Category: Homework

Angola’s Tightly Contested Presidential Election

B2 – Upper Intermediate

After the civil war in 2002, Angola has remained politically stable. Recently, they have concluded their elections giving the country’s ruling party a wafer-thin victory. However, the opposition party believes there are irregularities in the election result.

Let’s watch the video know more about the 2022 Angola elections and the controversies surrounding it.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is the Angola elections being contested?
  2. What do you think of one-party system of government?
  3. What is the form of government in your country? What are the good and bad things about this form of government?
  4. What kind of voting system do you have?
  5. What elections-related controversies have you had in your country?

Emotions of Dogs

B1 – Intermediate

Dogs are highly social animals. They have emotions just like people do. They experience feelings such as happiness, anger, fear, joy, and anxiety. It is also known that part of a dog’s ability to understand human emotions comes from the long-established relationship between humans and canines.

Let’s listen to the audio and read the transcript below to know more about the emotions of dogs.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/emotions-of-dogs-level-3/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have or have you ever had a dog for a pet? Talk about your experience being a dog owner.
  2. What are the good and bad things about having a dog?
  3. Do you agree that dogs have emotions? Why or why not?
  4. In what ways are dogs helpful to humans?
  5. What do you think of dog hotels, dog cafes, and poodle parlors?

Yellow School Bus

B1 – Intermediate

In the US, the school bus is believed to be the safest vehicle on the road. Parents feel safe when their children take this yellow bus to school. They have safety features that not all vehicles have. It is easy to notice them on the road because they are yellow in color.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript and find out why school buses are yellow.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/reasons-for-yellow-us-school-buses-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are school buses in yellow?
  2. Why do you think school buses are safer than most vehicles?
  3. Are school buses common in your country? Are they also painted yellow?
  4. Do you have children or young family members who go to school? How do they usually get there?
  5. What other protective measures should be included in yellow buses or school transport?

The Dangers of Being Over-Confident

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Possessing self-confidence is generally a positive trait. Individuals with higher level of confidence often have greater success across a wide range of fields.

While self esteem, superior to any other characteristic, is typically perceived as a strength in many scenarios, having too much of it can be extremely negative to both success and well-being.

But can you ever have too much confidence? Is it possible to have a good thing in excess?

Let us go through the entire article to discover more about the pitfalls of overconfidence.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220901-the-dangers-of-being-over-confident

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it possible to have too much self-belief? Explain.
  2. What drawbacks might overconfidence cause?
  3. Can overconfidence be handled? How?
  4. How do you deal with someone who is overconfident?
  5. Share a situation where being overconfident helped you.

Catastrophizing or Toxic Thinking

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you have the habit of magnifying your problems, anticipating the worst, or thinking that your circumstances are worse than they actually are? If you routinely find yourself catastrophizing, becoming aware of your tendency to do so may be beneficial before it impairs your quality of life.

Finding techniques to disrupt those poisonous thought loops should be beneficial in boosting one’s toughness and there may be no better time to learn than now.

Let us read the complete content to learn more about how toxic thinking can lead you down to a dangerous path.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220725-catastrophising-how-toxic-thinking-can-lead-down-dark-path

Discussion Questions:

  1. What exactly does it mean to catastrophize?
  2. How could you make adjustments if you are a catastrophizer but would prefer not to be?
  3. Is it doable to teach your brain to avoid automatically thinking the worst-case scenario? Why or why not?
  4. How do you deal with anxiety without the employ of medications?
  5. How has expecting the worst helped you in some situations in your life previously?

Workers and Employers Ghosting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

‘Ghosting’ was first used in the dating scene to describe an abrupt, unexpected halt to all contacts. This societal concept is quickly catching on in the workplace and both parties are guilty of committing the crime.

You might be surprised to learn that ghosting is becoming more pervasive. Additionally, ghosting is not solely done by employees. Employers are also guilty of abandoning prospects as the talent acquisition process moves forward, even while an offer is being made.

Understand why employees and employers are ghosting one another by going through the article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220311-why-workers-and-employers-are-ghosting-each-other

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on this work issue.
  2. How can we end the trend of ‘quiet firing’ and ‘quiet quitting’?
  3. Why do employers ghost job applicants?
  4. Is it illegal to ghost your job? Why or why not?
  5. Is ghosting an employer profitable in the long term? Explain.
  6. What are the available alternatives to ghosting?

Solar Panel Sales Boom

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As the saying goes, “When one man fails, another man rises in his shadows”. As the whole world falls to its knees due to the sharp increase in energy prices, the solar industry booms.

Read the article about the boost in solar panel sales. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62524031

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. What might be the good and bad things about using solar energy?
  3. Do you think solar panels are good investment? Why or why not?
  4. How does the solar energy sector fare in your country and why is this the case?
  5. What are your thoughts on using solar panels to generate energy in homes and buildings more in the foreseeable future?

Chip Shortage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Technological products run because of computer chips, also known as semiconductors. However, there has been chip shortage nowadays. Because of this, there is a problem with the supply of some popular tech items.

Read the article to find out the reasons for this chip shortage, how tech firms are addressing this crisis, and how it affects us. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58230388

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is there a chip shortage? What is reaction to/thoughts on this?
  2. How are tech firms dealing with this problem?
  3. How does this impact us? How does this affect you?
  4. Some tech firms stockpiled and ordered the chips in advance as the pandemic was beginning in 2020 which lead to the other companies to have problems acquiring the components. Share your opinion on what big tech firms did back there.
  5. How often do you buy new electronic gadgets or appliances?

Curiosity Behind Open Relationships

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Staying faithful to your partner or spouse is probably the oldest trick in the book when it comes to keeping a happy and harmonious relationship.

However, through the years, along with all the progressive changes that we have embraced as a society, perhaps our definition of a romantic relationship has also been evolving.

Open relationships are still not openly acceptable by everyone in the world, but it has been considered less and less obscure over the years. Furthermore, people’s interest in it has been gaining traction.

Read the article about the rising curiosity behind open relationships and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220725-the-rising-curiosity-behind-open-relationships

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on open relationships? What do you think about it becoming more and more mainstream?
  2. What might be reasons why open relationships interest a lot of people these days?
  3. Cite the advantages and disadvantages of being in a monogamous and non-monogamous relationship.
  4. Do you agree or disagree that “Dating-app trends and the pandemic effect help highlight the rise in interest in open relationships”? Explain your point.
  5. What is your reaction to this statement: “attitudes toward consensual non-monogamy are mostly negative overall”?

Warm Banks Spread

B1 – Intermediate

The prices of electricity and gas have increased a lot. As a result, more and more people, especially in the UK, are probably won’t be able to use their heating systems in their homes.

To solution this problem, several non-government groups have opened heat banks across the UK. A heat bank is a place where people can stay warm without having to pay for anything.

Read the lesson on the increase of heat banks in the UK and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2208/220815-warm-banks-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on heat or warm banks? Do they help poor people or not? Explain.
  2. Is this a problem that some people in your country also suffer from? What do you think of it?
  3. What measures are you taking to save money and decrease your energy and gas consumption?
  4. Are you also angry about the higher and higher profits oil companies are making each year? Why or why not?
  5. “Each year in the UK, cold weather kills around 11,400 people.” What is your reaction to this?