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Cleaner Future

B1 – Intermediate

Yes, the pandemic might have put us in a very bad situation. However, there are some good results from it, too. One of which is that this global crisis has given us a chance to see what we are doing wrong to the environment. Hopefully, this period gives us a chance to change things.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio about cleaner future from the link below.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/cleaner-future-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What effects did the pandemic have on the environment of your country?
  2. Do you agree or disagree that something about how we use nature must change? 
  3. Do you agree or disagree that it is important to use cleaner energy for a better future?
  4. How is the environment protected in your country?
  5. How do you help in taking care of the environment?

Air Bridges Allows More People to Travel

B1 – Intermediate

With the pandemic greatly affecting most countries’ economy, governments are finding ways to restart the economic activities again. 

One way is by having air bridges. Another word for it is “travel bubble”. Find out more about air bridges or travel bubbles by reading the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200624-air-bridges-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to this article, what is an air bridge? What is the old meaning of it?
  2. What is your opinion about air bridges?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having travel bubbles?
  4. Do you agree that opening the economy to people from other countries will be advantageous?
  5. How has the pandemic affect the economy of your country? How is your country recovering from the crisis?

Dear Sir or Hey, Folks?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Email is used in many different settings and it is widely used in the workplace as the formal tool of communication among people within the business. It is important to know how the recipient understood your message and just as important is the impression you leave on them especially if it is the first correspondence with them.

Read the article on whether to open emails with Dear, Hi, or Hey.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-1/session-4/activity-2

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you use email in the workplace?
  2. How do usually start your work emails? What salutations do you use?
  3. According to the article, what are the preferences for email salutations?
  4. Do you agree with Giselle Barry on her opinion on using ‘Dear’ to start the work email?
  5. Share some interesting email correspondences you’ve had at and for work.

Climate Crisis Threatens Future of Global Sport

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Sports have always been an important part of society and we all have contributed to our favorite sport at some point in our lives. However, sports do so much more than entertain us. Sports provide jobs, influence the economy, and can sometimes cause troubles.

What if major sports events are to be cancelled and postponed? What do you think will happen?

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200622-sports-events.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do sports events create global emissions?
  2. How might climate change affect sports?
  3. What do you think of your country’s national sport?
  4. How can sports deal with climate change?
  5. What are the benefits of sports to the world?
  6. What’s your favorite sport and why?

Caring for Aging Parents

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Aging can be challenging for elderly parents and children alike. It is depressing for an aging parent to have to face their physical and mental downturn. On the other side of the fence, children of elderly people also have to take on the very challenging job of looking after their aged parents.

Read the article below on this real crisis on taking care of aging parents.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/a-real-crisis-caring-for-aging-parents/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the effects of aging on a person, their children or family, caregivers, and workers and employers?
  2. How are old people’s lives like in your country?
  3. How are you preparing for and what are your plans for your twilight years?
  4. Talk about your experience caring for elderly members of your family. How was it like?
  5. Do you think you have enough family-friendly policies in your country? If yes, tell us about some of them. If not, what do you think are some policies needed?

Pandemic Changed the Way Americans Spend Money

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on every aspect of everyone’s life. A survey found the consequences of the pandemic on Americans’ personal finances.

Read the article and find out some of the key findings of this survey.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/28/success/pandemic-spending-saving-changes-feseries/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think the pandemic impacted Spanish people’s finances in terms of their income, stimulus saving, homebuying, buying insurance, investing, and post-pandemic plans?
  2. How has the pandemic changed your financial behavior?
  3. How can one make up income loss?
  4. What is the best way to spend one’s stimulus check?
  5. What do you think will happen to how Spanish think about homebuying, travel insurance, and investing?
  6. What are some of your post-pandemic financial plans?

Etiquette Mistakes You Need to Stop Making

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do we really get wiser as we age? We certainly hope so. As you grow older, there are certain lessons that you learn and then those habits that you have to cull in order for you to become a more mature individual.

Below are some inexcusable etiquettes that you should remove in your system by the time you hit your 30s. Learn them very carefully.

https://www.rd.com/advice/etiquette-mistakes-stop-making-by-30/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which among those etiquette mistakes do you still unconsciously make?
  2. Which among the etiquette mistakes mentioned do you find most repulsive?
  3. What others can you add to this list?

Learn English by Yourself

B2 – Upper intermediate

A lot of people wanted to learn and master the English language. It’s no doubt that most companies hire applicants who can speak in English fluently. Maybe that’s why some are trying to learn English by themselves.

Learning English by yourself could be cheaper and simpler. But this type of learning is not for everyone. It can be time -consuming and pretty challenging. You have to have the desire and patience to be really good at it.

Here in this article, you will find general recommendations for English learners that could be helpful if you are planning to learn English on your own.

https://tv-english.club/articles-en/education-en-2/how-to-learn-english-by-yourself/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the things you need to learn the English language independently?
  2. What are the recommendations for English learners?
  3. How can you improve your English skills based on the article?
  4. What are the advantages of learning a new language?
  5. Why learning English on your own is not suitable for everyone?

China and India Agree to Peace Over Border

B1 – Intermediate

Tensions between India and China are not new. These two countries have been in conflict for decades over territories and fought a bloody war in 1962 and have since engaged in several small skirmishes.

Both sides see the area as strategically important, economically and militarily.

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200610-border-dispute-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the skirmishes on the China-India border? What would have happened if the skirmishes led to a war?
  2. How do you think the China-India relationship should develop?
  3. Has there ever been any trouble along your country’s borders? Talk about this dispute.
  4. What sources of tension are there between your country and others?
  5. Can all border disputes be resolved cordially?

The Body-In-Seat Mentality Toward Remote Employees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Due to fears of the spread of Covid-19 disease, citizens in a lot of countries worldwide were advised not to leave or prohibited from going out of their homes. This meant companies had no choice but to make a their employees shift suddenly from working in the office to working from home.

Does body-in-the-seat means your staff are more productive or is it just a detriment to their full capacity in achieving significant amount of deep work?

Read this article about the body-in-seat mentality.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2020/04/14/when-your-employees-are-remote-you-have-to-stop-the-body-in-seat-mentality/#4ded8ff22d33

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does ‘Body-In-Seat Mentality’ mean?
  2. Explain the concept of time chunking. What are your thoughts on this?
  3. Do you agree or disagree that having a body-in-the-seat does not equal productivity?
  4. What productivity hacks do you employ during your workday?
  5. Do you think it’s important to disconnect to accomplish great work?