Category: Class

Trends Shaping the Future of Work

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The future of work is being fundamentally transformed by five key trends: globalization, technological innovation, shifting demographics, evolving workplace behaviors, and greater mobility. Each of these factors is driving change in its own way, but what is unprecedented now is how they are converging simultaneously.

Watch this video about the five trends that are challenging everything we know about work.

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “tap into” mean? “Organizations can tap into talents anywhere in the world.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘tap into’ in your own sentence.
2. What does the expression “digital native” mean? “Millennials are digital natives that expect and want to work in ways that reflect the year we live in.” Use it in a sentence.
3. What does the term “rethink” mean? “This is forcing organizations to fundamentally rethink and reimagine the way we work technologies.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is your company keeping up with current employment trends?
  2. How is your company thinking about and planning for the future of work? Elaborate.
  3. How has every aspect of business behavior changed in your country over the years?
  4. Share your insights on this, “In the future of work, technology is the central nervous system of the organization that enables everything else to function.“.
  5. Are there any jobs that you think will not exist in 20 years’ time? What are they?
  6. What impact has migrant labour had on your country in recent years? Would you like to see more or less in future?

Hurdles for Women’s Equality

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Although women’s rights have advanced over the years, ongoing progress is far from certain. With increasing conflicts and growing authoritarianism, women continue to confront numerous challenges in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, legal rights, and violence. Addressing these issues is essential for the global effort to achieve gender equality, strengthen human rights protections, and ensure safety for everyone. In this article, we will examine 11 of the most pressing issues facing women and girls today.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2023/09/the-11-biggest-hurdles-for-womens-equality-by-2030

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does the adjective “staggering” mean? “This represents a staggering 8 percent of the global female population surviving on less than USD 2.15 a day.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘staggering’ in your own sentence.
2. What does “unpaid care” mean? “On the current trajectory, the gap between the time spent by women and men on unpaid care will narrow slightly, but by 2050, women globally will still be spending 9.5 per cent more time (2.3 more hours per day) on unpaid care work than men.” Use the term in a sentence.
3. What does the phrase “attitudinal shift” mean? “The prevalence of child marriage highlights the need for attitudinal shifts and the promotion of legal frameworks that safeguard women and girls’ rights.” Make a sentence using the phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your insights on the info presented in this article.
  2. In your view, do you believe men and women are treated equally and fairly in your country? Elaborate on your stand.
  3. What have feminist movements achieved in your country so far?
  4. Do you think feminist movements are still needed in this century? Share your thoughts.
  5. In your opinion, what are some of the biggest worldwide problems women are facing at present? Give specific examples.

Nintendo Museum

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nintendo has a profound impact on most children in the 1990’s. Young people in this decade would have probably played or at least recognize Super Mario to this day. Not only is Nintendo popular for its video games, but it has once dominated the playing card market as well.

If you enjoyed playing Nintendo video games as a child, you should come pay the Nintendo Museum a visit and be brought back down memory lane.

Let’s read the article and know more about the nostalgic Nintendo Museum in Japan.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/worlds-first-nintendo-museum-kyoto-japan-intl-hnk/index.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “a wealth of something” mean? “While museum visitors won’t be able to jump up and punch “question blocks” like Mario –they can already do that at the Super Nintendo World theme park in nearby Osaka anyway – they will have access to a wealth of info that offers insights into the mind of Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, also known as the father of Super Mario.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘a wealth of something’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “humble beginnings” mean? “A museum section called “Craft and Play” is dedicated to these humble beginnings and features a hanafuda room where visitors learn to play the traditional card game with the help of technology and can join a workshop to create their own flower cards.” Give a synonym or similar expression and use ‘humble beginnings’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “pan out” mean here, “But the main attraction of the museum is its “Discover” area, a massive hall featuring displays of almost every product ever released by the company, including rare limited-edition devices and prototypes that didn’t pan out.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘pan out’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you owned any Nintendo consoles? Which ones?
  2. What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Museum? Would you be interested to visit? Why or why not?
  3. Have you visited any unique museums? What makes it special?
  4. What are your country’s most influential and nostalgic companies/brands?
  5. Talk about the history of one of the biggest companies in your country.

