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Consumer Protection

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.

http://www.businessenglishresources.com/learn-english-for-business/teachers-section/conversation-lessons/business-english-conversation-lessons-consumer-protection

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which product bans do you agree/disagree with in your country? Why?
  2. What type of consumer protection laws does your company need to know about? How do these laws affect your company?
  3. What are your thoughts on anti-trust laws?

Reasons to Shower Less

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.

How to Drink Baijiu

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:

  1. What is baijiu and how is it made? What is it made of?
  2. On which occasions is baijiu the choice of drink?
  3. What is baijiu tourism? What do you think of it?
  4. Is there a similar tour like this in your city/country? Talk about it.
  5. What are some of the local alcohol or spirits that are commonly and popularly consumed in your country?
  6. What are your preferences when it comes to alcohol?

Africa’s Coffee Renaissance

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.

2 brothers have tapped into Africa’s coffee renaissance

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?

The First Starbucks in Italy

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.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/starbucks-to-open-first-store-in-italy.htm#

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?

Stress – Signs and Symptoms

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:

  1. Do you think stress is ever good or necessary? Why or why not?
  2. Do you have a stressful lifestyle? What are some situations that make you feel stressed?
  3. How do you reduce stress in your life? Do you think they would be considered good or bad ways of dealing with stress?
  4. Some people like to have a drink when they are stressed. What do you think about this?
  5. Which would you choose: A stressful job with very high pay or a relaxed job with considerably low pay? Why?

Autonomous Vehicles

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:

  1. Will self-driving cars be safer than human-controlled ones? Explain.
  2. Do you think that robot cars can handle life-or-death situations/decisions? Explain.
  3. Would you buy an autonomous car for yourself? Why or why not?
  4. What problems do you see with autonomous vehicles?

The Growing Threat of Creationism

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?

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

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C1 – Advanced

Food trucks. Their evolution has been a good one. Sprouting up like mushroom, people seem to enjoy every bit of it.

Read the article below and be ready to increase your vocabulary by going through the different terms and expressions. Feel free to read the article section per section with your teacher.

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

Discuss:

1. Describe the change of food trucks since it began.
2. Why are food trucks so appealing to the young? The culinary graduates?
3. Explain why having a food truck business is not as easy as some think. What are the challenges business owners face?
4. On the other hand, what are the advantages of having a food truck as a business?
5. Are food trucks a trend in your city as well? What is your general opinion of them?

Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been preoccupying people from all different walks of life. Whether you’re a scientist, an engineer or a mother of two, questions will always be asked. Is it good? Or does it bring more harm?

Click the link below to read the article about the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-artificial-intelligence-mike-fekety

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about all the things you know about AI.
  2. Talk about its pros and cons.
  3. In your opinion, what are some of the most worrisome threats associated with AI at the moment? How can we deal with them?
  4. How prevalent is AI used in your country these days? How about at your job? And in your community?
  5. How can AI help address some of the world’s most pressing problems?