Category: Class

Sustainable Cork

B1 – Intermediate 

Cork is used to so many things. For example, as alcoholic beverage bottles stopper or a material for insulation. 

Portugal produces and exports the highest amount of cork in the world. It is a very important part of their economy.

However, despite its many purposes, there had been some problems with growing cork trees.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about sustainable cork.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/sustainable-cork-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to pass down through generations” mean? “In Portugal, cork harvesting is a skilled tradition passed down through generations.” Use the phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “sustainable alternative” mean? “Researchers, like Miguel No at the University of Aveiro, are exploring cork as a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials.” Use this term in a sentence.
  3. What does “eco-friendly” mean? “The long growth cycle of cork trees shows the patience required in this eco-friendly industry.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘eco-friendly’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the problem in the cork industry in Portugal? What is a solution to it?
  2. What do you suppose will happen to the cork industry in Portugal in the future?
  3. What do you think about a cork harvesting job?
  4. Give benefits and uses of cork.
  5. In Portugal, cork harvesting is a skilled tradition passed down through generations. In your country, what is a skilled tradition that is passed down from generation to generation? Are there less people interested in joining this industry, too? Talk all about it.

UK Doctors to Treat Eco-Anxiety

B1 – Intermediate 

In the recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people affected by ecological anxiety or eco-anxiety. This is a relatively new medical condition. A person suffers from it when all the extreme weather and climate changes and other environmental issues make them feel nervous or anxious.

Perhaps it is time to start acknowledging that this condition is real and affects many people. Medical experts need to be prepared to offer help to people with this condition. 

In the UK, if you go for a health consultation related to eco-anxiety, the doctor could give you a medical diagnosis, some advice on what to do to reduce your negative impact on the environment, and some tips on how to manage eco-anxiety.

Read the article about how doctors in the UK have been advised to start treating eco-anxiety patients.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2407/240722-eco-anxiety.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hidden in plain sight” mean? “The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight.” Use the phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “to raise a topic” mean? “Doctors in the UK have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during consultations with patients.” Use the expression in a sentence.
  3. What does “distressed” mean? “A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘distressed’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, who suffers more from climate anxiety? Is it young or older people? Explain your idea.
  2. How can we help people who have eco-anxiety?
  3. What is an extreme weather event that you are scared of? Why?
  4. Should eco-anxiety given more attention by the health ministry of every country now? Share your opinion.
  5. Should your government focus on this problem more now? Why or why not?
  6. What other health problems do you think your government should focus on? Talk about the disease or condition and why is it not given so much attention by the government?

Remove Equestrian Sports from the Olympics

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Equestrian sports have been in the Olympics for over a hundred years, highlighting the bond between the rider and their horse.

More recently, there has been a debate on whether these events should stay in the Games, with concerns about horse welfare, accessibility, and how well they fit with current Olympic values.

Read this article to know about the case for the removal of equestrian sports from the Olympics.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/31/the-horses-dont-choose-to-take-part-should-equestrian-sports-be-removed-from-the-olympics

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “to go out of the window” mean? ““We know that whenever animals are treated as commodities and exploited for human gain, their best interests go out of the window,” says White.” Give a synonym and make a sentence with this expression.
  2. What is an “outcry”? “Having been hailed as the “golden girl” of dressage and widely tipped for a damehood, Dujardin has been banned from the Paris Olympic Games amid public outcry and a pending investigation by the sport’s governing body.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘outcry’ in your own sentence.
  3. Define “to put one’s foot down”. “We are trying to do everything we can to find out about unethical behaviour and put our foot down wherever it happens.” Give a similar expression and create a sentence using this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on removing equestrian sports from the Olympics?
  2. Have you ever watched equestrian sports in the Olympics? If so, what was your impression of them?
  3. How do you think the inclusion of equestrian sports in the Olympics reflects or challenges our views on animal welfare?
  4. Are equestrian sports popular in your country? What other sports do you think might harm animals?
  5. What’s your opinion on the statement, “Whenever there’s a lot of money or glory involved, people may exploit animals to make them perform a certain way.”?

EU Rejects Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Since its discovery in 1906, scientists have come a long way when it comes to the study and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists have been working round the clock to gain more, if not full, understanding of how this disease affects the brain. As a result of extensive researches over time, some drugs have been used to treat it and new ones are consistently being discovered. One of which is lecanemab, a drug that had shown to slow cognitive decline.

However, despite it getting approved in the US last year, the European Medicines Agency or EMA believes that the risk of lecanemab’s adverse side effects such as bleeding and swelling in the brain outweighs its benefits.

Read the article about EMA rejecting a license for the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgm0v1ne08o

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “underlying mechanism” mean? “Alzheimer’s researchers hailed the trial results as “historic” because no previous drug had convincingly shown that the underlying mechanism of the disease could be slowed.”  Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘underlying mechanism’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “value for money” mean? “Even if the drug was to be approved in the UK, it would then be up to health bodies – such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) – to decide whether the drug represents value for money and should be recommended to patients.”Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘value for money’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “a turning point” mean? “In the programme, broadcast earlier this year, Prof Cath Mummery, consultant neurologist and head of clinical trials at the Dementia Research Centre at UCL, said although the benefits of the drugs were small, they represented a “turning point”.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘a turning point’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about the benefits and risks associated with lecanemab.
  2. Share your opinion on EMA’s decision to reject lecanemab’s license.
  3. “Prof Tara Spires-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience Association, said the EMA’s decision will come as “a disappointment to many”.” Share your thoughts on this.

Get Out of a Mental Rut

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

There are many reasons to feel as if you are operating on autopilot. Being mentally stuck can cause one to lack motivation and happiness. However, stress no more. One thing to know about mental rut is that it is momentary and there are ways to deal with it.

