Category: Homework

AI Chatbots ChatGPT and Google Bard

B1 – Intermediate

Chatbots are computer programs used to simulate chat with a human user. The latest chatbot to become more popular is ChatGPT. When a user asks something on ChatGPT, it can answer almost every question you ask it and with perfect grammar. It’s like you are really talking to another person.

Google didn’t waste time and launched its own version called Google Bard. 

It has now become a race for the best AI chatbot in town between Google and Microsoft.

Read the article on the AI chatbot battle between ChatGPT and Google Bard.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2302/230213-chatgpt-chatbot-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”hot on the heels of sb/sth” mean, ”Hot on the heels of ChatGPT came Google’s Bard.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does the expression “to spread like wildfire” mean, “A new online revolution has begun and is spreading like wildfire.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “shake up” mean, “There are many questions about how chatbots will shake up our world.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Bard? Would you use such programs?
  2. What are the uses and dangers of such AI chatbots?
  3. How is this going to change our lives/societies?
  4. Share your opinion on this: “Teachers are worrying about “the end of homework”. 
  5. Do you agree or disagree that “AI can deepen our understanding of information and turn it into useful knowledge making it easier for people to get things done.”? Explain.

Sensitivity Readers

B1 – Intermediate

Roald Dahl and Ian Fleming are famous authors. Roald Dahl wrote “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and Ian Fleming, the “James Bond” novels. Their novels are classics. 

However, many things have changed in our society since these books were written more than 50 years ago. Language that were considered acceptable then, might be offensive now.

So, some classic novels have to be edited by what we call “sensitivity readers”. Publishing companies let “sensitivity readers” check for words that might not be politically-correct now.

Read the article on sensitivity readers.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2303/230302-sensitivity-readers.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”upset” mean here, ”They are worried that language in older books might upset people today, especially children.”? Give two synonyms of the word ‘upset’ and use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the expression “belong to another time” mean, “A lot of the language they check belongs to another time.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “character” mean, “The recent edits of the James Bond books are because of insensitive language about black characters and women.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are sensitivity readers important?
  2. What do you think of the job of sensitivity readers?
  3. Should classic novels be edited to be politically-correct? Why/why not?
  4. How would you feel reading a book that contains language that might be considered offensive now?
  5. Name one classic book that you read. Were there parts that you thought were offensive?

Social Media and Plastic Surgery

B1 – Intermediate

Social media has a been a tool for people to be exposed to plastic surgery. Apparently, beauty standards are a thing on social media. Hence, people are wanting to get cosmetic procedures to conform to these so-called beauty standards.

Read the article to learn more about social media and plastic surgery.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/social-media-and-plastic-surgery-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “alter” mean, “Social media have built-in filters that alter face shape or facial features to fit current beauty trends.”? Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “undergo” mean, “Experts remind us that cosmetic surgery is still surgery, and although it’s very unlikely, the person undergoing plastic surgery can die.”? Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “ditch” mean, “They also warn that doctors with less training ditch their chosen profession to perform procedures.”? Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on plastic surgery?
  2. What are the pros and cons of plastic surgery?
  3. Are people in your country open-minded about plastic surgery? Why / why not?
  4. Have you been influenced by social media? In what way?
  5. What do you think of the beauty standards on social media?
  6. Would you be open to get plastic surgery? Why/why not?

The Billion-Dollar eSports Industry

B2 – Upper Intermediate

More and more teenagers now prefer playing computer games to doing traditional sports. For them, it would be a dream job if they could play video games for a living.

