Category: Class

US to Spend Billions on Artificial Intelligence Weapons

B1 – Intermediate

What springs to your mind when asked about AI or Artificial Intelligence? Well, opinions differ for sure. Some would say it is of great advantage and some would say it is dangerous or a few would say they don’t care.

The United States will spend billions on developing AI weapons. They wanted to be ahead in terms of this technology as China and Russia are known to have their own.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1809/180912-weapons.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on AI weapons?
  2. What would be the outcome if these weapons will be used in the future?
  3. Will there be more of the advantages than the disadvantages?
  4. How do these weapons protect the welfare of the country?
  5. Would these weapons make the US more powerful than its counterparts?

Test 609

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Passive (is done/was done)

ACTIVE VERB

We use an active verb to express what the subject does.

Examples:

Google employs more than 88,000 people.

Stressful situations caused her to be depressed.

Who stole money from the bank?

PASSIVE VERB

We use a passive verb to express what happens to the subject.

Examples:

More than 88,000 people are employed by Google.

Her depression was caused by stressful situations.

How much money was stolen from the bank?

Marketing a Country

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are about 200 countries around the world. Each of which strives to get resources, improve trade activities, and garner attention.

Now, the bigger challenge is, how do you rise above everyone and let the world know that your country exists?

Read more about nation branding from the article below.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45263511

Discussion Questions:

1. In your opinion, what are other ways to boost a country’s profile?
2. What do you think is your country’s image to the world?
3. What part of your country’s brand would you change?
4. Which country or countries do you have very good impression of?

Town Governed Through Twitter

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Social media has undeniably become a vital part of our societies. It is an essential tool for our daily activities such as communicating, socializing, accessing to news and information, and making decisions.

A small town in Spain takes the use of social media to new heights.

Read the article about Jun, a town governed via Twitter.

https://medium.com/@socialmachines/the-incredible-jun-a-town-that-runs-on-social-media-49d3d0d4590

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think are the positives and negatives of using Twitter this way?
  3. How else do you think social media can be used in a positive way?

Test 684

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For, During, and While

FOR AND DURING

FOR + period of time
* to talk about the duration of the action

We watched the series for six hours last weekend.
Martha is traveling for two weeks in December.
We haven’t seen each other for ages!
Are you going to the beach for the weekend?

DURING + noun
* to say when the action occurs (not how long)

He fell asleep during his economics class.
I made some new friends during my holiday in Hawaii.
His car is not here anymore. He must have left during the night.

* never use during to talk about duration

Incorrect: She practiced during a week without stopping.
Correct: She practiced for a week without stopping.

Incorrect: I’ve been working for this company during 15 years.
Correct: I’ve been working for this company for 15 years.

IN and DURING
* use in or during with time expressions such as the morning, the afternoon, the summer

He must have left in the morning. ( = during the morning)
She’ll call you sometime during the afternoon. ( = in the afternoon)

DURING AND WHILE

during + noun

 

She fell asleep during the ceremony.

They met a lot of potential clients during the trade fair in Berlin.

Aldo felt sick during his driving test.

while + subject + verb

 

She fell asleep while she was listening to music.

They met a lot of potential clients while they were attending the trade fair in Berlin.

Aldo felt sick while he was taking his driving test.

Test 637

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Simple Past and Present Perfect

SIMPLE PAST OR PRESENT PERFECT

* for new or recent actions:

I‘ve lost my phone. Have you seen it? = I lost my phone. Have you seen it?

I‘ve just arrived home. = I just arrived home.

* for something that is now

I‘ve forgotten your name. What is it again? = I forgot your name.

* for new information

Have you heard the news? Sarah has won the lottery! = Sarah won the lottery!

There has been an accident. = There was an accident.

PRESENT PERFECT NOT SIMPLE PAST

* for a period of time that continues up to present

It hasn’t rained all summer. (if it is still summer time)

SIMPLE PAST NOT PRESENT PERFECT

* for finished time

It didn’t rain all summer. (if summer is finished already)

Did you dream about being famous when you were a child?

* for information that’s not new or recent

Picasso was a genius. He painted many classic works of art.

* for when the situation is different now

He stopped traveling for a while, but now he’s traveling again.

Test 626

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