Category: Homework

Neuromarketing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Neuromarketing is a fascinating field that combines neuroscience, psychology, and marketing to understand and influence consumer behavior. By studying the brain’s responses and subconscious processes, neuromarketers aim to uncover the underlying motivations and decision-making mechanisms that drive consumer choices.

Watch the video to know more about it and be able to discuss the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the expression “take (someone) back to” mean? Ex.The subtle smell of grass near the dairy aisle could take consumers back to a simpler, more care-free time, and subconsciously remind them of the fields the products come from. Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “suffice” mean?. Ex. In clothing stores, the invigorating scent of the sea or romantic mix of roses and violets suffices the experience and makes purchasing a product associated with those memories powerful. Make one sentence using this word.
  3. What does “call to mind” mean? Ex. The rich, deep scents of polished leather calls to mind luxury, relaxation, and reward. Make one sentence using this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does neuromarketing contribute to the development of more effective advertising campaigns?
  2. In your opinion, do you think neuromarketing is an ethical practice or does it manipulate consumers’ decision-making processes?
  3. How important do you believe neuromarketing is in gaining a competitive edge in today’s saturated market?
  4. Do you think businesses should invest more in understanding consumer neuroscience through neuromarketing, or are traditional market research methods sufficient?
  5. What kind of neuromarketing have you been exposed to?

Apple and Nike Branded Your Brain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Apple and Nike have successfully established powerful brands that evoke strong emotional connections with consumers. It delves into the psychological aspects of branding, highlighting the use of storytelling, symbolism, and association to create a sense of identity and loyalty among customers.

Watch the video to learn more and be able to answer the questions below.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “wreak havoc” mean? “So to what degree can the influence of brands wreak havoc on our ability to make rational spending decisions.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “underdog” mean? “The Nike thing is about performance. The Under Armour thing is about the underdog.” Use the word in a sentence.
  3. Explain “reverse empathy“. “The only evidence that Samsung users showed was reverse empathy for Apple news.” Make one sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, what are some of the techniques used by Apple and Nike to create a sense of identity and loyalty among consumers?
  2. In your opinion, how effective do you think Apple and Nike’s branding strategies have been in establishing a strong emotional connection with consumers?
  3. Do you believe that branding plays a significant role in shaping consumer preferences and loyalty? Why or why not?
  4. Share your thoughts on this: “We relate to brands the same way we relate to people.“.
  5. What is your reaction to the results of the brain scans of Apple and Samsung users?

Begpackers – Asia’s Most Disliked Travelers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Backpacking is a cost-effective way for people to travel to many different places. With a limited budget, they tend to make the most of out of their trip by staying in inexpensive hotels and living like a local.

However, there are also backpackers who do not have enough money to fund their trip. Some of them turn to the kindness of local people by begging, selling, or performing on the street in exchange for money.

Let’s read the article and know more details about the begpacking phenomenon.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/asia-begpackers-intl-hnk/index.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word “portmanteau” mean in this context? “The term is a portmanteau of “begging” and “backpacking” and is usually used to negatively describe people who are asking the public for money to fund their travels.” Give examples.
  2. Define the verb “pigeonhole“. “A Cantonese-speaking colleague waited nearby to see who interacted with Pratt, then pigeonholed them to ask questions – and, in some cases, return the money they’d given.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “if the shoe were on the other foot” mean? “If the shoe were on the other foot, begpacking would be simply called vagrancy.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on begpackers? Does it make a difference if they are simply begging, selling or providing entertainment in exchange for money?
  2. Do you agree that much of the hatred for begpackers are from foreigners too?
  3. What is passport privilege? How does it play a part in begpacking?
  4. Do you think Asian countries should set financial requirements to all tourists?

Workers Quitting Digital Nomadism

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Traveling and working in different locations at the same time seems ideal. This working setup feels like a dream for most employees. However, people who have been doing it have found that it is different from what they imagined.

