Tag: First Certificate FCE

Cloud Computing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cloud computing is a technology that delivers various computing services over the internet, including storage, processing power, databases, networking, software, analytics, and more. These services are provided by cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and others.

Read the lesson and learn a bit more about cloud computing.

https://www.english-online.at/technology/cloud-computing/cloud-computing-applications.htm#google_vignette

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is cloud computing? “Cloud computing allows people from different parts of the world to work on a project together. ” Use this term in a sentence.
  2. What does back and forth mean? “Companies around the world can work together on a single computer and do not have to send data back and forth.” Use phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does to march forward mean? “In any case, cloud computing is marching forward and in a few years we may only be having a web browser running on our PCs.” Use this expression in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain the things you know about cloud computing.
  2. How does cloud computing provide flexibility to users?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud computing?
  4. How does cloud computing support remote work? Elaborate.
  5. Why do you think cloud computing is the future?

Concerns Over the Future of Community Pharmacies

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Community pharmacies are an important stop that many make in every town and city. However, some concerns have been raised about the possible disappearance of community pharmacies lately. Part of the reason is because more patients are now choosing to get their medicines online.

Read the article to know more about some of the concerns over what the future holds for community pharmacies in the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmj25466j87o

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “the heartbeat of something” mean? “We are the heartbeat of the community when it comes to healthcare because we are easily accessible to people.” Use the phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “the first port of call” mean? “Ifesi Anyamene runs Godstone Pharmacy, and said it is the “first port of call” for many in the village.” Use this idiom in a sentence.
  3. What does “family-run business” mean? “Ms Anyamene said many independent pharmacies were family-run businesses and “not about profit”.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. “The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) previously warned of 10 closures a week and said more than 1,400 pharmacies had closed in England in the last 10 years.” What is your reaction to and your thoughts on this?
  2. Is it really possible for a family-run pharmacies to be “not about the money”? Share your insights.
  3. In your country, there similar concerns about the problems community pharmacies are currently facing? Share about it.
  4. What do you know about the community pharmacies in your country?
  5. Is it alright for the government to squeeze community pharmacies’ fundings? Express your opinion about this.

Remove Equestrian Sports from the Olympics

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Equestrian sports have been in the Olympics for over a hundred years, highlighting the bond between the rider and their horse.

More recently, there has been a debate on whether these events should stay in the Games, with concerns about horse welfare, accessibility, and how well they fit with current Olympic values.

Read this article to know about the case for the removal of equestrian sports from the Olympics.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/31/the-horses-dont-choose-to-take-part-should-equestrian-sports-be-removed-from-the-olympics

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “to go out of the window” mean? ““We know that whenever animals are treated as commodities and exploited for human gain, their best interests go out of the window,” says White.” Give a synonym and make a sentence with this expression.
  2. What is an “outcry”? “Having been hailed as the “golden girl” of dressage and widely tipped for a damehood, Dujardin has been banned from the Paris Olympic Games amid public outcry and a pending investigation by the sport’s governing body.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘outcry’ in your own sentence.
  3. Define “to put one’s foot down”. “We are trying to do everything we can to find out about unethical behaviour and put our foot down wherever it happens.” Give a similar expression and create a sentence using this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on removing equestrian sports from the Olympics?
  2. Have you ever watched equestrian sports in the Olympics? If so, what was your impression of them?
  3. How do you think the inclusion of equestrian sports in the Olympics reflects or challenges our views on animal welfare?
  4. Are equestrian sports popular in your country? What other sports do you think might harm animals?
  5. What’s your opinion on the statement, “Whenever there’s a lot of money or glory involved, people may exploit animals to make them perform a certain way.”?

EU Rejects Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Since its discovery in 1906, scientists have come a long way when it comes to the study and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists have been working round the clock to gain more, if not full, understanding of how this disease affects the brain. As a result of extensive researches over time, some drugs have been used to treat it and new ones are consistently being discovered. One of which is lecanemab, a drug that had shown to slow cognitive decline.

