An Introduction to Discussion Skills

GLOBAL ISSUES
Garry Pearson

Graham Skerritt

Adrian Francis

Hiroshi YOSHIZUKAphotographs byiStockphoto

音声ファイルのダウンロード／ストリーミング
CD マーク表示がある箇所は、音声を弊社 HP より無料でダウンロード／ストリーミングすることができます。トップページのバナーをクリックし、書籍検索してください。書籍詳細ページに音声ダウンロードアイコンがございますのでそちらから自習用音声としてご活用ください。

https://www.seibido.co.jp

Global Issues
Copyright ©2021 Garry Pearson, Graham Skerritt, Adrian Francis, Hiroshi YOSHIZUKAAll rights reserved for Japan.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission from Seibido Co., Ltd.

Preface
After teaching discussion skills both at universities in Japan and at Global Bridge (oneof Japan’s leading corporate training companies), we want to share the approach wehave used successfully with our students.
By teaching the skills and phrases that students need to take part in discussions,Global Issues helps you to develop your ability to have proper discussions–an essential
skill to learn both for academic work and for your future careers.
As the title suggests, Global Issues focuses on a range of problems facing theworld and how different countries are trying to solve them. For example, we lookat how France is tackling environmental problems caused by fast fashion, at how
South Korean has attempted to deal with online bullying over social media, and how
education in Finland is getting better results than other countries.
We hope that you enjoy discussing these topics as much as our students have.
Garry Pearson, Graham Skerritt, Adrian Francis and Hiroshi Yoshizuka

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Mr. Eiichi Tamura and Mr. Taiichi Sano at Seibido for theirsupport and guidance while writing this book.

IIIContentsUnit 1

The Cashless Society........................ 2
GOAL: Learn how to discuss opinions

Unit 2

Fast Fashion............................................ 8
GOAL: Learn how to ask questions if you didn’t
hear or understand

Unit 3

Plastic Packaging............................. 14
GOAL: Learn how to agree and disagree

Unit 4Cell Phone Etiquette........................ 20
GOAL: Learn how to give yourself time to think

Unit 5Vegetarianism..................................... 26
GOAL: Learn how to support reasons with examples

Unit 6Social Media.......................................... 32
GOAL: Learn how to continue a discussion

Unit 7The Soda Tax........................................ 38
GOAL: Learn how to expand your answer

Unit 8Overtourism.......................................... 44
GOAL: Learn how to ask for, make, and respond to suggestions

Unit 9Improving Education...................... 50
GOAL: Learn how to support your opinion with multiple reasons

Unit 10

Voting Age.............................................. 56
GOAL: Learn how to check your understanding

Unit 11

Rethinking Zoos.................................62
GOAL: Learn how to lead a discussion

Unit 12

Alternative Energy........................... 68
GOAL: Learn how to discuss the pros and cons of something

Unit 13Equal Pay in Sports......................... 74
GOAL: Learn how to discuss both sides of an argument

Unit 14

Gaming Addiction............................ 80

GOAL: Learn how to interrupt politely and deal with interruptions

Unit 15

Britain’s Royal Family................... 86
GOAL: Learn how to summarize a discussion

Unit 1The Cashless Society
GOAL: Learn how to discuss opinions

GET READY
Discuss these questions with a partner.
▷ How often do you pay for things with cash?
▷ When do you use cashless payments?
▷ Do you prefer using cash or making cashless payments? Why?

VOCABULARY
2Read and listen to the sentences. Then match the words in boldto the definitions below.
1-2

1. I couldn’t pay because the shop didn’t accept credit cards.
2. I used this app on my phone to check my credit card balance.
3. I accidentally ripped a $10 bill, so I fixed it with tape.
4. I don’t like carrying coins because they’re so heavy!
5. These days most purchases are done online.
6. I only withdraw money from an ATM once per week.
a. paper money
b. take money out of a bankc. a computer program, often for cell phones
d. agree to take something as payment
e. small, round pieces of metal that are used as money
f. payments to buy things
2The Cashless Society

1

LISTENING
3

Read the listening tip. Listen and repeat the example sentences.

1-3, 4

LISTENING TIP: Dropping t and d at the end of words
Speakers often don’t say t or d sounds at the end of a word when the next word starts
with a consonant sound.
1. I couldn’(t) pay because the shop didn’t accep(t) credi(t) cards.
2. I use(d) this app on my phone to check my credi(t) car(d) balance.

