Category: Class

El Salvador Cracks Down on School Discipline

B1 – Intermediate 

Former army captain Karla Trigueros has been appointed as the new minister of education in El Salvador.

Along with this appointment is the implementation of stricter rules and discipline among the schools across the country. Some of the initiatives have something to do with the students’ appearance and conduct. 

Read the article about El Salvador’s new school policies.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2508/250825-school-discipline.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “role model”? “One of her first edicts was to require all school principals to become role models.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “veer” mean?  “It was concerned that the country was veering back to the days of military dictatorship.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “to straighten someone out” mean? “However, many parents are supportive of the new rules. One said: That’s how you straighten children out from a young age.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to and opinion on El Salvador’s education minister’s new school policies?
  2. What are your thoughts on Trigueros inspecting schools wearing army fatigues?
  3. Do you agree or disagree with a leading teachers’ union when they likened the new policies to “regrettable militarization” of the schools? Share your opinion.
  4. What are effective ways to discipline school children from a young age?
  5. How has school discipline changed in your country over the years?

Flourishing

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

At present, we have grown more and more conscious about our overall well-being. 

There’s a new buzzword making rounds: “flourishing”. Now, this term doesn’t only mean generally feeling healthy and happy, but it is about feeling good about every other aspect of your life such as happiness, health, relationships and financial security.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the meaning of flourishing and how to ensure you are thriving in life.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250807

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “buzzword”. “I wonder if you all feel that you are ‘flourishing’ in life. This is another psychological buzzword with added evidence.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “small win” mean?  “There’s an old saying – ‘a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step’ – and savouring each small win along the way is vital to flourishing.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. Explain the meaning of “to stop and smell the roses”. “Savouring involves taking time out to ‘stop and smell the roses‘, as we say.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can one do in order to cultivate flourishing?
  2. What are things you do to ensure you are flourishing in life?
  3. Does flourishing depend on your nationality, or are there things anyone can do to feel happier wherever they live? Share your insights.
  4. Share your thoughts on this, “While richer countries scored higher on material happiness, middle-income countries did better in terms of kindness and social connection.”
  5. “In Japan, women flourished more than men, while in Brazil the opposite was true.“ Why do you think this is?
  6. What might be the explanation to this: “Across all countries, flourishing increased after the age of 50.” 

Musk Firms X and xAI Sue Apple and OpenAI Over AI Competition

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Elon Musk’s firms X and xAI has filed a lawsuit claiming that the Apple-OpenAI deal has no valid business reason to be exclusive.

According to the filing, this exclusive arrangement blocks threats from potential competitors, which allegedly violates competition laws.

Read the article about X and xAI filing a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI over AI competition.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6xjg9nnyo

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to join forces” mean? “Two Elon Musk-backed businesses have officially sued Apple and OpenAI, accusing them of joining forces illegally to block threats from potential competitors.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “to make good on something” mean?  “The filing makes good on a threat Musk had lobbed against the two tech giants earlier this month, when he alleged that Apple favoured OpenAI in its app store rankings.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What is the meaning of “to foreclose competition”. “The Apple-OpenAI arrangement has foreclosed competition among generative AI chatbots, deprived competing generative AI chatbots of scale, and reduced quality and innovation.” Use the term in a sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this lawsuit? 
  2. What are your thoughts on Apple and OpenAI’s exclusive deal? Do you think it is a form of monopoly? Explain.
  3. Share your thoughts on OpenAI’s statement regarding the lawsuit, “The filing was consistent with Mr Musk’s ongoing pattern of harassment.”
  4. Talk in details about another anti-monopoly lawsuit you know of.
  5. Share your thoughts on Apple’s talks with Google over using Gemini chatbot to help power Siri, Apple’s voice assistant.

The End of Globalization

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Globalization has allowed countries to be more connected, with their economies and societies becoming very much dependent on each other.

While globalization is not dead yet, PWC Global Chairman Robert Moritz believes it will go through a very important shift into regionalization.

