Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

The Most Toxic Person In The Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Simon Sinek shares a valuable lesson he learned from working with the Navy SEALs. He explains that while performance is important, trust is what truly defines a strong team. The SEALs value those who are not only capable but also reliable and supportive, the ones others know they can depend on.

Want to know who the most toxic person in the workplace is? Watch the full video.

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does “lopsided” mean in the sentence, “The problem in business is we have lopsided metrics.”? Use it in a sentence and give a synonym.
  2. What does “got one’s back” mean? “Who’s always got your back and will be there with you when the chips are down.” Use it in a sentence and give a synonym.
  3. What does “when the chips are down” mean in the sentence, “Who’s always got your back and when the chips are down, they will always be there with you?”? Use it in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you think companies should prioritize trust as much as performance when promoting employees? Why or why not?
  2. Have you ever worked with someone who was high-performing but difficult to trust? How did it affect the team?
  3. What do you think makes a person trustworthy at work?

How to Work with an Insecure Boss

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Even in professional environments, not every boss leads with confidence. Some managers struggle with insecurity, which can show up as micromanaging, defensiveness, or taking credit for others’ work.

This video by Amy Gallo from Harvard Business Review explains how to recognize an insecure boss and offers practical ways to handle the situation without escalating conflict.

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does “to rile someone up” mean? “If your boss is riling you up, excuse yourself for a moment to take time to compose yourself and calm down.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “to downplay” mean? “Don’t, in anyway downplay your efforts, but highlight the partnership.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “to set the tone” mean? “It’s never too late to reset the tone of your relationship.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you ever worked or studied under someone who seemed insecure or controlling? How did it affect your performance?
  2. Why do you think some people become insecure after being promoted to leadership positions?
  3. Which of Amy Gallo’s tips (patience, teamwork, flattery, reassurance) do you think is most effective? Why?
  4. What are the possible effects of working for an insecure boss in the long term?
  5. If you were the manager, how would you prevent your own insecurities from affecting your team?

Disturbing Truth About Micromanaging People

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many managers struggle to lead effectively because they focus too much on controlling every detail of their employees’ work. This behavior, known as micromanagement, can hurt creativity, stop growth, and push good employees to leave. Leadership experts say that to build strong teams, managers need to trust their people and let them learn from experience.

To understand why micromanagement leads to failure and what great leaders do instead, watch the full video.

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does “stifle” mean? “When you micromanage somebody, you stifle their creativity.”? Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “hover over” mean? “Every time you hover over them and manage every single thing they do, they stop expressing themselves.”? Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “push beyond one’s limitations” mean? “All growth happens when we push beyond our limitations.”? Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think some managers micromanage their employees?
  2. How can micromanagement affect a team’s creativity and motivation?
  3. What’s the best way for a manager to help employees grow without micromanaging?
  4. Have you ever worked with someone who micromanaged others? How did it feel?
  5. What can employees do if they feel their boss is micromanaging them?

Priceless Jewelry Stolen From Louvre

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A shocking heist place in Paris, where “priceless” jewelry was stolen from the world-famous Louvre Museum. The incident has raised serious questions about security in one of the most visited cultural landmarks on Earth. Authorities are investigating how the thieves managed to bypass tight security measures and escape with such valuable items. The theft has sparked global attention and concern over the protection of historical and artistic treasures.

Watch the video and be able to answer the question below.


Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word ‘heist’ mean?“ The daring heist at the Louvre left authorities stunned, as thieves managed to escape with priceless jewelry from one of the world’s most secure museums. Make a sentence using the word.
  2. What does ‘in broad daylight’ mean? “The thieves stole the jewelry in broad daylight.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “never see the daylight again’ mean? “The stolen jewelry may never see the light of day again.” Make your own sentence.


