Tag: First Certificate FCE

Smart Cities

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The population is beginning to move to urban areas, mainly due to economic reasons. Along with that ever-growing number of citizens are the huge challenges the cities face. Imagine from small cities to sprawling metropolis issues like traffic congestion, climate change, providing quality education, and affordable housing as well as health services.

Cities are also the heart of innovation. Imagine surpassing all of these challenges and making your city a smart city where people could live fulfilled and meaningful lives, offering great opportunities and enabled seamlessly by technology.

Watch the video below to learn more about smart cities.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is a smart city?
2. What are smart cities all about?
3. How does technology empower communities and social inclusion?
4. How can we enable educating the urban population to understand the smart city concept?

5. What do you think are the advantages and pitfalls of smart cities?

Samsung Pays After Worker Deaths

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Samsung is one of the world’s largest producers of electronic devices. In the latest news, the company has agreed to compensate  workers who had fallen ill and died from on-the-job chemical exposure at its South Korean factories after protests at various Samsung sites to pressure the company into the deal.

Click the link to read more about the article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46060376

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think Samsung will stand by its promise to compensate its employees?

2. What are the health effects of chemical exposure?

3. What safety measures should companies have for their employees who are working in a hazardous environment?

4. How can companies replace hazardous chemicals to safer alternatives?

5. Name some companies which has workplace hazards. How can they improve?

 

What it Takes To Make a Wedding Cake

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the highlights of a wedding reception is the cake. Wedding cakes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are simple and unassuming, while others have numerous tiers and can amount to hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. But no matter the cost, the wedding cake symbolizes the same things: prosperity, fertility, and good luck for the couple who eats it.

In the video below, take a look at how one of the most well-known cake artists makes this wonderful piece of pastry.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the video about? Explain it in your own words.

2. What is your opinion about wedding cakes? Do you prefer simple cakes or lavish ones?

3. Tell us about your own/dream wedding.

Digital Citizenship

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Internet safety is now a major concern for everybody who depends on technology a lot. It has been a critical issue, especially for parents of children in the 21st century. They are exposed to malicious hackers and bullies glossing over their privacy.

Learn more all about digital citizenship through the video below.

https://youtu.be/SAQLjT4jwzQ

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you concerned about internet safety?
2. Do you think schools should incorporate digital citizenship into their curriculums?
3. Should big tech companies be in the business of teaching children how to be good digital citizens?
4. How do you learn to be safe online?
5. Did someone teach you how to identify schemers, hackers, and bullies online?
6. How important is it to be safe online?

Pricing Effect

B2 – Upper Intermediate

More often than not, people always shop for value. Is the price a signal for value? Do you have some hints to tell if something is more valuable than the other but why does a higher price tag make wine taste better?

Let’s check out the video and see what’s going on inside our brains when we see the tag:

Discussion Questions:
1. Tell something about the experiment.
2. What Kind of buyer are you?
3. What do you consider when shopping? How do you decide?
4. Can you set apart an expensive wine from a cheap one?

Venezuelans Escape to Spain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

During Franco’s dictatorial regime, Spanish fled to Venezuela to seek refuge. Decades later, Venezuelans want to do the same and ask Spain for its compassion now that the tables have turned.

Read more on the Venezuelans’ plea for asylum in Spain in the article below.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45640307

Discussion Questions:
1. Should more Venezuelan refugees be accepted in Spain?
2. What are the positives and pushbacks of providing asylum to Venezuelan refugees?
3. What is your position on this matter?

How Cheese is Made

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cheese is one of those foods that is universally adored. We love it on pizza, pasta, toast and others. We love it on just about anything!

In this video, check out these two different creameries,and how they manufacture their own handmade cheese.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is cheese made? Would you like to try making some yourself?
  2. Do you like cheese? What are some of your favorite types and what do you normally eat it with?
  3. Talk about cheeses from your country. How are they different from others?

How to Keep Your Skin Hydrated

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Are you worried about your skin when the temperature drops?

As fall and winter come, your skin dries up as the wind steals away its moisture then the battle for having healthy skin begins.

Let’s watch Dr. Whitney Bowe as she gives some tips on how to keep skin hydrated.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the tips and tricks mentioned that can help protect your skin during fall/winter?
2. What is Hyaluronic acid?
3. How do you take care of your skin?

Why Men Have Short Hair

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Hair fashions may change season to season, but the norm persisted that men needed to keep their hair short for sanitary reasons. Also, many view men with long hair as lazy slackers while those with short hair are seen as industrious.

However, since when – and why – did men begin cutting their hair short?

Find the story behind this in the video below.

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe your hairstyle.

2. In Spain, what is the trendy hairstyle for men and women nowadays?

3. How do you view men with long hair? How about women with short hair?

4. How do you think hair or hairstyles can affect our perception of a person’s personality?

The Butterfly Effect

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A man quit his job for being mistreated by his manager. But before he did, he told about his bad experience to the other employees that resulted to three other people leaving the company.

When those people found themselves unemployed, they decided to start their own business. After some time and a lot of hard work, their business became very successful to the extent that they started competing with the company they used to work for. Under the pressure of the fierce competition the old company declared bankruptcy.

A small unnoticeable change can result in a very big one later on, can’t it?

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the Butterfly Effect. Do you believe in it, or do you believe that the courses of events in this world are predetermined or inevitable?

2. Tell about your own experience of the Butterfly Effect. Think of one action that you did today. How do you think it had created a change in the events of this day?

3. How do you think your studies of English now can cause a difference in other people’s lives in the future?