EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• organization: a group of people who have a goal
• diverse: including people of many different backgrounds and identities
• volunteer: someone who offers to do something for free
• borrow: to take something and return it later
• stereotype: a generalized belief about a group of people
• empathize: to understand someone’s feelings and experiences

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

In 2000, an organization in Denmark started a called “The Human Library”. This library was not meant for borrowing . Instead, visitors could “borrow” a person and to their story. The event had a diverse group of volunteers with unique to share. The Human Library’s goal was to challenge stereotypes. By meeting one-on-one, the visitors and volunteers got a chance to empathize with each other. The first event was very , and the Human Library began to travel around the world. Over 80 countries have now held Human Library events. Some countries have even built permanent Human Libraries that people can visit at any time.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20455″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Would you ever visit a Human Library? What do you think you could learn?

Transcript

In 2000, an organization in Denmark started a project called “The Human Library”. This library was not meant for borrowing books. Instead, visitors could “borrow” a person and listen to their story. The event had a diverse group of volunteers with unique experiences to share. The Human Library’s goal was to challenge stereotypes. By meeting one-on-one, the visitors and volunteers got a chance to empathize with each other. The first event was very successful, and the Human Library began to travel around the world. Over 80 countries have now held Human Library events. Some countries have even built permanent Human Libraries that people can visit at any time.