Tag: First Certificate FCE

The Spice Trade

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Ages ago, when money was still non-existent, trading of goods was the only way to access different products from different countries. One of the most in demand products were spices.

Spices have a lot of uses. People traveled far just to bring these spices back to their homeland. Many cities became rich because of trading them. It became very important to the economy of Europe.

Read more about the history of the spice trade on this link.

https://www.english-online.at/history/spice-trade/spice-trade.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of your favorite spices and why do you love them?
2. What spices can be found in your country?
3. What are the pros and cons of trading goods?
4. What areas and moments in the past would you want to explore?
5. Who were some explorers that you know?
6. What are modern types of trading?
7. Do you think that the introduction of money was a good or bad idea? Please explain.
8. What are the products that your country exports and imports?

Stop Lashing Out When Hurting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to surveys, rates of depression are still considerably higher than before the global epidemic and both have been associated to rage and frustration.

While it is impossible to handle our anguish from transforming into negativity, we can adjust how we respond to our emotional reactions.

Click the link for some expert tips on how to prevent lashing out when we’re in pain.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/12/health/stop-lashing-out-wellness/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you act when you’re furious?
  2. What are the benefits to getting angry?
  3. What happens when you keep your rage bottled up?
  4. What are ways you express your anger in a healthy way?
  5. Is it easy for you to keep your anger under control and hidden? How do you do it?
  6. Do you know anyone who has good anger management skills? How do they do it?
  7. Can you recall an instance when your thoughts have affected your anger?

Dollar Stores Are Full of Toxic Products

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As many people struggle to make ends meet, they try to find solutions to the rising household costs. Consequently, dollar stores have become popular nowadays. However, evidence shows that the chemicals present in products that can be found in such shops are harmful to the environment and endangering human health.

Read the article to learn more about how dollar stores are full of toxic products and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.treehugger.com/dollar-stores-toxic-products-5235538

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have dollar stores in your country? What do you think about these stores?
  2. Why do you think they are as popular as they are in your country?
  3. Have you ever bought anything from a dollar store before? Why or why not?
  4. Would you change your mind about or habit going to dollar stores after reading this article? Why or why not?
  5. What are your priorities and standards as a shopper? Explain why each factor matters to you.

Snap-Judge People as Boring

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to modern studies, people have various expectations with what characteristics define a stereotypical bore. These prejudices, like other varieties of categorizing, might not have been wholly accurate, but can have very harmful impacts. Before they have even spoken, people brutally assess those who fit “boring” stereotypes, assuming they are less kind and capable than the typical person and unjustly acknowledging them in social situations.

Why do people make snap judgments about others based on their passions and fields of work?

Let’s make time to read the entire article to learn more.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220422-why-we-snap-judge-some-people-as-boring

Discussion Questions:

  1. What factors contribute to a boring personality?
  2. How do you determine a person’s nature?
  3. What makes someone a good judge of character?
  4. How do you respond to a judgmental person?
  5. Is it a bad thing to be dull and uninteresting? How do you interact with boring people?
  6. Have you met someone you thought was a complete bore at first but you were entirely wrong about that person after you’ve known them better? Talk about this experience.
  7. What do you do in order to make sure you leave a very good impression on someone upon your first meeting?

Have People Forgotten How to Behave in the Office?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some people become somewhat tolerant of the nuisances that come with being surrounded by coworkers and more socially apprehensive after achieving full control over business settings at home. Others, on the contrary, could be so content to be in an office among coworkers that they end up breaking social norms that used to exist.

Have employees spent considerable time at home that they have neglected the workplace standards?

Let’s make time to read the entire article to learn more.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220627-have-people-forgotten-how-to-behave-in-the-office

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you skeptical about returning to the office because of social anxiety?
  2. What can managers and employees do to help the transition go smoothly?
  3. Are there any complicating factors you’d be happy to disclose that might make returning to the office incredibly tough or troublesome for you?

Van Gogh – Challenging the ‘Tortured Genius’ Myth

B2 – Upper Intermediate

People often say that artistic talent and mental disorders go hand in hand. But is it really so?

Have you ever seen any of Van Gogh’s works? Have you ever thought that only a crazy man could create such paintings?

Watch the video to figure out if there is a connection between insanity and genius.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on what’s discussed in this video.
  2. How did Van Gogh’s relocation to the town of Arles affect his inspiration?
  3. What are your thoughts on the treatments available to mental patients in the 1890s?
  4. Some people believe that Van Gogh’s paintings are brilliant because of his mental illness. What is the authors’ opinion on that? Do you share their view?
  5. What is your reaction to Van Gogh’s statement that “Work distracts me infinitely better than anything else. And if I could once really throw myself into it with all my energy, that might possibly be the best remedy.”

Toilet Paper Made from Ancient Forests

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says that our choice of toilet paper has an impact on climate change. One example is the use of virgin wood pulp that drives deforestation in Canada’s boreal forest, which is one of the most ecologically important forests in the world.

Read the article to know more about it and be able to answer the questions below.

https://www.treehugger.com/is-your-favorite-toilet-paper-made-from-ancient-forests-5069744

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel after reading the article?
  2. How important is toilet paper for you? How often do you shop for it?
  3. What qualities do you look for when purchasing toilet papers?
  4. Do you prefer to purchase one brand of toilet paper or do you try/buy different brands? Why is that?
  5. What are some ways to protect and preserve our forests?

Why Parrots Can Talk Like Humans

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are many types of birds that exist in our world and one of them are parrots. They are some of the most famous birds to ever exist. There are many reasons as to why this is the case, but the most significant is the fact that parrots can speak the human language.

Monkeys and humans are very similar creatures with very similar physical features. However, monkeys cannot speak the human language, so why and how can a bird, more specifically, parrots speak like us?

To find out more, let us watch this video.

Discussion Questions:

  1. If other birds were to start using their tongue while speaking, do you think they would be able to speak the human language as well?
  2. Do you think that parrots could imitate other animals as well as they speak human language?
  3. In the future, do you think we could fully teach parrots our language? How about other animals?
  4. What are your thoughts on animals having the capability to perform human-like skills?
  5. Would you like to own a talking pet/animal? Why or why not?

Should We Ban Hate Speech

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Each person has their own opinion and often finds it necessary to share it with other people. However, this opinion is not always positive and tolerant, and often it can easily become hate speech. What does it mean? Should we always just be silent about certain matters?

Watch and get acquainted with censoring hate speech.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, should hate speech be censored? Support your stand.
  2. How can a person’s inner state be related to their disposition to hate speech?
  3. Why is it important to monitor the mental health of society while studying the phenomenon of hate speech?
  4. Is it possible to create organizations that work with victims affected by hate speech?
  5. How do social networks and the Internet, in general, affect the spread of hate speech?

Home Repairs

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We all want to live in a comfortable home. It could be the whole apartment to yourself or a shared one. That is why people who are looking for a house to live in have many factors to consider before deciding to move in. As for shared apartment, because of the limited space, people want it to be at least a clean and habitable one with no damage and with the apartment essentials.

Let’s listen to the audio and know more about Dave’s apartment and his search for a new housemate.

Home Repairs

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is Dave looking for a roommate? What are the problems in Dave’s house?
  2. If you were Randall, would you move in with Dave given all the problems he has in his house?
  3. What home repairs have you done before? What one thing would you change about the place where you live now?
  4. Is it better to know how to do home repairs or to just hire someone to do it for you? Explain your stand.
  5. In your neighborhood, which home repairs require a permit? Which ones do not?
  6. Have you ever lived with a roommate/roommates? What do you think about living with other people you don’t necessarily know?