Tag: People and Human Interest

Lucky Rituals Bring Success

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The habits or rituals that lead to rich and famous people to their success are secrets everyone is dying to know, thinking it could hopefully bring them the same fortune.

Read the article about superstitious learning and how the eccentric habits of high-flying individuals bring them success.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220708-superstitious-learning-can-lucky-rituals-bring-success

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “gospel truth” mean, “Some of their behaviours will have been acquired through superstitious learning – and we may then follow their advice as if it were the gospel truth.”? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does “rife” mean, “Creative tasks are especially rife with uncertainty – which may explain why thinkers like Gates, Beethoven and Dickens adopted such specific behaviours to get their thoughts flowing.“? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “spurious” mean, “It is notoriously difficult to get a new paper accepted by a prestigious journal, she says, and researchers will often find spurious reasons for their successes and failures.”? Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on superstitious learning?
  2. Give a benefit and a downside of over-imitation.
  3. People sometimes attribute success to something so random rather than their own talent or hard work. Share your thoughts on this.
  4. What are some rituals that you think bring you luck and success? Where did you learn this from? 
  5. Have you ever taken a famous and successful person’s idiosyncratic rites and rituals in the hope that you can somehow achieve the same success? Share about it.
  6. Why do successful people follow eccentric habits?

Doomscrolling

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Although it is no surprise that bad news can cause some mental issues such as distress, anxiety, and depression, they still are what catch people’s attention. Despite their negative effects on our wellbeing, they still get consumed way more than positive or neutral, developmental news.

Generally, people around the globe like doomscrolling. This is when someone uses a lot of their time consuming negative news stories on the internet.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about doomscrolling.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230209

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to feel ick” mean, “We go searching out for bad news, looking for things that will make us feel ick inside.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “on tap” mean, “Is it a result of 24/7 doom on tap on our phones?”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does the expression “to make up for something” mean, “The little good news we do hear doesn’t make up for the depressing news.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you tend to doomscroll? Why/why not? What type of news stories are you usually more drawn to? And why?
  2. What might be the reasons people are attracted to bad news?
  3. What are some effects bad news might have on an individual?
  4. How can one protect oneself against bad news?
  5. What is your opinion on this statement: “We’re conditioned to believe that negative experiences shape us more than joyous ones.”?
  6. Share your thoughts on this statement: “The modern world has become one in which the media are ubiquitous, pervasive, and cannot be switched off.”.

Rapping Teacher 

B1 – Intermediate

Passion is one of the foundations of effective teaching. Apart from that, there are several teaching methods that teachers use to educate their students. These methodologies are chosen depending on the approach and the types of learners. Some teachers get more creative to keep their students engaged.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about this unconventional way of teaching by a teacher in Chile.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/rapping-teacher-level-1/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the word “rap“. “He raps to his students.”, “In the past, he rapped on city buses.” Give 2 other meanings.
  2. What does the phrasal verb “find out” mean? “His students found out.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the word “hit” mean?”The rapping teacher is a big hit at the school.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of rapping as a way of teaching?
  2. Based on your experience, what is the best way to teach young learners? Why?
  3. What kinds of unconventional learning methods have you had before? Were they effective?

Impact of Life Coaches

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Believing in the magic of life coaching is now a new trend in the world of hard-working and successful people. The use of life coaching is quite a contentious issue. Some people can’t live without a mentor, while others think that it’s nonsense and a waste of money.

Please read the article to know the reasons why people find life coaching helpful.

The Powerful Impact of Life Coaches: What You Need to Know
https://leaders.com/articles/personal-growth/life-coach/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “uncharted waters” mean, “Navigating uncharted waters when making a career change”? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “adversity” mean, “In her research she found, “Individuals who experienced more positive emotions than others, over time became more resilient to adversity, as indexed by increases in broad-minded coping.”? Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does the word “instigate” mean, “From experiencing better mental health to becoming more productive, they can instigate transformation in your life.”? Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you consider seeking the expertise of an actual life coach? Why/why not?
  2. Have you ever tried independent strategies to achieve your goals? Which ones?
  3. What problems would you like to solve with the help of life coaching?
  4. How important is it for you to work only with certified specialists?
  5. Who do you consider are your life coaches?

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?