Unit 2 - Thought (Listening)

claim (n)

/kleɪm/ a statement that something is true, even though you have not proved it 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing unproven advertising promises made by brain-training apps. 🔗 Collocations: make a claim [đưa ra tuyên bố], dishonest claim. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Why would someone make a dishonest claim?) Many companies make a dishonest claim about their applications simply because they want to sell more products to students. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is a common claim that fast-food companies make in their advertisements?

function (n)

/ˈfʌŋkʃn/ a process that happens inside the body, or something that part of the body does 🎯 Context in Unit: Talking about how the brain works during teenage years or when multitasking. 🔗 Collocations: brain function [chức năng não bộ], normal function. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) I believe that a lack of sleep can severely damage your daily brain function. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is the main function of the human heart?

sample (n)

/ˈsæmpl/ a group of people who participate in a study or experiment 🎯 Context in Unit: Evaluating if a scientific study about brain training is reliable. 🔗 Collocations: sample size [cỡ mẫu], large sample. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are ten people a big enough sample size?) Ten people is definitely not a big enough sample size to prove that a brain-training game actually works. ⚡ Actionable Practice: If you want to know the favorite food of your school, what is a good sample size?

task (n)

/tæsk/ something that needs to be done 🎯 Context in Unit: Referring to memory tasks or multitasking. 🔗 Collocations: complete a task [hoàn thành nhiệm vụ], memory task. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are you good at multitasking?) I am terrible at multitasking because if I do two tasks at the same time, I make a lot of mistakes. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is the most difficult task you have to do every morning?

evidence (n)

/ˈevɪdəns/ facts or signs used to help prove something 🎯 Context in Unit: Looking for scientific proof that technology harms memory. 🔗 Collocations: clear evidence [bằng chứng rõ ràng], provide evidence. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) There is clear evidence that relying on smartphones makes our short-term memory much weaker. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do police need evidence to arrest someone?

dishonest (adj)

/dɪsˈɑːnɪst/ not truthful 🎯 Context in Unit: Describing advertising companies that lie about brain-training benefits. 🔗 Collocations: dishonest behavior [hành vi không trung thực], completely dishonest. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Why would someone make a dishonest claim?) It is completely dishonest to tell people that playing a video game will make them smarter. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Have you ever been dishonest with your parents about your grades?

criticism (n)

/ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/ comments that show you think something is bad or wrong 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing feedback and debates about scientific research. 🔗 Collocations: receive criticism [nhận sự chỉ trích/phê bình], constructive criticism. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Receiving heavy criticism from a teacher can cause stress, which negatively affects a student's brain function. ⚡ Actionable Practice: How do you usually react when someone gives you constructive criticism?

potential (adj)

/pəˈtenʃl/ the possibility to develop or achieve something in the future 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing the future benefits or dangers of AI and technology. 🔗 Collocations: potential benefit [lợi ích tiềm năng], reach full potential. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is screen time affecting people?) Excessive screen time is a potential danger to young children because it limits their social skills. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is a potential problem of studying abroad?

anecdotal (adj)

/ˌænɪkˈdoʊtl/ based on someone's personal experience, rather than facts that can be checked 🎯 Context in Unit: Contrasting personal stories with real scientific evidence. 🔗 Collocations: anecdotal evidence [bằng chứng giai thoại/truyền miệng]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does exercise improve memory?) Although my friend says running helps her study better, that is just anecdotal evidence and not a scientific fact. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you trust anecdotal advice from your grandparents about curing a cold?

neuroscience (n)

/ˈnʊroʊsaɪəns/ the scientific study of the brain and nerves in the body that control feelings 🎯 Context in Unit: The academic field that studies how brain-training impacts the mind. 🔗 Collocations: modern neuroscience [khoa học thần kinh hiện đại]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are ten people a big enough sample size?) According to modern neuroscience, a valid study requires hundreds of participants to understand the brain. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Would you like to study neuroscience at university?

