Category: Homework

Lickable TV Screen

B1 – Intermediate

Has this ever happened to you? You were watching TV and you saw a very delicious dish/food on the screen and you wished you could taste it?

Japanese professor Homei Miyashita has invented a TV screen that can imitate food flavors. Images you can taste indeed!

Read the lesson about lickable TV screen below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2112/211230-lickable-tv-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about this invention?
  2. How helpful is this technology?
  3. What other technologies would you like to see in televisions?
  4. How important is TV to you?

Extreme Weather

B1 – Intermediate

There is nothing we can do to prevent natural calamities from occurring. In 2021, we have seen many unusual natural disasters that happened in new places. This must be a sign that our weather is becoming more and more extreme.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about extreme weather in 2021.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/extreme-weather-in-2021-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some examples of extreme weather you have experienced in your country last year?
  2. What do you think of this/these occurrence/s?
  3. Why do you think this is happening?
  4. Is there anything we can do about extreme weather? Explain.
  5. How prepared is your country for natural calamities? Elaborate.

Health Checks at Certain Age

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the past years, people only used to go the doctor when they were sick or dying. It is necessary to go for a regular medical check-up as it can identify early signs of health issues and can result in a healthier life. “Prevention is better than cure” could not be any truer.

Let’s read the article below about the importance of health checks depending on our life age.

https://theconversation.com/im-approaching-a-milestone-birthday-what-health-checks-should-i-have-at-my-age-172047

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you get a medical check-up? How often should people get a check-up?
  2. What might be reasons people do not get checked up as regularly as they should?
  3. Are you a healthy person? How often do you get sick?
  4. What health changes have you noticed as you’ve begun to age?
  5. Do you consider yourself a hypochondriac? Do you know anybody who might be considered one?
  6. What steps are you taking to ensure you prevent chronic disease down the track?

Making a Business Proposal

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Identifying your business’ goals and objectives is very important in order to properly present them to a prospective customer or client. It will help you persuade your prospects to have a solution to any business problems they might have.

Here is the video showing some tips on how to make a business proposal.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you tried presenting or doing a business proposal? How did it go?
  2. What products or services did you offer?
  3. What are the things that we have to keep in mind when drumming up business proposals?
  4. What are the usual problems/difficulties that can be encountered when making business proposals?
  5. Why is business proposal important? Explain your thoughts.

Pope Francis on Opting for Pets over Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Pope Francis has made comments that couples who opt for animals instead of children are selfish. According to him, there are a lot of people nowadays who prefers to have one child or none at all but has cats or dogs that take the place of children. He also said that this denial of fatherhood or motherhood takes away our humanity. He encourages people to adopt children or make children naturally.

Learn more by reading the article on the website below.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/05/europe/pope-dogs-cats-kids-intl/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree with Pope Francis? Why or why not?
  2. Would you prefer having pets, children, both, or none?
  3. What are the pros and cons of having pets?
  4. What are the pros and cons of having children?
  5. What can happen in the future if more people choose to have pets instead of children?

Pig-to-human Heart Transplant

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Studies show that pig hearts are close to the human heart. However, due to certain factors, the patient surviving after, would most likely not happen.

Thanks to genetically modified pigs, it has been made possible.

To find out more, let’s watch this video.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heart-transplant-pig-human-patient/

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, is this a game changer for people who need organ transplants? Share your views on this medical breakthrough.
  2. Without science, do you think this would have been possible? Explain.
  3. If there were other animals this procedure could be possible with, which ones would it be and why?

China’s Artificial Sun

B1 – Intermediate

Nowadays, scientists want to develop sources of clean energy. China has a project that aims to do this through nuclear fusion. They tested it recently and set a new record. With this success, advances in this technology could help our planet be cleaner and greener.

Read this article to learn about China’s hottest scientific development.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2201/220106-artificial-sun-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What could be the uses of this artificial sun?
2. Who do you think would benefit from using this kind of energy?
3. Do you think this source of energy is safe? Explain.
4. Do you know of other countries that are developing nuclear fusion? Do you think all countries should aim to develop this kind of energy? Why?
5. What are some good sources of clean energy?
6. When would be the right time to shift from fossil fuels to other sources of energy?

Macron Vows to ‘Piss Off’ Unvaccinated

B2 – Upper Intermediate

President Emmanuel Macron promised to make the lives of the unvaccinated population in France difficult and inconvenient. He did so using what some people say, unfit language. This did not sit well with everyone in the country.

Read about the reactions to Macron’s statements about his strategy with the unvaxxed citizens of France.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59873833

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to Macron’s statements on making unvaccinated people’s lives “in the shit”?
  2. Some people think that what he did and the things he said were divisive. Do you agree or disagree?
  3. What is it like being unvaxxed in your country?
  4. What do you think of unvaccinated people?
  5. What might be reasons people refuse to get vaxxed?

Treating Covid Like an Endemic Illness

B2 – Upper Intermediate

After having lived for so many years of the pandemic life, I think it’s safe to say that most of us have had enough. As a result, more and more countries are calling for Covid to be treated like the flu which is an endemic illness.

Spain is one of the first countries to suggest that we all should just start living with it.

Read the article below and watch the video be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/18/spain-to-move-from-treating-covid-19-as-a-pandemic-to-an-endemic

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this? Is it really time for us to start treating Covid much like the flu?
  2. What would be advantages and disadvantages of doing this now?
  3. How has your life changed because of the pandemic?
  4. What is the first thing you’d do once the world ‘goes back to normal’ again?

Debunking the Myths of OCD

B2 – Upper Intermediate

OCD is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. An obsession is an unwanted thought that repeatedly enters your mind while compulsion is a repetitive behavior that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings.

For example, someone with an obsessive fear of being burgled may feel they need to check all the windows and doors are locked several times before they can leave their house.

Watch the video to know more about the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What treatments are available for OCD?
  2. Do you think the obsessions in OCD can lead to aggressive or violent behavior? Why?
  3. Do you know someone who has an OCD?
  4. Do you keep checking things over and over again?
  5. Do you have frequent unwanted thoughts that seem uncontrollable? Do you try to get rid of these thoughts and, if so, what do you do?