Tag: audio

Spain Sets New Rules for Airbnb

B1 – Intermediate

Airbnb connects people looking to have their homes rented with those who are trying to find a place to stay in specific locations. Airbnb offers its users a lot of options on different kinds of houses or properties and a stress-free way for house or apartment owners to make money by renting out their property.

However, Airbnb’s popularity has not come without any problems in some countries and their governments are quick to respond.

Read the article below on the new set of rules in Spain on Airbnb rentals.

In Barcelona and Madrid, Airbnb hosts will be required to register the rental property with the city government before listing it. New York and Paris already use this rule.

Spanish provinces are cracking down on Airbnbs. They have put in place several new rules that will limit the number of Airbnb rentals in Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, Valencia, and Andalusia.

In Madrid, the city has proposed a rule (it’s not law yet) that would limit apartments to be rented only 90 days out of the year. It would also require that every property in the city center have a separate entrance for Airbnb guests. This proposal came after Madrid natives protested against tourists, saying that Airbnb has caused the city to have a lot more tourists. Some also believe that housing prices went up since Airbnb became so popular. With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.

In Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza, the rules have already become laws. Starting July, only houses, no apartments, will be allowed to be rented out as an Airbnb. In addition, every property must be registered. As of right now, only 700 out of 20,000 properties are correctly registered. Airbnb is expected to remove illegal listings from the site. This means that a lot of people who rented properties in July and August will lose their reservations.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the new rules set for Airbnb rentals?
  2. What is your opinion on this: “With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.”?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of putting up properties on platforms like Airbnb for rental?
  4. Have you used Airbnb before? What are the good and bad things about using it to book accommodations? If you haven’t, are you interested to try it out?
  5. What kind of accommodations do you prefer when you travel and why?

Work Trends

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Employment conditions vary from generation to generation. Loads of changes have occurred in the way we work through the years. Notice that the way we work has been quite very different from our parents’ time.

Listen to the audio as a social affairs commentator talks about work trends over the past twenty years.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/podcasts-professionals/trend-analysis

Discussion Questions:

1. What work trends are there in your country?
2. How do you see the future of working?
3. How may present working conditions be different from your parents/grandparents time?
4. What’s your ideal work setup?

Viral Marketing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In recent years, virtual marketing has shaped the e-commerce world. Let’s get a grasp on how exactly viral marketing works.

Click the play button to listen to the audio about viral marketing:

 

Discussion Questions:
1. What’s the difference between viral marketing and spamming?
2. What kinds of viral marketing strategies are you aware of?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of viral marketing?
4. What kind of online marketing does your company have or do?
5. What comes to your mind when you hear the word  “virus”?

What Computers Can’t Do

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Artificial Intelligence or AI is everywhere.  As a matter of fact, we use and deal with them every day. It may seem like science fiction is starting to become reality due to these machines’ ability to assimilate our behavior. However, machines can only perform human-like tasks so much. Currently, there are still some things that are difficult to get these machines to do.

Let’s listen to Neil and Tim talk about what machine thinking and the limitations artificial intelligence has at the moment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170928

Discussion Questions:

  1. What sorts of things do we take for granted that are cutting edge for machines?
  2. What do you think will the future of artificial intelligence be?
  3. How is artificial intelligence helping us today?
  4. What are the dangers of AI?
  5. What would our current lives be like without artificial intelligence?

Public Napping Space in Madrid

B1 – Intermediate

Siesta is an old Spanish tradition. With the advent of technology and amidst the fast-paced city life, a Spanish company opened a place for taking naps.

This Madrid-based nap bar said on their website, “The siesta is considered one of those small pleasures of life, especially recommended in every way for its clear health benefits”.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about this interesting public napping space.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/madrid-becomes-the-latest-city-to-open-public-napping-space/3976843.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about Siesta & Go’s nap bar?
  2. Would you be interested in visiting a nap bar? Why? Why not?
  3. Are you able to sleep anywhere? Why? Why not?
  4. Do you think that naps are beneficial for one’s health? Why? Why not?
  5. Are there napping spaces in your town or city? If so, please describe how they work. If not, do you think there should be one? Why? Why not?

China Moves to Ban Use of Uyghur Language in Schools

B2 – Upper intermediate

National language drives national unity in any country, even if there are hundreds of other languages and dialects present in the state. Apart from a name, boundary, currency, or flag, a national language makes a country respectable. National language clearly indicates the national character of a country. If you want to profoundly understand and penetrate into a society, you must know how to speak and write their language.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript:

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/china-moves-to-ban-uyghur-language-in-schools/3969575.html

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think this measure is an act of ethnic discrimination or a measure to educate everyone in the country to speak one common language?
2. Is it important to have one national language known and used by everyone in the country?
3. How many languages are spoken in your country?

 

 

Avoiding the Post-Vacation Blues

C1 – Advanced

After few weeks or a month-long holiday some employees feel sad and depress of the workload that they left.  This sensation is called post-vacation syndrome (PVS) or post-vacation blues it is a type of mood that persons returning home from a long trip (usually a vacation) may experience.

In this video, we will tackle how to overcome Post-Vacation Blues and bounce back immediately after your summer vacation. Watch the video below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the symptoms of post-vacation syndrome?
2. What are the ways to prevent PVS according to the video?
3. Do you sometimes spend time working for few hours during your vacation?
4. Do you have a lot of work load after your vacation?
5. What do you think are the pros and cons of “Workcation” (working from a vacation destination)?

The Healing Power of Nature

B2 – Upper intermediate

Have you ever felt stressed out because of your busy life? Are you sick and tired of the pollution in the city?  Then you might want to recharge and reconnect yourself with nature.

Watch the video below and talk about how immersing yourself in nature will heal you.

Discussion questions:

1. Do you feel stress out living in the city?
2. What do you do to relieve your stress?
3. Do you like doing outdoor activities?
4. Do you agree that nature has an incredible healing power?

Blind Cambridge Law Degree Holder

B1 – Intermediate

You really don’t have to subscribe to the life that was written for you.
– Allan Hennessy

He is not your ordinary guy. Mediocrity is not the way to describe him. Disability did not overtake his life.

Watch the video to get a glimpse of Allan Hennessy’s life.

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/education-40710025/the-disabled-refugee-with-a-first-class-cambridge-law-degree

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe Allan Hennessy.
2. What are his challenges and how did he overcome them?
3. What is his life story about?
4. What lessons did you learn from his life?
5. Have you ever broken free from labels and stereotypes?

Finding Your Passion

B2 – Upper Intermediate

You know exactly what you’re passionate about, and you can recite your elevator pitch in your sleep, but no one would know it based on your job title.

Maybe you don’t yet have the necessary skills or experience to land your dream job. Maybe you’re about to make a big career change. Or maybe what you’re passionate about just isn’t a financially viable option. (After all, “Follow your passion” may make a great commencement speech theme, but it’s certainly not a career plan. Some argue it’s not even great advice.)

Watch the vide below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are you passionate about?
2. How did you find out what your passion was?
3. Do you agree with the statement: “Finding your passion means you’ll never have a job.”?
4. Do you think finding your dream job is unrealistic?
5. What stops people from following their passions in life?