Category: Homework

The Dangers of a Nice Company Culture

B2 – Upper Intermediate

People seek genuine pleasant workplaces, not superficial ones. Seize the opportunity to reflect and assess whether your organization genuinely nurtures a culture of kindness or simply puts up a front.

This enlightening article delves into the hazards of a “nice” company culture.

https://www.applauz.me/resources/the-dangers-of-a-nice-culture

Vocabulary Questions:

Give the meaning of the highlighted words in the following sentences. Provide sample sentences.

  1. In short, is it possible to set the bar too low?
  2. Mistakes and toxic actions being swept under the rug.
  3. Nice cultures are guilty of the opposite — dancing around hard truths.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does the article define “nice company culture” and why is it hazardous?
  2. Why do leaders pursue a nice culture in organizations?
  3. What are the downsides of a nice culture in an organization?
  4. How does open and honest communication help combat the hazards of a nice company culture?
  5. Have you faced challenges expressing dissenting views or giving candid feedback? How were they received, and what were the outcomes?

Chile’s Lithium Industry 

B1 – Intermediate

Chile is a country that is known for its rich mineral deposits. It has become a key player in the global lithium industry.

With increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and portable electronics, Chile’s lithium reserves have become a very important asset for a greener and more sustainable world.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the lithium industry in Chile.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/chiles-lithium-industry-level-1/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to take control of” mean in this sentence, “Chile’s president Gabriel Boric wants to take control of the country’s lithium industry. Lithium is a metal used in electric car batteries.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “take over” mean in this sentence, “The government will take over their lithium factories and run a new company. This will make it harder for electric car makers to get the materials which they need.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. “Other countries are also trying to protect their resources. Mexico, Argentina, and Bolivia are working together to use lithium and other minerals well.” What does “resources” mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does the global demand for electric vehicles impact Chile’s lithium production and exportation?
  2. What are some future developments or opportunities for Chile’s lithium industry?
  3. What are some common uses of lithium in everyday life apart from batteries?
  4. What are other materials or technologies being developed that could potentially replace lithium in batteries? Talk about them.

Electric Tuk-Tuks

B1 – Intermediate

Picture yourself going through narrow streets, feeling the wind on your face, and enjoying the sights and sounds of a busy city.

This is the charm of the tuk-tuk — a popular three-wheeled vehicle, known for their compact size and open-air design, have become synonymous with urban mobility and cultural experiences.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about electric tuk-tuks.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/electric-tuk-tuks-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “fix” mean in this sentence, “Sri Lanka is having problems with their energy supply and many people lost their jobs because of it. To fix this, the government wants to change 500,000 tuk-tuks to electric ones over five years.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. “The government hopes to help people who have lost their jobs and help the environment, too.” What does “environment” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. “Sri Lanka is having problems with their energy supply and many people lost their jobs because of it.” What does “energy supply” mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever ridden in a tuk-tuk? If yes, where was it and what was your experience like? If not, would you like to try riding in one?
  2. How can the change from traditional to electric tuk-tuks affect the owners/drivers in Sri Lanka?
  3. What are the differences between traditional taxis and tuk-tuks?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using tuk-tuks for short-distance travel?
  5. How do you think tuk-tuks help the tourism industry in different countries?

Women Drive Buses

B1 – Intermediate

In a very busy city, there are dedicated people who have a crucial role in keeping our communities connected and moving smoothly—bus drivers. Often disregarded, these heroes ensure that people reach their destinations safely and on time.

Breaking traditional gender roles and stereotypes, women entering the bus driving profession not only contribute to diversity and equality but also showcase their capabilities and skills in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about female bus drivers in Colombia.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/women-drive-buses-in-colombia-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1.  What does “on-site” mean in this sentence, “Drivers get a monthly salary of 376 dollars, and the company plans to build an on-site daycare center for its employees.” Use it in a sentence
  2. “Bogotá wants to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.” What does “emissions” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “run” mean in this sentence, “La Rolita is a Colombian electric bus fleet run by women and it is changing public transit in the capital city of Bogotá.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about women driving buses? Elaborate.
  2. Can you think of any challenges that women might face as bus drivers? How can these challenges be overcome?
  3. In which other professions would like to see more women breaking gender barriers in?

Man Opens Door During Flight 

B1 – Intermediate

Flight is a wondrous thing that has changed the way we explore and connect with the world. It allows us to travel long distances in a short amount of time, making the world feel smaller and more accessible.

During a flight, we can enjoy many things that the airline offers. We can watch movies, listen to music, or simply relax and look out the window.

It’s important to remember that flying comes with responsibilities. We should be considerate of our fellow passengers, keep quiet, and respect their space. Most importantly of all, we should also follow safety instructions to ensure a smooth and secure flight.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript to know the incident of a man opening the plane door during a flight.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/a-man-opens-the-door-during-flight-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to find (something) out” mean in this sentence, “The police are questioning the suspect and they are trying to find out why he did it.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “lever” mean? “He pulled a lever and opened the door. Videos showed strong winds blowing at passengers.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “suspect” mean? “The suspect was a 33-year-old passenger who was sitting near the emergency exit. He pulled a lever and opened the door. Videos showed strong winds blowing at passengers.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to what the man did?
  2. Have you ever taken a flight? If yes, where did you go? If not, where would you like to go?
  3. What are some safety measures you should follow during a flight?
  4. What are some potential risks or challenges that travelers might face during their journey? How can they be prepared to handle such situations?
  5. What are your travel tips / advices for someone who is taking their first flight?

Life Purpose

B2 – Upper Intermediate

At what moments in our lives do we start thinking about the meaning of life? Our life purpose can be described in many ways and some people of different ages ponder over this personal enigma.

