Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story | TED

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

ponytails

When a woman has her hair pulled back into a ponytail, it's called a ponytail. A ponytail can be either done in a bun or a style that hangs down the back of the head.

  • She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail.
  • She wore her hair in a ponytail.
fleecing

To fleec is to rob or plunder someone. When you fleec someone, you take their money or possessions without asking.

  • The thief fleeced the store of all of its money.
  • The company is fleecing its customers by charging high prices for its products.
dispossess

To dispossess someone is to take away their possessions. Sometimes the word is used to describe the act of taking away someone's rights or freedom.

  • The government dispossessed the landowners of their land.
  • The company dispossessed the employees of their jobs.
childhoods

To have a childhood is to experience the first few years of your life. Childhoods are often filled with excitement and adventure, and they are a very special time in a person's life.

  • He remembers his childhood fondly.
  • She doesn't remember her childhood very well, because it was a difficult time.
devalued

To devalue something is to make it worth less than before. When the value of the currency decreases, it means that the currency is worth less.

  • The company's stock has been devalued by the market.
  • The currency has been devalued by the government.
rationed

To ration something is to distribute it in a way that is fair and reasonable. When there is a shortage of something, people have to ration it in order to make sure that everyone has enough.

  • The company is rationing the food so that everyone has enough.
  • The government is rationing the oil so that everyone has enough.
humanize

To humanize something is to make it into a human being. When you humanize a robot, you make it into a creature that is capable of emotions and feelings.

  • The robot was designed to humanize the process of manufacturing.
  • The artist tried to humanize the characters in the story by depicting them as people.