Why do we remember stories, but forget facts?

Answer and give a real example for each one.

1. Who is the best storyteller in your family?
2. What story do you love telling at parties?
3. What bedtime stories did you hear as a child?
4. Do you prefer funny stories or scary stories?
5. What is the best story someone told you recently?
6. Do you exaggerate when you tell stories?

For each word or phrase, say one true sentence about stories in your life.

Choose the word or phrase that fits.

1. He started the presentation with a funny about his first job.
2. My grandmother is an amazing .
3. The of the book is a 12-year-old girl.
4. The film was full of — I couldn't breathe!
5. I laughed so much at the .
6. He said the fish was two metres long, but he likes to .
7. We waited for hours, and the bus arrived.
8. The phone rang I opened the door.

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

1. suddenly = all of a
   suddensudden timesurprise
2. at the same time =
   meanwhileeventuallyjust as
3. in the end, after a long time =
   eventuallyactuallymeanwhile
4. to skip the details = to cut a long story
   shortsmalldown
5. to make someone wait = to keep someone in
   suspensestorysilence up
6. the funny end of a joke = the
   punchlineend linestoryline

Use these phrases to tell a short real story.

• You'll never guess what happened...Ти ніколи не вгадаєш, що сталося...You'll never guess what happened on my way to work!
• It was a... day, and...Це був ... день, і...It was a cold, rainy day, and I was late as usual.
• At first, ... but then...Спочатку..., але потім...At first, everything was fine, but then the car stopped.
• All of a sudden, ...Раптом...All of a sudden, a huge dog ran towards us.
• Just as..., ...Саме коли..., ...Just as I sat down, my boss walked in.
• Meanwhile, ...Тим часом...Meanwhile, my husband was looking for me everywhere.
• To cut a long story short, ...Коротше кажучи...To cut a long story short, we got there at midnight.
• I'll never forget...Я ніколи не забуду...I'll never forget the look on his face.

Read the article. Hover over the dotted words for help.

1. Chip Heath's students remembered statistics better than stories.
   TrueFalse
2. About 63% of students remembered the stories in one version.
   TrueFalse
3. In the Princeton study, listeners' brain activity followed the storyteller's.
   TrueFalse
4. The "story spine" is a complicated structure only for novels.
   TrueFalse
5. The article suggests using stories to help people remember.
   TrueFalse

1. Do you remember stories better than facts? Give an example.
2. Who told you stories when you were a child?
3. How could you use stories at work?
4. Try the story spine with a story from your life.

Telling a good story: set the scene (where, when, who) → build the problem → the big moment → the ending → what you learnt. Remember: in the end = finally; at the end (of) = at the last point: At the end of the film... In the end, we laughed about it.

1. I
   was walkingwalked
   home when I saw an old friend.
2. When I got to the station, the train
   had leftleft
   .
3. All of a suddenAll of sudden
   the lights went out.
4. We waited and waited.
   EventuallyActually
   , the doctor came.
5. Just asJust when as
   I fell asleep, the baby started crying.
6. In the endAt the end
   , we laughed about it.
7. I was cooking dinner.
   MeanwhileEventually
   , my son was secretly eating the cake.
8. She looked at me and
   saidtold
   , "Let's go!"

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

1. I walked home when it started to rain. →
2. When we arrived, the film already started. →
3. All of sudden, a dog appeared. →
4. At the end, everything was fine. →
5. Actually, after three hours, we found the hotel. →
6. He told, "I love you." →

Tell real stories. Use narrative tenses, linkers and direct speech.

1. Tell the funniest thing that has ever happened to you.
2. Tell a story about a time you were really scared.
3. Tell a story about meeting someone important in your life.
4. Tell your family's favourite story (the one everyone tells at dinner).
5. Tell a story about a time something went wrong at work or school.
6. Tell a story with a happy ending.

Choose one prompt and tell a complete story (2–3 minutes). Use the story spine, narrative tenses, linkers and at least two lines of direct speech. Keep your teacher in suspense!

Practise the same story in different ways.

1. Tell a story from your life that taught you something important.
2. Tell it again, but in only 30 seconds. What did you cut?
3. Now tell it as if it were the most dramatic story ever (exaggerate!).

1. What is your favourite fairy tale? Why?
2. Do you tell stories to children? Which ones?
3. What is the best anecdote you know about your family?
4. Do you like telling jokes? Can you remember the punchline?
5. Which story from history fascinates you?
6. Who is the best storyteller you know?
7. Do you remember your dreams? Tell one.
8. What story would you like people to tell about you?

1. Why do politicians and companies use stories?
2. Are family stories important? Why?
3. Can stories change people's opinions more than facts?
4. Do people tell fewer stories in the age of social media?
5. Which Ukrainian folk tales should every child know?
6. Are podcasts a new form of storytelling?

1. Are stories more powerful than facts?
2. Can a story be true and false at the same time?
3. Is storytelling a skill everyone can learn?
4. Why do humans need stories?
5. Will AI become a better storyteller than humans?
6. Is it OK to exaggerate in a story?

"Stories are more powerful than facts."

Round 1: give your real opinion for 1–2 minutes. Round 2: defend the opposite side for 1 minute. Use: Let me give you an example... · All of a sudden... · In the end... · Research shows...