is the complete
opposite of these fears? Thats the future self we want to visualize.
Lets look at some of the comments from Deep English members. One
member writes, I feel embarrassed and stressed when I speak in English.
Ok, thats normal. But lets look at the opposite of feeling embarrassed and
stressed.The opposite is feeling relaxed, feeling comfortable around
English speakers, feeling confident as you communicate easily.
Another Deep English member writes, I feel embarrassed when I make
mistakes. Ok, thats also normal. Whats the opposite of feeling embarrassed
about mistakes?The opposite is not caring about mistakes.The opposite
is understanding that communication is important. Mistakes dont make
successful English speakers feel bad. Successful English speakers are too
busy communicating to worry about mistakes.
Now lets think about why you want to be able to communicate better in
English.Are you looking to meet people from other cultures? Are you hoping
for a new job? Do you want to travel the world with the confidence that comes
with speaking a global language? There are many reasons to learn English.
What are your reasons? Imagine yourself doing these things. Imagine the
feelings of connection or adventure or new opportunities that come with those
experiences. Imagine this future but see it and feel it like its happening now.
Make your image as positive and bright as you can.
Ok, lets go through the 3 main points one more time.

One:Visualization is not just imagining conversation. Another kind of
visualization is imagining your future self, your ideal self, the most successful
self that you can be.
Two:Before you start visualizing this, identify your fears. Then transform
them. Find the opposite and visualize it. This is your future self but feel it now.
Three:Think about why you want your English to improve. How will being
more fluent in English change your life? Visualize these new experiences.
Now of course, visualization isnt magic. We dont just imagine fluent English
and then magically were fluent. Thats silly. But visualization does work.
Visualization does lead to success. Why? We believe that visualization helps
you connect with your potential. Of course we have many potential futures.
We have the potential to be great.
We also have the potential to be lazy.
We have the potential to be powerful.
We also have the potential to be fearful
We have the potential to be successful with all our goalsbut we need to

connect with this successful potential in the mind first. Visualization is a great
tool for connecting us and guiding us towards our potential for success.
Napoleon Hill, an expert in the psychology of success once said,Whatever
the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.Say that
together with me. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can
achieve. To conceive is another way of saying imagine or visualize. Visualize
strongly so you really believe it. And finally achieve. One more time, say it with
me. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
17. The Real Chocolate
Photo by 96dpi
Valentines Dayhas arrived, and that means chocolate is going to be bought

and eaten by people all over the world. Most people would describe chocolate
as a sweet, and they are totally right. Most of the chocolate sold in stores is
processed with sugar, milk, and other additives. That makes it a junk food.
And as everyone knows, that kind of chocolate is not only bad for your teeth,
but it is also bad for your body.Sugar is like a poisonin your blood if you eat
too much of it.
However,chocolate, in its purest form is actuallya very healthy thing to eat!

Im talking about dark, unprocessed, bitter, raw cacao; not your average
processed milk chocolate candy. Dark, unsweetened chocolate contains
something calledflavonoids. Flavonoids are like a medicine. They are also
found in certain vegetables, fruits, red wine and teas, but there are much
more of them in raw chocolate. The flavonoids protect your body from many
diseases and illnesses. The flavonoids in dark chocolate, for example, protect
your heart from disease, lower your cholesterol, and can protect your brain
after a stroke.
But heres something perhaps even better about chocolate: eating it can make
you happy. Thats right. Chocolate also contains a substance called
phenylethylamine. Phenylethylamine is the same hormone that your brain
makes when you are in love. So eating good quality, organic, dark chocolate
can keep you healthy and make you happy. No wonder its associated with
the most romantic day of the year: February 14th, St. Valentines Day.
Can you get good quality dark chocolate where you live? Is it expensive? How
often do you eat or drink chocolate? Tell us what you think.
How to Make Your Own Raw Chocolate Bar

Check out this video on how to make a your own chocolate bar using all
natural ingredients, right in your own kitchen. Its easy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mMN8gPF28mU&feature=player_embedded
18. Music and Learning
Photo By Melissa
There is somerecent researchthat shows an interesting connection between

