Discussion topics

Urban birdwatching

Birdwatching is a popular pastime across the globe. Some people take it very seriously, buying expensive gear and traveling all over the world to see rare birds. Most people, though, just have a good pair of binoculars and stay closer to home. 

But what if your home is a big city? What birds can you see in a city besides really common ones, like pigeons or crows, that are often pests and boring to watch?

I thought that way until I watched a film called, Birders: The Central Park Effect. The lake in the middle of Central Park is the only large body of water for miles on that migration route, so flocks of birds use it as a stopover. You can see birds there—in the middle of a huge, busy city—that you'd normally only see in the wild. And even in winter and summer, between migrations, there are lots of different species to see.

So just because you live in a city doesn't mean you can't enjoy birdwatching, every day if you want! Get yourself some binoculars and go find the birds.

Discussion: 
What do you think about the intersection of wild animals and the urban environment? Is it possible for the two to coexist? Do Homework
Talk about an experience you've had with animals. Was it good or bad? Do Homework
Why do you think people enjoy birdwatching? Do Homework

The Taliban asks for help

A deadly 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan on June 22. So far, more than 1000 people have been reported dead, and at least another 1500 have been injured. This is a humanitarian disaster that requires aid.

People in remote areas have to dig through the rubble with their bare hands, hoping to find people under the destroyed buildings. In addition, recent rains have damaged many roads making access even more difficult. Afghanistan has already experienced multiple humanitarian crises in recent months. This has caused shortages. 95% of households do not have enough food and the health system is not functioning properly.

The Taliban leader, who seldom appears in public, addressed the international community for help. This is a difficult situation because many countries do not recognise the Taliban as an official government and do not want to send any money to this terrorist organization. This forces countries and organisations to question what they should do to assist and how.

Discussion: 
Tell your teacher what happened and what the problems are. Do Homework
In your opinion, how should the international community respond? Do Homework
Has your country ever faced a catastrophe? If yes, did the international community help? Do Homework

Ursula LeGuin and writers of hope

Watch this video clip of fantasy writer Ursula LeGuin's acceptance speech of the 2014 U.S. National Book Award. Be prepared to summarize and discuss the points she makes about writers and the contemporary world.

 

Discussion: 
What are the main points of LeGuin's speech? Do Homework
Do you agree with LeGuin's ideas? Why or why not? Do Homework
LeGuin's speech was given in 2014. How are things different today? Or are they still the same? In what ways? Do Homework
In your opinion, does fantasy and science fiction writing qualify as literary art? Do Homework

What kind of mindset do you have?

Harvard Business Review has researched the mindsets that affect a person’s leadership ability. Here are different mindsets they have found.

Growth and Fixed Mindsets. People with a growth mindset believe that people change. Everyone can develop their abilities, intelligence, and talent. However, people with a fixed mindset believe people are born with specific skills and cannot develop them. 

Learning and Performance Mindsets. Learning mindsets mean people are motivated to learn something new just because they like learning. They want to learn without any external factors. On the other hand, people with performance mindsets are motivated to learn to get positive feedback or because they are afraid to get negative critiques. 

Promotion and Prevention Mindsets. People with promotion mindsets are focused on gaining something and winning. They tend to have goals and work on achieving them. People with prevention mindsets want to prevent losses and avoid problems.

Harvard Business Review says that people with the first type of mindsets in each paragraph become better leaders. They suggest companies teach their managers not only leadership skills but also how to change their mindset.

Discussion: 
Could you please tell the main idea of the article to your teacher. Edit Homework
Do you agree with Harvard Business Review? Edit Homework
What kind of mindsets do you have? What about your boss? Do Homework
Could you please describe an ideal leader. Do Homework

Elon Musk bans remote work

Elon Musk has ordered all employees to return to the office full-time or resign. In two leaked memos, he makes it clear that remote work will not be allowed except for "particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible". These memos have been reported on news networks and Twitter feeds. The news network CNBC transcribed the first memo.

