Category: Homework

The ‘Minterns’ Taking Internships in their 30s

B2 – Upper Intermediate

At the age of 30, society expects us to have stable careers and secure jobs. However, not everyone feels personal fulfillment in what they do around this age. This is especially true for millennials.

A study conducted showed that almost half of millennials are dissatisfied with their jobs. A lot of them leave within the first 24 months. Some choose to shift from their original career paths to a different one, purposely starting from the bottom again.

Click the link below and read the article to know more about “minterns”.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190815-the-minterns-taking-internships-in-their-30s

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who are considered as “minterns”? What do you think of people in their 30s taking on internship jobs?
  2. What do you think this work trend reflects?
  3. Can you imagine yourself doing what Alejandro Cavazos did given a chance? Why or why not?
  4. Why do you think a lot of millennials are dissatisfied with their jobs?
  5. How important is personal fulfillment in choosing your career path?
  6. What are you looking for in terms of career development?

A Very Young Influencer

B1 – Intermediate

A seven-year-old child influencer from Italy has gained heartfelt support from people all over the world when his videos went viral on social media platforms. He proves that disability does not prevent a person from inspiring others.

Read the article and listen to the audio and be able to answer the discussion questions:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/a-very-young-influencer-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think it is a good idea to make a very young child become an influencer on social media? Why or why not?
  2. If you had/have a child, would you let them become an influencer at a very young age? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think are the perks and pitfalls of being a child influencer?
  4. What do you think of social media influencers who have disabilities? How can they affect the lives of the viewers? What can we learn from them?
  5. How has the society changed their view on people with disabilities over the years?

Inactive Twitter Accounts

B1 – Intermediate

Twitter is working to clean up inactive accounts to present more accurate and credible information that people can trust. This is in response to their commitment to serve the public conversation.

Read the article and listen to the audio and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/inactive-twitter-accounts-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Twitter removing inactive accounts?
  2. What is your opinion on this: “If Twitter deletes their accounts, people lose memories of them [people who have died]”?
  3. Do you have Twitter? If so, how much do you use it?
  4. What do you think are the good and bad thing about Twitter?
  5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having social media accounts?

Igloo Hotel: What’s It Like to Stay in an Ice Hotel?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Tucked away in the Swiss Alps are unique accommodations fit for a Snow Queen. It doesn’t stick around for more than a season and has but 15 rooms. But if you’re the adventurous sort with a high threshold for the cold and small spaces, it may be your ideal vacation getaway.

Watch the video below to find out more about the Igloo Hotel.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you stay in the Igloo Hotel?
  2. What do you think are the good and bad thing about the Igloo Hotel?
  3. Which places in your country offer holidaymakers experiences that are hard to come by anywhere else?
  4. Talk about any holiday you’ve spent in a unique travel destination.
  5. Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever stayed in?

More Women Drinking Alcohol

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Alcohol use disorder or most commonly known as alcoholism is the inability to manage one’s drinking habits. People struggling with alcoholism may impact relationships, personal matter, work life, and problems with one’s overall health. Nowadays, with the restriction of doing outdoor activities, more and more people especially women are drinking alcohol at home.

Let’s listen to the audio below to learn more.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/more-women-drinking-alcohol/5620265.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is alcoholism a problem in your country?
  2. What are the usual reasons why people drink?
  3. What are the impacts of alcohol in our body?
  4. Why do you think more and more women have been drinking?
  5. How can people overcome alcohol abuse?

Researchers Want to Correct Japanese English

B1 – Intermediate

The government in Japan is using computer and online translations to translate Japanese into English which results to confusing words and expressions for English speakers visiting the country.

Let us read more about the article.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201121-japanese-english-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about Japan’s problem?
  2. Are there any strange translations from your language into English?
  3. What do you think of translation software?
  4. What do you think of the government using these software?
  5. Have you ever made a big or strange mistake translating into English?

Fashion Designer Encourages Youth to Choose Heritage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fashion trends have changed dramatically over the years but this Vietnamese fashion designer encourages youth to choose heritage to bring back traditions and customs with a twist of modern fashion.

Let’s read the article to know more.

https://www.gulftoday.ae/lifestyle/2020/11/28/vietnamese-fashion-designer-encourages-youth-to-choose-heritage

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about cultural heritage fashion ?
  2. Are you a fashionable person? What fashion trend do you follow?
  3. How are some fashion designers reinventing heritage as modern design?
  4. Do you think heritage fashion can be restrictive and impractical in today’s society?
  5. Do you wear any fashionable clothes that represents your country?

Reversing the Aging Process

B1 – Intermediate

Aging is associated with changes in dynamic biological, physiological, environmental, psychological, behavioral, and social processes. Some age-related changes are benign, such as graying hair. Others result in declines in function of the senses and activities of daily life and increased susceptibility to and frequency of disease, frailty, or disability. In fact, advancing age is the major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases in humans.

The question on all our minds is, ‘ Is it possible to reverse aging?’

Let’s read the article below to find out.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201125-ageing-process-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What are some of the benefits of getting older?
  3. Is aging more difficult for men or women? Why?
  4. Although women live longer than men, it is sometimes said that men “age” better than women. What do you think?
  5. What do you think can you do for yourself to help you age better with improved mobility and strength? When do you think you should start doing this?

Fight for Alaska Oil

B1 – Intermediate

Oil and gas extraction is one of the most profitable industries in the world. It’s no wonder many companies fight for drilling rights in oil reserves around the world.

The US is one of the most oil-rich countries in the world. Now, multi-billion dollar companies are competing against each other to get oil drilling rights in Alaska.

Click and read this short article to know more about this issue and its possible consequences.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/fight-for-alaska-oil-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with Biden’s plans?
  2. What are the environmental impacts of oil drilling?
  3. What can you say about the world’s dependence on oil resources?
  4. What are the sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to oil?

How to Know If It’s Time to Change Careers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Career changes—at any level—are stressful, time-consuming, and, well, often agonizing. How do you know if you’re making the right decision? It’s not an easy process to pivot to something unfamiliar, or to quit a job that’s OK on many levels but ultimately professionally unsatisfying.

Let’s watch the video on how to know if it’s time to change careers.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you happy at work? Why / Why not?
  2. What are some of the most common reasons that people change their jobs?
  3. Do you know anybody who has led a successful career in one field and then suddenly given it up and changed to something completely different? What reasons do you think they may have had?
  4. What three things are most important for you in a job? Why?
  5. What is a dead-end job? Are you OK to have one if it pays well?
  6. What preparations did you make before leaving your previous job/jobs?