C1 Some cafes are banning wi-fi to encourage conversation

As the gig economy grows, many cafes have become filled with people silently working on laptops. Some owners are trying to buck this trend.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20170224-some-cafes-are-banning-wi-fi-to-encourage-conversation

C1 Politeness

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea of Politeness. A new idea that stalked the land at the start of the eighteenth century in Britain, Politeness soon acquired a philosophy, a literature and even a society devoted to its thrall. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004y29m

C1 Who will fill London's skycrapers?

A wave of new high-rise offices is cropping up in a section of London known for two things: the insurance industry and skyscrapers. The FT reports on whether there is enough demand from insurers to fill them or if London's new skyscrapers will be empty.

https://www.ft.com/content/de791c8d-7d0e-3a25-9f76-bdbe151a5c7a

2NB More about present simple and present continuous

https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-practice/present-simple-and-present-continuous

C1 About Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has accused Theresa May of letting down young people and parents, in a strongly worded attack on the government’s “travesty” of a plan to tackle childhood obesity.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/13/jamie-oliver-theresa-may-obesity-strategy-uk

Oliver intends to close Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Aberdeen, Exeter, Cheltenham, Richmond, Tunbridge Wells and Ludgate Hill, near London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, by the end of the first quarter of the year.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/06/jamie-oliver-close-restaurants-brexit-jamies-italian-barbecoa

Chef Jamie Oliver talks to Matthew Stadlen about changing people's eating habits, keeping in touch with all his different business interests, dealing with criticism, how fame has not changed him, and why he would eat chips for breakfast.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20550429

C1 The truth about Exercise and public health - Professor James Timmons

A health lecture given to the general public at Cardiff University Medical School, December 2012. The topic of exercise guidelines and level of scientific proof is discussed. A very useful resource for anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E42TQNWhW3w

C1 Writing a news or opinion article

Writing a news article is different from writing other articles or informative pieces because news articles present information in a specific way. It's important to be able to convey all the relevant information in a limited word count and give the facts to your target audience concisely. 


Opinion articles are sometimes called "op-eds," and these articles allow readers of a newspaper to voice their thoughts and ideas on topics ranging from local happenings to international controversy.

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-News-Article

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Opinion-Piece

C1 Britain’s consumer boom shows signs of petering out

FOR the past seven months the British economy has defied the predictions of analysts, most of whom expected a recession to follow the Brexit referendum in June. GDP grew by 2% in 2016, faster than in any other G7 country—and the economy did better in the second half than in the first. The unexpectedly strong performance is largely thanks to the efforts of households, which have been spending liberally.

http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21715999-spending-spree-has-kept-economy-going-brexit-may-be-nearing-its-end-britains

2NB Present simple or continuous?

http://www.teachya.com/grammar/pre-intermediate/present_continuous.php

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-videos/the-woolly-jumper

Will Spain's coal belt survive through online barter?

The sons and daughters of miners in the deserted coalfields of northern Spain face two choices: leave to find work, or innovate to be able to stay.

Barter is probably the oldest form of commerce, involving trade of goods or services with no money involved. And in this area of northern Spain, networks such as Rastru have developed that allow users to go online to match offers and needs, in a digital twist on an ancient tradition.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38731808