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Things That Are Keeping You From Living Your Best Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you ever feel that life is just passing by and you’re getting older by the second? I bet many of us have felt like this once in a while.

Here’s an article that will tell you how to live your life to the fullest.

https://www.elitedaily.com/p/7-things-that-keep-you-from-living-your-best-life-at-25-9434112

Discussion Questions:

  1. How was your life like when you were 25? Is there anything you wished you would have done then?
  2. Which point from the article are you guilty of doing and want to stop?
  3. How do you make sure you are living your life to the fullest?
  4. Do you feel your age? Why is that so?

Things That Should Never Be In Your Bedroom

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A full night’s sleep is basically important for health. In actuality, it is just as essential as eating healthy and exercising. However, there are factors that interfere with natural sleep patterns, and as a matter of fact, they are found just right inside our bedrooms.

View the gallery to know what’s not to keep there.

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/organizing-tips/g3745/things-to-throw-out-your-bedroom/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Describe what your room looks like. What are important things that you should have there and what are those that you keep out?
  2. What do you think your bedroom says about your personality?
  3. If you could give your room a makeover, what would you put and remove from it?

Should Animals Be Used in Laboratory Testing?

B2 – Upper intermediate

Research on living animals has been practiced for a long time. Millions of animals are used every year for scientific and commercial testing. They are used to develop medical treatments and check the safety of products for humans. However, opponents of animal testing say that it is cruel and inhumane to experiment on animals.

Read the article and be able to discuss the questions that follow:

https://www.livescience.com/41123-is-animal-testing-necessary.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about animal testing?
  2. What are the pros and cons of it?
  3. Does animal testing go against animal rights? Why or why not?

 

Amazon Alexa to Reward Kids

B1 – Intermediate

Where have all the manners gone? Rudeness is prevalent, while nobody seems to care and it seems that technology is behind it.

Amazon is changing this view by creating a version of Alexa that is helping children to be polite.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1804/180428-saying-please-2.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, does technology teach children to be rude? Can devices or apps teach kids to be polite?
  2. How important is it for children to learn to be polite?
  3. What’s the best way to teach children manners?
  4. Are people in your society becoming ruder or more polite?
  5. What rude behaviour do you see in public every day?

Can Envy Be Good?

C1 – Advanced

Envy is defined by Cambridge dictionary as the feeling that you wish you had something that someone else has.  Do you ever feel envious when you see someone like a neighbor getting a new furniture? Do you ever wonder why this feeling overwhelms you? Is it normal to have an impulse of comparing yourself to others?

https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/can-envy-be-good-for-you

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there something we need to learn about envy?
2. How are envy and admiration different?
3. When is envy good?
4. How do you deal with envy?

 

Divorce Exam

B1 – Intermediate

The number of couples getting divorced is increasing in China. The government is taking actions in order to reduce it.

Click the link below to read more about this:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1806/180605-china-divorce-4.html

Discussion Questions:
1. What is your reaction to this?
2. Do you think this would be effective in your country?
3. What might be other ways to reduce the number of divorce in a country?

Man to Swim Across an Ocean

B1 – Intermediate

A man hopes to become the first to swim across the Pacific Ocean.

Read on to find out about his goal, how he prepared for this, and some challenges he might face during his attempt.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1806/180607-pacific-ocean-2.html

Discussion Questions:
1. What are Lecomte’s reasons for doing this?
2. What do you think about his goal?
3. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

Stop Rushing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Are you always in a hurry? We all know that  time  is very precious  to us and so we want to be efficient with it. But what if it’s more efficient to do things slowly? What if being in a fast lane would actually slow us down?

Read the article and be ready to discuss the questions that follow:

https://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/stop-rushing-through-work-stress-is-contagious.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you always in a hurry? In what situation are you usually in a hurry?
  2. What are the disadvantages of being in a rush?
  3. Are there benefits of it? What are they?

“The Customer Is Always Right” Is Wrong

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We have heard the  slogan  “The Customer is always right”  several times and often, this attitude that the customer is always right negatively affects the company as it goes to great lengths to meet customers’ needs. But what if the customer isn’t always right? 

Read the article below and know the reasons this old adage isn’t always right.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/top-5-reasons-customer-service_b_5145636

Discussion Questions:

  1. What could happen if a company adopted the “customer is always right” policy?
  2. What are the effects of this policy to the company and to the employees? Do you think the advantages outweigh the drawbacks? Share your insights.
  3. Share your insights on this statement, “Businesses should abandon ‘The Customer Is Always Right’ once and for all — ironically, because it leads to worse customer service.“
  4. What can companies do to give customers good service, but at the same time, keep their own employees happy?
  5. What can you say about this, “You can’t treat your employees like serfs. You have to value them … If they think that you won’t support them when a customer is out of line, even the smallest problem can cause resentment.“

Retain Employees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

You probably love your job and what you are doing but you reach a point in your life when you suddenly feel unhappy and unsatisfied with your work. Your boss would notice the change in your attitude and performance so he could  either just let you go or help you get back on track by providing interventions.

Let us read the full article below on how companies can retain employees.

https://www.thedailypositive.com/retain-employees/

Discussion Questions:

  1.  Have you ever felt demotivated to work? If yes, how did you cope with it?
  2.  Can you describe the working environment of your company and your relationship with your colleagues?
  3.  Do you think your working environment affects your work performance?
  4.  Do you have any similar experience?
  5.  Describe a good leader.