Watch the video to know more about the billion-dollar eSports industry.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “on the cusp” mean, “We haven’t really had our biggest victory yet, but we are really on the cusp of it and I’m certain there we’re going to have it very soon.“? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does “fit for a king” mean, “When they’re not on the road, most American teams go back to Los Angeles, the unofficial home of eSports in the US, where their franchises pay for them to live in mansions fit for [a] king.“? Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does the idiom “rise (up) through the ranks” mean, “I would describe it like we’re playing like the NBA or something and you rise up through the ranks.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of eSports?
  2. What can you say about how professional egamers’ life was presented in the video?
  3. The popularity of games at times even surpasses the popularity of traditional sports. Do you see this as a problem? Explain.
  4. Do you agree that perseverance is very important in eSports? Is it true about every sport?
  5. What might be reasons parents don’t support their children getting involved in egaming?
  6. Is it possible to become a successful gamer even if you haven’t started at an early age? Explain.
  7. Why do you think the life of a pro gamer requires discipline?

Tip Culture Reaches Tipping Point

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Tip culture refers to the custom of leaving a gratuity or “tip” for service workers in certain countries, particularly in the United States. It is customary to leave a tip for a variety of service providers, such as servers in restaurants, bartenders, hairdressers, and taxi or ride-share drivers, among others.

Tipping culture in the United States can be controversial. Some people argue that tipping culture is out of control and places an undue burden on consumers, while others believe that tipping is an important way to ensure that service workers are fairly compensated for their work.

Watch the video to learn more about it and be able to discuss the questions below:

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “tipping point” mean? “The pressure to tip has reached its tipping point.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “tab” mean in this sentence, “Patrons often feel guilted into adding a few bucks to the tab.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “strike back” mean, “Some service workers are striking back.” Make one sentence using the phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you give tips or have you given tips before? Is tipping customary in you country? What do you think of tipping?
  2. What are your thoughts on pre-set tipping options?
  3. What is your reaction to delivery people waiting for orders to pile up for those people who do not tip upfront?
  4. What is your opinion that some service workers are taking into account whether you tip or not upfront and that could impact the quality of their service?
  5. Do you agree with what the etiquette experts say about tipping? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
  6. Which workers do you think should be given tips? Explain why.

South Koreans Got Taller

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many would agree that height is power. Studies show that height is a key factor in one’s overall health. Have you ever considered how our height varies, particularly from one nation to another? Or do you ever make a comparison to a single member of your family?

Take a look at the video below to see how our height evolves.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “vertical axis” mean? “We need to adjust the vertical axis so we can see this chart better.” Kindly use it to construct your own sentence.
  2. Do you know the meaning of “outlier“, “The countries that grew the least were in Africa. And Asian countries were mostly in the middle. But all the way on the right is an outlier.” Give your example using this word.
  3. What is the meaning of “skyrocketed“, “Eventually, the country shifted from producing things like textiles to consumer electronics and cars. And South Koreans wealth skyrocketed.” Use this word in your

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the good and bad sides of being tall? How about being short?
  2. How important is a person’s height?
  3. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Height is something history gives to us.”
  4. Are people generally tall in your country? What factors do you think are to attribute to it?
  5. What are the factors that affect our growth?
  6. Do you believe that one inherits a genetic component that determines height? Explain.

Big Dreams Can Be Big Problems

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Are you someone with big dreams and aspirations? While it’s important to dream big, there might be some hidden pitfalls to chasing those grand goals.

In the article you are about to read, we explore why big dreams can sometimes lead to big problems and what you can do to avoid them. So if you want to make sure your big dreams become a reality, keep reading!

https://www.lifehack.org/508810/why-big-dreams-can-big-problems

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “wide-eyed“. “Wide-eyed and excited about the endless possibilities, we began dreaming.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the idiom “hard dose of reality” mean in the sentence, “Slowly but surely, we got a hard dose of reality.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. The idiom “bloodied and beaten to a pulp” is used in the sentence, “It’s not the moments of success where we find out what we are made of but rather those moments when we are bloodied and beaten to a pulp.”. Explain your understanding and make a sentence using this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does Ryan Holiday suggest to do when faced with an obstacle?
  2. How did Sara Blakely redefine her definition of failure?
  3. What strategies can be adopted to stay motivated when faced with failure?
  4. What reasons lead people to give up on their big dreams?
  5. Do you also have big dreams? How do you plan to achieve them?

