Tag: Reading

Fixing the Housework Gender Gap

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Despite living in the 21st century, we still hear of women having to take on a huge load of the household chores.

In Sweden, they are giving tax breaks for cleaners. Does this reduce the gap or only make gender-role norms flourish even more? 

Read the article to find out more about this policy.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200303-how-sweden-is-fixing-the-housework-gender-gap

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about Sweden’s way to fix the housework gender gap and your opinion about it.
  2. How would you describe the division of household tasks in your own home and generally, in your country?
  3. Is it common in your country for families to have a house cleaner? Talk about it.
  4. Do you agree or disagree to this, “House chores are part of the family life.”?
  5. How do you think the government of your country champion work-life balance?

Thousands of Stolen Artwork Found

B1 – Intermediate

On May 20, 2010 Pablo Picasso’s Le pigeon aux petit pois was stolen from a museum in Paris. The thieves must have gotten nervous and panicked. The $123 million painting was later found in a trashcan. Thankfully, it was retrieved. However, many other artworks that are stolen are never recovered.

Trafficking of stolen artworks is a big problem but with the cooperation of the Interpol, national police forces, and customs some pieces of art have been recovered.

Read more about problems with art theft from the link below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2005/200511-artwork-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about the good job that the police have done?
  2. What is your reaction that some art were stolen when some countries were at war?
  3. Why do think art theft is a big problem?
  4. What is your favorite piece of art and why?
  5. Name another artwork that you know has been stolen.

How Venus Fly Traps Developed a Liking for Meat

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that depends on meals of insects for them to survive in the soil where they are ingrained. They are very unique because of how they attract prey to draw closer and eventually get trapped as meals for these kind of plants. They are known to be plants with medicinal attributes as well. They were found out to be cure for stomach pain and eye troubles.

Read the article below and learn more about Venus Fly Traps.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2005/200517-venus-fly-trap.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about Venus fly traps?
  2. What do you think of carnivorous plants?
  3. Do you think carnivorous plants are useful?
  4. What are your favorite plants?
  5. What are other strange plants you know of?

Ways to Stop Over Apologizing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

An apology is telling someone how sorry you are for the pain or trouble you have caused them while promising that the bad behavior will not be repeated. However, are you the type of person who tends to over apologize ?

While it is a powerful tool for building trust, valuing the other person and your relationship with them, we sometimes need to assert our self-worth and try not to apologize for everything little thing so much.

Let’s read the ways on how to stop saying sorry too much.

https://www.thelawofattraction.com/stop-saying-sorry/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the article?
  2. What makes a good apology?
  3. When apologizing, is it best to make it up with someone with a costly gift?
  4. How do you apologize for a personal and professional mistake?
  5. Should you apologize if you feel that you are right?

Health Benefits of Gardening

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Greens, colorful flowers, and vegetables, these are some views that will surely give us positive emotions. Feelings like amusement, appreciation, excitement, passion, happiness, and serenity will definitely have a great impact on our mental health.

Would you believe that you can achieve all these positive emotions in one activity? Yes! It’s gardening!

Here are the 8 surprising health benefits of gardening:

https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/health-benefits-of-gardening

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the health benefits of gardening?
  2. Do you like gardening? Why or Why not?
  3. Do you have a garden? If yes, what are the plants that you have in your garden? If not, do you plan to put up a garden?
  4. Would you like to try growing your own food? Why or why not?
  5. According to WHO, good health means the presence of sense of community and happiness. Can you explain this?

The Rise of the Ripped Teen

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Elite is a popular 2018 Spanish thriller teen drama on Netflix. Perhaps one thing you will quickly notice about this show is how bulked up these high school students are! In a way, you’d think to yourself, that’s unrealistic, teens are normally not that buff. Safe to say, these teenagers do not only work on their studies now but on their bodies as well.

However, after reading this article, you might need to think again. The way these high schoolers are portrayed in that series could be true; that many people in their teens are all about abs and pecs now.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/may/09/anyone-popular-at-school-has-muscles-the-rise-of-the-ripped-teen

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might have led to this trend? What do you think are the good or a detrimental effects of this teens?
  2. What is your reaction to the rise of popularity of the muscular teens?
  3. Is this the same situation in your country? 
  4. What is your reaction to this: “If you’ve got a child who is overweight, you worry. I’ve got one who is extremely muscular and lean, and I still worry”?
  5. How would you compare teenagers’ hobbies and interests during your teenage years and now?

Your Other Half

B1 – Intermediate

Every person has their own important person in their lives, like someone they are romantically involved and a special person whom they share intimacy with. The term “other half” can mean a partner, spouse (husband or wife), boyfriend, girlfriend, or lover. It is used when you don’t want to be too specific.

Watch the short video to learn more about the expression ‘your other half’ and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a significant other? If yes, how did you meet? If no, what qualities do you look for in a partner?
  2. Tell us something about your other half.
  3. What are the things that you have in common and those that you differ from?
  4. What are the pros and cons of having your better half in your life?
  5. How would you compare the times you were/are with and without a partner/spouse?

Cabin Fever

B2 – Upper Intermediate

After a long while being stuck indoors, we start feeling bored and restless. This is called “cabin fever”. It sounds like an actual disease but it is not. However, when one gets into this state, some effects could be being anxious, irritable, and even depressed caused by the long period of confinement in a tight or a remote, isolated space.

Read the article to learn more about cabin fever and be able to answer the questions below:

https://www.healthline.com/health/cabin-fever#symptoms

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever had cabin fever before? If so, why and what happened?
  2. How did you cope or deal with it?
  3. What situations usually cause people to have it?
  4. What advice can you give to a person suffering from it?
  5. Are you a social hermit or a social butterfly?

Google Meet Video Conferencing Platform Improved

B1 – Intermediate

Video conferencing technology gives us the opportunity to communicate with our co-workers, friends, and family. It is changing rapidly over the past few years. Video conferencing is not only for business but also for education and healthcare. It boosts productivity, saves time, and reduces travel expenses.

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2004/200429-google-meet.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is Google Meet helpful in education and healthcare and at work?
  2. What are some improvements in the Google Meet platform?
  3. What are your experiences video conferencing?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing?
  5. How did you communicate with your family and friends during lockdown? How has it changed since things went back to normal?

Things Healthiest People Have in Common

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The secret of longevity is mainly eating healthy food. However, it is also proven that the world’s healthiest people have the same habits, not only eating healthy food.

Learn the real secrets to healthy living by reading this article.

https://www.rdasia.com/healthsmart/fitness/17-things-worlds-healthiest-people-have-common?pages=2

 Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about the saying “health is wealth”?
  2. Do you do all these habits described in the article?
  3. Do you agree that these habits will keep you healthy?
  4. Aside from these habits mentioned in the article, what else do you think is helpful in providing major health benefits?
  5. What do you think of wellness institutions and their programs?
  6. From your own experience, can you give some examples of how the mind and the body are connected?