Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Improve Your Energy Levels

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this fast-paced, modern world, maintaining optimal energy is crucial. We are always on the go, juggling work, family, and personal time. Not managing our energy well can leave us feeling exhausted and drained all the time.

Read the article to learn the seven habits that will drastically improve your energy levels.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/habits-improve-energy-levels_l_6351a3a1e4b04cf8f381628e

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “slump”. “Unable to overcome the afternoon slump?” / “When it’s not present, you can experience an energy slump.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘slump‘ in a sentence.
  2. What does “to catch enough ZZZs” mean? “It goes without explaining that catching enough ZZZs is key to boosting your energy throughout the day.” Give a synonym and use this idiom in a sentence.
  3. What does “paradoxical effect” mean? “However, drinking too much caffeine can have a paradoxical effect, leaving you lethargic.” Make a sentence using this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Among the seven habits, which one do you find the most challenging to incorporate into your routine? Why is that?
  2. How exhausting is your current day-to-day life?
  3. How do you currently manage your energy levels in your daily life?
  4. How do you manage stress in your life, and do you think effective stress management can influence your energy levels?
  5. What is your opinion on this, “Stress has a huge impact on your physical well-being.”?

Third Culture Kids

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One thing that globalization has produced is Third Culture Kids or TCKs. They are children who spend their formative years in places that are not the home country of their parents.

Being a ‘citizen of everywhere and nowhere’ has its merits and drawbacks.

Read this article to learn more about the Third Culture Kids; their joys and struggles.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20161117-third-culture-kids-citizens-of-everywhere-and-nowhere

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “third culture kid”, “Most Third Culture Kids made their first move before the age of nine.”? Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “to tie up loose ends” mean? “The items were chosen to prompt discussion about what leaving means — bittersweet emotions, tying up loose ends, and making memories.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “lash out” mean? “Kids can become withdrawn, isolating themselves from their classmates, or become angry, lashing out at those around them.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Personally, what do you think about the life of third culture kids?
  2. What do you think are the good and bad things about being a TCK?
  3. Overall, does the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of being a TCK?
  4. “Most TCKs made their first move before the age of nine and had lived in an average of four countries.  Most had degrees — 30% had a postgraduate qualification — and 85% spoke two or more languages. Those attributes help make TCKs attractive to employers.” Speak about your opinion on this.
  5. What are your thoughts on this: When you are a TCK, “Home is ‘everywhere and nowhere’.”?

Court Overturned a Ban on Religious Knives in Schools

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Keeping their children safe at home is an utmost priority for parents. Parents expect the same from schools. Most schools have rules on what children could bring inside the school premises. Sharp-edged objects are only allowed for learning purposes and should be handled with extra care. In cases where religious practices require young members to possess a dangerous weapon even at school, a higher judicial decision could prevail over school rules and regulation.

Let’s read the article and know more details about the Queensland court ruling on this matter.

https://theconversation.com/why-a-queensland-court-overturned-a-ban-on-religious-knives-in-schools-211042

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “blunt” mean? “Many kirpans are blunt and worn stitched inside a sheath under a person’s cloths.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  2. Define the word “egregious“.“What made the Queensland law particularly egregious is that not only did it prohibit the freedom of religion of a small and vulnerable minority, it did so deliberately.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of the verb “downplay“? “Referring to the kirpan as a knife downplays its important religious significance.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the kirpan for the Sikhs?
  2. Why did the Supreme Court of Queensland overturn the prior ban on possession of knives in school?
  3. What is your opinion on this Supreme Court ruling?
  4. How does this ruling affect the safety of the students in school and the religious rights of the Sikhs in the educational institution?

Spain Does Not Have a Fentanyl Problem

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fentanyl and Xylazine mixture is by far the deadliest drug threat in the USA. It is commonly known as the “zombie drug” because of its mental and physical manifestation on its users. There is an alarming rise in deaths linked to this drug mixture.

In Spain, however, this doesn’t seem to be a problem despite ranking fourth as the country with the most fentanyl consumption within the OECD.

Let’s read the article and know more as to why Spain doesn’t suffer the same fate as the USA.

https://www.thelocal.es/20230810/why-does-spain-not-have-a-fentanyl-problem

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the adjective “potent” mean in this context? “… it’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  2. Define the verb “dispense“. “These reports are sent to an administrative body, which then controls how much it dispenses.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “fill the gap” mean? “Europe’s heroin market may soon be in short supply, however, making way for drugs like fentanyl to fill the gap.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What kind of drug is Fentanyl and how is it compared with heroin and morphine?
  2. What are the reasons why Spain doesn’t have a widespread Fentanyl abuse?
  3. According to the article, what is the medication dispensing process for pharmacies in Spain?

Generosity Contributes to Human Happiness

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Generosity is universal across cultures.

There have been quite a number of experiments showing that generosity is a common trait, regardless of socioeconomic status. It is also a more spontaneous behavior compared to greed, which, as a matter of fact, requires more careful thought.

Read the article why it is more than likely that generosity enhances social relationships.

https://harrytprewitt.medium.com/scientific-proof-of-generosity-contributing-to-human-happiness-643178c90206

Vocabulary Questions:

  1.  What does ” generosity” mean? “So far, it was known that being generous increases our feeling of happiness and that happiness was supposed to be, in turn, one of the motivations for generosity.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “top the charts” mean? “The likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Mike Bloomberg top the charts.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “philanthropist” mean? “There can be many examples of philanthropists being generous with their work.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the result of this study?
  2. How important is public commitment in encouraging generous behavior? Explain your ideas.
  3. Talk about a foundation which helps the homeless/refugees/the elderly/orphans that you know of.
  4. What humanitarian project would you like to set up?
  5. When presenting a charity organization, how can you make the audience donate or volunteer?

