Tag: Advanced English CAE

Retire in Your 30s

C1 – Advanced

The thought of having the financial freedom to enjoy what you love doing and have the opportunity to live the lifestyle you want without feeling restricted to access your own retirement savings is how most people define pre-retirement.

Watch the video to know how retiring early might seem like an impossible financial goal but with the right plan, it can be done.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on early retirement?
  2. How will you spend your time in retirement? How will you keep your body and mind healthy?
  3. What do you want a day in retirement to look like?
  4. How will you define yourself and derive self-worth post-career?
  5. What will your social circles and interactions be like?
  6. What is your backup plan for dealing with financial emergencies or hardship?

Pills or Therapy

C1 – Advanced

Choosing the right treatment can be quite complicated as different people respond to treatments differently so it is important to choose something that you are willing to do.

Some research show that medications can help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety more quickly. Thus, giving the person a chance to be relieved from their symptoms while undergoing therapy at the same time.

Watch the video to know how combining therapy and medication can improve outcomes for mental health conditions including depression and anxiety disorders.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Should depression be treated with medicines, psychotherapy, or both? Explain your stand.
  2. Could depression cause physical pain? Elaborate on your answer.
  3. What kind of lifestyle changes will help with the symptoms of depression?
  4. Could other health conditions be contributing to symptoms of mental health problems? Share your thoughts.

Perfectionism Makes Us Ill

C1 – Advanced

People with perfectionism hold themselves to impossibly high standards. They think what they do is never good enough. But it is a serious problem that has been linked to many mental health issues, including depression and eating disorders.

Let’s watch the video below to know more about this personality trait and its dangers.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you describe yourself as a perfectionist? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think is the root cause of perfectionism?
  3. Can you think of any benefits to being a perfectionist?
  4. Do you find it surprising that perfectionism can lead to mental health issues? Why or why not?
  5. Never aim for perfect. That will guarantee failure almost every time. – Caroline Ghosn. What do you make of this statement?
  6. What advice would you give to someone who has a hard time dealing with failure?

The Dark Secret of Oreos

C1 – Advanced

To this day, Oreo is one of the most famous cookie snacks ever to exist and for good reason. The day it was created, people immediately fell in love with it.

However, with success comes copycats; trying to take advantage of how famous these creations are. The same happens to Oreos as well, which is not surprising at all.

The good name of Oreo, however, is what makes every copy fail in comparison to the “original”.

But what if I told you that Oreo wasn’t the original and is in fact, a copycat!

You wouldn’t believe me, would you?

Well, how about we take a look at this video and figure it out for ourselves, then?

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think Hydrox should be more famous than Oreo? Why or why not?
  2. With this revelation, do you think you’d try Hydrox? If you’ve already, what do you think of this Oreo competition?
  3. In your opinion, do you think Hydrox is being done dirty by the company that owns Oreos?
  4. Will Hydrox eventually rise again, one day? What is your stance on this situation.

Would You Opt for a Life with No Pain?

C1 – Advanced

The idea of happiness is too vague that it has always been a bone of contention. Can happiness always be equated with experiences that bring us pleasure? Do these experiences need to always be realistic?

Let’s watch the video and find out more about life’s pleasure and pain.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain Robert Nozick’s “experience machine”.
  2. Imagine a life without pain. How would it be like?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living a life of limitless pleasure?
  4. Do you agree that in life, there should be a balance between happiness and pain? Support your stand.
  5. Would you rather be left in the dark than to know a harsh truth? Explain your opinion.

Travel in 2021: What To Know About Flying

C1 – Advanced

Vaccination against the coronavirus is ramping up as year 2020 ends. As a result, many people in the U.S. feel optimistic about traveling again in the year 2021.

