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B2 Upper Intermediate English 4:49 687 words Animation

When should you break a promise? - Sarah Stroud and Michael Vazquez

TED-Ed · 209,793 views · Added 5 months ago

AI Summary

This animated philosophy lesson examines whether it is ever justified to break a promise, using the story of a woman who made deathbed promises to her wife. Learners will encounter English vocabulary related to ethics and philosophy, including terms like self-determination, interpersonal expectations, coercion, duress, and feminist philosophy. The video offers excellent practice with conditional reasoning, hypothetical scenarios, and the language of moral argumentation in English.

Learning Stats

B2

CEFR Level

687

Total Words

344

Unique Words

6/10

Difficulty

Vocabulary Diversity 50%

Subtitles (40 segments)

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00:06

For decades, Yvonne and Zaina have been happily married and co-leading a non-profit developing a cure for a life-threatening disease.

00:14

This work is largely funded by profits from a successful company Yvonne founded.

00:18

But one day the couple is involved in a tragic car accident, and Yvonne is rushed to the hospital.

00:23

The doctors can only do so much, and on her deathbed, Yvonne asks Zaina to promise her two things.

00:30

First, she wants Zaina to continue using the company’s funds to support their non-profit and its research.

00:35

Second, Yvonne recalls a conversation from years earlier where the two pledged that no matter what the future held, they would never remarry.

00:43

And in her final moments, Yvonne asks Zaina to recommit that pledge.

00:48

Holding her wife closely, Zaina promises to uphold Yvonne’s wishes.

Full subtitles available in the video player

Key Vocabulary (15)

zaina A1 proper noun

A female given name of Arabic origin, meaning 'beauty', 'grace', or 'beautiful'. It is used as a personal name in English-speaking communities and worldwide.

yvonne A1 Proper Noun

A female given name of French origin, derived from the name Yves, traditionally meaning 'yew' or 'archer'.

promises B1 noun

A declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. It can refer to the potential for good results or success in the future. As a verb, it is the act of making such a declaration.

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Grammar in This Video

First Conditional: Real Future Possibilities B1

"If you've benefited from this social practice, then justice requires you to upho..."
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Categories

Academic Daily Life

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