Listening exercise
NPR: More 'PostSecrets' Revealed, in Book Form
Author Frank Warren talks with NPR's Scott Simon about his book
PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives

Click on "Listen" on this page:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5044174

Vocabulary:
Greek mythology
King Midas
donkey ears
punishment
assiduously
to conceal
turban
barber
to pledge secrecy
to weigh on s.o. heavily
to dig a hole
to whisper
the ground
to confess
anonymously
postcard
private home
Germantown, Maryland
Frank Warren
Website
to compile
provocative
admission
to join s.o.
studio
pleasure
to tap into
to be eager to
to resonate with s.o.
to send in
to search for
absolution
to share a secret
motives
just the act of
to face
the beauty of
originally
voyeuristic intent
in a sense
to stipulate
sensational
touching
confession
as one could hope to gain in
work of literature
decaf = decaffeinated coffee
customer
rude
server
to pee		swimming
illustrations
drawings
more to it
text
graphic element
poignant
prison stripes
printed
Oh, my.
to wish on a dandelion for
to type
typeface
disease
to carry a burden
process
to physically release
to let s.t. go
mailbox
relief
healing
proceeds
to support
National Hopeline Network
local
suicide prevention
hotline
Alexandria
specifically
across American
prevention
I'd give anything for...
even the smallest kindness
ex-wife
Good Lord!
stupefying
invisible
privileged
comfortable
to respect
anonymity
follow-up
to affect
project
afraid to
pillow
similar to
to make a change
stranger
creator
available



Listening comprehension questions:
1. How does the story of King Midas relate to the topic of this report?
2. How did Frank Warren come to write this book?
3. Why does Warren think so many people are willing to write to him and tell a very deep personal secret?
4. According to the author, why are some people originally attracted to Warren's Website?
5. Why does Warren say one should "be kind to your servers"? What's so bad about getting decaffeinated coffee?
6. What secret does someone reveal regarding a prison sentence?
7. How does one "wish on a dandelion"?
8. Who besides the author will benefit from some of the profits generated by this book?
9. How does Warren say he feels about these candid admissions?
10. Give an example of how someone changed something significant in their own life as a result of this project.
11. If you have/had a secret you feel/felt itching to share, how or to whom would you choose to reveal it?

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