Tag: audio

Smoking: Cause of Preventable Death

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Smoking is linked to preventable deadly diseases like cancer and heart disease. In America the percentage of smokers has dwindled. How about in your country? Anti-smoking measures help a great deal in educating people about this vice and, in the process, reduces the number of smokers.

Smoking is the Leading Cause of Preventable Death

 Discuss:

1. Do you think that graphic warnings on cigarette packages help in educating people?
2. Are there a lot of smokers in your country?
3. What do you think are good ways to quit smoking?

Human Microchips

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Office ID cards are a thing of the past. With this futuristic office in Sweden, you wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting your ID at home ever again. You won’t even need some cash to buy coffee in the cafeteria.

Listen and read as Neil and Harry of BBC’s 6 Minute English talk about this ultramodern identification system.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/persian/features/6-minute-english/ep-150319

*Click the title to watch a video of similar topic: Microchip Implants for Employees

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are we on our way to being part human, part machine?
  2. Would you be interested to try this ID system in this office?
  3. How can we benefit from this kind of technology?
  4. What are the dangers of this technology?
  5. How do you remember all your passwords?

Is changing the clock a waste of time?

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C1 – Advanced

Daylight Saving Time is the practice of advancing standard time by one hour in the spring of each year and of setting it back by one hour in the fall in order to gain an extra period of daylight during the early evening. Many countries observe this change.

Let’s try to know more about its history and significance. Watch the videos and listen to the audio clips with the transcript.

What is daylight saving time?

Every year billions of us around the world observe the familiar ritual of winding our clocks forward in the spring and turning them back again in the autumn.

To the joy of some and the annoyance of others, this biannual time-tampering first steals 60 minutes of our sleep, then gives us all an ‘extra’ hour in bed. Of course, in reality we are neither losing nor gaining time. By shifting an hour of sunlight during the summer months we’re merely making better use of the daylight temporarily available to us in the evenings.

There are many countries worldwide that do not observe daylight saving time (DST) – and in those that do it has had a somewhat chequered and quirky history. Are those of us who meddle with our clocks making time or killing time?

In the UK we observe Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in the winter months, and advance an hour during British Summer Time (BST). From time to time Parliament has debated the idea of adopting BST throughout the year, but a permanent change is yet to happen.

A permanent change

The case in favour

Those in favour of year-long BST say it would benefit our health and well-being. A 2014 study of 23,000 children in nine countries suggested their activity levels were 15-20% higher on summer days. The Automobile Association estimates that around 100 lives each year would be saved by avoiding traffic accidents on dark evenings.

Year-round BST would also bring the UK into line with Central European Time, helping us to do business with the continent. In the view of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions this would increase domestic tourism earnings by £2.5-3.5bn.

Meanwhile, an extra hour of evening sunlight in winter could save £485m a year in electricity bills, as households would require less energy to heat and light their homes.

The argument against

Those against a permanent change to BST say it would delay sunrise in northern Scotland until 10am in the winter months. This would leave children at increased risk of accident walking to school in the dark.

Farmers, postal workers and the construction industry have also traditionally supported lighter mornings.

Some say that even if we did move onto BST all year round, we may still end up changing the clocks twice a year. Proposals have been made to adopt GMT+1 during the winter and introduce GMT+2 in summer.

Discuss:

1. What is the resource saying about Daylight Savings Time?
2. Do you see a drawback to having to adjust your clocks on specific seasons?
3. Do you, personally, think that adjusting is a waste of time? Or is this needed?
4. What is the longest night time you have experienced?

The Widening Aisle Of Interracial Marriages

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Multicultural marriages have been more popular than ever. Many reasons have been attributed in seeking partners from another country.

Let’s know more about real people’s accounts. How are they managing their relationship?

http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/02/13/276516736/walking-down-the-widening-aisle-of-interracial-marriages

Discussion Questions:

1. How are interracial and multicultural marriages viewed in your country?
2. Do you have friends or know anyone who married someone of a different race or culture?
3. In your opinion, what are some of the challenges that couples of mixed marriages face?

Building a ‘Halal’ Internet

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Officials in Iran are planning to build a completely separate Internet called Yooz. Its purpose is to filter objectionable information just like China’s “Great Firewall”, the largest web filtering and censorship operation in the world.

Read the article below to know more about Yooz then express your opinions.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/iran-next-step-in-building-hala-internet/2676579.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you use the internet?
  2. How important is the internet to your day to day life?
  3. What is your opinion about filtered and censored internet access
  4. Do you think that Yooz will do its job in filtering and securing?

Bizarre Foods Around the World

B1 – Intermediate

When travelling, it is usual for other people to try the country’s popular dish. But sometimes we need to be adventurous to try some of the local food.

Let’s find out some of the strangest food around the world. You may read the article.. Watch the video also at the end of the article.

Have you ever heard the proverb one man’s meat is another man’s poison? It is a proverb that means something one person likes very much can be something that another person does not like at all. Here are five foods that might seem bizarre to some people, but delicious to others. Are they your meat or your poison?

Haggis

This is a Scottish dish that contains the internal organs of a sheep. It includes the liver, the heart, and the lungs. This is mixed with onions, raw fat, salt, and spices.

A Fried Brain Sandwich

A fried-brain sandwich is a sandwich made with sliced calves’ brains. It became a popular dish in St. Louis, Missouri, USA in the late 1880s.