However, despite it getting approved in the US last year, the European Medicines Agency or EMA believes that the risk of lecanemab’s adverse side effects such as bleeding and swelling in the brain outweighs its benefits.

Read the article about EMA rejecting a license for the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgm0v1ne08o

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “underlying mechanism” mean? “Alzheimer’s researchers hailed the trial results as “historic” because no previous drug had convincingly shown that the underlying mechanism of the disease could be slowed.”  Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘underlying mechanism’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “value for money” mean? “Even if the drug was to be approved in the UK, it would then be up to health bodies – such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) – to decide whether the drug represents value for money and should be recommended to patients.”Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘value for money’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “a turning point” mean? “In the programme, broadcast earlier this year, Prof Cath Mummery, consultant neurologist and head of clinical trials at the Dementia Research Centre at UCL, said although the benefits of the drugs were small, they represented a “turning point”.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘a turning point’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about the benefits and risks associated with lecanemab.
  2. Share your opinion on EMA’s decision to reject lecanemab’s license.
  3. “Prof Tara Spires-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience Association, said the EMA’s decision will come as “a disappointment to many”.” Share your thoughts on this.

Get Out of a Mental Rut

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

There are many reasons to feel as if you are operating on autopilot. Being mentally stuck can cause one to lack motivation and happiness. However, stress no more. One thing to know about mental rut is that it is momentary and there are ways to deal with it.

Watch this video about mental rut and how to get out of it if you find yourself in this state.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mental rut” mean? “What happened is you’ve entered a mental rut.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘mental rut’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “something feels like a chore” mean? “Just going through your daily routine is a struggle and it feels like a chore.”Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘something feels like a chore’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “ebb and flow” mean? “Our moods are in constant ebb and flow.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘ebb and flow’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which advice from the video resonates to you and why?
  2. What other ways can you think of on how an individual can get out of a mental rut?
  3. Talk about a moment of being stuck and talk about the ways you were able to overcome it.
  4. “Often, mental rut happens to the most ambitious people.” Talk about your thoughts on this statement.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever made a bad decision and felt the need to correct or fix your mistake? Everyone in this world has experienced lapses in judgment from time to time but the way they cope with their errors varies from person to person. Unfortunately, not all of these methods are heathy or even beneficial, such as the sunk cost fallacy.

Watch the video to learn more about the sunk cost fallacy.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”sunk cost” mean? “I know that there are plenty of other reasons why people stay together, but sunk cost is definitely up there.” Use this term to make your own sentence.
  2. Explain the meaning of the idiom “to call it quits“. “It’s better to call it quits now and save yourself from future misery.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and create a sentence using this phrase.
  3. What does “to dig a bigger hole” mean? “If you continue to pour more resources into a failing project, you’re just digging a bigger hole for yourself.” Use ‘to dig a bigger hole” in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts about sunk cost fallacy?
  2. Give other examples of the sunk cost fallacy.
  3. Talk about your personal experience with the sunk cost fallacy.
  4. Does the sunk cost influence your decisions? Explain.

IQ Is Not the Same as Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Intelligence is a complex quality involving different abilities like thinking, problem-solving, emotions, and creativity. IQ tests, which measure some cognitive skills such as reasoning and math, only give a partial picture of how smart someone is. They don’t capture everything about a person’s intelligence because they focus on specific areas and use standard questions and scoring.

Watch the video to know more about it and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “remedial help” mean? “Alfred Binet was asked by the government to develop a test that could determine whether people needed remedial help with their education.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “innate” mean? “American Psychologists decide that I.Q. is innate, that you were born with it, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘innate’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “multifaceted” mean? “Intelligence is a multifaceted thing and multifaceted things can’t really be measured in terms of a single number.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘multifaceted’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe that IQ tests accurately reflect someone’s overall intelligence? Why or why not?
  2. In your opinion, what other factors besides cognitive abilities should be considered when defining intelligence?
  3. How important is it for society to recognize and value different forms of intelligence beyond what is typically measured by IQ tests?
  4. In what ways can emotional intelligence and creativity be important aspects of intelligence that are not fully captured by traditional IQ tests?

