Tag: First Certificate FCE

Expert Cleaning Tips

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Keeping your room or house clean can be tedious and time-consuming. Unfortunately, household chores are a must and you have to do them if you want to live in a neat and comfortable environment.

In this video, you will learn about seven great tips to make sure that you are cleaning your space the right way.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the 7 tips described in the video?

2. Do you like cleaning? How do you clean your room/house? How often do you do so?

3. Share some of your own house cleaning techniques / maintenance tips.

Christmas Celebrations in Different Countries

B2 – Upper intermediate

Christmas is fast approaching. This occasion is widely celebrated almost in every country around the world. Do you wonder why and what is this season all about? For Christians, it’s about the birth of Jesus Christ the son of God and some say it’s for gift giving. Most of the time, it means Santa Claus is coming to town to deliver presents. A few would say they just go along with the global celebration.

Watch the video below and see how Christmas is celebrated across the globe.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
  2. How much do you like to celebrate Christmas?
  3. Are there unique Christmas traditions you can share?
  4. What is the meaning of this season to you?
  5. Talk about the best Christmas holiday you’ve ever had.

Tattoo Artist Is the Last of Her Kind

B2 – Upper intermediate

A tattoo is a form of body modification where a pattern or design is made by inserting ink and dyes into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Though for many it is a painful process, it remains a very popular one that lots of people get done.

Meet Whang-Od, the last remaining Mambabatok, a tattoo artist who uses a thousand-year old method using traditional hand-tapping motions.

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is Whang-Od? What does she do?

2. What are your thoughts on tattoos?

3. Do you know of any ancient or traditional forms of art from your country?

The Pecking Order

B2 – Upper Intermediate

By definition, hierarchy is a way of organizing people, in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority. When is hierarchy bad and when is it not?

Let’s listen to know the answer and learn how chickens’ pecking order work as well.

Discussion Questions:
1. What did you learn from the chickens’ pecking order?
2. According to the audio, what is the best hierarchy? (Do you agree?)
3. When is hierarchy bad?
4. Talk about your workplace pecking order.

Throw in the Towel

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When things don’t turn out the way you wanted them to be despite your hard work and determination, quitting is probably something you would consider to do next. For some, quitting is not in their vocabulary. Is it really that bad to just give up? Are some dreams just aren’t worth chasing?

Read this lesson about the expression “throw in the towel”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-181119

Discussion Questions:

1. What does “throw in the towel” mean?

2. When is it right to give up? Do you think twice before doing so?

3. What do you do when you feel like giving up?

4. Share your own experience wherein you had to throw in the towel.

How Do Vampire Bats Survive on Blood?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever wondered how vampire bats live? Scientists have recently discovered how these “flying mice” can survive on a blood-only diet.

Watch the video to find out more about these creatures and also learn some vocabulary associated with their “bloody” lifestyle.

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the video, how do vampire bats live only on blood?

2. What comes to mind when you hear the words “vampire”, “bats” and “blood”?

3. Do you know of any vampire legends/folk stories from your country? Tell us about them.

How Buffet Restaurants Make Money

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Buffet restaurants typically offer all-you-can-eat (AYCE) food for a fixed price.

The good thing about buffet themes is that the customers can immediately see all the food being served and then choose which dishes they prefer to eat. They can also control how much food they put on their plates.

This dining style is usual in events like business conventions or big parties.

Watch the video below and find out how this kind of restaurants make profits.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about the tricks buffet restaurants apply to make money.
  2. What are your thoughts on this type of restaurants?
  3. Have you ever experienced going to a buffet restaurant? Share about it.
  4. How can you get the most out of a buffet?
  5. Talk about your favorite restaurant and its strategy on getting people in the door.

Work Friends

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We spend so much of our time working. It is quite unhealthy not to be happy where you work.

Watch as author Annie McKee tells us why it’s important to have friends at work and why getting too personal can sometimes be a problem too.

Discussion Questions:
1. What’s the importance of having a work buddy?
2. Do you think it is wise to be too personal with your colleagues?
3. Talk about your work best friend.

Make Men Masculine Again

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Men are commonly associated with rape, murder, aggression and violence—all the stuff related to “toxic masculinity,”. For some, the obvious solution is to make men less masculine to make them less toxic. On the other hand, some say making men more like women will only result to more “toxic masculinity”.

Watch the video to find out why.

Discussion Questions:

1. What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘men’?

2. Do you agree with the solution to make men less toxic and make them more like women?

3. Do you think men are more aggressive than women?

4. In your country, who is usually regarded as the head of the family?

5. What three changes would you like to make to (other) men?

Why Young People Feel Lonely

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Loneliness can be one of the most destructive feelings humans are capable of feeling. It can happen anytime, anywhere, in a crowd, with friends and family and even while with them. Any person can experience loneliness, but a study shows that it is the 16 to 24-year olds who feel the loneliest.

Watch the video to find out why young people are the loneliest.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do think the youth feel the loneliest?

2. Would you agree that the youth are lonelier than old people?

3. When do you get lonely?

4. What would you advise the youth of this generation?

5. What do you think is the youth’s greatest challenge nowadays?