affect (v)

/əˈfekt/ to change or influence something 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing how screen time changes our brain or mood. 🔗 Collocations: negatively affect [ảnh hưởng tiêu cực], deeply affect. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is a person likely to be affected by screen time?) Yes, staring at a screen for five hours will negatively affect your ability to sleep at night. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does the weather affect your mood?

interfere (v)

/ˌɪntərˈfɪr/ to prevent something from happening or continuing in a good way 🎯 Context in Unit: How mobile phones distract students from studying. 🔗 Collocations: interfere with concentration [cản trở sự tập trung]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Loud noises and phone notifications constantly interfere with my concentration when I try to read. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does listening to music interfere with your ability to do math homework?

efficiently (adv)

/ɪˈfɪʃntli/ in a good way that doesn't waste time or energy 🎯 Context in Unit: Debating whether multitasking helps us work faster or just wastes time. 🔗 Collocations: work efficiently [làm việc hiệu quả]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are you good at multitasking?) I cannot work efficiently if I am watching television and doing homework at the same time. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is the best way to study English efficiently?

capacity (n)

/kəˈpæsəti/ amount of something that can be stored, e.g., on a computer or in the brain 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing the limits of human memory versus digital storage. 🔗 Collocations: storage capacity [dung lượng lưu trữ], mental capacity. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does technology negatively affect memory?) Because our phones have a huge storage capacity, we no longer use our mental capacity to remember phone numbers. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does your phone have a large or small storage capacity?

version (n)

/ˈvɜːrʒn/ corrected, or changed forms of an original document, story, etc. 🎯 Context in Unit: Writing multiple drafts of an essay on a computer. 🔗 Collocations: final version [phiên bản cuối cùng], updated version. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Which devices are most important?) My laptop is the most important device because I have to write several versions of my essays before I submit them. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you usually buy the newest version of a smartphone when it comes out?

critical thinking (n)

/ˌkrɪtɪkl ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ the ability to analyze and evaluate information without emotion 🎯 Context in Unit: Schools emphasizing deep thought rather than just memorizing facts. 🔗 Collocations: develop critical thinking [phát triển tư duy phản biện]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) Relying on Google for every answer prevents students from developing their own critical thinking skills. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Why is critical thinking important in the IELTS test?

characteristic (n)

/ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk/ quality or feature that is a typical part of someone or something 🎯 Context in Unit: Describing what makes a good student or a healthy brain. 🔗 Collocations: important characteristic [đặc điểm quan trọng], physical characteristic. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is a person affected by screen time?) A common characteristic of people with too much screen time is that they get angry very easily. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is the best characteristic of your closest friend?

impact (n)

/ˈɪmpækt/ an effect or influence on something 🎯 Context in Unit: The effect that technology has on daily life and learning. 🔗 Collocations: huge impact [tác động khổng lồ], negative impact. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Social media has a huge negative impact on a teenager's ability to focus on long texts. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Who has had the biggest positive impact on your life?

concentration (n)

/ˌkɑːnsenˈtreɪʃn/ giving all of your attention to something 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing how phones destroy our focus. 🔗 Collocations: deep concentration [sự tập trung cao độ], lose concentration. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is a person likely to be affected by screen time?) Yes, spending hours on TikTok causes people to lose their concentration when doing actual work. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you prefer silence or background music for deep concentration?

concept (n)

/ˈkɑːnsept/ an idea, thought, or theory 🎯 Context in Unit: Understanding difficult ideas in academic reading. 🔗 Collocations: difficult concept [khái niệm khó], abstract concept. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) Students use devices to find facts, but they struggle to understand a difficult concept without a teacher. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What is the most difficult math concept you ever learned?

short-term memory (n)

