Connectives
Cities in 2050
Developing a Business/ The Future of Work
Language of Presentations/Speed Networking/Graphs and Trends
Circular Economies
100
The company was doing badly; _______________,it closed.
therefore
as a result
thus
100
What does it mean if a surface is "impervious"?
Not porous. Water cannot go through it.
100
Name 2 soft skills and 2 hard skills.
Soft- listening, communication, leadership, flexibility, teamwork
Hard- coding, language skills, design software knowledge, accounting
100
You ask this type of question in your presentation to encourage listeners to think, but you answer it yourself.
a rhetorical question
100
Explain the term 'downcycled'.
to be downcycled = to be recycled in a way that the product is of lower value than the original item
200
She prefers working in the morning, _______ he is more productive at night.
Whereas
200
Use the word "underlying" in a sentence.
We will hold informal meetings to figure out the underlying issues.
I am still experiencing underlying worries.
200
Name 3 challenges a start-up might face
Finding funding, finding teammates/co-founders, gaining customers, growing a social media presence, and navigating difficult economic conditions.
200
Provide three synonyms for 'decreased rapidly' in the following sentence:
Sales decreased rapidly in February.
fell sharply/plunged/plummeted/dropped dramatically/etc.
200
Give 3 benefits of the plastics recycling process.
Less water, less energy, fewer chemicals, less dependency on raw materials, creation of green jobs
300
Your application may be retained for consideration ____________________ you meet all of the requirements.
Provided that
300
Name 3 features that could be found in a smart city.
- Smart transportation (like traffic sensors and real-time public transit updates)
- Energy-efficient systems (such as smart grids and renewable energy use)
- Connected infrastructure (like sensors that monitor water, waste, and air quality)
300
Explain what it means to 'defer a payment' and give an example of how it works.
A loan arrangement in which the borrower is allowed to start making payments at some specified time in the future. Deferred payment arrangements are often used in retail settings where a person buys and receives an item with a commitment to begin making payments at a future date.
300
Name 3 phrases/verbs that indicate an upward movement.
Increase, rise, grow, boom, soar, climb, reach a peak, etc.
300
Give an example of a product or practice that is part of the circular economy.
-H&M recycling customers' old clothing into new items
-Recycling cans into new cans
-Companies designing products that can be taken apart and reused
400
__________ it is your money, you can do what you like with it. _____________, I advise you not to waste it on trivialities.
Since/Given that/because
However/Nevertheless
400
What is a sponge city?
A sponge city is a city that uses natural and built features to absorb and manage rainwater to reduce flooding and reuse water.
400
Explain the phrase "when the chips are down"
When you are in a very difficult or dangerous situation, especially one that makes you understand the true value of people or things.
400
Give five synonyms for the verb 'shows' in the following sentence:
This graph shows population growth over the past 50 years.
This graph shows population growth over the past 50 years.
illustrates, depicts, explains, interprets, demonstrates, displays, exhibits,etc.
400
Describe what the term "degrowth" means
An economic system or a way of looking at the economy that focuses on what is necessary to fulfill everyone’s basic needs rather than just the idea of economic growth. Prioritizing sustainability and a reduction of energy and resources.
500
The plan is cost-effective; ________, it can be implemented quickly.
Moreover
500
What are two challenges that cities of the future could face?
Explain the role that technology could play in solving these challenges.
- Overpopulation / overcrowding
- Pollution and environmental damage
- Housing shortages and rising costs
- Energy shortages
Smart transportation systems can reduce traffic and overcrowding by improving public transit and traffic flow. Clean energy technologies, like solar and wind power, can reduce pollution. In addition, sensors and data systems can monitor air quality, waste, and energy use, helping cities respond quickly and operate more efficiently.
500
Explain the 'productivity paradox' as it currently applies to A.I. technology in business.
Even though businesses are using a lot of new A.I. tools, we are not yet seeing big increases in overall productivity.
500
Describe this graph using at least 4 different vocabulary terms from the describing trends unit.
Explain what trends you see and why.
Ice cream sales increase from January to August, with a high point in April and the peak in August. Sales plummeted from August to September, with another small jump in sales in October before falling again in November and December.
These trends correspond with weather/season changes because people are more interested in eating ice cream during warmer months.
500
Give two major elements that characterize each of the following:
-the linear economy
-the circular economy
-the sharing economy
The linear economy :
- goods turn into waste going to a landfill
- only partially recycled
The circular economy
- no waste
- transformation of the materials into new raw materials
The sharing economy
- sharing of resources by multiple people (peer-to-peer interaction)
- goods are used more fully rather than letting them lay dormant