Tag: Culture & Countries

Get Paid to Move to Italy or Spain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Yearning for a life under the Tuscan sun or along the vibrant coastlines of Spain? Your dreams may be closer to reality than you think. A growing number of picturesque towns in Italy and Spain are extending an extraordinary offer. Yes! They have generous financial incentives for those willing to call these charming locales home. From the enchanting streets of Italy to the lively shores of Spain, these towns are eager to welcome fresh faces, infusing their communities with newfound energy and vitality.

Click on the provided to explore more.

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/11/03/want-to-get-paid-to-move-to-spain-or-italy-here-are-the-towns-in-need-of-new-residents

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “dwindling” mean, “Across Europe, towns with dwindling populations have come up with a radical solution for enticing new residents by offering generous cash incentives.”? Give 2 synonyms and use “dwindling” in your own sentence.
  2. What does “get a slice of something” mean, “Get a slice of the quiet life in Rubia, Spain.”? Use this in your own sentence.
  3. What does “go off grid” mean, “Go off grid on a remote island in Ireland”? Use this in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do these towns plan to benefit from attracting individuals through such generous offers?
  2. Can individuals from any nationality or background apply for these incentives, or are there specific eligibility criteria based on citizenship or residency?
  3. What might be specific responsibilities or commitments expected from individuals who accept these incentives to move to these towns?
  4. What kinds of assistance or resources do these communities offer to newcomers in terms of inclusion, language learning, and finding work or housing? Please share.
  5. How have these towns been affected by demographic changes or population decline that has led them to take such measures?
  6. How do these towns plan to sustain and grow their communities in the long term after attracting new residents?

Fashion Designer Encourages Youth to Choose Heritage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fashion trends have changed dramatically over the years but this Vietnamese fashion designer encourages youth to choose heritage to bring back traditions and customs with a twist of modern fashion.

Let’s read the article to know more.

https://www.gulftoday.ae/lifestyle/2020/11/28/vietnamese-fashion-designer-encourages-youth-to-choose-heritage

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about cultural heritage fashion ?
  2. Are you a fashionable person? What fashion trend do you follow?
  3. How are some fashion designers reinventing heritage as modern design?
  4. Do you think heritage fashion can be restrictive and impractical in today’s society?
  5. Do you wear any fashionable clothes that represents your country?

Cross Cultural Communication

C1 – Advanced

Given different cultural backgrounds, people are faced with a challenge communicating with each other through verbal or non- verbal way of communicating, greetings, body language, and tone.

Let us watch a short clip on how to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on cross culture communications?
  2. How do people from different cultures communicate? How can we better communicate with individuals and groups whose first language, or language of choice, does not match our own?
  3. Which do you think is a better way to communicate – body language or verbal expressions?
  4. Do you think intercultural communication is easy or difficult? What problems have you had communicating with different cultures?
  5. Is basic understanding of cultural diversity a key to effective cross-cultural communications? Support your stand.

The Food Delivery Revolution

B2 –  Upper Intermediate


When you do not feel like spending time slaving away in the kitchen, there is a quick way to have food ready on your dining table from 30 minutes to an hour just by waiting in the comfort of your own home.


Nowadays, it is so easy to find any dish you crave for at online restaurants. A few clicks and your dinner is on its way to you!

Listen to the podcast to know more about how food deliveries have changed our food culture.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200611

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the food delivery revolution? Is this happening in your country too?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of food deliveries?
  3. Talk about some of your food delivery experiences.
  4. What other changes in your food culture have you noticed in the past 10 years?
  5. What is your most preferred dining experience?

Summer Solstice

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The word solstice came from the Latin word “sol” that means “sun” and “sistere” which is “to stand still”. Summer Solstice is when the sun rises in its highest position in the sky and the day with the longest period of daylight.

Summer Solstice appears during summer, which is called June Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere while December Solstice in the Southern.