music and learning. Fabrice Dossville a researcher at a university in France
did an experiment with 249 students of sports psychology. He divided them
into two groups of equal academic ability. Each group listened to a one-hour
lecture on sports psychology. One group listened to classical music in the
background during the lecture. The other group listened to the lecture with no
music. After the lecture, they took a test to see how much they could
remember. The group that listened to classical music did much much better
on the test.
They are not sure why listening to classical music had a positive effect?
Would Jazz music also have had a positive effect? Why did their test scores
improve? Did it help the students focus? Did it change their mood to make
them more open to understanding new information? Did it somehow make
them more motivated?
No one is sure why it worked but successful language learners have been
using music to help them improve their English skills for years. Learning the
words to English songs is great for your English. The mixture of melody,
rhythm and the poetry of the words create emotional experiences that affect
us deeply. These deep emotional connections are perfect for learning and
remembering what we learn. Emotional connections help us remember not
only the vocabulary of the songs but also the grammar. And of course, music
is full of repetition. And repetition is the basis for all learning. So what music
should you listen to? Well, the music that touches you is best. The music that
makes you feel deeply is best. Everyone is different. Find the music that you
enjoy and search for the lyrics online. Youtube is also a great place to find
songs with the lyrics in the video. Heres one of my favorites. Post a song you
like in the comments or on our Facebook page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY6A5arNCQQ&feature=player_embedded
19. The Purpose of Life
Photo By Epicleptic
A lot of people think that the way to learn English is to study, study, study. And
then one day theyll be perfect. Work, work, work. And then one day, far in the
future, they will be successful. They will be 100% fluent and speak just like a
native speaker. 100% Perfectly.
What a sad way to live your life.Waiting for some day in the future, when
you will be perfect is a fools goal because you will never be perfect. Yeah,
thats right. You will never be perfect.
Dont feel bad.Being successful is not the same thing as being perfect.
Some of the most successful people in the world say that you should fail and
fail often. Why? Because through failure, you learn and grow.
Stop waiting to be perfect and start using English. You already know more
English than you think. Listen, speak and use the English you know and your
speaking and listening will improve.
Life is short.Dont miss the joy of using and growing your

Englishbecause youre so focused on some magical end goal of being
perfect some day
In this short video, the great philosopher Alan Watts talks about how music is
similar to life. The purpose of music is not the end. The purpose of music is to
sing and dance and enjoy the song. Watch this video and remember,you
dont need to understand every wordof the video perfectly. Try to
understand the main points and then use that information. Talk about it with a
friend. Andpost a comment about it on our facebook page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=WGoTmNU_5A0&feature=player_embedded
In music, one doesnt make the end of a composition the point of the
composition. If that were so, the best conductors would be those who played
fastest; and there would be composers who wrote only finales. People would
go to concerts only to hear one crashing chord, because thats the end.
But we dont see that as something brought by our education into our
everyday conduct. Weve got a system of schooling which gives a completely
different impression. Its all graded. And what we do is we put the child into
the corridor of this grade system, with a kind of cmon kitty kitty kitty and
you go to kindergarten, and thats a great thing, because when you finish that,
youll get into first grade. And then cmon, first grade leads to second grade,
and so on
And then you get out of grade school you go to high school, and its revving
up, the thing is coming then youre going to go to college, and by jove then
you get into graduate school, and when youre through with graduate school,
youll go out to join the world.
And then you get into some racket where youre selling insurance. And
theyve got that quota to make. And youre going to make that. And all the
time, this thing is coming, its coming, its coming, that great thing, the success
youre working for. Then when you wake up one day about forty years old, you
say My God! Ive arrived! Im there! and you dont feel very different from
what you always felt.
And theres a slight letdown, because you feel theres a hoax. And there was
a hoax. A dreadful hoax. They made you miss everything.
Because weve simply cheated ourselves, the whole way down the line. We
thought our life by analogy was a journey, with a pilgrimage, which had a
serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end. Success, or
whatever it is, or maybe heaven after youre dead.
But we missed the point the whole way along.

It was a musical thing, and you were supposed to sing, or to dance,
while the music was being played.
~Alan Watts
20. Are You Creative? Take the Test
Photo by See-ming Lee SML
Creativity is one of the keys to successful English. Translating every word in

your head doesnt work. You need to become comfortable using English in
different ways than you use words in your language. You also need to practice
finding creative ways to express yourself when you cant find the right words.
We are not robots. Memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules like a computer
will not make you fluent in English. Language is creative and you need to
have an open mind to improve your English skills.
Lets test your creativity. This is a famous test that has been given to
thousands of people around the world. It was made by a psychologist named
Karl Duncker in 1945.
Imagine this situation: You have only 3 things. You have a box of matches,
tacks and a candle. These 3 things are on a table next to a wall. Your goal is
to find a way to attach a lit candle to the wall. You must attach it above the
table in a way that candle wax wont spill onto the table.
Ok, lets review the vocabulary quickly: a lit candle, wax and tacks.
A lit candle is a candle that is on fire. Candles are made of wax. When you
light a candle, the candle will heat up and slowly melt into a liquid. This liquid
is also wax. The easiest way to understand tacks is to just look at the photo
below.
Ok, now we know the vocabulary. One more time, imagine the situation. You
have a box of matches, tacks, and a candle. You need to attach the candle to
the wall. The candle must be lit but the wax should not spill onto the table.
Ok, stop the recording and look at the photo. Think about the situation before
you listen to the answer in the next recording.
Listen to the Answer to the Candle Test