Americans Tip Less

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In recent years, Americans have been tipping less, a trend influenced by various factors including economic pressures and changing attitudes toward gratuity. This decline in tipping can significantly impact workers, particularly in service industries where tips often supplement low wages.

As employees rely on these additional earnings for their livelihood, reduced tipping not only affects their financial stability but also raises questions about the future of tipping culture in the U.S. Understanding this shift is crucial for both workers and consumers.

Watch the video and be able to answer the questions below.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the expression “fed up” mean? “In the U.S, a growing number of folks are fed up with tipping.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘fed up’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “hassle” mean? “61% of the consumers would just rather pay higher prices on the menu as they don’t want the hassle of the tipping.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘hassle’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does the word “stingy” mean? Ex. People are a little worried about inflation so some people are getting cheaper and stingier. Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘stingy’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think tipping should still be a common practice, or should businesses increase wages to reduce the reliance on tips? Explain.
  2. Should taxes on tips be eliminated? Share your point of view.
  3. How do you feel about the expectation to tip in situations where service fees are already included?
  4. Do you believe that tipping less is justified given the rising costs of living and inflation? Share your opinion.
  5. How does the cultural perception of tipping in the U.S. compare to that in other countries, and what can Americans learn from those differences?

Lung Cancer Detection from Blood Draw

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A new blood test allows for faster, more sensitive detection of lung cancer, significantly improving early diagnosis and treatment possibilities.

Read the article to know what is the new way of diagnosing lung cancer with a blood draw is 10 times faster and 14 times more sensitive than earlier methods.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241003123245.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “chiral” mean? “Like many biological molecules, these surface proteins are chiral which causes them to interact with light in unique ways.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “spectral signature” mean? “As a next step, we want to look at most known solid tumor mutated proteins to understand how their spectral signatures are different.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “circular dichroism” mean? “The microfluidic chips, named CDEXO chips for Circular Dichroism detection of EXOsomes, may be able to distinguish among specific lung cancer mutations, helping doctors make treatment decisions to target the dominant mutations as they change.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does the new blood test improve the sensitivity and speed of lung cancer detection compared to current methods?
  2. What stage of lung cancer is this test most effective at identifying?
  3. What are the potential implications of this test for improving early diagnosis and treatment outcomes?
  4. Has the test been approved for clinical use, or is it still in the research phase?

Toddlers Get Their Calories from Ultra-Processed Foods

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A study revealed that nearly half of toddlers’ daily calorie intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), raising concerns about long-term health impacts like obesity and poor nutritional habits.

Read the article to know more the most common UPFs consumed by the toddlers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241003221629.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “cohort study” mean? “The researchers analysed data from the Gemini twin cohort study, using the Nova classification to divide the food and drink consumed into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods (eggs, milk, vegetables, fish and fruit); processed culinary ingredients (salt, butter and oil); processed foods (tinned fish, peanut butter and cheese); and UPFs (cereals, yoghurts, industrially made sliced bread, biscuits, sausages, crisps).” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “hyperpalatable” mean? “The research team said this may be partly attributable to the “hyperpalatable” nature of these UPFs, as they tend to be foods higher in fat, sugar and/or salt.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “redress” mean? “The researchers called for policies to redress the balance of children’s diets towards a lower proportion of UPFs, such as restricting the promotion of unhealthy foods marketed towards children, adding warning labels to products (e.g. those that are high in sugar), and subsidizing fresh and minimally processed food.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What types of ultra-processed foods contribute most to toddlers’ diets?
  2. How does the high consumption of ultra-processed foods affect toddlers’ long-term health?
  3. What are some demographic factors that influence toddlers’ consumption of ultra-processed foods?
  4. What strategies or recommendations does the study suggest to reduce ultra-processed food intake in young children?

Potential New Treatment for Aggressive Prostate Cancer Subtype

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Research has identified a potential new treatment for a particularly aggressive subtype of prostate cancer. This development could provide more targeted therapy options for patients with this challenging diagnosis, improving outcomes.

