Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How would you define “kindness” in your own words?
- How can you tell that the kindness shown to you is sincere?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- personal space /PUR-suh-nl speys/
- admit /ad-MIT/
- compassion /kuhm-PASH-uhn/
- humiliate /hyoo-MIL-ee-eyt/
- relieved /ruh-LEEVD/
[noun] – the physical space immediately surrounding someone, into which any invasion feels threatening to or uncomfortable for them
Please be respectful of people’s personal spaces.
[verb] – to agree that something is true
Nina was hesitant to admit that she was wrong.
[noun] – a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of others and a wish to help them
The volunteer workers treated everyone with compassion.
[verb] – to make someone feel ashamed
I felt humiliated after making that mistake on stage.
[adjective] – happy that something unpleasant has not happened or has ended
I’m relieved to know that she got home safely.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
It’s normal to feel this urge to help someone when needed, but certain obstacles may get in the way of our kindness. Would we be invading their personal space? Would it bother them or not at all?
Psychologist Robin Banerjee led a team at the University of Sussex to create the online questionnaire Kindness Test. The responses were mixed, with some people openly admitting that they weren’t always kind and others displaying a high amount of kindness. Compassion was visible in everyone, regardless of their age or where they lived. Even still, several barriers prevent us from becoming kinder. Fear of being misunderstood was the top reason for not doing kind things for others. We also worry about being humiliated or rejected. However, Gillian Sandstrom of the University of Sussex, who was part of the research team that looked into the Kindness Test, discovered that our fears about talking to strangers are often baseless and that people enjoy it more than they think. Those who have received an act of kindness described themselves as “happy”, “grateful”, “loved”, “relieved“, and “pleased”. Only 1 percent of those surveyed said they were embarrassed.
Receiving and giving acts of kindness make us feel good and happy. Given all of this, we must begin to see compassion as a strength rather than a weakness.
Psychologist Robin Banerjee led a team at the University of Sussex to create the online questionnaire Kindness Test. The responses were mixed, with some people openly admitting that they weren’t always kind and others displaying a high amount of kindness. Compassion was visible in everyone, regardless of their age or where they lived. Even still, several barriers prevent us from becoming kinder. Fear of being misunderstood was the top reason for not doing kind things for others. We also worry about being humiliated or rejected. However, Gillian Sandstrom of the University of Sussex, who was part of the research team that looked into the Kindness Test, discovered that our fears about talking to strangers are often baseless and that people enjoy it more than they think. Those who have received an act of kindness described themselves as “happy”, “grateful”, “loved”, “relieved“, and “pleased”. Only 1 percent of those surveyed said they were embarrassed.
Receiving and giving acts of kindness make us feel good and happy. Given all of this, we must begin to see compassion as a strength rather than a weakness.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is the name of the online questionnaire Robin Banerjee’s team created?
- What were the responses to this test?
- According to the article, what is the top reason for not doing kind things for others?
- What did Gillian Sandstrom discover?
- What percent of those surveyed said they were embarrassed when receiving or giving an act of kindness?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Was there an instance where anxiety prevented you from being kind? Please share an incident about it.
- How do you react to strangers who show you an act of kindness?
- If you were one of the respondents of the Kindness Test, how would you describe yourself as someone who has received an act of kindness?
- Do you agree that embarrassment or rejection prevents us from helping others?
- Aside from offering help to others, what are other acts of kindness?