Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Birthdays

B1 – Intermediate

Our birthday is a very important day and it is a day that makes us feel special. There are many ways to celebrate your birthday. Some throw big parties and open gifts after their big birthday celebrations. How do you celebrate your birthday?

Let’s listen to the audio and read the transcript about birthdays below.

https://listenaminute.com/b/birthdays.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How important are birthdays to you and why?
  2. How do you prefer to celebrate your own birthday?
  3. How do people usually celebrate birthdays in your country? What other birthday traditions are common in your country?
  4. Have you ever had a bad birthday? If so, what happened?
  5. Do you usually organize your own birthday party? Or do you prefer to have someone else organize it for you? Explain.
  6. Do you worry about getting older or does ageing not really bother you? Share your thoughts.

Japan Opens to Foreign Tourists

B1 – Intermediate

Japan is one of the world’s most visited country. It is well-known for it’s pop culture and advance technologies.

However, like most countries, they had to close their borders due to the pandemic. After almost two years, they are finally opening their borders up to foreign tourists again.

Let’s read the article below to know more about Japan’s reopening for tourism.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2205/220530-japan-tourism-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it better to travel domestically rather than internationally at the moment? Explain.
  2. What are the benefits of international tourism? Explain.
  3. Was Japan right to close to tourists for two years? Why or why not?
  4. Is it time for countries to reopen and relax travel restrictions now? Explain.
  5. Is it better to travel as part of a package tour or as a solo traveler? Explain.
  6. How was your country during the Covid pandemic?
  7. What places in Japan would you really like to visit and why?
  8. Why should foreign tourists visit your country?

Footballer Unhurt After Gunfight during Mugging

B1 – Intermediate

Gratitude is the best mantra to be happy. It refers to the feeling and attitude of appreciation and thankfulness we receive in life, and life is exciting and full of surprises.

Brazilian football player Emerson Royal has his luck star to thank. He was saved from imminent danger by a police officer.

Let’s read the article below to know more about what happened to this famous footballer.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2206/220606-angel-police-officer-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the good and bad things about being a police officer?
  2. Have you ever been eternally grateful to anyone? What did they do to or for you?
  3. Should soccer players get more security especially when they go out in public? Why/why not?
  4. Should the police officer get an award for saving the football player? Why or why not?
  5. What would you do if you were attacked?
  6. How dangerous is your city at night?

Night Shift Work

Due to the boom of 24-hour services, there has been a high demand for night shift work. This allows businesses to deliver their services uninterrupted.

Some people adapt well to working late. However, this work setup can be difficult for many. It affects a person’s health because of the unusual working hours.

Listen to the audio and the transcript at the link for more information on night shift work.

https://www.esleschool.com/night-shift-work/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the good and bad things about working at night? What are some bad effects of night work on our health?
  2. Why do people work at night?
  3. What time of the day are you most productive? Why do you think that is?
  4. Do you like 24-hour supermarkets or mini grocers? Why or why not?
  5. How many hours of sleep do you need each night? Do you like taking naps in the afternoon?
  6. What was the longest time where you haven’t had any sleep? How was the experience?
  7. How do you think it would be like for you if you worked the nights?

Find Fresh Air on Google Maps

B1 – Intermediate

Google Maps is a mapping platform with detailed geographical information. This is just the primary function of this platform but there actually more and Google Maps is continuously upgrading and adding new and better features.

Read the article about Google Maps’ new features.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2206/220613-google-maps-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the new Google Maps features and what do you think about them? 
  2. Do you think the new features are going to be useful for you? Why or why not?
  3. How much and what do you use Google Maps for? What do you like and dislike about this platform?
  4. What other features do you want Google Maps to have?
  5. Do you use mapping or GPS platforms/apps a lot? Why or why not?

Tax on Farm Animal Burps

B1 – Intermediate

Governments around the world are continuously thinking of ways to address the problems with climate change. It may sound unbelievable and ridiculous but yes, the New Zealand government has revealed its plans to put taxes on some farm animals’ burps. 

Confused yet? Read the article and find out why New Zealand plans to tax cow and sheep burps.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2206/220616-cow-burps-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is NZ government planning to tax animals’ burps?
  2. What do you think of this measure?
  3. Did you know farming makes up 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gasses? If not, what was your reaction to this?
  4. What is your government doing to address the problems with climate change?
  5. What problems do farmers have in your country?

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?