📙 Part 2: Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions

This episode's vocabulary

Privileged (adj.) - having a privilege.

Privilege (noun) - an advantage that only one person or group of people has, usually because of their position or because they are rich.

Take on something - an opinion about something.

Thought-provoking (adj.) - making you think a lot about a subject.

Notable (adj.) - important and deserving attention, because of being very good or interesting.

To revolve around something/someone (phrasal verb) - to have someone or something as the main or most important interest or subject.

Emphasis (noun) - the particular importance or attention that is given to something.

To stem from something (phrasal verb) - to start or develop as the result of something.

Resilience (noun) - the ability to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened.

Outspoken (adj.) - expressing strong opinions very directly without worrying if other people are offended.

Compelled (adj.) - having to do something, because you are forced to or feel it is necessary.

Marginalized groups - groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.

To crystallize (verb) - if you crystallize an opinion or idea, or if it crystallizes, it becomes fixed and definite in someone's mind.

Controversy (noun) - a lot of disagreement or argument about something, usually because it affects or is important to many people.

Relatable (adj.) - that someone can understand or feel sympathy for.

To articulate (verb) - pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly.

Questions and Answers

R: Well, I'm in a pretty privileged position here because I know a lot of people with quite unique takes on things. But one of the more famous ones is Jordan Peterson. He's a Canadian psychologist who's been given a lot of attention for his, well, thought-provoking opinions on various things, to say the least. One of his most notable views revolves around the importance of individual responsibility and the idea that personal development is the key to a meaningful and fulfilling life. That emphasis stems from his belief that taking control of one's life and making positive choices can lead to personal growth and resilience. I think that resonates with a lot of people who appreciate his call to face life's difficulties with courage and determination. Oh, he's also an outspoken critic of something called compelled speech laws, and that people should have the right to express themselves freely. So compelled speech laws are laws where you are forced to say something rather than having independence to say what you like. And that whole thing has sparked intense debates about the balance between free speech and also the protection of marginalized groups, which I think is something that's been going on for a while, but it's sort of crystallized around him, these ideas are just a couple of many that he has, but I think they're fascinating because it's like a sign of the ongoing, almost cyclical, nature of some of the things he talks about. By pointing that out. I think it makes people feel less alone in their struggles, or lets them put a name to some of the issues that they're facing. That being said, he's not without controversy, but I think he's contributed to these important conversations about personal responsibility and free speech in modern society, especially since he has quite a relatable manner. I think you'd be hard-pressed to disagree with that observation. If he hadn't expressed these views, I'm sure they would have been articulated by other people, but probably not in the unique way that draws this much attention.

M: And what about your friends? Do they like this person?

R: Oh, it's a mixed bag with my friends. Some people love him, and some people absolutely hate him. But I think that's the consequence of having interesting opinions, isn't it?

Discussion

M: Right, dear listener, what a question! So describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions.

R: Yeah, that could be very dangerous.

M: What do we mean by interesting ideas?

R: It's up to you, as long as you have enough to talk about. So if you pick a controversial figure like I did, then you'd have lots to talk about. Whereas if you picked, I don't know, your uncle who likes to talk about controversial things. That might also be something but it might be less palatable for the examiner.

M: Yeah, dear listener, so here you can choose a person with, you know, strange ideas. Like, I don't know, Kim Kardashian.

R: Does Kim Kardashian have particularly interesting ideas? Or does she just take advantage of the climate in the market to market her brand?

M: Meghan Markel. Okay? Somebody from...

R: See my previous comment.

M: Royal family. So you see. Or I think the easiest option is to choose somebody from your family, or your friends or your colleagues, and make it up. So imagine that this person has interesting ideas at work, for example. Or they express interesting ideas about life. I don't know, philosophy.

R: Who would you pick?

M: I'd pick you.

R: Oh, God, I knew you were gonna say that.

M: Yeah. So the only person I know who has interesting ideas or opinions is Rory Fergus Duncan Tequila Godzilla.

R: When Maria says interesting opinions, she means opinions that align completely with hers on just about every subject except for writing.

