Tag: video

AI Law to be Voted On in Europe

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Europe is about to decide on new laws for artificial intelligence (AI), and it’s a big deal. As we use AI more in our lives these days, we need rules to make sure it’s ethical and that it abides by certain standards and regulations.

Watch the video to know why these AI laws in Europe matter, how they might affect cool new tech stuff, our privacy, and how we find the right balance between advancing technology and keeping our important human values. Be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the phrase “to make rounds“? “But then, there are also those AI-generated photos and videos and music making rounds.” Make a sentence using this idiom.
  2. What does the phrase “to keep score on someone/something” mean? “Acceptable risk is when AI is used for things deemed so unethical such as biometric surveillance or even using it to keep social scores on people.” Make a sentence using this expression.
  3. What is the meaning of the expression “first of its kind?” “Members of the European parliament want to make sure AI is safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally-friendly and if approved, it will be the first of of its kind in the world.” Give 2 synonyms and use “first of its kind” in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the need for specific laws and regulations addressing artificial intelligence?
  2. How do you believe AI laws can balance the promotion of innovation with ensuring ethical and responsible AI use?
  3. Do you agree the proposals mentioned in the video? In your opinion, what ethical considerations should be prioritized when drafting AI laws?
  4. What role do you think public input and awareness should play in shaping AI laws and regulations?

Fans Talk about Their Passions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If you admire or like something like a sport, a music band, or a hobby, then you can consider yourself a fan. But because of technology, we are able to express our shared passions with other fans online.

Being a part of a fandom is more than being a simple fan, but it is being an avid supporter of a particular celebrities, team, fictions, and others that you belong in something that is considered as a community or subculture.

Listen to the podcast below as they talk about how fans talk about their passions.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to tap into something” mean? “It taps into that ancient human impulse to belong to a group of like-minded people.” Use this idiom in a sentence.
  2. What do “BIRGing” and “CORFing” stand for and what is the difference between the two expressions”? “The antithesis of BIRGing is CORFing which means ‘Cutting Off Reflected Failure’ and that is what people sometimes do when their team loses“. Use”BIRGing” and “CORFing” in your own sentences.
  3. What is the meaning of “a piece/a slice of the action“? “When your team wins everyone wants a bit of the action, you take to the streets; dance around.”  Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make your own sentence using the term ‘a piece/a slice of the action’.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on “fandom”?
  2. Are there misconceptions about fandom you know of?
  3. Share about a time you realized that you were more than just a casual fan.
  4. When do you think being a fan is no longer healthy?
  5. How do you think someone should behave in a fandom community?
  6. Who or what are you so passionate about? How do you showcase your admiration for it? Would you like to share it with others in a fandom community?

Marketers Target Your Nose

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever walked into a store and instantly felt a unique aroma that just screams, ‘This is the place.’? That’s the magic of scent branding.

Scent branding is not just about smelling nice. It’s a powerful tool in the industry that taps into the psychology of our olfactory senses. Companies use carefully crafted scents to create memorable experiences, trigger emotions, and build strong brand connections.

Watch this video and explore how scent branding works, its impact on consumer behavior, and how businesses leverage the power of fragrances to enhance their brand identity. Be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “touch point” mean? “Scent marketing is the idea of using scent and incorporating to all the touch points of the customer experience.” Use this term in a sentence.
  2. Explain “scentscaping“. “For example, museums have used “scentscaping” to intensify their exhibits.” Use the word in sentence.
  3. What does the term “billboard scenting” mean? “Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister stores are most extreme form of scent marketing called “billboard scenting.” Make a sentence using the expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your personal experience with encountering scent branding in various places, and how did it impact your perception of those spaces?
  2. Do you believe that scent branding is a genuine and effective method for businesses to establish a unique brand identity? Why or why not?
  3. In your opinion, should businesses invest more in scent branding or focus on traditional branding methods? What factors contribute to your viewpoint?
  4. How ethical do you find the use of scent in marketing, especially when it comes to influencing consumer behavior? Are there any boundaries that businesses should adhere to?
  5. Considering the potential impact of scent on emotions and memories, how might scent branding be used in non-commercial spaces, such as healthcare environments or educational institutions?