The answer to the candle test is to take the matches out of the box. Then use
the tacks to attach the box to the wall. Next, put the lit candle on the box. This
way the wax spills onto the box, not the table.
This creativity test is difficult for many people because they only think about 3
things: the candle, the tacks and the box of matches. People who found the
correct answer see the box of matches as more than one thing. Its not just
one tool for making fire. The box and the matches are two things with two
possible uses.
This test has been given to thousands of people over the years. In one
famous experiment it was given to business school students. Some students
had never lived in another country. Other students did have experience
studying abroad. The students who had experience living in another country
were much more creative and successful at finding the answer.
But why? Does studying abroad make you more creative? Maybe it wasnt the
experience of studying abroad that made them creative.Maybe it was their
experience learning and speaking a foreign language, that made them
creative.
When we speak another language, we need to be creative with words. The

new ways we put them together and the new ways we make meaning in
another language trains us to be creative.
If you didnt correctly answer the candle test, dont worry. Maybe you thought
of a different better answer. If so, write it in the comments.
Creativity is something that grows with practice.In the future well be

looking deeper at creativity and how you can train yourself to be a more
creative speaker.
21. Deep Breathing for Well Being
Photo by Tess Mayer
Have you ever thought about the connection between the breath, the mind,
and the body? We often hear about the connection between the mind and the
body, but rarely do we hear about the connection between the breath and the
mind/body complex. For centuries, meditation masters have taught us that
there is in fact a very close connection between the way we breathe and the
states of our minds and the conditions of our bodies.
Although this is actually a very complicated issue, lets keep it simple and say
that there are mainly two different types of breathing: shallow and deep.
Shallow breathing is when you breath in short bursts, taking air directly into
the lungs and back out again. The center of shallow breathing is the chest.
Deep breathing, on the other hand, is when you take slow, long breaths,
drawing lots of air into the lungs. The center of deep breathing is the
diaphragm, which is way down in your tummy, orabdomen.
It is said when people are excited, worried, anxious, angry, or sick, they
naturally are doing shallow breathing. And when people are feeling content,
relaxed, peaceful, and happy, they are naturally doing deep breathing. So in
these cases, breathing is a symptom, or a result, of their state of mind and
body.
However, some say that because the connection between the breath and the
mind/body state is so strong, that we can actually change the state of our
mind and body through the breath. If this is true, then we can actually bring
about a more peaceful, calm, happy feeling, simply by breathing deeply.
What is your breath like now? Is it shallow or deep? How much of the day do
you spend breathing in a shallow way? If you are like most people,you
spend more than 99% of your time doing shallow breathing. And if the
connection between breath and body is so strong, then all that shallow
breathing, day-to-day, may be leading to a states of mind and body that are
unwanted. And that will eventually lead to mental and physical illness.
Take a long, deep breath now. How does it make you feel? Take 10 more. And
then 20. And then try to be aware of your breathing throughout the day, taking
hundreds, and even thousands of deep breaths as you cook, wash the dishes,
work, watch TV, etc. Breathe your way to greater physical and mental well
being.
Basics of Deep Breathing

Watch this video on a simple technique for deep breathing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmP4hwGS-Hg&feature=player_embedded
What do you think about deep breathing? Tell us in the comments below.
22. Power Your Body Power Your Mind
Photo by: notsogoodphotography
Learning isnt all mental. Scientists are starting to find that physical exercise
increases the power of our minds and makes us better learners.Dr. John
Rateyis a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In his book
about learning and the brain, he says thatwe need to exercise our bodies
to improve our minds.Exercise doesnt just increase important brain
chemicals, it also helps our brain grow. Ratey says, The cells in our brains are
connected through leaves on tree-like branches and exercise causes those
branches to grow. When we increase our movement, we improve our thinking
skills.
What is the connection between exercise and brain health. Dr. John Medina is
the author of a book calledBrain Rules.He says,Our brains were built for
walking.We have to look back millions of years to understand. Early
humans walked between 10 and 20 kilometers a day in search of food. This is
the situation in which early human brains developed into the same brains we
have today. Movement gets blood to our brain bringing glucose and oxygen.
Both glucose and oxygen are necessary for improving thinking and learning.
Today, many of us live lives with very little movement. We drive cars or ride
trains to work. Many of us sit at desks all day and then return home to sit on
our couches and watch TV. More and more researchers are showing that
increasing your movement will increase your brain power. In one research
study, a group of children ran for 30 minutes, 3 times a week. After 12 weeks,
scientists tested their thinking ability and it had increased. When they stopped
running, their scores decreased.
So how can you add more movement to your life? Well, one thing you can do
is download these lessons and listen to them when you move. Try walking to
work or going for a run while you listen. Even just going for a fast walk outside
can make you a better English learner.
Bodyweight Exercise
Muscle building exercises also increase brain power. Here is a great whole
body exercise that you can do anywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q5v3WaT-yY&feature=player_embedded
23. Guinea Pigs as Food Source?
Photo by Vivatier
Guinea pigs. I have two of them in my house now. My daughters wanted them
for pets. And theyre OK with me. Theyre cute. They make funny noises. And
more importantly, they make my girls happy. Indeed, guinea pigs arepopular
pets for many children.
Guinea pigs are also well known for their role in biological research, especially
in the 19th and 20th centuries. In fact, we often use the termguinea pig to
refer to a test subject. For example, if my friend just learned a new massage
technique, she might be looking for someone to practice it on. So I might say
to her, Ill be your guinea pig!
So, you might think of guinea pigs as pets or research animals, but have you
ever thought of them asa food source? Yeah, thats right. You can eat them!
In fact, guinea pigs are a traditional food source for people in the Andes
mountains, in the area around Peru and Bolivia.
But here is the really interesting thing about guinea pigs as food: the meat is
high in protein and very, very cheap to produce. Guinea pigs reproduce very
quickly, they dont need much space, and they can survive off of leftover
scraps of food from the kitchen of their human owners. This is perfect for
people living in rural regions indeveloping countries, who cannot afford to
raise pigs or cows for meat.
Knowing how economically sensible guinea pigs are as a food source,a