M: Yes. Especially he's got interesting ideas on how to mark IELTS essays. Yes, and then I'm gonna, yeah, I'm gonna explode.

R: Yeah,

M: No, but really, like, I think you do have interesting ideas in a good way about life. That's why I'm gonna pick you.

R: Thank you!

M: So dear listener, it's your choice. Okay? So Jordan Peterson. Go online, Google Jordan Peterson. I'm looking at his face now. Canadian psychologist and author. Okay. He has this YouTube video, how to defeat your darkest thoughts. And then the Guardian has an article about how dangerous is Jordan Peterson.

R: So yes, there are lots of alternative opinions which are available. Although I should say I don't endorse every single one of his views because you don't have to do that in order to think someone is interesting.

M: Yeah, so you see, he has some opinions. Okay? And some people dislike him. Others love him. So this "controversial"... Can I say a controversial person?

R: Yeah. Although, really, I think a controversial person just has controversial opinions. But you can be right about some things and wrong about other things. I mean, there are plenty of times when I've been wrong, not about IELTS, never about IELTS, but about other things.

M: Rory started off by saying that I'm in a privileged position. So I'm privileged. I'm better than everybody else.

R: Well, the position is better than everyone else's. I am not necessarily better.

M: Yeah. Because I know lots of people with unique takes on things. You see, unique, kind of like interesting, unusual. Take on things, dear listener. So our task is about interesting opinions. What's a synonym? A take on something. Which means an opinion.

R: A take on something is just how you view something. Like some people have interesting takes on how to do their job in a different way, or we have takes on how to answer IELTS questions.

M: Yeah, dear listener, it might sound strange for you, but a take on something means an opinion about something. So I'd love to hear your take on this topic. Your take on this topic, your opinion on this topic. Rory has a different take on this. Rory has a different opinion on this. Okay? So she has a weird, strange take on what happened. She has a strange opinion on what happened. So you can start off with, oh, I'm going to tell you about Bob, who has unique takes on things. So Bob has unique opinions. And Rory told us that one of the more famous ones, one of the more famous people, with unique takes on things is Jordan Peterson. He's a Canadian psychologist. He's been given a lot of attention. So people gave, have given him a lot of attention. He has been given a lot of attention from the public. For... For what? For his thought-provoking opinions. Okay? So this person has thought-provoking opinions. You listen to him, and your thoughts start running around in your head, you start thinking about life. And you can say that he has interesting opinions on different things. And then, Rory, you got pretty formal, one of his notable views revolves around something. Wow.

R: But that just means one of his views focuses on or one of his opinions focuses on...

M: And then you name and you talk about, like what the opinion is. And then Rory goes, that emphasis stems from his belief. Oh... Very formal, very academic.

R: But that just means what the, what the emphasis is based on. So you could also say like, that's based on his belief that taking control of yada, yada, yada. So you don't have to say it that way. I like to say stems from because I've not said it in a while. It's cool. I like that expression.

M: This resonates with a lot of people who... So why do people like him, because his ideas resonate with them. So if something resonates with me...

R: Then you have some kind of connection with it. Or you feel it as part of your view as well.

M: Yeah, like it makes you feel an emotional connection. His experience resonates with me. I feel the connection. And his beliefs or his opinions resonate with a lot of people. A lot of people like feel emotionally connected with this. Then we continue about this person. So he's also an outspoken critic of laws or of something.

R: Yes. So you can be a critic of something or critical of something.

M: Like he's very critical of, I don't know, laws of the education system. He's also an outspoken... Outspoken you mean like he presents everywhere?

R: No, outspoken doesn't mean you're presenting everywhere. It's more to do with just how loud you are. But just because you're loud doesn't mean that you're... What's the word? Your opinion is widespread, it just means that you personally are quite loud in your criticism, not necessarily loud, but forthright. This is your strong or a strong position for you.

M: Yeah. And usually people with strange opinions, are pretty loud about their opinions. So they're not afraid of like I think it's just this. So they just speak freely. Another interesting expression is that his opinions have sparked intense debates about something.

