Tag: People and Human Interest

Fewer Teens Learn to Drive

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to statistics, fewer and fewer young people do not rush to learning how to drive nowadays. Economic factors, public transportation, and social media are contributing to the decline in the number of teens learning to drive.

Watch the video as NBC reporter Jacob Soboroff takes a look at why young people are losing the drive to get behind the wheel:

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word “to break the/one’s bank” mean, “She says even signing up for driver’s ed can break her bank.” Use the expression in a sentence.
  2. What does the phrase “behind the wheel” mean? “I was nervous the first time I was behind the wheel.” Use the expression in a sentence.
  3. What does the word “rodeo” mean in this sentence, “First car is usually rodeo.”? Use the word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some reasons why fewer teens learn to drive?
  2. One of the reasons mentioned in the video is that social media is replacing in-person get-togethers. What is your reaction and your opinion on this?
  3. In your own personal opinion, how important is driving?
  4. On the other hand, what do you think when someone doesn’t know or want to learn how to drive?
  5. Share your experience driving for the first time.

Eliminating Procrastination Habit

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The primary threat to productivity is procrastination. Procrastination is a terrible habit that can interfere with you achieving your objectives as well as create anxiety and negatively influence your health and quality of life, according to experts.

Despite the fact that it can be challenging to break the practice, it is very important to kick your procrastination habits to the curb.

Watch the video for some procrastination-busting advice.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”to live up to something” mean, “Do I feel like I need to live up to the previous work I’ve done in the past”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “to dive deep/deeper into something” mean, “Take a moment to dive deep into your own thoughts and feelings about your work.”? Give 2 similar words or expressions to this and use them in your own sentences.
  3. What does “in one’s tracks” mean, “Stop your habit in its tracks.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on the link between procrastination and anxiety or depression.
  2. Explain the difference between procrastination and laziness.
  3. How can managers help team members who struggle with procrastination?
  4. What are some of your intrinsic motivation for what you do at work?
  5. What do you think is the relationship between procrastination and success in life?
  6. How do you feel/What are your thoughts about strictly sticking to a to-do list or schedule?

Gambling

B1 – Intermediate

Gambling is defined as placing money or betting in a game to win even more money depending on luck without working really hard. Gambling is a kind of a shortcut to getting a lot of money. Everyone would like to follow an easy way to make money. Even rich people gamble to become even richer. However, it is a game of chance. Many people also end up losing a lot of money to it.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about gambling.

https://listenaminute.com/g/gambling.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “nothing good comes out of something” mean, “I don’t think much good comes [out] of gambling.”? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “odds to be against someone” mean, “The odds are always against you.”? Use this idiom in a sentence.
  3. What does “to get fed up with someone/something” mean, “They must get fed up with throwing their money away.”? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever won or lost money from gambling? Share that situation.
  2. Do you think buying lottery tickets is a form of gambling? Why or why not?
  3. Why do you think so many people like gambling?
  4. How can someone stop from gambling too much?
  5. What damage does gambling do to an individual and the society?
  6. How different do you think the world would be if gambling didn’t exist? Explain.

South Koreans Got Taller

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many would agree that height is power. Studies show that height is a key factor in one’s overall health. Have you ever considered how our height varies, particularly from one nation to another? Or do you ever make a comparison to a single member of your family?

Take a look at the video below to see how our height evolves.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “vertical axis” mean? “We need to adjust the vertical axis so we can see this chart better.” Kindly use it to construct your own sentence.
  2. Do you know the meaning of “outlier“, “The countries that grew the least were in Africa. And Asian countries were mostly in the middle. But all the way on the right is an outlier.” Give your example using this word.
  3. What is the meaning of “skyrocketed“, “Eventually, the country shifted from producing things like textiles to consumer electronics and cars. And South Koreans wealth skyrocketed.” Use this word in your

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the good and bad sides of being tall? How about being short?
  2. How important is a person’s height?
  3. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Height is something history gives to us.”
  4. Are people generally tall in your country? What factors do you think are to attribute to it?
  5. What are the factors that affect our growth?
  6. Do you believe that one inherits a genetic component that determines height? Explain.

Big Dreams Can Be Big Problems

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Are you someone with big dreams and aspirations? While it’s important to dream big, there might be some hidden pitfalls to chasing those grand goals.

In the article you are about to read, we explore why big dreams can sometimes lead to big problems and what you can do to avoid them. So if you want to make sure your big dreams become a reality, keep reading!

https://www.lifehack.org/508810/why-big-dreams-can-big-problems

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “wide-eyed“. “Wide-eyed and excited about the endless possibilities, we began dreaming.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the idiom “hard dose of reality” mean in the sentence, “Slowly but surely, we got a hard dose of reality.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. The idiom “bloodied and beaten to a pulp” is used in the sentence, “It’s not the moments of success where we find out what we are made of but rather those moments when we are bloodied and beaten to a pulp.”. Explain your understanding and make a sentence using this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does Ryan Holiday suggest to do when faced with an obstacle?
  2. How did Sara Blakely redefine her definition of failure?
  3. What strategies can be adopted to stay motivated when faced with failure?
  4. What reasons lead people to give up on their big dreams?
  5. Do you also have big dreams? How do you plan to achieve them?

Self-Parenting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Self-parenting is the practice of treating yourself with the same kindness and care that a supportive, nurturing parent would. This can help improve your relationship with yourself and cultivate self-love.

To achieve this, you can start by cultivating self-compassion and nurturing your inner child.

The article offers six practical tips on how to practice self-parenting, including setting boundaries and practicing self-reflection. Following the tips can help you become more self-compassionate and caring.

