Category: Class

Business Ethics on the Job

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Ethics is all about doing the the moral or right thing and making sure that you know how your decisions will affect others. It is a very important to uphold some ethics when doing business.

For this activity, you will be able to know words and phrases used when dealing with business ethics. Be ready to answer some discussion questions.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the purpose of business, in your opinion? Is it just to make money?
  2. Are some jobs more ethical than others? Explain.
  3. What examples can you give of businesses behaving badly?
  4. What ethical issues does the industry you work in face?
  5. Why do you think companies are becoming more interested in corporate responsibility?
  6. What can employees do to try to change the behaviour of businesses that are behaving unethically?

Five Things Shoplifters Steal Most

B2 – Upper intermediate

Getting the five finger discount? It’s a tale as old as time. Shoplifting is nothing new. In the US, a study was conducted to survey which items are more susceptible to getting shoplifted.

Watch the video below and be ready to answer discussion questions.

Discuss:

1. According to the video, what are the 5 most common items that shoplifters steal? Why are they easy to steal?
2. Is shoplifting an issue in your country or city?
3. What are some of the issues that your city has when it comes to petty crimes?
4. Have you ever been a victim of stealing? How did you deal with it?
4. How can you protect yourself from pickpockets or shoplifters?

Russia Interested in Undersea Cables

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C1 – Advanced

Is it any surprise that Russia is involved in something so covert and “underground”? Read the article below then express your thoughts about the topic at hand.

Why Is Russia Interested in Undersea Internet Cables?

Discuss:

1. What could be Russia’s motive to lurk around undersea cables?
2. What do you think will happen if those internet cables will crash?
3. Are you worried about Internet theft by China or Russia?

Death Penalty Too Costly

B2 – Upper intermediate

Every day, people are executed by the state as punishment for a variety of crimes. Read the article below and express your thoughts about the death penalty.

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

The United States still executes criminals for very serious crimes. People who support the death penalty believe that the fear and threat of death reduce serious crimes. However, opponents don’t believe this argument. And, maybe more importantly, innocent people could be put to death. More than 200 prisoners previously on death row have been freed because DNA showed that they didn’t commit the crime.

States may get rid of the death penalty not because of ethical reasons, though. Because many states face budget crises, financial reasons may push along the change. Prisoners on death can row can appeal the decision, and it may take ten or twenty years before the person is finally put to death. That means it costs roughly $4 million per prisoner, which is a ridiculously high cost.

Life on prison without any chance to get out costs ten times less than an execution. That’s a lot of money, even in more economically stable times. But politicians are looking closely at budgets in order to cut costs and make ends meet. Fewer death sentences may be the result.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about the death penalty? Why?
2. Can you think of three reasons why supporters think the death penalty works?
3. Can you think of three reasons why opponents think the death penalty doesn’t work?
4. Does your country have the death penalty? Why/not?
5. How can serious crimes be reduced? Think of three reasons with a partner.

Smoking Will Kill Young Men in China

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Because of various researches and studies, we have become aware of the consequences of smoking. In China, alarming results of a report exposes the dangers of smoking among young Chinese men.

Read the article below and be ready to talk about health.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/smoking-will-kill-one-in-three-young-men-in-china/3013944.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the graph (The Price of Smoking Around the World) featured in the article.
2. Do you think that increasing the price of cigarettes will help reduce the number of smokers or cigarette-related deaths?
3. What are other good ways to discourage people from smoking?

Revisiting the Gun Debate in America

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B2 – Upper intermediate

There is a strange correlation between the United States and school shootings. Debates on gun control have emerged since but people are still awaiting conclusions.

Read the article and watch the video, then share your thoughts about the topic.

Revisiting the Gun Debate in America

Discuss:

1. What is your reaction to the whole issue of gun control in the US?
2. Does your country have very good laws when it comes to owning and purchasing firearms?
3. In the US, what do you think is the root cause for their increased gun violence?

Stop Picking On Santa

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Santa Claus has been popular for a very long time. He’s called by different names and always portrays a loving soul. But do you think it’s time to give him a make-over?

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

Do-gooders and political correctness nuts have gone too far, having attacked Santa Claus and the Christmas tradition. For hundreds of years, jolly Santa has slaved away each year, prodded (nicely) his elves to get all those toys completed on time, and checked his naughty and nice list twice. On Christmas Eve, he has managed without fail to circle the globe and visit every home. His “ho ho ho!” resounds through the night, while his belly jiggles like a bowl full of jelly. Yet some have now suggested that an overweight Santa portrays an unhealthy image for kids. Equally ridiculous, “ha ha ha!” may be preferential to “ho ho ho!” because the latter term denotes a prostitute in American slang.

Let’s face it: It comes down to mom and dad’s eating habits, not Santa’s, which have a far greater influence on kids. Regardless of the trend among many First World countries to produce obese children, which in turn creates alarming health problems, few kids express the desire to have a spare tire to emulate Santa. Parents and educators should assume greater responsibility for the diets of the young, and understand that healthy choices should be advocated as well as practiced.

Equally troublesome are the attacks on Santa’s laugh. Although “ho” may have negative connotations, only an adult would understand the reference. What’s more, it’s American slang, so kids (and possibly adults) elsewhere in the world won’t likely understand all the fuss. If a child still gives credence to the big guy, then it seems unlikely there will be any association apart from a very distinct laugh.

Will this madness never end? Leave Santa Claus’s sacrosanct weight and laugh alone.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of political correctness?
2. What would you do if Santa’s image were changed?
3. If Santa’s image were modernized, would it somehow change Christmas?
4. Do you agree that parents and educators should assume more responsibility for children’s health?
5. Which has a greater influence on children, parents, educators, or the media?

What Makes Beauty So Appealing?

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B2 – Upper intermediate

According to entertainment magazine People, Sandra Bullock is the most beautiful person in the world. Whether you agree or not, the magazine surely stirred up people’s interest. Our take on beauty is very individual and is shaped by our environment and experiences.

What Makes Beauty So Appealing?

Discuss:

1. Our View on Beauty: Personal or Genetic? What does the new study suggest?
2. What do you find beautiful in a face?
3. What does “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” mean?
4. How many different adjectives can you think of to describe a beautiful woman or a handsome man?

Processed Meat Cause Cancer

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The World Health Organization (WHO) released findings linking processed meat and cancer, particularly classifying Spanish jamon alongside others such as bacon and sausages.

Find out more about this report and the reaction of the Spanish meat industry regarding this report.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-34615621

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the report about and what is your reaction to it?
  2. What are the good and bad things about meat?
  3. Would this report change the way you and most Spanish consume processed and cured meat especially the Spanish jamon?
  4. How do you think reports such as this one affect the Spanish meat sector?
  5. What are other cancer-causing food that you know of?

Virgin Trains Tops Rail Complaints List

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B2 – Upper intermediate

A study suggests that taking the train to work makes people happier. But what if you encounter inconveniences related to punctuality or reliability or ticket-buying facilities and others?

Find out why Virgin Trains topped the complaints list across all rail services in Britain.

Virgin Trains West Coast tops rail complaints list

Discuss:

1. How would you rate your city or country’s rail service performance?
2. Do you have a complaint or have you ever complained about the rail service in your city or country?
3. How else can the train service be improved in Spain?
4. What is your reaction on Virgin’s statement that complaints were not the ultimate measure of passenger satisfaction? What do you think is the true measure of commuters’ satisfaction?