Watch the video to know how might the vaccines impact traveling and what people need to know to prepare for following our wanderlust again. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about the video? Do you think it’s safe to travel this 2021? Why or why not? Would you consider traveling this year after having the vaccine? Why or why not?
  2. How often did you use to go on a trip before the pandemic? How important is traveling to you?
  3. What are your thoughts on this statement: “After nearly a year of lost travels, some say, it’s just the thought of a future escape that counts.”?
  4. “Plan a trip. Even if you don’t end up taking it, it’s good for your mental health to have something to look forward to.” Do you agree or disagree with this? What are you most looking forward to do soon?
  5. “Experts say that the return to travel would start with leisure travels. Unlikely that the business travel would pick up right away because people are finding that you can do business fine over Zoom.” Share your thoughts on this. Would you like to be sent on a business trip around and out of your country again as soon as possible? Why or why not?

Millions Are Connecting with Chatbots and AI

C1 – Advanced

Not surprisingly, Lexico’s 2020 Word of the Year is “quarantine,” or “cuarentena” in Spanish. It has dominated headlines and people’s lives, and it will endure in the stories we tell our grandchildren many years hence.

Part and parcel of the whole pandemic experience is the loneliness and overall impact on mental well-being experienced by a populace told to shelter in place for days on end. Restrictions on movement and reduced hours outdoors have led some to turn to technology to assuage their isolation in the new normal. Whether it’s reconnecting with loved ones on WhatsApp or attending an online class on Zoom, various communication platforms have come front and center as sensible solutions.

Now consider Replika, an artificial-intelligence app that was popular even in pre-COVID-19 times. Millions of users consider this chatbot a virtual friend whom they can connect with and share their feelings.

Given the possiblity of new lockdowns due to spikes in COVID-19 infections, are more downloads in store for these kinds of smartphone applications?

Get to know the Replika phenomenon further by watching the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Describe the possible contexts in which people would turn to AI for companionship?
  2. What possible use cases for bots like Replika are mentioned in the video? Can you think of other uses?
  3. Why do chatbot users sometimes prefer talking with their virtual friends rather the humans around them?
  4. Do you believe it’s truly possible to develop an emotional connection with a chatbot?
  5. What are some ethical considerations that arise as this technology continues to evolve?

The Race to Build the World’s First Hyperloop

C1 – Advanced

A lot of people think it can’t be done. It started as a theory way back in 2013, many were skeptical about it saying it’s not going to work and a lot of countries won’t be able to afford it as they are already struggling to produce MAGLEV trains. Despite all that, the race to build the world’s first hyperloop has continued on.

Watch the video and know more about hyperloop and what it has to offer.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a hyperloop?
  2. What are the advantages of using a hyperloop?
  3. If you could live in one city and work in another, which city would you like to work at and which one would you want to live in? Why?
  4. What are the other things you can’t wait to be invented?
  5. If you could go anywhere using a hyperloop, which place won’t you get tired of visiting and why?

Status Anxiety

C1 – Advanced

It’s quite normal when we meet someone new at a gathering or a party to be asked this common question “What do you do?” That’s one of the many reasons we aspire to advance in our position in the society including greater influence, higher quality of life, and well-being.

Notably, the desire for higher status may be accompanied by the experience of status anxiety. Status anxiety, according to Wikipedia can be defined as the constant tension or fear of being perceived as “unsuccessful” by the society in materialistic terms. Today, every individual constantly tries to outsmart others to climb up the social ladder.

Watch the video below to learn more about anxiety status.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is status anxiety? Are you particularly conscious of your status in the society?
  2. What are the factors that lead us to prove ourselves to the society?
  3. Do you think people around us in the world we live in are snobs or judgmental?
  4. Is it important to be at the top of your league?
  5. Do we have to conform with the society’s status standards?
  6. What is the best way to deal with status anxiety? Explain your point.

Is It Safe to Travel This Summer?

C1 – Advanced

Travel has drastically changed around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. As borders reopened and barriers lifted, people feel the need to go on a getaway. While the pandemic still exists, there is so much uncertainty, leaving us with no clear-cut answer to our questions on traveling and safety.

Watch the video and be able to answer the discussion questions.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What things do you need to consider if you plan to travel these days?
  2. Do you think it is worthwhile to book a trip now or is it better to wait a little longer before doing so?
  3. Have you planned your summer vacation? If so, where and why have you picked out this travel destination?
  4. What are your safety precautionary measures when you travel in the midst of Covid-19?
  5. What kind of places do you think are safe to travel to nowadays?