Tag: First Certificate FCE

Life in the Modern Office

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Work offices are critical to productivity, collaboration, and innovation. We probably spend more than one-third of our lives at the work office. However, the pandemic has introduced dramatic changes in our work culture.

Let’s listen to the audio and read transcript below about life in the modern office.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2022/ep-220505

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on hot-desking?
  2. How would you describe your workplace? How about your own work desk/space?
  3. What is your favorite and least favorite thing about your workplace?
  4. How has the Coronavirus pandemic changed your workplace?
  5. What do you think is the worst thing about working in an office?
  6.  Share your thoughts on this statement, “It’s important to have a workplace that’s safe, comfortable, and familiar”.

Swedes Don’t Feed Their Children’s Playmates

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cultures’ customs on hospitality differ. It is said that hospitality customs are very complicated issue.

Swedes are under fire on social media. Apparently, visiting playmates of their children are not offered snacks or to join the family’s meal. 

Find out why and why it is causing an uproar online.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jun/01/its-a-scandi-scandal-why-has-social-media-turned-on-sweden

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on Swedes’ not feeding their children’s playmates when they visit? In your opinion, should Swedes change this? Why or why not?
  2. What is the custom in your country on this? Is it customary in your country to offer house guests food?
  3. What are other customs you have with house visitors and when visiting others’ home?
  4. Do families eat together in your country? Why or why not?
  5. Do you agree or disagree that “the meaning of shared meals and, in particular, the cultural mechanism of hospitality runs deep”? Share your insights.
  6. Share some mealtime customs in your country.

Upskilling and the Future of Work

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If you haven’t noticed, the world as we know it is changing ever so fast. No one is spared from keeping up with the times. No employee remains indispensable.

For one to stay competitive in their industry and relevant in the workplace, there is a  compelling need to be honing or discovering new skill sets. 

Read the article below about the importance of upskilling.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220412-what-upskilling-means-for-the-future-of-work

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is upskilling important?
  2. Does your company offer training sessions on various subjects and do you normally sign up for them? What is the most significant skill have you acquired so far?
  3. Is this statement true in your industry or kind of job: “the skills required in the workforce are changing fast”? Explain.
  4. What are ways you get yourself ahead of the curve professionally?
  5. What other hard and soft skills do you wish to acquire and why?

Companies’ Business Model: Supporting and Rewarding Employees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Any perceptive company would be wise enough to put their money on their employees’ mental health and overall wellness to ensure they remain motivated and feeling supported. 

Read the article below about some companies that support and reward their employees.

https://www.inc.com/graham-winfrey/best-workplaces-editors-list-2022.html?cid=sf01002

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree that “companies should be invested in their employees’ success, no matter the cost”? Explain.
  2. Which perk/s mentioned in the article do you also want to get?
  3. What are things your company invest in when it comes to its employees’ wellness?
  4. In what other ways do you think your company supports its employees?
  5. Where is the best place you’ve ever worked in and why?

The End of Retirement

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is essential to perceive that retirement is a man-made process, not a step backwards or an indispensable moment in time. But given all the changes in time, retirement might not be how we perceive it anymore.

Have you contemplated on what you’re going to do after you retire from your job? Is it globe trotting? Are you spending time at home or do nothing and simply relax? Gardening? Or simply having a good time with your grandkids? Should you run your own business instead?
Is there so much more to do? What exactly would your retirement years be like?

To find out more, let’s take a moment to read the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220526-is-this-the-end-of-retirement-as-we-know-it

Discussion Questions:

  1. How has retirement changed over the years? Is this happening in your country as well?
  2. What do you think of the tendency for “people to expect and need to work past traditional retirement age”?
  3. How do you picture your retirement in your head?
  4. Do you think people who retire miss working? Why or why not?
  5. What’s the best age for retirement and why?
  6. In what ways do you think retirement might be gleeful?
  7. In what ways do you think retirement might be stressful?

Child Prodigies

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some people are called geniuses for their exceptional intellect or abilities. Who do you consider to be the geniuses of our time? It can be someone known for their accomplishments in science, art, politics, music, cinema, or any other sphere.

Do you ever wonder what becomes of these child geniuses when they become adults?

Please watch the video about what happens to child prodigies when they grow up.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of child geniuses? What do you think it is like to be a prodigy?
  2. Do you agree that talented children need separate schools? Why or why not?
  3. Is it easy to see that a child is a genius? How can parents spot it?
  4. Is it normal for geniuses to fail at certain things?
  5. Do all people have an innate flair for something? Explain your thoughts on this.
  6. Is it enough to work hard to develop one’s skills? Explain.
  7. If you could have been a prodigy at something, what would you like it to be and why?

The Interview

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Oftentimes, we are faced with the challenge of working with a person or a group with totally opposing views or personalities whether at work or in other circumstances in life. This may cause tension and perhaps also a lot of pressure, but it may also be the push that some need to work or perform better. Working alone sounds like a great idea, but you also have to be flexible to work in pairs or teams should need arises.

Watch the video to see how this new assignment was handled.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-2-lesson-2/3960471.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you ready to take on any task your manager gives you? Is there any task you wouldn’t want to do? Why?
  2. Have you ever teamed up with someone? How was it working with that person?
  3. Have you ever worked with someone that is different from you? How was it?
  4. Talk about your personal skills. For example, are you a people person?
  5. What work of yours are you most proud of?

Problems with School Systems

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Schools are supposed to teach our children about important lessons, and they do. However, there a lot of problems with school systems that completely contradict this goal.

On the internet, many people say that schools are bad for us, even though these claims are partly justified, it feels like an extreme way of interpreting the problems with most school systems.

Watch the video to find out more about some problems with our school system.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “churn out” mean, “In fact, thought leaders from around the world agree that the current system of education was designed in the Industrial Age, mainly to churn out factory workers.” Use the phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does the expression “run deep” mean, “And this Industrial Age mentality of mass production and mass control still runs deep in school.”? Use the phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “rote” mean? “Most of the learning that happens in school today is not authentic, because it relies on memorization and rote learning.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with the problems mentioned and discussed in the video? Talk about your thoughts.
  2. Besides the problems mentioned in this video, what are other issues with school systems?
  3. What are some issues with the educational system in your country?
  4. In your own opinion, do these problems outweigh the positives of school? Explain your stance.
  5. If you had the power to do so, how would you try and fix these problems?
  6. What problems did you have at school as a student?

Monkeypox Virus

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Just as we thought the COVID-19 pandemic is about to end, there is a new virus that has spread through Europe and North America. It is the monkeypox that started in Africa.

Let’s watch the video and find out more about this emerging viral disease.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is monkeypox? Where did it originate? How does monkeypox spread? What are its known symptoms?
  2. What is your reaction to this new virus?
  3. What is your government doing to protect its people from this virus?

Replace Forks with Chopsticks

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is said that there is a link between health and the use of chopsticks. Chopsticks are crafted pair of equal length sticks used for eating that are popular in Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand.

Read the article to know why using chopsticks is better for our health and be able to answer the questions below.

https://www.sakara.com/blogs/mag/why-you-should-be-using-chopsticks

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about what is said in this article? Do you agree that using chopsticks is better for our health? Why or why not?
  2. Have you used chopsticks before? What do you think of chopsticks as utensils?
  3. Would you like to try using chopsticks to help you achieve better health? Why or why not?
  4. How do you compare the way people normally eat in your country with those from other countries?
  5. What do you do in order to prevent yourself from overeating?