Tag: video

Budget Cuts

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When business isn’t doing good, some companies opt to cut costs so they can still operate. In the process of doing so, they are dealt with tough decisions such as cutting back on projects and staff. Employees panic when there are issues like this going around the office.

Watch the video and find out more about when rumors travel through the office.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-level-2-lesson1/3960391.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What jobs were mentioned in the video?
  2. What did the workers think the meeting would be about? Why did they think so?
  3. Some office issues start with a rumor, how do we prevent them?
  4. Has your company undergone budget cuts before? What measures did they have to take?
  5. Talk about some rumors that spread within your company that caused some issues among the employees.

Replying to a Spam Email

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you always check the spam folder on your email?

It is evident that most spam emails only relate to fraudulent activities. We all have learned how to avoid and protect ourselves from scams. While most of the people simply delete spam emails, James Veitch, the guy on this video did something else.

Watch the video and find out what happens when you reply to a spam email.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QdPW8JrYzQ

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is it called a spam email?
  2. Are spam emails dangerous?
  3. Can you get scammed by email?
  4. Have you tried responding to one of your spam emails?
  5. What should you do if you receive a phishing email?
  6. Can you give an instance when you got a suspicious email and what were the steps you took then?

Being an Introvert is a Good Thing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As stated in the video, introverts are people who are quiet and keeps their thoughts mostly to themselves. They don’t want to be in the spotlight or to have lots of social interactions. Most people would say that this is a negative trait, but then again, this isn’t always right.

Watch the video below and learn more about how being an introvert is a positive thing.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
  2. What are the pros and cons of being an introvert?
  3. How about the pros and cons of an extrovert?
  4. Would you want to change to make yourself better? What things about yourself would you like to change

The Danger of Silence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Clint Smith stated, “we spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t”. Simple words that have a very powerful meaning.

There are a lot of reasons why people stay silent, one could be telling the truth is difficult and staying silent won’t give you a hard time. But then again, being silent all the time can also spell disaster.

Watch the video below and learn more about the dangers of silence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can silence be negative to people?
  2. Is there an advantage to being silent?
  3. Do you prefer being silent or honest?
  4. Are you comfortable sharing your two cents?
  5. How is having a voice important?
  6. Talk about a story when you stood up for someone/something.

How Do Vitamins Work?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is a famous English proverb that goes, “Health is Wealth” which means the greatest wealth one can have is their good health. Wealth is not about the money you have but your good health.

Vitamins help the body to be healthy, however, most of us don’t really know how vitamins work and if it is highlighted enough as something that is very essential to our bodies.

Let’s learn more about vitamins in this video below.


Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, how do vitamins work?
  2. Why are vitamins important to our bodies?
  3. Do you take vitamins? What types do you take?
  4. Do you think vitamins will keep us healthy? Why and why not?

How Miscommunication Happens ( and How to Avoid it)

B2 – Upper Intermediate

How do you feel when you try to explain something as simple as possible yet the other person still doesn’t get it? Frustrating, right? How about when you worked hard on your presentation but none of your colleagues get your pitch. Miscommunication is definitely draining especially when you are working in a big team.

Please watch the video and get some ideas on how we can minimize frustration while expressing ourselves better.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Some may argue that good communicators are born, not made. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
  2. What can you do to prevent miscommunication?
  3. Why do miscommunication and misunderstanding happen?
  4. Talk about your experience related to this topic.

Your Other Half

B1 – Intermediate

Every person has their own important person in their lives, like someone they are romantically involved and a special person whom they share intimacy with. The term “other half” can mean a partner, spouse (husband or wife), boyfriend, girlfriend, or lover. It is used when you don’t want to be too specific.

Watch the short video to learn more about the expression ‘your other half’ and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a significant other? If yes, how did you meet? If no, what qualities do you look for in a partner?
  2. Tell us something about your other half.
  3. What are the things that you have in common and those that you differ from?
  4. What are the pros and cons of having your better half in your life?
  5. How would you compare the times you were/are with and without a partner/spouse?

Reading Might Help You Live Longer

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It’s undeniable that screens compete daily for our attention. Work and entertainment all play out to some extent on these digital displays, so much so that our days are consumed in activities that require their use. This includes reading.

Some argue that reading off anything other than a screen should be relegated to the past. However, some studies suggest that the act of assimilating ideas from the printed page may be just what the doctor ordered.

In this video, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how reading (or listening to a good read) can help add years to your lifespan.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What benefits of reading are mentioned by Dr. Gupta?
  2. How do you like your books? On the printed page, as an audiobook, or scrollable on a portable screen?
  3. What do you think can be done to encourage people to read more?

Ways to Kill Your Dreams

They say that dreams are only for children or for people who have the means to reach it. In reality, dreams are lifelong goals that we can achieve through discipline, hardwork, and believing in ourselves.

Brazillian entrepreneur Bel Pesce enumerate the ways of discouraging thoughts when we try to achieve our dreams and on how to keep ourselves going.

Watch the video below and learn more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the five ways how not to follow your dreams?
  2. What does overnight success mean? Share a related story.
  3. What are your first thoughts about the video?
  4. What are your childhood dreams that came true?
  5. In the video, what is meant by “believe the fault is someone else’s?”
  6. From the five tips mentioned in the video, what is one tip that can be most helpful to you?

Fashion Upcycling

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When upcycling clothes, waste is looked at creatively and transformed into something new. A Swedish company found an alternative way to give old clothes new life and make them wearable again. In turn, this reduces wastes and contributes to making the world a more sustainable place.

Watch the video and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/playlist/sustainable-future?vpid=p06yvh4k

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about upcycling clothes?
  2. How often do you go shopping for clothes?
  3. What are the advantages of textile upcycling?
  4. What do you usually do with your old, damaged, or worn-out clothes?
  5. Is fast fashion and textile waste an issue in your country?