phone english blogB1 – Intermediate
Watch the video below and learn how to use the expression “I’m dead meat”. Be ready to answer some discussion question as well.
Discuss:
1. Explain the expression “I am dead meat”.
2. Why did the character in the video say that he is “dead meat?”
3. What are other situations you can use the expression “I am dead meat”?
4. Describe a time you were in trouble or in a middle of a difficult situation.
B2 – Upper Intermediate
When you go travel somewhere, probably, one of the things you would usually pack is food. Ever wonder how astronauts’ food are prepared for their space travel?
Read the article and watch the video. Be ready for a discussion.
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nasa-developing-food-for-mars-flights/3625387.html
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the things to consider and challenges encountered preparing food for Mars explorations?
2. What are your thoughts on Mars space missions?
3. What do you think of the idea that we could escape into space if (or when) the earth becomes uninhabitable for whatever reason?
4. If you would be sent to space, what food items would you want to bring with you and why?
5. Should rich countries invest more money on these efforts?
Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.
Anger can be a good thing. It can give you a way to express negative feelings, for example, or motivate you to find solutions to problems.
But excessive anger can cause problems. Increased blood pressure and other physical changes associated with anger make it difficult to think straight and harm your physical and mental health.
1. Why do we have the emotion of anger?
2. Are you an angry person? Do you stay angry for a long time?
3. What are you like when you are angry?
4. Is it easy for you to control and hide your anger?
5. “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” Do you agree?
6. “Never write a letter while you are angry.” Do you think this is good advice? Have you regretted writing an angry letter?
C1 – Advanced
Animal rights is the idea that some, or all, non-human animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives and that their most basic interests—such as the need to avoid suffering—should be afforded the same consideration as similar interests of human beings.
Read the article below and be ready to practice your reading comprehension.
Discuss:
1. What springs to mind when you hear the term ‘animal rights?
2. How are animals rights viewed in your country?
3. What rights do you think animals have?
4. What rights do humans have that animals should also have?
5. What do you think of testing cosmetics and medicines on animals?
6. Should we all be vegetarians and not kill animals for food?
7. What do you think of killing animals for fur?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
There is a growing curiosity and intrigue about how life goes on in North Korea. A handful of reporters and journalists have attempted to record and document the existence of settlers from the other side of the border.
Watch the video below then be ready for a discussion.
Discussion Questions:
1. After watching the video, how would you describe living conditions in North Korea? Why do you think it is called the Hermit Kingdom?
2. Describe education of children in North Korea.
3. What punishment does a North Korean citizen get if he or she talks against the government?
4. How did you react after watching the video?
5. Why do you think some citizens still choose to stay in North Korea despite the harsh living conditions?
B2 – Upper intermediate
It’s interesting how we can have one language and have more than one way of pronouncing the same words. Whether you’re American, British, Irish or Chinese, the way we speak English will have differences.
Read the article below to learn how American accent and British accent came to be.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/29761/when-did-americans-lose-their-british-accents
Discussion Questions:
1. According to the article, how did the American accent become different from the British accent?
2. What are the differences between the American accent and the British accent?
3. Which accent do you find easier to understand?
4. What other accents do you know of?
5. Does your country also have different accents depending on the region?
C1 – Advanced
Plastic is considered one of the greatest material produced that has helped companies and individuals alike. But how has plastic played a role in harming our environment? Watch the video below to find out more about the journey of a plastic bottle.
Discuss:
1. Explain where plastic bottles end up once we throw them away. What is leachate?
2. What is the Great Pacific garbage Patch? What danger does this pose?
3. Are you aware of where your garbage goes when you dispose of them?
4. Does your city have good programs related to recycling and disposing of trash properly?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Water is an essential part of life. Whether for our own consumption or for the environment. As with any substance, there is a danger of having too much and too little.
Watch the video below and be ready to answer the questions that follow about the effects of not drinking water.
Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the facts about water presented in the video. How important is it to our bodies?
2. What are the dangers of dehydration? How about overhydration?
3. Who are usually the victims of over-hydration? Why are they prone to overhydration?
4. Do you think you’re getting enough water on a daily basis?
5. What are the other kinds beverages you enjoy drinking? What are some fruits and vegetables that you like?
B2 – Upper intermediate
Adoption brings a child into a new family. Birth parents have a number of reasons for placing children for adoption. Overall, they want better lives for their children. Children who are eligible for adoption come from many different settings. Some are in foster care while others live in orphanages or with birth relatives until they can be adopted.
Answer the questions below with your next teacher and be ready to practice your sentence construction.
Discuss:
1. How is adoption viewed in your country?
2. How does being adopted affect a child’s view of themselves?
3. What are some of the reasons people adopt children?
4. What are some of the reasons people give children up for adoption?
5. What do you think about couples that adopt children from different countries?
6. What qualities make a couple or a person qualified to adopt a child?
7. Should the adoption process be more or less difficult than it is now?
8. Should people be able to decide what type of children they want to adopt? For example: boy or girl, hair color, age, etc.
9. How much should the government be involved in the adoption process?
10. What are orphanages like in your country?
11. Would you ever adopt a child?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Alcoholism is when you drink so much that your body eventually becomes dependent on or addicted to alcohol. When this happens, alcohol becomes the most important thing in your life.
Read the article below to know more about drinking too much.
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/Sep2014/Feature1
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you drink alcohol? What kind of alcoholic drink do you usually have and how often do you drink?
2. What do you think causes alcoholism? How can a person prevent it?
3. What are the symptoms of alcoholism? How can you tell if the person is alcoholic?
4. What are the risk factors of alcoholism?