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Wanted: Wedding Guests!

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The business of renting has been proved to be very profitable. You can have a house rented out, a car and also some services. But, wedding guests?

Read the article below about a specific business in Korea that’s all about hiring friends for your wedding.

In a sharing economy, people rent out goods, services, and expertise, and the trend has grown in recent years. Many of the successful companies begin in the US, but soon expand around the world. After all, there are resources everywhere, and everyone wants to earn more cash if they can fulfill a need.

Airbnb is one recognizable example. People rent out their homes or spare rooms to vacationers on a nightly, weekly, or even monthly basis. Uber, which is an Internet taxi service, is also very popular, and anyone with a car, accident insurance, and a driver’s license can become a taxi driver or chauffeur. There’s Elance too, where professionals can freelance their skills as a writer, web designer, translator, accountant, and so on. However, perhaps one of the more unique examples of the sharing economy comes from South Korea, where weddings hire fake friends to attend the ceremony.

It might seem that hiring fake friends on such an important occasion is inconceivable. Weddings are a big deal in South Korea, though. There is a lot of pomp in the ceremony, such as musical numbers, skits, and several hundred guests in attendance. According to Korean tradition, the immediate family, extended family, and family friends must all be invited. As such, it can be a problem if, for example, the groom has two hundred guests and the bride has only fifty guests. In order to save face, the solution is to hire actors.

Fake guests get reimbursed roughly $20 per ceremony, and the actors might attend several weddings in one day during the busy season. The service that offers wedding guests contains a database of 20,000 actors, and these people can also be hired as fake bosses, office employees, family members, spouses, and even mistresses.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. How would you feel about working as a fake guest to attend a wedding or another important event?
  2. How would you feel about working as a fake boss? How about as a husband or wife?
  3. Do you think that hiring fake wedding guests shows a problem with society? Why/not?
  4. What do you know about the sharing economy and companies like Airbnb and Uber? Please explain.
  5. What sort of jobs would you be able and willing to do in a sharing economy?

Pitbull Ban Put on Hold

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C1 – Advanced

Last week the city of Montreal passed a bill banning the pitbull dog breed.  The law will prevent the sale of any pitbull and all current pitbulls will need to be sterilized, micro-chipped and vaccinated by 31 March 2017. They must also be kept on a short leash and muzzled in public. Pitbull owners must also undergo a criminal background check.

Montreal pitbull ban put on hold

Discuss:

1. Do you think a state has the right to ban an entire breed of dog?
2. Do you think it’s the owner or the breed of dog that can make a dog violent?
3. Is there any law in Spain that legislates dog breeds?
4. Have you ever seen a pitbull and did it appear to be violent or more aggressive than another breed?

Speaking Activity: Homeless People

B1 – Intermediate

Homelessness is when a person does not have a permanent home or a place to live in. It’s very difficult for homeless people to find a secure and safe place to stay in. There are several reasons why and how people end up homeless.

Answer the questions in this activity then express your thoughts about it.

Homeless People and their Struggles

Sad Movies Help Reduce Pain

three sad teenage girl watching tv at home

B2 – Upper intermediate

A new study suggests that watching sad movies alleviates pain and may boost social bonds among audience members due to good chemicals produced by the brain.

Read the article below to find out more.  Be ready to express your preferences.

Sad movies help reduce pain

Discuss:

1. What do you think of sad movies? What’s the saddest movie you have ever seen?
2. How much tolerance do you have for pain?
3. What do you do to get a natural high?
4. What kind of movies do you like?

These Cuisines Could Help You Live Longer

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C1 – Advanced

Good food does wonders. The past decade has been all about healthy and organic ingredients to combat diseases naturally and to live a fuller life.

The article below shows cuisines that can help you reach past your prime. Read the article, watch the video and view the photos that showcase delectable dishes.

These cuisines could help you live longer

Discuss:

1. What did the article say about processed and unprocessed food?
2. What are some of the healthy ingredients that the featured countries use in their daily food intake?
3. Which of the cuisines featured have you tried?
4. Would you say that you have a healthy diet?

Body in a Freezer

B1 – Intermediate

People will do anything not to be caught by the police. Crime nowadays are becoming more and more aggressive.

Read the article below then play the audio clip to practice your listening skills. Be ready to answer some discussion questions.

Body in a Freezer

Discuss:

1. Have you heard of a similar news happening in Europe?
2. In your country, are there people who try to sell passports and documents illegally?
3. Is drug trafficking a problem in your country/city?
4. How would you describe the police force of your country?

Being Alone The Key to Rest

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B2 – Upper intermediate

At the end of a long week or even a hectic month at the office, we all long for that time when we can just sit back and relax. Resting is important to everyone.

Read the article below to know some facts about the kind of rest that we need. You may read the article in parts. Take note of new vocabulary words.

How being alone may be the key to rest

Discuss:

1. What did the article say about getting the best kind of rest?
2. What recreational activities do you enjoy doing?
3. How do you make sure that you get enough rest?
4. Have you experienced going on a short holiday alone?

Car-Free Day in Madrid

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© El Pais

B2 Upper Intermediate

Commuters were faced with heavy traffic congestion as Madrid celebrates its yearly car-free day or “Día sin Coches”.

Read the article below to see how some reacted to this event.

http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/09/22/inenglish/1474544921_591930.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What can you say about the Car-Free Day?
2. What do you think about the traffic situation in your city?
3. What do you think are other alternatives to private transport?

Vital Pieces of Advice from People Over 60

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Life can sometimes really get the best of each and every one of us. Try to be an old head on young shoulders and outsmart life.

Read this article and learn a thing or two from people who have definitely been there and done that.

https://themindcircle.com/20-absolutely-vital-pieces-of-advice-from-people-over-60/

Discussion Questions:

1. Which pieces of advice do you agree/disagree with?
2. What is the most important advice you have received from your parents, grandparents, or someone you consider wise?
3. What piece of advice would you tell your 12-year-old self?

Brown Shoes Could Lose You a Job

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When you show up for a job interview, you need to ‘dress the part’. This means that you need to wear clothes that would make you look very suitable for the job you are applying for.

If you dream of being an investment banker in the UK, you need to be wearing the right color of shoes to get that job. According to a report published by the U.K. Social Mobility Commission, it’s possible to lose a chance at a job if you don’t fit the classic look of a ‘polished city banker’.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/01/wearing-brown-shoes-could-lose-you-a-banking-job-in-uk.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Describe a complete outfit you’d wear to a job interview.
  2. Should a job applicant be judged by what they are wearing rather than their skills or qualifications?
  3. One respondent in this study said he even had to change his accent. What is something that you changed or willing to change in order to get a job?
  4. Why are looks very important in some jobs?
  5. Talk about some ‘unwritten expectations’ of Spanish workers in your own industry.