Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Problems in the Sugar Industry

B1 – Intermediate

Another industry is now feeling the effects of the conflicts in Ukraine. As Ukraine is one of the main producers of sugar beet which is a plant used to make sugar, there could be a shortage in the supply and increase in prices of sugar soon.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the problems in the sugar industry.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/problems-in-the-sugar-industry-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about this news?
  2. How is the stop of sugar harvest in Ukraine affecting the sugar industry?
  3. What will happen if this problem persists?
  4. What products are running out of stock and/or increasing prices in your country as a consequence of the war in Ukraine?
  5. How important is sugar in our day-to-day lives and in industries?

Names

B1 – Intermediate

Our names are a crucial part of our identity. From the day we are born, we are assigned this identifier. It represents who we are. When someone remembers our name, we feel respected and important. That’s why choosing the best name for a child is one of the biggest decisions parents have to face.

Let’s listen to the audio below about names.

https://listenaminute.com/n/names.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you like your name? What does it mean?
  2. If you could change your name, what would you choose to replace it with and why?
  3. Do you have a nickname? If so, what is it and how did you get it?
  4. Are you good at remembering names? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think a person’s name can influence their life/character? Explain your answer.
  6. What is the most common boy/girl’s name in your country? Do you like to have a common name or a distinctive one?

Blue Is the Most Popular Colour

B1 – Intermediate

We grew up believing that each one of us should have a favorite color. It is a question oftentimes asked when we meet new people.

However, is having a favorite color really important? And what are the effects of having a favorite color?

Studies have shown that the color blue is popular with many. Blue is connected to many things around us.

Learn more on how colors relate to people and what these studies say about the color blue at the link below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2206/220609-the-colour-blue-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your favorite color as a child and why? What is your favorite color now? Why did it change?
  2. Do different colors make you feel different emotions? Why or why not?
  3. What are some colors that you don’t like?
  4. Do you agree that blue is connected to something positive? Please explain.
  5. Does the color blue make you happy? Why or why not?
  6. What are considered positive colors? How about negative colors?
  7. What sports team do you like? Do you like the team’s color/s?

Expensive Chicken

B1 – Intermediate

Chicken is an inexpensive type of meat. It is probably one reason it is a staple food in almost all countries. But between the crisis in Ukraine and bird flu, chickens’ prices might increase a lot.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the rising prices of chicken.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/expensive-chicken-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is chicken’s price going up?
  2. What might be the consequences of some countries stopping chicken exports?
  3. What is your government doing to ease the food price costs and safeguard the country’s food supply?
  4. What is your favorite meat and why? What would you do if your favorite food suddenly becomes very expensive?
  5. In your country, what other commodities have increased their prices? How are you affected by this?

Swearing Makes You Physically Stronger

B1 – Intermediate

When you want to maintain your physical strength, the first thing you think you should do is to exercise at the gym. Using foul language or swearing is probably not it. However, some studies show that swearing and bad language bring positive effect on our physical strength.

Read the lesson about how swearing can give us more physical strength.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1705/170508-swearing-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this, “Swearing and bad language make us stronger.”?
  2. Do you really think that swearing increases our tolerance to pain? Explain.
  3. Do you swear a lot? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think people in your country generally curse too much? Is it better to use bad words a lot or not? Explain.
  5. Do you believe swearing is a sign of honesty? Explain.
  6. What are the good and bad things about swearing?

Seven Wonders of the World

B1 – Intermediate

Some places in the world are just inexplicably amazing. Some of them are known as the Wonders of the World. If you were asked to name all the Wonders of the World, would you be able to? That’s going to be hard to do. But we can try.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the Seven Wonders of the World.

https://listenaminute.com/s/seven_wonders_of_the_world.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Seven Wonders of the World? 
  2. Which ones have you visited? Talk about it in full details.
  3. Which ones would you like to see/visit? Why?
  4. What place/places in your country do you think is/are also a wonder?
  5. Maybe future wonders will be in space. What is your opinion on this?

Sightseeing

B1 – Intermediate

Sightseeing is one of the most interesting and exciting things to do when traveling. You go around a city or a country to see their most important places or landmarks. It’s very interesting to learn and discover something new about a place every time.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about sightseeing.

https://listenaminute.com/s/sightseeing.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do people like sightseeing so much? Why do some people don’t like it?
  2. Do you like sightseeing? Why or why not?
  3. What is a place you learned about at school and visited? How was your experience in that moment?
  4. What is the best time of the day to go sightseeing and why? Which do you prefer and why?
  5. Which place do you want to see and why?

Traveling

B1 – Intermediate

There is a saying that goes, “Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”. There are just too many places to visit, too little time.

Traveling gives us a lot of experiences and memories.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about traveling.

https://listenaminute.com/t/travelling.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons you travel?
  2. Why do you think some people don’t enjoy traveling?
  3. Talk about your most memorable trip.
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of planning your trips in advance?
  5. Have you ever gone to a trip without any plans at all? Why or why not?
  6. Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while traveling? What makes this person interesting?
  7. Do you visit places that are off the beaten track? Why or why not?
  8. How do you feel about being somewhere with thousands of other tourists?

British Couple Win a Lottery

B1 – Intermediate

You’ve probably had days when you do not want to go to work. You want to just pack your bags and go on a really long holiday in some exotic destination. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the time nor the money to do so. All we can do is to just wish we’d win the lottery so we never have to work a day in our life. We think having loads of money would help us do whatever we want.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about a couple who won the lottery.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/british-couple-win-a-lottery-level-3/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What would be the very first thing you would buy?
  2. What would you do if you won 230 million dollars? 
  3. Would you give money to friends and family? Who? How much? If not, why?
  4. In what ways would winning the lottery change you and your life? 
  5. Have you ever won anything? What/How much did you win? How did you feel in that moment?

Man Throws Cake at Mona Lisa

B1 – Intermediate

Louvre is a very popular museum in Paris. It is also famous because it is where  Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is displayed. Many people admire this painting when they see it. However, one man did the opposite. He disrespected it and even tried to damage it by punching and throwing a cake on it. Good thing, the painting has glass for protection.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about a man who attempted to damage the Mona Lisa.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/man-throws-cake-at-mona-lisa-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on what this man did to the Mona Lisa? It is supposed that he did it to protest for the environment. Do you agree with what he did or not?
  2. Have you seen the Mona Lisa? If yes, what do you think of it? If not yet, would you like to someday?
  3. Talk about a similar incident that happened in your country.
  4. Why is important to protect famous works of art such as the Mona Lisa?
  5. Talk about the proper behavior at a museum.
  6. Do you like arts? Why or why not?