Are You Emotionally Intelligent? reading

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Read the first part of the article and find out.B

ForbesAre You Emotionally Intelligent? Here’s How To Know For Sure

When emotional intelligence (EQ) first appeared to the masses, it served as the missing link in a peculiar finding: people with average IQs outperform those with the highest IQs 70% of the time. This anomaly threw a massive wrench into the broadly held assumption that IQ was the sole source of

success.Decades of research now

point to emotional intelligence as being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. The connection is so strong that 90% of top performers have high emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the “something” in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions to achieve positive results.

Despite the significance of EQ, its intangible nature makes it very difficult to know how much you have and what you can do to improve if you’re

lacking. You can always take a scientifically validated test, but quality (scientifically valid) EQ tests aren’t free. So, I’ve analyzed the data from the million-plus people TalentSmart has tested in order to identify the behaviors that are the hallmarks of a high EQ. What follows are sure signs that you have a high EQ.

June 2015

What is emotional intelligence (EQ) and how does it differ from a person’s IQ? How important is a person’s EQ to their success?

What do you think are signs that someone has a high EQ?bThe journalist says the following are all sure signs that you have a high EQ. Say what you think the journalist is going to tell us about each one and why they are signs of a high EQ.

Y

You Have A Robust Emotional Vocabulary

You’re Curious About People

You Embrace Change

You Know Your Strengths And Weaknesses

You Don’t Seek Perfection

You Appreciate What You Have

You Won’t Let Anyone Limit Your Joy

You Are Difficult To Offend

You Let Go Of Mistakes

You Don’t Hold Grudges

Read the section from the article that you are given and explain the quality or sign of high EQ to the other members of the class.

B

Are You Emotionally Intelligent? reading

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Which of the signs are high EQ markers in your opinion? Having looked at the hallmarks of a high EQ, how high do you think your EQ is?b

1 This anomaly threw a massive wrench into the broadly held assumption that IQ was the sole source of success.2 So, I’ve analyzed the data from the million-plus people TalentSmart has tested in order to identify the behaviors that are the hallmarks of a high EQ. 3 ...and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. 4 ...it’s difficult for someone to say or do something that gets your goat.5 Emotionally intelligent people are self-confident and open-minded, which creates a pretty thick skin. 6 You may even poke fun at yourself...7 It takes refined self-awareness to walk this tightrope between dwelling and remembering. 8 ...a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat.9 ...holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body...

Explain the meaning of the highlighted expressions in these extracts from the article:V

Match the expressions to these definitions:V 1 to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding

__ to make someone angry or annoyed

__ a lack of sensitivity to criticism

__ to be the clear sign

__ to maintain a degree of scepticism about something

__ to cause a lot of trouble with something

__ to take or be on a very precarious course

__ to mock or ridicule

__ to flee

1 Good food and efficient service _________________________ of a top restaurant.

Complete these sentences with the expressions above:V

2 Don’t believe everything he tells you. I ____________ most things he says __________ _________________________.

3 It really _______________________ when people cancel appointments at the last minute.

4 You can ______________________ Kate. She has a ________________ and doesn’t get offended easily.

5 Governments are ___________________________ between stimulating the economy with low interest rates and driving up inflation.

6 The rain ______________________ on their picnic plans.

7 Jim ___________________________ the plans by withdrawing his financial support.

8 When he told his girlfriend he wanted to get married she _______________________. She was not keen on the idea.

run for the hills

walking a tightrope

E What does the highlighted expression in this extract from the article mean:

Are You Emotionally Intelligent? reading

ForbesDwelling too long on your mistakes makes you anxious and gun shy...

June 2015

There are other 'gun' idioms in English. What do you think these mean?

Match the idioms to these explanations:V

1 go great guns

2 jump the gun

3 stick to one’s guns

4 the smoking gun

5 put a gun to somebody’s head

6 under the gun

7 with all guns blazing

8 gun for

____ to start too soon

____ to go very well

____ to force someone to do what you want

____ under pressure

____ to remain firm in one’s convictions

____ the indisputable sign of guilt

____ to go after in earnest; set out to obtain

____ with a lot of force and energy

put a gun to his head

the smoking gun

Complete these sentences with the idioms:V1 Despite all the criticism, she __________________________, didn’t change what she was doing and finally achieved her goal.

2 The June 23, 1972 tape from the Watergate affair was called the _________________ tape because it contained clear evidence of wrongdoing.

