Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Family Influences Career Choice

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some say that young people nowadays are not willing to follow in their parents’ footsteps in business or lifestyle. 

Read the article to know why some young people choose to follow their parents’ advice when choosing their career and others don’t.

https://medium.com/elizabethsblog/how-family-influences-your-career-choice-75ff9452cd21

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does steer away from someone/something mean? “When children are exposed to their parents’ beliefs, this can result in the individual steering away from certain career choices and following their guardian’s ideals and beliefs.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does peer influence mean? “Other factors such as church and peer influences are generally overridden by home and school.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does nurturing mean? “Another factor of how a parent can influence a child’s career choice may depend on how nurturing the parents are.” Give a synonym and use ‘nurturing’ in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that families have a large impact on what career path their children might choose? Explain your stand.
  2. Why do you think parents want their children to follow a certain career path?
  3. Who influenced the career path that you are in now? What impact did they make on you or your decision to take up a degree/profession in this field?
  4. In your opinion, why are young people reluctant to follow their parents’ career advice?
  5. What career advice would you give your children (children of your friends or relatives)?

Overprotective Parenting Style

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you see the difference between how parents controlled their kids in the past and how they do it now?

Read the article and discuss parental control and better parenting options.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/overprotective_parenting_style

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does overindulge mean? “According to leadership expert Tim Elmore, when we rescue too quickly and overindulge our children with “assistance,” we remove the need for them to navigate hardships and solve problems on their own.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does swoop in mean? “Help them develop coping skills by not swooping in to save them every time they are in distress.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What is a role model? “This is a mom or dad who sets carefully defined limits for children, the one who is a good role model and praises children for their efforts.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you know any family that control their kids too much? What do they do?
  2. What are the parenting styles mentioned in the article?
  3. Do you think you will allow your children to use the Internet without controlling them?
  4. What are the negative effects of overprotective parenting style?

Secrets to a Happy Marriage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Marriage won’t work if you neglect each other’s desires and needs. Do you know how to maintain a happy married life?

Let’s watch the video where truly experienced ladies share their secrets to happy and successful marriages.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “sassy” mean? ” I know that she can be sassy, but I try not to take it seriously.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “anticipate” mean? “I know for me, there’s been a lot of care-taking, that my husband has had to do, that you never anticipate.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “stigma“ mean? “It doesn’t really hold a stigma now.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the key to a long, successful marriage? Explain.
  2. Do you agree that the new generation has an absolutely different attitude to marriage? Why (not)?
  3. If people are unhappy in marriage, should they stay together? Why (not)? And what if they have children?
  4. How can people maintain romantic relationship through the years?

Talking to Yourself

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When someone catches you talking to yourself, it can be rather embarrassing. However, self-talk is absolutely normal. Doing so, the right way, that is, can actually be very beneficial to your well-being.

Watch the video and discover the psychological benefits and drawbacks of self-talks.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mutter” mean, As your morning alarm blares, you mutter to yourself, “Why did I set it so early?” Give a synonym of ‘mutter’ and use the word in a sentence.
  2. What does “facet” mean, “Specifically, psychologists define self-talk as verbalized thoughts directed toward yourself or some facet of your life.” Give a synonym of ‘facet’ and use the word in a sentence.
  3. What does “ruminate” mean, “And those who constantly blame themselves for their problems and ruminate on those situations, typically experience more intense feelings of depression.”? Give a synonym and use ‘ruminate’ in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on talking to one’s self?
  2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of making inner speeches?
  3. How does self-talk benefit you?
  4. Does what we say to ourselves matter? Why or why not?
  5. Explain what CBT is and share what you think about it.
  6. Share you thoughts on this, “The way you treat people is what they become.”.

Should We Fear Chatbots

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Chatbots have become more and more popular these days. We encounter a lot of chatbots when we do certain transactions on the internet. However, there is this existing fear that chatbots might surpass the level of information stored in human brains.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript to learn more about chatbots.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230706

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “on guard” mean? “…we need to be on guard against that because what’s coming out of ChatGPT is none of that.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What is a “sentient entity“? “You can provoke it to say things that sound like what a sentient entity would say.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  3. Define “primed“. “We are really primed to imagine a mind behind language whenever we encounter language.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of chatbots?
  2. In your opinion, are chatbots helpful? Why or why not?
  3. Should we fear chatbots? Why or why not?
  4. What are the potential reasons that people might be afraid of chatbots?
  5. What do you think are the pros and cons of using a chatbot?

Women Need to Eat Differently in Their 40s

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Due to aging and hormone changes, women’s bodies undergo significant modifications as they reach their forties. The shifts in metabolic processes, physique, bone composition, and overall wellness are caused by these adjustments. It becomes increasingly important for women to take charge of their eating regimens in order to maintain a healthy state at this stage of life.

Examine the underlying causes prompting women to alter their eating patterns in their 40s and access the recommended guidelines for making dietary changes to support enduring health and vitality through the link provided.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-dietary-needs-after-40_l_64b17d85e4b0dcb4cab2da14

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “holy grail” mean in the sentence, “If you’re a woman who’s in her mid-40s, you’ve probably witnessed a number of fad diets and nutritional holy grails over the past few decades.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “window of opportunity” mean in the sentence, “Health experts call the time of life a window of opportunity, she said.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
  3. What does “lower the bar” mean in the sentence, “So give yourself permission to lower the bar and make a most-of-the-time ‘good enough’ your standard, instead of striving for perfection every time.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do women need to eat differently when they reach their 40s?
  2. How can women adapt their diets to support their metabolism in their 40s?
  3. How does heart health become a priority for women in their 40s, and what dietary adjustments can support it?
  4. What are some other lifestyle factors besides diet that women should consider to maintain well-being in their 40s? Please share.
  5. What can be done to promote awareness of the importance of adapting their diets for better health during this life stage? Talk about it.

