Tag: video

Dating Apps Misunderstand Love

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Relationships were generally straightforward for most of human history for a plain but unavoidable reason: it was incredibly difficult to find someone who was acceptable and everyone knew it.

Although dating apps have increased our options to meet people, they haven’t helped us find or maintain real love. Here are some suggestions about how to address them delicately.

Watch the video about datings apps’ misconstrued concept of love.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your definition of love?
  2. What are some popular dating apps in your country? What do you think of them?
  3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of using dating apps?
  4. Would you ever consider finding love through dating apps? Share your opinion.
  5. Would you pursue a relationship with someone you are not convinced by? Explain your thoughts.
  6. Is the possibility of constantly meeting someone new a good or bad thing? Explain your point.

Eastern vs Western Ideas of Happiness

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Comparing the East to the West, the answer to the question of what makes people happy is radically different. Westerners might benefit from adopting the Eastern perspective.

Contrary to what the Western intellectual tradition indicates, the Eastern tradition has long taught us something entirely different. In order to be happy, what we need to do most of all is to go out and rule the world; obtain resources, create enterprises, run governments, earn reputation, and conquer nations. It has been argued that for us to be content, we must learn to master not the world but the lens through which we perceive this world—that is, our thoughts.

Watch the video about the Western and Eastern ideas of happiness.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the Western concept of happiness?
  2. What are your thoughts on the Eastern view of happiness?
  3. What is happiness for you?
  4. What do you think are the ingredients of contentment?
  5. Do you agree or disagree that success and great wealth wouldn’t, in the end, “do the trick”? Share your thoughts.

Stop Taking Your Fears to Social Media

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many people today look to social media for comfort during their most trying times. Unfortunately, we have a higher propensity to promote more self-hatred when you put our emotions out on social media.

Watch the video about why we should not put our fears out on social media.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What social networking sites do you frequently use?
  2. What is the role of social media in your life?
  3. Have you ever turned to social media for reassurance?
  4. How do you believe expressing your feelings in such a public way impact you?
  5. Share your thoughts on this statement, “Social media is built on the troubles of the individual soul.”

Passion or Duty

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We are frequently faced with what appears to be a very difficult decision when determining what to do with our lives: the passionate route vs. the safe one, but which is best for us in the long run?

Watch the video about the choice between passion and duty.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are you passionate about? Would you give up your current job to pursue it? Why or why not?
  2. Share your thoughts on this statement, “A decade of mixed results on a passion project is inherently less onerous than unspectacular returns for a whole career in a hateful field”.
  3. Do you tend to go the passionate route or the safe one?
  4. What is your opinion about pursuing your passion? How about staying on a safe route?

Why It Might Be Your Body, Not Your Mind

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the difficulties of attempting to comprehend our minds is that, sometimes, we have to admit that what goes through them may have more to do with our bodies than the actual functioning of our brains.

Watch the video about the workings of our minds.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you ever find yourself suddenly becoming pessimistic? What normally triggers this and how do you overcome these thoughts?
  2. How do you calm yourself when you’re agitated or having negative thoughts?
  3. What physical processes typically have an impact on how you think?
  4. What is one thing you have learned from this video?

Why We Are All Addicts?

C1 – Advanced

Typical stereotypes of “addicts” often include people sniffing substances, holding a heroin needle in their arm, or drinking one bottle of liquor after another. However, this hides what is really a far more widespread issue.

Here’s an explanation on why everybody is actually an addict.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between a habit and an addiction?
  2. Do you agree with the idea expressed in the video? Why or why not?
  3. Taking the point discussed in this video, what are some things that you are addicted to? What instances lead you to lean on them?
  4. What are ways to prevent being too dependent on something?
  5. Is an addiction to certain things ever good or beneficial? Explain your point.

The Movement that Inspired the Holocaust

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Early advocates of Eugenics considered mental illness, physical disabilities, poverty, and criminal behavior as inherited traits. Their efforts to control human population to breed out undesirable traits inspired this scientific movement.

Let’s watch the video and know more about the theory of Eugenics.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is Eugenics and how did this movement begin?
  2. What were its members’ ideal genetic standards? What did they consider as undesirable human traits?
  3. What series of events around the globe resulted from this idea of Eugenics?
  4. What is your take on the idea of Eugenics? Do you think there is one single set of desirable human traits?
  5. What is your opinion on this, “Eugenicists worldwide believed that they could perfect human beings and eliminate so-called social ills through genetics and heredity.”?

Blue Collar Workers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The student loan debt crisis is a social issue in the US. That’s why some students choose not to go to college. They want to avoid the consequences of being in debt. It includes having a bad credit score, the inability to buy a house or car, and accepting any available jobs regardless of the compensation and benefits. They take jobs indiscriminately because they want to start paying their student loans.

As a result, some young people tend to choose the alternative. They believe it is a better option to take an apprenticeship program, learn skills, and become a blue-collar worker.

Watch the video and get to know Michael Lauther, a man who refuses to go to college and is convinced that being a blue-collar worker is the best decision.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your takeaways from what’s being discussed in this video?
  2. The video highlights the advantages of being a blue-collar worker. Do you know any other benefits?
  3. What do people in your country think about blue-collar jobs?
  4. Can you talk about some high-paying blue-collar jobs?
  5. Would you like to be a white-collar or a blue-collar worker? And why?

The Chinese Exclusion Act

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the late 1800’s, many Americans held Chinese workers responsible for driving down wages and economic woes. This antagonism towards Chinese workers resulted to violence by the people and acts of injustices perpetrated by the government.

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on what you’ve learned from this video.
  2. What was the Chinese Exclusion Act and why was it created?Who were exempted from this act?
  3. Who was Chae Chan Ping and what happened to him upon his return to San Francisco?
  4. What is the Scott Act? Why did the U.S. Supreme court rule against Ping’s argument?
  5. What are recently passed immigration laws in your country? Do you find them reasonable?

A Unique Village Has No Locks

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The second tier in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is safety. It includes having a roof over our heads so that we don’t need to sleep out on the street. Shelters give people a sense of protection during sleeping hours. They also serve as a safe place for our belongings that we cannot take with us when we leave for work or school. But what if these homes have no locks? Does it mean outsiders can just come and go? Are these homes still conducive to people’s well-being?

Watch this fascinating video to discover and explore a unique village in India.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this? How would you feel about leaving your house unlocked when you go out?
  2. In your understanding, how does tradition influence people’s decision not to have doors and locks in their homes?
  3. Is safety one of your top priorities? Explain why.
  4. Describe the safety measures you take in your own home.
  5. Describe your neighborhood and explain the safety practices in the community.