Tag: audio

The Pros and Cons of Pesticides

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For many years, people have relied on using pesticides in order to prevent agricultural catastrophes. However, it is not without consequences. What are the negative effects of using pesticides?

Watch the video below to find out.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using pesticides?
2. After banning DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), do you think Paul Hermann Müller’s Nobel Prize should have been revoked?
3. Are there strict regulations regarding the use of pesticides in your country?
4. What do you think will happen in the event of an agricultural catastrophe?
5. Can you think of alternatives to chemical pesticides not mentioned in the video?

Potential New Planets

B1 – Intermediate

NASA scientists on Monday announced the discovery of 219 new objects beyond our solar system that are almost certainly planets.

What’s more, 10 of these worlds may be rocky, about the size of Earth, and habitable.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nasa-new-planets-kepler_us_594969b4e4b04c5e5025661a

Discussion Questions:

1. How close do you think we are to finding a “second” Earth?

2. Why do you think scientists are so invested in finding new planets?

3. If the time came, would you consider moving to another planet?

Students in Amsterdam Share Housing With Refugees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are at least two biggest problems in every European country. They are: the influx of refugees and the increasing prices of apartments. Amsterdam might have a solution to this problem. They have introduced a new concept called “Startblok” where university students can live in a low-priced good quality apartments with refugees.

Watch the video, listen to the audio and read the article to know more about this integration project between university students and refugees.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/students-amsterdam-share-housing-refugees/3695391.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the students and refugees expected to do in exchange for the cheap housing?
2. What are your thoughts on the “Startblok” project? Do you see this succeeding in your country?
3. What is the general attitude towards refugees in your country? Do you think that refugees find it difficult to integrate into your local community?
4. Is housing cheap in your country? Would you ever consider moving abroad because of lower housing costs?

 

Mindfulness Meditation Room for Students

B1 – Intermediate

A school in New York built a new meditation room and hired a meditation consultant to help its students and staff relax and perform better.

Watch the video to find out more about this unique approach.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is mindfulness meditation?
2. Have you ever tried any form of meditation?
3. In your opinion, what mental health issues can be addressed by meditation?

Forget Office Cubicles, Try ‘Co-working’

© Josh Hallett from Winter Haven, FL, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-2.0

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In a more globalized world, sharing resources hasn’t been new. Now, a new concept of a “Co-working Space” which helps small businesses and self-employed individuals to stay connected with others by renting a room or small place to work.

Let’s learn more about this and read the article below!

https://www.voanews.com/a/co-working-new-office-style/3365475.html

Discuss:

1. What does Carl Pierre think the advantages of such a workspace are?
2. What do you think about the concept of co-working spaces?
3. What does your workspace look like?
4. Do you prefer working outdoors or in an office? Why?
5. Do you think that, in the future, all business will be conducted from a co-working space? Why or why not?
6. Do you think that, in the future, offices will become obsolete because of the Internet? Why or why not?

Food Waste

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Food waste is food that is discarded or uneaten. Each year, we dispose of a third of the world’s food.

Listen to this podcast to learn more about food wastage and ways to stop it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170511

Let’s talk:

1. Where does the biggest percentage of food waste come from?

2. What usually happens to the food we waste?

3. What are the consequences of food waste?

4. What is Selina Juul doing to stop food waste in Denmark? What are other ways to avoid wasting food?

5. What do you tend to do with your leftovers?

6. How’s not finishing your food viewed in your country?

Multiple Careers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is a new trend in some societies. It’s having more than one occupation. There is someone who is a part-time computer programmer and a part-time musician or someone who is a teacher by day and a bartender by night.

Click on the links below to listen to and read the transcript of this BBC 6 Minute English podcast about having several jobs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english/ep-170413

Discussion Questions:
1. When you were young, how did you answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up”?
2. What do you do now? Are you interested in getting another job? If so, what kind?
3. What does the term “portfolio careers” mean?
4. What might be the good and bad things about having portfolio careers?
5. Think of other reasons why having multiple jobs is becoming a trend.

Why Sitting is Bad for You

Think about how much time you spend each day sitting down. You may sit down throughout the entire working day at a desk in front of a computer. You sit during your commute to and from work. And you sit when you’re watching TV in the evening, or surfing the web.

But is sitting really that risky? Watch the video carefully and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, why is too much sitting  harmful for you?
  2. What are the things that you usually do when sitting down? About how many hours do you sit in a day?
  3. Do you agree that sitting too much can ruin your health? Why or why not?
  4. What are some ways  to reduce the health risks of too much sitting?

 

How Romance Ruined Love

B1 – Intermediate

In movies, love stories usually end with the main characters getting together or more romantically, married. But what they don’t show us is the reality of it all — our jobs, problems, families, children. Everything that could really affect any romantic relationship.

Romanticism taught us ideas about love that are often times far from reality.

Listen to the podcast below then be ready to share your thoughts about how romanticism ruined love.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170216

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the podcast, what is romanticism? How did it affect us?
  2. What did the podcast say about love today?
  3. Share your thoughts on this statement: “It’s one thing to enjoy romance, but it can be dangerous to judge your relationship against romantic ideals.“.
  4. Do you believe in ‘love at first sight’ ? Why or why not?
  5. They say, “A relationship is hard work.”. What is your opinion on this?

Video: Kenya’s Catchy Pop Hit

B2 – Upper intermediate

If you’re into music then you’ll find this story interesting. The video below is good practice for your listening skills. Feel free to watch it more than once. The text below the video will give you extra details about the short story.

Kenya’s catchy pop hit that took the world by storm

Discuss:

1. How did the song “Jambo Bwana” come to life? What was its inspiration?
2. What did you think of the tune or the melody of the pop song?
3. What are some of the local songs in your country that are considered a classic and are still played on the radio?
4. What are some of your preferences when it comes to music?