Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

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.

Are you one of the almost half of Americans who did not take a summer vacation? Do you often find yourself rushing from A to B with no time to breathe, working seven days a week and not taking time for lunch? If so, it’s time to take a break. When you are building a business or climbing the corporate ladder or assuming others’ responsibilities, it’s easy to become caught up in work and routines and easy to forget that we are not machines. Taking a break is not only necessary for the well-being of our minds and bodies, but a real need. Ironic, isn’t it, that if one waits for the perfect time to take a break, it never seems to come, because there is always something to do and take care of, instead of taking care of ourselves and accepting that well-deserved break.

Taking a Break Doesn’t Have to Take You Away

Summer just came and went. It promised adventure, romance, fun, and leisure; but did your dreams become reality this year? Or did you continue to dream of white sandy beaches, quiet cool mountain views, the solitude of the desert, the excitement of an action-filled adventure vacation, or even of distant lands? The only thing stopping us from fulfilling our dreams is ourselves. There is always a way if we prioritize. Taking a break doesn’t have to be about going away. More and more people have realized that taking a break can be as simple as not answering the phone or e-mail for a week, hanging out in pajamas all day, spending time alone or with friends, and perhaps best of all not having a single plan of what to do, doing absolutely nothing. How about a retreat with no traveling and no financial outlay? You could simply investigate and experience the sound of silence for a few days. Don’t use your voice, communicate when you must with pen and paper. Those who have experienced the bliss of silence are full of praise for the many benefits derived from this simple, yet different approach to taking a break.

Take a Solitary Break

When was the last time you took a break from those that you love? A friend recently found herself taking a real break alone for two weeks. Her husband and children took a trip abroad and she chose to stay at home. It was her first break on her own for over 25 years. She looked forward to it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. By the end of the two weeks, she reported that she had thoroughly enjoyed her own company and that the single life was a lot simpler and most enjoyable. Even in the most wonderful relationships we can find ourselves again and breathe a breath of fresh air by taking a break from our partners and being even for a short time separate units.

Ten Tips for Taking a Break from Life

If you feel like you can hardly remember the last time you took a break, check the following ten tips for taking a break from life, reality and yourself. You are guaranteed to start to feel rejuvenated, revitalized and ready to take a real break sometime soon.

  • Buy a New Outfit – Make a shopping trip especially for something new to wear which is bright, colorful and just perfect for breaks and vacations. Then leave right away and enjoy your purchase. Your wardrobe with thank you for giving it a new splash of color
  • Give Your Taste Buds a Treat – Take a break from skipping lunch at work and making do with eating fast food. Instead, eat something simple, colorful, fun, exotic or with wild flavors and textures. Enjoy!
  • Indulge in a Day of Silence – Take one day out of your life and vow not to say a single word. Relax, enjoy the peace and silence.
  • Change Your Routine – Drive to work a different way. Break your usual daily habits. Expect the very best all day and be ready for the unexpected.
  • Squirrel Away Some Mad Money –  Dream a dream of your perfect break or vacation. Promise to put a little money aside regularly to make it happen. You’ll be amazed at how easy and painless it is to do.
  • Be Still for Ten Minutes – Take a break from life as you know it by sitting down and being still for ten minutes. Close your eyes and relax. Let your thoughts come and go. Focus on your breathing. Allow your body to relax and your mind soar.
  • Take Down Your Guard, Be Yourself – Take a break from the image that you have of yourself and the image that you project. Just let yourself be whoever you feel like being in the moment. Give yourself permission to be you.
  • Check In – Make a regular practice of stopping whatever you are doing and checking in with yourself to feel how who and where you are at the moment. Keep a gratitude journal.
  • Allow Yourself to Feel Awed – Take a break from reality. Look at a simple object, a flower, a tree, or a building. Imagine you are looking at it as if for the very first time.
  • Step Out of Your Comfort Zone – Take a break from barriers and boundaries. Do something you did not know you could. Overcome your fear and amaze yourself.

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.

Read the article about some myths about owning a house.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/myths-about-owning-a-house-that-just-arent-true_us_5a820084e4b0580d3d6d6f8e

Discussion Questions:

  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?

Corporate Social Responsibility

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We normally associate business with financial gains. But at the end of the day, is it really just about the money?

In recent times, a lot of companies are moving toward dedicating their efforts to developing their company’s corporate social responsibility’s arm.

Check out the link below for a better understanding of CSR.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corp-social-responsibility.asp

Discussion Questions:

1. In your own understanding, what is CSR?
2. In your opinion, should CSR be an important part of any company? Why or why not?
3. Talk about your company’s CSR.

Are Food Preservatives Bad for You?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Food preservatives are substances added to food items in order to inhibit, retard or arrest the process of fermentation, acidification, and decomposition of food items’. Or, in other words, they are a type of  food additive  which prolong shelf life and keep products from being broken down by microorganisms

But the question is, how safe are they? Watch the video and be able to discuss the questions that follow:

 

Discuss:

  1. What are the benefits of using preservatives in food?
  2. What do you think about preservatives? Are they beneficial or harmful?
  3. Do you seek out preservative-free food?
  4. What are some ways of preserving food in your country?
  5. What are some of the most popular preserved food in your country?

Tips for Job Interviews

B2 – Upper intermediate – Job Interview

Are you going to a job interview soon? Are you nervous that maybe you will stutter and fail the interview? Then, don’t fret because we got you covered. Watch the video below and learn how to ace that interview.

Discussion Questions:

  1.  Have you ever had a job interview in English before? If yes, how was your experience?
  2.  What kind of preparations do you do before a job interview?

Sample interview questions to help you practice:

  1.  Tell me about yourself.
  2.  What is your strength?
  3.  What is your weakness?
  4.  Why should we hire you?
  5. Why are you leaving your job?
  6. Why do you want this job?
  7. What are your goals in the future?