Tag: B1 – Intermediate

EU Digital Passport System

B1 — Intermediate 

The EU is introducing a new digital passport system. It will allow travelers to use digital travel documents on their phones.

The system may make travel faster and easier. However, people may also have concerns about privacy and data security.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about EU´s new digital passport system.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/eus-new-digital-passport-system-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “biometric check” mean? “This digital system replaces manual passport stamps with biometric checks.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “self-service kiosk” mean? ”Travelers first register at self-service kiosks and then meet a border officer for verification.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “stretch” mean here: “Long queues stretching hundreds of meters have caused travelers to wait up to five hours, which leads to missed flights.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about a digital passport and this new digital passport system?
  2. Would you prefer a digital passport or a traditional passport? Why?
  3. What are the advantages of a digital passport?
  4. What problems could people have with digital passports?
  5. Do you think digital passports are the future of travel?
  6. Should digital passports be used around the world?

The Golden Ratio

B1 — Intermediate 

The Golden Ratio is a special number that helps make things look balanced and nice. It is about 1 to 1.618. People use it in art, buildings, and design. It can be seen in the Parthenon, Mona Lisa, and some famous logos like Twitter and Pepsi.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the golden ratio.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/the-golden-ratio-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the concept of “the golden ratio”. ”In the 1860s, Gustav Fechner claimed people preferred this shape, which helped create the idea that the golden ratio represents beauty.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “disprove“ mean? ”However, his study was later disproved.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “view” mean here: ”Everyone’s view of beauty is different.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the positives and negatives of the golden ratio?
  2. Do you think the Golden Ratio is interesting? Why or why not?
  3. Share your opinion on this, “The golden ratio is interesting in art and nature, but it is not a rule for beauty.”
  4. Share your thoughts on this, “Everyone’s view of beauty is different.”
  5. Talk about something that you think has the most beautiful design. Describe it as detailed as you can.
  6. If you could design something, what would you make?

Google Earth Flight Simulator

B1 — Intermediate 

Google’s Flight Simulator is a fun feature in Google Earth. You can fly a virtual plane over cities, mountains, and oceans. It uses real satellite images and 3D maps. The controls are simple, but flying takes practice. It is great for exploring the world from the sky.

Read the article about Google Earth flight simulator.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2606/260618-google-earth.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “flight simulator”? ”To use the flight simulator, you will have to open the Google Earth website and click on the “Explore Earth” button in the top right corner.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “high-fidelity“ mean in this context: ”The flight simulator is designed for casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What is a “drop-down menu”? ”To start flying, you need to click on “Tools” in the menu bar and then select “Flight simulator” from the drop-down menu.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can this simulator help people learn about the world?
  2. What are other things people can learn from using Google’s Flight Simulator? 
  3. Would you ever use Google’s Flight Simulator? Why or why not? Which country would you like to visit in the simulator?
  4. Is it better to explore places online or in real life? Why?
  5. Do you like games or apps that let you explore places?
  6. If you could fly anywhere, where would you go first?

Young People Leaving Turkey

B1 — Intermediate 

A recent study found that many young people in Turkey feel unhappy. Many of them are thinking about moving to another country, especially to Europe. They hope to find better jobs and have a better life. A lot of young Turks are worried about their future.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the way young Turks feel about their future.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/young-people-are-leaving-turkey-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “gloomy mood” mean? ”A recent study has revealed a gloomy mood among young people in Turkey, and has shown that nearly two-thirds are considering emigrating, primarily toward Europe.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “stagnant economy” mean? ”In addition, the country is suffering from high inflation and a stagnant economy.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “job prospect“ mean? ”This leaves young Turks with bad job prospects and an official unemployment rate of 31%.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your views on this, “Turkey now faces a danger of losing its youth as young people choose between staying to fight for freedom or seeking success abroad.”
  2. What is your opinion about young Turks thinking about moving to Europe?
  3. How did you imagine your future would be like when you were young? How does it compare to your life now?
  4. How do you think young people from your country feel about their future?
  5. What can a country do to help young people have a better future?

Argentina Fans Have Heart Problems after Matches

B1 — Intermediate 

Watching sports events such as the World Cup football is exciting, but it can also be stressful.

A study from Argentina found that strong emotions during big games can cause heart problems in some people. This is more dangerous for people who already have heart problems. Fans should enjoy the games but also take care of their health.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the rise in serious heart-related issues among football fans.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/argentina-fans-have-heart-problems-after-matches-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “cardiac arrest” mean? ”Medical experts explained that the extreme tension triggers high blood pressure, dangerous arrhythmias, severe chest pain, and even cardiac arrest.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “spike” mean here: ”As the defending champions reached the 2026 final after several dramatic, late-minute comebacks, cardiologists reported a sharp spike in cardiovascular cases.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “emotional rollercoaster” mean? ”While football itself doesn’t cause these medical events, the intense emotional rollercoaster can act as a dangerous trigger for individuals who already have some health issues.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. Do you think some fans take sports too seriously? Why?
  3. Why do people care so much about their favorite team? 
  4. Should people with heart problems be more careful when watching exciting sports? Why?
  5. Have you ever felt very excited or nervous during a sports game? Talk about it.

