Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

Brain is Wired for Negative Thoughts

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever noticed that whenever you do something, you tend to focus a lot more on the negative things?

Although this is useful in helping us solve problems, it can also be a burden.

As an example, if you got a new shirt and wore it, if one person were to say something bad about it, you would probably focus more on that negative instead of the positive feedback.

This is called the negativity bias, but why does it happen? And what is the extent of this bias?

To find out more, let’s watch this video.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How has negativity bias affected your life?
  2. What are other ways to lessen the effects of negativity bias?
  3. What do you think of negativity bias? Is it mostly good or is it mostly bad?

Buy Nothing Day and Stop Over-Consumption

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Will you accept the challenge of buying fewer things?

Look at a popular online magazine headline and talk about your shopping habits and how they could influence your life and our planet.

Greenpeace campaigner Bonnie Tang said: “Hong Kongers love buying clothes and, apparently, throwing them away as well. At the rate they are entering our landfills we have to wonder why they are buying so many outfits only to throw them into trash bins. This level of wasteful consumption is ultimately a heavy burden on the environment.”

A Greenpeace study on the amount of textiles discarded in Hong Kong over the past 10 years found that the weight of discarded clothing averaged 100,000 tonnes annually. Although the amount of clothes being thrown away remains high, the government fails to collect and provide statistics on the environmental costs of public consumption or wastage of clothing.

“The issue of clothing waste has many mini-solutions including recycling, upcycling, and donation, however the thread that is woven throughout this issue is overconsumption,” Tang added. “Overconsumption is fueled by consumer demand and met all too enthusiastically by the fast fashion industry.”

Greenpeace calls on the Hong Kong public to acknowledge the impact that high consumption levels have on the environment. Consumers are urged to reduce unnecessary spending and adopt more environmentally-friendly consumption habits, such as buying clothes made from non-toxic materials, wearing second-hand clothes, repairing worn clothes, and not discarding old clothes.

Facts retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a lot of clothes or do you have a small wardrobe?
  2.  What can people do to minimize the negative effect of their shopping habits?
  3.  Have you ever thought about changing your shopping habits?

More Married Couples Remaining Childless

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we hear about couples getting married, it automatically comes to our mind that they are already expecting a child or going to have children. However, this is no longer the case: some couples choose to live alone, with no intention of having children. 

Here’s an article you can read to learn some of the reasons why some couples don’t want kids.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/census-more-married-couples-women-childless-no-kids-1998331

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on voluntary childlessness?
  2. According to the article, what are the reasons for voluntary childlessness?
  3. Why do you think couples opt not to have any children?
  4. How is childlessness viewed in your country?
  5. What are your thoughts on this, “Having to make a trade-off with one’s career is a big concern for women.”?

Radio Stations Shut Down in Venezuela

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has closed down almost one hundred radio stations due to lack of valid licenses. However, journalists and opposition leaders have a different opinion. They believe this is another blow to freedom of speech.

Read the article about radio stations shut down in Venezuela.

https://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/08/01/venezuela.radio.stations/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is the Venezuelan government closing down numerous independent radio stations?
  2. What do you think of the massive closure of radio stations in Venezuela? Do you think it is a subtle act of suppressing press freedom?
  3. What are the indirect effects of these radio station closures?
  4. What are the regulations of the ownership and operation of radio and television stations in your country?

The Smart Way to Learn from Failure

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The idea that failure is a bad thing is one that is quite often held. Numerous people who struggle with something are frequently labeled as losers, but if they take the lessons from their defeats, they become victors.

Failure teaches individuals that success is earned through tenacity and hard work, and that they are just like everyone else. The most valuable lessons in life are commonly learned through bad decisions made and the wisdom acquired through them. But do we actually learn from our mistakes, or do we purposefully fail to acknowledge them and carry on as if nothing had happened?