Will this be the end of globalization as we know it? 

Watch the video where Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum’s delegates give their two cents about the future of every nation’s interconnectivity.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to rewire” mean?  “Globalization is not dead, it’s going to be rewired.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. Explain the meaning of “fragmentation” in trade. “That doesn’t mean you will have fragmentation in the sense of totally competitive blocs because they’re also trying very hard to increase their trade exposure and exports to each other in order to grow their economies.” Use the term in a sentence. 
  3. What does “disaggregation” mean in economics? “The possible outcome is that we’re going to have economic growth not stemming from global integration, but from disaggregation.” Use the word in a sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your insights on nations shifting to doing trade more on the regional, bilateral, or just among smaller number of countries.
  2. What might be the impacts when countries shift to regionalization instead of globalization?
  3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, regionalization, and fragmentation.
  4. Do you agree or disagree that what we have now is regionalization and not fragmentation? Discuss.
  5. Do you think that the breakdown of the global economy into distinct economic and trade blocs in North America, Europe, and Asia will not result to fragmentation? Explain.

‘Skibidi’ and ‘Tradwife’ Words in the Cambridge Dictionary

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Cambridge Dictionary has updated its entries to reflect how people speak today. These changes show how internet culture, social media, and everyday conversations are shaping the way we use language. As new expressions become popular, dictionaries adapt to keep up with the times.

Let’s read the article and explore how this reflects the evolution of English in the digital age.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce93ygv4zzlo

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “staying power ” mean? “We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.” Use it in your own sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does the phrase “to make the cut” mean? “Other work-related words to make the cut include “work wife” and “work spouse”.” Use in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  3. Define the idiom “to stand the test of time“. “Mr McIntosh said Cambridge Dictionary only added words which they believed could stand the test of time.” Use it in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you make of the latest words added to the Cambridge Dictionary?
  2. Share your insights on this, “Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary.“
  3. How do the words in the article connect with the way you see language changing today?
  4. In what ways has the internet influenced the way you speak or write?
  5. What differences have you noticed in the way younger and older people use language?
  6. Can you think of times when you’ve heard English slang that left you puzzled?

Grown-ups Buying Kids’ Toys

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

The toys that we used to love playing with as kids are a very nostalgic way to reminisce our childhood. 

This must be the reason why some adults still enjoy the idea of buying kids’ toys and playing with them.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about grown-ups buying and playing with kids’ toys.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250814

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “disposable income”. “Once I kind of had a stable job with disposable income, I kind of rediscovered my love for soft toys, and I started buying them again because I’ve always loved collecting things, because, you know, they bring me happiness, they bring me joy.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “inner child” mean?  “And I think also a big pillar of my channel and my content is reconnecting with my childhood, and healing that inner child, and I think the toys also play a part in that.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  3. Explain the meaning of “to have time on one’s hands”. “During the pandemic, people had time on their hands. Many adults went online, hoping to find the toys they remembered from childhood.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be the reasons grown-ups like buying and/or playing with toys?
  2. What do you think about adults still buying and playing with toys?
  3. Share your insights on this, “Adults buying kids’ toys for themselves account for between 30 and 40% of the entire toy market.” 
  4. Do you consider yourself a “kidult”? Why or why not? What are some things/activities you still enjoy that are normally for younger people? Why do you think you still like them until now?
  5. During the pandemic, people had time on their hands. What did you do with yours?

The Best Way to Give a Presentation

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Giving a presentation can be taxing to some. However, as soon as you are decided on your speech’s topic, you are now ready to come up with a persuasive and pretty compelling presentation.

