Living Beyond Necessity; The Perils and Pleasures Of Luxuries
Living Beyond Necessity – The Perils and Pleasures Of Luxuries

What defines a luxury and a necessity, and how do our personal values and societal norms shape our understanding of these terms?


Living Beyond Necessity; The Perils and Pleasures Of Luxuries
Living Beyond Necessity; The Perils and Pleasures Of Luxuries

What defines a luxury and a necessity, and how do our personal values and societal norms shape our understanding of these terms?

Luxuries And Necessities

Luxuries and necessities have always been a topic of debate, with some arguing that luxuries are essential for a good quality of life, while others see them as unnecessary indulgences. In this debate, we will explore both sides of the argument and determine whether luxuries are truly necessary or just frivolous expenses.

On the one hand, luxuries can provide a sense of comfort and enjoyment that is essential for a happy and fulfilling life. For many people, luxurious items such as fancy cars, designer clothing, and high-end electronics are not just status symbols but sources of pleasure and satisfaction. These items can boost one’s self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment, leading to improved mental health and overall well-being.

The Podcast version of this lesson plan is available on Spotify. It’s a great way to practice your listening skills and learn more about pronunciation. Press the button below.

Necessity

Moreover, luxuries can also be seen as investments in one’s future. For example, a well-made suit or a luxury car can last for many years and provide long-term benefits, such as impressing potential employers or clients. In this way, luxuries can be seen as essential tools for success and advancement in one’s personal and professional life.

However, on the other hand, many argue that luxuries are unnecessary and even harmful to society. In a world where millions of people struggle to meet their basic needs, spending exorbitant amounts of money on frivolous items can be seen as selfish and wasteful. Moreover, pursuing luxuries can contribute to a culture of materialism, where people are judged by their possessions rather than their character or abilities. Should society place more value on the concept of necessity?

Social Impacts

In addition, luxuries can also have negative environmental and social impacts. The production and disposal of luxury goods can contribute to pollution, waste, and exploitation of workers in developing countries. Pursuing luxury can also promote unsustainable lifestyles, where people consume resources at a rate that is not environmentally or socially responsible.

In conclusion, while luxuries can provide pleasure and satisfaction, they are not essential for a happy and fulfilling life. Moreover, the pursuit of luxuries can negatively impact society and the environment. Therefore, it is important to balance the desire for luxury with a sense of responsibility and awareness of the broader impacts of our consumption choices. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to determine their own values and priorities and to make choices that align with those values.

Challenging Questions

Here are some questions to challenge your language skills;

  1. Are luxuries essential for a good quality of life, or are they just unnecessary indulgences?
  2. Do luxuries contribute to a culture of materialism and superficiality, or do they enhance people’s sense of self-worth and confidence?
  3. Should people be free to spend their money on whatever they desire, even if it means buying luxury items while others struggle to meet their basic needs?
  4. Is investing in luxury items a smart financial decision, or is it a waste of money that could be better spent on necessities or investments?
  5. Should governments regulate the production and consumption of luxury goods to reduce their environmental and social impacts?
  6. Are necessities and luxuries subjective and dependent on individual circumstances, or are there universal standards that determine what is essential and what is not?
  7. Do people have a moral obligation to prioritize necessities over luxuries, or is it up to each individual to determine their own priorities and values?
  8. Is the pursuit of luxury a reflection of a healthy desire for pleasure and enjoyment, or is it a symptom of a deeper sense of dissatisfaction and emptiness?
  9. Should businesses prioritize the production of luxury goods over the production of essential goods, or should they focus on meeting people’s basic needs first?
  10. Is the pursuit of luxury a form of privilege that is only available to a select few, or is it a universal desire that transcends social and economic boundaries?

Remember that a conversation works both ways. You should ask questions too. Learning about question formats in the English language is a valuable tool to help develop your conversation skills.

Conversation Course

If you need practice, take a look at our conversation course. Our course is an excellent way to improve communication skills and language proficiency. This type, of course, provides a structured environment for you to practice speaking and listening, as well as to develop your vocabulary and grammar. In this course, you are encouraged to participate actively, engaging in discussions and debates on various topics. We create a supportive and engaging atmosphere where you can feel comfortable expressing your opinions and ideas, even if you make mistakes. With regular practice, you can build confidence in your ability to communicate effectively. A conversation course is an effective way to improve language proficiency.

Toxic - Social media
Toxic – social media

Toxic is a One2one Academy conversation-based podcast about the impact of social media on society. Learn how to express yourself in English.


Toxic - Social media.
Toxic

Podcast

The world has experienced a dramatic change over the years in terms of the impact of social media. Some say that the younger generation is slowly losing their social skills and that we have passed the point of no return.


