Vocabulary - NBC Dateline

Task A
Task B
Task C
Task D
Task E
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A. Pre-viewing

Familiarize yourself with the following entries before watching a video about lying.

foolproof - (of a plan or machine) so simple and easy to understand that it is impossible to go wrong or be used wrongly
perjure - to tell a lie in a law court, after promising formally to tell the truth
defraud - to take something illegally from a person, company, etc., or to change the original document to gain advantage
subterfuge - a trick or a dishonest way of achieving something
prevaricate - to avoid telling the truth or saying exactly what you think
notorious - famous for something bad
monstrous - very cruel or very large
the stakes are high - the potential risk is great
trivial - having little value or importance
drown - to (cause to) die by being unable to breathe underwater
testimony - spoken or written statements that something is true, especially those given in a law court
prosecutor - a lawyer who conducts a case against someone in a law court
micro-expression - is a brief, involuntary facial expression shown on the face of humans when experiencing emotions

B. Comprehension

Watch the video and answer the following questions.

Click here to watch the video

Video ©NBC Dateline.com

“It might make for an interesting experiment - what if you can develop a fool proof lie detector and carried it around with you all day.”
What does ‘make for’ mean?

to imagine or invent
to conduct or carry out
to result in or make possible
The host describes the lie catcher, Paul Ekman, as…

a portable lie detector
a foolproof lie detector
a professional lie detector
Select the word that is used in the video:
“But how can you tell if someone is lying? Is it as easy as this father who ______ his son in the 1948 movie The Winslow Boy?”

scolds deceives cautions
“So if the lie is trivial, all bets are off. But if the liar has something to gain by lying, and a lot to lose if he’s caught, Paul Ekman would usually catch him red-handed.”
What does ‘catch somebody red-handed’ mean?

to win a bet
to catch someone immediately
to discover someone doing something bad
Kaelin is just answering the question truthfully, but his micro-expression, says Ekman, raises a red flag about the line of questioning.
What does ‘red flag’ mean in this context?

dishonesty warning signal sign of danger

C. Synonym

In the exercise below, three synonyms are provided for each bolded word in the following sentences taken from the talk. Watch the video again and observe how these words are used in a larger context. Select the synonym that best fits that context. Consult a dictionary when necessary.

It might make for an interesting experiment - what if you can develop a foolproof lie detector and carry it around with you all day.

reliable confident safe
So you look for discrepancies, things that don’t fit. The speech doesn’t fit the voice, the voice doesn’t fit with the face, the body movements don’t fit with anyone of them.

contradictions disputes differences
Susan Smith, the mother convicted of drowning her two sons…

condemned ruined found guilt
Ekman also urges people to be a little more skeptical, he says liars are often not caught because too many of us really believe that others are telling us the truth.

critical doubtful ironic

D. Using vocabulary

Complete the following sentences using the words in the box. Use the correct grammatical form of the words.

notorious
foolproof
trivial
monstrous
testimony
deceive
defraud
drown
skeptical
convicted

They are both charged with conspiracy to defraud an insurance company of $20,000.
The company is notorious for paying its bills late.
He had committed a monstrous crime that sent him directly to life- long imprisonment.
I don't know why he gets so upset about something that is utterly trivial and unimportant.
Many animals were drowned by the tidal wave.
I don't believe there's anything such as a foolproof scheme for making money. We need to work hard to accumulate wealth.
Many experts remain skeptical about his claims. He needs to provide more evidence if he wants to be trusted.
He has twice been convicted of robbery and sentenced to jail for two years.
The reports are testimony to the many hours of research completed by this committee.
The sound of the door closing deceived me into thinking they had gone out.

E. Antonym

You can expand your vocabulary by learning antonyms. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Knowing antonyms can increase your comprehension of English and allow you to express yourself with greater clarity.

Match each word in the left column to its antonym on the right. Consult a dictionary when necessary.

Select the most appropriate answer to complete the following sentences.

It has been the custom in all countries and ages to erect statues to commemorate the deeds and the virtues of the dead.
That is ! He can't be allowed to get away without being sentenced to jail!
I have seen police officers themselves in traffic offenses. They were trying to cover one another’s hideous acts in the fatal accident.
The coach is for his violent outbursts.
FBI investigators are very good at spotting lies from the most gestures the suspects make during interrogation.
The old man is mentally ill and sent to a hospital for treatment.
Many experts remain about the existence of UFO.
As he took her pulse, the doctor is that Mrs. Smith was dead.
Law is one of the most studies of the subject in Yale University.
The football team won a victory and everyone was surprised by their performance on the field.