The School that Puts the Kids in Charge

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this unique school in Thailand, teachers take a back seat. Students are given the responsibilities instead. From managing finances to volunteering, children are tasked to do things that adults are supposed to do in regular school environment.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about this out-of-the-box approach to rural Thai education.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2024/ep-240711

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the idiom “call the shots“? “In this programme we’ll be hearing about the Bamboo School, a unique school where the children call the shots – they have the power to make the decisions.” Give one synonym or similar expression and use ‘call the shots’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does the phrase “real world experience” mean? “My old school wasn’t like this. It was just classes and then home. Here, I get to try so many things, gain real world experience, and work on my leadership skills with my friends.” Give one synonym or similar expression and use ‘real world experience’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to do something in return” mean? “Yes, we just heard that kids go to the Bamboo School for free but do something in return.” Give one synonym or similar expression and use ‘to do something in return’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the young students’ responsibilities in Bamboo School in Thailand?
  2. What do you think of a school where it’s the children who call the shots?
  3. What advantages do this school management system have on its young pupils? What are the disadvantages?
  4. What impact/effects could giving school children this kind/amount of trust have on them?
  5. Aside from this, how do you think children can gain real world experience?
  6. Do you think young kids should do community service? Share your insights.

7-Eleven Reinventing Its Food Business to Be More Japanese

B2 – Upper Intermediate

7-Eleven, a global convenience store giant, is undergoing a significant transformation by reinventing its $17 billion food business to align more closely with its Japanese origins. This strategic shift aims to enhance the brand’s culinary offerings and customer experience by incorporating the successful and distinctive elements of its Japanese operations.

Watch the video to learn more about it and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “double down” mean? “But now, as cigarette sales continue to decline and many expect gas sales to slow, many are racing to find other sources of revenue and doubling down on food.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘double down’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “major undertaking” mean? “Shifting a business this massive is a major undertaking.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘major undertaking’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does the term “wide array” mean? “7-Eleven Japan is known for its wide array of meal options.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on the “tanpin kari” business model.
  2. What specific elements of Japanese 7-Eleven stores could be most successfully integrated into other international markets, and why?
  3. Do you think the introduction of Japanese-inspired food will significantly improve 7-Eleven’s appeal and sales in your local area? Why or why not?
  4. In your opinion, what other international food practices could 7-Eleven adopt to further enhance its food business?
  5. Do you believe that the higher cost of sourcing better ingredients for Japanese-inspired food will be justified by increased customer satisfaction and sales? Why or why not?

South Koreans Flock to Blue-Collar Jobs

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In recent years, South Korea has witnessed a notable shift in employment trends, with a growing number of young people opting for blue-collar jobs.

This trend challenges traditional views that prioritize white-collar careers as the path to success. Factors such as economic instability, high youth unemployment, and the rising cost of higher education are driving this change. Additionally, blue-collar jobs often offer stable employment, decent wages, and opportunities for skill development.

Watch the video to know the reasons behind this emerging trend and its implications for South Korean society and the economy.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV11i421v75o/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What doe s the phrase “to be in full swing” mean? “More renovations are in full swing at this apartment.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the expression “has seen better days” mean? “Those taking the civil servant exams would normally flock to these food stalls for a cheap bite but with fewer people taking the test, the street has seen better days.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to pay off” mean? “Even though it is exhausting, the work is paying off as his current income is double his former salary.” Make a sentence using the expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this work trend?
  2. What economic conditions in South Korea might be contributing to the rise in young people seeking blue-collar jobs? How do these conditions compare your country?
  3. How has the saturation of certain job markets, such as those requiring higher education, affected the trend of young people moving towards blue-collar jobs?
  4. How are technological advancements in blue-collar industries making these jobs more attractive to the younger generation?
  5. How do the work-life balance and job security of blue-collar jobs compare to white-collar jobs in South Korea? How about in your country?
  6. How might these factors influence career choices?