Can You Explain Why?

고급 토론 (High Advanced)

Lesson 55

Can You Explain Why?

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Lesson 55

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY?

Talk about abilities and possibilities

High Advanced 25 min Speaking 75%
3 min

Warm-up

Talk about these questions with your teacher.
선생님과 이야기해 보세요.

  1. What is the most difficult question someone has ever asked you to explain?
  2. Do you think every phenomenon in life can be logically explained?
4 min

Vocabulary

Listen and repeat after your teacher.
선생님을 따라 읽어보세요.

insurance /ɪnˈʃʊrəns/
a contract providing financial protection against loss  |  보험
The idea of insurance is a actually fairly recent and has removed or reduced risk as a major consideration in the conduct of business and daily life
burden /ˈbɜːrdən/
a heavy load; a responsibility that causes worry  |  부담, 짐
Isn’t it more convenient to share the expense than to put the entire burden on one pair of shoulders
conduct /ˈkɑːndʌkt/
the manner in which something is managed or directed  |  행동, 수행
The idea of insurance is a actually fairly recent and has removed or reduced risk as a major consideration in the conduct of business and daily life
consideration /kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃən/
careful thought over a period of time  |  고려, 숙고
The idea of insurance is a actually fairly recent and has removed or reduced risk as a major consideration in the conduct of business and daily life
convenient /kənˈviːniənt/
fitting in well with needs or plans; easy to use  |  편리한
Isn’t it more convenient to share the expense than to put the entire burden on one pair of shoulders
demonstrate /ˈdɛmənstreɪt/
to clearly show the existence or truth of something  |  보여주다, 증명하다
The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate how to give an explanation of something
industrial /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/
relating to or characterized by industry  |  산업의
The Industrial Revolution changed the way people live and work
5 min

Reading

Read the passage with your teacher.
선생님과 함께 지문을 읽어보세요.

The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate how to give an explanation of something.You will be given some situations and you will be asked to provide their rationale.1.The Industrial Revolution changed the way people live and work. Good paying jobs are located in the cities and disappearing completely. Why are people flocking to the cities?2.The idea of insurance is a actually fairly recent and has removed or reduced risk as a major consideration in the conduct of business and daily life. And yet, most ordinary people seem reluctant to buy life insurance. Can you explain why?3.Some people say they hate to see payday. Why? Would they prefer to work for free?4.?“Going Dutch” is the practice of each person in a party paying his own way, especially at a restaurant. Most Koreans don’t like to go Dutch. Why not? Isn’t it more convenient to share the expense than to put the entire burden on one pair of shoulders?5.Today, it seems engagements are less necessary than ever before. People can get married and unmarried at the drop of a hat, or they can just move in together without getting married at all. Can you explain why engagements are a necessary step before marriage?6.People know that smoking and drinking are dangerous, but they don’t stop. Those habits are also expensive, foolish and messy. Can you explain why folks, knowing all these things to be true, persist?7.When troubled, many seek advice from the fortune teller--even if they don't believe that people can really see the future. In fact around the world, astrology and other mens of divination mean bug business, even though scientific thought is supposed to have replaced superstition. Why?

3 min

Korean Trap! / 한국인 실수 교정

Common mistakes Korean speakers make when explaining reasons.
이유를 설명할 때 한국인이 자주 하는 실수를 알아봅시다.

❌ The reason why people are flocking to the cities is because good paying jobs are located there.
✅ The reason why people are flocking to the cities is that good paying jobs are located there.

한국어에서는 "이유는 ~때문이다"라고 자연스럽게 말하기 때문에, 영어에서도 "The reason is because..."라고 직역하는 경우가 매우 많습니다. 하지만 "reason"이라는 단어 자체에 이미 "이유"라는 뜻이 포함되어 있으므로, 다시 "because(왜냐하면)"를 쓰면 의미가 중복됩니다. 올바른 표현은 "The reason is that..."이며, 더 간결하게는 "People flock to the cities because good paying jobs are located there."처럼 reason 없이 because만 사용하는 것이 자연스럽습니다.

❌ Can you explain the reason why is it that most people are reluctant to buy insurance?
✅ Can you explain why most people are reluctant to buy insurance?

이유를 물을 때 한국어의 "왜 그런 건지 이유를 설명해 주시겠어요?"를 그대로 옮기면 불필요하게 길어집니다. 또한 간접의문문에서는 "why is it"이 아니라 평서문 어순(why + 주어 + 동사)을 써야 합니다. "Can you explain why...?"만으로 충분하며, 굳이 "the reason why"를 추가할 필요가 없습니다.

5 min

Discussion

Share your thoughts with your teacher.
선생님과 의견을 나눠보세요.

  1. Which of the phenomena discussed in the passage do you find most difficult to explain rationally?
  2. The passage touches on human behavior that seems contradictory. What psychological factors might explain such inconsistency?
  3. Do you think cultural traditions adequately explain why people continue certain practices even when they seem illogical?
  4. How do you balance rational analysis with emotional intuition when making important life decisions?
  5. Can you identify a social phenomenon in your own culture that foreigners would find difficult to explain?

Lesson Summary / 수업 요약

Today's Topic: CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY?

Level: High Advanced (H.A)

Review this lesson before your next class! / 다음 수업 전에 복습하세요!