Instagram Traps Are Changing Art Museums

B2 – Upper Intermediate

New art installations in cities worldwide are shifting away from traditional exhibits and historical artifacts. Instead, these installations focus on providing picturesque backdrops for photos, particularly on Instagram. This trend reflects a changing landscape in the museum world. Both new temporary museums and traditional ones are adapting to the prevalence of smartphones, creating spaces designed for easy selfie-taking. As online experiences become more prevalent, these selfie-friendly spaces are becoming increasingly common.

Watch the video to learn more about pop-out museums and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of “installation art“. “You can see installation art‘s influence on today’s pop-up museums pretty clearly.” Make one sentence using the word.
  2. What is a “pop-up museum“? “Pop-up museums figured out that there was a business to be made out of that photographability.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to put away” mean? “At Refinery29’s pop-up experience, that means having some rooms where phones are supposed to be put away.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘to put away’ in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do Instagram traps enhance or detract from the traditional art museum experience? Share your opinion.
  2. How do you feel about art museums adapting to the trend of Instagram traps to attract a younger audience?
  3. Do you believe that the rise of Instagram traps in art museums is a positive evolution or a departure from the core purpose of these cultural institutions? Explain.
  4. How do you think the presence of Instagram traps affects the way people engage with and appreciate art within the museum setting?
  5. Do you think the popularity of Instagram traps might overshadow the significance of the artworks themselves in traditional art museums? Elaborate.

Make Smart Decisions More Easily

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Every single thing our bodies do — be it physical or mental— requires energy. We might not notice it, but making decisions, even if it is as simple as what to eat, what to wear, etc., takes up a lot of our energy. Imagine how much more exhausted our brains get when are constantly faced with complex matters that need our deciding prowess. 

Based on numerous research, some people tend to have a “daily threshold for making decisions”. Very long periods of time of making decisions can cause us to suffer from cognitive exhaustion or decision fatigue.

Watch the video to know more about decision fatigue and learn some ways on how to avoid it.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does it mean for “to meet the threshold“? “Once that threshold is met, most people make the conscious choice to “take it easy” and save serious thinking about any new decisions for another day.” Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “to save something for another day” mean? “Once that threshold is met, most people make the conscious choice to “take it easy” and save serious thinking about any new decisions for another day.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does the adjective “taxing” mean here, “For example, choosing what to eat for breakfast isn’t very taxing.”? Give two synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘taxing’.

Discussion Questions:

  1. “Individuals have a daily threshold for decision-making.” In your opinion or personal experience, when is it the best time to just choose to “take it easy” and why so? In other words, what is your decision-making threshold?
  2. What is your process when it comes to decision-making?
  3. What factors affect your decisions, whether minor or big ones?
  4. What are ways we can avoid decision fatigue?
  5. Share your thoughts on this: “Many researchers are especially concerned about decision fatigue in medicine.”.

Food Expiration Dates

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We could all be guilty about one thing — tossing food on or before their sell-by dates. Part of the reason is because we do not fully understand what expiration date labels on them actually mean. As a result, massive amounts of food are wasted globally.

Watch the video about the truth about food expiration dates and how to solve food waste.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”go bad” mean,“So if the dates on our food don’t tell us that something’s gone bad, what do they tell us?”? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘go bad’.
  2. Explain “open dating”. “Many supermarkets adopted a system still in place today called ‘open dating’.” Use this term in a sentence.
  3. What does “gauge” mean? “But when supermarkets began stocking processed foods, product ages became harder to gauge.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘gauge’.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this, “Many foods are safe to eat far beyond their labeled dates.”?
  2. Do you use date labels to decide if food is still edible? Why or why not? Would the info in this video change your ways? Explain.
  3. What are some food preservation hacks you employ on your food items at home?
  4. How do you minimize your food waste?
  5. Should grocers remove date labels on produces and just let consumers use their own judgement? Explain your perspective on this.
  6. Should restaurants and grocers donate unsold food? Share your opinion.

