Tag: Text

An Unusual Friendship

B2 – Upper Intermediate

No matter the color, race, or social standing, we all have the capability to reach out to someone if we just keep an open mind.

Please read the article below about an unusual friendship.

For a black man living in the 1960s, life was far from easy. This was the case for Donald Shirley, a musical prodigy and classically trained pianist. His plan was to tour the Deep South, but for a black man living during this era, he knew that his journey would be far from smooth. This was the time when the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) would stop at nothing to voice their extremist views, and they did this through any means thinkable and unthinkable. Violence was often the most popular of means. So, Donald needed protection. He needed some backup. This brought Tony Vallelonga to the scene. He became Donald’s driver.

On the surface, these two men seemed worlds apart. Donald Shirley lived alone, a well-educated man with 3 doctorates under his belt. Tony had followed the school of hard knocks and had grown into a rough-and-ready Italian. Tony’s streetwise nature and his job as a bouncer at the Copacabana, though, led him to cross paths with young Donald Shirley. What followed was a road trip that opened Tony’s eyes to the brutality of racism and a deep, even though at first sight unlikely, friendship developed between the two. It lasted for many decades to come. In the early 70s, Donald Shirley was able to play at the famous Carnegie Hall together with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

What had happened to Tony? Well, he went back to his old stomping grounds at the Copacabana, only to be spotted and cast in The Godfather. It’s poignant to note that their unlikely friendship lasted well into the 21st century. Tony’s son recollects how they would go out for lunch together when Donald was playing in town. It seemed that if Donald ever was in need, Tony was the man he would turn to for help. “Whenever Dr. Shirley had any problems,” he said, “he’d call my father, and he’d go and help to sort them out.”

It is no wonder that such a story turned into a Hollywood movie. Stories like these warm our hearts and show us that we don’t have to be alone. No matter our colour, race or social standing, we all have the capability to reach out to someone if we just keep an open mind.

Quote retrieved from the article, “What happened to Don Shirley and Tony Lip after ‘Green Book’? Nick Vallelonga talks us through their friendship” by Gregory Wakeman, posted on November 15, 2018 on Metro.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you watched the movie Green Book? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think made a bodyguard and a pianist, who seemed to be from two different worlds, true friends?
  3. Do you think this story is common or an exceptional one? Explain.
  4. What’s the most incredible story of friendship do you know of?
  5. How does most friendships begin?
  6. How can friendships last?
  7. Who is your greatest friend and why?

Homeless People Living in Cars

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The number of people living in their vehicles is on the rise as homelessness continues to grow across the US. Some courts have made it illegal to park cars overnight in areas where people may be inclined to sleep. However, many advocates in the homelessness community are opposed to this as well as other policies that are criminalizing homelessness.

Read the article to learn more and be able to discuss the questions below.

https://invisiblepeople.tv/homeless-people-living-in-cars/

Discussion Questions:

  1. How big an issue is homelessness in your country and what do you think is being done to address it?
  2. What do you think of homeless people living in their cars? Does this situation happen in your country? What should be done to help them?
  3. What are some reasons why people end up being homeless and turning to their vehicles to have a roof over their heads?
  4. What are the good and bad points of living in a car as a homeless?
  5. Should it be made illegal to park cars overnight in an area? Explain your stand.
  6. Have you ever thought about living the “van life”? What are the appealing and uninviting aspects of it in your opinion?

The Meaning of Life According to Different Philosophies

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

The meaning of life can be described in many ways: simple, absolute, soul-centered, non-existent, etc. Philosophers are occupied with the search for meaning and people of different ages ponder over this issue, sometimes driving themselves to anxiety and stress. 

Read the article below to find out what different philosophies have to say about this topic.

https://blog.adioma.com/meaning-of-life-according-to-philosophy/

Discussion Questions:

  1. How has the meaning of life changed for you as you got older?
  2. Would you say that you have fulfilled your childhood dreams?
  3. Why are some people unable to free themselves from expectations?
  4. Is our life a predetermined path? Why (not)?
  5. Do you feel like you are on the right track in life now?
  6. What have you been pondering on lately?
  7. Have you ever tried googling the meaning of life?
  8. At what moments in our life do we start thinking about the meaning of life?
  9. In your opinion, what is ‘the crisis of meaning’? Why are people hungry for the meaning of life and why do they go through a crisis when they find none?

The Workers Leaving Their Dream Jobs

B2 – Upper Intermediate

What are the familiar dream careers that your buddies tell you about when you were young? Probably, “I want to be a movie star!” or “I would like to become a doctor so that I can help other people! “

You frequently hear advice to be realistic and choose a profession that pays well from parents, relatives, and sometimes even from complete strangers. Some friends and accomplished individuals may on the other hand, advise you that following your passion is the secret to success.
Naturally, you will be confused and worried over whether you ought to pick a different profession that you have no interest in simply because it appears favorable for your future or follow your heart’s desire blindly with such little possibility of earning money from it. Having a career you’re enthusiastic about is wonderful! However, some employees are abandoning their dream jobs in constant search of security and stability.

Now the question is, how do you determine when it’s not worthwhile to follow a career you’re passionate about and when to take a different (financially wiser) path?