Transcription

Transcription - NBC Dateline – Lying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOFS-k8kkL0

[00:00 – 04:09]
From studio 3B in Rockefeller Centre, here is Stone Phillips. It might make for an interesting experiment - what if you can develop a foolproof lie detector and carry it around with you all day. Who would be caught telling lies? Your friends, your family, your boss, you? Well, tonight it’s NBC week-long series on dishonesty in America. I look at why so many people lie, cheat and steal. You gonna meet a man who maybe the closest thing there is to a portable lie detector and perhaps he can show you what to look for to catch people lying to you. Here’s Sarah James.

Song: You can't hide your lying eyes and your smile…

Lie, deceive, misrepresent, perjure, defraud, subterfuge, dishonesty, prevaricate. A thousand words describe a picture of the world where lying and deception seem to be everywhere. From notorious lies…

Layer: Are you therefore saying that you have not use that word in the past ten years detective Fuhrman?
Detective: Yes, that is what I'm saying.

To monstrous lies…

Susan: I would like to say to whoever has my children…

To lies to the name of country…

Solder: I want you to know that lying does not come easy to me…

But how can you tell if someone is lying? Is it as easy as this father who cautions his son in the 1948 movie The Winslow Boy?

Father: If you tell me a lie, I shall know it, because a lie between you and me cannot be hidden.

Psychologist Paul Ekman thinks it’s not so easy, most people he says, including judges, lawyers, police and even FBI agents are very poor in detecting lies, but Ekman made a career out of it.

Journalist: Can you tell when someone lies?
Ekman: I do about 80-90% accurate, if the stakes are high. And that’s really important, it really has to matter to the liar whether they get caught or not. So if the lie is trivial, all bets are off. But if the liar has something to gain by lying, and a lot to lose if he’s caught, Paul Ekman would usually catch him red-handed.
Ekman: So you look for discrepancies, things that don’t fit. The speech doesn’t fit the voice, the voice doesn’t fit with the face, the body movements don’t fit with anyone of them. There is no clue that works for everyone. Take Susan Smith, the mother convicted of drowning her two sons.

Susan: My children are my life.
At first, there was no indication she was lying, but soon, said Ekman, the lie became too difficult to maintain.
Susan: Our lives have been torn apart by this tragic event.

Ekman: Have you seen enough? There’s no emotion going on here, she’s trying to put some in her voice, but she is not succeeding. It’s not in her face, there are no tears, her face is totally flat.

Susan: I want to say to my babies that your mama loves you so much and your daddy...

Ekman: See that was just totally unbelievable performance, just totally unbelievable. She’s trying…

Besides evaluating general behaviour, Dr Ekman says that a good lie catcher must pay attention to specific emotional clues. Watch Kato Kaelin’s testimony in the O. J. Simpson trial.

Prosecutor: Mr Kaelin you’ve got a lot of money for your appearance on your current affair, didn’t you? Kaelin: Um, yes.

Notice anything unusual? Paul Ekman did.

Ekman: Can you back that? Oh that’s it. Now slowly forward. Little more. Okay. That’s a micro-expression. That’s his real feeling towards the prosecutor.
Journalist: Anger, does not like.
Ekman: Aww...Okay. Just comes out for a moment.

Kaelin is just answering the question truthfully, but his micro-expression, says Ekman, raises a red flag about the line of questioning. And the very next exchange…

Prosecutor: You don’t have a book proposal?
Kaelin: No

Not true. According to revelation since the testimony and listen to Kaelin’s voice.

Prosecutor: You don’t have a book proposal out?
Kaelin: No. Don’t wanna do a book.

A drop in voice level, one possible sign, says Ekman, of a lie.

[11:50 – end]
How can someone be a better lie catcher? Ekman says you can start by remembering the two basic clues.

Ekman: So the science of thinking, that you should need to do; and the science of emotion, that don’t fit what you’re saying. And above all, give them a chance to reveal themselves.

Susan: They just got to be okay.

Ekman: The more someone talks, the more likely it is they’re gonna make a mistake that you’ll be able to pick up on.

Now you’re lying to me now. No I’m not.

Ekman also urges people to be a little more skeptical, he says liars are often not caught because too many of us really believe that others are telling us the truth.