Category: Class

Test 712

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Court Overturned a Ban on Religious Knives in Schools

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Keeping their children safe at home is an utmost priority for parents. Parents expect the same from schools. Most schools have rules on what children could bring inside the school premises. Sharp-edged objects are only allowed for learning purposes and should be handled with extra care. In cases where religious practices require young members to possess a dangerous weapon even at school, a higher judicial decision could prevail over school rules and regulation.

Let’s read the article and know more details about the Queensland court ruling on this matter.

https://theconversation.com/why-a-queensland-court-overturned-a-ban-on-religious-knives-in-schools-211042

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “blunt” mean? “Many kirpans are blunt and worn stitched inside a sheath under a person’s cloths.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  2. Define the word “egregious“.“What made the Queensland law particularly egregious is that not only did it prohibit the freedom of religion of a small and vulnerable minority, it did so deliberately.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of the verb “downplay“? “Referring to the kirpan as a knife downplays its important religious significance.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the kirpan for the Sikhs?
  2. Why did the Supreme Court of Queensland overturn the prior ban on possession of knives in school?
  3. What is your opinion on this Supreme Court ruling?
  4. How does this ruling affect the safety of the students in school and the religious rights of the Sikhs in the educational institution?

Drones Deliver Letters

B1 – Intermediate

Over time, technology has rapidly advanced. Robots now handle tasks and jobs once done only by humans. For instance, the U.K. has just introduced its very first drone delivery service for letters.

Read the article or listen to the audio to learn about U.K.’s drone delivery service.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/drones-deliver-letters-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “aim to” mean? “The Orkney I-Port initiative, in collaboration with Royal Mail and drone company Skyports, aims to transport letters and packages between islands.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “remote” mean in this context? “This innovation is expected to enhance delivery speed and reliability to remote areas like Graemsay and Hoy, often affected by weather and geography disruptions.”
  3. Define “initiative“. “The Orkney I-Port initiative, in collaboration with Royal Mail and drone company Skyports, aims to transport letters and packages between islands.” Make a sentence with this word.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about the idea of using drones to deliver mail in remote areas like Orkney?
  2. How would you feel if a drone delivery service for mail and packages was introduced in your local area?
  3. Do you think the use of drones for deliveries will become more common in the future? Why or why not?
  4. In your opinion, what are some potential advantages and disadvantages of using fully electric drones for deliveries?
  5. Can you think of any other innovative ways technology could improve services like mail delivery?

Spain Does Not Have a Fentanyl Problem

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fentanyl and Xylazine mixture is by far the deadliest drug threat in the USA. It is commonly known as the “zombie drug” because of its mental and physical manifestation on its users. There is an alarming rise in deaths linked to this drug mixture.

In Spain, however, this doesn’t seem to be a problem despite ranking fourth as the country with the most fentanyl consumption within the OECD.

Let’s read the article and know more as to why Spain doesn’t suffer the same fate as the USA.

https://www.thelocal.es/20230810/why-does-spain-not-have-a-fentanyl-problem

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the adjective “potent” mean in this context? “… it’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  2. Define the verb “dispense“. “These reports are sent to an administrative body, which then controls how much it dispenses.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “fill the gap” mean? “Europe’s heroin market may soon be in short supply, however, making way for drugs like fentanyl to fill the gap.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What kind of drug is Fentanyl and how is it compared with heroin and morphine?
  2. What are the reasons why Spain doesn’t have a widespread Fentanyl abuse?
  3. According to the article, what is the medication dispensing process for pharmacies in Spain?

Generosity Contributes to Human Happiness

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Generosity is universal across cultures.

There have been quite a number of experiments showing that generosity is a common trait, regardless of socioeconomic status. It is also a more spontaneous behavior compared to greed, which, as a matter of fact, requires more careful thought.

Read the article why it is more than likely that generosity enhances social relationships.

https://harrytprewitt.medium.com/scientific-proof-of-generosity-contributing-to-human-happiness-643178c90206

Vocabulary Questions:

  1.  What does ” generosity” mean? “So far, it was known that being generous increases our feeling of happiness and that happiness was supposed to be, in turn, one of the motivations for generosity.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “top the charts” mean? “The likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Mike Bloomberg top the charts.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “philanthropist” mean? “There can be many examples of philanthropists being generous with their work.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the result of this study?
  2. How important is public commitment in encouraging generous behavior? Explain your ideas.
  3. Talk about a foundation which helps the homeless/refugees/the elderly/orphans that you know of.
  4. What humanitarian project would you like to set up?
  5. When presenting a charity organization, how can you make the audience donate or volunteer?

Hey Hanging Is the Rudest Workplace Behavior

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Digital workplaces such as Google Workplace or Slack have become even more sought-after workplaces since the pandemic due to their digital workstyle nature.