To learn more, check out the following article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221010-the-workers-leaving-their-dream-jobs

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “omnipresent” mean, “These days, more than ever, the idea that happiness and success are linked to working in a ‘cool’ job – a role you’re passionate about in an interesting, envy-inducing workplace – is omnipresent.“? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the expression “to put up with” mean, “Employees who love their job or really value their work are willing to put up with harsher conditions than others, such as non-standard working hours or low pay.“? Use it in your own sentence.
  3. In your own words, explain “passion trap“. “Now 31, free from hospitality, on a rapidly rising wage and finally well rested, Andrew’s keen to coach others out of the ‘passion trap’ he found himself in.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be reasons people would quit their dream jobs?
  2. Would you walk away from a job that you are passionate about for stability and security? Why or why not?
  3. What job do you aspire to have and what are your absolute non-negotiables when it comes to work? Are there any jobs you would refuse to do, regardless of the pay? Why?
  4. What advice would you give someone who is in a job where they are feeling overworked, underappreciated, and underpaid?

Eating Late at Night

B1 – Intermediate

We already know that what we eat is important in making sure that we have a healthy body. But did you know that eating very late at night can have some negative effects on your health?

A new study finds that eating very late hours in the night affects how your body burns calories and increases the risk of gaining weight more.

Read the article about how late-night snacking can affect one’s health.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221013-eating-late-at-night-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that late-night eating is bad for us? Explain.
  2. What time do you normally have dinner? Why is it this early or late?
  3. How often do you eat or have a snack at very late hours?
  4. Tell us about your own eating habits.
  5. How important is it for you to maintain your weight? Explain.

Buying Pre-Loved Clothing More Important than Ever

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some people love shopping for clothes, bags, jewelry, and all sorts of other things that have already been used by others previously. These products are called “pre-loved”. As you are not the first to use/wear them, they are normally priced very low as compared to brand new ones.

Read the article on why buying pre-loved clothing is important now more than ever and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Why Buying Pre-loved Clothing Is More Important Than Ever

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever bought pre-loved items before? What do you think about these products?
  2. Do you agree with the author’s opinion about pre-loved items? Why or why not?
  3. What are the impacts of “pre-loved” shopping to people and environment?
  4. Are your shopping habits less detrimental to the world if you shop secondhand items anyway? Explain your thoughts.
  5. How does this article change your mind about buying pre-loved items from now own?

The premium that we have to pay to have exclusive rights to be the first consumer to use the product is eliminated in pre-loved shopping and the preloved consumer can enjoy the same product for a drastically reduced price. It’s definitely a tantalizing offer that many cannot afford to miss out on .

Quiet Quitting

B1 – Intermediate

The workplace is a very competitive world. We are taught to do our very best in order to succeed. 

However, it seems times have changed. Workers only work to achieve the minimum of what they should be doing in their job while they are working to later just leave.

Read the article about the concept of quiet quitting and how it is becoming more common in the workplace.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221003-quiet-quitting-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are reasons workers are quiet quitting?
  2. Was there ever a time you had to quit quietly at work? Talk about this time.
  3. How to be a good employee?
  4. What is the proper way to quit work? 
  5. Talk about a time you ‘went the extra mile’ at work.
  6. How did the pandemic change the way you do or think about your job?

How People Drink Wine Around the World

B2 – Upper Intermediate

People’s choice of booze differs depending on many factors. But wine is undoubtedly one of the world’s most favorite. 

There are different ways people from every country enjoys this boozy drink.

Read the article about the different ways people drink their wine across the world.

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/how-people-drink-wine-around-the-world

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which points in this article did you find the most interesting and surprising, and why?
  2. Share other ways people consume their wine that you’ve heard of.
  3. What’s the best way to enjoy wine?
  4. Do you have the custom to BYOB in your country? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think drinking wine will become more or less popular in the future? Explain your point.

The 15-Minute City

B2 – Upper Intermediate

To improve the quality of people’s lives, an urban planning design and policies were conceived by a French-Colombian professor, Carlos Moreno. It is what is known as the“15-Minute City”. The idea is to create cities where everything is within a 15-minute radius.

The aim is to build sustainable cities where residents can live locally, with everything they need within just a short walk or a bike ride away.

Read the article to learn more about decentralization of services, otherwise known as, the 15-minute city and be able to answer the questions below.

https://www.treehugger.com/the-15-minute-city-is-having-a-moment-5071739

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the idea of a “The 15-Minute City”?
  2. Would you like to live in this kind of city? Why or why not?
  3. What are the positive and negative impact of such urban planning design to people and society?
  4. Describe the city you live in. What are the best things about it and what aspects can be improved?
  5. How important is urban planning?

Coca-Cola’s Returnable Bottles

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Coca-Cola believes that reusable packaging is among the most effective way to reduce waste, use fewer resources, and lower the carbon footprint in support of a circular economy. Consequently, they aim to have at least 25% of all their beverages sold globally in refillable/returnable glass or plastic bottles or in refillable containers by 2030.

Read the article to know more about Coca Cola’s returnable bottles and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.treehugger.com/coca-cola-returnable-bottles-5219470

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Coca-Cola company using returnable bottles? Is it probably greenwashing? Explain your stand.
  2. What would be the impact of its change in packaging?
  3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of using reusable packaging?
  4. What are some practices that you do in order to reduce your carbon footprint?