Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

A Teen’s First Look at Color

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Color. It’s something most of us don’t even give a second thought to. But really, how differently we might experience the world around us if we were unable to perceive its rich hues.

Watch the video below and join a young man and his friends as they celebrate a momentous event in his life.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How important is color? In what ways would we be disadvantaged if we couldn’t accurately see colors?
  2. Think of a memory that stands out for you. What dominant colors do you recall from this page in your personal history?
  3. What is your favorite color? Why do you like it?
  4. Aside from color perception, what other things do we humans usually take for granted?
  5. What does it mean when we say a person uses colorful language, or that he or she has a colorful past? What about if that person is a colorful character?

Can Robots Care for Us?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Can robots have empathy? Can robots care for us?

Let’s find out by listening to the podcast carefully.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191121

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the pros and cons of having a robot carer?
  2. Do you think it’s possible for robots to have empathy?
  3. Would you buy one for yourself? Why or why not?
  4. How are elderlies taken care of in your country?

“Living Funerals” in Seoul

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some people would rather not talk about death, finding it too morbid to dwell on. However, one community center in Seoul, South Korea has taken mulling over death to a whole new level with its “dying well” program. It has provided more than 25,000 people an experience it calls a “living funeral”.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to see how thinking about death has actually helped some people lead better lives.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/south-koreans-take-part-in-living-funerals-to-improve-lives/5156961.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a “living funeral”?
  2. What benefits did the participants say they got out of this event?
  3. Do you think talking about death can be healthy?
  4. What do you feel when people bring up the topic of death?
  5. What are your thoughts on “living funerals”?

Japan’s Micro Apartment Boom

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Japan is famous for its minimalist and downsized architecture even though the country has not always been so densely populated. With not enough space in the cities and low budgets for renting or owning a house, many Japanese have chosen to live in these tiny and cramped apartments. Even so, Japanese have created some clever design elements that allow the micro apartment to be a very functional and cozy home.

Watch the video and see what is so special about these micro apartments in Japan:

Discussion Questions:

  1. What brought about the rise in tiny living spaces?
  2. What do you think about micro apartments?
  3. How would you feel living in this tiny apartment?
  4. What do you think are the good things about micro apartments? What are the disadvantages of living in these small apartments?
  5. What are apartments like in your country?

Should Hate Speech Be Censored?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With all the anonymity the internet provides trolls and the negativity in the world, many had been wondering if hate speech as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica as an expression that denigrates a person or persons on the basis of (alleged) membership in a social group identified by attributes such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and etc.

The typical hate speech would usually have slurs that promote malicious stereotypes and intended to incite violence or hatred against someone or a group. After the series of suicide cases among celebrities in South Korea it has been a debate on social media if it is possible to regulate hate speech as it has been limitless and not punishable by law because they are only considered by many to be simply free speech.

Watch the video below to further understand hate speech.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When do we know that free speech becomes hate speech?
  2. When does hate speech become dangerous?
  3. Should people spread hate speech be held accountable for their words?
  4. Is hate speech a precursor to more serious violence or crimes?
  5. Is there a need to regulate or censored hate speech?

Telling Women to Smile in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Smile is the best asset one can have. And why not? It costs nothing and radiates happiness, confidence, and health. It’s contagious and can attract another person to do the same.

But in a recent poll, women are discovered to feel discriminated against by how they are treated in the workplace when they are commanded to smile.

Read the article below and find out how this simple comment can affect their work performance.

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/a-new-study-reveals-that-telling-women-they-need-to-smile-more-is-bad-for-business-heres-why.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel when you are told to smile?
  2. Why do you think men, unlike women, are rarely or not asked to smile?
  3. How does your boss create or stimulate a positive working environment?
  4. Can you think of other microaggressions in the/your workplace?

Why Billionaires Wake Up at 4:00 AM

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Before the advent of technology, “early to bed, early to rise” was a way of life. The daily grind followed the dictates of the sun with humans faithfully listening to the body’s natural rhythms of wakefulness and sleep.

Times have changed though. Unusual working hours, smartphone addiction, social media, and the fear of missing out have all contributed to the devaluation of sleep and its being relegated to the wee hours.

But is this wise? Watch the video below before planning your next all-nighter.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, why do many successful people choose to wake up at four in the morning?
  2. What steps can you take to effectively cultivate the habit of early wakefulness?
  3. If getting up early is so beneficial, why do most people find it difficult to do?
  4. What is generally your mood when you first wake up? Does this set the tone for the rest of your day?
  5. What are the benefits of keeping a sleep schedule more in tune with natural sleep cycles?
  6. What keeps you from getting quality sleep?
  7. Why would knowing your life’s purpose provide you with the impetus for rising early?

Meeting Recovery Syndrome

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Too many work meetings sap one’s brain’s ability to the point that it prevents them from performing their actual job efficiently.

Read the article and find out more about MRS and its effects on employees and corporations.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191111-blame-your-worthless-workdays-on-meeting-recovery-syndrome

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is MRS and what are its effects on workers and companies alike?
  2. How can MRS be prevented?
  3. Talk about your own work meetings and how you view having too many meetings in one workday?
  4. Generally, what’s your stance on work meetings?
  5. Talk about the most important and the worst work meeting you’ve ever attended.

Preventing “Cyberloafing” in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you work hard in the office, or do you instead watch internet videos, browse through your social media feeds or shop online?

Read the article and find out how companies might put into effect policies to help stop this behavior in the workplace.

https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/get-back-work-how-prevent-cyberloafing-workplace

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are ways to prevent cyberloafing? Any ideas you have on how to fend off cyberloafing in your own workplace?
  2. Do you cyberloaf? If yes, when and why do you normally do it? If not, why is that?
  3. What are other things that make employees lose time during work hours?
  4. How do you manage your time at work?
  5. Do you consider it acceptable to spend work time on social media sites, managing finances, etc.?

Dresden Museum Heist

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thieves broke into one of the world’s oldest museums stealing nearly 1 billion in treasures from the Green Vault in Dresden, Germany.

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the said heist.

Discussion Questions :

  1. How important are those cultural treasures stolen?
  2. What can be improved in museum security to prevent future heists?
  3. Describe the museums in Spain and how safe the historical artifacts housed there are.
  4. Talk about a similar story of a museum being burglarized.