Gossip
GOSSIP
My name is Gossip.
Warm-up
Talk about these questions with your teacher.
선생님과 이야기해 보세요.
- The passage personifies gossip as a living entity. If you could personify another social behavior as a character, which would you choose and why?
- In the age of social media, where information spreads instantaneously, do you think the destructive power of gossip has fundamentally changed?
Vocabulary
Listen and repeat after your teacher.
선생님을 따라 읽어보세요.
Reading
Read the passage with your teacher.
선생님과 함께 지문을 읽어보세요.
My name is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim people without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.
The more I am quoted the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless.
No one can protect himself against me because I have no name and no face.
To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody's friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it's never the same.
I topple governments and wreck marriages.
I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion.
I spawn suspicion and generate grief.
I make innocent people cry in their pillows.
I am called Gossip.
Office gossip.
Shop gossip.
Party gossip.
Telephone gossip.
I make headlines and headaches.Before you repeat a story, ask yourself, Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary? If not ? SHUT UP!
Korean Trap! / 한국인 실수 교정
Common mistakes Korean speakers make.
한국인이 자주 하는 실수를 알아봅시다.
'gossip'은 불가산 명사입니다. 'a gossip'이라고 하면 '소문을 좋아하는 사람'이란 뜻이 됩니다. 소문 자체를 말할 때는 'some gossip' 또는 'a piece of gossip'을 쓰세요.
Discussion
Share your thoughts with your teacher.
선생님과 의견을 나눠보세요.
- The passage says gossip "has no name and no face." How does anonymity amplify the harm of gossip, and should anonymous speech be more regulated?
- The author suggests three questions to ask before repeating a story: Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary? Which of these three filters do you think is the most important, and why?
- The text claims gossip can "topple governments." Can you think of real-world examples where rumors or misinformation led to political upheaval?
- Some psychologists argue that gossip serves an essential social function, such as reinforcing group norms and building trust. Does this justify its existence despite the damage it causes?
- If you discovered that a close friend was spreading gossip about you, how would you confront the situation, and does the relationship change permanently?
Lesson Summary / 수업 요약
Today's Topic: GOSSIP
Level: Low Advanced (L.A)
Review this lesson before your next class! / 다음 수업 전에 복습하세요!