Tag: C1 – Advanced

Corporal Punishment in Schools

C1 – Advanced

Corporal punishment is disciplining by way of physically harming the child at fault. This kind of correction has been used in schools and many have spoken against it. Yet, there are some who think that the old practice of corporal punishment is something that should remain in institutions to teach restraint and self-control in children.

Read the article below and express your thought afterwards.

Corporal Punishment in Schools

Discuss:

1. How prevalent is corporal punishment in schools?
2. In your own opinion, should corporal punishment have a place in education? Why/Why not?
3. Do you see an advantage to using corporal punishment?

Huggable Robots

C1 – Advanced

For kids, going to the hospital can be a terrifying and sometimes boring experience. An interesting innovation from researchers and roboticists may be a good solution- a robot companion.  This robot’s creators aim to know if it can can have therapeutic value for hospitalized children. Can it really alleviate sick children’s anxiety, pain, and isolation?

Let’s meet this blue bear who’s making sick kids less blue.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of “Huggable”? How does a child respond to it?
2. What suggestions did one of the kids give to make it a better robot companion?
3. How else can we make a doctor’s visit less dreadful for children?
4. Did you enjoy hospital visits when you were a kid? How about now?

A Man and His Tiny Country

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C1 – Advanced

Liberland is one of the only few unclaimed territories in the world. But a Czech-born guy is claiming the rights to this country that he thinks is his.

Find out more about Liberland and Vit Jedlicka’s battle to get back what he thinks rightfully belongs to him.

The man who created a tiny country he can no longer enter

Discuss:
1. Do you think this man and his friends are the rightful owners of this territory?
2. Describe Liberland and its government. What do you think of the kind of government it has?
3. Would you like to be a resident of this country?
4. If you were to own a country, what would you name it and how would you try to create a utopia there?
5. Express your thoughts about land disputes.

Less Stuff, More Happiness

C1 – Advanced

Can having less material things in a room lead to more happiness?
Watch this 5-minute video to get the answer and tips on how you can edit your life.

Discuss:
1. Fill in the blank: In 2013, American homes were about ________ bigger than they were in the 1950’s and 60’s.
2. To which has the accumulation of “stuff” led to in the past 50 years?
3. Discuss the 3 rules mentioned in the video.
4. In your personal life, how can you practice “less is more”?
5.  What is the most important reason to edit your life?

Native English Speakers are World’s Worst Communicators

C1 – Advanced

Misunderstandings between native English Speakers and ESL speakers happen more often than you think. There happens to be a certain comprehension between two ESL speakers as compared to a non-native and a native speaker.

Read the article below then express your thoughts. Share some of your experiences as well.

Native English Speakers are the World’s Worst Communicators

Discuss:

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you are in a group listening to a native English speaker and everyone is unsure of the message?
2. Do you ever nod in agreement even if you don’t understand what the person is saying?
3. Do you understand non-native English speakers easier than native English speakers?
4. Do you know any other English abbreviations like ‘OOO’ (out of the office)?
5. Which do you find easier to understand, US English or UK English?

Breakfast: The Power Hour for Success

coffee shop scence with London red bud behind in window. Image shot 2008. Exact date unknown.

C1 – Advanced

It is a well-known fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But to some business people, breakfast time is not just for meals. It’s also for meetings.

Read the article below to find out the benefits of having morning meetings and the right time to have after-hours meetings.

Breakfast is the real power hour for success

Discuss:

1. According to the article, what are the benefits of having meetings early in the morning?
2. Do you agree with the points mentioned in the article?
3. How often do you have meetings at work? What time do you usually have them?
4. What is the most productive time for you at work? Are you a morning person or an evening person?

A Plastic Ocean

C1 – Advanced

“With plastic, man is faced with another brainchild run amok. At times it seems that technology cannot exist without it. Plastic may seem indispensable; it is also virtually undisposable. When man is through with it, he is hard put to get rid of it. The plastic that holds a six-pack of beer cans together might last anywhere from 450 to 1,000 years.” (Oceans – Precious Resource or Global Sewer?)

Watch the short video below then express your thoughts about trash polluting our oceans.

Discuss:

1. How would you describe the video?
2. What do you think will happen to our oceans in the future?
3. Is it possible to completely stop the use of plastic?
4. Does your city have its own initiative to lessen the use of plastic? Help the environment?

Shanghai IKEA Bans Old People from Dating

C1 – Advanced

How would you feel if you see a sign outside an establishment saying that the restaurant will only be for people who purchase their food first? An IKEA branch has reportedly posted the same sign outside their coffee shop. Find out more by clicking the link to the article.

Shanghai IKEA bans old people from dating

Discuss:

1. What should IKEA do about older people using their cafe to look for love?
2. What is wrong with using a store’s café as a meeting place?
3. Should coffee shops stop people from using seats for extended periods?
4. What makes society a place where old people feel alienated?

Greeks May Have Built Terracotta Army

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C1 – Advanced

China’s first emperor was buried with 8,000 stone statues – a stone army guarding his tomb. It is now believed that Ancient Greeks influenced and helped build these statues along with other sculptors. It also suggests there was close contact between the Greeks and China long before the opening of the Silk Road.

Ancient Greeks may have built China’s famous Terracotta Army – 1,500 years before Marco Polo

Discuss:

1. When dealing with history that is thousands of years in the past do you think we can really know what truly happened?
2. History seems to change often with new discoveries of our past, do you think many of the things we now believe are actually false?
3. What are some historical events that you are interested in?

Video About Domestic Violence

C1 – Advanced

This is  a 5-minute video about domestic violence.

Domestic violence isn’t just about physical abuse. It includes emotional abuse and it affects the whole family. One in three women are affected by domestic violence in Australia.

Watch the video below then share your thoughts.

Discuss:

1. How would you describe the husband during the first part of the video? How about the wife?
2. Is domestic violence a big problem in your country?
3. What are the necessary steps to solve domestic violence?
4. Are there organizations in your country helping domestic violence victims and survivors?