Category: Homework

The Meaning of Clothes

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B2 – Upper intermediate

The say that the clothes make a man. But do clothing really matter? Is the way you dress significant to who you are?

Listen to the podcast and be ready to answer some discussion questions. Be prepared to also study and explain some vocabulary words.

The meaning of clothes

Discuss:

1. According to the podcast, explain what a sari is. How is it worn?
2. How would you describe your style when it comes to clothes? What are your preferences?
3. How do you usually dress for work? Do you have a dress code at the office?
4. What is your opinion of the clothes that we have now in this generation?

The End of Digital Age

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The 1970s gave birth to the digital age. A period when the personal computer was introduced, giving us the ability to transfer information at almost lightning speed. But what would happen if the advancements and breakthroughs arrived at the pace of a tortoise instead of a hare? Or what would happen if it all just came to a complete standstill?

Read the lesson and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Computers have become intertwined with nearly every aspect of our society, and their disappearance would be inconceivable. We take them for granted, as we do the technological advancements that appear every few years, almost like clockwork. Computers get quicker, the Internet offers more information, and other household devices like TVs and DVD players simply do more. But what would happen if the advancements and breakthroughs arrived at the pace of a tortoise instead of a hare? Or what would happen if it all just came to a complete standstill?

It’s a realistic scenario. and microchip manufacturers are concerned. The chips, which power all our electronics nowadays, have begun to reach technological limits because they just can’t shrink much more in size. To stave off the impending problem, manufacturers have poured billions of dollars into research and development, working toward chips that blend computing muscle with innovative behavior. The microchips will handle their tasks with greater finesse, and thereby hopefully avert the looming problem. Think smart chips are capable of adjusting their function based on the needs of the program and the user. However, the paucity of answers beyond that point serves as a portent for the end of the digital age. perhaps occurring around 2020.

It’s a race among chip manufacturers, as they scramble to maintain Moore’s law. Gordon Moore, the founder of Intel, anticipated that the processing power of a chip would double every two years. So far, he’s been right on the money. In fact, microchips have outstripped expectations, for their processing power has better than doubled every two years. A slowdown or end of the digital age would prove detrimental to the economies around the world. Electronics would cost more, on top of which consumers wouldn’t upgrade because of fewer new products.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think the proposed scenario will happen in the future?
2. What do you think would happen if there were a technological crash?
3. How often do you use computers? Would a technological slow down concern you?
4. Do you think there are greater problems facing the world in the near future? If yes, what are they?
5. What do you think computers will be like 5/10 years from now?

What Makes Us Laugh?

B2 – Upper intermediate

As one Yiddish proverb goes, “What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul“. What do you make of this expression?

Listen to Alice and Neil’s conversation in this BBC 6 Minute English episode entitled, “What makes us laugh?”

What makes us laugh?

Discuss:

1. Do you think there is a connection between depression and comedy?
2. What kind of comedy do you prefer?
3. When was the last time you laughed so hard that it made you cry?
4. Please share some funny/famous Spanish jokes or stories.

Water on Mars: What Does It Mean?

B2 – Upper intermediate

Humans have always been curious about things – almost everything.  Our curiosity has brought us beyond planet Earth, searching for the answers of unending questions about life.  Is there life somewhere outside our beautiful planet?

Watch the video then read the article to know more.

Water on Mars: What Does It Mean?

Discuss:

1. Is it really worth the enormous expense to search for any life outside planet Earth while poverty, crime, diseases and death are still left unsolved?
2. Do you think there is life existence in other planets?

Business Ethics on the Job

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Ethics is all about doing the the moral or right thing and making sure that you know how your decisions will affect others. It is a very important to uphold some ethics when doing business.

For this activity, you will be able to know words and phrases used when dealing with business ethics. Be ready to answer some discussion questions.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the purpose of business, in your opinion? Is it just to make money?
  2. Are some jobs more ethical than others? Explain.
  3. What examples can you give of businesses behaving badly?
  4. What ethical issues does the industry you work in face?
  5. Why do you think companies are becoming more interested in corporate responsibility?
  6. What can employees do to try to change the behaviour of businesses that are behaving unethically?

Five Things Shoplifters Steal Most

B2 – Upper intermediate

Getting the five finger discount? It’s a tale as old as time. Shoplifting is nothing new. In the US, a study was conducted to survey which items are more susceptible to getting shoplifted.

Watch the video below and be ready to answer discussion questions.

Discuss:

1. According to the video, what are the 5 most common items that shoplifters steal? Why are they easy to steal?
2. Is shoplifting an issue in your country or city?
3. What are some of the issues that your city has when it comes to petty crimes?
4. Have you ever been a victim of stealing? How did you deal with it?
4. How can you protect yourself from pickpockets or shoplifters?

Russia Interested in Undersea Cables

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C1 – Advanced

Is it any surprise that Russia is involved in something so covert and “underground”? Read the article below then express your thoughts about the topic at hand.

Why Is Russia Interested in Undersea Internet Cables?

Discuss:

1. What could be Russia’s motive to lurk around undersea cables?
2. What do you think will happen if those internet cables will crash?
3. Are you worried about Internet theft by China or Russia?

Death Penalty Too Costly

B2 – Upper intermediate

Every day, people are executed by the state as punishment for a variety of crimes. Read the article below and express your thoughts about the death penalty.

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

The United States still executes criminals for very serious crimes. People who support the death penalty believe that the fear and threat of death reduce serious crimes. However, opponents don’t believe this argument. And, maybe more importantly, innocent people could be put to death. More than 200 prisoners previously on death row have been freed because DNA showed that they didn’t commit the crime.

States may get rid of the death penalty not because of ethical reasons, though. Because many states face budget crises, financial reasons may push along the change. Prisoners on death can row can appeal the decision, and it may take ten or twenty years before the person is finally put to death. That means it costs roughly $4 million per prisoner, which is a ridiculously high cost.

Life on prison without any chance to get out costs ten times less than an execution. That’s a lot of money, even in more economically stable times. But politicians are looking closely at budgets in order to cut costs and make ends meet. Fewer death sentences may be the result.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about the death penalty? Why?
2. Can you think of three reasons why supporters think the death penalty works?
3. Can you think of three reasons why opponents think the death penalty doesn’t work?
4. Does your country have the death penalty? Why/not?
5. How can serious crimes be reduced? Think of three reasons with a partner.

Smoking Will Kill Young Men in China

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Because of various researches and studies, we have become aware of the consequences of smoking. In China, alarming results of a report exposes the dangers of smoking among young Chinese men.

Read the article below and be ready to talk about health.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/smoking-will-kill-one-in-three-young-men-in-china/3013944.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the graph (The Price of Smoking Around the World) featured in the article.
2. Do you think that increasing the price of cigarettes will help reduce the number of smokers or cigarette-related deaths?
3. What are other good ways to discourage people from smoking?

Revisiting the Gun Debate in America

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B2 – Upper intermediate

There is a strange correlation between the United States and school shootings. Debates on gun control have emerged since but people are still awaiting conclusions.

Read the article and watch the video, then share your thoughts about the topic.

Revisiting the Gun Debate in America

Discuss:

1. What is your reaction to the whole issue of gun control in the US?
2. Does your country have very good laws when it comes to owning and purchasing firearms?
3. In the US, what do you think is the root cause for their increased gun violence?