Fugu

Fugu is a Japanese poisonous puffer fish. If you eat the poison of this fish, it can kill you. Only specially-trained chefs can prepare this fish because it is so dangerous.

Fried Spider

Fried spider is a delicacy in some parts of Cambodia. The spiders are fried and usually only the legs are eaten.

Sannakji

Sannakji is a Korean dish. It is made with live nakji (small octopuses) that have been cut into small pieces. They are usually still moving on the plate when this dish is served. They are usually seasoned with sesame and sesame oil.

Discuss Questions:

1. What delicacies have you tried?

2. What delicacies do you want to try and those that you never want to?

3. Have you tried strange food before?

Old Style Parenting

B2 – Upper intermediate

Old style parenting may no longer be appealing and can be equated to neglect. Others feel, however, that it is necessary to let kids wander.

Read the article below then share your opinions. Watch the 2 videos included in the article to get a bigger picture of the topic.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/old-style-parenting-starts-debate-in-us/2679250.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s your take on “free-range” parenting?
2. Should the government interfere in a family’s parenting decision?
3. What do you think is the best parenting style?
4. How did your parents raise you as a child?

Understanding the Teenage Brain

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Most parents around the globe have the same struggle of understanding a teenager’s behavior. Teens are often misunderstood. Even if we, ourselves, became teenagers once, we are still baffled by how they conduct themselves.

Read the article below to get a better picture of why teenagers act as such.

Understanding the Misunderstood Teenage Brain

Discuss:

1. Have you been in this stage where you feel no one understands you?
2. How would you describe yourself as a teenager?
3. How would you differentiate teenagers during your time and teenagers of today?
4. What do you think is the best way to raise teenagers?

Body Language

BodyLanguage-titlea

B2 – Upper intermediate

Becoming more aware of body language can help us communicate with other people more effectively. You can understand what other people are saying even when they are not talking. We can convey strong feelings that are too difficult to express in words.

Read the article then answer the quiz on the site to check your comprehension. Feel free to listen to the audio while reading.

Body language is a form of communication without using words.  Body language includes the use of body posture, gestures, eye movements and facial expressions.  A lot of body language is actually subconscious.  This means that the person using body language is not fully aware that they are using it.  Some psychologists say that body language actually communicates more information than using words.

Being able to “read” body language means being able to understand what a person really thinks or feels through their body language.  Human beings seem to instinctively understand other people through their body language even when they speak a different verbal language.  It is likely that in human prehistory, body language was an important survival mechanism that helped us to display and distinguish between threats and safety.

Body language can communicate negative emotions.  For example, when a listener crosses their arms against their chest, it can mean disagreement with the speaker.  This can also be indicated when a listener leans away from the speaker.  A lack of eye contact can show a person is anxious or discomfort.  It can also mean disbelief.  When a listener is bored, they are more likely to tilt their head.

Positive feelings are often shown in body language through the use of facial expressions, eye contact, and posture.  Leaning forward usually shows that a person is interested in what the speaker is saying.  When a person looks in another person’s eyes and then down at their lips, it usually means they have romantic feelings for the speaker.  Standing or sitting straight with good posture shows that a listener is taking the person’s speech seriously.

Scientific studies have revealed that body language can even reveal when a person is being dishonest.  For example, when a person is lying, they tend to touch their face during the conversation.  They may also blink too much or not blink at all.  Body language can reveal a lot about people but it’s important to remember that everyone’s body language is a little different and trying to “read” too much information through body language can lead to miscommunication.

Source: dreamreader.net

Discuss:

1. Do you notice people’s body language when you speak with them?
2. Are you careful with your body language in important settings like a meeting or a job interview?
3. Are you more expressive in your words or in your actions?

The Importance of Proper Sitting Posture

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B2 – Upper intermediate

With certain jobs that require sitting in front of the computer for long hours, it is important that we know how proper posture plays a role in keeping us healthy and ache-free.

Let’s find out more about the proper sitting posture and the good effects of it to our health and body.

Read the article then answer the quiz on the site to check your comprehension.

Scientists are beginning to understand that sitting down for long hours can be very bad for your health.  One of the reasons for this is that poor posture leads to health problems.  Here is some advice to help improve your posture and your health.

Sitting with poor posture can lead to serious chronic back pain that doesn’t go away.  Many people wrongly believe that they should sit with their backs straight at a 90 degree angle to the floor.  Scientists, however, have recently discovered that this actually causes more stress on the body.  They found that sitting with the back slightly reclined at a 135 degree angle is the healthiest posture.  The back muscles are more relaxed and the spine is at a more natural resting position.

Many people develop constant neck pain while sitting.  They bend their necks forward to look at a screen or read a book.  The lower neck muscles need to work very hard to support the weight of the head.  The bones in the spine can slide forward, causing a great deal of neck pain. To avoid this problem, you should try to look at the top portion of a computer screen when working at a desk.  Your elbows should be at the side and your feet should be flat on the floor.

You should also try to occasionally stop work and do some stretching exercises.  Put your hands behind your back and bring your chest forward slowly.  Take a deep breath and relax.  You could also try to work while standing up.  Finally, you can try to buy a special kind of chair that is built to improve sitting posture.

Original post from: http://dreamreader.net

Discuss:

1. Can you say that you have good posture?
2. Do you try to do some stretches in the middle of the day when you feel like your body is getting tired?
3. What are some of the exercises you do to keep your muscles in shape?