Power of

Personality
Lesson 2
Warm up Activity

1. What are some characteristics of your personality?

2. Does your geographic location affect your personality?
3. Ca a la guage affe t so eo e’s eha ior?
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Listening Activity

Rory and Abidemi talk about what they would like to

change about their personality.

Complete the sentences

Abidemi: So Rory, in the last 1. .............. we were talking about changing your personality
and you never said what you thought of that.
Rory: Well, I think, I think when you learn a language often your personality does change.
I notice with my students that they often seem quite different when they speak English to
when they speak Japa ese. I’ ot sure if that’s a la guage thi g or 2. …............. thing.
But I mean you speak more than one language.
Abidemi: That’s a really good question. Just thinking of it right now, I think maybe for me
it’s more a question of the culture because I think when I am in a 3. …............... where I’
expected to be more extroverted, I tend to try to live up to that.

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Listening Activity

Complete the sentences

Abidemi: That’s a really good question. Just thinking of it right now, I think maybe for me
it’s more a question of the culture because I think when I am in an 4.…............... where I’
expected to be more extroverted, I tend to try to live up to that.
Abidemi: I tend to try to be more cheerful, more open, more friendly or friendlier, I
should say. But he I’ somewhere where I k o that it’s 5. …................. of me to be
quieter, I do tend to become more quiet.
Rory: And do you think there might be something in languages which make them like a
more extroverted language or a more introverted language? Like I think about Italians –
ay e it’s 6. …............ of Italians, but they seem to be very extroverted and the
language seems to help them in that extroversion.
Abidemi: That’s true. That’s very true. That’s a good question because I’ just tryi g to
think of culture and languages in general, and there’s that de ate of how cultures and
languages are intertwined. Is it the culture that came first or is it the language that
ade the ulture the ay it is. So I do ’t k o . I really do ’t k o . But I would love to
read more 7.….............. and find out.
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Listening Activity

Complete the sentences

Abidemi: And I think to add on to that, when I think of Asia stude ts that I’ e
8. ….............. speaking English, which to some people is a more extroverted language, they
always seem more confident.
Abidemi: They seem friendlier. They seem more open to talking about 9. …........... , their
family life. But when you talk to them in their native language, it seems like they revert
back to their cultural norms hi h ould pro a ly e less…
Rory: Yeah. And I guess the culture over here in Asian countries is people are less likely
to share 10. ….............. . There’s less – I mean, i the West espe ially re e tly, there’s
quite a pressure on you to be more open.
Abidemi: I’ just tryi g to thi k of Afri a ou tries, like ei g a Nigerian yself, e’ e
had the issue of 11. ….............. and Western British culture is valorized. So coming from
that aspect, I wonder before how we were. Were we more introverted? Because in a lot
of ays e’re ery si ilar to Asian cultures and Asian values. We have a lot of that as we

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Listening Activity

Complete the sentences

Rory: Because I mean people often see England or British people as a bit introverted and a
bit quiet, a bit cold and yet we share the same language as America. And people tend to
think that people from North America are quiet 12. …............. And extroverted.

Comprehension Quiz
1) They say people from _____ seem introverted.
a) Europe b) Africa b) Asia
2) You seem extroverted if you _____ .
a) speak softly b) talk with your hands c) make eye contact
3) In the West there is pressure to be _____ .
a) open b) closed c) intrusive
4) British people seem more _____ than Americans.
a) extroverted b) introverted c) honest
5) People from North America can seem _____ .
a) quaint b) brash c) cold
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Vocabulary Building

Extroverted 1. People who are more shy and do not talk as much as
Cheerful extroverted people
Intertwined 2. When something goes back to a previous form
Introverted 3. is a way people from one culture do things, which is often
Revert back different from other cultures
cultural norm 4. is more outgoing and more expressive.
5. Things that are linked together and support each other.
6. is very happy and smiles a lot
Vocabulary Quiz
extroverted • heerful • intertwined • introverted • revert a k • ultural or
1. The t o ou tries’ histories are .
2. She is always happy and .
3. Shy people are .
4. It is easy to bad old habits.
5. Outgoing people are .
6. Shaking hands is the .
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Personality Quotes

Explain the following personality quotes.

“Personality has the power to “We know what a person

open many doors, but thinks not when he tells us
character must keep them what he thinks, but by his
open” actions.”

“Humility is no substitute for a “I've learned that people will

good personality.” forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but
people will never forget how
“It's beauty that captures your you made them feel.”
attention; personality which
captures your heart.”

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Vocabulary Activity

1. A rude unhelpful shop assistant

A. Surly B. Surely C. Charming
2. Determined and quick to anger.
A. Upset B. Shy C. Headstrong
3. Someone who is very proud of what they have achieved
A. Conceited B. Headstrong C. Conservative
4. A complicated person who is often grumpy
A. Moody B. Surly C. Unkind
5. Someone with strong irrational ideas often associated with nationalism, racism and
sexism
A. your teacher B. moustache C. a bigot
6. A person who is absent minder
A. Fretful B. Clumsy C. Forgetful
7. A person who is always knocking into furniture.
A. Forgetful B. Clumsy C. Fretful
8. An adult who has a personality of a child
A. a big kid B. a tom boy C. a brat
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Vocabulary Building

1. Someone who enjoys being around people.

• A. goofy 2. A person who is very motivated to do well is said to be:
• B. basket case 3. A person who is funny and tells a lot of jokes can be
• C. ham called a:
• D. nut job 4. A person who is awkward and tense can be described as
• E. people being:
person 5. A person who is extremely upset can be called a:
• F. shallow 6. A person who only cares about things like money and
• G. outgoing how someone looks is described as being:
• H. driven 7. A person who is friendly and talkative is:
• I. creepy 8. Another word for silly is:
• J. stiff 9. A person who makes others uncomfortable is described
as being:
10.An expression that describes a crazy person: .

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Vocabulary Building
What personality should these people have?

President Doctor Boss

Architect Soldier Lawyer

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Idioms we might use when describing people
•Down to earth - someone who is humble, a realistic and practical person who has
sensible reactions and expectations.
•A loose cannon - someone who cannot be trusted because they are unpredictable
and have irresponsible behavior which can cause trouble.
•As stubborn as a mule - someone who is unwilling to listen to reason or change
their mind about something.
•Hard as nails - someone who is very unsympathetic who does not seem to care
about others.
•High and mighty - someone who thinks they are more superior than other people.
•Full of hot air - a person who is full of nonsense and talks a lot without saying
anything worthwhile.
•A heart of gold - someone who is very kind and caring.
•A pain in the neck - someone who is very annoying.
•A couch potato - someone who is lazy and spends too much time in front of the TV
and eating junk food.
•Butter wouldn't melt in his/her mouth - someone who looks completely innocent but
they are capable of doing naughty/unpleasant things.

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Speaking Activity

1. What do you think are the factors that shape a person's

personality?
2. Do you think personality traits vary between countries?
3. Do you think personality tests and assessments can accurately
categorize a person?
4. If you could remove one aspect of your personality, what would
it be?
5. Do you think birth order makes a difference in your personality?
6. In what way has your personality changed? Why has it changed?
7. Do you think people misunderstand your personality? Why?
8. What personality trait would you like to develop?
9. Are genes more powerful than how you were raised? Why do
you think so?
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The End