Tag: Reading

How Citizenship is Defined Around the World

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Jus sanguinis or right of blood and jus soli or right of the soil are the two principles of nationality by which citizenship is determined. Read the article to know which countries follow which principle, how their policies have changed and their issues about granting citizenship.

Citizenship, Policies and Issues

Discussion Questions:

  1. What principle does your country follow? What are your policies for citizenship? What are some issues regarding citizenship in your country?
  2. What are you views on dual or multiple citizenship? Would you like to acquire dual citizenship?
  3. What are your obligations as a citizen?
  4. How can we resolve issues about statelessness?

Flood of Plastic

C1 – Advanced

Plastics are practically everywhere! We are using them on a daily basis and we all know their alarming effect in the ocean. They say that plastics will outnumber the fish in the sea. Some companies are doing their best to change the course of our future by reducing the use of plastics. There are also some organizations which collect plastics to sell.

Let’s read more about this topic below!

Amid a Flood of Plastic, Big Companies See Opportunity

Discussion

1. Are you concerned about the problem of plastic waste? Why? Why not?
2. What recycling target has the EU set?
3. Do you try to reuse and recycle as much as possible? Please explain your answer.
4. Do you think all companies that currently use disposable plastic packaging will eventually be forced to modify their business models? Why? Why not?

Takeaways from an AI Assistant Laughing on Its Own

C1 – Advanced

Some users have been creeped out by Alexa suddenly talking and laughing without being prompted any commands. Alexa is Amazon’s virtual AI assistant.

After some incidents were reported, Amazon immediately set out to find ways to prevent this from happening again in the future.

Read more on this news and take a look at some takeaways we can get from this whole fiasco. Click on the link below:

https://futurism.com/ai-assistant-amazon-alexa-laugh/

Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about this problem with Alexa?
2. Would you feel scared too if you heard your AI assistant performing tasks unprompted?
3. Do you use AI assistants? Why or why not?
4. Is it possible for robots to be smarter than how they were programmed?

Pet Cloning More Popular Despite the Cost

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thanks to Barbara Streisand’s lead, the spotlight is put on pet cloning.

Find out more about cloning animals and some controversies around it.

Click the link below for the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60924936

Discussion Questions:

  1. Where do you stand on pet cloning?
  2. What are the pros and cons of cloning or pet cloning?
  3. In general, what are your thoughts on this scientific advancement?
  4. Now that pet cloning might soon become a trend, do you think you would consider having your pet cloned (or if you had one)? Why or why not?

7 Ways To Lead a Simple, Happy Life

B1 –  Intermediate

In this generation, we are proud to have a busy life. We wear it like a badge. We think that being productive means staying longer at work or doing more activities. Constantly being on the go can take its toll in our physical and emotional state. At some point, we need to stop and rethink the way we live.

Read the article below and learn how to lead a simple and happy life.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284139

Questions for discussion:

  1.  Are you an active person? What are your daily activities?
  2.  What are the disadvantages of being too busy?
  3.  What do you think about the article?
  4.  Among the 7 ways of living a simple and happy life, what do you think is the easiest and hardest to do?

Air Rage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you like to travel? Have you experienced passengers showing aggression during your flight?  Air rage has been a problem among airlines and passengers alike.

Let’s read the article to know how airlines are not doing enough to promote cabin safety to the passengers and even their own employees.

Click to read the article:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92907&page=1

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever experienced air rage?
  2. What do you think causes air rage?
  3. Should airlines make a list of passengers who commit air rage and ban them from flying altogether?

Effective Customer Service during Mergers and Acquisitions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When a company goes through transition after a merger and acquisition, there are some negative impact on the business’s operations and in some cases, customer relations.

Read more to find out about how to provide effective customer service during M&A.

https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-you-provide-effective-customer

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the three challenges companies face during an M&A transition.
2. Have you ever worked for a company that underwent re-organization? Talk about this period.
3. Give some ways on how to ensure smooth M&A transition.

7 Myths About Owning A House

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Buying a house can be complicated and scary at the same time. There’s also a lot of misunderstanding in some instances. We have a lot of misconceptions when it comes to buying and owning a house.

Read the article about some myths about owning a house.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/myths-about-owning-a-house-that-just-arent-true_us_5a820084e4b0580d3d6d6f8e

Discussion Questions:

  1. How easy/difficult is it to get your own home in your country?
  2. At what age do you think is the perfect time to get your own house?
  3. Do you think home security systems are only for the rich?
  4. Describe your dream house.

Eating Out, An Unhealthy Habit

B1 – Intermediate

Dining out was once reserved for the wealthy or a special occasion. Not anymore. Now more than a third of the food Americans eat is made up of so-called “away-from-home” foods, which include both restaurant food and prepackaged or prepared foods purchased at supermarkets. And about 40 percent of that comes from fast-food restaurants serving the likes of cheeseburgers and French fries.

It seems then that the more you “buy out”, the more likely it is that you will have a calorie and fat rich diet that is poor in nutrients.

Let’s read the article to learn some of the issues with eating “out of the home” and talk about the questions that follow:

http://www.amdietetics.com/articles/eating-out-an-unhealthy-habit

  1. What do you think about eating out? Do you consider it an unhealthy habit? Why or why not?
  2. What are some of the negative consequences of eating out on our health/body?
  3. Share your thoughts on this statement, “The more you “buy out”, the more likely it is that you will have a calorie and fat rich diet that is poor in nutrients.“.
  4. What are ways to prevent eating out so much?

To Tip or Not to Tip… or Should it be Banned?

B2 – Upper intermediate

How much should you give?  There’s a long tradition of tipping in the U.S. Non-tippers are considered cheap (the ultimate insult to an American) .  Most Americans are shocked by anyone who doesn’t tip or who tips too little, and some go to extremes and tip everybody in sight.

Could America’s generous tipping culture be coming to an end? Let’s read the article and talk about the questions that follow:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22846846

Discuss:

  1. Do you usually leave a tip?
  2. How much are you suppose to tip different people?
  3. Is tipping common in your country?
  4. Do you think it’s important to leave tips?
  5. Can you think of jobs where tipping is an important part of the salary?
  6. When are some times you shouldn’t leave a tip?
  7. When was the last time you left a tip for someone?
  8. How much do you usually leave for a tip?
  9. Would you leave a tip even if you thought the waiter or waitress didn’t seem to work for it?
  10. Can you think of some places where tipping is required?
  11. Can you think of some places where tipping is optional?
  12. Can you think of some places where tipping is not necessary?