Discussion: 
What strikes you most about this email from Elon Musk? Do Homework
What do you think of his management style? Do Homework
Describe your ideal work environment. Do Homework
Which is most important for productivity: the number of hours worked, or the work environment? Do Homework

How Meta targets political ads

Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, says it will provide outside researchers more information on how political and social ads are targeted on its platform, providing insight into the ways that politicians, campaign operatives and political strategists buy and use ads during election periods. Starting from May 2022, academics and researchers registered with Facebook Open Research and Transparency will be allowed to see more detailed targeting data, including which interest categories—such as “people who like dogs” or “people who enjoy the outdoors”—have been chosen to aim ads at specific people.

Meta also plans to include summaries of targeting information for some of its ads in its publicly viewable Ad Library. Created in 2019, the Ad Library allows the public to obtain information about political ads, thus helping to safeguard elections against the misuse of digital advertising.

While Meta provides outsiders some access into how its ads are used, it has been known to restrict the amount of information available, citing privacy reasons. This has led to conflicts, including with a group of New York University academics in 2020.

Discussion: 
Have you ever seen a political or social advertisement on social media? If so, what was it about? Do Homework
Explore the Ad Library with your teacher. What advertisements can you find from politicians in your area? Do Homework
Which is more effective: online advertising or traditional modes of advertising? Do Homework
Is it ethical for politicians to advertise on social media? Why or why not? Do Homework

Death penalty: is it okay to kill?

Even though punishment by death has been abolished in many places globally, there are still fifty-five countries that practice the death penalty, with the USA and China being among them. So what are the arguments for and against the death penalty?

  • “An eye for an eye” is an old law that goes back to the times of the Babylonian Empire. It was written somewhere around 1800 BCE. However, death penalty supporters argue that people who have committed the worst crimes (e.g., murder) should be punished by death. On the other hand, the opponents say that justice systems are not perfect. The state would kill innocent people in the case of mistakes (which has happened in history). On top of that, the death penalty is the most popular in authoritarian states (such as China and Saudi Arabia), where it is difficult to argue against authorities' decisions. 
  • The death penalty prevents crimes. The supporters believe that potential criminals will think twice before committing a crime if they know they could be executed. However, recent studies doubt this, and 88% of criminologists do not believe that the death penalty stops crimes. 
  • Costs. The proponents claim that it costs too much for taxpayers to keep prisoners alive. However, the research shows that executing people is far more expensive. For example, California reports that the annual cost of the death penalty is  $137 million per year in the state. 
  • Morality. The proponents claim that killing is justified if it follows a proper process and is done in order to punish crimes. On the other hand, the opponents say that killing is always morally wrong, and asking the police or medical staff to execute people as part of their jobs is unfair and damaging to their mental health. 

Discussion: 
Please, share your opinion about each argument. Do Homework
Could you please present the map to your teacher? Do Homework
What are the consequences of the death penalty on the families of those involved? What about society in general? Do Homework
In your opinion, should prisons be comfortable? Do Homework

How singing affects your brain

Watch this short video about what happens in the brain when we sing. Listen carefully to hear what happens in the different parts of the brain.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Health Benefits of Singing

Discussion: 
What are the names of the 3 different parts of the brain mentioned? What happens in each of them when we sing? Do Homework
Do you sing? How often do you think about music? Do Homework
What other activities might require more than one part of the brain? Do Homework

Salmon sushi is Norwegian

Look at the menu of any sushi shop in Japan and you will almost certainly see salmon: fatty, tender and bright orange. But salmon is actually a relatively new addition to the sushi menu.

Behind salmon’s rise to popularity is the Norwegian marketing campaign: Project Japan. In the 1970s, Norway began commercial salmon farming but, with decreasing seafood consumption at home, salmon was soon filling industrial freezers. Japan, meanwhile, had been overfishing its waters, and with Japanese fishermen told to remain within their exclusive economic zones by the United Nations, Japan began opening up its once nearly self-sufficient seafood industry to foreign suppliers.

When Bjorn Eirik Olsen, director of market research for Project Japan, landed in Tokyo in 1986, he knew his target market. “We had to target the raw consumption market,” he said. Fish meant for sushi or sashimi can be priced up to 10 times higher than fish aimed for the grill market. However, when Olsen introduced Norwegian salmon to the Japanese seafood industry, it was met with the response: “We don’t eat salmon in Japan.” Raw salmon that is.
 