Watch this video about mental rut and how to get out of it if you find yourself in this state.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mental rut” mean? “What happened is you’ve entered a mental rut.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘mental rut’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “something feels like a chore” mean? “Just going through your daily routine is a struggle and it feels like a chore.”Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘something feels like a chore’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “ebb and flow” mean? “Our moods are in constant ebb and flow.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘ebb and flow’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which advice from the video resonates to you and why?
  2. What other ways can you think of on how an individual can get out of a mental rut?
  3. Talk about a moment of being stuck and talk about the ways you were able to overcome it.
  4. “Often, mental rut happens to the most ambitious people.” Talk about your thoughts on this statement.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever made a bad decision and felt the need to correct or fix your mistake? Everyone in this world has experienced lapses in judgment from time to time but the way they cope with their errors varies from person to person. Unfortunately, not all of these methods are heathy or even beneficial, such as the sunk cost fallacy.

Watch the video to learn more about the sunk cost fallacy.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”sunk cost” mean? “I know that there are plenty of other reasons why people stay together, but sunk cost is definitely up there.” Use this term to make your own sentence.
  2. Explain the meaning of the idiom “to call it quits“. “It’s better to call it quits now and save yourself from future misery.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and create a sentence using this phrase.
  3. What does “to dig a bigger hole” mean? “If you continue to pour more resources into a failing project, you’re just digging a bigger hole for yourself.” Use ‘to dig a bigger hole” in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts about sunk cost fallacy?
  2. Give other examples of the sunk cost fallacy.
  3. Talk about your personal experience with the sunk cost fallacy.
  4. Does the sunk cost influence your decisions? Explain.

Hoverbikes for American Soldiers 

B1 – Intermediate

Hoverbikes are some of the stuff we see in science fiction. It is a one-person transport that flies above the ground. This dream could soon be a reality thanks to a few British developers and American engineers working on it.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the prototype hoverbike for the American Department of Defense.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/hoverbikes-for-american-soldiers-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “running cost” mean? “The aircraft would replace many of the jobs a helicopter is currently used for, with the advantages being safety, price and running costs.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “on-board” mean in this context? “It also has on-board sensors and autopilot features, which allow the hoverbike to act like a drone.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. Define the adjective “unmanned“. “The US Department of Defence is interested in hoverbike technology because of its versatility – a hoverbike can be used to transport supplies, fly unmanned and operate as a surveillance platform“. Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your own words, describe this state-of-the-art hoverbike.
  2. What are the practical uses of this modern hoverbike in law enforcement and infrastructure?
  3. What do you think are the risks associated with hoverbikes being used and sold commercially?

UK’s 22-year-old Member of Parliament

B1 – Intermediate 

Sam Carling won a seat as a Member of Parliament or MP in the recent UK general election. He is 22 years old, one of the youngest MPs the UK has ever had.

With his win, he hopes more young people will go into politics and serve the people.

Read this article about UK’s young MP.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2407/240708-member-of-parliament-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “beat” mean here, “Mr Carling, from the Labour Party, narrowly beat his Conservative Party rival by 39 votes.”? Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘beat’ in this context in your own sentence.
  2. What does “a deprived area” mean? “He grew up in “a deprived area” in the north of England.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘a deprived area’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “an economic powerhouse” mean? “The Conservative Party promised to turn it into an economic “powerhouse”.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘an economic powerhouse’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think Sam Carling meant when he described his victory as a “political earthquake”?
  2. How can growing up in “a deprived area” help Sam Carling represent the interests of the people?
  3. Should young people enter politics? Share your opinion.
  4. What are the good and bad things about very young politicians?
  5. How much interest do you think young people in your country have in politics?
  6. Talk about a very young politician from your country.

IQ Is Not the Same as Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Intelligence is a complex quality involving different abilities like thinking, problem-solving, emotions, and creativity. IQ tests, which measure some cognitive skills such as reasoning and math, only give a partial picture of how smart someone is. They don’t capture everything about a person’s intelligence because they focus on specific areas and use standard questions and scoring.

Watch the video to know more about it and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “remedial help” mean? “Alfred Binet was asked by the government to develop a test that could determine whether people needed remedial help with their education.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “innate” mean? “American Psychologists decide that I.Q. is innate, that you were born with it, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘innate’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “multifaceted” mean? “Intelligence is a multifaceted thing and multifaceted things can’t really be measured in terms of a single number.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘multifaceted’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe that IQ tests accurately reflect someone’s overall intelligence? Why or why not?
  2. In your opinion, what other factors besides cognitive abilities should be considered when defining intelligence?
  3. How important is it for society to recognize and value different forms of intelligence beyond what is typically measured by IQ tests?
  4. In what ways can emotional intelligence and creativity be important aspects of intelligence that are not fully captured by traditional IQ tests?

A Man Tries to Kill Donald Trump

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many government agencies work together to secure major political events in the USA. Tight security is expected especially for political big shots. Despite all these, a security breach still ensued during Donald Trump’s political rally recently.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript to know more details on the assassination attempt of a U.S. presidential candidate.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/a-man-tries-to-kill-donald-trump-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “critically injured” mean? “The attack also resulted in the death of one spectator and critically injured two others. ” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘critically injured’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “subsequently neutralized” mean? “The Secret Service released a statement detailing how the gunman fired from an elevated position and was subsequently neutralized.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘subsequently neutralized’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to have no place for someone/something” mean? “President Biden condemned the attack, called it sick, and stated that there is no place for such violence in America.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use this idiom in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on the failed assassination attempt of Donald Trump?
  2. What other assassination attempts of popular personalities have you heard of? Share details about this incident.
  3. What security measures do you have in your country to keep political candidates safe?