The EU Checks Meta

B1 — Intermediate 

The European Commission is preparing to intensify its formal investigation into Meta Platforms over claims that it uses addictive design elements to keep children using its social media apps.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the European Commission’s official investigation into Meta Platforms.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/the-eu-checks-meta-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hooked on something” mean? “According to recent reports, EU regulators are preparing preliminary findings that accuse the tech giant of using addictive design practices specifically to keep children hooked on its social media platforms.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “breaching” mean? “This move follows previous charges from April, where the EU accused Meta of breaching tech rules and failing to block children under 13 from accessing its networks.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “a landmark court verdict” mean? “In the US, the company is lobbying Congress for legal immunity against claims of harming children, especially after a landmark court verdict found both Meta and Google negligent in designing platforms harmful to youth.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is social media helpful or harmful to children and teenagers? Explain your answer.
  2. Should children below 13 years old be allowed to use social media? Explain your answer.
  3. Do you think social media platforms are designed to keep users addicted? Why?
  4. Who should be most responsible for protecting children on social media: parents, schools, governments, or technology companies? Why?
  5. “Social media companies should face legal penalties if their platforms harm children.” Do you agree or disagree?

Knee Surgery May Do More Harm than Good 

B1 — Intermediate 

Hundreds of thousands of people undergo knee surgery each year. According to the surgeons who conducted a study in Finland, some knee procedures may only worsen knee problems.

Read this article about the study concluding that some knee surgeries can make knee problems worse.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2607/260716-knee-surgery.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “tear” mean here: ”They found that surgery on tears in the knee cartilage rarely worked. ” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “relief” mean? ”She said her method could provide years of relief by reducing pain inside the knee joint.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “joint” mean here: ”She said her method could provide years of relief by reducing pain inside the knee joint.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Were you surprised by the findings of the Finnish study? Why or why not?
  2. If you had chronic knee pain, would you choose surgery or try the new treatment first? Explain your answer.
  3. Do you think people should always get a second medical opinion before having surgery? Why?
  4. What kinds of activities can help keep our knees healthy?
  5. Have you or someone you know ever had knee problems? What happened?

Oil-Free Lego Bricks

B1 — Intermediate 

Lego has ended its ambitious plan to replace the oil-based plastic in its bricks after finding out that recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) would only result to higher carbon emissions than the current material.

Even though they have not found a suitable alternative, Lego says it is still committed to sustainability and plans to make its toys from eco-friendly materials by 2032.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about Lego ending its project to use RPET in replacing oil-based plastics in their bricks.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/oil-free-lego-bricks-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “high-profile” mean? ”Danish toymaker Lego has abandoned a high-profile project to replace oil-based plastics in its bricks.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “retain” mean? ”The main challenge was finding a material that was both environmentally friendly and retained the same color, shine, and sound as the oil-based plastic bricks.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “embark” mean? ”The company embarked on this journey in 2020 to replace its plastic bricks with sustainable options.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think it was the right decision to stop the project? Why or why not? 
  2. Which is more important: product quality or protecting the environment? Why?
  3. Do you think companies like Lego should keep trying to make their products more environmentally friendly? Why or why not?
  4. Why is it sometimes difficult for companies to become more environmentally friendly?
  5. Would people still buy Lego if the bricks looked or felt a little different, but were better for the environment? Why?

Fake AI Ads

B1 — Intermediate 

Nowadays, you will see a lot of advertisements made using AI on social media. These ads usually sell products that are cheap, low-quality, or sometimes, do not exist at all.

Scammers use AI to make realistic videos and fake customer reviews. They can make these ads quickly and at a low cost. The ads appear on dodgy websites and even on trusted platforms like Amazon.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about fake AI advertisements.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/fake-ai-ads-level-2

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to be flooded with something” mean? ”Social media platforms are being flooded with ultra-realistic ads created by AI to sell products that either don’t exist or turn out to be cheap junk.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “to slip through” mean? ”Experts note that these ads easily slip through automated moderation systems due to the sheer volume of new content.” Use the phrasal verb in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “shady” mean? ”These ads appear on both shady websites and legitimate platforms like Amazon.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever seen an AI-generated ad online? What is your opinion about them? 
  2. Do you think AI-generated ads are dangerous? Why or why not?
  3. Should social media platforms do more to stop fake ads? Discuss your opinion.
  4. What do you do before buying a product you see in an online ad?
  5. Have you ever bought something that looked different from the ad? Talk about your experience.

The EU Taxes Cheap Parcels from China

B1 — Intermediate 

The European Union (EU) has introduced a new 3-euro fee on cheap parcels from China. The new tax rule will affect online shopping sites like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress.

The EU says this change will help create fairer competition for local businesses.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the new tax rules on inexpensive parcels from China in the EU.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/the-eu-taxes-cheap-parcels-from-china-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “retailer” mean? ”The EU has introduced a new 3-euro fee on low-value e-commerce parcels from China, which targets major online retailers like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “tax loophole” mean? ”Lawmakers argue that this tax loophole was abused on an industrial scale, which gave Chinese giants a massive competitive advantage over local businesses.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “duty-free” mean? ”Previously, these platforms entered the EU bloc duty-free under a long-standing exemption for goods under 150 euros.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction and opinion about this new tax rule?
  2. Should all companies, local and foreign, follow the same tax rules? Why?
  3. Do you think the new fee will help local businesses? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think people will continue shopping on these websites after the new fee? Why or why not? 
  5. Would you be willing to pay extra fees for low-cost products? Explain.