Category: Homework

The First Starbucks in Italy

B1 – Intermediate

Starbucks is one of the most popular American coffee shop chains known around the world. Presently, it has more than 20,000 stores in 67 countries. Starbucks has achieved worldwide recognition and success. Can it also be successful in Italy, a country that is known to have long cultural ties with coffee?

Let’s find out more about it.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/starbucks-to-open-first-store-in-italy.htm#

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the article, when will Starbucks open its first store in Italy?
2. Have you tried Italian espresso? How about Starbucks coffee?
3. Why do Italians have mixed reactions/feelings about the opening of Starbucks in their country?
4. What was the article pertaining to when it mentioned  the “watery undrinkable” coffee?
5. Can Starbucks succeed in Italy?
6. Are there Starbucks stores in your country? What’s the most popular coffee shop chain in your country/Europe?

Stress – Signs and Symptoms

B1 – Intermediate

Stress is inevitable. We feel stress whenever we are in situations that are difficult to handle. We become overwhelmed and it becomes a challenge to cope.

Read the article below to know how we can better handle stressful situations.

http://www.english-online.at/health_medicine/stress/coping-with-stress.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think stress is ever good or necessary? Why or why not?
  2. Do you have a stressful lifestyle? What are some situations that make you feel stressed?
  3. How do you reduce stress in your life? Do you think they would be considered good or bad ways of dealing with stress?
  4. Some people like to have a drink when they are stressed. What do you think about this?
  5. Which would you choose: A stressful job with very high pay or a relaxed job with considerably low pay? Why?

Speaking Activity: Success and Failure

B2 – Upper intermediate

Today’s society put too much emphasis and importance on being successful. In turn, failure becomes something that can be considered as personal weakness. How do you view success? How do you view failure?

Answer the following questions below related to success and failures and be ready to practice your speaking skills.

Discuss:

1. Describe a successful person.
2. Is your idea of success the same as other people’s idea of success?
3. Do you think people focus too much on appearing to be successful?
4. Why is money the most common way of judging success?
5. Can money buy happiness?
6. Do you think some parents put too much pressure on their children to be succesful?
7. Have there been any failures that made your life better?
8. Is there a right time to give up and stop trying? Or should you never give up?
9.Can you think of any famous people who failed spectacularly at something?
10. Talk about a time you failed at something you tried. How were you able to cope with it?
11. Can you think of any famous quotes or idioms about success or failure?

Autonomous Vehicles

B1 – Intermediate

What will future cars look like? Can future vehicles prevent road accidents? Will it really be possible for a car to take us from point A to B without controlling it?  Let’s discuss the Autonomous or driver-less cars of the future and find out more about it.

Listen to the podcast carefully and study the featured vocabulary words.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170105

Discussion Questions:

  1. Will self-driving cars be safer than human-controlled ones? Explain.
  2. Do you think that robot cars can handle life-or-death situations/decisions? Explain.
  3. Would you buy an autonomous car for yourself? Why or why not?
  4. What problems do you see with autonomous vehicles?

The Growing Threat of Creationism

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever thought how the Earth was created or formed?  The controversy over the creation of Earth still puzzles and confuses many of us and the topic on the theory of creationism and evolution has been debated for the past century.

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

How old is the Earth? Is it billions of years old, or a significantly younger several thousand? The debate between the theory of evolution and creationism continues, primarily in the US. It’s a dispute fueled by politics, cultural differences, and religion.

The theory of evolution holds that plants and animals changed slowly, generation after generation, over billions of years. Helpful traits were passed onto offspring, while harmful ones grew rare. Creationism, however, supposes that God created the Earth in six days, exactly as depicted in the Bible, only a few thousand years ago. Intelligent design, which has been labeled as a form of neo-creationism, points to the complexity of some animals as an indication that God guided their development.

In the US, numerous conservative leaders have opposed the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Others have striven to get creationism taught side-by-side with evolution, as an alternative and equally-valid theory. Kansas, for example, has flip-flopped on the issue several times over the past few years. Courts, however, have repeatedly ruled creationism, as well as intelligent design, a form of religious teachings. It should have no place in the public classroom.

Although creationism in Europe hasn’t achieved the number of adherents as it has in the US, numbers are increasing. Therefore, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly will debate a resolution to declare creationism a form of religious extremism. An Assembly member commented that different religious views exist, yet creationism isn’t science. It shouldn’t be presented as such in the classroom. Furthermore, the resolution views creationism as an attack on science and human rights.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. Based on the text, why do you think more and more people in Europe believe in creationism?
2. Should creationism and evolution be taught side-by-side in the classroom? Why/not?
3. Is creationism a threat? Why/not?

Crazy Festivals in Spain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Every single day of the year, there is surely a festival happening somewhere in the world. Here are a few of the most unusual festivals from Spain

https://www.spain-holiday.com/Spain/articles/weird-and-wonderful-events-in-spain

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the most interesting crazy festival for you on this list?
2. Which one did you find really strange?
3. Do you know of any other odd festivals?
4. What is your favorite festival?
5. Why is it important for a city or country to hold festivals?

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

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C1 – Advanced

Food trucks. Their evolution has been a good one. Sprouting up like mushroom, people seem to enjoy every bit of it.

Read the article below and be ready to increase your vocabulary by going through the different terms and expressions. Feel free to read the article section per section with your teacher.

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

Discuss:

1. Describe the change of food trucks since it began.
2. Why are food trucks so appealing to the young? The culinary graduates?
3. Explain why having a food truck business is not as easy as some think. What are the challenges business owners face?
4. On the other hand, what are the advantages of having a food truck as a business?
5. Are food trucks a trend in your city as well? What is your general opinion of them?

Work Permits for Syrian Refugees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Syrian refugees have now settled in in their host countries and most of them are working on moving on. But being productive and feeling optimistic about the future proves to be harder.

Watch the video below to know more about the challenges that Syrian refugees are facing when it comes to getting work.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-38574483#

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the video, what are some of the things that Syrian refugees want?
2. How would you describe the morale of the refugees?
3. How can host countries benefit from refugees?
4. Do you think that giving work permits to refugees can bring more harm than good? What are the anxieties of the locals (in host countries?)

Japan Set For Invisible Trains

B1 – Intermediate

Japan is known for its technological advances. In 2018, the country will be launching its first invisible train.

Read the article below to know how this transport could be invisible. Be ready to practice your speaking skills by talking about transport systems.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/travel/japan-set-for-invisible-trains-by-2018.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe the train that Kazuyo Sejima designed? Why is it called an invisible train?
2. How would you describe the trains in your country?
3. Have you taken the different trains in Europe? Have you visited other European countries using trains?
4. Would you say that public transportation in your country is very effective? What else could it improve on?

The Euro Turns 15

B1 – Intermediate

The European Union brought on a lot of changes. One of them is the change of currency. 2017 marks the 15th year for the euro currency. Was it a good idea? Will it last for many more years? Click the link below to watch the video and express your thoughts about it.

Discussion Questions:

1. What did the video say about the challenges of the euro currency?
2. What do you remember about the events in your country when your currency changed to euro?
3. Why do you think the United Kingdom decided to keep the British pound when they joined the EU?
4. What is your opinion of having one currency?