Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

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.

Nerds vs Popular Kids: Who Wins in Adulthood?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We’ve seen movies about high school life where students are divided into popular ones, who are at the top of the hierarchy, the nerds, who are at the bottom and somewhere in between are the less cool kids. The popular ones tend to bully the nerds and the ones in the middle are playing along with it. This is a reality. In all social groups, there are leaders, followers, and the oppressed.

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the likely future of these youngsters.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How would you classify your status when you were still in high school? Were you one of the popular or nerdy ones?
  2. What are your experiences with popular and nerdy kids?
  3. Explain instrumental targeting. Have you been a subject of it? Have you ever used this approach?
  4. Describe the high school reunion effect.
  5. Do you agree with the study that nerds/geeks are more likely to be successful in adulthood?

Gene Editing for Cancer

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cancer is undoubtedly one of the worst diseases one can ever be so unfortunate to contract.

In the US, doctors have started using gene editing to help cancer patients with their bouts with this dreadful disease.

Listen to the podcast and find out more about gene editing and how it can help fight cancer.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/doctors-report-first-us-tests-of-gene-editing-for-cancer/5158217.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this breakthrough?
  2. What other ways to treat cancer do you know of?
  3. How prevalent do you think the incidence of cancer is in your country?
  4. Why do you think more and more people contract cancer?
  5. What might be the reasons we haven’t discovered an effective treatment for cancer?

Mental Health in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A large number of workers suffer from mental health issues at work. Life becomes very complicated for those who struggle with mental health problems.

Listen to the podcast and find out more about the topic of mental health and learn some things people can do to help and cause change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191114

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can be done to raise awareness of mental health issues in the workplace?
  2. What are the effects of it on people’s lives?
  3. How is mental health treated in your workplace?
  4. What are things your company is doing to address its employees’ mental health needs?
  5. What are your thoughts on mental health leaves?

The Only US State Highways Where Automobiles Are Banned

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the U.S. state of Michigan, Highway M-185 is the safest road in America. It is the only state highway in the nation where motor vehicles are banned. The restriction dates back to 1898. Since the ban, only a few vehicles have driven on the asphalt, other than the city’s emergency vehicles.

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

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of a car-less highway?
  2. Would you like to live in this kind of state? Why?
  3. What are the advantages and drawbacks of living without automobiles in one’s place?

Ikigai: The Secret to a Long and Happy Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Research shows that not knowing why you get up in the morning can greatly affect your wellbeing.

Could finding one’s reason for being have something to do with longevity?

Read more about the secret to a long and happy life from the article below.

https://medium.com/thrive-global/ikigai-the-japanese-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-life-might-just-help-you-live-a-more-fulfilling-9871d01992b7

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai’?
  2. For you, what are the most important values you try to uphold?
  3. What are some things you like to do? What are the things that you are really good at?
  4. What are other secrets to living a long life do you know of?
  5. What might be the good and bad thing about living a short and long life?
  6. Would you prefer a short but full life or a long but almost mundane one?

Are You an Introvert?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are social situations where introverts are being frowned upon. The world seems to prefer people who are always the life and soul of the party who can talk and conduct themselves within groups with ease. It seems that introverts are at a disadvantage here. But how well do we really understand introversion to form a valid opinion about it?

Watch the video below and you might see introverted people in a new light.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about the quote attributed to Susan Cain, which states “Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured”?
  2. According to the presenter, difference is what makes us powerful, effective, and needed. Why do you think this is?
  3. Do you consider yourself to be introverted? If not, do you know someone who is? What qualities make you or this person an introvert?
  4. How does Susan Cain differentiate introversion from shyness?
  5. What is the biggest mistake an introvert can make?