Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been preoccupying people from all different walks of life. Whether you’re a scientist, an engineer or a mother of two, questions will always be asked. Is it good? Or does it bring more harm?

Click the link below to read the article about the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-artificial-intelligence-mike-fekety

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about all the things you know about AI.
  2. Talk about its pros and cons.
  3. In your opinion, what are some of the most worrisome threats associated with AI at the moment? How can we deal with them?
  4. How prevalent is AI used in your country these days? How about at your job? And in your community?
  5. How can AI help address some of the world’s most pressing problems?

Rules That Make Employees Want to Quit

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Every workplace needs rules. They discourage employees from coming to work late, getting drunk at their desks, and most importantly, are intended to ensure efficiency. However, a lot of companies have rules that frustrate employees because they sometimes cross the line into ridiculousness.

Read the article below then express your thoughts about it.

http://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/10-dumb-rules-that-make-your-best-people-want-to-quit.html?utm_content=buffer49014&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Discussion Questions:

1. Do agree with the items listed? why or why not?
2. Give examples of “dumb rules” you’ve encountered.
3. Why do you think rules are necessary?

Speaking Activity : Tourism

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Tourism is travelling for pleasure. It also involves the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, as well as the business of operating tours.

People will always want to travel. The tourism industry has been growing in the past years and travelling has been a lot of people’s passion and hobby.

Answer the questions below and be ready to have a discussion about tourism and travelling.

Discuss:

1. How important is tourism in your country?
2. What is the biggest tourist destination in your country?
3. What are the benefits of international tourism? Are there any drawbacks?
4. Do you prefer tourism package tours or do you prefer to plan your own vacations? Why?
5. Is it better to go to popular tourist destinations or lesser known tourist destinations? Why?
6. Should a government try to improve domestic tourism or try to attract international tourists instead? Why?
7. What’s the best way to travel when you visit a country? Train, car, bicycle, bus?
8. If you could create a tourism slogan for your country, what would it be?
9. What’s the best way for a country to bring in more tourists?
10. How do you feel about tourists who visit your country?

Speaking Activity : Childhood

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Childhood is a moment in life when children enjoy their time with friends, parents and teachers in school. A moment when they should feel safe from violence and abuse. A time when they can learn and grow.

How would would describe your childhood? Answer the questions below and be ready to practice your sentence construction.

Discuss:

1. What was the best thing about your childhood?
2. What do you miss most about being a child?
3. Do you think that children these days have a better or worse childhood than your generation? Why?
4. What do you think is important to have a happy childhood?
5. Where did you grow up? How did that affect your childhood?
6. What were some of your favorite activities when you were a child?
7. Who, besides your parents, had the biggest impact on your childhood?
8.What do you want to provide your children that you didn’t have when you were growing up?
9. What was your experience at school like? (elementary, junior high, or high school)

NASA Developing Food Bars for Mars Flights

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When you go travel somewhere, probably, one of the things you would usually pack is food. Ever wonder how astronauts’ food are prepared for their space travel?

Read the article and watch the video. Be ready for a discussion.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nasa-developing-food-for-mars-flights/3625387.html

Discussion Questions:
1. What are the things to consider and challenges encountered preparing food for Mars explorations?
2. What are your thoughts on Mars space missions?
3. What do you think of the idea that we could escape into space if (or when) the earth becomes uninhabitable for whatever reason?
4. If you would be sent to space, what food items would you want to bring with you and why?
5. Should rich countries invest more money on these efforts?

What is Life Really Like in North Korea?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is a growing curiosity and intrigue about how life goes on in North Korea. A handful of reporters and journalists have attempted to record and document the existence of settlers from the other side of the border.

Watch the video below then be ready for a discussion.

Discussion Questions:

1. After watching the video, how would you describe living conditions in North Korea? Why do you think it is called the Hermit Kingdom?
2. Describe education of children in North Korea.
3. What punishment does a North Korean citizen get if he or she talks against the government?
4. How did you react after watching the video?
5. Why do you think some citizens still choose to stay in North Korea despite the harsh living conditions?

When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents?

B2 – Upper intermediate

It’s interesting how we can have one language and have more than one way of pronouncing the same words. Whether you’re American, British, Irish or Chinese, the way we speak English will have differences.

Read the article below to learn how American accent and British accent came to be.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/29761/when-did-americans-lose-their-british-accents

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the article, how did the American accent become different from the British accent?
2. What are the differences between the American accent and the British accent?
3. Which accent do you find easier to understand?
4. What other accents do you know of?
5. Does your country also have different accents depending on the region?

What Would Happen If You Didn’t Drink Water?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Water is an essential part of life. Whether for our own consumption or for the environment. As with any substance, there is a danger of having too much and too little.

Watch the video below and be ready to answer the questions that follow about the effects of not drinking water.

Discussion Questions:

1. Discuss the facts about water presented in the video. How important is it to our bodies?
2. What are the dangers of dehydration? How about overhydration?
3. Who are usually the victims of over-hydration? Why are they prone to overhydration?
4. Do you think you’re getting enough water on a daily basis?
5. What are the other kinds beverages you enjoy drinking? What are some fruits and vegetables that you like?

Speaking Activity : Adoption

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Adoption brings a child into a new family. Birth parents have a number of reasons for placing children for adoption. Overall, they want better lives for their children. Children who are eligible for adoption come from many different settings. Some are in foster care while others live in orphanages or with birth relatives until they can be adopted.

Answer the questions below with your next teacher and be ready to practice your sentence construction.

Discuss:

1. How is adoption viewed in your country?
2. How does being adopted affect a child’s view of themselves?
3. What are some of the reasons people adopt children?
4. What are some of the reasons people give children up for adoption?
5. What do you think about couples that adopt children from different countries?
6. What qualities make a couple or a person qualified to adopt a child?
7. Should the adoption process be more or less difficult than it is now?
8. Should people be able to decide what type of children they want to adopt? For example: boy or girl, hair color, age, etc.
9. How much should the government be involved in the adoption process?
10. What are orphanages like in your country?
11. Would you ever adopt a child?

Drinking to Excess

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Alcoholism is when you drink so much that your body eventually becomes dependent on or addicted to alcohol. When this happens, alcohol becomes the most important thing in your life.

Read the article below to know more about drinking too much.

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/Sep2014/Feature1

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you drink alcohol? What kind of alcoholic drink do you usually have and how often do you drink?
2. What do you think causes alcoholism? How can a person prevent it?
3. What are the symptoms of alcoholism? How can you tell if the person is alcoholic?
4. What are the risk factors of alcoholism?