Category: Class

Will Drones Transform Farmers’ Lives in Thailand?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Today’s technology is rapidly evolving and now with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle also known as a drone, our agriculture will soon be revolutionized.

Read the article below to know how Thai agriculture could expand and evolve.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/03/asia/bug-away-thailand-drones-intl/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How will drones transform agriculture?
  2. What are the pros and cons of using drones in agriculture?
  3. What do you think are other uses of drones?
  4. Would you like to have a drone? What are you going to use it for?
  5. How has the agriculture sector changed in your country over the past years?

Perfectly Edible Food Tossed to Dumpster

B2 – Upper Intermediate

All commercial dumpsters may be filled with garbage or trash, but in some, they contain food that is still safe to eat. Inside Edition’s Chief Investigative Correspondent Lisa Guerrero and food waste expert Rob Greenfield went to a dumpster outside a CVS store in Orlando, Florida. They searched for food inside garbage bins and were shocked to see that edible food are really going to waste.

Watch the video and see what they have found:

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of food thrown away before their expiration dates?
  2. Should it be donated to the needy? Why or why not?
  3. Why do companies throw away this food?
  4. Would you consume edible food from the dumpster?

Pet Dogs Lower Stress in Kids

B1 – Intermediate

It is believed that dogs play an important role in children’s development. A new study finds that dogs actually help stressed children.

Read about how having pet dogs help relieve children from stress from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1512/151204-anxiety-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the benefits of having a pet dog for children?
2. Do you believe in the idea that dogs help reduce children’s stress?
3. What might be reasons very young kids get stressed out?
4. What did your parents do when you were being anxious when you were little? / What do you do to help your children relax when they seem stressed out?
5. What would be the best pet for you? Why?

The West Outsources More IT Jobs to Eastern Europe

B1 – Intermediate

Every company wants to reduce its costs. Some Western European companies outsource jobs to Eastern Europe because its cheaper and workers there are highly qualified.

Read about outsourcing in Europe from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/west-outsources-jobs-to-eastern-europe.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on outsourcing?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing?
3. Do you think outsourcing to other countries is positive or negative for a country’s economy?
4. Does your company outsource some of its functions to other countries?
5. What are ways companies lower their expenses?

Mobile Banking on the Increase

B1 – Intermediate

Only a little percentage in underdeveloped countries has access to banks but a lot of people have mobile phones. Nowadays, mobile banking is on the rise in these countries.

Read about the rise of mobile banking in underdeveloped countries from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/mobile-banking-in-developing-countries.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is mobile banking growing in underdeveloped countries?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile banking?
3. Do you do mobile banking? Why or why not?
4. How popular is mobile banking in your country?
5. What do you think are the future trends in banking?

Mastercard Removes Its Name from Its Logo

B1 – Intermediate

Mastercard is changing its logo. It plans to just have a logo without the name of the company.

Read about Mastercard’s new company logo from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1901/190111-company-logo-4.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on this change in Mastercard’s logo?
2. Why are company logos important to businesses?
3. What do you think makes a good company logo?
4. Which companies do you think have very good logos?
5. Describe your company logo. Do you like it as it is or do you want to improve it a little bit?

Optimism is Good for Our Health

B1 – Intermediate

Research has found that people who are overly optimistic may have “faulty” brains. According to a study, the reason a lot of people always see the positive side of things is perhaps due to the fact that they don’t have the ability to sensibly deal with risk.

Read about over-optimism from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1110/111010-optimism.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion about positive thinkers possibly having “faulty” brains?
2. What are the good and bad things about always being optimistic?
3. Do you believe that we must always be optimistic?
4. Do you agree or disagree that “seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty can be a positive thing”?
5. Talk about some ways that help you stay positive.

Workers Must Take Lunch Breaks

B1 – Intermediate

A health group in the U.K. workers must take lunch breaks and exercise to stay active at work. A study says that a lot of people continue to work during their lunch breaks. This is not good for our health.

Read about the importance of taking lunch breaks from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1406/140608-lunch-breaks-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to get some air” mean? “They went shopping or got some air.” Use this expression in a sentence.
  2. What does “to take time off” mean, “People get sick and take time off work.” Use this expression in a sentence.
  3. What does “full-time” mean, “A spokeswoman said full-time workers spend a lot of time travelling to and from work.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on working lunches?
2. Why is taking a break in the middle of the workday important?
3. What do you usually do during your lunch break?
4. Do you agree that we need to find ways to be more active at work?
5. What does your company do or offer to help you stay active?

Google Will Check for Depression

B1 – Intermediate

Google has joined America’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to check people’s mental health online.

Read about what Google will do to check if people are depressed from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1708/170826-depression-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on what Google will do?
2. This questionnaire will only be available in America. Would you like it to be available in Spain/Europe too?
3. Why do you think people with symptoms of depression have many years of delay before getting treatment?
4. Do you think a chat box to psychological services would help?
5. Do many people in your country know about depression and other mental health problems?

90-year-old Starts Elementary School

B1 – Intermediate

Priscilla Sitienei, 90, is the world’s oldest elementary school pupil. She wasn’t able to go to school when she was a little girl. Now, she hopes to be a model for the children in her village. She wants to inspire them to get an education.

Read about the oldest elementary student from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1501/150128-elementary-school-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this headline?
  2. Would you do the same if you were Priscilla?
  3. Do you agree or disagree with what she said that “With education, you can be whatever you want.” and that “education will be your wealth.”?
  4. How can we motivate children to study?
  5. What memories do you have of your elementary school days?