Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Guide Dogs for the Blind

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For someone who is blind or partially sighted, guide dogs help them move around safely. Because a person’s safety may depend on their dog’s alertness and concentration, not all dogs can be a guide dog.

Let’s read the article about the responsibilities of guide dogs to their owners.

https://www.esolcourses.com/content/reading/intermediate/graded-readers/guide-dogs.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of guide dogs?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having guide dogs?
  3. What are the types of things that guide dogs assist their owners with?
  4. Would you be willing to get a guide dog for someone who is blind or partially sighted?
  5. What other things do you know about service animals?

Things Selling Out This Summer

After months of quarantine, things would change this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Many people have now adapted to the “new normal” and families are looking for alternative solutions to enjoy this summer season.

More and more people are opting to enjoy their time in comfort of their own backyards or to take up outdoor recreation.

This gave rise to the popularity of inflatable pools, bicycles, and roller skates. It might be difficult to find and buy these items now. The same way hand sanitizers and toilet papers were sold out at the beginning of the quarantine.

Read this article and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/07/07/10-things-selling-out-everywhere-summer-pools-floats-bikes-and-more/53v88942002/

Discussion Questions:

  1. During this pandemic, what are some of the recreational items/toys/products that are selling out nowadays in your country?
  2. What have you bought recently that you think is useful? What about something that is recreational? Explain why.
  3. Do you agree with the things that are mentioned in the article?
  4. What new recreational activities have you started doing during and after the pandemic?
  5. How did you cope with living the “new normal”?

A Leopard Can’t Change Its Spots

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A philosopher once said, “the only constant in life is change”. Change is inevitable that’s why we should be able to adapt to changes in our lives. However, some things never change; such as bad habits.

Let’s watch the video and learn a new expression.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/experiment/unit-1/session-1

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “a leopard can’t change its spots” mean? Do you agree with this?
  2. What are some bad habits that you would like to get rid of?
  3. Do you agree or disagree that people can change for the better? Why or why not?
  4. How do you say the same expression in your language and explain what it means.
  5. Share an experience when a leopard couldn’t change its spots.

Arctic Circle Highest-Ever Temperatures

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We have been seeing different signs of global warming all over the world. There is a new one and it is in the Arctic Circle.

Read the article about rising temperatures in the Arctic Circle from the link below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200626-arctic-circle.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction that the heatwave in the Arctic Circle is much higher than usual? 
  2. What are the possible effects of this rise in temperature?
  3. Why should we be worried about rising temperatures?
  4. Talk about the changes in temperatures in your country over the past few years?
  5. What is your opinion on this statement “This [ rising temperature ] is a warning message from the Earth itself”?

Where Superstitions Come From

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Superstitions have come a long way in our history. It may be classified roughly as religious, cultural, and personal. Despite the modernization, superstitious beliefs still persist in our society and to some extent, some people believe in such irrational and absurd beliefs.

Watch the video to know its origin and be able to answer the questions that follow:

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on superstitions?
  2. Are you/people in your country superstitious? Why do you think this is?
  3. Why do some people believe in superstitions?
  4. What superstitious beliefs do you know and/or believe?
  5. Talk about some Spanish superstitious beliefs.

Millennials and Business

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It seems the millennials are attracted to starting their own businesses and it’s not just about making money, but also about passion and doing good. A lot of people think supporting young people to become business leaders should start at home and they should be educated to be independent for a better life.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to learn more about the young entrepreneurs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200625

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about millennials who start their own business?
  2. Are there a lot of young entrepreneurs in your country? If so, what are the common startup businesses?
  3. Does your government offer any support to startup businesses especially to young entrepreneurs?
  4. What can you say about crowdfunding? Do you think it’s appropriate to do?

Dear Sir or Hey, Folks?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Email is used in many different settings and it is widely used in the workplace as the formal tool of communication among people within the business. It is important to know how the recipient understood your message and just as important is the impression you leave on them especially if it is the first correspondence with them.

Read the article on whether to open emails with Dear, Hi, or Hey.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-1/session-4/activity-2

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you use email in the workplace?
  2. How do usually start your work emails? What salutations do you use?
  3. According to the article, what are the preferences for email salutations?
  4. Do you agree with Giselle Barry on her opinion on using ‘Dear’ to start the work email?
  5. Share some interesting email correspondences you’ve had at and for work.

Climate Crisis Threatens Future of Global Sport

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Sports have always been an important part of society and we all have contributed to our favorite sport at some point in our lives. However, sports do so much more than entertain us. Sports provide jobs, influence the economy, and can sometimes cause troubles.

What if major sports events are to be cancelled and postponed? What do you think will happen?

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200622-sports-events.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do sports events create global emissions?
  2. How might climate change affect sports?
  3. What do you think of your country’s national sport?
  4. How can sports deal with climate change?
  5. What are the benefits of sports to the world?
  6. What’s your favorite sport and why?

Caring for Aging Parents

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Aging can be challenging for elderly parents and children alike. It is depressing for an aging parent to have to face their physical and mental downturn. On the other side of the fence, children of elderly people also have to take on the very challenging job of looking after their aged parents.

Read the article below on this real crisis on taking care of aging parents.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/a-real-crisis-caring-for-aging-parents/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the effects of aging on a person, their children or family, caregivers, and workers and employers?
  2. How are old people’s lives like in your country?
  3. How are you preparing for and what are your plans for your twilight years?
  4. Talk about your experience caring for elderly members of your family. How was it like?
  5. Do you think you have enough family-friendly policies in your country? If yes, tell us about some of them. If not, what do you think are some policies needed?

Pandemic Changed the Way Americans Spend Money

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on every aspect of everyone’s life. A survey found the consequences of the pandemic on Americans’ personal finances.

Read the article and find out some of the key findings of this survey.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/28/success/pandemic-spending-saving-changes-feseries/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think the pandemic impacted Spanish people’s finances in terms of their income, stimulus saving, homebuying, buying insurance, investing, and post-pandemic plans?
  2. How has the pandemic changed your financial behavior?
  3. How can one make up income loss?
  4. What is the best way to spend one’s stimulus check?
  5. What do you think will happen to how Spanish think about homebuying, travel insurance, and investing?
  6. What are some of your post-pandemic financial plans?