Category: Class

Denver Allows Pot in Bars and Restaurants

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Smoking pot. It’s been a controversial and long-running issue in the United States. But the city of Denver is trying to move forward albeit with some challenges.

Read the article about Denver becoming the first city to allow marijuana in bars and restaurants.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/denver-becomes-first-city-in-us-to-allow-pot-in-bars-restaurants/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the situation of Denver when it comes to smoking marijuana? How different is it from Amsterdam?
  2. What is the intention of legalizing marijuana in bars and restaurants?
  3. What is your take on legalizing marijuana?
  4. How do you feel about legalizing other practices such as prostitution and illegal drug use?

If We Could See Inside Others’ Hearts

B2 – Upper intermediate

Everyone goes through different things in life everyday. One could be shocked and sad of a bad news, others could be determined and hopeful for better days.

Would you treat them differently if you could see what they are going through?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2_knlv_xw

Discuss:

1. How would you explain the words sympathy, empathy and apathy?
2. Would you consider yourself a sympathetic person?
3. How do you handle social and emotional stress?
4. When going through a difficult situation, do you prefer sharing your problems or do you prefer keeping it to yourself?

What Schools Should Do About Bullying

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C1 – Advanced

Used to be that bullying ended when one was off school premises. However, with the ubiquitous nature of social media and mobile technology, more and more students are subject to bullying even within the confines of their homes.

Read about one country’s educational system’s efforts to address the problem that is bullying.

What you should expect your school to do about bullying

Discuss:

1. In your opinion, which is worst: bullying in person, or bullying online? Why do you think so?
2. Do schools and universities in your country have a clear policy in regard to dealing with bullying among students?
3. Do schools or universities in your country educate or inform children about bullying?

Is a Game Just a Game?

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B2 – Upper intermediate

When is a computer game just for fun and when does it become dangerous?  Listen to Rob and Finn discussing whether adult computer games could affect our children’s health.

This podcast contains vocabulary expressions that your teacher might ask about so be ready for a discussion.

Is a Game Just a Game?

Discuss:

1. Do you think that computer games can be unhealthy or do you think there are good things that you can get out of it?
2. What are some computer games that you’ve played?
3. If you’re a parent, what rules do you have for your child/children when it comes to computer games?
4. Do you think the government or certain government bodies should be involved in regulating computer games?

Fighting Hunger in the UK

Learn these expressions:

*hard up
*zero-hours contracts
*open door
*scroungers

A food bank is a non-profit, charitable organization that give out food to those who have no means to buy them to prevent people from imminent hunger.

In the United Kingdom, many people lack the capacity to purchase food for various reasons. Hence, they come to these food banks for free food.

Read on and listen to this BBC 6 Minute English episode and know more about feeding Britain’s poorest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-150625

Ponder on these:

> What are some of the reasons people resort to getting their daily meals at food banks?
> How do food banks work?
> Aside from getting food what are other benefits from going to food banks?
> What do you think about “open door” access?
> What are your thoughts on this: “Food bank users suffer more from shame than from hunger.”
> Talk about food banks or similar organizations in your country.
> How else can we help fight hunger?

How Happiness Affects Our Health

B1 – Intermediate

Happiness, as defined by Wikipedia, is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Many research groups are using the scientific method to research what happiness is, and how we can get it.

Read this lesson about how happiness affects our health.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/health-medicine/how-happiness-affects-our-health.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What happens to your body when you are happy?
  2. What about when you are sad?
  3. What is your source of happiness?
  4. Is there a way of learning happiness or improving it? Explain your opinion.
  5. What is your opinion on this: “Money plays an important role for many people’s happiness.”?

Chasing That Caffeine High

B1 – Intermediate

Coffee, sodas or tea? Staying awake or getting enough energy to get through the day  is something so necessary these days that energy drink manufacturers have become more creative.

Read the article to know what’s going on in the world of energy drinks.

More than 500 new energy drinks have been released this past year, and it has doctors worried. Nutritionists warn that the large amounts of caffeine and sugar in each drink can hook kids on an unhealthy up-and-down cycle. The drinks contain megadoses of vitamins, too. These can cause their own side effects if taken every day for a period of months. But maybe the most alarming news comes from reports that kids are drinking several in a row for the high it gives. More and more calls are coming in to poison-control centers from young people sick on too much caffeine.

