Tag: Business English

Popular Water Bottle

B1 – Intermediate 

In the middle of many environmental problems we have today, people are becoming more and more sustainability-conscious. One of things we want to reduce is the single use of plastics. A solution is using less plastic cups and bottles for drinks or water. 

Then, a new trend started with people using reusable tumblers. 

One of the most famous water tumbler brands is Stanley that is well-known for its durability and double-walled vacuum insulation.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the popular water bottle brand Stanley cups.

Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/popular-water-bottle-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “sought-after” mean, “Stanley cups, particularly limited editions, have become highly sought after and are re-selling for hundreds of dollars.” Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use the word ‘sought after’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “word-of-mouth” mean, “Marketing expert Camille Moore emphasizes that Stanley succeeded by creating a great product, relying on word-of-mouth and social media rather than traditional advertising.”? Use this expression in a sentence.
  3. What does the verb “to skyrocket” mean? “Despite being around since 1913, Stanley’s fortunes skyrocketed after the introduction of the 1.2-liter ‘Quencher’ tumbler in 2016.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are Stanley cups very popular?
  2. What is your opinion about Stanley’s strategy to promote its products/brand by creating a great product, using word-of-mouth and social media instead of traditional advertising? 
  3. Do you own a reusable water bottle? Why or why not?
  4. What are the good things about using reusable water bottles?
  5. Do you think that they are a solution to our environmental problems? Explain.

What is Accounting?

B1 – Intermediate

In simple terms, accounting refers to recording and reporting financial information. It often involves measuring, summarizing, and analyzing a business or corporation’s sales figures and communicating them to tax authorities. 

Watch the video to know more about accounting and how it keeps a systematic and accurate record of company’s activities.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the word “challenging”? “I think you could see that could be quite challenging“. Use it in a sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of the word “proficiency”? “However, if you had some proficiency in the foreign language your trip would likely be enjoyable”. Use it in a sentence.
  3. What is “immersion”? “So, how do students study for language classes? With practice and immersion.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the speaker, how should students study both languages and accounting?
  2. What is accounting for?
  3. Do you agree with the speaker when he said, “Accounting is really a foreign language class?” What do you think he meant by this? Share your points of view.
  4. How is accounting similar to any other subjects?
  5. Why is accounting important in a business?

TV Dinners Changed American Cooking

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the mid-20th century, a culinary revolution quietly unfolded in American homes, transforming the way families approached mealtime. Enter the TV dinner—a convenient, pre-packaged meal that brought together elements of innovation, efficiency, and, well, a dash of nostalgia.

No longer bound to the traditional confines of home-cooked dinners, Americans found themselves embracing the futuristic appeal of neatly compartmentalized trays filled with a medley of flavors. These frozen delights not only saved time, but also mirrored the changing dynamics of American life, where convenience became a key ingredient in the recipe for success. The TV dinner era not only changed the way America cooked, but also left an indelible mark on the cultural menu of the nation.

Watch the video to know how TV dinner changed the American cooking and be able to answer the questions below.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is flash frozen meat? “Imagine opening a box of TV dinner and marveling at the flash frozen meat, perfectly preserved to retain its flavor and texture as if it was just prepared in a chef’s kitchen.” Make a sentence using this term.
  2. What does “pitch” mean in this sentence? “Borrowing from the concept of the ‘Strato-Plate’, Swanson salesman Gerry Tomas pitched an idea – preserve the turkey through flash freezing and sell it to consumers as a meal in a box.” Make a sentence using this word.
  3. What does expression “lauded” mean? “The innovation of TV dinners deserves to be lauded with praise for revolutionizing the way we approach mealtime, providing a quick and easy solution for busy households. Make a sentence using this word.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think the advent of TV dinners impacted family dynamics around mealtime?
  2. In your opinion, do TV dinners represent a positive or negative shift in our approach to cooking and dining as a society? Explain your answer.
  3. What are your thoughts on the cultural significance of TV dinners and their influence on American culinary habits?
  4. How have TV dinners influenced the way we perceive and value traditional cooking skills in contemporary culture?
  5. In your opinion, do TV dinners promote a healthy or unhealthy relationship with food and eating habits?

