Why Is It So Hard to Cure Cancer?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The difficulty in treating cancer is that it’s not a single disease, but rather a group of diseases. Sometimes a drug works well at first but later on, the cancer becomes resistant and continues to grow because the cancer cells have mutated or changed genetically.

Watch the video to know more about why some cancer patients most often do not survive even with new medical advances that are coming along the line.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would a clinical trial be right for cancer patients? Elaborate.
  2. When should cancer patients consider having hospice care?
  3. When should you get tested for cancer?
  4. Do you think the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical companies are blocking or witholding new cancer treatments from the public? Explain your opinion.
  5. What are some treatments for cancer do you know of? Explain them and their rate of efficacy.

Should We Have Let Pandas Go Extinct?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Pandas are no longer endangered now but that begs the question, should we really have focused on saving them?

Pandas are not very crucial to the environment and it takes a lot of money to save them but we still did because of how cute they look.

Instead of helping pandas, we could have helped other species that are more crucial to the environment and cost less to save.

Watch the video and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, was it necessary to save pandas? Explain your stand.
  2. Do you think that because pandas are no longer endangered now, we won’t make the same mistake again, and help other species that are more cost effective to save and vital to the environment?
  3. If you were able to decide where money goes in saving endangered animals, would you have chosen pandas? Why or why not?
  4. Imagine a world without pandas.
  5. What are some endangered species in your country and what has the government done in order to save them?

Covid Health Pass Implanted in Your Hand

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Biochip technology is believed to be one of the most thrilling advanced technology to emerge and it expresses a lot of interesting potential applications. This technology makes it possible to verify a person’s identity without the use of identity cards, store medical information, have control over many devices, and create a cashless society.

A Swedish company created a rice-sized chip implant that is capable of storing COVID-19 vaccination information. Hence, people don’t need to worry about using their phones to present their COVID passport.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about this biochip implant.

https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/12/23/would-you-be-willing-to-have-your-covid-health-pass-implanted-in-your-hand

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the use of biochips as access to COVID-19 vaccination information?
  2. Would you be willing to have your COVID passport implanted in your hand? Why or why not?
  3. What dangers do you see in putting biochips in people’s bodies?
  4. Microchip implants in the future could create a cashless, cardless, keyless society. What do you think of this?
  5. Technologies upgrade because of its tendency to enter the mainstream. Are you the type of person who is updated with technology? Why or why not?

Using Scarcity in Marketing Strategy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Companies and businesses use the tactic of scarcity marketing to stand out. The idea is to make product scarce in order to attract customers and boost sales. It’s based on a psychological principle that the more difficult it is to obtain something, the more people want it.

Watch the video on how scarcity is used in marketing strategy and be able to express your opinions by answering the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think scarcity marketing has been effective and why has it become a powerful sales and marketing tool?
  2. What are some of scarcity marketing do you know of? Cite some examples.
  3. Share an experience you had when you fell for scarcity marketing which led you to purchase a product.

School Lunches from Around the World

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Lunchtime at school is a very important part of a kid’s day. It provides them with enough energy to learn and be active.

Many schools provide students with access to meals. When choosing what to eat for lunch, making a healthy choice is really important.

Let’s watch the video to see what school lunches around the world are like.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do kids in your country usually eat for lunch at their schools?
  2. What was your school lunches like when you were a kid?
  3. Do you think school lunches should be provided by the government? Explain.
  4. What are things to consider for school kids’ lunches/snacks?
  5. In your opinion, which country has the best school lunch? Why do you think so?

Embryo a Year Younger than the Mother

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some couples are lucky to have children without needing any medical interventions but there are others whose dreams of having a child is a long shot. Luckily, with the help of science, their dreams could possibly come true.

Read the article and watch the video about the oldest frozen human embryo and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/19/health/snowbaby-oldest-embryo-bn/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on/reaction to this news?
  2. What do you think about embryo donation and adoption?
  3. Talk about other modern methods of conceiving that you know about.

What is the Metaverse?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Recently, a brand new concept in technology has emerged known as the “Metaverse”. Many believe it to be the next big thing in technology and business.

But what exactly is the “Metaverse”?

To learn more about it, watch this video.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, will the “Metaverse” be the next big trend that a lot people would invest in? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think makes Metaverse interesting?
  3. What concerns could we have over it?
  4. Is Facebook making a good decision by switching from a social media platform to a “Metaverse”? Explain your stance.
  5. Do you believe that socializing with people in these “Metaverses” is better than socializing in real life? Share your thoughts on this.

Investors Buy Up Metaverse Real Estate

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The metaverse describes a vision of a connected 3D virtual world where real and digital worlds are integrated using technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality. It is now possible to buy and trade things in the metaverse like plots of land or even virtual houses.

Watch the video to know what owning a virtual land has to offer.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think investors are paying real money to buy virtual lands?
  2. Would you invest in the Metaverse real estate? Why/why not?
  3. Do you think investors are playing a risky game and winning in cryptocurrency? Elaborate.

When Is a Pandemic Over?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There’s no clear-cut definition for when a pandemic starts and ends, but according to Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief, “It’s somewhat a subjective judgment because it’s not just about the number of cases. It’s about the severity and it’s about the impact”.

Watch the video to know how the world decides when the pandemic is over.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How have people and societies lived through this current pandemic?
  2. With so much misinformation out there, how can we know what to believe during a pandemic?
  3. When do you think the pandemic will be over?
  4. What are your thoughts on the big possibility of another pandemic?
  5. What are you most looking forward to when the pandemic ends?
  6. What is your unique experience during the pandemic?

Tips for Giving a Great Presentation

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Business presentations are one of the most vital parts of closing in business deals. They’re conducted to present and express the idea of your products and/or services.

Usually, visual materials are being used to convey the important information to the prospective clients or buyers.

Here are some tips on how to have a great Business Presentation

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you experienced to do a Business Presentation? If yes, what’s the product/service you present?
  2. What are the tips to have a great Business Presentation according to the video?
  3. Can you give other tips?
  4. Why is it important to know you audience first?
  5. Can you explain the importance of visuals in business presentation?