phone english blog
B1 – Intermediate
This activity is meant to practice your listening skills and increase your vocabulary. Listen to the podcast to understand the idiom “Killing Time” and how to use it.
Discuss:
1. What does it mean when you kill time? How would you use it in a sentence?
2. When you have appointments, do you like being early then just kill time? Or do you prefer being on time?
3. What are things you like to do when killing time?
B1 – Intermediate
This activity is meant to practice your listening skills and increase your vocabulary. Listen to the podcast to understand the idiom “Eat Humble Pie” and how to use it.
Discuss:
1. What does it mean when you eat humble pie? How would you use it in a sentence?
2. In the podcast, why did Rob have to eat humble pie?
3. What is the history of the phrase “eat humble pie”?
4. Describe a time you were wrong and had to eat humble pie.
B1 – Intermediate
Being safe in your own home is something very important.
Listen to the short audio clip and read the transcript to learn more about some home security measures. Be ready to have a discussion afterwards.
Discussion Questions:
1. What are three things you do to protect your apartment or home from burglary?
2. Do you need advanced systems like motion detectors to protect your dwelling, or is a watch dog enough?
3. What are other good ways to protect yourself and your home from burglary?
B1 – Intermediate
What will future cars look like? Can future vehicles prevent road accidents? Will it really be possible for a car to take us from point A to B without controlling it? Let’s discuss the Autonomous or driver-less cars of the future and find out more about it.
Listen to the podcast carefully and study the featured vocabulary words.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170105
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper Intermediate
We have to admit that women’s rights have come a long way. They are now able to hold different important professions, to vote and to study in universities of their choosing.
Listen to the podcast below and be ready to talk about important people and what they have done for their countries. Be ready talk about some of your role models.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-161124#
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper Intermediate
When you go travel somewhere, probably, one of the things you would usually pack is food. Ever wonder how astronauts’ food are prepared for their space travel?
Read the article and watch the video. Be ready for a discussion.
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nasa-developing-food-for-mars-flights/3625387.html
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the things to consider and challenges encountered preparing food for Mars explorations?
2. What are your thoughts on Mars space missions?
3. What do you think of the idea that we could escape into space if (or when) the earth becomes uninhabitable for whatever reason?
4. If you would be sent to space, what food items would you want to bring with you and why?
5. Should rich countries invest more money on these efforts?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
How important is it really to take care of the customers’ needs? Customer service is making sure a customer is rendered superior quality service and assistance before, during and after a purchase of a product.
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper intermediate
Most countries have many remembrances of past wars. Unfortunately, in countries like Laos, these reminders still have the power to injure them.
Read the article below and express your thoughts about it.
Discuss:
1. Who do you think is responsible for the clean up of the remaining bombs?
2. Should the USA pay for the medical bills of those people who are affected by the bombs or should it be charities?
3. Do you think that bombs today are more sophisticated because of advanced technology?
B2 – Upper intermediate
There are many things that one considers when buying certain products. Is connection to tradition something that makes you buy a product?
In this lesson, listen to the podcast and discover how some producers use tradition as a marketing campaign.
Discussion Questions:
1. How are traditions used as a means to make people buy some products?
2. What are the factors you consider when you are buying a product?
3. Talk about one product / service offered by your company. How would you sell it to someone?
4. Do you follow New Year’s Eve traditions like drinking Spanish champagne and eating 12 pieces of grapes?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
In 2015, The Pew Research Center conducted a survey on 38 countries to elicit their thoughts on freedom of speech. The results might come as a surprise, yet it is indeed very timely.
It is perhaps high time to open conversations on the importance of creating safe spaces and setting trigger warnings to protect students from learning materials or expressed opinions that might be troubling for them.
Listen to this podcast and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Discussion Questions: