14 August
Learning Languages
What did you do and how did you try to learn English before Spoken Cafe?
How many languages can you speak?
Have you ever had a funny or embarrassing experience while speaking another language?
What part of learning English is the hardest for you?
What’s your favourite method for memorising new vocabulary?
Do you think watching movies and listening to music help in learning a language? How?
Have you ever tried to learn a language other than English? How was the experience?
Do you believe you need to live in an English-speaking country to become fluent, or is Spoken Cafe enough? Why or why not?
What’s your favourite English word or phrase? Why do you like it?
Do you prefer learning British English or American English? Why?
What is one thing you do every day to improve your English?
What’s your long-term goal for learning English?
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Watch the video above and discuss what you learned from it during your Spoken Cafe session
Living Underground: The Hidden Reality of Beijing’s Migrant
When night falls over Beijing, more than a million people—mostly migrant workers and students—disappear from the bustling streets and retreat into the hidden underground world beneath the city. These workers, often from rural areas, have come to the capital seeking better opportunities but find themselves living in a world far from the luxury and modernity many associate with China’s booming cities.
Italian photographer Antonio Faccilongo, who arrived in Beijing in December 2015 to document this unique and largely unseen world, met with many of these migrant workers. He recalls meeting around 150 people, but only 50 of them were comfortable enough to allow him to photograph them. Fear is common among these workers, many of whom have told their families they are living in comfortable apartments with good jobs, yet their reality is far different. “Some of them are afraid because they told their families that they have good jobs and are living in good apartments,” Faccilongo explains.
As the housing prices in Beijing have skyrocketed, with one square meter of property costing an average of $5,820, migrant workers find it nearly impossible to afford even a basic apartment. Beijing is the world’s third most expensive city to live in, leaving millions of workers in search of alternative, more affordable living options. The city’s growing wealth and development have led to an imbalance, where the gap between the rich and the poor widens, forcing many to live in substandard conditions.
One of the few affordable options available to these workers is the underground nuclear bunkers, which, despite being cramped and not intended for habitation, provide a roof over their heads. These bunkers, often dark and basic, can be rented for as little as $20 a month for dormitory-style rooms shared with others. Small units can go for around $40 a month. Though these spaces are inexpensive, they are often overcrowded and lacking in amenities. In many cases, these workers endure harsh living conditions just to make ends meet in the city of their dreams.
The underground world of Beijing’s migrant workers paints a stark contrast to the glossy image of China’s capital, revealing a hidden struggle for survival in a city where the cost of living is out of reach for many. While some might come to the city to seek better opportunities, they find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty and secrecy, with little chance for improvement. Antonio Faccilongo’s photographs give us a rare glimpse into this underground life, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by the millions who live in the shadows of Beijing’s towering skyscrapers.
Watch the video above and discuss what you learned from it during your Spoken Cafe session
READ/SPEAK
What do you think about the house prices and rents in your district? Do you think it is easy or hard to live in your city? What are the things that change the value of house prices and rents?
What challenges do you think migrants face when they move to a new city?
What is the most unusual place you’ve ever lived or stayed?
What sacrifices have you made to achieve a personal or professional goal?
Do you think it’s fair for people to leave their homes in search of a better life, even if it’s risky?
It means you cannot get something for anything:
“I get to travel with my job, but the downside is I have to give talks.” “Well, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
LEARN THE IDIOM AND SPEAK
Is there anything you use for free? Are you happy with the service? What are the free courses you have taken so far? What did you learn from them?