Tag: People and Human Interest

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A new year brings hope that we can leave the previous behind and look forward to a better one. It is also right around this time when we take the chance to also make some New Year’s resolutions.

However, be careful for this glimmer of hope not to die down along the way.

Read the article to know more on how to keep your New Year’s resolutions.

https://www.voanews.com/a/an-annual-battle-keeping-new-year-s-resolutions-/6895882.html

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “set someone up for something” mean? “That feeling of hope can dissipate amid day-to-day stressors but there are ways to set goals without feeling like you’re setting yourself up for failure.” Use it in your own sentence.
2. What does “follow through” mean? Use it in your own sentence.
3. Give 1-2 synonyms of “endpoint”. Use them in your own sentences. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Why might be reasons people make New Year’s resolutions? Do you make them yourself? Why or why not?
2. Do you agree or disagree on this, “People should also reflect on their progress to see how far they’ve come rather than only focusing on the endpoint.”? Explain your point.
3. Share your thoughts on this, “if people know why they’ve set goals, they’re more likely to reach them.”
4. What are some things you want to change this year and why is it that you want to make said changes?
5. How can one make sure that they follow through on their goals?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Social media is undeniably one of society’s most valuable tools. Almost everyone has social media accounts and some even earn money through them. We can’t deny the fact that it has helped us a lot, especially with getting in touch with our family and friends who are far away from us. However, if not used correctly, it could do people more harm than good.

Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of social media by reading this article.

https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/social-media-good-bad-and-ugly

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “lurk” mean? Use this word in a sentence.
2. Explain the meaning of “facsimile” in your own words. Use it in a sentence.
3. What is the meaning of the word “vulnerable“? Provide some synonyms of this word.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you use social media? If yes, how many hours a day do you spend using it? If not, why?
2. Do you believe that social media is useful?
3. How do you think will the world be without social media?
4. Are social media websites widely used in your country?
5. What do you think is the greatest benefit of using social media?
6. In your opinion, what is the worst effect of social media on its users?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We hear both positive and negative news every day. If we receive good news, we feel delighted. On the other hand, there are upsetting stories left and right. We’d better be prepared to deal with them.

The article below is a guide on how to deal with bad news.

https://www.optimistdaily.com/2022/03/expert-approved-ways-of-dealing-with-bad-news-part-i/

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What is “doomscrolling“? Use it in a sentence.

2. Explain “climate crisis”. Use it in a sentence.

Example sentence: The climate crisis impacts different sectors of society.

Question Prompt: Make a sentence.

3. What does the phrase “sink in” mean here, “Instead of letting a sense of powerlessness sink in, Harley Street coach and trauma expert Olivia James recommends focusing your energy on the positive action you can take.”?

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with the suggestions from the article? Why or why not?

2. Think of some other ways people can deal with bad news. Explain why such ways are effective.

3. What was the last bad news you heard? How did you deal with it?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Most people have a favorite artist and they know a lot about them, including their lifestyle, favorites, daily activities, and so on. But often, they naively believe that they know everything there is to know about them. Some even think their favorite artists aren’t capable of doing negative things. However, artists are human beings who are bound to make mistakes and have problematic sides, too.

What if their negative sides came to light? Would you ignore it or utterly stop supporting them?

Read the article to know if it’s really possible or impossible to separate the art from the artist.

https://www.theslateonline.com/article/2022/10/the-slate-speaks-can-you-separate-the-art-from-the-artist#:~:text=It%20is%20possible%20to%20separate,the%20actions%20of%20the%20artist.

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “nuance” mean, “There’s a lot of nuance (hence why there’s plenty of books written on the subject).”? Use this word in a sentence.
2. Explain the meaning of “heinous” in your own words. “But something like the Harry Potter books have themes that are so intertwined with J.K. Rowling’s heinous and ignorant world view that it’s almost impossible to separate the two.” Use it in a sentence.
3. What does “mainstream” mean, “You can’t say Michael Jackson didn’t impact pop music and the presence of black artists in mainstream media, and you can respect that.”? Give some synonyms of this word.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite artist? If yes, do you know a lot about him/her?  How would you react if you learned about your favorite artist’s negative side?
2. What do you think about thinking too highly of an artist?
3. Do you think it’s possible to separate the art from the artist? Elaborate. How can it be done?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

People consume food daily both for fuel and pleasure. On many occasions, it helps build relationships.

Read the article on ways to bring people together through food.

https://www.optimistdaily.com/2022/07/5-ways-to-bring-people-together-with-food/

Discussion Questions:

1. The article suggested five ways to bring people together with food. Which ones can work in your home and workplace?
2. Think about a time when you built a good relationship with someone through food. Talk about this experience.
3. What is a crappy dinner party philosophy? Why do you think the article suggests embracing it?
4. What other suggestions do you want to add to the list?