Read the article and try to unlock the mystery of life by discussing common views on life’s meaning. 

https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-life-purpose

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “fluctuation” mean here, “What’s more, your purpose can actually shift and change throughout life in response to the evolving priorities and fluctuations of your own experiences.”? Give a synonym and use ‘fluctuation’ in this context in a sentence.
  2. What does “shipwreck” mean in this context, “Questions about life purpose may arise at any time in life, but you may notice that they are especially prevalent during times of transition or crisis—for example, a career or educational change, personal loss, or long-distance move. Sharon Daloz Parks calls these events “life’s shipwrecks.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “reframe” mean? “This is the secret to a fully alive life: to reframe our life questions over and over.“ Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the article, what is the secret to a fully-alive life?
  2. Share your thoughts on the equation for purpose that is G + P + V = P (gifts + passions + values = purpose).
  3. Would you say that you have fulfilled some of your dreams? What have you accomplished?
  4. What do you think is your life purpose?
  5. Is life a predetermined path? Explain your views on this.

Silence Your Inner Critic

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are times when we end up being our own biggest critic. We tend to be harsher on ourselves when we mess something up. Rather than being our biggest enemy, we must try to be kinder to ourselves and free ourselves from our inner critics.

Read this article to learn the easiest way to silence your inner critic.

https://lifehacker.com/the-easiest-way-to-silence-your-inner-critic-1850497775

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “stem from something” mean? “He used to have a severe case of toxic self-talk that stemmed from an addiction to perfectionism, as it related to performance.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does “to be stuck in a loop” mean? “In fact, many of us are stuck in a toxic feedback loop with ourselves that is more damaging than we might think.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “the bulk of the work” mean? “Regardless, the bulk of the work is done when you stop talking to yourself negatively and redirect that negative self-talk into a kinder monologue.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you find yourself being your own biggest critic? How so, and in which situations?
  2. According to the article, negative self-talk can have a significant impact on our self-esteem and well-being. Can you think of a time when your inner critic affected your confidence or mood?
  3. What other steps can you take to have more self-compassion and avoid all the negative self-talk?
  4. Do you believe that silencing your inner critic can have a positive impact on your personal and professional growth? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think having an inner critic is ever necessary? Why or why not?

Lab-Grown Steak

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whether we like it or not, most of us are carnivorous. Are we not? Most of the time, we visit restaurants to order our preferred rare, medium, or well-done steak. Can you imagine living a life without meat on our tables? Probably not, right? No worries. That’s so normal for most of us meat lovers.

According to experts, the global beef industry has been broken. Hence, the attempt to produce meat in laboratories. Although this sounds wonderful, it still might have a rather strange ring to it.

Please watch the video below to learn more about lab-grown meat.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to make room for someone/something” mean? ” “On average, tropical rainforests the size of El Salvador are cleared every year to make room for cattle.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  2. Explain what ” to hop/jump on the bandwagon” means? “It’s like everyone wants to hop on to that bandwagon.” Kindly make your sentence.
  3. How about “pour in“? “It wasn’t until 2020 that funding for lab-grown food really started to pour in. ” Give a similar expression and make your own sentence using the phrase “pour in”.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe that this could resolve the current problems, particularly in the broken supply chain? Elaborate on your opinion.
  2. What are your thoughts on lab-grown meat? Would you be so interested in giving it a try? Why/why not?
  3. In general, what are your thoughts on other meat/beef alternatives?
  4. Share reaction to this statement, “Beef is one of the most damaging foods for the planet.“.
  5. Do you enjoy eating meat? How much meat do you consume per week and why is that?

Dirty UK Waters

B1 – Intermediate

In order to stop sewage pollution, several organizations such as Surfers Against Sewage continue to work to ensure the continuous improvement in the water quality in the UK.

However, water companies and big firms are not doing their part to keep the water in the UK clean. As a result, protests against sewage pollution have been held in different parts of the UK.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about protests to end sewage pollution in the UK.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/dirty-uk-waters-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the definition of the word “sewage”. “Sewage pollution has a bad impact on rivers, seas, and people, too.”. Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “discharge” mean? “The goal is to stop sewage discharge into bathing waters and reduce sewage discharges by 90% by 2030.” Give 1-2 synonym/s of ‘discharge’ and use the word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to put money into something” mean? “The problem is that companies don’t want to put money into modern technologies, and also, the current water quality testing system is not good enough.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this: “The problem is that companies don’t want to put money into modern technologies…”?
  2. What are some effects of sewage pollution?
  3. How can we prevent sewage pollution?
  4. Is sewage pollution also a problem in your country? Talk about it.
  5. Talk about anything you know about sewage management.

Manuka Honey Trademark Battle

B1 – Intermediate

Manuka honey is premium quality honey made from bees that only pollinate manuka or tea trees which are native in Australia and New Zealand. 

For years, the two countries have had some disputes on who owns the right to manuka honey’s trademark.

Read this lesson about the manuka honey trademark battle between Australia and New Zealand.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2305/230525-manuka-honey-trademark-2.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the definition of the word “trademark”. “The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand decided that no one could trademark the word “manuka”.”. Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “treasured” mean here, “They said manuka was a “treasured” NZ species.”? Give 1-2 synonym/s of ‘treasured’ and use the word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “long history” mean, “Our product has a long history of being recognized as manuka honey.”? Use this idiom in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand’s decision to not let anyone trademark the word “manuka”?
  2. Are there any products from your country that became controversial due to its trademark? Talk about them.
  3. What are some products that your country is well-known for? Why are they world-famous?