Penny Supermarket Charges True Cost of Foods

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Food is an ultimate essential for humans. Perhaps most of us do not pay so much attention to it, but agriculture and food production contribute a great deal to greenhouse emissions.

The German-French discount supermarket chain Penny wants their customers to pay extra for certain food items in order to cover for their true climate/environmental costs. This initiative from Penny also aims to make grocery shoppers aware of the impact of food production on the environment.

Read the article about Penny’s “True Cost” campaign.

https://www.dw.com/en/true-food-prices-germany-penny/a-66422126

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”greenwashing” mean? “Bernhard Krüsken, the general secretary of the German Farmers’ Association, called the campaign a “greenwashing project of a discount supermarket that otherwise has little interest in fair pricing.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What does ”markedly” mean? “Almost all of the products that the German discount supermarket Penny is now selling at the “true cost” of their environmental impacts are markedly more expensive.” Give 2 synonyms and use “markedly” in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to be reflected in something” mean, “These impacts are not yet reflected in sales prices, but they cost our society money indirectly.”? Use this idiom in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Penny’s campaign? Do you believe it is just greenwashing? Why or why not?
  2. How will this campaign affect Penny?
  3. Will this initiative really make consumers consider the environmental consequences of their purchases? Explain.
  4. What are some things you do as a consumer to minimize the impact of your purchases on the environment?
  5. “Germans paid only 11.1% of their household budget for food, less than people in the EU usually pay.” How much do you think a household in your country typically spends on food? Is it a very high or very low budget in your opinion?

China’s Economy a Ticking Time Bomb

B2 – Upper Intermediate

China is considered the world’s second-largest economy. With the recent economic crises that the economic powerhouse is confronted with, US President Joe Biden described its economy as a ‘ticking time bomb’.

On contrary, Chinese President Xi Jinping believes their country’s economy has “strong resilience, tremendous potential, and great vitality”.

Read this article to learn more about China’s economic problems.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66636403

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “ticking time bomb” mean? “US President Joe Biden described the world’s second-largest economy as “a ticking time bomb, predicting growing discontent in the country.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “to ride a wave of something” mean? “For two decades, the sector boomed as developers rode a wave of privatization. But crisis struck in 2020.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “meltdown” mean here, “The government, fearing a US-style 2008 meltdown, then put limits on how much developers could borrow.”? Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your own words, discuss China’s economic crisis.
  2. How do you think China’s economic crisis could affect the world economy?
  3. What are some economic crises that your country is facing right now and what do you think caused it.
  4. “A change of economic direction requires a change of political ideology.” Do you think China should consider changing some of its political ideologies? Talk about your opinion.
  5. “There could be a danger that Mr Xi is prioritizing ideology over effective governance, or control over pragmatism.” Share your thoughts on this.

Child-Free Zones on Planes

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For some people, flying on a plane could be a stressful experience by itself. The fear of flying, missing a connecting flight, or misrouted luggages are some of the reasons for this anxiety. Apart from these, another reason a plane experience could be stressful is if you are sitting close to a disruptive child. A few airline companies have taken the initiative to launch child-free zones in their flights.

Let’s read the article and find out more about this “quiet zones” on the plane.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/child-free-flights/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “within earshot” mean?”I know how stressful it can be for the parents and how disruptive it can be for passengers within earshot.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. Define the word “shriek“. “One airline, though, has devised a plan to separate silence-seeking adults from the wails and shrieks that so often find their way out of a baby’s surprisingly strong lungs.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  3. What is the meaning of the word “a pretty penny? “I’m kidding (or am I?), but my point is that unless you pay a pretty penny, flying — like life — has its inconveniences.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are child-free zones on a plane? Where can they be found and what is the passenger age requirement?
  2. Do you think child-free zones is a win-win solution or a form of alienation? Explain your stand.
  3. Should passengers pay extra to be in these quiet zones? Explain.
  4. Do you think it’s worth the added cost? Why or why not?
  5. Have you ever been disrupted by a child on a plane? If yes, how did you handle it?
  6. In your opinion, should there be child-free zones in other public places and transportation too?