Read the article on a promising degrader that targets CDK12 and a related gene to destroy tumors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241004121704.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “genetic alteration” mean? “When researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center first identified a new subtype of aggressive prostate cancer, they knew they needed to understand how this genetic alteration was driving cancer and how to target it with treatment.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “cancer driver gene” mean? “The loss of this gene activates other known cancer driver genes, causing them to be overexpressed at a high level while also causing DNA to be replicated very rapidly.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “bona fide” mean? “Then, when we added loss of the p53 oncogene, the mice developed bona fide invasive prostate cancer,” said senior author Arul M. Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology and S.P. Hicks Professor of Pathology at Michigan Medicine.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What specific subtype of prostate cancer does the new treatment target, and why is it considered aggressive?
  2. How does the new treatment differ from existing therapies for prostate cancer?
  3. What are the expected outcomes or survival benefits for patients using this treatment?
  4. What were some notable side effects of the new treatment observed during clinical trials ?

Living Computers Made from Human Neurons

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Scientists are now looking into using living brain cells to build computers that work differently from the traditional ones. These biological systems, modeled after the brain, could potentially process information more efficiently and adaptively. This new approach might significantly impact fields like AI and healthcare by taking advantage of how neurons naturally function.

Read this article and delve into these living computers made from human neurons.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-living-computers-are-made-from-human-neurons/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “sticking point” mean? “Sticking points remain for organoid computing’s ability to compete with silicon on a large scale.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘sticking point’ in your own sentence.
  2. Define “bedrock“. “Artificial intelligence systems, even those as sophisticated as ChatGPT, depend on the same silicon-based hardware that has been the bedrock of computing since the 1950s.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘bedrock’ in your own sentence.
  3. What is an “organoid“? “This approach uses synthetic biology, such as miniature clusters of lab-grown cells called organoids, to create computer architecture.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What’s your impression on these living computers?
  2. What ethical concerns arise from using living brain cells in technology? Should there be limits on how far this can go?
  3. Do you think biological computers could eventually replace normal computers, or will they just be used for different tasks? Elaborate.
  4. Could this technology lead to a future where human brains are connected to computers? Share your insights. If so, how could that change our lives?
  5. What could be the risks of creating computers that think like human brains?

Put the Phone Away or Pay

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Distracted driving occurs when a driver’s focus shifts away from driving due to other activities. The risk of a collision increases when a driver takes their eyes off the road, even for just a moment.

Distractions can impair performance and lower a driver’s awareness, causing them to react more slowly to important events on the road or even miss them completely.

Read the article and also watch the public service announcement video on distracted driving.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the idiom “to take something by storm” in this context, “For the past decade, distracted driving has taken U.S. roadways by storm, endangering not only the distracted drivers, but their passengers, pedestrians and others using the road.”? Use this expression in a sentence.
  2. Define “fender bender”. “It’s not long until they become the “fender bender” or the “got-a-ticketer”, the “veering off the road”, the “driver who kills someone”.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to veer off” mean? ““It’s not long until they become the “fender bender” or the “got-a-ticketer”, the “veering off the road”, the “driver who kills someone”.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Personally, what is your opinion about distracted driving?
  2. What do you do when you see someone behind the wheel seem to not to have their eyes on the road?
  3. What are ways to remain focused while driving?
  4. Are there many traffic accidents due to distracted driving in your country? Why do you think this is the case?
  5. Is imposing fines a sufficient penalty for distracted driving? Share your opinion.
  6. In addition to fines, what other measures can be used to punish distracted drivers?

Is Capitalism Actually Broken?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or companies own and control the production of goods. In modern capitalist economies, the prices of goods and people’s income are mostly determined by the market, based on how businesses and individuals interact, rather than by government control. Capitalism is based on private ownership, the aim of making a profit, and competition in the market.

Watch this video trying to explain whether capitalism is, in fact, broken.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of “to take hold”? “In England, the country for which we have the best data before capitalism, the share of income going to the top 5% of income earners, peaked at around 40% in 1801, and then, as capitalism took hold, it fell steadily to a low of about 17% in 1977.” Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the phrase “on the other end of the spectrum” mean? “On the other end of the spectrum, at 100%, private citizens own all the capital.” Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use this idiom in a sentence.
  3. Explain “laissez-faire capitalism”. “At the height of the Industrial Revolution, the dials were set pretty close to what we now call “laissez-faire capitalism“.” Use this term in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the difference between the “three dials”.
  2. Share your thoughts on capitalism.
  3. Who do you think gains from capitalism, and who faces challenges because of it?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of capitalism?
  5. Are there better alternatives to capitalism? Cite some of them and give examples, too.