Businesses You Could Start From Your Garage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In this article, we will explore five businesses you could start right from the comfort of your own home garage. From automotive repair to e-commerce, these ideas could be the inspiration you need to start your own successful business.

So roll up your sleeves, dust off your tools, and get ready to be inspired by the article below.

https://www.lifehack.org/526277/5-businesses-you-could-start-from-your-garage

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “up and running” mean, “When that equipment has issues, they are willing to spend a significant amount to get everything up and running smoothly.” Use it in another sentence.
  2. What is the meaning of the term “know-how” in the sentence, “This is a simple job that requires very little tools and very little know-how.”? Explain your understanding and use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “upfront money” mean, “People can choose what background they want and no one will be the wiser. This takes a little more upfront money.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does the article suggest identifying potential businesses to start from a garage?
  2. What do you think are some challenges and advantages of starting a business from a garage?
  3. How do you think starting a business from a garage can impact the community or neighborhood where the garage is located?
  4. Can you think of any successful businesses that started in a garage? What made them successful?
  5. Do you want to start a business in a garage? Why or why not? If so, what idea do you have in mind?

Turn Mundane Task into Meaningful Work

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Mundane tasks are those uninteresting and unexciting duties that we all have to do. Despite appearing insignificant, they can accumulate and leave us feeling tired and demotivated.

In the office, there are several mundane tasks that people have to perform, such as making photocopies, filing papers, or cleaning up their desks. While these tasks may not be enjoyable, they are crucial for maintaining smooth operation in the workplace.

Needless to say, mundane tasks can be discouraging, but they are necessary evil.

For more tips on how to make these tasks more manageable and enjoyable, check out the full article.

https://www.lifehack.org/925751/mundane-tasks

Vocabulary Questions

  1. What does the idiom “sweep something under the rug” mean in the sentence “Just because we don’t like something, doesn’t mean we get to sweep it under the rug.”? Use it in a sentence. 
  2. What is the meaning of the phrase “to rack one’s brain” in the sentence, “I would rack my brain for ways to turn dull, boring games into high-octane ones”? Explain your understanding of this phrase and use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the idiom “fit the bill” mean, “Mundane tasks are often things we don’t want to do, so they fit the bill.” Use it in another sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some benefits of completing mundane tasks?

2. How do you think breaking a task down into smaller parts help with productivity? 

3. What advice does the author give for making mundane tasks more enjoyable? 

4. What are some mundane tasks that you find particularly challenging or unpleasant, and how do you usually approach it? 

5. In what ways can technology assist with completing mundane tasks?

6. Does doing what you don’t want to do first work for you? Why or why not?

Tobacco Companies Pay for Discarded Cigarettes Ends Clean-up

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is a real eyesore seeing cigarette butts scattered everywhere. Not only is it an unpleasant sight, but is also toxic. Cigarette butts release toxic chemicals such as arsenic and lead.

The Spanish government’s recent ruling states that tobacco companies will shoulder the clean up costs of cigarette butts.

Read the article and find out more details about this new environmental regulation in Spain.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/01/04/tobacco-companies-must-pay-for-clean-up-of-discarded-cigarettes-in-spain

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the verb “toss“. Give two synonyms and use each in a sentence. “Millions of cigarette ends are tossed onto Spain’s streets and beaches by smokers each year.”
  2. What does the phrase “foot the bill” mean? “Spain’s new environmental regulations have ruled that tobacco companies will have to foot the bills for removing discarded cigarettes from the country’s streets.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “come into force” mean? The measure comes into force this Friday. Give one synonym and use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on tobacco companies being held responsible for discarded cigarette butts?
  2. Do you agree with the likely consequences of this regulation to tobacco consumers mentioned in the article? Why or why not?
  3. What might be some effects of this ruling on tobacco companies?
  4. What are the harmful effects of these discarded cigarette butts?