Category: Homework

Harambe, Gorilla Killed at Cincinnati Zoo

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Harambe the Gorilla was a 17-year-old Western lowland silverback gorilla that was shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo after a child fell into his enclosure in late May 2016. The incident was wildly criticized by many who blamed the child’s parents for the gorilla’s untimely death. Despite outrage from the public, some experts and activists believe the Cincinnati Zoo did the right thing to fatally shoot an endangered gorilla after a toddler fell into the animal’s enclosure.

Watch the video and read the article from the link below to learn more and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36414813

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about this news?
  2. Do you think it was right to kill the gorilla? Justify your answer.
  3. Do you think there was negligence from the child’s parents end?
  4. How active are the animal rights group in your country?
  5. In your own opinion, what rights do animals have?

‘Ghosts’ Keep Frightened Indonesians Inside, Away from Coronavirus

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to the audio, Kepuh Village in Indonesia has deployed a team of ‘ghosts’ to scare people and keep them staying indoors after evening prayers. Some volunteers dress as “Pocong”. In Indonesian folklores, Pocongs are trapped souls of the dead. The village leaders have decided to take their own measures to keep people safe from Corona Virus.

Hear more information about it in the audio below.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ghosts-keep-frightened-indonesians-inside-and-away-from-coronavirus/5370130.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction to the audio?
  2. Do you believe ghosts are real? Why or why not? If yes, talk about some ghost stories you have/know of.
  3. How can this affect people’s mindset?
  4. Do you think this could work in your country?
  5. What are some ways to keep people indoors?
  6. What are you thoughts on Widodo’s measures?

Massage Health Benefits

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Massage has been practiced for thousands of years. Today, there are many kinds of massage with a wide variety of pressures, movements, and techniques. More and more people recognize the health benefits of it. They choose from among many massage styles to get relief from symptoms or to heal injuries, to help with certain health conditions, and to promote overall wellness.

Read the article to learn more and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/massage/art-20045743

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of massage as a therapy in promoting overall wellness?
  2. Have you ever had a massage? If so, how often do you get one and why do you do it?
  3. What are some of the reasons people get massages?
  4. In your opinion, is a massage only a feel-good way to indulge yourself or a powerful tool to be in control of your health and well-being?
  5. Why do you think such kind of therapy has boomed over the years?

Pig Out

B1 – Intermediate

A French author once said, “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” This is certainly not the case when a person “pigs out”. We need to eat to survive but some people just eat too much at one time. Is this behavior acceptable?

Many expressions in American English have to do with animals.

Watch the video, learn the expression better, and be ready to discuss afterwards.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does to ‘pig out’ mean?
  2. Is it ever okay to pig out?
  3. Have you done it before? If yes, what reasons do you think made you do so?
  4. Why do you think people pig out?
  5. Are you a big eater or do you prefer frequent small meals more?

Accidents

B1 – Intermediate

We like to believe that our home is the safest place to be but it could also be a place for accidents. Working in an office seems safe, right? Accidents can take place there too.
We hear this all the time, ” Accidents do happen.” They really do but is it enough that we accept that they happen normally or is it better that we try to prevent them by being more cautious?

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about accidents and be ready to discuss afterwards.

https://listenaminute.com/a/accidents.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What common accidents at home did the speaker mention?
  2. How did the speaker describe his friend? What does it mean?
  3. Are you prone to accidents? What kinds of accidents have you gotten into?
  4. How do you try to avoid them? What precautionary measures do you take?
  5. Have you witnessed a major accident before? What happened?

The Benefits of Low Emission Zones

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many cities worldwide are striving to make the air we breathe cleaner. One initiative is having low emission zones. London, Bath, Leeds and Birmingham are just some UK cities that are adapting Clean Air Zones.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to know more about low emission zones, their benefits, and other cleaner air initiatives.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200130

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are low emission zones?
  2. What are the benefits of low emission zones?
  3. What are your thoughts on net zero zones?
  4. What kind of other cleaner-air initiatives does your city/country commit to?
  5. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Low emission zones are only one part of the solution to the problem.”

Where Do Cellular Phones Go to Die?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With the proliferation of modern technologies like computers, mobile phones, and all manner of gadgets, there has also been an alarming increase in its by-products which are detrimental to the environment. Known as e-waste, electronic waste, or simply electronic junk, some of these myriads of circuit boards, flat screens, and other computer internals end up in China where the disposal of e-waste has become a thriving business in one town.

Watch the video that follows and weigh in on this matter.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Whenever you purchase a new mobile phone, laptop, or television, what do you do with the item it replaced?
  2. According to the video, what happens to electronic junk after it has been sorted?
  3. What is your opinion about the methods of e-waste disposal described in the video?
  4. How does your city, region, or country tackle the issue of electronic waste?

The Circular Economy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Disposing wastes has environmental consequences and the impact of ineffective waste management often leads to a lot of other problems.

Is circular economy the solution to our problems with waste?

Listen to the audio and be ready to discuss afterwards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200305

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a circular economy?
  2. What are the pros and cons of a circular economy?
  3. Talk about the waste management system in your city.
  4. Is recycling widely practiced in your country? What are your thoughts about recycling?
  5. Do you think manufacturers should be more responsible for disposal of their products?

Millions Worth of Gold Coins in a Garden

B1 – Intermediate

It’s a typical day. You are gardening. The only unusual thing is that you found so many gold coins under one of the trees in your garden!

Read about the good luck this American couple had one ordinary day in their garden.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1402/140228-gold-coins-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What would your reaction be if this happened to you?
  2. What would you do with the gold coins or money from selling them?
  3. What is one thing that you consider your treasure?

Will Humans Become Extinct?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to the audio, about once every thousand years, an event occurs that destroys about a third of the human population. Nowadays, we are experiencing chaos caused by a pandemic called Covid-19. Everyone has been put on lockdown, a lot of people are infected, and some thousands others have died because of this outbreak.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200312

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the audio, what are some of the existential risks?
  2. What do you think could happen if human civilization is destroyed?
  3. Which do you think is the most extreme among these – plagues, natural disasters or modern dangers?
  4. Do you think doomsday is possible? How would you spend your last day?