Tag: First Certificate FCE

Japan’s Micro Apartment Boom

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Japan is famous for its minimalist and downsized architecture even though the country has not always been so densely populated. With not enough space in the cities and low budgets for renting or owning a house, many Japanese have chosen to live in these tiny and cramped apartments. Even so, Japanese have created some clever design elements that allow the micro apartment to be a very functional and cozy home.

Watch the video and see what is so special about these micro apartments in Japan:

Discussion Questions:

  1. What brought about the rise in tiny living spaces?
  2. What do you think about micro apartments?
  3. How would you feel living in this tiny apartment?
  4. What do you think are the good things about micro apartments? What are the disadvantages of living in these small apartments?
  5. What are apartments like in your country?

Should Hate Speech Be Censored?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With all the anonymity the internet provides trolls and the negativity in the world, many had been wondering if hate speech as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica as an expression that denigrates a person or persons on the basis of (alleged) membership in a social group identified by attributes such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and etc.

The typical hate speech would usually have slurs that promote malicious stereotypes and intended to incite violence or hatred against someone or a group. After the series of suicide cases among celebrities in South Korea it has been a debate on social media if it is possible to regulate hate speech as it has been limitless and not punishable by law because they are only considered by many to be simply free speech.

Watch the video below to further understand hate speech.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When do we know that free speech becomes hate speech?
  2. When does hate speech become dangerous?
  3. Should people spread hate speech be held accountable for their words?
  4. Is hate speech a precursor to more serious violence or crimes?
  5. Is there a need to regulate or censored hate speech?

Telling Women to Smile in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Smile is the best asset one can have. And why not? It costs nothing and radiates happiness, confidence, and health. It’s contagious and can attract another person to do the same.

But in a recent poll, women are discovered to feel discriminated against by how they are treated in the workplace when they are commanded to smile.

Read the article below and find out how this simple comment can affect their work performance.

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/a-new-study-reveals-that-telling-women-they-need-to-smile-more-is-bad-for-business-heres-why.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel when you are told to smile?
  2. Why do you think men, unlike women, are rarely or not asked to smile?
  3. How does your boss create or stimulate a positive working environment?
  4. Can you think of other microaggressions in the/your workplace?

Why Billionaires Wake Up at 4:00 AM

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Before the advent of technology, “early to bed, early to rise” was a way of life. The daily grind followed the dictates of the sun with humans faithfully listening to the body’s natural rhythms of wakefulness and sleep.

Times have changed though. Unusual working hours, smartphone addiction, social media, and the fear of missing out have all contributed to the devaluation of sleep and its being relegated to the wee hours.

But is this wise? Watch the video below before planning your next all-nighter.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, why do many successful people choose to wake up at four in the morning?
  2. What steps can you take to effectively cultivate the habit of early wakefulness?
  3. If getting up early is so beneficial, why do most people find it difficult to do?
  4. What is generally your mood when you first wake up? Does this set the tone for the rest of your day?
  5. What are the benefits of keeping a sleep schedule more in tune with natural sleep cycles?
  6. What keeps you from getting quality sleep?
  7. Why would knowing your life’s purpose provide you with the impetus for rising early?

Meeting Recovery Syndrome

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Too many work meetings sap one’s brain’s ability to the point that it prevents them from performing their actual job efficiently.

Read the article and find out more about MRS and its effects on employees and corporations.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191111-blame-your-worthless-workdays-on-meeting-recovery-syndrome

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is MRS and what are its effects on workers and companies alike?
  2. How can MRS be prevented?
  3. Talk about your own work meetings and how you view having too many meetings in one workday?
  4. Generally, what’s your stance on work meetings?
  5. Talk about the most important and the worst work meeting you’ve ever attended.

Preventing “Cyberloafing” in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you work hard in the office, or do you instead watch internet videos, browse through your social media feeds or shop online?

Read the article and find out how companies might put into effect policies to help stop this behavior in the workplace.

https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/get-back-work-how-prevent-cyberloafing-workplace

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are ways to prevent cyberloafing? Any ideas you have on how to fend off cyberloafing in your own workplace?
  2. Do you cyberloaf? If yes, when and why do you normally do it? If not, why is that?
  3. What are other things that make employees lose time during work hours?
  4. How do you manage your time at work?
  5. Do you consider it acceptable to spend work time on social media sites, managing finances, etc.?

Dresden Museum Heist

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thieves broke into one of the world’s oldest museums stealing nearly 1 billion in treasures from the Green Vault in Dresden, Germany.

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the said heist.

Discussion Questions :

  1. How important are those cultural treasures stolen?
  2. What can be improved in museum security to prevent future heists?
  3. Describe the museums in Spain and how safe the historical artifacts housed there are.
  4. Talk about a similar story of a museum being burglarized.

Nerds vs Popular Kids: Who Wins in Adulthood?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We’ve seen movies about high school life where students are divided into popular ones, who are at the top of the hierarchy, the nerds, who are at the bottom and somewhere in between are the less cool kids. The popular ones tend to bully the nerds and the ones in the middle are playing along with it. This is a reality. In all social groups, there are leaders, followers, and the oppressed.

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the likely future of these youngsters.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How would you classify your status when you were still in high school? Were you one of the popular or nerdy ones?
  2. What are your experiences with popular and nerdy kids?
  3. Explain instrumental targeting. Have you been a subject of it? Have you ever used this approach?
  4. Describe the high school reunion effect.
  5. Do you agree with the study that nerds/geeks are more likely to be successful in adulthood?

Gene Editing for Cancer

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cancer is undoubtedly one of the worst diseases one can ever be so unfortunate to contract.

In the US, doctors have started using gene editing to help cancer patients with their bouts with this dreadful disease.

Listen to the podcast and find out more about gene editing and how it can help fight cancer.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/doctors-report-first-us-tests-of-gene-editing-for-cancer/5158217.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this breakthrough?
  2. What other ways to treat cancer do you know of?
  3. How prevalent do you think the incidence of cancer is in your country?
  4. Why do you think more and more people contract cancer?
  5. What might be the reasons we haven’t discovered an effective treatment for cancer?

Mental Health in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A large number of workers suffer from mental health issues at work. Life becomes very complicated for those who struggle with mental health problems.

Listen to the podcast and find out more about the topic of mental health and learn some things people can do to help and cause change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191114

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can be done to raise awareness of mental health issues in the workplace?
  2. What are the effects of it on people’s lives?
  3. How is mental health treated in your workplace?
  4. What are things your company is doing to address its employees’ mental health needs?
  5. What are your thoughts on mental health leaves?