university in Perubegan a program to breed larger guinea pigs for export to
other countries. Maybe efforts like this will help poorer people around the
world supplement their diet with much needed protein at much cheaper costs.
So the real question is: would you eat a guinea pig? I suppose I would try it if
someone served me one. Just dont tell my daughters. The idea of their father
eating a cousin of one of their cute little pet guinea pigs wouldnt make them
happy at all.
If you have any stories about eating guinea pigs, or other uncommon food
sources, please post them in the comments section below.
24. The 80/20 Rule For English Learners
Hi Everyone, Thanks for listening to our free lessons. Weve been getting a lot
of positive emails about these short lessons and were really happy you like
them. If you want to try our longer listening lessons and our special speaking
lessons, take a look at theDeep English Fluency Course. Ok, now for todays
lesson.
How to Learn English Fast

Whats the quickest way for you to become fluent? You might be surprised to
hear that the answer is related to Italian vegetables. To be more specific, the
answer is related to Italian peas.
In 1906 an Italian economist nameVilfredo Parettonoticed something

interesting about the peas in his vegetable garden. 20% of the pea pods,
contained 80% of the peas. Another way to say the same thing would be that
80% of the pea pods in his garden contained only 20% of the peas. A small
number of the pea plants were producing most of the food, while a large
number of the pea plants were producing very litte food.
Pareto also noticed something similar with Italian landowners. 80% of the land
in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. This 80/20 ratio can be seen in
many situations, especially in the business world.
80% of sales are made to 20% of customers.

The richest 20% of the world earn 80% of the worlds income.
20% of employees do 80% of the work.
These numbers are not always 80/20. They might be 70/30 or even 90/10.
The numbers arent really important. The main point is that all effort is not
equal. Some effort produces great results and other types of effort produce
very little results.
The way we use our time is not always an effective way to get the results we
want. If we apply the 80/20 rule to learning English, we could say that 20% of
our effort is generating the most improvement in our language skill. And 80%
of our effort is generating very little improvement.
You want tofocus your time and effort on the 20%that will give you the
most benefit, andcut back on the 80%that gives you the least benefit.
The numbers arent really important. The main point is that there is a lack of
balance in most systems. We can see this with vocabulary. There are
over250,000 English words, but you only need about 3,000 to understand a
newspaper. And to speak conversational English, you need even less. Some
words are much more useful than other words. If you studied all 250,000
words equally, it would take you a very long time to become fluent.
The most common English words are also the most useful English words.
They are just a small percentage of the English language, but knowing them
deeply and practicing using them will give the biggest boost to your English
fluency. Learning very infrequent words that are rarely used will provide the
least benefit.
To become fluent fast, you always want to focus on the 20% that will help you
the most, and decrease the 80% that is helping you the least. But before you
can do this, you need to be very clear about your goals.
Be specific.What are your English goals? There are many different

possibilities.
Maybe you want to understand fast English.
Maybe youre trying to improve your speaking confidence.
Or maybe you have some specific purpose, such as learning computer related
technical English.
Whatever your goal is, if you look closely, youll probably find that the 80/20
rule can help you learn faster. Tell us about your English goals in the
comments.
25. How to Travel the World For Free
Photo by: kyle simourd
Do you like to travel in style or could you sleep in a cave? In the city of Petra,
people have been living in caves for thousands of years. One man, namedAl-
Bedoul, lives in the same cave thats been owned by his family for hundreds
of years. Al-Bedoul welcomes travelers from around the world to stay in his
cave for free. He is one of a growing community of couch surfers around the
world. Couch surfers stay for free at other couch surfers homes when they
travel.
Al-Bedoul is an unusual couch surfer. Most couch surfers live in normal