Discussion: 
Is salmon sushi viewed as traditional Japanese food? Why or why not? Do Homework
Can you think of other food that's become popular relatively recently? Do Homework
What do you think is the next big food trend? Do Homework

Breakthrough in medicine

New research from the Babraham Institute has potentially made a revolutionary breakthrough in regenerative medicine. The scientists developed a method to rejuvenate skin cells by 30 years. 

Our cells have several functions, such as providing structure and support, transporting molecules, producing energy, helping with growth, creating metabolic reactions and helping in reproduction. However, with age, cells lose these functions and accumulate age marks. 

New research reprogrammed cells by restoring their functions and changing the molecular measures of biological age. Rejuvenated skin cells produced more collagen that helped heal wounds and provide structure to our skin, the same as natural young skin cells do. 

This research is based on the Nobel Prize method developed by Shinya Yamanaka in 2007 of creating stem cells—cells that have the ability to turn into any cell type with any function. 

Further research into this area might help not only to reduce the aging effect but also to help to cure age-related illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Discussion: 
Tell your teacher the main idea of the article. Do Homework
Do you think rejuvenation medicine is something humanity should invest in? Do Homework
What would you like to discover if you could make a breakthrough in medicine? Do Homework
What are some potential sociological consequences if people are able to stay young longer? Do Homework

Nonprofit business: Clean the World

One night at a hotel in 2009, tech executive Shawn Seipler thought about how many bars of soap guests use for a night and then leave. He called the front desk to find out what they did with the used soap and learned that they just throw it away. In the U.S. alone, hotels throw out about 3.3 million bars of soap every day.

So, Seipler started Clean the World, a nonprofit that recycles soap, in his garage. He quickly discovered that major hotel chains, airlines, cruise companies and casinos were happy to pay him to take their waste. The business has since grown into a $750k production facility in Orlando, Florida, with branch operations around the world.

Clean the World works with international humanitarian organizations to direct the recycled soap to people in need. Soap is sent to places like natural disaster areas, refugee facilities and countries with high rates of diseases caused by a lack of simple hygiene products. One 3-oz bar of soap is good for 100 hand-washings. So, next time you’re in a hotel, think about it. As Seipler says, “I know it sounds funny, but that little bar of soap on the counter in your hotel room—that thing can literally save a life.”

Discussion: 
What is the main point of this article? Do Homework
Have you ever thought about what happens to the soap you leave in a hotel room? Do you generally think about the waste you create when throwing things away? Do Homework
What other simple, useful things like hotel soap could we recycle instead of throw away? What other organizations do you know that are doing this kind of work? Do Homework
If you decided to start a nonprofit business, what would it be? Do Homework

Do trees talk to each other?

People generally think of trees as disconnected loners, competing for water, nutrients, and sunlight, with winners shading out losers and sucking them dry. But evidence to the contrary is coming to light. Forest trees are, in fact, cooperative and live in interdependent relationships maintained by communication and collective intelligence similar to an insect colony.

Unlike other organisms, most of the communication between trees happens underground, through a system known as the “Wood Wide Web”. “[Trees] in every forest that is not too damaged”, explains Peter Wohlleben, a German forester and author, “are connected to each other through underground fungal networks. Trees share water and nutrients through the networks, and also use them to communicate. They send distress signals about drought and disease, for example, or insect attacks, and other trees alter their behaviour when they receive these messages.”

As a fee for their services, the fungi consume about 30 percent of the sugar that the trees photosynthesize from sunlight. This sugar fuels the fungi as they scavenge the soil for nitrogen, phosphorus and other mineral nutrients, which they then pass on to the trees. For young saplings in dense parts of the forest, the network is a lifeline. Without sufficient sunlight to photosynthesize, saplings can only survive because big trees, including their parents, pump sugar into their roots through the network.

Discussion: 
Please summarise this article in a maximum of four sentences. Do Homework
How often do you spend time in natural environments like forests? Why? Do Homework
Now that you know the "wood wide web" exists, has your view on trees changed? If so, how? Do Homework
How should the way humans interact with trees change now that we know they communicate with each other? Do Homework
Discovery of the wood wide web is relatively recent. Can you think of another recent scientific breakthrough? Do Homework

Task: Robots and etiquette

Society is filled with social and etiquette rules. As we grow up, we learn them and follow them without even noticing. Etiquette can be different in various situations, cultures, communities and workplaces. 