Discussion Questions:

  1. How could such a high-profile theft happen in one of the most secure museums in the world like the Louvre?
  2. What do you think motivates people to steal priceless jewelry that can’t easily be sold or displayed publicly?
  3. How might this incident affect the public’s trust in museum security and the way historical treasures are protected?
  4. In your opinion, should punishment for stealing cultural treasures be harsher than for ordinary theft?

Priced Out of Traditional Housing, More Americans Live in RVs

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As housing prices continue to rise across the United States, more Americans are turning to an unconventional solution: living in recreational vehicles (RVs). Once seen primarily as a vacation option, RV living is increasingly becoming a full-time lifestyle for people seeking affordable and flexible housing alternatives.

Read this article or watch this video to learn more.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/americans-choose-rv-life-economy-challenges-housing-market-cost-rcna231942

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “makeshift“. “The RV doesn’t have any tables or chairs, so he sat on a makeshift bed covered by a SpongeBob blanket with a cutting board on his lap, chopping peaches, apples and kiwis while his mom cooked hamburger patties on the RV’s small gas range.” Use this in a sentence and give a synonym.
  2. What does “cordon off” mean? “Now, living out of a roughly 175-square-foot RV with his mom and 6-year-old sister, Dante’s space is limited to a twin bed wedged under a loft, cordoned off with privacy curtains.” Use this in a sentence and give a synonym.
  3. What’s the meaning of “to leave someone underwater“? “Loan terms can be spread out over long periods to lower monthly payments, but that can quickly leave borrowers underwater — owing more on their loan than their RV is worth.” Use this in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your opinion on this: It estimated 342,000 people were living in an RV, boat or van, an increase of 41% from 2019.
  2. Could RV living become a long-term solution for housing crises, or is it just a temporary trend? Why?
  3. How can RV/van living be a debt trap?
  4. Do you think the same problem in housing affordability and rising cost-of-living also exist in your country? Share what you know about this issue.
  5. Do you believe living in a motorcoach is worth it especially if housing costs were very high in your city? Why or why not?

Parisians Take a Historic Plunge into the Seine River after 100 Years

B2 – Upper Intermediate

After a century-long ban, swimming is finally returning to the Seine River in Paris. Once considered too polluted for safe recreational use, the iconic river has now been cleaned enough to allow residents and tourists to take a dip, marking a historic moment for the city and its waterways.

Read the article or watch video to learn more.

https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/paris-swimming-seine-100-years-rcna217021

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to ring out” mean? “Cries of “It is warm!” rang out across the Seine on Saturday morning as Parisians jumped into the river — legally — for the first time in more than 100 years.” Give a synonym and make a sentence.
  2. What’s the meaning of “to skim something away“? “Before sunrise, a municipal officer skimmed away the last few patches of algae with a fishnet. Soon after, a line of eager Parisians formed, towels in hand, waiting for their chance to jump in.” Give a synonym and make a sentence.
  3. Define “threshold“. “Environmental authorities confirmed bacteria levels were well below official thresholds.” Give a synonym and make a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your reaction to this news.
  2. Do you think swimming in urban rivers should be encouraged in other cities? Why or why not?
  3. How might cleaning and maintaining rivers affect local communities and tourism?
  4. How can governments balance environmental preservation with public recreation?
  5. How could this initiative inspire other cities to focus on sustainable urban development?
  6. How would you feel if a polluted body of water in your city/country became safe for activities like swimming again?

Denmark Welcomes Return of Banned South Korean Noodles

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Spicy South Korean ramen noodles are back on Danish supermarket shelves, delighting fans who had missed the fiery instant noodles. The popular Buldak line from Samyang Foods was pulled from stores in June after authorities warned that its high capsaicin levels could pose health risks. Following a partial reversal of the ban, shoppers in central Copenhagen were able to get their hands on the hot noodles once again.

