Interpreting data from charts and graphs: Are you an outlier?
Analyze charts and graphs, listen to a talk from a data journalist, and express your opinion while learning English.
Learn English while listening to REAL programs, stories, news, audiobooks, and podcasts. This listening segment, “What we miss when we focus on the average, ” by Mona Chalabi comes to us from TED.
What is this story about?
When interpreting charts and graphs, we tend to focus on the averages. However, we can miss important information and unique contexts and stories if we only pay attention to the averages. Data journalist, Mona Chalabi directs our attention to the data that is outside the normal range, to the outliers or “lost birds” as she calls them. What can this type of data tell us?
Before you listen…
To prepare for the listening, see if you can answer these true or false questions about looking at data. This will help you become familiar with the topic and practice some of the vocabulary words that you will hear.
Listen to the TED talk by Mona Chalabi about what data can tell us…
Study Tips!
- Listen to the audio. You may want to take notes if it doesn’t interfere with your comprehension. In general, focus on the main ideas and key points of the listening segment.
- Are there questions you missed or parts you didn’t understand? Go back and listen to where each question is located in the audio (see quiz below), turn on the subtitles, and/or click on the button below to follow along with the transcript.
Listen and then take the quiz.
Click on “read transcript” on the TED talk page.