Rules to Control Spending in Video Games 

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Based on recent data, the gaming market worldwide is hundreds of billions worth, besting the music and movie industries combined.

In attempts to battle rampant video games addiction in the country, the Chinese government has outlined new set of regulations to crackdown on spending and rewards in video games so as not to encourage people from playing them too much.

These new rules affect one of the world’s biggest gaming industries which has just started seeing growth again this year.

Watch the video about the new rules to control spending in video games in China.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”deal a blow to someone/something” mean,”The decision spooked investors and dealt a blow to the world’s biggest games market which returned to growth this year.”? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘deal a blow’.
  2. What does “take a hard/tough line on someone/something” mean? “Beijing has taken a tough line on video games over the years.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘take a hard/tough line on someone/something’.
  3. What does “suspend” mean? “It also suspended the approval of new video games for about eight months citing gaming addiction concerns.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘suspend’.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on these new regulations? Are they necessarily crucial at this point given that the gaming industry in China is just starting to gain momentum again?
  2. What impact do these new rules have on the gaming industry in China?
  3. Is video game addiction also a serious problem in your country? Elaborate on the situation.
  4. How else can video game addiction be controlled?
  5. Should video gaming be encouraged or otherwise? State your stance.

Cars Lose Their Value So Fast

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of our largest lifetime investments may be a car. But unlike other investments like a house, a car’s value depreciates quite rapidly.

In what way and why?

Watch the video below to help you find out the answers to these questions.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to be underwater on a loan” mean? “A car owner is underwater on a loan if their loan is larger than what their car is worth.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make your own sentence using the term ‘underwater on a loan’.
  2. How about the word “abate“? “A lot of those trends have abated since, but those odd times led to lasting changes in the post-pandemic world.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make your own sentence using the term ‘abate’.
  3. Do you know what “rein in” means? “The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates in order to rein in inflation and that has made borrowing more expensive.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make your own sentence using the term ‘rein in’.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the 3 main reasons mentioned in the video that causes car depreciation?
  2. Do you agree to these reasons why cars lose their value? Why or why not?
  3. Could you consider cars as investment? Why or why not?
  4. Which do you consider is the better choice between a new car or a used one? State your stance.
  5. What are different factors a buyer should consider before buying a car?

Human-Centered Design

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Human-centered design is a way of solving problems, and it’s getting a lot of attention. This video shows you what human-centered design is all about and why it’s making waves. It explains how focusing on people can make a big difference in different areas or industries.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “on the fly” mean in the sentence, “The inspiration phase is about learning on the fly, opening yourself up to creative possibilities, and trusting that as long as you remain grounded in the desires of people you’re designing for, your ideas will evolve into the right solution.”? Give two synonyms and use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the phrase “shore up” mean in the sentence, “During the implementation phrase, you’ll build partnerships, shore up your business model, and get your idea out into the world.”?  Give two synonyms and use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does the expression “to get one’s idea/s out into the world” mean in the sentence. “During the implementation phrase, you’ll build partnerships, shore up your business model, and get your idea out into the world.”?  Give two synonyms and use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What makes human-centered design effective?
  2. How does human-centered design uniquely benefit users?
  3. Share successful examples of human-centered design applications.
  4. Has your company adopted human-centered design in its projects? Cite examples on how.
  5. Do you think this method can work for personal projects? Why or why not?

A Japanese Method to Relax

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Life moves pretty fast. If you need a quick breather, these Japanese relaxation techniques could be your new go-to. The video spills the beans on a five-minute calming session that could be a game-changer.

Check out the full video and get ready to relax in no time.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “take a toll” mean in the sentence “Excessive stress can take a toll on your life.”? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “decisive” mean in the sentence “The ring finger is responsible for making you more decisive.”?  Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the idiom “hustle and bustle” mean in the sentence “Get peace of mind in the middle of hustle and bustle.”?  Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What’s the Japanese relaxation hack all about?
  2. What are the benefits of a quick relaxation routine that make it worth exploring?
  3. Have you ever tried a similar relaxation method? Share your experiences.
  4. What are your struggles in finding time for relaxation?
  5. In what other situations could a quick relaxation trick come in handy?