This aptly named podcast refers to social media’s impact on our society. So, if you are studying English as a second language, then the first thing you should do is research this topic. Finding new phrases and words that can be used to express an opinion is critical to improving your conversation skills. 

Toxic

Statements

There are plenty of resources online; perhaps that’s a great place to start. Let me introduce some statements to think about at this stage.

  1. Children’s communication skills have evolved and are now more efficient and effective.
  2. There is a divide between how the younger and older generations use social media.
  3. Social media has created a wealth of new types of jobs that have contributed to stronger global economies.
  4. The education sector has benefited from how social media is used. 
  5. Social media platforms are contributing towards stronger relationships between friends and family members. 

Expressing an opinion on topics with more than one point of view will help you improve your conversation skills. I have mentioned a few alternative forms you can use in other podcasts. 

Interaction

I wanted to focus on how people interact when they speak to each other. Firstly it would be strange not to give a signal that we are listening to someone. By a signal, I mean some form of sound or, indeed, a sentence to at least acknowledge that you are in a conversation.

This can vary in response, but for now, here are a few different ways that we use when conversing:

  1. That’s interesting
  2. I see
  3. Hmm 

You can use many more, but they are considered indicators that you are listening and participating in a conversation. Unfortunately, many students wait to be asked a question rather than ask questions. This can be a fatal mistake since asking questions will help to promote or extend a conversation with someone. Therefore, introducing some questions is good practice to prompt a response.

Voice Tones 

The impact of voice tones can indicate emotional content. For example, a louder voice could mean aggression or how strongly you feel about something, whereas a softer voice could be considered more empathic.

On the one hand, learning how to apply voice tones to influence meaning in English is a skill. On the other hand, it will take some time to perfect, so don’t get frustrated and keep practising. 

English exams

If you are taking an exam in English, then you should consider some of these styles of questions:

  1. How has the use of social media changed in the last five years?
  2. Which platforms do you use and why?
  3. How often do you post something on a platform?
  4. In your opinion, what types of new jobs have been created directly from social media?
  5. Do you think that how we buy products and services is impacted by social media? Why?
  6. How have you personally benefited from social media? Why?
  7. Is social media considered a babysitter for the younger generation? Why?
  8. Do you believe that social media is now a key influencer in the business sector? Why?

GET IN TOUCH

Property ownership – shades of red

A podcast based on the concept of property ownership. This is a conversation class lesson plan aimed at an intermediate level.


The world seems to be a smaller place. Yet, an overwhelming school of thought believes property ownership is still high on the wish list for most.

Shades of red - podcast about property ownership

Property

The world seems to be a smaller place. Yet, an overwhelming school of thought believes home ownership is still on a high list of priorities. The best investment is buying a property.

Buying a property is more of an investment, a safe and calculative place to store money. However, others believe it’s risky to place all your money in one place. What do you think and why?

Before you answer this question, consider that there are different forms of expressing yourself in English. The form “I think” is undoubtedly the most common, but there are other forms that you should consider, such as “In my opinion” and “I strongly believe”. Each carries a different degree of how strongly you feel about a topic. Try various forms so that you can practice.

Topping up a pension fund

The next question is based on a pension. Research over many decades has shown that investing in a property is a great way to top up a pension fund. This can often provide enhanced security in preparation for retirement. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

It’s an intriguing concept since some of us live for now, and some want to think about the future. Try and use examples from your personal experience with this topic. Often using examples can help you to express an opinion.

Renting a property

Renting a property is more flexible. This could be true post-Pandemic, as working from home can mean travelling expenses to and from work are no longer significant considerations.

Is flexibility in terms of settling in an area or scaling up to a larger property when you have more money or scaling down when you don’t important?

Property status in society

Our place in society is measured by the location of a property and its size. Status is a consideration. It displays wealth and success. But is this not the point of owning a property, and why?

Try and expand your answers. It will help you to show the depth of your grammar and demonstrate how strongly you feel about a topic.

Property equity release

Turning some of the property into a cash fund can seem attractive to some, although there is a risk that it can block the sale of a house. Nevertheless, it can make all the difference the older you get. So what do you think and why?

Equity release is only available in some countries, and various forms of this banking product exist. I have placed a link in the text that may help you research this topic if you are unfamiliar with it.

Asking questions

Students often become accustomed to answering questions, but there is cause to encourage a flow of questions both ways. Asking questions help with interaction and is good practice to ask questions.

Getting used to question formats will increase your confidence, listening and comprehension skills, and grammar depth.

Well, that’s all the time we have for today. I hope that you enjoyed this class. Please remember to like and share, and look out for more one2one podcasts on Spotify, Apple and Google. 