Let’s us learn more fun minutiae about this here:


https://www.rd.com/culture/summer-solstice-facts/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the dark history of Summer Solstice during the Viking Period.
  2. Do you experience Summer Solstice in your country?
  3. What time do the sun usually set in summer in your country? What adjustments do people do with longer daylight?
  4. Do you prefer a day with longer daylight? Why or Why not?
  5. What might be the good and bad things about long daylight?

Men Should Grocery Shop During Pandemic

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Grocery shopping is one of the essentials that everyone should do in order to survive during this trying times. It has been an issue in some countries as they try to control the crowd of shoppers while abiding with the quarantine rules. One mayor in Japan had recently received backlash for stating that men should do the grocery shopping as women take longer which could lead to overcrowding at the supermarkets.

Read the article below for more details on this story and be ready to answer the questions for discussion.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/24/asia/japan-coronavirus-osaka-mayor-hnk-scli-intl/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on the mayor’s statement? Could it be considered a sexist remark?
  2. How do you plan your grocery shopping during the pandemic?
  3. Is there such thing as gender preference in effective grocery shopping?
  4. Based on your experience, make a comparison between men and women when it comes to grocery shopping.
  5. Describe your grocery runs during the pandemic.

The Unexpected Items Deemed Essential

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, many countries locked down and pretty much the world seems to be put on a stop. It has been necessary for “essential” services to be business as usual though.

Watch this video and find out about some countries’ culture based on what they think is considered indispensable for the whole duration of the stay-at-home policy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-52272652/coronavirus-the-unexpected-items-deemed-essential

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the essential services mentioned in the video?
  2. Do you agree that those shops/services are essential?
  3. If you would be asked this question, what items/services or businesses do you deem are absolutely necessary?
  4. What are the “essential” services that has remained open in your country during the quarantine? Why are these services/businesses very important?

‘Ghosts’ Keep Frightened Indonesians Inside, Away from Coronavirus

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to the audio, Kepuh Village in Indonesia has deployed a team of ‘ghosts’ to scare people and keep them staying indoors after evening prayers. Some volunteers dress as “Pocong”. In Indonesian folklores, Pocongs are trapped souls of the dead. The village leaders have decided to take their own measures to keep people safe from Corona Virus.

Hear more information about it in the audio below.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ghosts-keep-frightened-indonesians-inside-and-away-from-coronavirus/5370130.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction to the audio?
  2. Do you believe ghosts are real? Why or why not? If yes, talk about some ghost stories you have/know of.
  3. How can this affect people’s mindset?
  4. Do you think this could work in your country?
  5. What are some ways to keep people indoors?
  6. What are you thoughts on Widodo’s measures?

Canadians Start ‘Caremongering’ Trend

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the wake of a pandemic in 2020, a new word emerged — Caremongering. No one knows if this word is going to stick around for long for it to be included in dictionaries. Nevertheless, this word is making rounds in Canada.

Read the article to learn about ‘caremongering’ and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51915723

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the term ‘caremongering’. Why is this important these days?
  2. What does ‘scaremongering’ mean? What are your thoughts on this?
  3. Talk about some acts of kindness you saw on social media.
  4. Would you like to do or have you done anything to practice ‘caremongering’ amidst the pandemic?
  5. What things do you do or you see other people do to remain hopeful despite these hard times?

South Korean Men Leads Beauty Market

B2 – Upper Intermediate

South Korean men have begun spending more money on beauty and skincare products. This has become a trend to which men conform more to using cosmetics products that enables them to improve their appearance. Will the Western men’s definition of beauty change because of this fashion?

Let’s read more about it in the article below.

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/south-korea-male-beauty-market-chanel/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about male beauty?
  2. How is vanity among men viewed in your country? What do you personally think when a man takes care of his skin so much and/or puts on some makeup?
  3. What is your beauty obsession? Why?
  4. How do makeup and beauty products affect masculinity?
  5. Should we associate beauty rituals with femininity or with self-care and success?