Tag: finance

Forever 21’s Downfall and Bankruptcy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Forever 21 made billions in revenue and was one of the fastest-growing fashion empires. Now, the owners have filed for bankruptcy after struggling to keep up with the rise of e-commerce. As one of the largest occupants of American shopping centers, a massive shutdown of Forever 21’s stores could aggravate the ongoing retail apocalypse.

Watch the video about how Forever 21’s success and downfall.

Discussion Questions:

1. In your opinion, where did Forever 21 go wrong?

2. What can filing for bankruptcy do to a company? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

3. In your opinion, what can the retailers do to save Forever 21?

4. What can Forever 21’s bankruptcy mean for the future of fast fashion?

5. Talk about some of the most popular fashion companies in your country?

Children’s Allowances

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some parents now take a different tack when giving their children an allowance, making it an early form of financial literacy. They hope their kids will use the money they’ve been given responsibly and set aside a fair sum for the rainy days.

Let’s take a closer look at how parents get their money’s worth by reading the article below.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/childrens-allowances-getting-your-moneys-worth/

Discussion Questions:

  1. When you were a child, what was considered a reasonable allowance? How did you spend this amount and did you have some amount left for savings?
  2. What is the average allowance given to children in your country nowadays? What factors do parents consider in figuring out the right amount?
  3. How are children expected to spend their allowances?
  4. What values do parents hope their children will exhibit in terms of how they use the money entrusted to them?
  5. Imagine explaining financial management to a child. How would you go about it?

Little Secrets to Getting Rich

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is a difference between having money and being wealthy. If you want to be wealthy, it’s time to look for ways on how to do so.

Watch the video and find out some secrets to becoming wealthy.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the five secrets to getting rich?
2. Are you doing any of the tips mentioned in the video?
3. Do you want to be rich? Why/why not? If yes, what are you doing in order to achieve it?
4. Who’s the richest person you know and how did this person become wealthy?
5. What are the good and bad things about being very wealthy?

Climate Change Will Crush Real Estate Values

C1 – Advanced

Key players in the real estate industry are spending huge amount of resources into estimating climate risk and its possible consequences on property portfolios. This process might cost investors large amounts of money if they aren’t prepared. But for those who are, there’s a big chance to profit more.

Read the article to find out more about climate risk and its probable effect on property investments.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/climate-change-will-crush-real-estate-values-for-unprepared-investors-report.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think properties are good investment? Why or why not?
  2. How much damage do you think natural disasters have affected residential and commercial real estate in your country in the past years? Cite some incidents.
  3. Explain what this statement means, “This process will be painful for investors who are caught off guard, but those who are prepared have the potential to outperform”.
  4. How do real estate investment companies in your country gauge climate change risks? What mitigation strategies have they developed?

Spanish Taxman Investigates Ronaldo Revelations

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some high-profile personalities have been implicated in tax-dodging activities after documents gathered by German weekly Der Spiegel were leaked. Cristiano Ronaldo, among others, is one of them.

Read the article to know more about this tax controversy involving high-profile footballers.

https://guardian.ng/sport/spanish-taxman-investigates-ronaldo-revelations/

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on this news?

2. What can be done in order to prevent high-profile personalities from committing tax fraud?

3. What changes would you like to see in your country’s tax system?

Open Banking

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We have been so used to our financial information being kept strictly confidential by our banks. In the UK, a competition watchdog is lobbying for open banking.

Read more on it and be in the know about what it is, how it will work and other relevant information regarding secured financial info sharing among firms.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42253051

Discussion Questions:

1. What is Open Banking?
2. How do you feel about this news?
3. In what ways is this a positive change?
4. What things are you worried about?
5. How would people take such change in your country?

Help for People in Debts

B1 – Intermediate

We need money for spending on various thing like house rent or a mortgage, cars, bills, travels, and a lot more. Some people owe huge amounts of money. Many of them can’t get out of the red.

Read more on how the South Korean government would try to assist those under a pile of debts.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1712/171202-debt.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “scheme” mean? ” “The scheme was a big promise of a former South Korean president.”  Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “debt” mean? “The Korea Times newspaper said the government is, “preventing numerous working families from going bankrupt under a mountain of debt.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “write off” mean here, “South Korea is going to write off the debts of as many as 1.6 million people.” Make your own sentence using this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on what the South Korean government is doing?
2. What do you think of how people are spending money in your country?
3. What is your government doing to help people with a lot of debts?
4. What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘debt’?
5. What advice can you give someone who is in debt?

Bitcoin just passed $8,000

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin provide people around the world new and innovative ways of engaging in legitimate commerce.The price of Bitcoin just passed $8,000 for the first time.

 

Click on the link to read the article and be ready to answer the questions that follow:

https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/20/bitcoin-just-passed-8000/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is Bitcoin? What do you know about it?

2. Have you invested in Bitcoin? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Bitcoin currency?

3. Is Bitcoin the future or is just a gamble?

Sugar Baby University

B1 – Intermediate

In the US, there is a growing number of men and woman who have found alternative ways of getting through to college/university. They are turning to dating websites looking for wealthy older men (or women) who want to pay for their college fees.

Read the article below about sugar daddies paying for their sugar babies’ tuition and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

http://www.businessinsider.com/seeking-arrangement-sugar-daddies-pay-sugar-babies-college-tuition-2017-11

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on websites such as “seekingarrangement.com”?
  2. Do you hear this kind of arrangement being sought and made by young people in your country?
  3. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Some of [the sugar daddies] have that ‘white knight’ scenario where they really want to be helping somebody and saving them from their debt”?
  4. In your country, how expensive is it to get through college?
  5. What are alternative ways to finish your college education if you can’t afford it?

Being Frugal vs. Being Cheap

B1 – Intermediate

Being frugal and being cheap are two very similar words. How can we tell the difference?

Being frugal is being mindful about and ingenious on how you spend your money. On the other hand, being cheap is trying to economize at yourself and/or others’ expense just so you can do some penny-pinching.

Click the link to find out the difference between being frugal and being cheap and be able to answer the questions that follow:

http://www.wisebread.com/12-ways-to-tell-the-difference-between-being-frugal-and-being-cheap

Discussion Questions:

  1. Can you manage your money until the end of each month? How do you do it?
  2. Why is it important to save money?
  3. When was the last time you spent money on something you didn’t really need? Why did you do so?
  4. What are the things you do in order to save money?
  5. Do you spend like a sailor or are you a cheapskate? How about other people in your family?