Category: Class

San Francisco Bans Facial Recognition Software

B1 – Intermediate

Facial recognition is biometric technology. It works by getting a picture of a person and then using that photo to identify the individual through facial analytics. The results are then compared to existing photos in the database.

Facial recognition systems are commonly used for security purposes. But in San Francisco, the police cannot use it anymore.

Read the article below to know more about this ban on facial recognition software.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1905/190517-big-brother-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Why was facial recognition software banned in San Francisco?
2. What are the pros and cons of facial recognition?
3. Do you agree or disagree that facial recognition software is Big Brother technology?
4. What is your opinion on prohibiting facial recognition technologies?
5. How does the police maintain security in your city?

How Powerful Is Spain?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Spain is not only a country of diverse geography and cultures but one with a relatively strong economy, powerful military, and long history.

But just how powerful is this country?

Watch the video to know more about Spain’s advantage over other countries and some of the issues that the country needs to address head-on in order to regain its former glory as a superpower nation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPFKcv_HzHo

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the strong points of Spain?
2. What are some of the problems it is currently facing?
3. How can Spain’s global power be restored?
4. Which do you think is the best moment (economically speaking) in your country? Describe that time.
5. In your opinion, how powerful is your country? Do you want your country to be more powerful than it is now?
6. Which points in this video do you agree and/or disagree with?

Why you should know your coworkers salary?

C1 – Advanced

It’s cringe-worthy to ask your colleagues how much they earn, and the same goes for telling them your salary. Hence, knowing how much they make causes curiosity among employees. According to a new study, salary and pay are now more openly discussed among coworkers in the U.S. and there is a good reason to do so.

Watch the video to know why salaries should be shared and why it actually makes business sense.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. How does salary transparency benefit a company?

2. Do you agree or disagree with the speaker?

3. Are you confident to share how much your salary is?

4. What do you think are the risks of discussing your salary with your colleagues?

How to Get a Raise

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Our boss should notice our accomplishments and give us a raise. But in the real world, that is rarely the case. If you want a raise or promotion you have to ask for one. Question is, how do you ask for a raise and get it?

Watch the video for some tips.

Discussion Questions:

1. When and how to ask for a raise?

2. Why do you think women are reluctant to ask for a raise?

3. Do you think you need a raise?

4. Talk about your experience asking your boss for a higher salary.

5. If you were an employer, what would you consider before giving your employees a raise?

Sharing Economy

C1 – Advanced

Sharing economy is basically an economic system in which assets and services are shared between private individuals either for free or for a fee. It has become a global economic phenomenon because of the expansion of platforms to other countries, and because the idea of sharing has caught on around the world. We are familiar with Uber, Airbnb or even other ways of sharing all sorts of things. The sharing economy has shown explosive growth, which, in turn, has led to regulatory and political battles as more and more people want to connect with one another.

Watch the video about sharing economy and what’s next for it.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of sharing economy?
  2. What does “hockey stick growth” mean?
  3. How do you feel about sharing? What do you regularly share with other people?
  4. What benefits do the sharing economy hold for communities/society?
  5. How is this market regulated for security?
  6. In normal business transactions, the government also extracts value by way of taxes, but with the sharing economy often the same taxes don’t apply; what do you think about this?

Greatest Thieves in History

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever taken something that is not yours? Why did you do it? Was it out of necessity or was it just for kicks?

Watch the video and learn more about the greatest thieves in history and their reasons for stealing.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think stealing is an addiction?
  2. In your opinion, who is the worst thief among the ones featured in the video?
  3. What is the punishment for stealing in your country?
  4. Do you know any famous thieves from your country?

Bystander Effect

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you witnessed an emergency? Were you alone or were there a lot of people who witnessed it with you? Was it your first instinct to help or did you just watch by and waited for others to help first?

Let’s watch this video on an experiment on bystander apathy and find out about this phenomenon called ‘the bystander effect’.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the bystander effect?
  2. Why don’t people get involved in these situations?
  3. What was your reaction to this video?
  4. What does ‘pass the buck’ mean?
  5. Do you agree or disagree with, “There is safety in numbers.”?

Multiple Hotels Do Not Change Bedsheets

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we stay at a hotel, we expect fresh, clean sheets — but how can we be sure the linens have been changed after the previous guests left?

The Inside Edition’s investigative team came up with a simple test. They checked into different hotels and sprayed messages on the sheets using washable paint only visible under UV light. They checked out and booked the same rooms the next evening. Shockingly, they found out that the sheets hadn’t been changed!

So was it just a simple mistake or is this a dirty little secret in the hotel industry? Let’s find out by watching the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction to this?
  2. Where do you usually stay when you are on vacation?
  3. Have you ever experienced staying at a hotel that fell below your expectations? What did you do about it?
  4. Why do you think the sheets weren’t changed in those hotels?

Injecting Vitamins

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Vitamin drip is a  modern-day way of administering vitamins and minerals intravenously. Many claim that it can boost energy, strengthen the immune system, improve skin, cure hangovers, burn fat, fight jet lag, and cure minor ailments.  As a number of celebrities swear on its effectiveness, it became more and more popular. Although there are numerous advantages to using vitamin IV drip, there are also a few disadvantages.

Read the article and be able to discuss the questions that follow:

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47803286

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Vitamin IV drip?
  2. Would you consider doing it?
  3. What are the pros and cons of using it?
  4. What do you think of taking vitamins and mineral supplements?

 

Hidden Camera in Hotel Room

B1 – Intermediate

Nowadays, hidden cameras are a problem everywhere. A family in New Zealand had a first-hand experience with one.

Read the full article and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1904/190411-hidden-camera-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What was your reaction to what happened to this family? How do you think you would feel if this happened to you?
2. What do you think about how Airbnb handled the man’s complaint?
3. Have you heard of a similar story that happened in your country?
4. What should be the punishment for people caught secretly filming others?
5. How can we avoid being filmed without our consent?