Organ Donation Myths

B2 – Upper Intermediate

More than 100,000 patients in the U.S. are waiting for an organ donor. However, there’s just not enough people who are interested in doing this. There’s always the fear of the risks surrounding this procedure.

What do we really need to know about organ donation?

Read the article below that might help clear up some myths about organ donation.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/consumer-health/in-depth/organ-donation/art-20047529?pg=1

Discussion Questions:

1. What was your notion on organ donation before reading this article?
2. What is your opinion about organ donation?
3. Would you consider organ donation?

Runcible: A Circular Smartphone

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We live in a world of quadrilateral architecture and design. Gadgets may have developed curve corners, but they are still predominantly four-sided.

Has living in a world of four-cornered tangibles affected the human thought process? Would developing a circular smartphone be the first step toward rethinking?

Read the article below and express your thoughts.

https://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/12/tech/mci-runcible-smartphone/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on circular smartphones?
  2. What could be Monohm’s motivation in working on the circular “anti-smartphone” called Runcible?
  3. The article suggests that the shape of an object’s frame impacts its use. Can you think of an everyday object that people would approach differently if it were round instead of rectangular?
  4. The author notes the rise of circular avatars in apps and various interfaces. Does this design choice make any difference at all to gadget users? Why or why not?

Riding a $10,000 Hoverboard

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It’s safe to say that startup companies have been working on creating a hoverboard for the past few years now, bringing in a sense of nostalgia from the film ‘Back to the Future’.

Read the article below to know more about Arx Pax and their hoverboard design.

https://www.engadget.com/2014-10-21-we-rode-a-hoverboard.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you buy or try out a Hendo Hoverboard? Why or why not?
  2. Aside from being another form of transportation, how else do you think the Hendo Hoverboard can be useful?
  3. For what other things could levitation technology be helpful?

British Pubs Closing Down

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The number of British pubs closing down are increasing. This means jobs are lost and a conspiracy that big supermarkets are taking over the space.

Read the article below to know some of the effects of neighborhood pubs closing down.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/aug/12/pubs-closing-rate-31-week

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think are the consequences if neighborhood pubs continue to close?
2. Does your city have very strict laws when it comes to planning and building?
3. Do you think there’s too many commercial spaces in your neighborhood?
4. If it was in your power, what changes would you make in your city?

Microchip Implants for Employees

B2 – Upper intermediate

Implanting Microchips has always raised issues worldwide.  Is it ethical and are we really ready for it? In Sweden this year, the newly opened Epicenter office complex in Stockholm makes this chip implant possible.

Check the video and share your thoughts.

Discuss:

1. What do you think about being chipped? Is it ethical?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a microchip implant?
3. Would you voluntary have one under your skin?

*Click the title to listen to an audio of a similar topic: Human Microchips

 

Understanding the Teenage Brain

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Most parents around the globe have the same struggle of understanding a teenager’s behavior. Teens are often misunderstood. Even if we, ourselves, became teenagers once, we are still baffled by how they conduct themselves.

Read the article below to get a better picture of why teenagers act as such.

Understanding the Misunderstood Teenage Brain

Discuss:

1. Have you been in this stage where you feel no one understands you?
2. How would you describe yourself as a teenager?
3. How would you differentiate teenagers during your time and teenagers of today?
4. What do you think is the best way to raise teenagers?

Body Language

BodyLanguage-titlea

B2 – Upper intermediate

Becoming more aware of body language can help us communicate with other people more effectively. You can understand what other people are saying even when they are not talking. We can convey strong feelings that are too difficult to express in words.

Read the article then answer the quiz on the site to check your comprehension. Feel free to listen to the audio while reading.

Body language is a form of communication without using words.  Body language includes the use of body posture, gestures, eye movements and facial expressions.  A lot of body language is actually subconscious.  This means that the person using body language is not fully aware that they are using it.  Some psychologists say that body language actually communicates more information than using words.

Being able to “read” body language means being able to understand what a person really thinks or feels through their body language.  Human beings seem to instinctively understand other people through their body language even when they speak a different verbal language.  It is likely that in human prehistory, body language was an important survival mechanism that helped us to display and distinguish between threats and safety.