Watch the TED-Ed video to learn the best way to give a presentation and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the meaning of a “throughline”. “Deciding on a clear throughline is an essential part.” Use the term in a sentence.
  2. What does “best shot” mean here,  “If you have time to do that, it will probably give you the best shot at delivering a powerful talk that says everything you want it to say without sounding robotic.”? Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. Explain the meaning of “to make eye contact”. “Look up from the page as often as you can, and make eye contact with your audience members.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on this, “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” 
  2. How do you usually prepare for and deliver a talk?
  3. Do you prefer to make a script or be spontaneous when you are to give a presentation? Share some experience giving an unscripted talk.
  4. For you, what makes an effective speech?
  5. Talk about the most powerful speech that you have ever heard. 

What Is Degrowth?

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

A new school of thought is emerging. Some people think that in order to deal with climate change and other environmental issues, we need to stop the economy from growing.

This is idea is referred to as “degrowth”. “In essence, degrowth is a call for a fundamental transformation of our economic and social systems to create a more just and sustainable future.” 

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the concept of degrowth.

Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250724

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the concept of “degrowth”. “Some economists believe degrowth would actually make it harder to solve the climate crisis.” Use this word in a sentence. 
  2. What is “fast fashion”? “It’s saying that we need to decrease some elements of our production that are not beneficial. An example of those elements would be fast fashion, private jets, the beef and meat industry.” Use this term in a sentence. 
  3. What does “underestimate” mean here, “Degrowth underestimates the need for investment that we need in new technology and in new solutions.” Use this word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the idea of degrowth?
  2. What might be the impact/consequences of degrowth?
  3. Talk about some examples of degrowth initiatives.
  4. Share your thoughts on this, “Degrowthunderestimates the need for investment that we need in new technology and in new solutions.”
  5. Should we shrink the economy to save the planet? Share your insights.
  6. What are some things you do that you think are good for the planet? 

The Tech and La Sagrada Familia

B1 – Intermediate 

La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is without a doubt one of the most fascinating pieces of architecture in the world. The Spanish architect and designer Antoni Gaudí began this project in the 1880s and until today, isn’t finished yet.

Modern-day architects employ 3D scans, models, and printing to understand Gaudí’s original plans and designs and to rebuild parts of the basilica that had been destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. 

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the use of technology to improve the design and structure of the world-famous La Sagrada Familia.

Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/the-tech-and-la-sagrada-familia-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to feel close to someone” mean? “Gaudí designed the church to make people look up and feel close to God.” Use this phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. In architecture, what does “ruled surface” mean? “He used special shapes and ruled surfaces in his designs, based on geometry.” Use this term in a sentence. 
  3. What does “panel” mean here, “Engineers used a modern method with stone panels and steel cables to solve this.” Use this word in a sentence. Give another meaning of “panel”.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about using technology to continue working on La Sagrada Familia?
  2. Share your thoughts on this, “The basilica is now close to completion and will soon be the tallest church in the world.”.
  3. Talk about your experience visiting La Sagrada Familia or any similar structure.

Jeans Video Sparks Race and Genetics Debate

B1 – Intermediate 

American Eagle is involved in a big controversy after the questionable use of the words “jeans” and “genes” in an advertisement.

It was supposed to be a witty wordplay, but many were quick to dismiss it as racist.

Read this article about the issue involving American Eagle’s jeans advertisement with actress Sydney Sweeney.

Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2508/250804-jeans-genes-wordplay-4.html

Watch the advert here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK8s3iqL99c

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “meltdown”. “The critics say Ms Sweeney is white, blue-eyed, and blonde. A former Fox News host called the criticism a leftist meltdown.” Use this term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “to create a storm” mean? “A video from the  jeans maker American Eagle has created a storm.” Use this idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “to run amok” mean? “The White House called it an overreaction, and that attacking the ad was cancel culture run amok.” Use this idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about this American Eagle jeans advertisement?
  2. American Eagle says “the advert is and always was about the jeans” and not about genes. Do you believe them? Why or why not?
  3. How can this issue impact the brand?
  4. Do you think that the actress Sydney Sweeney also holds some level of accountability on this issue? Share your opinion.
  5. Share your thoughts on this, “Humanity can be improved by focusing on desirable genes”.
  6. Talk about another controversial advert.