Even though people learn these rules when growing up, they are later able to distinguish the rules themselves in new cultures. However, what should we do with robots? If robots become parts of our workplace, what should we teach them?

Please, look at the task below with your teacher and discuss it.

 

(Exercise credit belongs to English Current)

Discussion: 
What are some etiquette rules in your company? Country? Edit Homework
Have you faced any cultural differences in etiquette? Do Homework
Do you think we need the rules of etiquette? Do Homework

Doodling: why do we do it?

"Doodling" is drawing without thinking about it, on whatever is in front of us. Sometimes it's on the side of meeting notes, or on an envelope or napkin. It's a very common habit. So, why do we do it?

There are a few reasons we doodle:

  • to pass the time when we can't do anything else, like when we're on a train or waiting for a bus;
  • to keep ourselves awake during a boring presentation, lecture, etc.; and

  • to focus on something while meditating.

Studies show that people who doodle while listening to someone talk remember 30% more of what was said than people who don't doodle. Doodling actually helps keep us focused. Our brain stays occupied, so our attention doesn't wander.

Some researchers believe that what we doodle has a deeper meaning. Doodling can show us what we're thinking about, what we're feeling, and who we are. Different people believe in different meanings, so take them with a grain of salt.

Watch this video and let yourself doodle. Just draw freely without a plan, and see what comes out!

 


take [something] with a grain of salt—to understand that what is said isn't necessarily true.

 

Discussion: 
Have you ever had a class like this in school or university? Were you able to stay awake? How did you do that? Do Homework
How does doodling help us pay attention? Edit Homework
What do you usually draw when you doodle? Are there certain shapes or figures? Do Homework
Do you believe that our doodles reveal our inner thoughts and feelings? Do Homework
Some people say that doodling is art. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do Homework

Indonesia bans palm oil exports

In late April, the Indonesian government announced a temporary ban on exports of crude palm oil and its refined products, such as cooking oil. The decision came as a surprise to commercial goods traders as the government had previously stated the ban would only apply to refined products. After the government’s initial statement, prices of crude palm oil significantly fluctuated given uncertainties about what products the ban would cover. Prices have again skyrocketed in light of the most recent announcement.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the world has seen a wave of food protectionism, as governments seek to protect domestic food supplies in light of surging agricultural prices. As the world’s largest edible oils shipper, providing one third of global supplies, Indonesia threatens to worsen global food inflation with its decision and raises the risk of a full-blown hunger crisis.

Palm oil exports have become a key political issue for President Joko Widodo as cooking oil prices could push the costs of other goods higher ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which is usually marked with feasts and celebration. “Once the local need is fulfilled, surely I will revoke this export ban because I understand how the government needs taxes, needs overseas earnings, and needs a trade surplus,” said the president. “[But] the people’s need is a more important priority.”

Discussion: 
Should governments prioritise domestic needs over international ones? Why or why not? Do Homework
Are there any exports that your country protects? Do Homework
How might the products you use be affected by increases in the price of palm oil? Do Homework
Many people consider palm oil a controversial ingredient because palm plantations are a major driver of deforestation. How concerned are you about the ingredients that go into your products? Do Homework

Venture capital discrimination

Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator—the tech accelerator that supports early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing—has funded a number of successful start-ups including Dropbox, Airbnb and Reddit. Despite this, in 2013 he made a controversial comment about how he evaluates potential companies. He managed to both offend many foreign-born Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and reveal a prejudice common among venture capitalists.

“One quality that’s a really bad indication is a CEO with a strong foreign accent,” Graham told Inc. magazine. “I’m not sure why. It could be that there are a bunch of subtle things entrepreneurs have to communicate and [you] can’t [do that] if you have a strong accent. Or, it could be that anyone with half a brain would realize you’re going to be more successful if you speak idiomatic English, so they must just be clueless if they haven’t gotten rid of their strong accent.”

Discussion: 
Identify at least one useful collocation or idiom in this passage. Do Homework
How do you feel about doing business with non-native speakers of your language? Do Homework
Do you think that there is bias in your society or industry against non-native speakers? Do Homework
How can you inoculate yourself against this prejudice? Do Homework

Health is a sustainability issue

Rare and neglected diseases remain a serious problem in our modern world, despite advances in science and technology. Big pharmaceutical companies don't fund research and development into treatments for these diseases because they aren't profitable. The drugs end up costing much more to make than they'll earn back, so they remain un- or underfunded.