Danger adds to the appeal. Most brands target in on the danger, particularly towards male teens and twenty-somethings. There is “Cocaine Energy Drink,” “Pimpjuice,” and “Bawls.” Hannah Kirby, the creator ofCocaine Energy Drink, said she first wanted to call it “Reboot”–“a pretty ho-hum name.” But the name was already taken, so she chose to be daring. The drink is getting the attention she desires, too. Kids quickly noticed it among a thousand other energy drinks. Their slogan: “The Legal Alternative.”

Some beer manufacturers now produce “energy beers,” or beer that contains caffeine. But mixing energy drinks with alcohol isn’t so new. Bartenders have been mixing the first energy drink in the West, called “Red Bull,” for more than a decade with vodka. Although the energy drink-alcohol combination doesn’t make you feel as drunk, you still are. Coordination and reaction times worsen. The potential for accidents and alcohol poisoning increases.

Just how much caffeine does an energy drink contain? A study at the University of Florida discovered that many of the drinks contain two to four times the amount of caffeine as Coke. The serving size, though, is usually one-third smaller than a standard can. Energy drinks aren’t regulated in the U.S., but the study strongly suggests warning labels.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever (or do you often) drink energy drinks?
2. Do you think energy drinks are dangerous?
3. Why do you think energy drinks are becoming so popular?
4. Caffeine is an addictive drug. Why is it legal when other harmful drugs are illegal?

The 2 Euro T-Shirt – A Social Experiment

B1 – Intermediate

A nice t-shirt for only 2 euros sounds like a really good bargain. But, is it really?

Watch the video and discover why this “good buy” comes at a cost for the lowly third world sewers who make them.

Discussion Questions:

1. When buying clothes, what things do you consider?
2. What do you think can be done to help improve the situation of sweatshop workers in third world countries?
3. Is there an advocacy or cause that you support? If you do, explain why you support it.

Tourist Spending in Spain Sets New Record

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In Spain, tourists have been spending billions of Euros from January to July alone.

This is said to be helping the country recover from the economic crisis. However, some top Spanish vacation destinations have experienced drawbacks from the heavy influx of tourists in the recent years, forcing authorities to impose stern measures to control the situation.

http://www.thelocal.es/20150827/tourists-blowing-through-more-dough-at-spanish-hotpots

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think leads to more tourists coming to your country?
2. Do you think tourism helped a lot in improving Spain’s economic condition?
3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of tourism?
4. What other places in Spain should be developed for tourism?

Lies a Part of Human Nature

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Almost everyone agrees that a white lie is a good kind of lie. But is it really good knowing you’re hiding the truth from someone?

Read the article to know the science and reason behind lying.

Everyone lies. In fact, lies are an important facet of humanity. For example, research shows that two acquaintances lie several times in the average ten minute conversation. Although we are told to always tell the truth from a very young age, parents lie about Santa Clause or about the pet dog’s death. Parents also smile and say “thank you” when receiving a gift, then possibly belittle it at home. These conflicting messages signal children to regard lies as okay.

We lie to ourselves all the time to make problems, fears, and failures seem less troublesome. A New Year’s resolution can be considered a lie, too, because in most cases we don’t intend to keep the promise — we’ve only deceived ourselves. Or consider the next time a friend or colleague asks, “How are you?” That person doesn’t want to hear that you’re tired, overworked, underpaid, and have problems with your significant other. Social rules demand that you reply, “I’m fine.”

Psychologist Paul Ekman offers some basic reasons for lying. We lie to escape punishment, to get out of uncomfortable situations, to boost our egos, to receive a reward, to protect someone, or to control the flow of information. Everything from a large exaggeration to a small lie falls into one of these categories.

Despite the fact that lying is an indivisible part of our psyche, we can only catch a lie about fifty percent of the time. The success rate is quite low, and suggests that we don’t want to know that another person isn’t being honest. Lies, some experts suggest, are the glue which holds society together.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. How often do you think you lie? Is it too much?
2. What are some of the reasons you’ve lied recently?
3. Do you think lies hold society together? Why/not?
4. What situations would it be better to lie than to tell the truth? Why do you think so?
5. Do you think one gender lies more than the other? Why/not?