Category: Class

Voluntourism: More Harm than Good?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Teaching English in foreign countries, helping to build schools and orphanages, working on conservation projects … These are all examples of voluntourism. It’s a combination of visiting other countries while doing some volunteer works too.

Dedicating time and effort to doing volunteer activities seems great and fulfilling. But is it all what it’s cracked up to be? 

Watch the video about voluntourism and its downsides.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to what’s discussed in this video?
  2. Has anyone shared their volunteering experience with you? What did they tell you? Talk about some of your volunteer works too.
  3. Would you prefer to volunteer with animals or do some administrative work?
  4. Do you think that all job positions are suitable for volunteering? What other jobs can you do as a volunteer?
  5. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to abandon your responsibilities?
  6. What do you think the pros and cons of so-called “voluntourism” are?

New York City Bans Foie Gras

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Foie gras is a special food made of duck’s liver. However, this delicacy is not without controversy attached to it. The thing is, the way foie gras is made is rather agonizing for the ducks. Hence, some cities are deciding to outlaw this food product.

New York City is one city that has also voted to ban the sale and production of foie gras by 2022.  It has long been considered a French delicacy, but for animal rights activists, they are concerned about the cruelty inherent in its production process. The demand is still there and it continues to be served at many restaurants in New York. Reactions have been mixed and emotional but activists hope this new ban will put an end to its consumption.

Read the article and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.treehugger.com/new-york-city-bans-foie-gras-4856359

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever eaten/tried foie gras before? If you have, how do you find this French delicacy? If you haven’t, would you like to give it a try? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think about banning its sale and production?
  3. What would be the positive and negative effects of banning it?

Optimists vs Pessimists

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Optimism and pessimism are our way of thinking and considered basic traits of the human brain. Optimism reflects a belief of hopefulness about the future whilst pessimism is not a trait most people desire to have. There are benefits and drawbacks to both.

Let’s listen to the audio and read the transcript below to find out more about optimism and pessimism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2022/ep-220331

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? Explain your answer.
  2. Do you enjoy being with optimist people or do you find them annoying? Explain.
  3. Have ever lost something because of being optimist/pessimist?
  4. How do you deal with unpleasant or disastrous situations?
  5. Think of a situation where optimism can save you?
  6. Optimistically speaking, what will you be doing 10 years from now?

Blue Is the Most Popular Colour

B1 – Intermediate

We grew up believing that each one of us should have a favorite color. It is a question oftentimes asked when we meet new people.

However, is having a favorite color really important? And what are the effects of having a favorite color?

Studies have shown that the color blue is popular with many. Blue is connected to many things around us.

Learn more on how colors relate to people and what these studies say about the color blue at the link below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2206/220609-the-colour-blue-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your favorite color as a child and why? What is your favorite color now? Why did it change?
  2. Do different colors make you feel different emotions? Why or why not?
  3. What are some colors that you don’t like?
  4. Do you agree that blue is connected to something positive? Please explain.
  5. Does the color blue make you happy? Why or why not?
  6. What are considered positive colors? How about negative colors?
  7. What sports team do you like? Do you like the team’s color/s?

Expensive Chicken

B1 – Intermediate

Chicken is an inexpensive type of meat. It is probably one reason it is a staple food in almost all countries. But between the crisis in Ukraine and bird flu, chickens’ prices might increase a lot.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the rising prices of chicken.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/expensive-chicken-level-3

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is chicken’s price going up?
  2. What might be the consequences of some countries stopping chicken exports?
  3. What is your government doing to ease the food price costs and safeguard the country’s food supply?
  4. What is your favorite meat and why? What would you do if your favorite food suddenly becomes very expensive?
  5. In your country, what other commodities have increased their prices? How are you affected by this?

Swearing Makes You Physically Stronger

B1 – Intermediate

When you want to maintain your physical strength, the first thing you think you should do is to exercise at the gym. Using foul language or swearing is probably not it. However, some studies show that swearing and bad language bring positive effect on our physical strength.

Read the lesson about how swearing can give us more physical strength.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1705/170508-swearing-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this, “Swearing and bad language make us stronger.”?
  2. Do you really think that swearing increases our tolerance to pain? Explain.
  3. Do you swear a lot? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think people in your country generally curse too much? Is it better to use bad words a lot or not? Explain.
  5. Do you believe swearing is a sign of honesty? Explain.
  6. What are the good and bad things about swearing?

Freeganism: A Solution to Food Waste?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We work, earn money, buy food, eat, and repeat the cycle. It is what most of us know. We get a job or run a business to put food on the table. Not many people are aware of, more so, care for freeganism.

Freegans do not believe in capitalism,and they strive to reduce the amount of food waste on the planet. Interestingly, freegans can eat food for free. Discover how and why they do it.

Watch the short clip about freeganism.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which part of the video appeals to you?

2. Tell me about a time when you or anyone you know wasted food?

3. Do you agree that freeganism is the solution to food waste?

4. If given a chance, would you eat in freegans’ mobile kitchen? 

5. Most freegans don’t believe in the money economy. What are your thoughts on this?

6. Do you know any other unconventional lifestyles like freeganism? Describe such lifestyles.

Male Postnatal Depression

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We live in a male supremacy and authoritarian society, for sure. As a result, some believe that men are incapable of suffering. Unfortunately, males have been defeated by their own vulnerabilities numerous times, leading to a variety of mental health issues or worst-case scenario, suicide. Consider the new fathers who have fallen victim to this chasm.

Fathers can also battle from postnatal depression but are not given the opportunities, supports, or the encouragements they need to cope.

To find out more about postnatal depression among men, let’s take a moment to read the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220601-male-postnatal-depression-why-men-struggle-in-silence

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can sufferers (both men and women) of postnatal depression be supported?
  2. What are some factors that can contribute to depression in new fathers?
  3. Why do postnatal depression in men often goes undiagnosed?
  4. When do you believe fathers get depressed?
  5. What are some strategies for reducing the chances of paternal postnatal depression?

Seven Wonders of the World

B1 – Intermediate

Some places in the world are just inexplicably amazing. Some of them are known as the Wonders of the World. If you were asked to name all the Wonders of the World, would you be able to? That’s going to be hard to do. But we can try.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the Seven Wonders of the World.

https://listenaminute.com/s/seven_wonders_of_the_world.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Seven Wonders of the World? 
  2. Which ones have you visited? Talk about it in full details.
  3. Which ones would you like to see/visit? Why?
  4. What place/places in your country do you think is/are also a wonder?
  5. Maybe future wonders will be in space. What is your opinion on this?

Sightseeing

B1 – Intermediate

Sightseeing is one of the most interesting and exciting things to do when traveling. You go around a city or a country to see their most important places or landmarks. It’s very interesting to learn and discover something new about a place every time.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about sightseeing.

https://listenaminute.com/s/sightseeing.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do people like sightseeing so much? Why do some people don’t like it?
  2. Do you like sightseeing? Why or why not?
  3. What is a place you learned about at school and visited? How was your experience in that moment?
  4. What is the best time of the day to go sightseeing and why? Which do you prefer and why?
  5. Which place do you want to see and why?