traditional houses and apartments. Its called couch surfing, because many
of these people dont have a guest room to offer, but they do have a couch.
And thats fine for a lot of people. What about you? Could you sleep on a
strangers couch in another country?
Travel is one of the greatest things you can do for you own personal growth ,
but it can be expensive. Couch surfing is completely free. There is no money
changing hands, so its becoming more and more popular, especially with
young people in their 20s and 30s, who want to travel, but dont have much
money.
And of course, travel can be great for improving your language skill. There are
now over4 million couch surfing hosts in 246 countries, and70% of them
speak English. What a great opportunity to not just be a tourist, but to make
real friends with native English speakers.Couchsurfing.comwas started by a
company in San Francisco. Their mission is to create a global community
where people can make meaningful connections with the people and places
they encounter. What do you think? Would you try couch surfing on your next
trip?
26. Make Practicing English Easier On Yourself
Photo by: Pilotage
Its already June, but it feels like the year just started. Since were almost at
the halfway mark of this year, I thought it would be a good time to look back
and review.
What goals did you make for this year? Are you doing something everyday to
make them happen? If you didnt make any goals, dont wait to the end of the
year. Make some goals today.
If youre listening to this now, improving your English listening and speaking is
probably one of your goals. How are you doing? Are you making progress? If
youre not learning as fast as you want, dont feel bad about it. That wont help
anything. The year isnt over yet, so lets think about how you can do better.
People always tell us, they want to learn English fast. If you want to learn
anything fast, everyone knows you need to do it regularly. And of course,
learning English is the same way.
The problem is, that life doesnt stop and wait for us to complete our
goals.School, work, friends, family and never ending emails are always filling
up our days. And when we do have free time, the internet and TV gives us a
never ending supply of entertainment.
So how do you make time for your goals? How do you make time to improve
your English every day? Is it just a matter of will power? Shawn Achor says
no. He thinks,you dont need to try harder; you need to make it easier to
try.
Achor is a Harvard professor who researches the psychology of happiness.
He also studies will power and how to complete goals. In his book, The
Happiness Advantage, he talks about activation energy. Activation energy is
the effort you need to start practicing every day.
Achor usesan example from his own lifeto talk about activation energy. He
wanted to learn to play the guitar, but he just wasnt doing it. The guitar sat
unused until one day, he bought a guitar stand, and put it in his living room
next to his TV. Everyday, when he came home, he sat down on his couch,
saw the guitar and started to practice.
The simple act of putting the guitar in a place where he would see it regularly,
made it easier for him to start practicing every day. He didnt need to think
about practicing. He didnt need to waste energy to decide when to practice.
He saw it and he did it.
Reducing your activation energy, is an easy way to increase the time you
spend practicing a skill and decrease the effort it takes to get started
everyday. Lets look at another example. If you want to make exercise a part
of your day every morning, you might put your running shoes and exercise
clothes on top of your alarm clock. When you wake up, your shoes will be the
first thing you see and will remind you to start your day with some exercise.
Anything you can do to make starting practice more automatic will make goal
completion easier. If your goal is to improve your English, you might set your
homepage to your favorite English learning website, so the first thing you see
when you start your computer, reminds you to practice English. Or you might
put your mp3 player next to your keys, so every time you leave the house,
youre reminded to listen to your English lessons as you drive to work or take
the bus to school.
How can you reduce activation energy and make English practice a more
regular part of your day? Tell us your ideas in the comments. Theres still
more than half of 2012 left to become a more powerful English speaker,
sostart thinking of ways to make English practice easier on yourself.
27. Can Money Buy Happiness?
Photo by Chi King
Most of us have heard the phrase, There are some things money cant buy.
When we hear this, we think of things like love, friendship, and happiness,
right? Well,one recent studyin the U.S. shows that money CAN buy
happiness! Do you believe it?
Scientists looked at two aspects of happiness, or well being. The first islife
evaluation, or how we feel about our life when we think about it. And when
scientists compared life evaluation with income levels (or the amount of
money people make), they found that the more money people make, the
better they think their life is.
The second happiness type isemotional well-being, which is basically how

we feel on a day to day basis, you know, stress, joy, anger, sadness,
excitement. What scientists found was that, just like with life evaluation,
emotional well-being got higher the more money people made, but only up
until a yearly income of $75,000. Any more money than that had no effect on
a persons emotional well being.
So, if we believe the results of this study, we can say that money can buy
happiness, but only up to a certain point. In my opinion, once you have
thebasic necessitiesof life, like food, water, shelter, education, and
medicine, that happiness is simply a state of mind, and a balanced way of
living. I think if we remain aware of how lucky we are to have what we DO
have, we can keep working toward our goals without envy for those now have
more. So there is no need to become rich to be happy!
28. Can You Make Better Decisions in English?
Photo by h.koppdelaney
Without a doubt, there is a strong connection between our emotions and our
native language. I dont have to look any further than my own marriage for
evidence of this. You see, my wife is Japanese, and the two of us speak
English with each other on a daily basis. However, as soon as she gets angry
or excited, she immediately and quite naturally switches to Japanese. And I
do the same: if Im speaking Japanese with someone and I get upset about
something, English comes flowing right out of my mouth, almost
uncontrollably. I think thisphenomenoncomes as no surprise to anyone who
speaks a foreign language.
So heres an idea to consider: if there is this strong connection between our
native language and our emotions, can we purposely think in a foreign
language in order to reduce the effects of our emotions on our decision
making ability? Well,one recent study says that we can.
A group of scientists at the University of Chicago have shown that if we think