Check out the following article for more information on how to gain knowledge from our shortcomings.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221019-the-smart-way-to-learn-from-failure

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your personal perspective on failure?
  2. Have there been any failures that made your life better?
  3. Is there a right time to give up and stop trying?
  4. Can you name any well-known figures who failed miserably at something?
  5. Describe a time when you tried something and failed.

Mental Health Benefits of Indoor Plants

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Evidence shows that spending time with nature can improve our mental and physical well-being. It has also been proven to help lift our mood and reduce stress level. However, for those who live in cities, have hectic and busy lives, it’s quite a challenge to find time to get outside with nature.

So why not bring the outside in by introducing plants to your home? Not only it spruces up your home, but also allows you to reap the benefits of indoor plants and nature.

Watch the video to learn more and be able to answer the questions below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the benefits of indoor plants mentioned in the video? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?
  2. Do you have greenery at home? If so, why do you have them? How do you feel about having plants inside the house?
  3. What are some things you do to maintain or improve your mental health?

Everything Wrong With “Woke” Culture

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this day and age, woke culture has spread far, but what does “woke” even mean? It means that one is aware of the injustices in today’s society.

And although this may seem good on paper, in practice, it has become a blight on culture and has become very troubling. Video games, movies, and culture in general has been influenced with toxic ideals.

As an example, woke feminism has shown that all men are toxic and only women are powerful while normal feminism shows that even women can be powerful.

Despite it being only a minor threat and although having a lot of representation, it is still heavily mocked. However, a concerning number of people now believe these ideas.

So if woke culture is continuously upheld, things may change for the worse.

Let’s watch this video on everything wrong with woke culture.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on woke culture?
  2. What is your opinion on the current state of woke culture in our society? Is it good or bad? What is your opinion?
  3. Do you think that there is a way to improve the way we imbibe woke culture? Explain.
  4. What examples of woke culture can you think of?

Thinking about ‘Future You’ Builds a Happier Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

These days, mindfulness is extremely popular and for good reasons. Being present-oriented can enhance our health and quality of life, foster love and care, and deepen our emotional bonds.
What if we look beyond the here and now? A growing body of research indicates that while thinking about the future can cause anxiety, it can also enrich our lives. Yes, as implied, we ought to give our future selves more of our attention, because through fantasizing, we can look at alternate paths to reach for our aspirations in life.

Read the article to learn about how thinking about ‘future you’ can help lead a better, happier, and more meaningful life.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220201-how-thinking-about-future-you-can-build-a-happier-life

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you hope for for your own future?
  2. What anxieties and concerns do you have for the future?
  3. How has your vision of your future self changed from when you were young to present?
  4. What did you believe about your years ahead when you were younger?
  5. Would you rather spend 100 years in the distant past or the future? Why?

Small Talk

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A psychologist named Susan Pinker says that small talks can help us live longer. It enables people to find common ground and interest. That’s why it is not surprising how small chitchats improve our social interactions.

Watch a short clip below and see how Joseph learns a lesson from a second-grader.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How was Joseph’s first encounter with Adam? How did Adam try to make a small talk with Joseph?
  2. What are your thoughts on this conversation?
  3. Do you like making small talks? Why or why not?
  4. What questions can we ask when attempting to make a small talk? What questions shouldn’t we ask when we make a small talk? Explain your answer.
  5. What are some of the most memorable small talks you’ve ever had with a total stranger?

Safety: Nothing is Routine

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We can be a victim of our own complacency. It happens when the task becomes too familiar, and our brain goes on autopilot. Ideally, we should always be mindful of everything, but because we have done a specific activity so many times, we tend to start getting complacent.

Here’s a video clip that will remind us how dangerous it can be to start being complacent about safety when it comes to our most mundane tasks.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Retell the scenes that you saw in the video.
  2. Do you agree that nothing is routine when it comes to our safety? Express your thoughts.
  3. How can we be more mindful even if we have already done a task multiple times?
  4. Share one experience you had when you didn’t pay no mind to something you were doing which led to an accident or put you in danger.
  5. What safety practices at home and work should we never be complacent about?