Tag: Speaking

If We Could See Inside Others’ Hearts

B2 – Upper intermediate

Everyone goes through different things in life everyday. One could be shocked and sad of a bad news, others could be determined and hopeful for better days.

Would you treat them differently if you could see what they are going through?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2_knlv_xw

Discuss:

1. How would you explain the words sympathy, empathy and apathy?
2. Would you consider yourself a sympathetic person?
3. How do you handle social and emotional stress?
4. When going through a difficult situation, do you prefer sharing your problems or do you prefer keeping it to yourself?

What Schools Should Do About Bullying

_85599026_thinkstockphotos-465280343

C1 – Advanced

Used to be that bullying ended when one was off school premises. However, with the ubiquitous nature of social media and mobile technology, more and more students are subject to bullying even within the confines of their homes.

Read about one country’s educational system’s efforts to address the problem that is bullying.

What you should expect your school to do about bullying

Discuss:

1. In your opinion, which is worst: bullying in person, or bullying online? Why do you think so?
2. Do schools and universities in your country have a clear policy in regard to dealing with bullying among students?
3. Do schools or universities in your country educate or inform children about bullying?

How Happiness Affects Our Health

B1 – Intermediate

Happiness, as defined by Wikipedia, is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Many research groups are using the scientific method to research what happiness is, and how we can get it.

Read this lesson about how happiness affects our health.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/health-medicine/how-happiness-affects-our-health.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What happens to your body when you are happy?
  2. What about when you are sad?
  3. What is your source of happiness?
  4. Is there a way of learning happiness or improving it? Explain your opinion.
  5. What is your opinion on this: “Money plays an important role for many people’s happiness.”?

Chasing That Caffeine High

B1 – Intermediate

Coffee, sodas or tea? Staying awake or getting enough energy to get through the day  is something so necessary these days that energy drink manufacturers have become more creative.

Read the article to know what’s going on in the world of energy drinks.

More than 500 new energy drinks have been released this past year, and it has doctors worried. Nutritionists warn that the large amounts of caffeine and sugar in each drink can hook kids on an unhealthy up-and-down cycle. The drinks contain megadoses of vitamins, too. These can cause their own side effects if taken every day for a period of months. But maybe the most alarming news comes from reports that kids are drinking several in a row for the high it gives. More and more calls are coming in to poison-control centers from young people sick on too much caffeine.

Danger adds to the appeal. Most brands target in on the danger, particularly towards male teens and twenty-somethings. There is “Cocaine Energy Drink,” “Pimpjuice,” and “Bawls.” Hannah Kirby, the creator ofCocaine Energy Drink, said she first wanted to call it “Reboot”–“a pretty ho-hum name.” But the name was already taken, so she chose to be daring. The drink is getting the attention she desires, too. Kids quickly noticed it among a thousand other energy drinks. Their slogan: “The Legal Alternative.”

Some beer manufacturers now produce “energy beers,” or beer that contains caffeine. But mixing energy drinks with alcohol isn’t so new. Bartenders have been mixing the first energy drink in the West, called “Red Bull,” for more than a decade with vodka. Although the energy drink-alcohol combination doesn’t make you feel as drunk, you still are. Coordination and reaction times worsen. The potential for accidents and alcohol poisoning increases.

Just how much caffeine does an energy drink contain? A study at the University of Florida discovered that many of the drinks contain two to four times the amount of caffeine as Coke. The serving size, though, is usually one-third smaller than a standard can. Energy drinks aren’t regulated in the U.S., but the study strongly suggests warning labels.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever (or do you often) drink energy drinks?
2. Do you think energy drinks are dangerous?
3. Why do you think energy drinks are becoming so popular?
4. Caffeine is an addictive drug. Why is it legal when other harmful drugs are illegal?

The 2 Euro T-Shirt – A Social Experiment

B1 – Intermediate

A nice t-shirt for only 2 euros sounds like a really good bargain. But, is it really?

Watch the video and discover why this “good buy” comes at a cost for the lowly third world sewers who make them.

Discussion Questions:

1. When buying clothes, what things do you consider?
2. What do you think can be done to help improve the situation of sweatshop workers in third world countries?
3. Is there an advocacy or cause that you support? If you do, explain why you support it.

Tourist Spending in Spain Sets New Record

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In Spain, tourists have been spending billions of Euros from January to July alone.

This is said to be helping the country recover from the economic crisis. However, some top Spanish vacation destinations have experienced drawbacks from the heavy influx of tourists in the recent years, forcing authorities to impose stern measures to control the situation.

http://www.thelocal.es/20150827/tourists-blowing-through-more-dough-at-spanish-hotpots

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think leads to more tourists coming to your country?
2. Do you think tourism helped a lot in improving Spain’s economic condition?
3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of tourism?
4. What other places in Spain should be developed for tourism?

Bribing Children to Behave

B2 – Upper intermediate

When is it bribing and when is it a reward? It’s become a normal practice for most parents to give children something in return for good behaviour.

Read the  article below to know what’s wrong with modern-day parenting.

Some parents promise a child dessert if they finish their Brussels sprouts. Some parents purchase a video game if a child does well on a test. These shouldn’t be called treats or rewards. Promises of desserts, toys, or favors are bribes, especially when they are given for everyday, appropriate behavior.

Parenting experts agree that rewards are important. But some parents have gone too far. They pay their children to brush their teeth, go to sleep early, or even score a few goals at a soccer tournament! This may achieve results in the short term. But in the long term, children can become adults with an unrealistic viewpoint of the world. They think, “What are you going to give me?”

The modern world is partly to blame. There are many more material goods than before. In addition, both parents must now work and be parents full-time. It’s easier to bribe a child than to have a power struggle. However, with each bribe, children demand more and more.

Of course, it’s perfectly all right to reward children from time to time. The action should equal the reward, though.\

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

1.Is this a problem in your country? If yes, please explain.
2.Do children behave better or worse than 10 years ago? 20 years ago? Why?
3.Will children behave better or worse in 10 years? 20 years? Why?
4.What is the most difficult part about being a parent? Why?

Braille – A Language for Blind People

B2 – Upper intermediate

They say that necessity is the mother of all inventions and man, in general, will always crave for knowledge. It is probably this combination that brought Louis Braille to the development of the Braille System.

Read the article below to find out more about the Braille system.

Braille – A Language for Blind People

Discuss:

1. Does your country have special training facilities for people who are visually impaired?
2. In your country, do people with disabilities have specific benefits?
3. Are you aware of any new technologies that people with disabilities are using to make everyday life easier?

Turkey Allows Schools to Teach Kurdish

B2 – Upper intermediate

Minority groups all over the world are given their rights and privileges. But how far is a government willing to go to make them feel part of the society?

Read the article below and be ready to express your thoughts by answering the discussion questions.

Turkey allows schools to teach Kurdish

Discuss:

1. What is the importance of allowing Kurdish to be taught in schools in Turkey? How significant is it?
2. What are the different minority groups in your country?
3. Is your country fair in giving rights to citizens belonging to minority groups?

Should India’s Jains Be Given the Choice to Die?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Jainism is an ancient religion which still exists and practised by a large number of people in India. Jains have a controversial practice in which they stop eating and drinking with the intention of preparing for death.

Read the article below to see how the government of India is responding to Jainism’s method of moving on to the after life.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33998688

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your own perspective about this controversy?
2. When do you think it’s right for the state (government) to intervene against any religious practice?
3. In your country, what are the different religions or faiths that are practiced?