4

1-5〜7

Listen and write the missing words. Then listen and repeat.

1. I went to the bankthere.
2. That cafe wouldn’t.
3. I wish I

but itI got

use my card so I went to the cafe
for more things with my.

◆ LISTEN FOR MAIN IDEAS:

5

1-8

Listen and choose the best summary of the report.

 a. All countries will probably be cashless soon.
 b. Sweden is going cashless, but most Swedish people are unhappy about this.
 c. Sweden may become cashless soon, but some countries are not ready yet.

◆ LISTEN FOR DETAILS:

6

1-8

Listen again and choose the correct answers.

1. What percentage of payments are cashless in Sweden?
 a. 80%
 b. 40%
 c. 20%
2. Where can people not use cash in Sweden?
 a. shops
 b. ATMs
 c. trains
3. According to the report, what is one reason that cash is still popular in Japan?
 a. Because people don’t think cashless payments are safe.
 b. Because there isn’t much crime.
 c. Because it’s faster than cashless payments.
3

71-8

Listen again and write the missing words.

A Cashless Society?
Sweden may become the 1to go cashless. In fact, someexperts think that this could happen in the 2years.

In Sweden, 80% of all purchases are made 3. Swedish

people buy things with credit cards, debit cards, and an app called Swish. Asa result, some businesses in Sweden have stopped taking cash. Buses 4
in Stockholm no longer accept coins or bills, several ATMs havebeen shut down, and many shops have signs that say “No cash payments.”
However, not all countries are changing as quickly as Sweden. In Japan, only
20% of purchases are cashless. One reason is that there 5crime, so people feel safe withdrawing cash from ATMs and carrying it intheir wallets.
So, although Sweden is 6
countries are not ready to change yet.

4

to go cashless, other

The Cashless Society

1CONVERSATION◆ BEFORE YOU LISTEN:

8 Look at these sentences. Which ones are reasons for going cashless, andwhich are reasons against going cashless?

foragainst

1. Cashiers would not make mistakes with change.
2. Small shops would have to buy expensive new cash registers.
3. Carrying lots of money around in your wallet is not safe.
4. People can get sick from touching money.
5. Elderly people don’t know how to use apps to pay for things.
6. The government could check how people use their money andthat they are paying the correct amount of tax.
7. People would have no privacy, because computers would
record all the items that they bought.
8. Shops couldn’t sell things if there was a problem with thetechnology.

◆ LISTEN FOR MAIN IDEAS:1-9 Listen to a conversation between Tomoko and Marcus. Do they
9think that the world should go cashless?
1. Marcus thinks that the world should / shouldn’t go cashless.
2. Tomoko thinks that the world should / shouldn’t go cashless.

◆ LISTEN FOR DETAILS:
1-9 Listen again. Which reasons from Activity 8 do they give for their
10opinions? Write the number of the reason.
1. Marcus
2. Tomoko

511 Work in pairs. Practice the conversation.
TomokoAsking for an opinion

1.

Do you think the world should becomecashless?

Marcus
I strongly believe that it shouldn’t as small
shops would have to buy expensive newcash registers.

Tomoko2.

That’s a good point.

MarcusWhat do you think?

TomokoI think the world should become cashless
because carrying lots of money around in
my wallet is not safe.

Marcus
I see what you mean.

6

The Cashless Society

1

DISCUSSION
12

Look at the chart. Add labels to the conversation on page 6.
Then practice saying the phrases in the chart.
1-10

DISCUSSION SKILL: Discussing opinions• Do you think the world should become cashless?

Asking foran opinion• What do you think?
• What’s your opinion?
• I strongly believe that it shouldn’t become cashless as shops
would have to buy new cash registers.

Giving anopinion anda reason• I think that the world should become cashless because carrying
lots of money is not safe.
• I’m not sure, but perhaps the world shouldn’t become cashlesssince people would have no privacy.
• I see.

Reacting• That’s a good point.
• I see what you mean.

13 Discuss this question with your partner: Should Japan become cashless?
Use the phrases in Activity 12 and the diagram below to help you.
How to discuss opinionsA

Ask for an opinion

Give an opinion and a reason

AB

React

A: Some people think that Japan should go cashless. What do you think?
B: I think that ...

7