R: Well, if you spark debate, then you create it.

M: So he tells the world what he really thinks. And this sparked intense debates. So to spark a debate. Debate? Like when people are like... I think this, and no, and yes and no, and this. Intense? Well, it is intensive. Okay? So his beliefs, his opinions, or his speeches have sparked intense debates about something. Also, you can say that he airs out his opinions, right? This is a nice one.

R: Ooh, that's cool. And you can also just air your opinion as well.

M: Air your opinion. Could you give us an example? If I talk about like a person... For example, I talk about my colleague who has interesting opinions, so and he...

R: Airs his opinions frequently, and freely.

M: He airs his opinions frequently, often, he often airs his opinions at work or he gives his opinion. His ideas are fascinating. Okay? They are truly interesting. Another synonym is fascinating. Like he talks about this and that, he points out that... Because you need to tell the examiner what the opinions are about. So he talks about, he points out that people are free to do everything they want.

R: Or should be.

M: Hedonism. Hedonism. Enjoy your life, and have fun.

R: I think it was more about expressing your opinion freely. But this could also be something that somebody has said. I don't think Jordan Peterson would say that.

M: But then he's not without controversy. He has, well, a lot of people who dislike him. So if you choose such a person who is hated by some people, you can say that he is not without controversy. Controversy? Something is what? A controversy - is just another way of saying there's a lot of disagreement or there's no agreement. And it can be controversy or controversy. There's probably a slight difference in meaning between those two things, but I've heard it pronounced both ways.

M: Controversy. Oh, yeah. Or controversy. Right. How do you pronounce it?

R: Controversy. Or controversy.

M: Okay, so C1, advanced word, dear listener. A lot of disagreement or argument about something. For example, there is a lot of controversy or controversy over his ideas.

R: And in English, there's a lot of controversy over how to use commas correctly.

M: Right. Or is there is like, his ideas have caused heated controversy? Okay? This caused a lot of disagreement. Fierce controversy or heated. Fierce? Like very strong. So these are collocations, something caused, what's the reason for fierce or heated controversy or controversy. Wow. What has he done for society? So he has contributed to...

R: Important conversations.

M: Yeah. Like he has talked a lot about something. So his contribution to something, so he has contributed to important conversations about life, personal responsibility, and free speech in modern society, he has quite a relatable manner. So that's pleasant, right?

R: Well, I don't know if it's pleasant, but it means that it's easy to relate to somebody or to get on with them. But I mean, just because someone is relatable doesn't necessarily mean that they're nice. It could be that you just find them agreeable because you're not a pleasant person either.

M: So relatable, like you are able to relate to this, right? So you're able to understand or feel sympathy for this. For example, her books are so relatable, I can relate to her stories. And you can say like, he is quite a relatable person, like I can understand his ideas, I can relate to this. Another verb is to articulate your ideas. So he articulates his ideas well, so he expresses his ideas well. You can also say that his ideas draw a lot of attention. They are unique, he expresses his views freely.

R: And so do we.

M: Sweet. Okay, dear listener, make a choice now, who are you going to be talking about? Okay? You can also talk about Maria or me personally or Rory. So Rory has interesting ideas. You know, like you heard his ideas in the speaking parts two and three. So especially speaking part three, go ahead and talk about Rory.

R: And if you're listening to this later on in 2024, after Maria and I have had our conversation about how to do writing for IELTS then you have seen lots of controversial opinions there.

M: Oh...

R: I'm looking forward to this.

M: Yeah. If I want to die, I will just start the conversation with Rory about writing assessment.

R: I promise I will behave.

M: I will not behave, Rory, understand me. I will just...

R: I don't expect it. It will be funny. Or rather it will have been funny if you're listening to it later.

M: Oh, my god. Okay. Okay. It's like Mortal Kombat.

R: No, I am not that attached to my ideas. I think Maria will win me around to her way of doing things.

M: Thank you very much for listening! And let's move to speaking part three, ideas and opinions.

R: I love ideas and opinions.

M: Bye!

R: Oh, bye!

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