Thanks for listening and till next time, bye for now.

This Podcast is called Shades Of Red. Ideal for students learning English as a second language, I will talk about the concept of home ownership. Aimed at an intermediate level, some thought proking questions will require you to express yourself in English as a second language.

For more information about one2one online courses, please visit our website- www.one2oneacademy.com

Podcast production – One2one podcasts

Presenter – Sanj Saigal

Instagram – @one2one_academy

Facebook – learnenglishonline001

Established in 2011

All rights reserved.

GET IN TOUCH

One2one

Podcast-The Metaverse
The Metaverse – Podcast

Welcome to this edition of one2one podcasts. Today I will discuss the Metaverse as a conversational topic. You will need to be at an intermediate level.


Podcast-The Metaverse
Podcast-The Metaverse

Work smarter. Not harder!

– One2one

If you want to improve your level of spoken English, there are a few things that you should consider. First, expressing yourself can often depend on your voice tone and the strength of opinion used.

Conversation Lesson Plan

Welcome to this edition of one2one podcasts. Today I will discuss the Metaverse as a conversational topic. You will need to be at an intermediate level.

Although there is room for concern, many of the traditionally rooted jobs may, in fact, give rise to new job scape. One that will see the creation of new employment in emerging sectors.

So precisely what is this new dimension in internet evolution? Well, imagine a virtual landscape that would see a 3D space where people can live and work, where there are no boundaries between society, and a global economy could flourish. Of course, this is a simplistic view, but it’s a serious consideration and a brainchild of those decision-makers who want this dream to become a reality.

To access this technology will require augmented reality glasses, otherwise known as “AR glasses” and a virtual reality headset that will assist with sound and communication. 

Facebook is a company that wants to accelerate the concept and start producing revenue streams—effectively coined an ecosystem that will provide a platform mirroring our physical world.

Podcast-The Metaverse
Podcast-The Metaverse

Considerations for a class based on this topic are the following:

Conversation questions

Should we fear this type of technology or embrace it? Why?

Do we need an alternative world? Why?

Would the older generation find this technology to navigate? Why?

Will there be more job opportunities or fewer? Why?

What would an alternative future look like if humanity moved towards this type of technology? Why?

What kind of new jobs do you think will be created? 

Would life be simplified or more complex? Why?

Can you visualise a future where both the physical and virtual worlds coexist? Why?

Is it possible to work in one country but live in another? 

Would trading between countries be simplified? Why?

Would education be more accessible? Why?

Conversation Lesson Plan

If you want to improve your level of spoken English, there are a few things that you should consider. First, expressing yourself can often depend on your voice tone and the strength of opinion used. 

Use different vocabulary to become more confident using words you have never used. Practice is essential. You need to be aware of pronunciation and interaction. Remember that speaking and listening work together in harmony.

That’s all we have time for today. Join us next time on one2one podcasts. Please remember to like and share, and there is a link to our website in this podcast description. Till next time,

Bye for now.

Written and produced by one2oneacademy.com / Established in 2011 / All rights reserved

Conversation Course

Get confident

The ability to interact is crucial to this course, and its focus is on voice tones that reflect how you sound. Learning about the way in which you sound to a native speaker can help you to build confidence. Since the course prepares you to communicate with native English speakers in a casual form, it is not suitable for exam preparation. Often we use phrasal verbs and idioms that create a more informal version of the English language. You will be shown how to use these structures to replace long sentence constructions where appropriate.

This is a challenging course covering many of the topics that affect society in general, such as pollution, technology, health & education. Learning how to express your opinion – these one2one specialist classes are ideal for students who need to maintain a level of English or want to know more about the type of English used outside of a working or exam environment.

Compare, contrast and learn new vocabulary – being corrected as you speak helps identify with weaknesses that can be turned into strengths.

Students who are interested in taking this course usually have a want and need to integrate into an English speaking community after emigrating. The content provided in this course, gives you the confidence to have a conversation with your children’s teachers, communicate with the local supermarket manager and ask for advice and help with medical professionals. We aim to help you improve your vocabulary alongside your confidence, making for easier integration.

Each class lasts for 55 minutes, and we use Skype to teach because it stores the chat which you can always refer to. Where possible we try and offer you a simulated environment where you are forced to apply theory in a realistic scenario.

Classes are individually prepared based around your strengths and weaknesses and are therefore unique to your situation.

Choose between course instructors offering you both a male and female perspective.

Homework is provided at the end of each class.

Our calendar allows you to book your classes in your own time zone, just click on the link below or go to the “book classes” page on our website! We offer one-off classes or packs, providing complete flexibility. Our language instructors are available 6 days a week at times to suit everyone.