Category: Homework

Work Burnout

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the most common and serious work issues is work burnout. It is often confused with stress. But there is a big difference between the two.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find out more about occupational blues.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/business-english/podcasts-for-professionals/work-burnout

Discussion Questions:
1. What’s the difference between stress and burnout?
2. What are ways to fight work blues?
3. Share any story about being burned-out.

Rise of Robots End of Work?

C1 – Advanced

Robots and Artificial Intelligence are rapidly advancing in the recent years. Are you one of the thousands of people who are worried about job opportunities in the future? Let us see things in a different perspective and learn more from the specialists.

Watch the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1.  Are you scared of robots replacing humans?
  2.  What do you think can men do if robots dominate the jobs in the future?
  3.  How can we prepare the next generation with the rise of robots?

Jobs for School Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Working part-time while studying used to be the norm in the UK but the trend is changing. The number of student part-timers has decreased in the recent years.

Find out more through this podcast:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-171214

Discussion Questions:
1. Should schoolchildren have jobs?
2. What are the pros and cons of working while studying?
3. Share your own story about juggling work and studies.

Urban Millennials Go to Farmer School

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When you were young, have you ever thought of being a farmer? Do you want to work outdoors or indoors? This new school is trying to teach millennials who want to work on a farm.  In a society where technology is everywhere, farming has been often put behind thus creating a huge demand in the workforce for young people to work in the land.

Let’s watch and read the article below about this below:

https://www.voanews.com/a/virginia-agriculture-school-helps-train-new-farmers/4349791.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about farming?
  2.  Is farming a good and thriving industry in your country?
  3.  Do you think it is good to encourage young people to do manual jobs such as farming?
  4.  Do you need farmers and people who will work on the farm in your country?

Solution to Poverty: Educating Girls

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thomas Jefferson said, “All men are created equal.”  Everyone should have access to education regardless of his race, gender, religion or nationality.

It may sound absurd because we are already in the 21st century and almost everyone can go to school, but this is a sad reality for some women in third world countries.

Let us read the link below to know more about how educating women can create an impact on the society.

https://www.theguardian.com/opportunity-international-roundtables/2017/oct/04/global-poverty-child-marriage-education-girls

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you find it surprising that over 130 million girls worldwide are not in school? Why? Why not?
2. Would you agree that education is “a protection for girls”? Why? Why not?
3. Do you believe that education is the most effective way to fight poverty? Why? Why not?

Lack of Pencil Holding Skill

B1 –  Intermediate

Nowadays, it’s very common for parents to give kids access to computer tablets like iPads at a very young age. After all, early exposure will help our children understand the world better. Well, it turns out there is increasing evidence that allowing kids access to computer tablets at an early age may be counterproductive.

Read this lesson on how technology reduces children’s ability to hold a pencil.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1804/180404-pencils.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your view on this: “Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle strength in their hands to be able to write properly.“?
  2. Do you know anyone who has had skills delay because of early exposure to gadgets? Talk about them.
  3. Do you think kids should never have access to gadgets? Explain your stand.
  4. According to the article, “Technology may be causing bigger problems.“. What do think are some of these problems?
  5. What other skills have we lost because of technology or too much dependency on gadgets?

Sleeping Late

B1 –  Intermediate

Do you always sleep late? If staying in bed till late morning interests you, better watch out for yourself. This is not a recommended practice by health experts. Even doctors all over the world suggest to strictly avoid sleeping late. Sleeping late not only makes your body subject to various health problems, but also disturbs your daily routine and increases stress. Your physical and mental health both will be greatly affected.

Read the article about a new study that found that going to bed late may be bad for our health.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1804/180416-sleeping-late.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What time do you usually go to bed? Why? Do you wish you slept earlier/later? Explain.
  2. What does sleep mean to you?
  3. Do you always get enough sleep? Why is that?
  4. What are you like when you don’t get enough sleep? Describe.
  5. How have your sleeping patterns changed over the years? Describe.

How does food affect your mood?

B1 –  Intermediate

Food is one of our necessities in life, but little do we know or we aren’t conscious enough that it impacts our moods. Sugary food is one of the so many examples of how our mood changes once we have an intake.

https://www.healthline.com/health/mood-food-can-what-you-eat-affect-your-happiness

Let’s talk!
How does food affect your feelings?
Do you crave for a particular food depending on how you feel?
What foods do you eat when you are sad?
What foods do eat when you are happy?
What are your food habits?

What’s in a Name?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In many countries, women take their husbands’ last name when they get married. Is this the case in your country?

Click on the link to check if this tradition still holds true to most countries and how people feel about changing their last names:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english/ep-180201

Discussion Questions:
1. Do women take their husband’s surname when they get married in your country?
2. Would you change your last name or would you expect your partner to change his/hers?
3. Do you think it’s fair that children usually take their father’s family name?
4. Have you ever thought about changing your name?
5. What could be good reasons for a name change?

Men Are Chatterboxes Too

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nothing has been more enduring than the stereotype of women as chatterboxes, gabbing about everything and anything at any time, all the time. However, some reports conclude that men are chatterboxes too depending on the context of the conversation.

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

Who speaks more, men or women? Most people wouldn’t hesitate to say that women speak more. There are many jokes about how much, and what, women talk about. But research which some may find surprising indicates that both men and women speak more or less equally.

Four hundred university students in the United States and Mexico participated in the study. Researchers recorded the students’ daily conversations for several days. After analyzing the data, they discovered that both sexes are in a statistical dead heat when it comes to speaking. Women used a little more than 16,000 words every day. Men used a little less than 16,000 words. The report admits, though, that the numbers could change as men and women grow older, because the study only tracked university students.

The current idea that women are chatterboxes just isn’t true. In addition, men only speak when they have something important to say also isn’t true. Both ideas probably come from cultural and political discrimination against women. But the study explains that men gossip just as much as women. Men and women also talk equally about unimportant topics. But women actually talk more about relationships.

A psychologist at Yale University has a somewhat different opinion. She suggests that the idea about men and women probably come from arguments between the genders. Unfortunately, the study doesn’t know how speaking patterns change in an argument. But other studies have supported the stereotype that guys become quiet and women talk more in an emotional conflict.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree with the stereotype that women talk more?
  2. In a private conversation with close friends or family members, who talks more? How about in a business setting?
  3. Which topics/issues could men be more interested in that would entice them to speak more?