The Peacock's Dilemma
Grammar: The language of contrast and concession (yet, while, whereas, nevertheless, despite)
A Business English English lesson exploring business.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on business, practising the language of contrast and concession (yet, while, whereas, nevertheless, despite). The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Peacock's Dilemma
In 1975, the biologist Amotz Zahavi proposed an idea so counterintuitive that his peers spent two decades trying to disprove it. Animals that signal their quality to potential mates, he argued, must make those signals genuinely costly — otherwise the signals mean nothing. A peacock's tail is not beautiful despite being heavy and dangerous; it is persuasive because it is. Only a bird in genuinely excellent condition can afford to carry four feet of iridescent feathers into a world full of predators. The signal is credible precisely because it is expensive.
Vocabulary
- body condition
- costly signal
- elaborate structure
- genuine strength
Discussion questions
- What is the difference between confidence and overconfidence?
- When does preparation cross into performance?
- Have you ever decided not to trust someone within minutes of meeting them?
The Peacock's Dilemma
Grammar: The language of contrast and concession (yet, while, whereas, nevertheless, despite)
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
Sign up to access full lesson plans
Start with a free trial — 5 lesson generations included
Get Started Free