Category: Homework

The West Outsources More IT Jobs to Eastern Europe

B1 – Intermediate

Every company wants to reduce its costs. Some Western European companies outsource jobs to Eastern Europe because its cheaper and workers there are highly qualified.

Read about outsourcing in Europe from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/west-outsources-jobs-to-eastern-europe.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is outsourcing, and why do companies choose to outsource certain jobs or services?
  2. What are the main benefits of outsourcing for businesses? What are the potential disadvantages of outsourcing?
  3. What challenges can arise when working with outsourced teams in different countries?
  4. Do consumers benefit from outsourcing? Why or why not?
  5. Should companies prioritize reducing costs through outsourcing or creating jobs locally?

Mobile Banking on the Increase

B1 – Intermediate

Only a little percentage in underdeveloped countries has access to banks but a lot of people have mobile phones. Nowadays, mobile banking is on the rise in these countries.

Read about the rise of mobile banking in underdeveloped countries from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/mobile-banking-in-developing-countries.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is mobile banking growing in underdeveloped countries?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile banking?
3. Do you do mobile banking? Why or why not?
4. How popular is mobile banking in your country?
5. What do you think are the future trends in banking?

Mastercard Removes Its Name from Its Logo

B1 – Intermediate

Mastercard is changing its logo. It plans to just have a logo without the name of the company.

Read about Mastercard’s new company logo from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1901/190111-company-logo-4.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on this change in Mastercard’s logo?
2. How important are company logos to businesses?
3. What do you think makes a good company logo?
4. Which companies do you think have very good logos?
5. Describe your company logo. Do you like it as it is or do you want to improve it a little bit?

Optimism is Good for Our Health

B1 – Intermediate

Research has found that people who are overly optimistic may have “faulty” brains. According to a study, the reason a lot of people always see the positive side of things is perhaps due to the fact that they don’t have the ability to sensibly deal with risk.

Read about over-optimism from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1110/111010-optimism.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion about positive thinkers possibly having “faulty” brains?
2. What are the good and bad things about always being optimistic?
3. Do you believe that we must always be optimistic?
4. Do you agree or disagree that “seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty can be a positive thing”?
5. Talk about some ways that help you stay positive.

Workers Must Take Lunch Breaks

B1 – Intermediate

A health group in the U.K. workers must take lunch breaks and exercise to stay active at work. A study says that a lot of people continue to work during their lunch breaks. This is not good for our health.

Read about the importance of taking lunch breaks from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1406/140608-lunch-breaks-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to get some air” mean? “They went shopping or got some air.” Use this expression in a sentence.
  2. What does “to take time off” mean, “People get sick and take time off work.” Use this expression in a sentence.
  3. What does “full-time” mean, “A spokeswoman said full-time workers spend a lot of time travelling to and from work.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on working lunches?
2. Why is taking a break in the middle of the workday important?
3. What do you usually do during your lunch break?
4. Do you agree that we need to find ways to be more active at work?
5. What does your company do or offer to help you stay active?

Google Will Check for Depression

B1 – Intermediate

Google has joined America’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to check people’s mental health online.

Read about what Google will do to check if people are depressed from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1708/170826-depression-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on what Google will do?
2. This questionnaire will only be available in America. Would you like it to be available in Spain/Europe too?
3. Why do you think people with symptoms of depression have many years of delay before getting treatment?
4. Do you think a chat box to psychological services would help?
5. Do many people in your country know about depression and other mental health problems?

90-year-old Starts Elementary School

B1 – Intermediate

Priscilla Sitienei, 90, is the world’s oldest elementary school pupil. She wasn’t able to go to school when she was a little girl. Now, she hopes to be a model for the children in her village. She wants to inspire them to get an education.

Read about the oldest elementary student from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1501/150128-elementary-school-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this headline?
  2. Would you do the same if you were Priscilla?
  3. Do you agree or disagree with what she said that “With education, you can be whatever you want.” and that “education will be your wealth.”?
  4. How can we motivate children to study?
  5. What memories do you have of your elementary school days?

Malaysia’s 92-year-old Leader

B1 – Intermediate

Mahathir Mohamad, 92, is Malaysia’s next prime minister and the world’s oldest elected leader.

He is known as one of Malaysia’s strongmen. He has ended 60 years of rule of the Barisan Nasional (BN) party.

Read about the oldest leader from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1805/180512-oldest-leader-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that there should be an age at which all leaders must start with/retire from their political careers? Explain.
  2. What are the most important things for a leader to have (e.g. experience, charisma, qualifications, youth, etc.)?
  3. What is your opinion about having a 90-plus-year-old leader in your country?
  4. How are younger/older leaders better leaders?
  5. Would you be a good leader? Why or why not?

Child Grooms

B1 – Intermediate

UNICEF’s newest report finds that over 23 million young boys are forced to get married even before they turn 15. Most stories we hear about child marriages involve girls but in Africa, Latin America, Asia and nations in the Pacific, child grooms are very common.

Read about child grooms from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1906/190610-child-grooms-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this report?
  2. How does getting married at an early age affect an individual?
  3. What do you think is the best age to get married? Why?
  4. What are the best things about childhood?
  5. Do you know anyone who got married at a very young age?

Road Rage

B1 – Intermediate

Road rage means violent anger due to the stress of driving a vehicle in difficult conditions like traffic jams. Did you know that it is a mental disorder?

Read about road rage from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/society/road-rage/road-rage-aggressive-behaviour.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. What causes road rage?
2. What can we do to prevent road rage?
3. What do you think about the software that can help prevent road rage?
4. Have you ever witnessed drivers in road rage?
5. Do you hear news about road rage in your country?