Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Air Rage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you like to travel? Have you experienced passengers showing aggression during your flight?  Air rage has been a problem among airlines and passengers alike.

Let’s read the article to know how airlines are not doing enough to promote cabin safety to the passengers and even their own employees.

Click to read the article:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92907&page=1

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever experienced air rage?
  2. What do you think causes air rage?
  3. Should airlines make a list of passengers who commit air rage and ban them from flying altogether?

Effective Customer Service during Mergers and Acquisitions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When a company goes through transition after a merger and acquisition, there are some negative impact on the business’s operations and in some cases, customer relations.

Read more to find out about how to provide effective customer service during M&A.

https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-you-provide-effective-customer

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the three challenges companies face during an M&A transition.
2. Have you ever worked for a company that underwent re-organization? Talk about this period.
3. Give some ways on how to ensure smooth M&A transition.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you had that feeling that you thought you did not deserve the success that you achieved, that you believed you were not intelligent, or that you were over-evaluated by others? Probably, you are one of those who have experienced the Imposter syndrome. Find out how some successful people braved it and what we can do to overcome it.

The Imposter Syndrome and How to Overcome It

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your experience of Imposter syndrome and how you overcame it.
  2. What are your strengths and how do you put them to use?
  3. What are/were your ‘shoulds’ and how do/did you unwrap them?
  4. Where do you apply the “fake it ’till you make it” advice in your life?
  5. What can you tell a person suffering from Imposter syndrome?

Rejuvenate Yourself

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you find it hard to break a routine and find some time to take a load off? No matter how much we have on our plate, we should always remember to give ourselves a well deserved time off.

Below are some downright advice about how to feel revitalized despite a hectic or too ordinary schedule.

https://www.thoughtco.com/tips-for-taking-a-break-from-life-1732351

Discussion Questions:

  1. How busy are you?
  2. Which among the tips do you do?
  3. What is your own way to change your routine?
  4. What do you do during your alone time?
  5. What are your plans for your upcoming vacation this year? If none, if given the chance, what would you do or where would you go?

Foreign Accent Syndrome

B2 – Upper intermediate

A person’s accent is the product of where they are from and may also be from their social and educational background. For example, someone from Australia will most probably speak with an Australian accent, but in Australia there are also different accents because of differences in social background and education. This is generally the case for everybody in any part of the world. Is having an accent a distinction or a disadvantage?

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1802/180215-british-accent.html

Let’s Talk:

How important is the accent to one’s culture?

Do you find it difficult to understand foreigners because of their accent?

If you were to have the FAS one day, what accent would you like to have?

 

7 Myths About Owning A House

B2 – Upper intermediate

Buying a house can be complicated and scary at the same time. There’s also a lot of misunderstanding in some instances. We have a lot of misconceptions when it comes to buying and owning a house. Here are some of those.

7 Myths About Owning A House That Just Aren’t True

Questions for discussion:

  1. How easy/difficult is it to get your own home in your country?
  2. At what age do you think is the perfect time to get your own house?
  3. Do you think home security systems are only for the rich?
  4. Describe your dream house.

Green Economy

B2 – Upper intermediate

Different industries in coal and oil mining and alike have been the back bone of our economy but unfortunately they leave a lot of contamination and cause environmental pollution.  Asia is one of the biggest and fastest growing continent in the world. There are hundreds of factories that are located there. Will it be possible to change from industrialization to a green economy?

The video below suggests how  they can have a “green economy” which is both sustainable for their development and environment.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a Green Economy?
  2.  How does Green Economy differ from previous efforts to promote sustainability  –  what’s new?
  3. What are some of the concerns and tensions with the concept of a Green Economy?
  4. What are the challenges to a transition to a Green Economy, and what will make it possible?

To Tip or Not to Tip… or Should it be Banned?

B2 – Upper intermediate

How much should you give?  There’s a long tradition of tipping in the U.S. Non-tippers are considered cheap (the ultimate insult to an American) .  Most Americans are shocked by anyone who doesn’t tip or who tips too little, and some go to extremes and tip everybody in sight.

Could America’s generous tipping culture be coming to an end? Let’s read the article and talk about the questions that follow:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22846846

Discuss:

  1. Do you usually leave a tip?
  2. How much are you suppose to tip different people?
  3. Is tipping common in your country?
  4. Do you think it’s important to leave tips?
  5. Can you think of jobs where tipping is an important part of the salary?
  6. When are some times you shouldn’t leave a tip?
  7. When was the last time you left a tip for someone?
  8. How much do you usually leave for a tip?
  9. Would you leave a tip even if you thought the waiter or waitress didn’t seem to work for it?
  10. Can you think of some places where tipping is required?
  11. Can you think of some places where tipping is optional?
  12. Can you think of some places where tipping is not necessary?

Why Translation Technology Should Not Replace Learning Languages

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Trying to understand someone who does not speak your language could now be a thing of the past, thanks to some groundbreaking gadgets that claim to translate foreign languages in real-time. Imagine how easy it will be to communicate with people from any parts of the world without breaking a sweat. However, the rise of this technology should not replace learning languages and stop people from doing so.

Click the link below to know the most accurate reasons for that.

Translation Technology Should Not Replace Learning Languages

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the text, why should translation technology not replace learning languages?

2. What are your thoughts on translation technology?
How much do you rely on translation tools?

3. Besides English, what other languages are you learning or do you want to learn?

4. Give an example of a Spanish word, phrase, or idiom that is often mistranslated to other languages.

5. As you see it, should or should not translation technology replace learning languages?

Oxford Word of the Year 2017

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Post-truth, ‘Face with Tears of Joy’ Emoji, vape, and selfie are just some of the words Oxford declared as Word of the Year in the past four years.

Find out last year’s Word of the Year and why Oxford chose it.

And the Word of the Year 2017 is…

Discussion Questions:

1. How did youthquake come into rise?

2. What do you think of the youth in this generation?
How do they differ to the youth in the past?

3. Explain how you can observe youthquake in Spain in the recent years.

4. What is the most significant cultural, political, or social change that arose in Spain last year? What significant cultural, political, or social change would you like to emerge in Spain?

5. If you could coin a word, what would it be?

6. What could you choose as 2017 Spanish Word of the Year?