B2 – Upper-intermediate

16 Nov How Ads Follow You Around the Internet

Posted at 12:36h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Business, North America, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture, Technology, Vox

Cookies do improve your experience. They function as the website’s short term memory; with each new click you make, cookies help the site identify you as the same person. Imagine every time you add something to your cart and click away, it disappears. Or each...

16 Nov Brené Brown on Empathy

Posted at 12:22h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Other, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture, Psychology

What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautiful animated short film from RSA, Dr. Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create an authentic empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our...

16 Nov How The Six Degrees Phenomenon Has Changed Science

Posted at 12:06h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, North America, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture, Problem Solving, Science

You may have heard about the Six Degrees of Separation phenomenon, but it isn't just a fun celebrity game, it helps scientists understand the spread of epidemics, the structure of the internet, and even the neural networks in your brain!...

15 Nov The science behind ‘us vs. them’

Posted at 11:42h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Big Think, Partial Lesson Plan, Psychology, Science

From politics to every day life, humans have a tendency to form social groups that are defined in part by how they differ from other groups. Neuroendocrinologist Robert Sapolsky, author Dan Shapiro, and others explore the ways that tribalism functions in society, and discuss how—as social...

12 Nov to see Germany’s future, look at its cars – guided video

Posted at 07:09h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Complete Lesson Plan, Guided, Management, Politics, Technology, The Economist

Germany's carmakers face the same challenges as its new leaders: a need to innovate, tackle climate change and reassess its trade relationship with China. How this world-renowned motor industry navigates the road ahead could tell a lot about Germany’s future....

11 Nov How Marvel Went From Bankruptcy to Billions

Posted at 10:41h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Business, Other, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture

We all associate Marvel to Awesome Super Heroes which makes super hero movies, from Avengers to Iron Man, you name it, it has been a hit. The brand Marvel didn't start like that. From changing its name from Timely Comics to almost becoming Bankrupt, in...

11 Nov The sunk cost fallacy

Posted at 10:33h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Big Think, Business, Management, North America, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture, Problem Solving, Psychology

The sunk cost fallacy means making a choice not based on what outcome you think is going to be the best going forward but instead based on a desire not to see your past investment go to waste. Once you start paying attention to the...

11 Nov The economics of K Pop

Posted at 10:17h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Business, Economics, Music, North America, Partial Lesson Plan, Politics, Polymatter, Popular Culture

Korean pop groups have offset losses from piracy with glossy, premium, collectible CDs, usually sold to fans who will never play them. Instead, CDs are sold as merch - often with different covers to encourage buying several, and sometimes act as lottery tickets for a chance...

22 Oct 10 ways to have a better conversation

Posted at 18:40h in Australia, B2 - Upper-intermediate, Business, Partial Lesson Plan, Popular Culture, Technology, TED

When your job hinges on how well you talk to people, you learn a lot about how to have conversations -- and that most of us don't converse very well. Celeste Headlee has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients...

22 Oct How the rich avoid paying taxes

Posted at 18:20h in B2 - Upper-intermediate, Economics, North America, Partial Lesson Plan, Politics, Popular Culture, Vox

The richest in America don't make money like most Americans. Most people pay income taxes from a regular job. But many in the top 1% make money off their investments, like stocks, and pay capital gains taxes. While normal income has a maximum tax rate...