Tag: audio

Accidents

B1 – Intermediate

We like to believe that our home is the safest place to be but it could also be a place for accidents. Working in an office seems safe, right? Accidents can take place there too.
We hear this all the time, ” Accidents do happen.” They really do but is it enough that we accept that they happen normally or is it better that we try to prevent them by being more cautious?

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about accidents and be ready to discuss afterwards.

https://listenaminute.com/a/accidents.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What common accidents at home did the speaker mention?
  2. How did the speaker describe his friend? What does it mean?
  3. Are you prone to accidents? What kinds of accidents have you gotten into?
  4. How do you try to avoid them? What precautionary measures do you take?
  5. Have you witnessed a major accident before? What happened?

The Benefits of Low Emission Zones

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many cities worldwide are striving to make the air we breathe cleaner. One initiative is having low emission zones. London, Bath, Leeds and Birmingham are just some UK cities that are adapting Clean Air Zones.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to know more about low emission zones, their benefits, and other cleaner air initiatives.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200130

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are low emission zones?
  2. What are the benefits of low emission zones?
  3. What are your thoughts on net zero zones?
  4. What kind of other cleaner-air initiatives does your city/country commit to?
  5. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Low emission zones are only one part of the solution to the problem.”

The Circular Economy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Disposing wastes has environmental consequences and the impact of ineffective waste management often leads to a lot of other problems.

Is circular economy the solution to our problems with waste?

Listen to the audio and be ready to discuss afterwards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200305

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a circular economy?
  2. What are the pros and cons of a circular economy?
  3. Talk about the waste management system in your city.
  4. Is recycling widely practiced in your country? What are your thoughts about recycling?
  5. Do you think manufacturers should be more responsible for disposal of their products?

Will Humans Become Extinct?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to the audio, about once every thousand years, an event occurs that destroys about a third of the human population. Nowadays, we are experiencing chaos caused by a pandemic called Covid-19. Everyone has been put on lockdown, a lot of people are infected, and some thousands others have died because of this outbreak.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200312

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the audio, what are some of the existential risks?
  2. What do you think could happen if human civilization is destroyed?
  3. Which do you think is the most extreme among these – plagues, natural disasters or modern dangers?
  4. Do you think doomsday is possible? How would you spend your last day?

Working From Home

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Just a month ago, working from home was was a far-fetched work setup for most of the global workforce. With the current health crisis the world is facing, however, it has become the norm. As we continue to navigate through the uncertainties and acclimatize to new living conditions, many will have to translate their skill set for use in home-based work through online technologies.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to weigh in on this matter.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/new-reality-of-working-from-home/5347353.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the differences between office-based and home-based work?
  2. Which professions can easily be done from home? Which will require more effort to relocate?
  3. What are some of the challenging aspects of working from home?
  4. Talk about your thoughts on and/or experience working remotely.

How to Keep Mentally Healthy During a Quarantine

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the advent of the global pandemic Covid-19, people in many countries were put on lockdown or quarantine in their own homes in order to stop them from passing the virus on to each other. Being restricted to go out of our houses is something no one is accustomed to. Hence, many individuals struggle with this new and hopefully, temporary lifestyle we have.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript of this lesson and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/how-to-keep-mentally-healthy-during-a-quarantine/5338332.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you keep yourself mentally healthy during the quarantine in your country?
  2. Talk about your routine now that you are stuck at home. How is it different from your old routine?
  3. What do you think are some effects of this quarantine on people’s mental health?

Is It a Good Idea to Have a Tattoo?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nowadays, many people have tattoos and having it has become more socially acceptable. More and more people are using tattoos to represent their hardships or in memory of family, friends, and love ones. Some people consider tattoos a work of art that lets them express themselves. Different people get their tattoos for different reasons and most of the time, it’s sentimental.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191024

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons people get tattoos?
  2. What is your opinion about people who have tattoos?
  3. Would you like to have a tattoo? What would it be and why?
  4. What are the pros and cons of getting a tattoo?
  5. What are the differences of tattoos before and now?

Why Does Seeing Someone Yawn Make You Yawn?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Yawning is an involuntary reflex of opening the mouth and inhaling in deeply followed by an exhalation of breath. There are a lot of theories regarding yawning. It is said that it’s a sign of being fatigue, bored, or drowsy. One interesting fact about yawning is that it is contagious. If you see, hear, read, or even think about it can make you yawn.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200102

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons you yawn?
  2. Why are yawns contagious?
  3. What do you do to stop yawning?
  4. Is it disrespectful to yawn when somebody is talking?
  5. What should you do if you are caught yawning?

A Conversation about Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As one saying goes, “Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable”… Or, is it?

Watch the video below of a very young boy and an old man, who are 57 years apart as they talk about life and their experiences.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the worst thing about being young? What do you fear about being old?

2. Do you wish you were young/er, or old/er? Why?

3. How do you view falling in love at your age now?

4. What advice would you give your younger self? What would you ask your older self?

5. What is the most important thing in your life now?

Relationship-building

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Employees spend a good deal of time in the office. You interact with different people with different personalities all the time.

It is vital that you establish a good relationship with the people you work with everyday.

Listen to the audio and learn some practical ways to develop relationship-building competency.

 

Discussion Questions:
1. Differentiate team building and relationship-building.
2. What are ways to develop relationship-building competency?
3. Why is this competency important in the workplace?