Tag: Reading

What is Slow Living?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The modern life constantly presses us to do, perform, or buy more. However, our jobs, quality of work, health, financial security, and communities may suffer. If a hectic life is causing stress, is there anything you can do to manage it?

Slow living may help combat this near-constant state of overload. Please read the article to know more about it.

What is slow living?

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is slow living defined in the article?
  2. What are your thoughts on this lifestyle?
  3. What are some preconceived notions about slow living?
  4. What are the benefits of following a slow life according to the article?
  5. Name some disadvantages to this way of life.
  6. Share your experience completing tasks at a leisurely pace. Was it easy or hard for you to do so? Why do you think that is?

Traditional English Breakfast

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In Britain, the traditional English breakfast is a national institution. It has been enjoyed for so many years by people from all walks of life. It is served in luxury hotels, guest houses, country inns, B&B’s, guest houses, restaurants, and cafes. Even when traveling abroad, it can be found on the menu. It certainly is a meal that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Read the article to learn more about the traditional English breakfast and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Traditional-English-Breakfast/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever had traditional English breakfast before?What do you think about it?
  2. How would you compare the traditional English breakfast to that of your country? What is a typical breakfast in your country and what does it consist of?
  3. What do you usually have for breakfast and how important is it for you?
  4. Do you think it is important to keep a traditional meal such as this as is? Why or why not?
  5. What was the most bizarre breakfast food you’ve ever had and why did you think it was unusual?

The People Penalized for Expressing Feelings at Work

B2 – Upper Intermediate

How we convey ourselves in the organization is kept in check by implicit ’emotional laws.’ Interestingly, not all sentimental outbursts are evaluated evenly.

According to one study, ‘feeling rules’ are administered differently depending on ethnic and gender identity.

Let us read the full text to find out more about the gender gap regarding these so-called “feeling rules”.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211029-the-people-penalised-for-expressing-feelings-at-work

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you deal with emotional outbursts at work?
  2. Who is responsible for emotional outbursts at work?
  3. What is your personal view on getting punished at work for expressing one’s emotions?
  4. How can this gap be bridged?
  5. Do you think that these unspoken “feeling rules” exist in the companies that you have worked for? Talk about some instances where they were displayed.

Afternoon Tea

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Afternoon tea is an integral part of the British culture. It is a light meal served between 3:30 and 5 PM. It consists of tea, small sandwiches, cakes, lovely pastries, scones, bread, and jam which are served more fancily, on a tiered stand. In the recent years, this tradition became widely popular. Later, it spread all over the world and many people prepared it at home. Eventually, it became more of a special gathering to celebrate special life events with family and friends.

Read the article to learn more and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Afternoon-Tea/

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the article, how did tea tradition become a fashionable social event?
  2. Have you engaged in an afternoon tea party before? How was it? What do you think of this British tradition?
  3. Do you have this kind of tradition in your country? Tell something about it.
  4. What is the most quintessential of Spanish customs? Talk about it.

WikiLeaks Founder’s Extradition Case

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Wikileaks published, among others, documents and materials that exposed misconduct by the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan. Several rights groups have been throwing their support to WikiLeaks’s founder Julian Assange and have been asking for his release. However, the United States stands firm on its decision to continue asking for the former’s extradition in order for him to face the charges against him.

Let’s watch the short video to know the updates on the extradition request for Julian Assange.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who is Julian Assange and what crimes is he facing in the US?
  2. What is your take on this extradition of Julian Assange?
  3. Should matters of national security trample on government transparency?
  4. Should there be a limit to freedom of the press?

South Korea Bans Child Monitoring App

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Our lives are now very much dependent on smartphones. They have become a need. They enable us to multitask.

Coupled with the power of the Internet, kids and teens are able to explore the world and do more using these. As children start to own smartphones at an earlier age, parents are getting more wary of the risks involved.

In South Korea, the government has passed a law to help ensure the safety of children and teens’ smartphone use through an app. However, problems arose along the way.