Brands Get Your Brain to Buy More

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many of us would agree that we are usually buying constantly without thinking of whether we need it or not and that is because some products that are on display intrigue us to the point of just letting it pass.

Watch the video below to learn more about how brands are getting on our heads.

Vocabulary Discussions:

  1. What does the expression, “too good to be true” means, “If this story sounds too good to be true, then that’s because it is.“? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does the idiom, “under the hood” means, “Neuromarketers have adopted a range of technologies in their marketing studies to see what’s happening under the hood – inside the consumers’ brains.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does the expression, “to get a kick out of something” means, “When they looked at their brains, it turned out, people got a real kick out of getting their fingers messy with this orange orange dust that they are covered in.“? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you feel tricked every time you shop impulsively? Cite examples of your actual impulsive purchases and which marketing trickery do you think got you to buying those products.
  2. What is the primary issue with neuromarketing and how does it affect you as a consumer?
  3. Is neuromarketing a risk or an opportunity? Explain your thoughts.
  4. Will you affirm that neuromarketing is ethical? Why or why not? State your point.

Property

B1 – Intermediate

They say owning a property is probably one of the wisest investments one can ever make. Houses, buildings, and lands continue to increase in value through time.

However, for many people, the property market can be very intimidating and confusing.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about property owning.

https://listenaminute.com/p/property.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”to rise in value” mean? “Buying property usually guarantees your investment will rise in value.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does ”to play something” mean? “If you have a lot of extra cash, you can play the world property market.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What is a “hidden cost”, “I don’t like all the hidden costs involved in buying a property.”? Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree to this: “Property is one of the best investments you can make.”? Explain your opinion.
  2. Knowing that “Places like Dubai and other areas of the Gulf are good places to buy at the moment.”, would you buy properties if you had the money? Why or why not?
  3. Do you know some people who have made a lot of money from investing in properties? Talk about him/her/them.
  4. Is it common in your country for people to have more than one property under their name? Why or why not?
  5. How knowledgeable are you about the property market?

Public Relations

B1 – Intermediate

Public relations or PR is all about building and maintaining the positive image of a company, organization, or client. It is an important part of many sectors such as business, politics, and even sports and the entertainment world.

In PR, loads of money is spent in order to be sure that the client always does and says the right things.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about public relations.

https://listenaminute.com/p/public_relations.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to get one’s name out there” mean? “People in PR have to work hard in getting the company’s name out there.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  2. Define “image” in this context, “They must always say the right thing and have the perfect image.” Use this word in a sentence.
  3. What does it mean when “something goes wrong”, “When something goes wrong, it’s called a public relations disaster.”? Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is public relations important to companies? How about celebrities? How about politicians?
  2. Bad publicity is still publicity. What is your opinion on this?
  3. To make a company or celebrity famous and relevant, PR staff sometimes have to lie. What is your opinion on this?
  4. Talk about a public relations disaster you know of.
  5. Talk about your company’s PR.

Switzerland Imports More Cheese 

B1 – Intermediate

Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you hear ‘Switzerland’ is cheese. The country is very famous for making cheese. It is a very important product from this nation.

However, for the first time, Switzerland is importing cheese more than exporting it.

Read the article about the Swiss cheese import-export trade.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2307/230713-swiss-cheese-2.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “open up” mean, “The reason is that Switzerland opened up its milk market.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “compete” mean,  “This means it is difficult for Swiss farmers to compete with cheaper, imported milk.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “a big part of one’s life” mean, “Cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction to this news about Switzerland importing cheese more than exporting it?
  2. Why are dairy farms disappearing in Switzerland?
  3. What products does your country import and export?
  4. Are there any industries that are disappearing in your country? What are they and why is it happening?
  5. Do people in your country eat a lot of cheese? Why or why not?