Category: Homework

Thailand Cave Rescue

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Last 23rd of June, a group of boys and their football coach went missing while exploring a cave in the north of Thailand. Fortunately, they were all found alive by British volunteer divers, 9 days later.

Watch and read about the youths’ harrowing experience and the massive and daring rescue mission that was organized to find them.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the article and video all about? Who should be held responsible in this situation?
  2. Exploring a cave, especially a big and deep one, can be very dangerous. Is it something that you would like to try? Why or why not?
  3. If you were trapped inside a cave, what would you do in order to survive?

Japan Fans Clean Up After Game

B1 – Intermediate

Japan beat Colombia in a World Cup game. After the game, Japanese fans cleaned up the stadium. They picked up their wrappers and food bags and placed them in large garbage bags they had brought with them.

Experts on Japanese culture were not surprised that this happened. They say that in Japan people like to keep places clean. It is normal for them to pick up trash off public spaces. They also are proud to be good guests. And as guests in Russia, they wanted to be respectful of their host country.

The US and other countries can learn a lot from this event. In US culture, it is not normal to clean up after yourself in stadiums, movie theaters or other public spaces.

The Japanese weren’t the only ones cleaning up after themselves. Senegal fans did the same after their game against Poland.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about this kind of behavior?
  2. Talk about a behavior Spanish are proud about.
  3. What do you know about Japanese culture?

The Menstruation Taboo in Rural Nepal Can Kill

B2 – Upper intermediate

Through the centuries, the fight for women’s rights has always been a slow and uphill battle. Although steady progress and changing attitudes towards women have been very positive in a lot of countries, there are others who still cling to tradition and see women as second-class citizens. For instance, in some parts of rural Nepal, a woman’s “period” is bizarrely regarded as a time of shame.

Read the article to find out more.

http://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/the-menstruation-taboo-in-rural-nepal-can-kill/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the article in your own words.
  2. Talk about women’s rights in your country. What are some issues concerning women that are still regarded as taboo?
  3. What can be done to improve the plight of women around the world?

Foreign Home Buyers Ban

B2 – Upper Intermediate

New Zealand has been an attractive place for holiday homes. Hence, more and more foreigners have been buying houses there. This lead to a massive demand in properties and consequently, rise in property prices.

Find out more about PM Ardern’s plans to make buying their first homes easier for Kiwis through the article below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1711/171102-home-buyers.html

Discussion Questions:

1. How is it like to purchase your first home in Spain?
2. Should non-citizens be allowed to buy homes in a country?
3. Do you agree that houses are good investments?

What If Humans Disappeared?

C1 – Advanced

Humans have been around for about six million years, and our effects on the planet cannot be understated. We have contributed significantly to the changes in the Earth’s landscapes, global warming, sea level rise, ocean acidification, biodiversity, and many more. So, what would the world be like if humans vanished?

Watch the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy7Q6wazD_E

Discussion Questions:

1. About the video:
a. What would happen the moment everyone vanished?
b. What would happen days to weeks after humans vanished?
c. What would happen after years and thousand of years after the vanishing?

2. If everyone vanished except you, what do you think would be the first things that would affect you? How would you survive?

3. What are your realizations after watching the video?

Is Reading News Bad

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Reading newspaper is a good habit that can provide us a clear idea and understanding of what is happening in your country and the whole world. It carries information about politics, economy, entertainment, sports, business, industry, trade and commerce. However, a survey found that news consumption has a tremendous downside for mental health.

Read the article below to find out the downsides of reading too much news.

http://time.com/5125894/is-reading-news-bad-for-you/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “feed” mean here, “Yet one in 10 adults checks the news every hour, and fully 20% of Americans report “constantly” monitoring their social media feeds—which often exposes them to the latest news headlines, whether they like it or not.”? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “exacerbate” mean, “Our studies also showed that this change in mood exacerbates the viewer’s own personal worries, even when those worries are not directly relevant to the news stories being broadcast.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. Explain “negativity bias“.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does news affect you?
  2. What are the positive and negative aspects of watching or reading news for you?
  3. How has the way that news is presented changed in the past 15 to 20 years? What are your thoughts on “bystander-captured media”?
  4. What was the most devastating news that you have ever watched, read, or heard about?
  5. Talk about some news today.

