Category: Homework

Should You Trust Your First Impression?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is this saying that “First impressions are lasting impressions”. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Positive first impressions can lead to a good relationship with people especially in business and negative first impressions can set in stone for an entire relationship and leads to lesser opportunities. That is why people try to put their best foot forward as much as possible during first encounters because most of us want to be liked.

Let’s watch the video below to learn more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are your first impressions of people long-lasting or do you believe in second chances?
  2. What are examples of first positive impressions that you know? How about negative impressions?
  3. Have you met anyone who had a first bad impression to you? How was your second encounter?
  4. How about meeting someone who had a first bad impression of you? Did you try to change it?
  5. Is it hard to change people’s impressions especially if it is negative? How do you cope with that?

Is This the Future of Driving?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some automotive pundits claim that technology will effect great changes in the car industry. A number of them even predict that such developments are just around the corner.

A senior reporter at a popular American news channel describes these innovations in the video below. Only time will tell if these technology-enhanced cars will take the world by storm.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, what’s in store for the future of driving?
  2. What makes electric cars a viable alternative to petrol-guzzling cars?
  3. Would you take a ride in a self-driving taxi or ride-hailing service vehicle?
  4. Does a future without car ownership sound appealing to you? Why or why not?
  5. What features do you look for in a car?

Adulting 101 – Things We Learned the Hard Way

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Growing up, we often hear our parents, especially our mom’s common and loud assertion of a common phrase “when will you grow up?” in moments when you are being mischievous. They are perhaps tired of a kid-like nature which is not responsible enough to even know what they really want in life.

Have you ever thought of a certain point where you know exactly what you want and you are able to meet the mundane demand of independent and professional living? That is an informal description of adulting.

Let’s learn more by watching the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you define adulting?
  2. Can we determine a specific stage or age for maturity?
  3. Why do we have to learn the hard way?
  4. What is the most challenging part of adulting?
  5. What are some things that you learned the hard way?
  6. How would you describe your adult life?

Planning an Event

B1 – Intermediate

Working with a group of people can be both challenging and advantageous. Some prefer to work by themselves while others think sharing responsibilities could be the fastest way to get the job done.

In this lesson, you will find how the team managed to delegate each task effectively in order to plan an event.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/intermediate-b1/planning-an-event

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Give 1-2 synonyms of “organise“. Use them in your own sentences.
  2. What is an “emcee“? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “book” mean in this sentence, “I can do that if someone books the speakers.”? Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. If you were part of this team, which task/s do you think you would prefer to do and why?
  2. Talk about a time when you had to organize/plan an event.
  3. What are some rewards and challenges of planning an event?
  4. How are tasks usually divided in your project teams?
  5. Why is delegating tasks important?
  6. Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others? Why?
  7. What are your thoughts on this, “Democratic leadership is one of the most popular leadership styles because it involves input from the entire team and fosters employees’ sense of ownership in their work.”?

No Screaming in Japanese Amusement Parks

B1 – Intermediate

Amusement parks are by far one of the most thrilling places on earth. As you wait in a long line to get in, you can hear numerous kids, adults, and tourists shouting at the top of their lungs due to a tremendous jaw-dropping drop on their beloved rollercoasters.

But what if you are not allowed to scream, shout, or laugh during the ride? What would you do?

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2005/200531-amusement-parks.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What images are in your mind when you hear the word ‘amusement’?
  2. What do you think of rollercoasters and haunted houses?
  3. Should everyone talk more quietly and wear masks?
  4. What is the “new normal” in the world today?
  5. What coronavirus guidelines are there in your country?

Herd Immunity

B1 – Intermediate

There are many infectious diseases that has been affecting all of us. Because it is not simple to fight infectious diseases, in some cases, reaching herd immunity is the only way to manage the said diseases.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to learn more about herd immunity.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/herd-immunity-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is herd immunity?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of reaching herd immunity?
  3. What is your opinion about giving the disease to all people to make everyone immune to it? Do you agree to this way in order to deal with a health problem like coronavirus?
  4. What are some illnesses that affected people in your country previously and how were they managed?

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some say “two heads are better than one”. This is true in some cases wherein better judgment is reached when an issue is decided from different perspectives. However, there are some instances where having too many people involved bring about disastrous outcomes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/experiment/unit-1/session-3

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “too many cooks spoil the broth” mean?
  2. Do you agree or disagree with this?
  3. Can you retell the other expressions with similar meaning that were mentioned in the video?
  4. Give a situation you were in where too many cooks spoil the broth.
  5. What are instances where you need more collaborators and those when you don’t?

The Importance of Sports for Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Sports help children develop their physical skills, get exercise, make friends, have fun, learn teamwork, learn to play fair, and improve their self-esteem. However, these are not the only things a child can acquire from playing sports.

Click the link below to learn more about the importance of sports to children:

https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/the-importance-of-sports-for-children/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some benefits of doing sports on kids?
  2. What sports are good for kids and what are those that are dangerous for them and why?
  3. What if your child doesn’t want to do sports, would you force them to do it?
  4. What can you say about this statement: “Sport is not a privilege of wealthy people.”?
  5. Do you agree with the saying, “Start them young”? Why or why not?

City Pilots Cyber-Graduation Rites

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Graduation is one of the most important milestones not only to students but also their parents. It’s the event where you’ll feel fulfillment and exhibit your achievements to other people. The day that you’ll feel proud of yourself and make your loved ones proud.

However, this opportunity was revoked by the pandemic that we are facing right now. It was unfortunate but as the proverb goes, “When there’s a will, there’s a way” and that what was proven by one schools in the Philippines. They held a cyber-graduation.

Let’s learn more about what they did here:

https://www.cnn.ph/news/2020/5/22/Taguig-City-pilot-cyber-graduation-rites.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How did they perform the cyber-graduation?
  2. What is your reaction about cyber-graduation?
  3. Do you think it’s a great idea to do this? Why or why not?
  4. Compare the education system before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  5. What are school graduations like in your country?

Asthma from Traffic Pollution

B1 – Intermediate

Asthma is a serious lifelong, incurable condition. When a person has it, they suffer from difficulties in breathing. According to some studies, traffic pollution causes this medical condition and it has affected millions of people.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find out more about diseases that are caused by pollution from traffic.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/asthma-from-traffic-level-3

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this fact “pollution from traffic connects to 4 million new asthma sufferers”?
  2. Do you know anyone who has asthma or other pulmonary conditions that were caused by pollution? How did it begin and how are they doing now?
  3. What do you do to keep your lungs healthy?
  4. Is air pollution a problem in your city? What are its bad effects on people and the environment?
  5. How can air pollution problems be solved?