/ˌʃɔːrt tɜːrm ˈmeməri/ the ability to remember recent events or information for a short period of time 🎯 Context in Unit: The specific type of memory harmed by multitasking. 🔗 Collocations: improve short-term memory [cải thiện trí nhớ ngắn hạn]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are you good at multitasking?) Multitasking actually damages your short-term memory because your brain cannot process two things at once. ⚡ Actionable Practice: If I give you a phone number right now, will your short-term memory remember it tomorrow?

master (v)

/ˈmæstər/ to learn how to do something extremely well 🎯 Context in Unit: Practicing 10,000 hours to become an expert. 🔗 Collocations: master a skill [thành thạo một kỹ năng], completely master. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does exercise improve memory?) Exercise keeps the brain healthy, which makes it easier to completely master a new language. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What skill would you like to master in the next 5 years?

mental (adj)

/ˈmentl/ relating to the brain or mind 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing mental health issues caused by technology. 🔗 Collocations: mental health [sức khỏe tinh thần], mental effort. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Staring at a screen all day requires no mental effort, which makes the brain lazy over time. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you think physical health is more important than mental health?

observation (n)

/ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃn/ a comment about something seen or heard 🎯 Context in Unit: Responding to a partner's argument in a debate. 🔗 Collocations: interesting observation [quan sát thú vị], agree with an observation. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are you good at multitasking?) I agree with the scientist's observation that humans are physically unable to multitask effectively. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Make an observation about the weather today.

focus (v)

/ˈfoʊkəs/ to pay close attention to something 🎯 Context in Unit: Trying to study while phones are nearby. 🔗 Collocations: focus entirely on [tập trung hoàn toàn vào], hard to focus. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What electronic devices are most important?) My laptop is important, but turning off my phone is the only way I can focus entirely on my writing. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What time of day is it easiest for you to focus?

psychologist (n)

/saɪˈkɑːlədʒɪst/ a professional who studies how the mind affects human behavior 🎯 Context in Unit: The experts who conduct the brain-training research. 🔗 Collocations: clinical psychologist [nhà tâm lý học lâm sàng]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are ten people a big sample size?) Any professional psychologist would tell you that ten people is too small to draw a scientific conclusion. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Would you ever visit a psychologist if you felt extremely stressed?

boil down to (id)

/bɔɪl daʊn tuː/ to be the main reason for something 🎯 Context in Unit: Summarizing the main point of an argument. 🔗 Collocations: boil down to one thing [chung quy lại ở một điều]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: How can a person decide if screen time is excessive?) It all boils down to whether your screen time is hurting your sleep and relationships. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does success in school boil down to hard work or natural intelligence?

contemporary (adj)

/kənˈtempəreri/ modern, relating to the present time 🎯 Context in Unit: Reading modern research papers on brain function. 🔗 Collocations: contemporary society [xã hội đương đại], contemporary research. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) Contemporary research shows that using GPS makes our brain forget how to navigate naturally. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you prefer contemporary music or classic music?

context (n)

/ˈkɑːntekst/ the general situation in which something happens 🎯 Context in Unit: Understanding information within a specific situation. 🔗 Collocations: social context [bối cảnh xã hội], historical context. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is screen time affecting people?) In the context of a classroom, mobile phones are extremely distracting and reduce learning. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Can the meaning of a word change depending on its context?

contradict (v)

/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/ to be so different from another piece of information, that both cannot be true 🎯 Context in Unit: Speaking skill (Contradicting an opponent's argument in a debate). 🔗 Collocations: directly contradict [mâu thuẫn trực tiếp]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does exercise improve memory?) The new evidence directly contradicts the old belief that our brain stops growing after childhood. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Have you ever contradicted a teacher when they said something wrong?

diverse (adj)

/daɪˈvɜːrs/ containing lots of variety 🎯 Context in Unit: Needing a varied sample of people for a study. 🔗 Collocations: diverse group [nhóm đa dạng], culturally diverse. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are ten people a big enough sample size?) A valid study requires a highly diverse group of people from different ages and backgrounds. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Is the food in your city very diverse?

establish (v)

/ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ to find out or prove 🎯 Context in Unit: Proving facts in scientific research. 🔗 Collocations: clearly establish [chứng minh rõ ràng], establish a connection. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) Scientists have clearly established a connection between high screen time and poor memory. ⚡ Actionable Practice: How long does it take to establish a good habit?

identify (v)

/aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ to recognize something and understand exactly what it is 🎯 Context in Unit: Recognizing problems in a debate argument. 🔗 Collocations: easily identify [dễ dàng nhận diện], identify the cause. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Doctors can easily identify the negative effects of a bad diet on a teenager's brain. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Can you identify fake news when you read it on Facebook?

intelligence (n)

/ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/ the ability to understand things quickly and apply knowledge to a high level 🎯 Context in Unit: Discussing if brain apps actually increase your IQ. 🔗 Collocations: artificial intelligence [trí tuệ nhân tạo], human intelligence. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Why would someone make a dishonest claim?) Companies lie about increasing human intelligence because people are desperate to become smarter quickly. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you think animals have high intelligence?

revenue (n)

/ˈrevənuː/ the money generated by a business 🎯 Context in Unit: The main reason companies sell fake brain-training apps. 🔗 Collocations: generate revenue [tạo ra doanh thu], increase revenue. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Why would someone make a dishonest claim?) Brain-training companies make dishonest claims simply to increase their annual revenue. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does your favorite coffee shop generate a lot of revenue?

take-home message (id)

/ˈteɪk hoʊm ˌmesɪdʒ/ the main idea that you learn from something 🎯 Context in Unit: The conclusion of the lecture on screen time. 🔗 Collocations: clear take-home message [thông điệp đọng lại rõ ràng]. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is screen time affecting people?) The take-home message from the lecture is that we must strictly limit our smartphone usage to protect our brains. ⚡ Actionable Practice: What was the take-home message of the last movie you watched?

Cognitive (adj)

/ˈkɑːɡnətɪv/ connected with thinking or conscious mental processes 🎯 Context in Unit: Đây là từ "bậc cao" để thay thế cho "mental" hoặc "brain" khi nói về chức năng tư duy trong bài IELTS. 🔗 Collocations: cognitive development [sự phát triển nhận thức], cognitive decline. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: What has a negative effect on brain function?) Lack of sleep and excessive multitasking can lead to severe cognitive decline in young adults. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do puzzles like Sudoku help improve your cognitive skills?

Detrimental (adj)

/ˌdetrɪˈmentl/ causing harm or damage 🎯 Context in Unit: Tuyệt vời để thay thế cho "negative effect" khi tranh luận về tác hại của công nghệ (Screen time). 🔗 Collocations: detrimental effect [tác động có hại/tàn phá], highly detrimental. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Does mobile technology negatively affect memory?) Staring at a screen before bed has a highly detrimental effect on our sleep cycle and memory storage. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Is eating fast food every day detrimental to your health?

Retain (v)

/rɪˈteɪn/ to keep or continue to have something (especially information) 🎯 Context in Unit: Dùng để nói về việc "ghi nhớ" (remember) kiến thức sau khi học hoặc đọc sách. 🔗 Collocations: retain information [lưu giữ thông tin], ability to retain. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Are you good at multitasking?) When I multitask, my brain loses the ability to properly retain new information for my exams. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Do you retain vocabulary better by writing it down or saying it aloud?

Sedentary (adj)

/ˈsedntri/ involving little exercise or physical activity 🎯 Context in Unit: Liên kết hoàn hảo giữa "Screen time" (Ngồi xem điện thoại) và tác động xấu đến cơ thể/não bộ. 🔗 Collocations: sedentary lifestyle [lối sống thụ động/ngồi nhiều], highly sedentary. 📝 Interactive/Critical Example: (Answering: Is a person affected by spending too much screen time?) Too much screen time forces people into a sedentary lifestyle, which slows down blood flow to the brain. ⚡ Actionable Practice: Does an office worker usually have a active or sedentary lifestyle?