Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Noob

B1 – Intermediate

There is no exact origins of the word “noob” but this is a very popular expression online specially for gamers that means a “newbie” which most of the time is used as an insult. This word may also be used in the real world for people who are part of an activity but not yet well experienced and quite knowledgeable thus, not performing very well.

Let us hear more about the word “noob” in the audio below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-210607

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is being a noob always necessarily a bad thing?
  2. How are usually you like as a newbie?
  3. How can we tell that someone is a noob?
  4. What activities are you a noob at?
  5. What are you good at or an expert on?

Older UK Farmers Get Money for Retiring

B1 – Intermediate

Farming is probably one of the hardest professions to be in. Being a farmer means long days of work in the field. All those years of hard work, you think farmers get a huge amount of money when they retire. In most cases, they don’t. But in the UK, they want to change this.

Read the lesson and find out more about UK’s plans to offer huge retirement benefits for farmers.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210524-farming-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this plan to give farmers a huge amount of money when they retire?
  2. What do you think about the job of farmers?
  3. In your country, are farmers well-paid? Is it a job that many people want to have?
  4. How can we make working in the farming industry interesting to younger people?
  5. What kind of help does the farming industry need in your country?
  6. What do you think of when you hear the word “farming”?

Booths for Stressed Workers

B1 – Intermediate

Work is probably one of the most common causes of people’s stress. Some companies are trying to help their workers deal with stress. One of them is Amazon. They have created something they call “AmaZen”.

Read the lesson and find out more about “AmaZen”.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2106/210601-wellness-chambers-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this wellness chambers?
  2. Would you like to have something like the “AmaZen” in your office/home office?
  3. How does your company help workers manage their stress?
  4. Does work stress you out? Why or why not?
  5. How do you manage work stress?

Dogs Help Stop the Coronavirus

B1 – Intermediate

Detection dogs are already common at airports and some other public places. As dogs have remarkable sense of smell, they are the ones that sniff out drugs, weapons, or explosives. Nowadays, there are dogs trained to detect Covid-19 by sniffing human sweat.

Read the article to know more dogs that could detect Coronavirus on humans and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/dogs-help-stop-the-coronavirus-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of specially trained dogs taught to detect infections and diseases, like cancer, malaria, etc.?
  2. Do you think detection dogs are reliable in detecting COVID-19? Why or why not?
  3. What are the pros and cons of using dogs to prescreen people for Covid-19 in airports, train stations, or other public places?

Instagram for Children

B1 – Intermediate

Facebook is working on launching a new version of Instagram for kids under 13.

This version of Instagram will allow kids to safely use the app. The current Instagram policy prohibits children under the age of 13 from using the service.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about Instagram for children.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/instagram-for-children-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with US politicians opinion about Instagram for children? Support your stand.
  2. What are the good and bad things about children using social networks?
  3. Are social networking sites dangerous to children? Why or why not?
  4. If you are a parent, would you let your child use this version of Instagram? Why or why not?
  5. What child-friendly features would you like to see on social networking sites?

Working Long Hours Kills

B1 – Intermediate

In Japan, there is a specific term for death by overwork, which is “karoshi”. However, this phenomenon is not only exclusive in Japan. It happens all over the world. In fact, a WHO study revealed that 750,000 people die prematurely due to overwork.

Click the link to learn more about the dangers of overworking.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210522-working-hours-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the dangers of overworking?
  2. How many hours do you spend time working? Do you work overtime or not? Do you sometimes get overworked?
  3. What is your opinion on this statement: “No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease.”?
  4. In your country, what are some government policies to prevent workers from overworking?
  5. How has your working hours and workload changed during the pandemic?

Dog Body Armor Against Bald Eagle Attacks

B1 – Intermediate

To protect their pet dogs from bald eagle attacks, owners are buying a special dog armor. This vest also protects small dogs from coyotes.

Let’s read the article about this special dog vest and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210520-bald-eagles-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this dog armors/coyote vests?
  2. Should dogs wear protective vests from other harmful animals?
  3. Are you a pet owner? How do you protect your pet/s from danger?
  4. What other things can people use to scare birds or coyotes away from their dogs?

Brain Implant Lets Man Write Using Thoughts

B1 – Intermediate

Despite the advancement of technology, our society still does not have disability inclusion. Policies to include disabled people are still not enough. A lot of them still have a hard time finding permanent jobs.

However, recent technological advancements could help change this. Scientists from Stanford University have implanted sensors inside a paralyzed man’s brain. Such sensors let his mind to write. The success of this research could be a game-changer for a lot of paralyzed people out there.

Click the link and read the article to know more about this brain implant.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210516-brain-implants-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What did the scientists do to the patient that allowed him to write his thoughts?
  2. How important is the ability to communicate by text?
  3. What do you think of this medical advancement?
  4. What could be the possible implications if this project becomes successful?
  5. Do you agree that our society needs to be more disability inclusive? Why or why not?

Pour Cold Water

B1 – Intermediate

We usually see people in movies stop whatever they are doing when someone throws water on them. This somehow relates to the phrase “pour cold water” that started out literally and now used more figuratively. When someone talks about an idea or a plan, the other discourages it for some reason.

Learn more about the expression “pour cold water” in the video below.

https://www.theidioms.com/pour-cold-water-on/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “pour cold water on something” mean?
  2. What were the things have you done but people discouraged?
  3. Do you regret any of those actions? Why or why not?
  4. What do you do when someone disapproves of your plans?
  5. Do you say your disapproval when someone has a bad idea? Why or why not?

Two Heads Are Better Than One

B1 – Intermediate

There is an old saying that goes “two heads are better than one”. It means that two people thinking together can come up with a better solution to a problem than a single person. It could also be more than two people working together. This phrase was first seen in the Bible and then was published in some books later on.

Let us hear more about the expression “two heads are better than one” in the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “two heads are better than one” mean?
  2. Do you prefer working alone or with another person or other people?
  3. What are the pros and cons of working with someone?
  4. Can a person get their goals in life on their own? Why or why not?
  5. What are your experiences when you needed help from others?