Category: Class

Light Pollution

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As far as history goes, night time has always been associated with darkness. Nowadays, it hasn’t been the case anymore.

We’re lighting the world up at an alarming rate and we don’t know it.

Watch the video about increasing light pollution.

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/world/2017/11/22/were-lighting-up-earth-alarming-rate/107945254/

Discussion Questions:

1. What was mentioned about Spain’s radiance in the video?
2. What do you know about light pollution?
3. What are the pros and cons of overly brightly-lit towns/cities?
4. Talk about light pollution in your city.
5. What can you do to reduce light pollution?

Why People Join Cults

C1 – Advanced

By definition, a cult is a group or movement with a shared commitment to a usually extreme ideology that’s typically embodied in a charismatic leader.  Have you ever wondered why thousands of people join cults?

Let’s watch this video to check how cults work, how people are recruited and why they stay in these groups.

Let’s Talk:

Explain what a cult is in as much detail as possible.

Are cults dangerous?

How does a cult differ from religion? How similar are they?

Should the government try to eliminate cults and other fringe or unconventional religious groups?

Would you sacrifice your relationships or morality for the greater good?

 

Useful words:

GRISLY (adj) –  causing horror or disgust.

INDOCTRINATION (n) –  the process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.   [indoctrinate -verb]

 

Having a Sister Makes Us More Optimistic

B1 – Lower Intermediate

Siblings play a unique role in one another’s lives. Because siblings often grow up in the same household, they have a large amount of exposure to one another. Only, people with sisters are said to be more optimistic than those with brothers or without any siblings. What’s your opinion?

People with sisters are happier and more optimistic, study shows

Discussion questions:

1. Do you agree with the study?

2. Tell me about your brother/sister. How has your relationship changed since childhood?

3. What kind of a sibling are you?

4. Who always teaches you to be positive and kinder?

5. As a parent/future parent, how can you encourage and promote a healthy sibling relationship with your children?

Open Banking

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We have been so used to our financial information being kept strictly confidential by our banks. In the UK, a competition watchdog is lobbying for open banking.

Read more on it and be in the know about what it is, how it will work and other relevant information regarding secured financial info sharing among firms.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42253051

Discussion Questions:

1. What is Open Banking?
2. How do you feel about this news?
3. In what ways is this a positive change?
4. What things are you worried about?
5. How would people take such change in your country?

Help for People in Debts

B1 – Intermediate

We need money for spending on various thing like house rent or a mortgage, cars, bills, travels, and a lot more. Some people owe huge amounts of money. Many of them can’t get out of the red.

Read more on how the South Korean government would try to assist those under a pile of debts.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1712/171202-debt.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “scheme” mean? ” “The scheme was a big promise of a former South Korean president.”  Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “debt” mean? “The Korea Times newspaper said the government is, “preventing numerous working families from going bankrupt under a mountain of debt.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “write off” mean here, “South Korea is going to write off the debts of as many as 1.6 million people.” Make your own sentence using this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on what the South Korean government is doing?
2. What do you think of how people are spending money in your country?
3. What is your government doing to help people with a lot of debts?
4. What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘debt’?
5. What advice can you give someone who is in debt?

Online Forever

B1 – Intermediate

Posting our personal activities online has become the norm over the last decade that some companies use this as their way of checking one’s background when one is applying for a job. This can be really critical for some people who post very personal things on social media such as embarrassing photos or perhaps a strongly worded status update. So next time you click post or send, you might want to think twice.

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

The past can return and haunt you. In today’s age of social networking and electronic communication, that statement seems truer than ever. A comment on a forum here or a blog post there, or even photos of some raucous party can all return and undermine education and career prospects.

An increasing number of universities and employers use the Internet to vet possible candidates. After all, institutions and companies spend so much money on lessons, training, and facilities, the more they know about the person, the more accurate their decision. If what pops up on sites and blogs doesn’t pass muster, let’s say lots of photos and comments about drunken weekends and hangovers, then it’s into the circular filing cabinet your application goes.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you post things on social media? What kind of content do you often post?
  2. What do you think about employers and schools using this kind of method for background checks?
  3. After reading this article, will you consider refraining from posting on social media? Why or why not?

Goosebumps with Music, a Sign of Special Brain

B1 – Intermediate

Have you ever listened to a song that sent shivers down your spine?  A research shows that if music gives you the chills or goosebumps, then something in your brain might be unique.

Discover more by reading the article below.

https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/music-gives-goosebumps/

Discussion Questions:

1. What type of music do you like?

2. What is your favorite song? What emotions do you have when you listen to it?

3. What one song makes you emotional? What memory does it remind you of?

4. What gives you goosebumps?

5. How do you deal with your life’s sad moments?

Favoritism in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Favoritism is a sign of bad management practice, which leads to disfavored employees feeling unmotivated. No law averts favoritism, however, if discrimination, harassment, or retaliation stems from it, then it can be a form of illegal behavior. Read the article to get a deeper understanding of when favoritism goes beyond standards of behavior.

https://www.employmentlawfirms.com/resources/employment/discrimination/laws-preventing-favoritism-in-the-workplace

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the negative effects of favoritism in the workplace?
  2. Cite any positive effects of workplace favoritism.
  3. Have you ever seen playing favorites exists in any place you’ve worked in? Talk about it in more details.
  4. Share your experience about you being favored and/or disfavored by a superior or colleague.
  5. Who is your favorite colleague and why?

Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Doping means to administer drugs, known as performing-enhancement drugs (PED), to an animal or athlete in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance. There are numerous reports of the use of PEDs in various sporting events, which led to banning of the condemned players.

Let us take a look at these incidents.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/06/us/performance-enhancing-drugs-in-sports-fast-facts/index.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some examples of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) and their effects?

2. What is your opinion about the use of PEDs?

3. Who is your favorite athlete? What would you do if s/he were found and convicted of doping?

4. Should the use of PEDs be allowed to a sick athlete who would need to perform in one sporting event? Why or why not?

‘Whitewashing’ in Hollywood

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whitewashing refers to casting white actors as characters who are non-white or of indeterminate race. There are a couple of movies and TV shows in Hollywood that have had their casting criticized as whitewashing. Critics of this practice claim that this is a form downplaying other races. What do you think of whitewashing?

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/breakfast-at-tiffany-hellboy-hollywood-whitewashing-a7932581.html

Discussion questions:

1. Cite an example of whitewashing in movies or TV that you have watched.

2. What do you guess could be the possible problems whitewashing can cause?

3. If you were a white actor and were chosen to play a non-white character role, would you take it?