Category: Class

Nigeria Declared Car Horn-Free Day

B2 – Upper intermediate

Nigeria’s largest city  declared  a car “Horn-Free Day”  to raise awareness of noise pollution. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola told reporters that the extent of the noise from car horns was enough to be a danger to people’s hearing. However, it seems not everyone is on board.

Nigeria declared car horn-free day

Discuss:

1. How do you feel about Governor Fashola’s opinion that the drivers in Europe don’t really use their horns that much?
2. Would you say that your city has this kind of noise problem?
3. How would you describe traffic in your city? What would you do to make it better?
4. What do you think are the different types of pollution in your country?

Obama’s Credit Card Issue

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Barack Obama had an embarrassing experience while dining at an expensive restaurant when his credit card was rejected. Obama told his credit card story on Friday while signing a new law to protect consumers from identity theft.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1410/141020-credit-cards.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “upmarket” mean? Use it in a sentence.“He was having dinner at an expensive restaurant in an upmarket area of New York.”
  2. What does “tighten” mean? Use it in a sentence. “In particular, the new law tightens the controls on credit cards.”
  3. What does “hacker” mean? Use it in a sentence. “It is easy for hackers to read them and put the information on other cards.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever experienced any problem with your credit card in the past? What was the problem and how were you able to solve it?
2. How do you protect yourself when using your credit card or using online or mobile banking?
3. Does your country have very strict rules when it comes to using and sharing credit cards, bank accounts and other personal details?

Retiring at 40

B2 – Upper intermediate

Do you ever dream of not having to go to work and not worry about money? Start planning to retire at the age of 40. Impossible?

Read on for a guide on how to achieve this seemingly impossible dream.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20140404-yes-you-can-retire-at-40

Discussion Questions:

1. Would you be interested in early retirement? Why or why not?
2. How do you picture yourself as a retiree?
3. Does your current company have pension or retirement plans for its employees?
4. Does your government have a comprehensive package for pensioners?
5. Do you think there is a disadvantage to retiring early?

Successful 20-year-old Owns a Chinese Factory

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Take a peek into the life of a young and successful man who started creating his products when he was 11 and now owns a factory in China:

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/20-old-brooklyn-successful-owns-133159062.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What were you doing when you were 20?
2. What do you think are the perks and pitfalls of being a young millionaire?
3. Are there many start up businesses in your city run and managed by young entrepreneurs?
4. If you became a multimillionaire, how would you manage your wealth?

Defeating Old Age and “Solving” Death

<> on July 13, 2012 in Tampa, Florida.

C2 – Proficient

Will humankind be able to fight aging and untangle death? Google started a new medical company called Calico that aims to prolong life.

How Google’s Calico aims to fight aging and ‘solve death’

Discuss:

1. Do you think Google will succeed?
2. Have you ever thought of living for more than a hundred years?
3. Can you imagine how life would be when you are over the age limit of humanity?
4. In your country is there an increasing number of elderly people?
5. In your own little way, how would you prolong your life?

Postal Service Back After 20 Years

B1 – Intermediate

Somalia’s government has restarted its postal system after 20 years. Its return is just one example of Somalia getting back to normal after its long period of political troubles.

Read the lesson on Somalia’s postal service resumption after two decades. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1410/141016-postal-service-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How important do you think is the postal service to a country?
  2. How long do you think it will take for Somalia to be as “forward” as other countries are right now?
  3. Has your country ever experienced some kind of interruptions in services due to political problems? Talk about it.
  4. What are the most important things to focus on when a country is recovering after a long period of chaos?

Malala Yousafzai Wins Nobel Peace Prize

C1 – Advanced
The girls’ rights activist Malala Yousafzai has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014. She is known mainly for human rights advocacy for education and for women in her native province and has made her countrymen very proud.

Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel Peace Prize

Discuss:

1. Share your ideas about gender equality. Do you think women in your country are being treated fairly?
2. What are the other social issues in your country that you think should be addressed?

*article was published in October 2014

Lego Ends Ties with Shell

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Lego had a partnership with Shell and made toys that had Shell logo on them. There were over a million people who emailed Lego asking it to end its deal with Shell that brought pressure to finally end its contract with the oil company.

Read the article about Lego ending its tie-up with Shell.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1410/141012-lego.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Give your opinion about Greenpeace’s move to pressure Lego from ending their contract with Shell.
  2. Do you think that parents have a responsibility in choosing the right toys to educate their children about preserving the environment?
  3. Are there specific projects to tackle environmental issues in your country? Talk about some that you know of.

India Removes 287 Laws

B2 – Upper Intermediate
 

The Indian government decides to dismiss laws that date back to the 19th century, when India was under British rule. The law minister is doing a clean up of India’s legal system and described some of the laws as bizarre and outdated.

 

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1410/141010-laws.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Give your opinion about India’s move in removing obsolete laws.
2. Are there laws in your country that you think are laughable or you find useless?
3. What are some of the current laws you have regarding Internet use, domestic violence and other social concerns?

Norway’s 12-year-old Child Bride

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B2 – Upper intermediate

Thea, a young girl from Norway, started writing about details of her wedding preparations. One day, her mom told her that she has to get married to Geir, who is 37 years old.

The truth about Thea, Norway’s 12-year-old child bride

Discuss:

1. What was your reaction while reading the article?
2. What is your opinion on the idea of child bride?
3. Why do you think other countries allow child brides?
3. What is your opinion on arranged marriages?
4. What do you think is the ideal age to get married?