Read the article to learn more about people quitting digital nomadism.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230531-the-workers-quitting-digital-nomadism

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “ebb” mean, “After five years, however, the excitement of the nomadic lifestyle across the world began to ebb.“? Give two synonyms of this word and use them in sentences.
  2. What does “pin down” mean, “It’s difficult to pin down the exact number of these types of workers.“? Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What is an “untethered worker“? “In other countries where data is less available, resources abound to help untethered workers make their way across the globe.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on digital nomadism?
  2. Name some challenges or drawbacks associated with being a digital nomad.
  3. What are some of the reasons cited by workers for leaving the digital nomad lifestyle?
  4. Would you like to experience being a digital nomad? Why or why not?
  5. How do you think being a digital nomad could impact your personal relationships and social life? Do you see it as an advantage or a challenge?

Discriminatory Airline Seat Policies

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Traveling by plane is the quickest way to get to your destination. Due to technological advances, it is also considered one of the safest forms of transportation. Another selling point for airline companies is the comfort they provide to their passengers. They offer wider seats, in-flight entertainment, more legroom and many more at additional costs.

However, for plus-size travelers the experience of flying can be daunting.

Let’s read the article and know more about the struggles of plus-size travelers and one particular plus-size traveler’s petition.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/plus-size-travelers-slam-airline-seat-policies/index.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “slippery slope” mean? “It can be a slippery slope.” Give an example scenario.
  2. What does the idiom “to be hit in the pocket” mean? “This ultimately means that more and more passengers are likely to be finding it difficult to fit into airplane seats, and some may be hit in the pocket as a result.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. Define the word “encroach“. “One of the various demands listed in Chaney’s petition, which had received over 17,000 signatures at the time of writing, is that all airlines “provide accessible additional seats to customers-of-size” who may require more space or “encroach onto another passenger’s space.” Give one synonym and use “encroach” in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Jae’lynn Chaney’s demand? Is it reasonable or a form of entitlement?
  2. Do you agree that charging more to plus-size passengers is a human rights issue? Why or why not?
  3. What else do you know about airline policies in your country regarding plus-size passengers?
  4. Just as airline companies are charging plus-size travelers more, do you think passengers with smaller bodies should be charged less? Explain your stand.

You Can’t Smile In Your Passport Photo

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Passport photos are notable for their strictly enforced rules and standards, frequently perplexing travelers as to why they must uphold a stern face without looking happy. While it may appear to be an utterly pointless regulation, there are justifiable reasons for this seemingly unusual mandate.

Learn more about the reasons for not being allowed to grin in passport photos, taking into account things like standardization, identity verification, and facial recognition technology, by clicking the link.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-cant-you-smile-passport-photo_l_64775504e4b0b4444c7c29f9

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “grand scheme of things” mean in the sentence, “But these kinds of rules are still relatively new in the grand scheme of things.”? Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  2. What does “not pass muster” mean in the sentence, “Showing your teeth won’t pass muster ― and apparently it’s a matter of border security.”? Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “in effect” mean in the sentence, “Photos with exaggerated expressions can make it more difficult to readily identify the passport holder,” he explained, noting that the agency’s photo requirements have “been in effect for United States passports for decades.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Can you explain the reasoning behind the decision to have a neutral expression in passport photos instead of allowing smiles?
  2. How does facial recognition technology play a role in the requirement to not smile in passport photos?
  3. Are there any alternative methods or technologies being explored that could overcome the limitations of smiling in passport photos? Tell me more.
  4. Are there any specific guidelines or regulations regarding passport photos in different countries that deviate from the general practice of not smiling? Please share.

Benefits of Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The World Economic Forum experts talked about the employment skills that we will need in the near future and one of them is emotional intelligence.

