TED Talk of the week: Frances Larson - Why public beheadings get millions of views

 Frances Larson - Why public beheadings get millions of views

http://www.ted.com/talks/frances_larson_why_public_beheadings_get_millions_of_views?language=en

VOCABULARY

unequivocal (e.g. answer, effect) - leaving no doubt, unambiguous

He gave me an unequivocal answer to my request - he said he wasn't there to do things for anyone. 

With extreme temperatures and violent weather phenomenons, we can see that the climate change is unequivocal. 

unbeknownst to sb - without the knowledge of sb

My coworker copied the files unbeknownst to me.

to hack sth off - to cut sth off with rough or heavy blows  ;  [PHR-V] to hack sb off - to infuriate  sb

Before the invention of the guillotine, it was the executioner who would cut off with a sword or an axe the heads of convicts.

It really hacks me off when you keep repeating that I should lost weight. 

 

 
contraption - a device that seem strange or unecessarily complicated, often badly made or unsafe.

I hate this computer contraption! It never acts the way I want it  to and it's always freezing when I'm in a hurry!

What's this monstruous contraption? I can't possibly imagine how it works! 

 

gallows - a structure for the hanging of criminals.

In the Nuremberg Trials after the World War II, Hans Frank, the Governor-General of occupied Poland's General Government territory,  was sentenced to the gallows and hung soon afterwards.

He was pardoned and saved from the gallows when the actual murderer made a plea of guilty. 

suicide baiting - a situation when witnesses to a suicide attempt maliciously encourage that person to commit it.

There were reports of suicide baitings in each of three cases - the crowd shouted at the suicides "Go on and jump!" and "Hurry up, won't you?!". 

to stumble upon sth inadvertently - 1) to trip upon sth accidentally, 2) to encounter sth by chance







 Walking in the dark, I inadvertently stumbled upon my son's tricycle and almost fell down the stairs.

Searching for a book in the library, I inadvertently stumbled upon my ex. There was a moment of awkward silence between us before I quickly wandered off.

to be a pawn in sb else's show/game - to be used by others for their own purposes

Gary thought himself to act independently, but in reality, he was only a pawn in the gang's game.

You should stand up your rights in the company instead of just being a pawn in your manager's show of his power over everybody!