English Lesson (Listening): "Competitiveness" B2 (Version 2)

Vocabulary
A. Drawbacks: disadvantages, downsides [Inconvénients]
B. Anxiety: worry, nervousness [Anxiété]
C. Failure: defeat, lack of success [Échec]
D. Gain (verb): obtain, get, acquire [Obtenir]
E. Achievements: accomplishments, successes [Réalisations]
F. Harming: damaging, hurting [Nuire à, faire du tort à]

Guide Questions
1. What does the speaker say about competitiveness?
2. What are the positive aspects of competitiveness? Talk about the examples.
3. What are the negative aspects of competitiveness? Talk about the examples.
4. What does the speaker say at the end?

TRANSCRIPT

Competitiveness has both benefits and drawbacks in work and daily life. On the positive side, it can motivate people to improve their skills and set higher goals. For example, friendly competition in a classroom can encourage students to study harder and manage their time better. In the workplace, competition between teams may lead to new ideas, faster problem-solving, and better results. However, competitiveness also has disadvantages. When the focus is only on winning, people may experience stress, anxiety, or fear of failure. At work, strong competition can reduce cooperation, as employees may hide information to gain an advantage. In personal life, constantly comparing achievements, such as salaries or social media success, can damage self-confidence and relationships. Therefore, competitiveness is most helpful when it is balanced with cooperation and respect, allowing people to grow without harming others or themselves. (138 words)