Read the article or watch the video to learn more.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/denmark-welcomes-return-banned-south-korean-noodles-rcna166391

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “contested” mean in this context? “Samyang, which sells the products worldwide, had contested the ban, and on Thursday celebrated the reversal by feeding its noodles to social media influencers, gathered on a ferry adorned in the firm’s bright-red colors on Copenhagen’s harbor.” Make a sentence with this. Give a synonym.
  2. What’s the meaning of “to exceed critical level“? “But the ban was lifted last month for two of the three variants after further examination of the spicy noodles showed that they did not exceed the critical capsaicin level.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What’s the meaning of “to pose risk“? “Stores in Denmark in June removed three variants of South Korean Samyang Foods’ Buldak instant ramen line after the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration found the noodles’ high capsaicin level posed a serious health risk.” Create a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think the partial reversal of the ban was a good decision? Why or why not?
  2. How might cultural differences influence the popularity of spicy foods in different countries?
  3. What might be reasons foods and drinks could be prohibited in a country?
  4. Do you think Europe is an untapped market for spicy food products? Explain.
  5. How do you think food regulations should balance public safety and consumer choice?
  6. Talk about other food bans that you know of.
  7. What would you do if a food you loved was temporarily banned—would you wait for it to return or switch to alternatives?

Office Etiquette Tips

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many companies have asked employees to return to the office after years of remote work. But with open office spaces becoming more common, employees need to be mindful of how their behavior affects others. Small things like keeping your voice down, eating neutral-smelling food, and keeping your desk clean can make the workplace more pleasant for everyone.


To learn more tips from corporate etiquette expert Thomas Farley, watch the full video.

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does “to keep one’s volume down” mean in the sentence, “If you’re on the telephone, you really should keep your volume down.”? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “to reflect on someone/something” mean in the sentence, “If you’ve got the desk that looks like Pig Pen works there, it really reflects on the company very poorly.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to be taken the wrong way” mean in the sentence, “You don’t want to have any calendars that might be taken the wrong way or might offend some other people in the workplace.”? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions

  1. How do you feel about open office setups? Do they make work easier or more stressful?
  2. What office habits do you find most distracting?
  3. Why is it important to keep your workspace clean and organized?
  4. How can workers politely remind others to be mindful of noise or smells?
  5. What are some examples of office behavior that could be “taken the wrong way”?

What Does Resilience Mean

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this short video, some people are asked what resilience means to them.

To see how people define resilience and why they consider it important, watch the full video.

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does “to push through something” mean in the sentence? “Resilience is about pushing through through life’s hardships even when you don’t want to or you feel like you can’t.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “to keep one’s head up” mean in the sentence? “To me, resiliency is the ability to keep your head up when things aren’t looking great.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to work through something” mean in the sentence? “If we don’t talk about it, then we can never bond over things. We can never work through problems.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions

  1. For you, what does resilience mean?
  2. Can you think of a time when you had to “bounce back” from a problem?
  3. Why do you think it’s important to teach resilience to young children?
  4. How can adults demonstrate resilience?
  5. What other examples can you think of that show resilience in everyday life?

Is It still Worth Going to University?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, many are rethinking the value of a university education. AI tools can now perform tasks once done only by highly educated professionals, raising questions about the role of traditional learning. Some believe university is still important for developing critical thinking and specialized knowledge, while others argue that practical experience and digital skills may now matter more than a degree.

Watch the video to know more and be able to answer the questions below.


Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “worth doing something”? “With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, many are rethinking if it’s worth going to university.” Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  2. What does “to go far”? “One thing is for sure: a student with a variety of skills, a lifelong desire to learn, and a good attitude will go far.“ Use it in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  3. What does the phrase “plug the gap” mean? “Online courses can help plug the gaps in what students don’t learn at university.” Make you own sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.


Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe a university degree is still necessary to succeed in the age of AI? Why or why not?
  2. Should students focus more on developing practical digital skills instead of pursuing a traditional degree?
  3. In what ways do you think artificial intelligence is changing the skills that students need to learn in university?
  4. How can universities adapt their programs to stay relevant in an AI-driven world?