Category: Class

Scientists Grow More Crops

B1 – Intermediate

Lack of food supply in the future is a constant fear and would possibly become real if we don’t do anything about it now. Find out what a group of scientists did to create the super crops of the future.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1611/161119-photosynthesis.html

Discussion Questions:

1. How did scientists make the crops bigger?
2. What do you think of genetically modifying plants and crops?
3. What are the dangers of genetically modified food?
4. What are the benefits of genetically modified food?
5. Why are so many people in the world without food?

Huggable Robots

C1 – Advanced

For kids, going to the hospital can be a terrifying and sometimes boring experience. An interesting innovation from researchers and roboticists may be a good solution- a robot companion.  This robot’s creators aim to know if it can can have therapeutic value for hospitalized children. Can it really alleviate sick children’s anxiety, pain, and isolation?

Let’s meet this blue bear who’s making sick kids less blue.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of “Huggable”? How does a child respond to it?
2. What suggestions did one of the kids give to make it a better robot companion?
3. How else can we make a doctor’s visit less dreadful for children?
4. Did you enjoy hospital visits when you were a kid? How about now?

Pfizer Forbids Sales of Drugs For Lethal Injection

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Certain states in the US that allow lethal injections are having a challenging time sourcing their substances for their execution.

Read the article below to know the reason behind Pfizer’s decision to stop selling specific narcotics used in lethal injections.

The American pharmaceutical conmpany Pfizer has said it will no longer sell drugs that can be used for lethal injections to the Amercian government.  A total of 7 substances on the list are mostly used for operations and certain illnesses but are also in liquids used for executions. According to a Pfizer representative, the company’s aim is to save lives and not help kill people.

Pfizer says it will closely monitor buyers who try to resell the drugs to state institutions, which may use  them for executions.

After Pfizer’s decision , there are no more companies in the USA and Europe that sell lethal injection drugs to the Amercian government . The European Union  has banned the export of such drugs to the US.

As a result, state authorities are trying to find new drugs and combinations of substances that can be used for executions. Normally, three mixtures of drugs are used to execute a prisoner. The first one makes you unconscious , the second liquid paralyses the muscles  and the third stops the heart from beating.

In the past few years, the number of executions has decreased, in part due to the availability of lethal drugs. Last year only 28 executions were carried out in the US. Among the 32 states that allow capital punishment, all of them use lethal injections as the main method of execution but some allow the electric chair,hanging, the firing squad and the gas chamber as alternatives.

Human rights organizations and other groups opposed to capital punishment have welcomed Pfizer’s decision as a bold move to ban the death penalty in the United States.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Pfizer’s decision?
  2. Why did several drug companies refuse to sell these drugs to the US government?
  3. In your own opinion, is lethal injection humane? Explain your opinion.
  4. Is there death penalty in your country? If none, should there be one?

Effects of Daylight Saving Time

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Daylight saving time (DST) has been practiced by some countries as early as 1908. The tradition of adjusting time back during the fall has given joy to most people as it would mean extra time for sleep. But DST can also cause other “side effects”.

Click the link below to learn about the 5 weird effects of Daylight Saving Time.

http://www.livescience.com/40903-daylight-saving-time-affects-your-body.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which effect of Daylight Saving Time were you most surprised about?
  2. Where did the idea of Daylight Saving Time come from?
  3. What are the upside and downside of DST?
  4. Are you in favor of DST? Why or why not?

Euthanasia – Pros and Cons of Mercy Killing

B1 – Intermediate

Euthanasia has always been a controversial topic. It also has other names. It is sometimes called assisted suicide and mercy killing.

Click the link below to know more about euthanasia and its pros and cons.

http://www.english-online.at/society/euthanasia/pros-and-cons-of-euthanasia.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the pros and cons of euthanasia?
  2. Are you in favor of euthanasia? Why or why not?
  3. Could euthanasia be used to reduce health care cost? Explain.
  4. Is euthanasia allowed in your country? If yes, what is your opinion? If not, do you think it should be?

