Why are
people attracted to gambling? What are
the pitfalls involved in the state regulation of gambling? Are these the same for India and Slovakia? Is there a difference between gambling which
involves some sort of skill and that which depends on pure luck? Can gambling teach you anything? Is it a social or anti-social activity?
Hi. Welcome to the blog for my IB English B class at Jur Hronec High School in Bratislava, Slovakia. Below you will find links to other websites and discussion questions. My students are required to comment on one of these postings every month and also respond to each other's comments. Feel free to add your two bits, but be aware that all comments are monitored before being posted.
Monday, November 1, 2021
Don’t be a Yudhishthir on Diwali
To influence or be influenced (Or neither? Or both?)
What is the
relationship between popularity/charisma and fashion? How important is it to find one's own
style? To what extent does conformity
(or the ability to push against it) in terms of fashion and beauty standards
also apply to men? Is this author right
that these restrictions are disappearing due to social media and the body
positivity movement? Is this wholly a
good thing?
If the government makes the laws, and you are protesting the government…
This is
actually a debate between two writers rather than a typical article
or opinion piece. Which of them do you
think has the better arguments in terms of whether protestors in democracies
are sometimes justified in breaking laws in order to make their voices
heard? How do these arguments play out
in a Slovak (rather than a British) context?
Were some of the boys in blue brown?
There is a lot
to comment on in this story of an American of Indian ancestry and his interest
in the Civil War and attempt to see himself and his people as a part of
American history. Why are some people so
fascinated by the armed conflicts of history? Why are some people interested in acquiring balast
while others choose to travel light? To what extent is America a country where
anyone can find acceptance no mater what their origin? Does
Chamberlain's speech ring true then or now?
Do you empathise with the need to connect with your nation's history
even if you do not share the same ethnicity or even race as the majority? To what extent is it possible for Slovak
citizens of non-Slovak origins to identify with events in Slovak history?
Non-straight Namibians are No Namby Pambies
This is the last post you can comment on for the month of November.
Is the
telling of individual stories (as this article does) a good way to help
persuade others of the validity of the struggle of LGBTQ people for their rights? Most of this struggle seems to take place in
the courtroom in Namibia. To what extent
is this where they have the most chance of success? What parallels can be drawn between how this
issue is played out in Namibia and how LGBTQ activists confront perceived
injustices here in Slovakia?
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Will o Wisps
Why are some people fascinated by
UFOs? Why do others ignore or even shun these people? Are the ufologists right when they claim that
the scientific community should be paying more attention to this, or is it
a wild goose chase?
Househusbandry
What do you think of paid paternal leave? Are you glad Slovakia adopted this
policy? How does it compare to the
policies of other countries mentioned in this article? Is the idea that housework should be paid
work gaining traction? Has COVID helped
this along as this article seems to claim?
Passport please...
To what extent do you believe vaccine mandates violate legal
or human rights? What about the rights
of those that are affected by the choice of others to remain unvaccinated? What parallels and differences do you see
between South Africa and Slovakia in this case?
Ecological catastrophy? Shrug. Whatcha gonna do?
What do you think is behind the lack of interest in climate
change which this article reports? Is
the media partly to blame? Should the
role of the media be simply to report facts, or does it also have the
obligation to encourage action?
Termination trauma
This is the last article you can comment on for the month of
October.
What limits seem reasonable to you in terms of abortion, and
which limits simply make the experience needlessly more difficult for the woman
involved? Does acknowledging the fact
that abortion is a tramatic experience for some women just add fuel to the
pro-life side of the argument, or is this necessary information to take into
account, even if you are pro-choice? In
any controversy, when is it important to concede points to the other side and
address ambiguities, and when is it important to simplify the situation in
order to make clear arguments?