Tag: Advanced English CAE

Native English Speakers are World’s Worst Communicators

C1 – Advanced

Misunderstandings between native English Speakers and ESL speakers happen more often than you think. There happens to be a certain comprehension between two ESL speakers as compared to a non-native and a native speaker.

Read the article below then express your thoughts. Share some of your experiences as well.

Native English Speakers are the World’s Worst Communicators

Discuss:

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a group listening to a native English speaker and everyone is unsure of the message?
2. Do you ever nod in agreement even if you don’t understand what the person is saying?
3. Do you understand non-native English speakers easier than native English speakers?
4. Do you know any other English abbreviations like ‘OOO’ (out of the office)?
5. Which do you find easier to understand, US English or UK English?

Breakfast: The Power Hour for Success

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C1 – Advanced

It is a well-known fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But to some business people, breakfast time is not just for meals. It’s also for meetings.

Read the article below to find out the benefits of having morning meetings and the right time to have after-hours meetings.

Breakfast is the real power hour for success

Discuss:

1. According to the article, what are the benefits of having meetings early in the morning?
2. Do you agree with the points mentioned in the article?
3. How often do you have meetings at work? What time do you usually have them?
4. What is the most productive time for you at work? Are you a morning person or an evening person?

A Plastic Ocean

C1 – Advanced

“With plastic, man is faced with another brainchild run amok. At times it seems that technology cannot exist without it. Plastic may seem indispensable; it is also virtually undisposable. When man is through with it, he is hard put to get rid of it. The plastic that holds a six-pack of beer cans together might last anywhere from 450 to 1,000 years.” (Oceans – Precious Resource or Global Sewer?)

Watch the short video below then express your thoughts about trash polluting our oceans.

Discuss:

1. How would you describe the video?
2. What do you think will happen to our oceans in the future?
3. Is it possible to completely stop the use of plastic?
4. Does your city have its own initiative to lessen the use of plastic? Help the environment?

Shanghai IKEA Bans Old People from Dating

C1 – Advanced

How would you feel if you see a sign outside an establishment saying that the restaurant will only be for people who purchase their food first? An IKEA branch has reportedly posted the same sign outside their coffee shop. Find out more by clicking the link to the article.

Shanghai IKEA bans old people from dating

Discuss:

1. What should IKEA do about older people using their cafe to look for love?
2. What is wrong with using a store’s café as a meeting place?
3. Should coffee shops stop people from using seats for extended periods?
4. What makes society a place where old people feel alienated?

Greeks May Have Built Terracotta Army

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C1 – Advanced

China’s first emperor was buried with 8,000 stone statues – a stone army guarding his tomb. It is now believed that Ancient Greeks influenced and helped build these statues along with other sculptors. It also suggests there was close contact between the Greeks and China long before the opening of the Silk Road.

Ancient Greeks may have built China’s famous Terracotta Army – 1,500 years before Marco Polo

Discuss:

1. When dealing with history that is thousands of years in the past do you think we can really know what truly happened?
2. History seems to change often with new discoveries of our past, do you think many of the things we now believe are actually false?
3. What are some historical events that you are interested in?

Video About Domestic Violence

C1 – Advanced

This is  a 5-minute video about domestic violence.

Domestic violence isn’t just about physical abuse. It includes emotional abuse and it affects the whole family. One in three women are affected by domestic violence in Australia.

Watch the video below then share your thoughts.

Discuss:

1. How would you describe the husband during the first part of the video? How about the wife?
2. Is domestic violence a big problem in your country?
3. What are the necessary steps to solve domestic violence?
4. Are there organizations in your country helping domestic violence victims and survivors?

Insiders Blast Trump’s ‘Sexist’ Remarks

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C1 – Advanced

Donald Trump has been accused of sexism by ex-contestants and staff on his reality show The Apprentice. Over 20 people that were interviewed said his behavior toward women was inappropriate.

Read the article then express your thoughts about it.

Ex-Apprentice insiders blast Trump’s ‘sexist’ remarks

Discuss:

1. Do you think someone who insults women should have the privilege to lead them?
2. Donald Trump has avoided paying federal taxes. Do you think it’s fair that someone who makes millions every year pay less in taxes than someone who makes minimum wage?
3. Do you think these allegations are true?
4. What is the general consensus of Donald Trump in Spain?

Pitbull Ban Put on Hold

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C1 – Advanced

Last week the city of Montreal passed a bill banning the pitbull dog breed.  The law will prevent the sale of any pitbull and all current pitbulls will need to be sterilized, micro-chipped and vaccinated by 31 March 2017. They must also be kept on a short leash and muzzled in public. Pitbull owners must also undergo a criminal background check.

Montreal pitbull ban put on hold

Discuss:

1. Do you think a state has the right to ban an entire breed of dog?
2. Do you think it’s the owner or the breed of dog that can make a dog violent?
3. Is there any law in Spain that legislates dog breeds?
4. Have you ever seen a pitbull and did it appear to be violent or more aggressive than another breed?

These Cuisines Could Help You Live Longer

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C1 – Advanced

Good food does wonders. The past decade has been all about healthy and organic ingredients to combat diseases naturally and to live a fuller life.

The article below shows cuisines that can help you reach past your prime. Read the article, watch the video and view the photos that showcase delectable dishes.

These cuisines could help you live longer

Discuss:

1. What did the article say about processed and unprocessed food?
2. What are some of the healthy ingredients that the featured countries use in their daily food intake?
3. Which of the cuisines featured have you tried?
4. Would you say that you have a healthy diet?

The Likely Cause of Addiction

C1 – Advanced

What comes to your mind when you hear “drug addiction”? This article discusses a very different approach in understanding the causes of drug addiction, claiming that “almost everything we have been told about addiction is wrong.”

Read the article below then express your thoughts.

The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think

Discuss: 

1. Explain Professor Alexander’s theory on drug addiction. Do you agree or disagree with it?
2. What do you think are some reasons people become addicted to drugs?
3. How do we help people with such ordeals?
4. What do you think of what Portugal did in order to solve their problems with drug addiction in the country?
5. How serious is the drug problem in your country? How does the government deal with it?