in a foreign language, we can actuallymake better decisions. They looked
into something called decision bias, which occurs when our emotions cloud
or negatively influence our ability to think clearly about something. The
scientists found that thinking in a foreign language reduces decision bias,
causing people to think more logically, with less emotion.
So if you believethese findings, the next time you have to make an important
decision in life, especially if its related to money, you might want to try thinking
in English rather than your native tongue. If it works, this simple technique
could potentially make the difference between loss and gain. Try it and tell us
what you think.
29. Want To Eat Healthier? Try Sleeping More
Photo by Silgeo
Are you a healthy eater? Trying to eat healthy might be more difficult if you
arent getting enough sleep.Researchers from Columbia Universityscanned
the brains of 25 men and women, while they looked at pictures of food. Before
they were tested, they were kept in a lab for 5 days. Some of these people
were allowed to sleep for 9 hours a night, and others were only allowed 4
hours of sleep. When these two groups of people were allowed to eat
whatever they wanted, the tired people ate an average of 300 calories more.
The brains of people who had a good nights sleep and people who were
lacking sleep, looked very different. The tired people showed much more
activity in the reward centers of their brain. The reward centers of the brain
get filled with the chemical dopamine when we experience pleasure. It seems
that tired people experience more dopamine and more pleasure when they
see junk food and this causes them to eat more.
So if you want to eat healthy, you need get enough sleep, but eating isnt the
only thing that we have trouble with, when we dont get enough sleep.
Learning is also affected by how much sleep you get.
When we sleep we give our brains time to process new information. John
Medina is the director of the Brain center for Applied Learning. In his
book,Brain Rules, he talks about an experiment where 2 groups of students
were given a series of math problems. Both groups were taught a technique
for solving the problems, but there was an easier way to solve these
problems. The first group was given a break, after which, 20% of the students
found the easier method. The second group were also given the same break
time, but 60% discovered the easier method. The only difference was the
second group slept during the break.
This experiment was run many times, and the results were always the same.
Many experiments on learning have shown that sleep doesnt just rest our
bodies. It also gives our brain space to make new connections, solve
problems and store information.
Lets try a little experiment. Try listening to some English lessons right before
you sleep everyday for the next week. It could be this lesson or something
else. Listen again in the morning and see if your understanding increases. Tell
us about your experience in the comments.
30. What Is Your Body Mass Index?
Photo by Alan Cleaver
Staying healthy is probably the most important thing we can do. If you dont
have your health, you cannot really enjoy life. Its that simple. And one of the
biggest causes of disease is obesity, that is, being extremely overweight. This
is especially a problem in developed countries, where people simply eat and
drink too much. They are also too sedentary, meaning that they dont move
around enough. In fact, obesity sendsmore people to the doctorthan
smoking!
So maybe you are not obese, but are you overweight? Simply being
overweight increases your risk of diseases like stroke, high blood pressure,
heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. One of the easiest ways to find out if you
are overweight or not is to measure your Body Mass Index, or BMI. Its really
easy to do. You just use your height, weight, age, and gender for a simple
calculation. For most people a healthy BMI is between 18 and 25. Above 25 is
when you start to enter the danger zone of being overweight.
You can check your BMI right now, by using anonline BMI calculator. And if
you are overweight, the cure is simple: drink plenty of water, get plenty of
sleep, eat healthy foods, and get moderate exercise. If you do these things,
you probably wont be overweight and can enjoy a balanced, healthy life.
31. The Smell of Romance
Photo by Jeffreyw
Do you have a nose for romance?Pheromonesare chemical scents that

people naturally give off. These smells influence attraction. Have you ever
met someone and been attracted, but you didnt know why? Maybe your nose
was subconsciously guiding you. Scientists have been researching
pheromones for years, but recently some people have started to
holdpheromone parties in Los Angeles and New York. The rules are simple.
All guests bring a used T-shirt that they slept in the night before. T-shirts are
separated into plastic bags with numbers. Other guests smell the shirts and if
they like what they smell, they have a chance to meet the shirts owner.
Using smelly shirts to find a romantic partner sounds superficial, but there
might be deeper reasons behind the matchmaking power of smell. There have
been experiments that have shown that people like the smell of other people
who are genetically compatible. Conversely, these experiments have also
shown that people dislike the smells of people who have genes that would
result in weaker children.
Every culture has different ideas about what makes a good partner. Similar
interests, similar values, a warm heart, a sense of humor, beauty, money,
power, maybe even smell There are so many things that influence what
people are looking for in a partner. What about you? What attracts you? Tell
us in the comments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3stH3BgKGss&feature=player_embedded
32. The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15
Photo by Faith Goble
We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for our health. Indeed,
they contain lots of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and water.
Nowadays unfortunately, they also containpesticides, that is, chemicals used
to kill insects to prevent them from eating the fruit or vegetable before you do.
And if we continue eating these pesticides on a daily basis, it can make us
very sick, causing cancer and other diseases.
Now, some people think thatwashing their fruits and vegetablesbefore eating
can protect them from pesticides. This is only partially true, however, because
some fruits and vegetables absorb pesticides in different ways. So even if you
wash them, it doesnt remove the dangerous chemicals inside.
Another solution is to eatorganicfruits and vegetables, all of which are grown
without the use of chemical pesticides. The problem here, though, is cost.
Organic food is expensive! Most people cannot afford to eat organic food on a
daily basis. So if youre not rich, then how can you best protect yourself
against pesticides?
The Dirty Dozen

