Category: Homework

Why Appraisals Are Pointless?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In so many ways, whether the company would thrive or fail relies on employee quality. Hence, many companies resort to appraisals in order to sort the good apples from the bad ones.

Read the full article and discover why the dreaded appraisals just don’t work and what might be the better way to boost employee productivity.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190501-why-appraisals-are-pointless-for-most-people

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the pros and cons of employee performance ratings?
  2. What are your thoughts on performance reviews?
  3. Talk about the performance review process of your company.

Machu Picchu Airport

B1 – Intermediate

Machu Picchu is the most touristic place in Peru. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

An airport is being built near this landmark to help tourists reach it more easily. But not everyone agrees with this construction project.

Read more about it and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1906/190614-machu-picchu-2.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on the construction of this airport?
2. Would you like it if the same thing is done near a very historical place in your country?
3. What are the pros and cons of building this airport near Machu Picchu?
4. Have you been to Machu Picchu or any World Heritage Site or any of the 7 Wonders of the World? Kindly talk about that trip.
5. Why is it necessary to preserve historical places such as Machu Picchu?

The Ship of Theseus

B2 – Upper Intermediate

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

Are you the same person seven years ago? If not, who is the real you: the person you were before, or the person you are now? Here’s philosophy’s one big question.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is The Ship of Theseus about?

2. How would you answer the hanging questions about The Ship of Theseus?

3. Cite some notable changes in your life over the years.

4. In your opinion, what gives us our identity?

If Half of the Population Were Wiped Out

C1 – Advanced

Imagine if half of the population were randomly wiped out in just a snap. How would the society function after such a decimation? Could this end up being a good thing for humanity?

Discussion Questions:

1. What atrocious situations would happen the moment half of the population were wiped out?

2. What would happen after humans adjusted to it?

3. How do you see this from an ethical perspective?

4. If you were in this situation, how would you deal with this new world?

Venezuelans Adopt Recycling to Make Ends Meet

B2 – Upper Intermediate

This man sits at a marketplace stall in Caracas and repairs broken light bulbs for people who do not have money to buy new ones. Venezuela’s severe economic crisis has led to food and other basic commodities shortages. Hyperinflation has left people’s salaries almost with no value at all anymore in this country.

Watch the video and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion about the topic in the video?

2. What can be the solution to Venezuela’s problem?

3. Is recycling truly beneficial for people and the environment?

4. What are the most common items that you can put into recycling?

5. Do you recycle or not? Is recycling commonly done in your city or country?

How IKEA Gets You to Impulsively Buy More?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to researchers, approximately 50 percent of purchases is unplanned. These purchases, especially from impulse buying, gives an opportunity for retailers to entice consumers to deviate from their shopping lists. One of the most effective ways to influence this is through a store’s architecture.

Architect Victor Gruen pioneered the first American shopping malls. He used light and space to dramatically stage goods in storefront windows. His designs were meant to capture the attention of passersby and convert them into customers. This conversion became known as the “Gruen effect.”

Watch the video below to learn how IKEA has mastered the “Gruen effect” and be able to answer the discussion questions:

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever been to IKEA? How often do you go there?
  2. What are some products or items have you bought from IKEA?
  3. What do you think of IKEA? How do you feel when you are in their store?
  4. What impulse buys did you regret?
  5. What are ways to prevent impulse buys?

Can You Really Trust Online Reviews?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nowadays, everyone plasters their opinions over the internet. No longer do we have to wait for experts to give their stamp of approval on hotels, online stores (Amazon), |Trip Advisor and so many others as it had literally millions of reviews of anything we could think of because anybody could write what they think online. The big question is, how reliable could these reviews be in influencing our decision-making process in purchasing products online.

Watch the video and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on online reviews?
2. Do you read reviews online to help you make decisions?
3. Have you ever made a fantastic discovery out of a review online?
4. What kind of reviews do you trust and those that make you skeptical?
5. Share your good/bad experience with online reviews.

WHO Says Burnout is a Medical Problem

B1 – Intermediate

Burnout is the state of mental exhaustion from too much stress usually because of work. The World Health Organization (WHO) now considers it a medical condition.

Find out more about it through the article below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1906/190602-burnout-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the signs of being burned-out?
2. Do you think it is really a medical condition?
3. Have you ever been burned-out or too stressed out at work?
4. What are some stressful situations that you have to face at work?
5. How do you manage burnout or too much work stress?

Japan University to Hire Non-smoking Staff Only

B1 – Intermediate

A university in Japan does not want to hire people who smoke. They have a reason for doing so.

Find out through the article below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1905/190505-no-smoking-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on not hiring smoking staff?
2. Do you think companies should tell their workers to stop smoking?
3. What do you think about prohibiting smoking in public places?
4. What is your opinion about letting people smoke in schools or universities?
5. Do you think there are fewer people smoking in your country now than years ago?

Why People Fake Serious Illness?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For some people, being ill means being special. They crave for the attention and care that others willingly provide them. The feeling is so intense that they would like to stay in that condition. However, unfortunately for them, some illnesses just simply go away and ironically therein lies the rub.

Watch the video and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy?
  2. Why do people fake serious illness?
  3. Do you feel like you are given special treatment when you are sick? Does it make you linger to it a bit more?