Each rare disease affects relatively few people, so the market is too small to make a profit on treatments. Neglected diseases affect about 1 billion people, but most are in underdeveloped, tropical countries. So, although the market is big, treatments are a poor return on investment because the countries can't afford to pay for them.

An article published in the Sustainability journal in 2019 recommends that we change our perspective to see healthcare as a sustainability issue, rather than an economic one. What if, instead of evaluating a drug in terms of the market, we look at its effect on society and the environment? The authors suggest that pharmaceutical companies be key players in this change of perspective. Companies would lead the way in seeing these drugs as opportunities, not problems. Funding the development of drugs to treat rare and neglected diseases is a chance for the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to the sustainability of our world, especially where the need is most urgent.

Discussion: 
Summarize the article in 2–3 sentences. Do Homework
What are some examples of rare diseases? Do you know anyone who has/had one? Do Homework
Does your country suffer from any neglected diseases? Do Homework
How is healthcare a sustainability issue? Do Homework
Is healthcare a universal human right? Do Homework

Elon Musk vs Twitter

Elon Musk is a famous Twitter user. He wants to change Twitter rules on what is allowed to be posted. However, recently he surprised everyone by saying that he would buy this social media company. Musk has been offered loans of $25.5 billion from big American banks and he promised to pay the rest of the $21 billion out of his pocket.

The next day after Musk’s proposal, the board announced they will implement a "poison pill"—a measure that forbids anyone to buy more than 15% of the company’s shares. People fear that Twitter’s shareholders will pressure the board to accept Musk’s offer. Shareholders may want to do it because the share price that Musk has offered is much higher than the current one. On the other hand, this deal means that Twitter will become private, which may lead to unknown consequences for the company. 

Twitter did not make official statements for some time. However, on April 26, the company said it accepted Musk's proposal. This is the biggest purchase in tech history and it can shape the way how billions of people use Twitter.

out of his pocket—pay with his own money
shareholders—individual or entity that owns the shares of a corporation
 

Discussion: 
Do you use Twitter? Why or why not? Do Homework
Describe the situation to your teacher. Do Homework
Do you agree that billionaires should have the power to buy a company? Do Homework
Do you think Twitter will improve now that Elon Musk is buying the company? Do Homework
If you could buy a business which one would you purchase? Do Homework

Humans are compassionate by nature

Bones found in Ireland show that humans have taken care of each other since ancient times. The bones, buried 5,500 years ago, belonged to a child with Down Syndrome. The baby lived to be about 6 months old and was breastfed. When it died, it was buried in a monumental tomb with other adults and children. 

In 2007, at an archaeological site in Vietnam, the bones of a man with a crippling disease were uncovered in a Stone Age grave. His bones indicate that he had a painful condition that would have left him paralyzed for the last several years of his life. Clearly, he was carried by others and given food and other resources that were always scarce in those days. 

Archaeologist Lorna Tilley has collected evidence from as far back as 45,000 years ago that disabled people were as valued as the rest of the community. She accepts these relationships as the fundamental reality of human behavior, rather than rare, atypical incidents. Humans are innately compassionate. The principle of the "survival of the fittest" is untrue—we have carried the unfit with us since the dawn of humanity.

Discussion: 
Explain the evidence for human compassion in prehistoric times. Do Homework
What evidence can you give that humans are still compassionate? Do Homework
Why do we care for disabled people? Do Homework
What would our society be like now if humans had lived by the "survival of the fittest" principle? Do Homework

Video conferencing problems

These days, video conferencing is part of the everyday lives of most business people. If you have ever worked online, you have probably encountered a myriad of problems. Sometimes, your connection cuts out; at other times, there is too much glare on your face.

Watch this short video and learn about some examples of the issues that occur during video calls. While watching, think about how the participants could avoid these issues.

Discussion: 
What issues did you notice in the video conference? Do Homework
How could the participants have avoided these issues? Do Homework
Imagine you are in a meeting. What would you say to someone if these issues occurred, either on your side or theirs? Do Homework
What is the worst technical glitch or online problem that has happened to you? Do Homework