Category: Homework

Testing the World’s Longest Flight

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some 40 passengers and 10 crew members took a flight for about a 20-hour flight from New York City to Sydney. This flight was a test to find out how long-haul flights such as this could affect the human body. Once investors are convinced and policymakers approve, Qantas Airways aims to offer this route in the future.

Watch this video to know how it’s like to be on what might be the world’s longest flight.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this kind of flight?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of long-haul flights?
  3. Talk about the longest flight you’ve ever been on. How was it like? How could it be improved?

Egypt Opens Ancient Pyramids for the First Time

B1 – Intermediate

Egypt has opened two of its oldest pyramids. These two pyramids are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are now open to the public for the first time since 1965.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1907/190720-pyramids-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Pyramids in Egypt?
  2. Do you think the Pyramids are some of the most important architectural sites in the world?
  3. What do you think will be the effect of tourism on the pyramids?

The United Kingdom Could Break Up

B1 – Intermediate

Many people in the UK want independence. An ex-UK prime minister believes that if the UK leaves the EU, the four nations of the UK will be in trouble.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1908/190813-united-kingdom-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion of the European Union (the EU)?
  2. Why do think people in the UK want this independence? What advantages, if any, would their citizens obtain?
  3. What do you think will happen to the EU without the UK?
  4. Can freedom damage a country?

Child Marriage in Nepal

B1 – Intermediate

Child marriage is very common in poor countries of the Third World. Over half the adults in Nepal married when they were still children. A UNICEF study reports that about 60% of Nepalese women got married before they turned 18 years old.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/people/child-marriage-in-nepal.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about child marriage?
  2. At what age do people usually get married in your country?
  3. In your country, what do women usually do after getting married?
  4. What are some wedding traditions in your country?

Travel Tips

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Samantha Brown has made a career out of globetrotting. The American television host has been known to draw from her wealth of experience on the subject of travel and sharing ideas on how to get the best out of each journey.

In the video that follows, she gives us some travel tips.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What places have you traveled to locally? Where have you gone on holidays overseas?
  2. What are possible motivations for taking trips?
  3. Samantha Brown talks about creating travel rituals. Do you have any of your own?
  4. What are the best things about being in another country for the first time?
  5. What do you think about Brown’s travel tips?
  6. What are your own suggestions for an enjoyable excursion?
  7. What do you think are the best words or phrases to know in a local language to get by in another country?

Benefits of Social Events

B2 – Upper Intermediate

New research found that going to concerts, barhopping, and taking part in other social events could make us healthier. They are restorative environments where people can go to relax, recharge, and boost their mental and physical well-being. As these activities make people healthier, they make lives longer.

Read the article and answer the questions below:

https://basmati.com/2016/09/01/5-health-benefits-social-events-and-activities

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you go to live concerts, shows, and other social events?
  2. What are your favorite social events and activities?
  3. According to the article, how does it affect our health?
  4. Do you agree that these activities positively affect our health and lengthen our life expectancy? Why or Why not?
  5. In order to live longer, how do you keep yourself healthy?
  6. If you were to live a life with longevity, how do you plan to enjoy your long years?

The Most Stressful Jobs

B1 – Intermediate

Job stress is something that every employee can relate to, but not all jobs are created equal.

Listen to the audio about stressful jobs below.

https://www.allthingstopics.com/uploads/2/3/2/9/23290220/uk-stressfuljobs.mp3

Transcript:

“Recently, my nine-year-old son proudly announced to me that he wanted to become a commercial airline pilot when he grows up. I’m happy for him because he spends hours reading books about airplanes, and he loves to play airplane game apps. It’s great to know what career you want at such a young age. As well, the average annual salary for an airline pilot is quite good: US$105,270. Also, being an airline pilot means that you might travel to many exotic locations around the world places that most people might never get a chance to see. However, I wonder if his choice of career is one that I should encourage. You see, this morning I googled “most stressful jobs” and I discovered that my son’s dream career is actually the third most stressful job on a list of top ten most stressful jobs. This makes sense because as a pilot you are responsible for the lives of hundreds of people, you are away from home for many days at a time, and you may have to fly through many different time zones which can be very difficult to adjust to. Number one on the list was “military personnel” (soldier) and number two was “firefighter”. Of course, jobs like these are very dangerous – you must put your life in danger almost daily. Interestingly, however, “taxi driver” was also on the list (at number ten). “

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think is the most stressful job?
  2. What do you think is the least stressful job?
  3. What do you think of your job?
  4. If a job gets too stressful, what would you do?
  5. Would you support your children no matter what career they choose?

Headteacher Has to Clean School Toilets

B1 – Intermediate

The UK government has cut school budgets. Schools have little money to spend and have to reduce cost on many things. Thousands of headteachers have made difficult decisions about how to spend their school’s money.

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

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1903/190326-head-teacher-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about the decision made by the headteacher in the article?
  2. What can you say about your country’s education system?
  3. Does your government pay more attention to issues in the education sector?
  4. Do schools in your country get enough funds?
  5. What other problems related to the education system do you have in your country and how can these issues be addressed?

Hong Kong’s Octopus Card

B1 – Intermediate

The Octopus card is a smart card used for making electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong. It is mostly used in paying for rides on the MTR, buses, minibusses, ferries, trams, and on a few taxis with Octopus readers.

Read more about the Octopus Card in this article below.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/octopus-card-hongkong.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the Octopus card?
  2. How would you differentiate the transport card in your country from the Octopus card?
  3. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this payment system?
  4. In your opinion, what is the best mode of payment?

Men Get Paid More on eBay

B1 – Intermediate

A study shows that women make less money than men when selling the same products on eBay. Those who conducted the study were no longer surprised by gender discrimination but were surprised at how much the difference between men and women was.

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

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/men-get-paid-more-on-ebay.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think are the reasons men are paid more on eBay?
  2. What is your opinion about how women make less money when selling the same products as men on eBay?
  3. Share your thoughts on this, “Women have a better reputation as sellers than men on eBay.”.
  4. Is the gender of the seller important to you when you are shopping online?
  5. What can eBay do to prevent this kind of discrimination from happening on their website?