Tag: Culture and Countries

Where Superstitions Come From

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Superstitions have come a long way in our history. It may be classified roughly as religious, cultural, and personal. Despite the modernization, superstitious beliefs still persist in our society and to some extent, some people believe in such irrational and absurd beliefs.

Watch the video to know its origin and be able to answer the questions that follow:

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on superstitions?
  2. Are you/people in your country superstitious? Why do you think this is?
  3. Why do some people believe in superstitions?
  4. What superstitious beliefs do you know and/or believe?
  5. Talk about some Spanish superstitious beliefs.

Ancient Monuments Built Around Summer Solstice

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. This day was a big deal for people who lived in the ancient times. This is a way they track summer turning to autumn. Summer Solstice is also their sign to determine when to sow and harvest numerous crops.

There are some ancient monuments which were built to align with the sun indicating summer solstice.

Here are 7 magnificent examples of those monuments.


https://www.rd.com/culture/ancient-monuments-summer-solstice/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about the monuments built around Summer Solstice?
  2. Which one is your favorite and why? Describe the monument.
  3. Why was Summer Solstice important to ancient people?
  4. What do you think is the reason ancient people built these monuments?
  5. What was your reaction when you saw the photos of those monuments built in ancient times?

Multiculturalism

B1 – Intermediate

Every culture has something interesting about it. When people from different cultures live in one place, the city becomes a melting pot or multicultural. The world has become smaller because of multiculturalism. It is now very common to see cities that are melting pots of different cultures.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about multiculturalism.

https://listenaminute.com/m/multiculturalism.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about multiculturalism?
  2. What are the good and bad things about a multicultural city?
  3. Do you live in a multicultural city? Have you ever been to a multicultural city? Talk about your experience.
  4. Which culture do you find most interesting? Why?
  5. What is most interesting about your culture?

Couples Get Married Online in New York

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A wedding is without a doubt one of the most special days in a woman’s life. This is her big day. This day is all about her. That is why weddings have become a big global industry.

During this pandemic, most couples’ wedding ceremony had to be postponed but that is not entirely the case in New York.

Read the article about online weddings in New York.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/zoom-yorkers-wed-online-200419165225473.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is the online wedding procedure in New York?
  2. What is your opinion on online wedding?
  3. How do people in your country commonly get married?
  4. Share some traditional wedding practices in your country.
  5. Do you think this is one change we would eventually adapt even after the pandemic is over?

Quitting UNESCO

B1 – Intermediate

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a special part of the United Nations (UN). Its mandate is to promote peace and security through the promotion of collaboration among its member nations.

On the first day of this new year, USA and Israel have pulled out its membership of UNESCO.

Read more about this news through the link below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1901/190104-unesco-2.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on US and Israel quitting UNESCO?
2. What do you think are its consequences on these countries and UNESCO itself?
3. Talk about some UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your city/country.

Covering Tattoos in Japan

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In some countries, tattoos are still viewed as a negative sign about a person and a lot of people are still offended by seeing people who have them. Japan is one of those countries that maintain a rather conservative view on tattoos.

Read more about the request made to tattooed rugby players ahead the Rugby World Cup next year in Japan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45586210

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with this request?

2. Would you consider having a tattoo?

3. Why do you think people want to get tattoos?

4. Is it accepted in your country?

5. How important is it to respect local customs?

What Japanese Prison Food is Like

B2 – Upper intermediate

Prisons all over the world have dark and sinister reputations. Living the life of an inmate is very hard to envision for most people. Just imagine eating prison food every day. What a nightmare it must be.

However, in a prison in Abashiri, Japan, the surroundings and even the food is quite different from what we all know.

Take a look at the video to find out more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the video all about? Explain it in your own words.
  2. Do you know of anyone who has ever been to prison?
  3. Talk about prisons in your own country. What do you know about them?

Mad Cool Festival Chaos

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Mad Cool Festival is a relatively new rock and pop festival held in Madrid in the summer. 80,000 tickets to the event sold out in a few days. Concert-goers were expecting 3 days of music, fun, and unforgettable moments. It was indeed unforgettable, but for entirely different reasons.

Read the article and find out what went “mad” at the Mad Cool Festival 2018.

https://www.thelocal.es/20180716/complaints-flood-in-over-madcool-festival-chaos

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the article in your own words.
  2. What do you think the organizers should have done differently?
  3. Have you been to a concert or music festival before? Talk about your own experience.

Japan Fans Clean Up After Game

B1 – Intermediate

Japan beat Colombia in a World Cup game. After the game, Japanese fans cleaned up the stadium. They picked up their wrappers and food bags and placed them in large garbage bags they had brought with them.

Experts on Japanese culture were not surprised that this happened. They say that in Japan people like to keep places clean. It is normal for them to pick up trash off public spaces. They also are proud to be good guests. And as guests in Russia, they wanted to be respectful of their host country.

The US and other countries can learn a lot from this event. In US culture, it is not normal to clean up after yourself in stadiums, movie theaters or other public spaces.

The Japanese weren’t the only ones cleaning up after themselves. Senegal fans did the same after their game against Poland.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about this kind of behavior?
  2. Talk about a behavior Spanish are proud about.
  3. What do you know about Japanese culture?

The Menstruation Taboo in Rural Nepal Can Kill

B2 – Upper intermediate

Through the centuries, the fight for women’s rights has always been a slow and uphill battle. Although steady progress and changing attitudes towards women have been very positive in a lot of countries, there are others who still cling to tradition and see women as second-class citizens. For instance, in some parts of rural Nepal, a woman’s “period” is bizarrely regarded as a time of shame.

Read the article to find out more.

http://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/the-menstruation-taboo-in-rural-nepal-can-kill/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the article in your own words.
  2. Talk about women’s rights in your country. What are some issues concerning women that are still regarded as taboo?
  3. What can be done to improve the plight of women around the world?