Things That Are Keeping You From Living Your Best Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you ever feel that life is just passing by and you’re getting older by the second? I bet many of us have felt like this once in a while.

Here’s an article that will tell you how to live your life to the fullest.

https://www.elitedaily.com/p/7-things-that-keep-you-from-living-your-best-life-at-25-9434112

Discussion Questions:

  1. How was your life like when you were 25? Is there anything you wished you would have done then?
  2. Which point from the article are you guilty of doing and want to stop?
  3. How do you make sure you are living your life to the fullest?
  4. Do you feel your age? Why is that so?

Spikes Stop People Sleeping in the Streets

B1 – Intermediate

Over the last year, many buildings have installed “anti-homeless” spikes like these to stop people sleeping in the streets. The spikes are appearing in major cities such as London and Manchester, outside shops and under bridges where homeless people usually sleep.

The shops and businesses believe that when homeless people sleep near their buildings, this gives a bad impression to customers and it might stop people entering the buildings.

These spikes were installed outside Selfridges, a luxury department store in Manchester, on the 1st December last year.

The store says it has installed these spikes because customers have complained that people who sat here smoked and left litter. This made the front of the shop look ugly.

The phenomenon of “defensive architecture” such as this is very controversial. Over 3,000 people have signed a petition to remove the spikes from Selfridges saying that these spikes are “inhumane” and that they will not help solve the problem of homelessness in the UK. It will only move the problem to a different place.

The Guardian newspaper says that this type of architecture is a type of apartheid: it stops homeless people living in public places. It makes them invisible to the rest of society.

The UK is not the only country to install “anti-homeless” architecture. Spikes are also used in China. In New York City a famous bookstore has used water sprinklers to get rid of homeless people from the front of the shop.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about “defensive architecture”?
  2. Why is “defensive architecture” a controversial issue?
  3. What do you think can be done about homelessness in general?

Spain Sets New Rules for Airbnb

B1 – Intermediate

Airbnb connects people looking to have their homes rented with those who are trying to find a place to stay in specific locations. Airbnb offers its users a lot of options on different kinds of houses or properties and a stress-free way for house or apartment owners to make money by renting out their property.

However, Airbnb’s popularity has not come without any problems in some countries and their governments are quick to respond.

Read the article below on the new set of rules in Spain on Airbnb rentals.

In Barcelona and Madrid, Airbnb hosts will be required to register the rental property with the city government before listing it. New York and Paris already use this rule.

Spanish provinces are cracking down on Airbnbs. They have put in place several new rules that will limit the number of Airbnb rentals in Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, Valencia, and Andalusia.

In Madrid, the city has proposed a rule (it’s not law yet) that would limit apartments to be rented only 90 days out of the year. It would also require that every property in the city center have a separate entrance for Airbnb guests. This proposal came after Madrid natives protested against tourists, saying that Airbnb has caused the city to have a lot more tourists. Some also believe that housing prices went up since Airbnb became so popular. With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.

In Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza, the rules have already become laws. Starting July, only houses, no apartments, will be allowed to be rented out as an Airbnb. In addition, every property must be registered. As of right now, only 700 out of 20,000 properties are correctly registered. Airbnb is expected to remove illegal listings from the site. This means that a lot of people who rented properties in July and August will lose their reservations.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the new rules set for Airbnb rentals?
  2. What is your opinion on this: “With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.”?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of putting up properties on platforms like Airbnb for rental?
  4. Have you used Airbnb before? What are the good and bad things about using it to book accommodations? If you haven’t, are you interested to try it out?
  5. What kind of accommodations do you prefer when you travel and why?

Things That Should Never Be In Your Bedroom

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A full night’s sleep is basically important for health. In actuality, it is just as essential as eating healthy and exercising. However, there are factors that interfere with natural sleep patterns, and as a matter of fact, they are found just right inside our bedrooms.

View the gallery to know what’s not to keep there.

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/organizing-tips/g3745/things-to-throw-out-your-bedroom/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Describe what your room looks like. What are important things that you should have there and what are those that you keep out?
  2. What do you think your bedroom says about your personality?
  3. If you could give your room a makeover, what would you put and remove from it?