Interviews

High-intermediate

Objective: To activate students’ prior knowledge and assumptions about end-of-life decisions.

Activity: Present students with a series of statements related to end-of-life decisions (e.g., “Most people would quit their jobs if they knew they only had one year to live” or “People prioritize travel when faced with limited time”). Students will mark whether they think each statement is true or false.

Here are 10 true/false statements for the Anticipation Guide activity based on end-of-life decisions:

1. Most people would quit their jobs if they knew they only had one year to live.
2. It’s common for people to prioritize spending time with their pets during end-of-life situations.
3. If someone is healthy but knows they have only one year to live, they are more likely to run up credit card debt.
4. Many people choose not to start new romantic relationships if they know they are near the end of life.
5. Traveling to new places becomes less important to people as they near the end of their lives.
6. People in declining health often prefer to spend their remaining time making arrangements for their loved ones and pets.
7. Most people would avoid seeking medical help for travel if they were terminally ill and had financial support.
8. Pets, like cats and dogs, are often a priority when making end-of-life plans.
9. Starting new projects, like finding a new job, is a common focus when people know they have limited time left.
10. Planning trips to popular tourist destinations, like Europe, is not a priority for many facing end-of-life decisions.

Follow-up: After listening to the interview, students revisit the statements and discuss whether the interview confirmed or challenged their initial thoughts.

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

prepare (verb): to get ready or make plans for something

– I need to prepare my presentation for tomorrow’s meeting.
– She helped her sister prepare for the big exam.

important (adjective): something that has great value or meaning

– It is important to stay hydrated, especially during hot weather.
– Family is the most important thing to him.

quickly (adverb): in a fast or speedy way

– She quickly finished her homework so she could go outside.
– The car moved quickly through the busy street.

decision (noun): a choice or judgment you make after thinking

– He made the decision to take the job offer.
– It was a tough decision, but she decided to move to another city.

after (preposition): following in time or order

– We went out for ice cream after the movie.
– She felt tired after running the marathon.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: In this video. Aubrey, let’s talk about end-of-life decisions. Imagine, for example, that you had one year to live. How would your life change? What would you do? What wouldn’t you do? Is there anything that you would prepare for? Any thoughts on that?

Aubrey: So I guess a couple of clarifying questions like I have a year to live now, am I healthy? And I just know that like some seer told me I’m going to drop dead in a year, or am I dying, and I only have a year left to live because I’m dying?

Randall: You always come up with deep questions, so let’s take a look at that because I think those are relevant. Let’s take a look at the first example where, yes, in one year’s time you just . . . you’re walking down the street, and you just die for some unimaginable reason. You don’t know why. How about in that particular case?

Aubrey: Then you know, I’m going to live it up, right? As long as the insurance companies and the creditors don’t know, you know, you can run up all sorts of credit.

Randall: Okay, okay. Those are certainly possibilities. What would you do?

Aubrey: I’d definitely work the same job I’m working now because it’s not my favorite.

Randall: Okay. All right. So maybe getting a new job or would you continue to work?

Aubrey: Well, I’d have to have money from somewhere, and I don’t have enough savings to last me a year, which is where running up the credit cards comes in.

Randall: So you would work. What about relationships?

Aubrey: I mean, I guess I’d try to be more meaningful in the relationships I have now, but I wouldn’t want to start a new one. Okay? Like I wouldn’t go out and seek a life partner because that’s not fair to them.

Randall: Okay. Uh, what about you have two pets right now. Companions, I should say. What about them?

Aubrey: Yeah. So I definitely want to make arrangements for them, to make sure that they’re going to be healthy, happy that, you know they’re going to have insurance, that, you know, people are going to take care of them. That would definitely be a big thing.

Randall: Aubrey. Let’s look at the second scenario where you mentioned that in the case that you are experiencing declining health, and you knew that was going to be the case, what would you do in that particular situation?

Aubrey: I guess that’s a really hard question because some of the answers are the same. Like I would, you know, make sure that, you know, my pets are going to be taken care of. Um, but I probably can’t run up credit card debt because people are going to know what I’m doing.

Randall: Yeah. What about making any type of trips, uh, in either scenario, you know, “Oh, I’d like to visit this place or that place or do this or eat that or whatever.” Anything come to mind?

Aubrey: Something to think about. I mean, traveling is not my favorite. There are definitely places I want to go, but I don’t want to be in the process of going there, if that makes sense. I just want to teleport over there. I don’t want to travel there. Okay.

Randall: And let’s just say, for example, someone asked you . . . They knew that you were dying, but they asked you to make a wish, and they would pay for wherever you might, uh, travel. And you knew that you would have the financial means, the medical assistance that you might need, and so forth. Would that influence your decision?

Aubrey: Now, do I get to fly super ultra first class?

Randall: Ultra first class.

Aubrey: Excellent. Then yeah, I’m going somewhere.

Randall: Okay. Where?

Aubrey: Probably Europe and the UK. You know, I’d want to go to a few different places like that.

Randall: So if you had the opportunity to travel in Europe, where would you go specifically?

Aubrey: I mean, there’s always the touristy things, right? Like, you know, the Colosseum in Italy, you know, Rome, all that architecture. But I’d probably [Okay] take the time to, you know, find out places that are more off the beaten path, like everyone goes to London, but I guess there’s a lot of more interesting places you can go, so that would be something to look into.

Randall: Would you travel by yourself? Would you go with family? Would you? How would you approach that?

Aubrey: Well, I’d love to go with my dog, but that is logistically difficult. Okay. Um, because of like health restrictions between countries.

Randall: But if it weren’t a restriction.

Aubrey: Oh, then they’re coming with me.

Randall: Okay. Both the cat and dog?

Aubrey: Oh, no, the cat would hate it. I wouldn’t do that to him.

Randall: But I think your dog would really enjoy getting out, taking walks, and things like that. All right. Well, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the end-of-life decisions in these particular cases.

Intermediate

1. What are some things Aubrey would do for her pets if she had one year to live?

2. How does Aubrey feel about her job in the interview?

3. What are some reasons Aubrey gives for not starting new relationships if she knows she has limited time?

4. How does Aubrey’s attitude toward travel change when discussing her health?

Advanced

5. In what ways do Aubrey’s views on financial decisions reflect her attitude towards life and death?

6. How might Aubrey’s choices and priorities change if she knew she had a longer time to live? Discuss the implications of those changes.