The Quiet Guilt of Self-Employment

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The idea of working for oneself has become more and more fashionable in recent years due to the fact that it gives individuals the independence, flexibility, and the potential to embark on what interests them.

While working for yourself can be rewarding, there are obstacles to overcome. Despite the frequently idealized perception of being one’s own boss, many self-employed people carry a quiet guilt.

Explore the multifaceted emotions that freelance employees experience, the causes of their guilt, and any possible impacts on their overall health by clicking the link.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230614-the-quiet-guilt-of-self-employment

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “it’s much easier said than done” mean in the sentence, “Unfortunately for the self-employed, some of these workers report it’s much easier said than done – and can be a catalyst for burnout.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “billable hours” mean in the sentence, “It’s also turned me into a workaholic, who squeezes in billable hours on the weekends, and pushes my bedtime to cross one more thing off the to-do list.”? Use this in your own sentence.
  3. What does “ to be pronounced” mean in the sentence, “A 35-year-old self-employed graphic designer in the US state of North Carolina, says the guilt is most pronounced when she’s doing something enjoyable.”? Use this in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some effective strategies for managing and overcoming the guilt associated with self-employment? Tell me more.
  2. How can self-employed individuals combat the feelings of isolation and loneliness that often accompany their chosen career path? Please share.
  3. What are the biggest advantages and disadvantages you have experienced in your self-employment journey?
  4. Have you faced any specific societal or cultural challenges or judgments as a self-employed person, and how have you navigated them? Please share.
  5. What advice would you give to someone considering self-employment as a career path?

Dream Stage of Sleep

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Sleep is a vital component of human life that has a big impact on both our mental and physical well-being. Our sleep rhythms include rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep at various stages throughout the night. Vivid dreaming is a hallmark of REM sleep, which is important for memory consolidation, emotional control, and cognitive functions.

To learn more about the ideal dream stage duration during sleep and its significance for overall sleep quality, click the link.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hours-rem-sleep-need_l_64a6f95ae4b0e87d6552ff3d

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “a host of” mean, “REM sleep is beneficial for a host of important reasons.”? Give a synonym and use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “check out” mean in the sentence, “With that said, you’ll want to get these checked out by a sleep doctor or specialist to see how underlying health conditions, medications and other sleep-related disorders may be affecting your sleep cycle.”? Give a synonym and use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “worth a chat” mean in the sentence, “It’s also worth a chat if you’re just generally having a rough time getting rest.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the dream stage of sleep and why is it important?
  2. Is there a recommended percentage of sleep time that should be spent in the dream stage? Talk about it.
  3. How does the optimal duration of the dream stage differ across different age groups?
  4. How does the dream stage impact memory consolidation and learning?
  5. What are the potential effects of disrupting or inhibiting the dream stage on emotional well-being and mental health?

Being Thinner Makes You Richer

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever observed that in the developed world, wealth and weight are somehow related? People tend to become thinner as their wealth increases, yet this association can be strongly inferred or extended to women.

Let’s watch the video below to learn more about the secret economy of thinness.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “economically rational” mean? “It is economically rational for women to try as hard as possible to be thin.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “more likely” mean? “Richer women are much more likely to be thin than poorer ones.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does the term “economic pursuit” mean? “In many ways thinness is an economic pursuit.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree with the correlation between wealth and weight, especially for women in developed countries? Explain.
  2. Are women typically leaner in your country? What could be the reason why their weight is like that?
  3. Can we consider the correlation between wealth and weight a tragedy? Explain your thoughts.
  4. What are your thoughts on this, “In many ways thinness is an economic pursuit.“?
  5. Share your reaction to this, “Losing 65 pounds could have the same impact on a woman’s wages as gaining a master’s degree.“.

Climate Change Cause More Diseases

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The effects of climate change are hotter temperatures, stronger storms, loss of species, and food supply issues to name a few.

As temperatures get higher and higher, mosquitos now plague new places and Europe is no exception.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about how climate change worsen some mosquito-borne diseases.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230525

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “critical window” mean? “Sometimes parents don’t know about this critical window, and when they bring the child to the hospital, it’s difficult for us to help.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does the idiom “part of the jigsaw/puzzle” mean, “Manisha also talked about the link between poverty and dengue, which is an important part of this jigsaw isn’t it, because as more and more people move to cities and live in cramped conditions, with poor sanitation, then more and more people are exposed to dengue, so there’s something of a domino effect here.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “domino effect” mean, “These provide the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos creating a domino effect.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does climate change have anything to do with mosquito-borne diseases?
  2. Share your thoughts/reaction to this: “The domino effect means that dengue is spreading not just in Asia, but in parts of the world which didn’t have it before, including France, Spain, and Italy.”.
  3. Talk about another disease caused or spread by insects or animals. Discuss its symptoms and treatment.
  4. Talk about other diseases that are made worse by climate change.
  5. How else does climate change impact human health?