Body language can communicate negative emotions.  For example, when a listener crosses their arms against their chest, it can mean disagreement with the speaker.  This can also be indicated when a listener leans away from the speaker.  A lack of eye contact can show a person is anxious or discomfort.  It can also mean disbelief.  When a listener is bored, they are more likely to tilt their head.

Positive feelings are often shown in body language through the use of facial expressions, eye contact, and posture.  Leaning forward usually shows that a person is interested in what the speaker is saying.  When a person looks in another person’s eyes and then down at their lips, it usually means they have romantic feelings for the speaker.  Standing or sitting straight with good posture shows that a listener is taking the person’s speech seriously.

Scientific studies have revealed that body language can even reveal when a person is being dishonest.  For example, when a person is lying, they tend to touch their face during the conversation.  They may also blink too much or not blink at all.  Body language can reveal a lot about people but it’s important to remember that everyone’s body language is a little different and trying to “read” too much information through body language can lead to miscommunication.

Source: dreamreader.net

Discuss:

1. Do you notice people’s body language when you speak with them?
2. Are you careful with your body language in important settings like a meeting or a job interview?
3. Are you more expressive in your words or in your actions?

The Importance of Proper Sitting Posture

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B2 – Upper intermediate

With certain jobs that require sitting in front of the computer for long hours, it is important that we know how proper posture plays a role in keeping us healthy and ache-free.

Let’s find out more about the proper sitting posture and the good effects of it to our health and body.

Read the article then answer the quiz on the site to check your comprehension.

Scientists are beginning to understand that sitting down for long hours can be very bad for your health.  One of the reasons for this is that poor posture leads to health problems.  Here is some advice to help improve your posture and your health.

Sitting with poor posture can lead to serious chronic back pain that doesn’t go away.  Many people wrongly believe that they should sit with their backs straight at a 90 degree angle to the floor.  Scientists, however, have recently discovered that this actually causes more stress on the body.  They found that sitting with the back slightly reclined at a 135 degree angle is the healthiest posture.  The back muscles are more relaxed and the spine is at a more natural resting position.

Many people develop constant neck pain while sitting.  They bend their necks forward to look at a screen or read a book.  The lower neck muscles need to work very hard to support the weight of the head.  The bones in the spine can slide forward, causing a great deal of neck pain. To avoid this problem, you should try to look at the top portion of a computer screen when working at a desk.  Your elbows should be at the side and your feet should be flat on the floor.

You should also try to occasionally stop work and do some stretching exercises.  Put your hands behind your back and bring your chest forward slowly.  Take a deep breath and relax.  You could also try to work while standing up.  Finally, you can try to buy a special kind of chair that is built to improve sitting posture.

Original post from: http://dreamreader.net

Discuss:

1. Can you say that you have good posture?
2. Do you try to do some stretches in the middle of the day when you feel like your body is getting tired?
3. What are some of the exercises you do to keep your muscles in shape?

The World’s Ageing Population

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B2 – Upper intermediate

The dilemma of an increase of elderly people is truer than we think.

The article below shows facts about the current population trend and its disadvantages. Share your thoughts and knowledge related to this issue.

The World’s Ageing Population

Discuss:

1. Are there more younger people than older individuals in your country?
2. How does your government take care of the senior citizens?
3. What are the effects of an ageing population to a country?

Beyonce Leaked Photos

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Unedited images of Beyonce have circulated over the Internet showing the famous singer’s natural looks.  Reactions to the leaked photos have been mixed, and discussions have begun anew regarding the representation of women in television and print media.

Watch the video and be ready to express your thoughts about this topic.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/02/19/orig-elbagir-beyonce-loreal-unretouched-photos.cnn

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to one interview in the video, what were the reactions to Beyonce’s unedited photos? What is your opinion on the photo?
  2. How does photo editing in advertisements affect women’s self-image?
  3. Where do you stand on editing photos that are published for the public?
  4. Why do you think celebrity photos are often edited?
  5. Should we edit the selfies that we upload to social network sites? Why or why not?