Women Try Manspreading for a Week

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are some things we do that we are probably not very aware that they could be a nuisance to others. One example is manspreading.

Watch the video below about manspreading and how three women decided to conduct an experiment related to gender differences. Express your thoughts afterwards.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How did the women feel about this experiment?
  2. What is manspreading? What is your viewpoint on this?
  3. Is this behaviour natural or is it just an I-can-do-what-I-want attitude
  4. How do you react when a woman beside you spreads her legs when sitting? How about if it’s a man? What’s the difference?
  5. Is there such thing as gender-based accepted behavior?

Winter and HBO Spain

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whether you are a big fan of US TV series or just a couch potato, here’s good news for you. HBO is launching a Spanish service real soon.  No specific date yet, but officials are saying that it is coming very soon.

Read this article about HBO along with one of the most well-loved TV series Game of Thrones coming to Spain.

The US channel responsible for hit series including Game of Thrones, Girls and True Detective is launching a Spanish service.

Although no exact launch date has yet been confirmed, the streaming platform is expected to be active within days after HBO Spain activated a twitter account with the announcement that it was “coming very soon”.

A message from Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Jaime Lannister in the hit series Game of Thrones, and is currently on location in Spain filming Season Seven also had a message to fans.

“Very soon everyone in Spain will be able to watch all the seasons of Game of Thrones fans on HBO España,” he said on in a clip filmed in Seville.

HBO has teamed up with Vodafone to offer the streaming service, with customers able to access it for €7.99 a month, after initial free trial periods.

It looks like there will be an option for non-Vodafone customers to access HBO España as well, although the price point hasn’t been made public yet.

The US company promises access to an initial catalogue of over 3,000 titles including documentaries, Hollywood blockbusters and kids’ shows.

New episodes of current hits such as The Night Of, Vinyl, Westworld, Divorce, and of course, Game of Thrones will be available as they premiere in the US.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What streaming platforms do you subscribe to? And why?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using streaming platforms?
  3. How have streaming platforms changed the way people watch movies and TV shows?
  4. Do you think streaming platforms will completely replace movie theaters and cable TV in the future? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think streaming services are better than traditional television? Why or why not?

Working Abroad

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Migrating to another country would be a breeze if we all spoke one language and had similar cultures. However, once you leave your home country, you start to realize that things are actually very different.

There are many differences among various cultures across the globe. Your ability and willingness to cope with these differences determine how your experience will be like living and working in a foreign country.

Watch the video below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you agree with the speaker that the best way to compete and succeed in today’s economy is to move to other countries?
2. What are the main reasons people move abroad?
3. What are some of the benefits of working in another country?
4. What do you think are the main challenges people face when working abroad?
5. When is the best time and What’s the ideal amount of time to work abroad? Why?

Facebook Plans to Combat Fake News

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Facebook has been under a lot of criticism for being a portal for posting and spreading fake news particularly on the altered results of the recently concluded US elections.

Read the article on Facebook’s plans on fighting against fake news on their website.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38039506

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “arbiter” mean? “He noted Facebook did not want to discourage the sharing of opinions or become ‘arbiters of truth’.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  2. What does “uncharted territory” mean? “What Facebook’s challenges over fake news reveal, I think, is that we’re in completely uncharted territory.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  3. What does “astute” mean? “Zuckerberg’s global ambitions will live or die on his ability to be an astute political operator.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the measures that Facebook is taking in order to stop the spread of fake news on their site?
  2. What do you think Dave Lee meant when he said, “we’re in completely uncharted territory”?
  3. Why is addressing this issue crucial?
  4. How can we spot fake news?
  5. Tell us about fake news you read or heard of recently.

Customer Service

B2 – Upper Intermediate

How important is it really to take care of the customers’ needs? Customer service is making sure a customer is rendered superior quality service and assistance before, during and after a purchase of a product.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss Jackie’s recent customer service experience.
  2. What is the importance of having an excellent customer service?
  3. Do you think companies should invest more on this area? Why or why not?
  4. Talk about the best and worst customer service you’ve ever had.