Well, an organization made up of scientists and researchers, called
theEnvironmental Working Group, has come up with a list of fruits and
vegetables calledThe Dirty Dozen, which are ones that carry the most
pesticides. Anytime you eat foods from this list, you need to make sure that
they are organic, otherwise you will most certainly be eating pesticides.
Photo by Micky**
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Spinach
9. Lettuce
10. Cucumbers
11. Blueberries
12. Potatoes
The Clean 15
Theyve also come up with a list calledThe Clean 15, which are foods that do
not absorb pesticides so easily. That is, you can eat them safely after a simple
washing. It doesnt matter so much if they are not organic.
Photo by Darwin Bell

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Cabbage
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Eggplant
10. Kiwi
11. Cantaloupe
12. Sweet Potatoes
13. Grapefruit
14. Watermelon
15. Mushrooms
Why is this information good to know? Well, it means that if you cannot afford
to eat organic fruits and vegetables every day, then you can focus on only
buying organic with foods on The Dirty Dozen list, and not buying organic
versions of the foods on the Clean 15 list. In this way, you can save money
and dramatically reduce the amount of pesticides that you eat. Remember
that the next time you visit the produce section of the grocery store.
33. Alex Grey: a Unique Artist
Photo by Damanhur, Federation of Communities
Today wed like to feature a unique artist. His name isAlex Greyand once you
see his paintings, you will never forget them.
Alex grew up inColumbus, Ohioin the 1950s and 60s. His father was a
graphic designer, who taught Alex how to draw. As a boy, Alex used to collect
insects and dead animals and bury them in the back yard. Death and the spirit
are themes in his artwork even to this day. However, there seem to have been
two major influences on Alexs artwork.
The first is that, unlike most artists, Alex spent five years atHarvard Medical
School, working in theAnatomydepartment. His main job was to study the
human body and to prepare cadavers, that is, dead bodies, for dissection. So
for this reason Alex has a clear understanding of the human body, especially
what it looks like on the inside, which most of us have never seen.
The second major influence on Alexs artwork was his spiritual experiences
with entheogens. An entheogen is a plant or a medicine that changes the way
the mind perceives reality. The word entheogen comes from a combination of
the Greek word entheos meaning God within and the verb to generate. So
an etheogen generates God (or the divine) within a person. In other words,
entheogens allow people to look at the world in a different way, often giving
people insight or guidance. In Alexs case, the main entheogen was LSD,
whichThe Beatlessang about in their famous song,Lucy in theSky
withDiamonds. Other examples of entheogens arepsilocybin mushrooms,
peyote, andayahuasca.
So, Alexs unique background has led to some truly impressive and
unforgettable works of art. Have a look at the paintings onAlexs website, or
just do an image search for Alex Grey and you will know what were talking
about. And let us know what you think about his artwork on our website.
Enjoy.
34. Walking Your Way To Fluency
Photo by John Weiss
One of the most well known tourist attractions in the city ofKyoto, Japanis
called thePhilosophers Path. Its a little footpath that follows a winding canal
underneath cherry trees in a quiet part of the city. Along the way there are little
tea houses and shops. Its quite beautiful and peaceful. And it got its name
from the fact that certain influential thinkersin Kyotos past got some of their
best ideas from walking up and down the path. And the reason they had those
great ideas had little to do with the path itself, but rather the fact that they
were walking, and not sitting.
Thats right. If you want to have more creative ideas and a better memory, you
need to move around while thinking. Researchers in Germanyrecently
discoveredthat the memory performance of both young children and adults
improved when they were walking compared to when they were sitting.
Whether its the increase in blood circulation or the rhythmic movement of the
legs, walking helps our brain work better.
What does this mean for English learners? Well, maybe it means that you
shouldnt always study or practice English while sitting down. Maybe you
should put on some headphones and listen and speak while you walk in a
beautiful place. Not only will you be able to remember vocabulary and
sentence patterns better, but you will be in the fresh air getting some exercise
at the same time. This is not only good for your body and mind, but also for
your mood and self-esteem. So get out and start walking!
Are you looking for some good listening and speaking material for those
nature walks? If so, be sure to check out ourFluency Course, which gives you
up to six months of mp3 audio listening and speaking lessons.
35. One Way Ticket To Mars
Photo by Bala Sivakumar
Would you like to travel to Mars?A Dutch company has a plan to land people
on Mars in 2023.Its called Mars One, and it sounds like the adventure of a
lifetime. But, theres only one problem: its a one-way ticket.
The cost of sending people to Mars is so expensive, the only way to make it
affordable is by making the trips one-way.How would this work? Well, heres
the plan:
In 2013, 40 astronauts will be selected and start their training.