Read the article to learn more about the banning of the use of a mobile phone app that monitors social media activities of parents’ children in South Korea.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/living/south-korea-bans-child-monitoring-app.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with the South Korean government’s prohibiting this app? Explain your position.
  2. Is this monitoring software a good idea? Please explain.
  3. What are some famous apps that promise the same concept?
  4. How effective are these apps?
  5. Are you concerned about your online presence? Why or why not?
  6. What are other effective means to monitor the online activities of our children?
  7. What is your opinion on children owning smartphones?
  8. Has your government also approved and banned certain apps in your country? Why did they do so?

People Have No Money to Boil Potatoes

B1 – Intermediate

The war between Russia and Ukraine has substantially affected everyone around the world. The cost of living in United Kingdom has increased so much since the oil and gas prices have increased.

They now have this dilemma of “heating or eating”, parents have to choose between heating up and feeding their children. The basic necessity prices of food, heating, and transport have become quite unreasonable that even boiling potatoes is now a problem for some people.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about the worsening cost of living in the UK.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2203/220328-cost-of-living-crisis-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How has the war between Russia and Ukraine affect other countries?
  2. What do you think will happen if this war continues?
  3. Has this war affected you and your country in some way? Explain how.
  4. Talk about your own lifestyle and the cost of living in the city you live in.
  5. How can we prevent poverty? Can the government help?

UK’s Help for Ukraine Refugees a Disgrace

B1 – Intermediate

Nick Ferrari, one of Britain’s most popular radio hosts, shames United Kingdom in their treatment of the refugees from Ukraine. Despite the fact that more than 79,800 Ukrainians applied for a visa, 40,900 visas only were issued and 12,000 refugees at most were accepted. A number of people say that United Kingdom is setting up the process of getting a visa too complicated for refugees to fail.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about UK’s refugee crisis response.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2204/220411-uk-refugee-response-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why did Nick Ferrari call the government’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis “a disgrace”?
  2. What are some of the struggles of the Ukrainian refugees in applying for a visa in United Kingdom?
  3. Do you think that UK is setting up the process of getting a visa too complicated for refugees to fail? Explain.
  4. Is Spain accepting refugees from Ukraine? What is the process to become a refugee in your country?
  5. Are you open to accepting refugees in your own home? Why or why not?
  6. How can we help Ukrainians in our own ways?

Unpunished Crimes at UK Royal Palaces

B1 – Intermediate

There are a lot of Royal Palaces in United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace is the most well-known and visited of all the royal residences since it is located in the heart of the capital.

A shocking news has been revealed that even though the London’s royal palaces has the highest of security measures, there were still plenty of crimes that were committed in these palaces and loads of those culprits were not unpunished.

As of today, Elizabeth II is the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Next to the throne would be Charles, Prince of Wales.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about how many crimes committed at the Royal Palaces have been left unpunished.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2204/220425-royal-palaces-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What kind of crimes happened in UK Royal Palaces?
  2. Why did these crimes happen there even though these places are supposed to have the highest security measures in London?
  3. Why are majority of those people who committed the crime left unpunished?
  4. Are there some reports of any crime near or at the Royal Palace of Madrid or any Royal Palace in Spain? Name some.
  5. What are the usual crimes in Spain and how are they punished? Are most of the guilty people punished?

Brains Do Not Slow Down Until After 60

B1 – Intermediate

The brain is the most important organ in the human body. It controls our movement and everything that we do. It helps us think, makes us well focused and also helps us analyze problems.

But as we grow older, our brain processing starts slowing down.

Let’s read the article below and learn more about human brain processing speed and age.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2202/220221-mental-processing-speed-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Does it take you a long time to make decisions? Why?
  2. When is the most active your brain has ever been?
  3. How would you likely feel when your brain starts deteriorating?
  4. What do you do to take care of your brain?
  5. How forgetful are you? Cite situations when you suffer forgetting things.
  6. How impulsive are you? Cite situations when you became impulsive in your decisions.