To learn more, follow the link provided to read the full article.

https://www.lifehack.org/924532/self-parenting

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hinder” mean, “Self-parenting can help you meet those needs today while enhancing rather than hindering your success.” Give 2 synonyms and use them in your own sentences.
  2. What does “jump in” mean, “You weren’t taught how to make decisions or deal with conflict. As a result, the inner child jumps in and does their best to solve your problems.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does “internalize” mean here, “It’s the echo of your parents, caregivers, and other authority figures that you’ve internalized and made your own.” Use it in another sentence.

Discussion Questions

  1. In what ways do you interpret self-parenting and how might it positively impact your life?
  2. What are some of the common obstacles that people face when trying to practice self-compassion and self-care, and how can they overcome them?
  3. What steps can one take to identify and overcome emotional wounds and limiting beliefs that hinder self-parenting?
  4. How might individuals benefit from nurturing their inner child and connecting with their authentic self in order to cultivate a stronger relationship with themselves?
  5. How does self-parenting contribute to resilience building and coping with challenges and setbacks in life?

Why We Need Subtitles

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you enjoy watching TV shows and movies a lot? Have you ever felt the need for subtitles to fully grasp what the speakers are saying? If so, don’t you think subtitles should be a requirement and that relying on them would help us understand what we are watching more?

To find out more about the topic, kindly watch the video below.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “intelligibility” mean? “Naturalism isn’t always the best for intelligibility, though.” Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of “impede“? “Microphones don’t impede performance as much anymore.” Make your own sentence using this word.
  3. Do you know the meaning of “mumbler“? “Take Tom Hardy, an actor I personally love, but who famously is a mumbler.” Kindly make your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you rely on subtitles when watching movies or series? Why/why not?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages you could think of subtitle dependency?
  3. Why are subtitles considered an absolute necessity when watching movies or series?
  4. What factors do you believe most influence whether or not viewers in your country choose to watch movies or television shows with subtitles?

Rule of Personal Communication

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We all want to make a good impression when we meet people for the first time, but how?

Read the article and find out what role body language plays in communication and what gestures to use when you want to make an excellent first impression on somebody. 

https://www.rightattitudes.com/2008/10/04/7-38-55-rule-personal-communication/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “incongruent” mean, “The non-verbal elements are particularly important for communicating feelings and attitude, especially when they are incongruent: if words and body language disagree, one tends to believe the body language.” Use this in a sentence.
  2. What does “substantiate” mean, “These non-verbal elements can present a listener with important clues to the speaker’s thoughts and feelings and thus substantiate or contradict the speaker’s words.”? Use this in a sentence.
  3. What does “only a fraction” mean, “In communication, a speaker’s words are only a fraction of his efforts”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this statement, “If a speaker’s words and body language differ, listeners are more likely to believe the nonverbal communication of the speaker, not his words.”?
  2. How can one be effective and persuasive in their verbal communication?
  3. What is the most crucial factor you pay attention to when you talk to someone? Is it their appearance, manners, or behavior? What about their voice and gestures?
  4. Are you surprised at the statistics? Why or why not?
  5. How do you control your voice and gestures when you talk to someone?

The Pressure to Have the Perfect Birth

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Every birth story is unique and there is simply no such thing as a “perfect birth.” With that said, the more equipped we are for any major life journey or transformation, which would include acknowledging the truth of a Plan B or C, the more comfortable we will be when we are already in the situation.

Of course, when a beautiful newborn baby awaits you, it’s impossible to imagine being frustrated with the journey.

But as researchers noted in one study, individualized emotional support has been shown to empower women and increase the possibility of a positive birth experience. Women wanted to be recognized and viewed as wonderful human beings by their practitioners and their partners.

Read the article to know more about positive birth and hypnobirthing movements.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230122-positive-birth-and-hypnobirthing-movements

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hold much weight” mean, “And for many women, approaches like these have never held much weight, if you want to give birth as painlessly as possible, why not just use every modern medical intervention and drug available?”? Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  2. What does “laser-focused ” mean, “Feeling like there was one right way to have a baby, it made me laser-focused on that right way.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does the idiom “things started to go sideways” mean, “As a result, when things started to go sideways, it was very hard for me to adapt.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it possible to “have a ‘beautiful’ birth experience without medical intervention”? Explain.
  2. What are some benefits of natural birth?
  3. What is the meaning of a very positive birth experience?
  4. What factors contribute to a positive birthing experience for the mother?
  5. Do you believe that having contingencies, in addition to birth plans, is important? Discuss your opinion.

Have A Calmer Sunday Night

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Weekends are a joy for employees after going through a tough week of work. As much as everyone loves the weekend, when the end of the weekend comes, most of us get the “Sunday Scaries”.

If you’re one of those who loathe Sundays, there are things you can do to make your Sunday evening and the rest of the week better and calmer.

Read the article to know more.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sunday-night-routine-monday_l_63c99561e4b01a4363856a1b

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hustle and bustle” mean, “For most people, the end of the weekend isn’t a welcome time; it marks the return to the hustle and bustle of the workweek and all of the tasks therein.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of “frenzy“? Give at least 2 synonyms.
  3. What does “start (something) off on the right foot” mean in the sentence, “Putting things in place to start your Monday on the right foot is a good way to ease some of your Sunday scaries.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you usually experience the “Sunday Scaries”? Talk about it.
  2. What do you think of the ways mentioned in the article?
  3. Which ones do you practice to lessen the “Sunday Scaries”?
  4. What are other ways to have a more relaxed Sunday evening?
  5. What activities do you usually do to have a relaxing weekend?