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B2 – Upper Intermediate
The Swiss Members of Parliament is hoping to increase the number of military service recruits in their country.
Find out more how they are going to do it through this BBC article:
Discuss:
1. What are your thoughts on this proposal?
2. How would you feel about mandatory military service in your country?
3. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of doing military service?
B2 – Upper intermediate
When the government is helping the big corporations win, the smaller guys continue to struggle. Watch the video below about a protest that some farmers made against the European Union’s decision regarding milk production and selling.
Discuss:
1. Explain why the farmers decided to spray an EU building with milk powder.
2. How’s the agriculture business/industry in your country?
3. Do you think the European Union’s action to “stabilize the market” was a good one?
4. What are some agricultural products that you import from other countries?
5. What’s an ideal way to help local farmers survive in today’s world?
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Consumer protection is an important part of any business. It allows fair transaction between buyers and sellers.
This activity will help increase your business vocabulary and practice your sentence construction. Click on the link below and be ready to have a speaking activity. Discuss the vocabulary words then answer the discussion questions.
https://www.businessenglishresources.com/learn-english-for-business/teachers-section/conversation-lessons/business-english-conversation-lessons-consumer-protection/
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper Intermediate
We all take a bath or a shower to feel fresh before going to work, after a rigorous work-out or simply to feel clean before going to bed. Do you enjoy your bath time? How often do you take a shower? They say that taking a shower might not be so good for you, so let’s find out.
Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/shower-less-often/
Discussion Questions:
1. Name the reasons mentioned in the article about showering less. Do you agree or disagree with them?
2. Do you prefer taking a shower or having a bath?
3. Do you prefer a quick shower in the morning or a warm bath in the evening?
Express your thoughts:
• A few germs are good for you. People wash and clean too much.
• Expensive shampoos and shower gels are a waste of money. A bar of soap is just as effective.
• The advertising industry is to blame for all the money we waste on cleaning products that we don’t need.
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Have you heard of baijiu? If you’re into spirits and drinking then this is one liqueur that you might want to try.
Read the article about a Chinese drink heartily consumed by the locals.
Take a look at the pictures as well and be ready to answer comprehension questions.
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/29/foodanddrink/how-to-drink-baijiu-china/index.html
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Nigeria’s young entrepreneurs are thinking creatively and boldly. Watch the video and read the article about two Nigerian brothers who profited on coffee.
Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the coffee business of Ngozi and Chijioke Dozie. What makes their coffee bar different?
2. What do the brothers hope for in the future for their business?
3. How are coffee bars faring in your city/country?
4. Are there many start-up businesses in your city/country? Are they being supported by the local government?
B1 – Intermediate
Starbucks is one of the most popular American coffee shop chains known around the world. Presently, it has more than 20,000 stores in 67 countries. Starbucks has achieved worldwide recognition and success. Can it also be successful in Italy, a country that is known to have long cultural ties with coffee?
Let’s find out more about it.
Discussion Questions:
1. According to the article, when will Starbucks open its first store in Italy?
2. Have you tried Italian espresso? How about Starbucks coffee?
3. Why do Italians have mixed reactions/feelings about the opening of Starbucks in their country?
4. What was the article pertaining to when it mentioned the “watery undrinkable” coffee?
5. Can Starbucks succeed in Italy?
6. Are there Starbucks stores in your country? What’s the most popular coffee shop chain in your country/Europe?
B1 – Intermediate
Stress is inevitable. We feel stress whenever we are in situations that are difficult to handle. We become overwhelmed and it becomes a challenge to cope.
Read the article below to know how we can better handle stressful situations.
http://www.english-online.at/health_medicine/stress/coping-with-stress.htm
Discussion Questions:
B1 – Intermediate
What will future cars look like? Can future vehicles prevent road accidents? Will it really be possible for a car to take us from point A to B without controlling it? Let’s discuss the Autonomous or driver-less cars of the future and find out more about it.
Listen to the podcast carefully and study the featured vocabulary words.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170105
Discussion Questions:
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Have you ever thought how the Earth was created or formed? The controversy over the creation of Earth still puzzles and confuses many of us and the topic on the theory of creationism and evolution has been debated for the past century.
Read the article below about creationism and evolution and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
How old is the Earth? Is it billions of years old, or a significantly younger several thousand? The debate between the theory of evolution and creationism continues, primarily in the US. It’s a dispute fueled by politics, cultural differences, and religion.
The theory of evolution holds that plants and animals changed slowly, generation after generation, over billions of years. Helpful traits were passed onto offspring, while harmful ones grew rare. Creationism, however, supposes that God created the Earth in six days, exactly as depicted in the Bible, only a few thousand years ago. Intelligent design, which has been labeled as a form of neo-creationism, points to the complexity of some animals as an indication that God guided their development.
In the US, numerous conservative leaders have opposed the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Others have striven to get creationism taught side-by-side with evolution, as an alternative and equally-valid theory. Kansas, for example, has flip-flopped on the issue several times over the past few years. Courts, however, have repeatedly ruled creationism, as well as intelligent design, a form of religious teachings. It should have no place in the public classroom.
Although creationism in Europe hasn’t achieved the number of adherents as it has in the US, numbers are increasing. Therefore, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly will debate a resolution to declare creationism a form of religious extremism. An Assembly member commented that different religious views exist, yet creationism isn’t science. It shouldn’t be presented as such in the classroom. Furthermore, the resolution views creationism as an attack on science and human rights.
Source: headsupenglish.com
Discussion Questions:
1. Based on the text, why do you think more and more people in Europe believe in creationism?
2. Should creationism and evolution be taught side-by-side in the classroom? Why/not?
3. Is creationism a threat? Why/not?