Read the article and find out how a person can develop and level up their emotional intelligence.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/emotional-intelligence-career-life-personal-development/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the word ” predicament“? ” There is a time in the life of every predicament where it is ripe for resolution” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of “adeptly” in this sentence, “By understanding your emotions, you can move adeptly through your current challenges and prevent future ones.”? Use this in your own sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “on the flip side ” mean? “On the flip side, just 20% of bottom performers are high in emotional intelligence.” Give one synonym and use “on the flip side” in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the article, why is it important to control your emotions? 
  2. Why might it be important to be able to recognize other people’s emotions?
  3. What is a sign of high emotional intelligence?
  4. What are ways to manage one’s emotions? 
  5. Can a person take control of their reaction to other people’s words and actions? Explain your thoughts.
  6. Share your thoughts on this: “People with a high degree of emotional intelligence make more money.“

The Cost of Fast Fashion

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The throwaway culture has meant an unprecedented number of people purchase clothes, wear them just once, and then discard them. It leads to fast fashion, where consumers seek less expensive clothing, which drives up sales globally, but has a significant negative impact on the environment.

Watch the video below to learn more about the true cost of fast fashion.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the word “castoff“. “This is where wardrobe castoffs end up.” Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “swanky” mean, “Today she’s looking for a new outfit for a swanky industry event.” Could you think of an antonym and construct a sentence using the word “swanky”.
  3. What does “to get mileage out of” mean? “Rent the Runway is getting more mileage out of items of clothes, it’s also helping tackle an increasing number of throwaway culture.” Think and make your own sentence using the idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is fast fashion a trend in your country? Talk about it.
  2. What effects do you anticipate it will have on the environment and the economy?
  3. Would it be preferable to stop this expanding industry? Explain your stance.
  4. How else can the throwaway culture be tackled?
  5. What do you think of Patagonia’s philosophy, “To buy once, buy well, and mend clothing”? Share your thoughts on this.
  6. What are your thoughts on Rent the Runway’s business model?

Key Challenges to Make AI Safe

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to create more impact in almost all aspects of our society, it is crucial to sit down and discuss how the technology can be regulated in order to ensure that we can safely make use of it. However, it seems this task isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

Read this article about the key challenges in making AI safe.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65850668

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “school of thought”? “Artificial-intelligence experts generally follow one of two schools of thought – it will either improve our lives enormously or destroy us all.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does it mean when something “doesn’t sit (well) with/within”? “These technologies don’t sit within the boundaries of one country.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. Explain what the word “interim” mean. “She is drawing up an interim voluntary code for the sector, alongside the US, which could be ready within weeks.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which among the key challenges to make AI safe mentioned in the article is the hardest one to address and why?
  2. Why do you think it is difficult to have international collaboration on AI?
  3. Do you agree that the public should be informed about the risks attached to each AI product? If so, how do we do that?
  4. Do you agree or disagree with this policy: “Companies that break its rules could be fined the greater of €30m or 6% of global annual turnover.”? Why or why not?
  5. What are some government regulations that we should have to mitigate the potential risks posed by AI products?
  6. AI “godfathers Geoffrey Hinton and Prof Yoshua Bengio warn that the technology has huge potential for harm. Do you believe them or not? Explain your point.

Standard of Living

B1 – Intermediate

Standard of living demonstrates a person’s quality of life. It is the level of their material wealth and income. It dictates the kinds of things they will be able to buy and experience in their lives.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about standard of living.

https://listenaminute.com/s/standard_of_living.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is “standard of living”? “I don’t think you need a lot of money to have a good standard of living.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “overseas” mean? “I’m not rich, I don’t have expensive furniture (in fact I have cheap used furniture) and I don’t have luxury holidays overseas.” Give 2 synonyms and use “overseas” in your own sentence.
  3. Explain what “do one’s best” mean. “We all do our best for most of our lives to improve it.” Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is a good standard of living important?
  2. In your personal opinion, what is a good standard of living?
  3. How can a person improve their standard of living?
  4. What do you think of the current standard of living of most people in your country?
  5. Agree or disagree: “I don’t think you need a lot of money to have a good standard of living.” Explain your position.