Tag: audio

Vaccine Volunteers

B1 – Intermediate

Over 25,000 people in the US have volunteered to be part of COVID-19 vaccine trials. They will help find a safe and effective vaccine faster. This will help us to see the end of this pandemic soon.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio and be able to answer the discussion questions.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/vaccine-volunteers-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the risks and benefits of clinical trial vaccines?
  2. Would you volunteer for a vaccine study? Why or why not?
  3. Are human trials for vaccines worth the risk? Explain your point.

Go to Town

B1 – Intermediate

When you do things, do you do them with a lot of enthusiasm? How about when you want something, do you do or spend everything you’ve got just to enjoy it?

Let’s listen to the audio about the expression ‘go to town’.

http://www.idioms4you.com/complete-idioms/go-to-town.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is something that you have done with a lot of enthusiasm?
  2. What is something that you have splurged on?
  3. Are you the type who always ‘goes to town’ or do you do things in minimum?
  4. Why is it good to ‘go to town’? Why is it bad?

Fight Tooth and Nail

B1 – Intermediate

One of the best traits a person can have is being persistence. It is the determination to achieve an objective despite setbacks. In order to do to reach our goal, we must sometimes ‘fight tooth and nail’.

Listen to this audio and find out what ‘fight tooth and nail’ means.

http://www.idioms4you.com/complete-idioms/fight-tooth-and-nail.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does ‘fight tooth and nail’ mean?
  2. What do you do when things don’t go according to your plan? Do you usually have a fallback plan?
  3. Is being persistent always good or is it better to know when to give up?
  4. Talk about a time when you had to go through major difficulties to achieve your goal.

Is This The Era of Distrust?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The fallout of trust on the government, companies, and even individuals is evident in the recent years. As access to information is at an all-time high, it creates room for doubts on people’s minds. We tend to be cynical about almost everything now.

Is it really bad that we doubt? Do we simply have to trust everything we hear and see? Or should we realize that sometimes there is more to it than meets eye?

Listen to this podcast about trust in this day and age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200813

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you a trusting person or a skeptic?
  2. Are you familiar with the Ponzi scheme mentioned in the podcast? What is it about? Did something similar happen in your country?
  3. How would you describe someone who is gullible?
  4. What makes someone truly trustworthy?
  5. Talk about a situation you know of where public trust was betrayed.

World Autism Awareness Day

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Autism is a growing global health crisis. The United Nations General Assembly declared April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in Qatar, 2007. WAAD aims to educate people about autism and different intervention. It celebrates the unique talents and skills of people with this disorder. People with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the world.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript and be able to discuss the questions that follow.

https://eslholidaylessons.com/04/world_autism_awareness_day.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the UN adopting a resolution to recognize this disorder?
  2. How can this resolution help people with autism?
  3. How are people with this disorder viewed and treated in your country?

Online Piracy

B1 – Intermediate

Because of Covid-19 restrictions, a lot of people stay at home. One thing you can do in your house is watching movies and series. Normally, you need to pay for subscription to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or HBO to be able to watch.

But what do you do if don’t want to pay to watch movies and series? Some people go to online piracy sites. These are websites where you can download or stream films and TV shows illegally but for free. This action is a big problem for the entertainment businesses.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about online piracy.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/online-piracy-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is online piracy and how does it affect companies like Netflix and Disney? What are its effects on the entertainment industry?
  2. What is your opinion about online piracy?
  3. How common or big is this problem in your country?

Gut Feeling

B1 – Intermediate

Imagine your boss making an important decision for the company based on their intuition. This would be met with doubts since important decisions should be carefully thought of, right?

Let’s listen to the audio and find out more about gut feelings.

http://www.idioms4you.com/complete-idioms/gut-feeling.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a gut feeling?
  2. Have you ever had one before? Did you react based on it?
  3. Talk about a gut feel you had and did it come true or not?
  4. Do you believe that gut feelings help us avoid danger or potential failure?
  5. What are the things you consider before making major decisions?

Anti-Aging Creams

B1 – Intermediate

They say age is just a number, but we can’t deny the changes we notice on our faces as we grow older. At this point, the quest for younger looking, plumper, and line-free skin begins. Some people opt for surgeries while others try a milder approach such as cosmetic products.

https://listenaminute.com/a/anti-aging_creams.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is an anti-aging cream? Do you believe in its effectiveness?
  2. Are they expensive in your country? Who usually buys them?
  3. Are you a fan of anti-aging cream? Do you think you have the need to use them?
  4. If you would be asked to test a product, would you do it?

Bin Bag Dress

B1 – Intermediate

It is not easy being a woman in business and politics. Sometimes, they suffer from discrimination. A young female politician in Australia experienced this. She has received criticism that are based on her gender or as simple as the way she dresses.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio from the link below.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/bin-bag-dress-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to Nicolle Flint wearing a garbage bag dress?
  2. Is it important for politicians to dress nicely? Why or why not?
  3. What are your thoughts on your politicians’ public image?

Be Safe Around Trains

B1 – Intermediate

Trains are very convenient way to travel from one place to another. However, without proper caution, train stations could be a dangerous place too.

British Transport Police and Network Rail started a campaign on safety at train or railway stations.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio from the link below.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/be-safe-around-trains-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some of the examples of safety campaigns around trains mentioned on the audio?
  2. What safety campaigns around train stations do you know of?
  3. What rules should you follow at a train station?
  4. How safe are train stations in your country? Give details.
  5. Talk about an accident that has happened at a train station.