Chat messages are often hard to decipher because you don’t know the tone of the sender. Reading a chat without context may cause you to overthink or be anxious. Subtle nuances in the digital workplace can have a significant influence on the overall atmosphere and dynamics. One such nuanced behavior is “Hey hanging”.

Read this article to learn about how “Hey hanging” induces anxiety in the workplace.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hey-hanging-work-chat_l_64c9387ae4b0fd06594dd491

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “right off the bat”. “To avoid any awkward pauses, it’s better just to explain what you need right off the bat.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “out of the blue” mean? “If you’ve never chatted with the person before, a “hey” out of the blue can leave you second-guessing yourself, too.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  3. What does “tailspin” mean? “When a colleague replies to a paragraph-long question with a one-letter “k” on Slack, it can send us into an anxious tailspin, worried the sender is mad at us.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on “Hey hanging”?
  2. What impact does a “hey” message without a follow-up or with a pause have on individuals, particularly when it comes from a manager?
  3. Have you personally experienced a situation where a sudden “hey” message in a digital workspace led to misinterpretation or heightened anxiety? How did you handle it?
  4. Can you provide alternative greetings or messages for a positive digital tone and reduced anxiety?
  5. How do clarity and context ease concerns with short messages like “hey” in digital work settings?

Southern Europe on Fire

B1 – Intermediate

Wildfires are affecting many countries in South Europe. There had been deaths and damages on properties.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about wildfires in southern Europe.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/southern-europe-on-fire-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”sweep through” mean? “Wildfires swept through nine countries in the Mediterranean, which led to the loss of 40 lives, mostly in Algeria.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “blaze” mean? “Firefighters fought against blazes in Turkey, Croatia, Syria, Gran Canaria, and a natural park near Lisbon, Portugal.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘blaze’ in a sentence.
  3. What does “wildfire” mean, “Algeria’s authorities reported 34 deaths in the mountainous northern region, while Tunisia also faced wildfires.”? Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is reaction to this news?
  2. What causes these fires?
  3. How can these wildfires be prevented?
  4. How prepared is your country from preventing such fires?
  5. Do you agree or disagree that the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires is due to the climate crisis caused by humans? Explain your thought.

Half the World to Develop Mental Health Disorder

B1 – Intermediate

Modern life could be quite complicated. Perhaps this is the reason a lot of people suffer mental health issues nowadays. This number can even increase in the future.

Read the article about how half the world could have some kind of mental health disorder.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2308/230803-mental-health-disorders-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a ”disorder”? “The lead author of a study said the most common problems were mood disorders like depression.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. Define “well-being”. “Over 156,000 people in 29 countries answered questions about their mental well-being.” Use this word in a sentence.
  3. What does “attack” mean in this sentence, “These included panic attacks, drug abuse and ADHD.”? Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think it’s true that ‘More people are experiencing mental health problems.’? Why or why not?
  2. What is your reaction to this, “Half of us will have at least one problem by the age of 75.”?
  3. What is your opinion on this, “Mental disorders appear a lot in children.”?
  4. Do you think young people need more help with their lives? Explain.
  5. How can we take care of our mental health?

Dropout Factories

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some schools are infamous for their high rate of dropouts. There are many reasons as to why students prefer to quit their studies. 

The question remains though, does this issue have any impact on communities?

Read the article about dropout factories and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

http://headsupenglish.com/index.php/advanced-english-students/advanced-mini-lessons/165-dropout-factories

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a ”derogatory”? “A dropout factory serves as a derogatory label applied to any high school where 40% or more of the students quit before their final year.” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “churn out” mean? “Like a factory that churns out a product, sadly a dropout factory churns out students who fail to graduate.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does “impoverished” mean, “These schools tend to be in urban and/or impoverished areas.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘impoverished’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be some reasons students dropout from school?
  2. Do you think a drop-out still has a chance to succeed in life? Explain your opinion.
  3. How can high number of students dropping out affect the society/a community?
  4. Did you ever consider quitting your studies? If yes, when was it and why? If not, what is the reason you finished your studies?
  5. What could be done to lower the number of students dropping out?

Sick Houses

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We are living under the notion that staying indoors could shield us from outdoor pollutants. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when most people around the world were confined to their homes, we felt safer. However, being indoor isn’t tantamount to pollution-free condition. There are homes with level of air pollution that is as high or even exceeds the legal outdoor limits.

Let’s read the article and know more about what makes a sick house.

http://headsupenglish.com/index.php/advanced-english-students/advanced-mini-lessons/173-sick-houses

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the adverb “adversely“. “Did you know that your house could adversely affect your health?” Give two synonyms and use it in a sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of the word “malaise“? “It’s a home that contributes to or brings about allergies, malaise, migraines, and/or colds.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “solitary” mean? “And although it doesn’t come down to a solitary factor, the pollutants accumulate…” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are sick houses?
  2. Aside from health risks, what other effects could sick houses have on its dwellers?
  3. How do you keep your home free from indoor pollution?
  4. In your opinion, which areas in your country have more sick houses?