Hey Hanging Is the Rudest Workplace Behavior

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Digital workplaces such as Google Workplace or Slack have become even more sought-after workplaces since the pandemic due to their digital workstyle nature.

Chat messages are often hard to decipher because you don’t know the tone of the sender. Reading a chat without context may cause you to overthink or be anxious. Subtle nuances in the digital workplace can have a significant influence on the overall atmosphere and dynamics. One such nuanced behavior is “Hey hanging”.

Read this article to learn about how “Hey hanging” induces anxiety in the workplace.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hey-hanging-work-chat_l_64c9387ae4b0fd06594dd491

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “right off the bat”. “To avoid any awkward pauses, it’s better just to explain what you need right off the bat.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “out of the blue” mean? “If you’ve never chatted with the person before, a “hey” out of the blue can leave you second-guessing yourself, too.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  3. What does “tailspin” mean? “When a colleague replies to a paragraph-long question with a one-letter “k” on Slack, it can send us into an anxious tailspin, worried the sender is mad at us.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on “Hey hanging”?
  2. What impact does a “hey” message without a follow-up or with a pause have on individuals, particularly when it comes from a manager?
  3. Have you personally experienced a situation where a sudden “hey” message in a digital workspace led to misinterpretation or heightened anxiety? How did you handle it?
  4. Can you provide alternative greetings or messages for a positive digital tone and reduced anxiety?
  5. How do clarity and context ease concerns with short messages like “hey” in digital work settings?

Dropout Factories

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some schools are infamous for their high rate of dropouts. There are many reasons as to why students prefer to quit their studies. 

The question remains though, does this issue have any impact on communities?

Read the article about dropout factories and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

http://headsupenglish.com/index.php/advanced-english-students/advanced-mini-lessons/165-dropout-factories

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a ”derogatory”? “A dropout factory serves as a derogatory label applied to any high school where 40% or more of the students quit before their final year.” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “churn out” mean? “Like a factory that churns out a product, sadly a dropout factory churns out students who fail to graduate.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does “impoverished” mean, “These schools tend to be in urban and/or impoverished areas.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘impoverished’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be some reasons students dropout from school?
  2. Do you think a drop-out still has a chance to succeed in life? Explain your opinion.
  3. How can high number of students dropping out affect the society/a community?
  4. Did you ever consider quitting your studies? If yes, when was it and why? If not, what is the reason you finished your studies?
  5. What could be done to lower the number of students dropping out?

Sick Houses

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We are living under the notion that staying indoors could shield us from outdoor pollutants. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when most people around the world were confined to their homes, we felt safer. However, being indoor isn’t tantamount to pollution-free condition. There are homes with level of air pollution that is as high or even exceeds the legal outdoor limits.

Let’s read the article and know more about what makes a sick house.

http://headsupenglish.com/index.php/advanced-english-students/advanced-mini-lessons/173-sick-houses

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the adverb “adversely“. “Did you know that your house could adversely affect your health?” Give two synonyms and use it in a sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of the word “malaise“? “It’s a home that contributes to or brings about allergies, malaise, migraines, and/or colds.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “solitary” mean? “And although it doesn’t come down to a solitary factor, the pollutants accumulate…” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are sick houses?
  2. Aside from health risks, what other effects could sick houses have on its dwellers?
  3. How do you keep your home free from indoor pollution?
  4. In your opinion, which areas in your country have more sick houses?

Birth Order

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the 1900’s, Austrian psychotherapist Alfred Adler formed a theory that the development of our personalities is influenced by our birth order within our families. He proposed that due to this personality development, consequential life outcomes could follow.

Let’s read the article and know more about birth order and its possible effects on one’s personality.

http://headsupenglish.com/index.php/advanced-english-students/advanced-mini-lessons/160-birth-order

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the adverb “profoundly” mean? “The order in which a person is born profoundly affects development.” Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “indelible” mean in this context? “ It leaves an indelible impression which influences how the individual deals with love…” Use it in a sentence.
  3. Define “hogwash“. “Quite a number of psychologists view birth order and its effects on personality as utter hogwash.” Give two synonyms and use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is birth order? What is your birth order?
  2. According to the article, how does birth order affect one’s development?
  3. In your opinion, what shapes one’s personality?
  4. Share your thoughts on this statement, “It’s often said that first-borns tend to be more conservative, as well as focus on achievement. The youngest sibling tends towards rebelliousness.”

The End of Hustle Culture

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Hustle culture has been quite popular among the working class. However, some believe that this long-glorified culture may be coming to an end. This kind of culture has a huge impact on people’s work-life balance and mental well-being. As the world becomes more competitive, the pressure to constantly hustle intensifies.

Read this article to learn more about hustle culture.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230417-hustle-culture-is-this-the-end-of-rise-and-grind

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “go-getter“? “…this is the way go-getters get what they want.” Use this in a sentence.
  2. What does “fair shot” mean? “Everyone has a fair shot at success.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  3. Define “coupled with“. “And because that time was coupled with the stress of financial uncertainty, experts say some people came to find hustle culture more exhausting than empowering.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on hustle culture?
  2. How does hustle culture impact work-life balance and individuals’ well-being?
  3. Have you ever experienced burnout or exhaustion due to adopting a “rise and grind” mentality?
  4. How do you prioritize work-life balance while still striving for success in your career?
  5. Have you ever felt pressure to conform to hustle culture from your peers or workplace?