Session 1

 

Let’s Have a Talk!

 

What did you do over the weekend?

2. The exam is about two weeks away. Did you start studying yet?

3. Do you prefer to study home or study somewhere else?

4. More and more people are using AI these days. What about you? Do you think it’s helpful?

 

What Is 'Sleep Banking' — and Does It Work?

If you're expecting a baby, people will tell you: 'Sleep now

 

First of all, there's a name for this: it's called "sleep banking." The idea is that you think of sleep like money. You get extra sleep when you can, and put this sleep in a "bank" so you can "use" it later when you need it. Students might also try this when they have exams coming up — they'll sleep more now so they can stay up late studying during exam time. Some people believe this makes sense, and can help keep them fresh.

 

However, you can't actually "use" that extra sleep when you're tired. All you can really hope for is that your good sleep habits will keep you healthy enough to survive a short time of bad sleep. For example, sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins says sleep banking can be used to "build up your resilience" ahead of a tiring time. But this isn't so much "banking" sleep as just keeping your body healthy through good sleep habits.

 

Many experts don't believe it's possible to bank your sleep at all. Writing in the journal Sleep in November, researchers from the US, Australia and Germany said we should think of sleep not as a bank, but as a credit card. When you're not getting enough sleep, you're borrowing sleep like you borrow money with a credit card. So if you sleep for three hours instead of eight, you're going to need to pay back that lost sleep in the future. And the researchers say there's no evidence that suggests sleep banking works. So it's best to just try to get enough sleep for your health all the time — not as preparation for a low-sleep future!

 

 

What time do you usually go to sleep and wake up?

How many hours do you need to sleep at least a day?

2. Do you like to scroll on your phone before going to sleep?

3. Can you function perfectly well on very little sleep?

4. Do you usually sleep less over the exam time? How late do you stay up?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 2

 

Let’s Have a Talk!

 

1. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Do you think your personality has changed over time?

2. The government has made May 1 public holiday.

Do you think holidays can help the struggling economy?

3. Do you like talking to your friends on the phone or just texting?

4. Can you survive a week without your phone?

 

Is This Ginkgo Tree in Korea the World's Most Beautiful?

"I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree," wrote the poet Joyce Kilmer, and perhaps one of the loveliest trees is the ginkgo. Even in autumn, when their fruit smells bad, we forgive the ginkgo trees because of their beautiful yellow leaves.

 

We should also forgive them for their odd name. Although spelled "g-i-n-k-g-o" — with the "g" after the "k" — it is usually pronounced "gin-ko", so people often spell it as "g-i-n-g-k-o" instead. One ginkgo tree in South Korea has become very popular in the last few years, and some are calling it the most beautiful tree in the world. The 32-meter-tall ginkgo tree is located in the village of Bangye-ri and is believed to be around 800 years old. Because of the even spread of its branches, it looks spectacular in autumn.

 

There are many stories about the tree. According to one, a monk who was passing through the area put his walking stick in the ground — and that stick grew into the tree. According to another story, the tree is so strong and beautiful because a white snake lives inside it.

 

The tree has been a national monument since 1965, but it only became really popular during the coronavirus pandemic, when people started visiting outside attractions in their cars so they didn't have to meet other people. Chae Beom-sik, the leader of the village, told Korea JoonAng Daily in 2021 that Bangye-ri was quiet before the pandemic, but then visitor numbers increased a lot — even though there are no tourist facilities. "An average of 4,000 people visit a day, whether it's a weekday or the weekend," he said. Pictures and videos of the tree have gone viral on social media too.

 

 

Last Sunday was Arbor Day. What’s your favorite tree? Have you ever planted it?

2. Do you like going for a walk? Have you ever been to any park in Busan?

3. If there were a lot of buildings instead of Central Park in New York, would it make the city better?

4. When you get your own place, which one would you choose: forest view or ocean view?