Tag: First Certificate FCE

Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

At this time, many would agree that both parents should be employed to sustain one’s family’s needs. However, this isn’t the case for everybody. Some couples decide that one parent should remain at home to take care of the children and of course, the household chores and that one parent isn’t paid either by the government or by their respective spouses.

It has been a much debated topic whether it is time to recognize the economic value of domestic labor.

Watch the video below to further understand this topic.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about domestic labor? Do you think it is a challenging job that needs to be paid? Why and why not?
  2. What are the downsides of paying stay-at-home parents? Do you think more parents would rather stay at home and never work outside? Is it necessarily bad?
  3. Do you think this idea would increase gender inequality?
  4. Could we consider this idea an investment in children?
  5. In your opinion, would you choose to be a stay-at-home parent? Would the possibility of a pay for such work affect your decision?

Brain-Hacking Computer Chip

B1 – Intermediate

Elon Musk, a tech pioneer, wants to develop a computer-to-brain technology in humans. An experiment has already been done on a pig. If this technology succeeds, we might be seeing superhuman powers in the near future.

Read this lesson more to find out more about putting a computer chip on human brains.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2008/200831-superhuman-powers-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on the potential of this technology?
  2. How do you feel about such technology?
  3. How can it change our lives?
  4. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of this technology?
  5. Do you think it’s possible for AI to cause destruction to humans?

What’s Hidden on the Forbidden North Sentinel Island?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the most intriguing places on the planet would be the
North Sentinel Island. How so? On this infamous & unspoiled island, a unique civilization can be found. This is the home of one of the most mysterious tribe – the Sentinelese.

According to scientists, the Sentinelese have been living in complete self-isolation for almost 60,000 years; thus, they don’t know anything about the rest of the world. They don’t have any idea about computers, schools, or businesses. They have been living on their own, unbothered.

Know more about this tribe as you watch the video.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is it an infamous island? Why is the island being protected?
  2. How do the Sentinelese people live? What makes their civilization unique?
  3. Why do you think a lot of scientists want to visit the North Sentinel island?
  4. If you could visit the island, what would you want to ask the Sentinelese?
  5. What do you think is hidden in North Sentinel?

Natural Landscapes That Even Scientists Can’t Explain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Mysteries in this planet are everywhere. There are certain phenomena that even science cant’t explain.

These hard-to-explain phenomena led to myth-making. These are some of the wonders of our natural world. These natural landscapes roused some questions that remain unanswered.

Read this article to discover these natural landscapes that are unexplainable.

https://www.rd.com/list/natural-landscapes-scientists-cant-explain/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the article?
  2. Do you believe that there are mysteries happening on this planet?
  3. Among the featured landscapes in the article, which ones amaze you the most?
  4. Which ones do not astonish you?
  5. Is there a natural tourist attraction in your city or country that seems to be mysterious?

Social Distancing Through Wine Windows in Italy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this pandemic that we are facing, one of the crucial rules in keeping safe is social distancing. Everyone should get used to it that even companies around the world have shifted their ways of doing business.

In Italy, most of them are using “buchetta del vino” or wine windows. to serve their customers.

Let’s read more about it here:
https://www.rd.com/article/italy-wine-windows/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do people in your city follow the social distancing rule?
  2. How do you feel about social distancing when meeting your friends and family? Is it really necessary?
  3. How have businesses in your city adjusted to the new normal?
  4. What can you say about the “wine windows” in Italy?
  5. Do you have any suggestions to business owners on how they should operate in this time of pandemic?

Places That Forbid Taking of Pictures

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Let’s admit, majority of us are hooked on taking photos. From the food that we are just about to eat, Outfit Of The Day (OOTD), our activities, and most specially the instagrammable places that we’ve been to, we can’t stop ourselves from taking snaps before anything else.

However, as much as we want to capture the scenery and view, there are places that do not allow this. Let us find out what are these places and their reasons why we need to ditch in our cameras in visiting them.

rd.com/list/places-forbid-taking-pictures/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you like taking pictures?
  2. What are the reasons you take photos?
  3. What are the things that you like to take pictures of?
  4. Is there a place in your country that forbids taking of pictures? What is the reason?
  5. In your own opinion, do you think the reasons mentioned in the article are valid?

Accusing Business Rival of Stealing Staff and Trade Secrets

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The world’s top electric-vehicle manufacturer Tesla claims that its rival Rivian Automotive Inc. has repeatedly poached their employees and stolen some of their intellectual property.

Read more about this news on business rivalry and stealing talents and trade secrets from the link below:

https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/tesla-lawsuit-accuses-rival-stealing-staff-trade-secrets-200723051819087.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to Rivian’s alleged pattern of poaching its employees and stealing trade secrets from Tesla?
  2. Talk about your experience being poached by other companies. How did it happen?
  3. Do you think it is ethical to divulge information/knowledge you have acquired from your former company to your present employer?
  4. How does your company protect itself from poaching and intellectual property theft?
  5. What is your direct competitor/s like? Do you think your company has the same problem as Tesla with them?

EU Forecasts Recession of Historic Proportions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The European Union’s economy chief Paolo Gentiloni said that Europe is going through a sharp economic downward spiral; something the continent has not experienced since the Great Depression.

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect member countries, the EU gears up for a recession of epic proportions.

Read more about this news on this imminent economic recession from the link below:

https://www.euronews.com/2020/05/06/eu-forecasts-recession-of-historic-proportions-this-year

Discussion Questions:

  1. What conditions and consequences might this deep recession have in different member states?
  2. What economic damages has the spread of Coronavirus done on the economy of your country?
  3. How is your government preparing for this deep recession?
  4. Talk about other times your country was in recession. How did it affect your country and you or your family directly?
  5. Explain your understanding of the V-shape and Nike swoosh recovery.

Catalan Leader Demands Probe Into Phone-Tapping Reports

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Pro-independence speaker Roger Torrent learned that his phone had been tapped. He claims the Spanish government seems complicit or negligent about this issue. 

Read more about this news on phone tapping and political espionage from the link below:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/spain-catalan-leader-demands-probe-phone-tapping-reports-200714112106903.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think Torrent had been the target of political espionage?
  2. What is your opinion on his claims about how the Spanish government is tackling this issue?
  3. In general, what are your thoughts on political espionage?
  4. Do you think that Pegasus is operated “solely by authorized government agencies to fight terror and serious crime, and protect public safety”? What is your opinion on this software?
  5. If you were one of the victims of this cyber attack, how would you react/feel?
  6. Share any kind of cyber-related problems you’ve encountered.

Spain to Get EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The European Union has reached a historic deal to provide Coronavirus recovery fund to its member countries. Spain is one of the countries to receive the biggest grants.

Read more about this news on the historic EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund.

https://english.elpais.com/politics/2020-07-21/spain-to-get-140-billion-from-historic-eu-coronavirus-recovery-fund.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is this deal historic? How do you feel about it?
  2. What are your thoughts on Spain getting the lion’s share of the money?
  3. What do you think are some of the conditions that might come with the release of funds?
  4. How should the Spanish government allocate the said funds?
  5. How do you think are you going to be affected economically by the pandemic?