3 “How’s your business?” “It’s ________________________ thanks. We’re doing really well.”

4 You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I’m not ____________________________.

5 I was ___________________ and made a quick decision to expand into Asia and I think I ____________________________ because it’s more difficult than I expected.

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Are You Emotionally Intelligent?intermediate+ (B1+)

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student pages 3Teacher’s notes 1/3

Match the expressions to these definitions:V1 to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding4 to make someone angry or annoyed5 a lack of sensitivity to criticism2 to be the clear sign3 to maintain a degree of scepticism about something9 to cause a lot of trouble with something7 to take or be on a very precarious course6 to mock or ridicule8 to flee

1 are the hallmarks2 take / with a pinch of salt3 gets my goat4 poke fun at / thick skin5 walking a tightrope6 wreaked havoc7 threw a wrench into8 ran for the hills

Complete these sentences with the expressions above:V

Match the idioms to these explanations:V2 to start too soon 1 to go very well5 to force someone to do what you want 6 under pressure3 to remain firm in one’s convictions 4 the indisputable sign of guilt8 to go after in earnest; set out to obtain7 with a lot of force and energy

E What does the highlighted expression in this extract from the article mean:

gun shy = hesitant, wary or distrustful, especially because of a previous unpleasant experience

Complete these sentences with the idioms:V1 stuck to her guns2 smoking gun3 going great guns4 putting a gun to your head5 under the gun / jumped the gun

Cut up and share out the sections among the students. They should read them and report back to the other members of the class.

You Have A Robust Emotional VocabularyAll people experience emotions, but it is a select few who can accurately identify them as they occur. Our research shows that only 36% of people can do this, which is problematic because unlabelled emotions often go misunderstood, which

leads to irrational choices and counterproductive actions.

People with high EQs master their emotions because they understand them, and they use an extensive vocabulary of feelings to do so. While many people might describe themselves as simply feeling “bad,” emotionally

intelligent people can pinpoint whether they feel “irritable,” “frustrated,” “downtrodden” or “anxious.” The more specific your word choice, the better insight you have into exactly how you are feeling, what caused it, and what you should do about it.

You’re Curious About PeopleIt doesn’t matter if they’re introverted or extroverted, emotionally intelligent people are curious about everyone

around them. This curiosity is the product of empathy, one of the most significant gateways to a high EQ. The more you care about other people and

what they’re going through, the more curiosity you’re going to have about them.

Are You Emotionally Intelligent?intermediate+ (B1+)

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Teacher’s notes 2/3

You Embrace ChangeEmotionally intelligent people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that fear

of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness. They look for change that is lurking just

around the corner, and they form a plan of action should these changes occur.

You Don’t Seek PerfectionEmotionally intelligent people won’t set perfection as their target because they know that it doesn’t exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible.

When perfection is your goal, you’re always left with a nagging sense of failure that makes you want to give up or reduce your effort. You end up spending your time lamenting

what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently instead of moving forward, excited about what you’ve achieved and what you will accomplish in the future.

You Appreciate What You HaveTaking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the right thing to do; it also improves your mood because it reduces the stress

hormone cortisol by 23%. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis, found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced

improved mood, energy, and physical well-being. It’s likely that lower levels of cortisol played a major role in this.

You Don’t Hold GrudgesThe negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with

a threat. When the threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when the threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time.

In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that

holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you’re holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Letting go of a grudge not only makes you feel better now but can also improve your health.

You Are Difficult To OffendIf you have a firm grasp of whom you are, it’s difficult for someone to say or do something that gets your

goat. Emotionally intelligent people are self-confident and open-minded, which creates a pretty thick skin. You may even poke fun at yourself or let

other people make jokes about you because you are able to mentally draw the line between humor and degradation.

You Let Go Of MistakesEmotionally intelligent people distance themselves from their mistakes, but do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and

adjust for future success.It takes refined self-

awareness to walk this tightrope between dwelling and remembering. Dwelling too long on your mistakes makes you anxious and gun shy, while forgetting about

them completely makes you bound to repeat them. The key to balance lies in your ability to transform failures into nuggets of improvement. This creates the tendency to get right back up every time you fall down.

Are You Emotionally Intelligent?intermediate+ (B1+)

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Teacher’s notes 3/3

You Won’t Let Anyone Limit Your JoyWhen your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from the opinions of other people, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally

intelligent people feel good about something that they’ve done, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or snide remarks take that away from them. While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don’t have to compare

yourself to others, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within.