Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Happiness

B1 – Intermediate

Happiness is a simple word with a deep meaning behind it. When we feel positive emotions we tend to feel happy. That is what happiness is all about. It is also regarded as the mental state of a person in an optimistic manner.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript below about happiness.

https://listenaminute.com/h/happiness.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “happiness“? Explain.
  2. What does the word “measure” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “doom and gloom” mean? Give 2 synonyms. Use them in sentences.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What’s your idea of happiness?
  2. Do you think that happiness lies within you or does it depend upon other people and external things? Explain.
  3. What is or was the happiest time of your life?
  4. Do you feel that you have to work hard and be miserable now in order to be happy later? Elaborate.

Library

B1 – Intermediate

A library is the place where books regarding every type are held. Many people love to spend their time inside the library. They gain wisdom, knowledge and joy of the vast period of history, science, fiction, art and architecture.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript below about libraries.

https://listenaminute.com/l/libraries.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘library’? Explain.
  2. What does “atmosphere” mean here, “They all have a special atmosphere.”? Give 2 synonyms.
  3. What does it mean when “something/someone does things to something/someone” mean? “A room with a large collection of books does things to people.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that “Every library I’ve been to in the world is the same.” Explain your point.
  2. When have you spent the most time in a library and why?
  3. What does a room with a large collection of books do to you?
  4. Do you think libraries have changed over the years? Elaborate.
  5. What do you think libraries will be like 50 years from now?

Disability

B1 – Intermediate

Disability refers at physical, mental or other inability of a person that one is incapable of completing a task that would require typically normal efforts. Each type of disability needs different kind of support and assistance.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about disability.

https://listenaminute.com/d/disability.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘disability’? Explain.
  2. What does “human spirit” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to excel” mean? Give 2 synonyms.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Some people prefer to use the term ‘physically challenged’ instead of ‘disabled’. What do you think about this?
  2. What problems do people with disabilities face in your country?
  3. Do you always try to help people who are disabled? In what way?

Credit Cards

B1 – Intermediate

Credit cards are plastic cards that lets you pay for goods or services and can be paid for either at the end of a set period which is normally a month. They are also known as plastic money and even more secure than cash.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about credit cards.

https://listenaminute.com/c/credit_cards.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the expression “to be the thing of the future” mean? “Many years ago I read that credit cards were the thing of the future.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “note” mean here, “People are still using notes and coins.“? Use this word in a sentence.
  3. What does the word “mile” mean in this sentence, “When you use your card, you get air miles and every six months you can cash them in for presents.“? Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you like most about credit cards?
  2. In what ways are credit cards better than cash?
  3. What do you usually use your credit card for?
  4. Do you think we’ll still be using credit cards twenty years from now? Explain.
  5. Would people be in a better financial situation without credit cards? Explain.

New Car Technology

B1 – Intermediate

Technology is amazingly dynamic. It constantly improves each year and there are always new technologies emerging all the time. Some technologies that were just seen in science fiction movies are beginning to come to life.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about different new car technologies.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/new-car-technology-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “kaleidoscope” mean? Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “prototype” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does”simulation” mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the focus of Consumer Electronics Show 2023?
  2. What do you think of this new car technology?
  3. Would you like to own a flying car?
  4. What are the pros and cons of a flying car?
  5. In your opinion, what kind of technology will be invented in the future?

Health News in 2022

B1 – Intermediate

The year 2022 had yet been another memorable year for all. Each industry has had their breakthroughs and outstanding developments, including, the health and medical field. Loads of life-changing progress were achieved in the health sector in the said year.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about some advancements in the health sector for the year 2022.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/2022-health-news-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the expression “to keep one’s eye on something” mean? “A driving simulator teaches teens with ADHD to keep their eyes on the road.” Use it in your own sentence.
  2. Give 1-2 synonym/s of the word “glance”. Use them in your own sentences.
  3. What does “immersive” mean? Use it in your own sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of these new technologies?
  2. Which one do you think is the most helpful and why?
  3. What other medical technologies do you know were invented in 2022? Describe them and their uses.
  4. What health device have you started using? Talk about how it helps you in your day-to-day life.

South Koreans to Become Younger

B1 – Intermediate

In South Korea, there are three different ways to tell how old they are. It is rather confusing, isn’t it? But not for long. They have a new law that can simplify age in their country. Hopefully, it will help end the confusion people have when telling their age.

Read the article to know about the new law that will make South Koreans now a year or two younger.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2212/221222-being-younger.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “lawmaker”? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What is “military service”? Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “relieved” mean in this sentence, “A Korean Twitter user was relieved there is a new law to make things simpler.”? Give a synonym and also use it in your own sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your own words, explain the three ways South Korea tell their age. What is your opinion about having 3 different ages?
  2. Do you think this new law will be helpful? Why or why not?
  3. What are the good and bad things about having 3 different ages?
  4. If you were from this country, would you continue to use the Korean age?
  5. What is the best and worst thing about your current age?

Japanese Will Never Travel Again

B1 – Intermediate

As the lockdowns end and borders reopen, people became free to travel to other countries again! You would think everyone would be excited about this.

Apparently, some Japanese think the opposite. They prefer to explore their own country and its nature instead.

Read the article to know why some Japanese do not want to travel again.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2301/230102-travel-plans-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “lockdown” mean? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What is a “bucket list”? Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “engrossed” mean? Use it in your own sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this, “Almost 35 percent of Japanese people said they never wanted to leave Japan again.”?
  2. What are reasons some Japanese do not want to travel outside of their country again?
  3. How has the pandemic changed your interest in traveling?
  4. Which is better: traveling around your own country or overseas? Explain.
  5. Did you travel in a new city in your country during the pandemic? Talk about your discovery.

Immigration

B1 – Intermediate

Immigration is the process of acquiring permanent residence in a foreign country. Most people decide to move to other country when they are not satisfied with conditions in their homeland: lack of jobs, low salaries, high taxes, corruption. All of these make a person seek a better life.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about immigration.

https://listenaminute.com/i/immigration.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word “immigration” mean? “Immigration wasn’t really a problem a long time ago.” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does the verb “encourage” mean? “The USA, Australia and Canada encouraged millions of people to come and live in their countries.” Give 2 synonyms and use ‘encourage’ in a sentence.
  3. What does “risk” mean here, “People risk their lives to get the chance of starting a new life in a rich country.“? Give 2 synonyms and use ‘risk’ in a sentence in this context.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is immigration from one country to another a problem? In what ways do you see it as a problem?
  2. What are reasons people immigrate?
  3. Would you like to live and work in another country? Where and Why?
  4. How does immigration affect the economic situation in your community?

Hacking

B1 – Intermediate

Cyber hacking has stolen millions from people worldwide, and not just money but also people’s personal information. Company computers and network systems have crashed because of cyber hacking.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about hacking.

https://listenaminute.com/h/hacking.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hacking” mean? Elaborate.
  2. What does the word illegal mean? Give 2 synonyms.
  3. What does the word information mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about hacking?
  2. Why do you think hackers do what they do?
  3. Do you always download security updates to protect your computer from hackers? Why or why not?