In 2016, a supply ship will be sent to Mars with 2,500 kilograms of food.
In 2018, a location for the settlement on Mars will be chosen.
In 2022, a space ship will launch with the first four astronauts. And
every two years after that, a new group of four astronauts will be sent,
but no one will return.
It sounds like a science fiction movie, doesnt it? But its actually real. This
Mars One project was started in 2011 and has some important supporters in
business and science.For example, the plan is being backed by Nobel Prize
winning physicist, Gerard t Hooft, and the famous television producer, Paul
Romer.
Romer is the creator of the show, Big Brother, one of the first reality TV
shows.Starting next year, Romer will turn the astronaut selection process into
a reality TV show to help raise some of the 6 billion dollars needed for the 7-
month space trip. The plan is for the TV show to film the selection, training,
and trip to Mars over the next 10 years.
Mars One will be accepting applications from people all over the world, so if
youre interested in being one of the astronauts, check out the video below.
But remember, its only a one-way ticket; you cant come back to earth.
Would you be willing to take a one-way trip to Mars? Tell us why or why not in
our comments section.
Mars One: Watch the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4tgkyUBkbY&feature=player_embedded
This trip to Mars is a real plan, but theres a famous hoax about visitors from
Mars that happened in 1938.Take a look at our True Stories Fluency Course
to improve your English and learn about this crazy story.

5 Minute Fluency - Volume I

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

5 Minute Fluency - Volume I

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

5 Minute Fluency - Volume I

35 Lessons for Learning on the Go

2. Delayed Gratification The Secret to Success?!....................6

3. The Sunshine Vitamin!............................................................8

4. How to Improve Your Pronunciation: Shadowing!.................10

5. The Power of Human Touch!.................................................12

6. Turmeric The Wonder Spice!..............................................14

7. Earthships Sustainable Homes of the Future!....................16

8. Extensive Reading for Better Fluency!..................................18

9. Eagle Creek Travel Bags!......................................................20

10. Stress the Natural Mosquito Repellant!............................21

11. Cell Phones The New Cigarettes?!...................................23

12. English Pronunciation Poem!...............................................25

13. How To Pass The Hardest Test!...........................................27

14. Top 5 Regrets of the Dying!.................................................29

15. The Power of Visualization!.................................................31

16. Visualizing Your Future Success!........................................33

17. The Real Chocolate!............................................................36

18. Music and Learning!............................................................38

19. The Purpose of Life!............................................................40

20. Are You Creative? Take the Test!.........................................43

21. Deep Breathing for Well Being!...........................................46

22. Power Your Body Power Your Mind!.................................48

23. Guinea Pigs as Food Source?!............................................50

24. The 80/20 Rule For English Learners!.................................52

26. Make Practicing English Easier On Yourself!.......................57

27. Can Money Buy Happiness?!..............................................60

28. Can You Make Better Decisions in English?!......................62

29. Want To Eat Healthier? Try Sleeping More!.........................64

30. What Is Your Body Mass Index?!.........................................66

31. The Smell of Romance!.......................................................68

32. The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15!....................................70

33. Alex Grey: a Unique Artist!...................................................74

34. Walking Your Way To Fluency!............................................76

35. One Way Ticket To Mars!.....................................................78

Photo by Helga Weber

Unfortunately, this silly operation doesnt just happen in Korea. Recentlya

In 1972 there wasan experiment. It tested childrens ability to delay

The children in this experiment used a lot of techniques to delay gratification

Photo by Matt McGee

Heres a cute video on the benefits of Vitamin D. Enjoy

At Deep English, we believe that meaningful English is the best way to

A technique calledshadowingis a good way to work on your pronunciation,

Photo by Unhindered by Talent

Do you want to be a better communicator?

The first isbetter communication. We can communicate better when we

Finally there isbetter performance. Interestingly, touch can actually improve

Here are two more examples oftouch improving performance:

Photo by Carol Mitchell

Because turmeric is so healthy and delicious, we should try to use more of it

Photo by Todd Dwyer

Also, watch the trailer for a documentary about Earthships below.

Let us know what you think about extensive reading.

So if you are looking for a good bargain, I highly recommendEagle

But now,scientists are discoveringthat when we are stressed, our skin

Photo by Ricardo Liberato

2. I wish I didnt work so hard.

3. I wish Id had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Bonnie Ware haswritten a bookabout these 5 regrets in hopes that people

Photo by Patrick Hoesly

To visualize means to create an image in the mind. So,visualizationis the act

So what do you think happened? Well, the first group showed no