Tag: audio

Home Security

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.

Home Security – Script

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?

Autonomous Vehicles

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:

  1. Will self-driving cars be safer than human-controlled ones? Explain.
  2. Do you think that robot cars can handle life-or-death situations/decisions? Explain.
  3. Would you buy an autonomous car for yourself? Why or why not?
  4. What problems do you see with autonomous vehicles?

Women’s Right to Vote

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:

  1. Who are some of the historically important women in your country? What have they contributed to promote changes in your society?
  2. Which woman has inspired you? Describe her and why you find her inspiring.
  3. What do you think it would be like if you couldn’t vote?
  4. What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to vote?
  5. What are some plights of women in your country and/or in the world?

NASA Developing Food Bars for Mars Flights

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?

Customer Service

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:

  1. Discuss Jackie’s recent customer service experience.
  2. What is the importance of having an excellent customer service?
  3. Do you think companies should invest more on this area? Why or why not?
  4. Talk about the best and worst customer service you’ve ever had.

Unexploded Bombs Still a Problem in Laos

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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.

Unexploded Bombs Still a Problem in Laos

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?

Business Podcast – Selling Nostalgia

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?

Free Speech: Is Saying Something Offensive Fine?

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.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/free-speech-is-it-fine-to-say-something-offensive-students-college-vietnam/3555231.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are “safe space” and “trigger warning”? How are they important especially to students?
  2. What is your opinion on free speech at educational institutions?
  3. Are students free enough to express their opinions during class discussions?
  4. Should teachers be able to express their honest opinions on every matter or should they consider their students beliefs as well?
  5. Do you think the media in your country is able to report news freely?
  6. What may be the advantages of censorship?

Indian Police Make Arrests

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Mumbai, India – Around 70 Indian call center representatives were arrested last week in different raids in several buildings across the city. The suspects allegedly call Americans and demand them to pay the money they owed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and threaten to send the police to arrest them should they fail to pay up.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find more about this telephone scam.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/india-us-scam/3548899.html

Discussion Questions:

1. How were these callers able to deceive people?
2. What are ways to identify whether this kind of phone call is a scam or not?
3. Talk about things you know about taxation in Spain.
4. What are other phone or internet scams do you know of?
5. Why is paying taxes important?

Podcast: Domestic Chores

B2 – Upper intermediate

Should cleaning the house be really an issue between partners? Listen to the podcast below and express your thoughts about doing domestic chores. Share some of your experiences as well.

Be ready to discuss the different vocabulary terms featured in the podcast.

6 Minute English: Domestic chores

Discuss:

1. What are some of the domestic chores that you do? Which ones do you hate?
2. Would you say that you have a very high threshold or a low threshold when it comes to untidiness?
3. Do you agree that women have a tendency to take care more of their children as compared to men?
4. How do you feel about hiring cleaning ladies and nannies to help you around?