Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Stress Baking During US Election

B1 – Intermediate

Often, talks about politics cause stress on some people. Americans were under a lot of stress due to the last election in their country. They had to find a way to release all those stress.

Read the lesson to find out what they did to cope with their stress.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201105-stress-baking-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is baking and making bread helpful in fighting stress and anxiety? 
  2. What is your opinion on using baking as a stress reliever?
  3. What hobbies/activities did you do because of stress?
  4. What do you normally do during stressful situations at work?
  5. What is the most stressful day for you this year?
  6. What are some causes of your stress nowadays?

Diet Drinks As Unhealthy As Sugary Ones

B1 – Intermediate

Diet soda is addictive. Many people think that diet soda is healthy because diet soda contains no fat, low or no calories, and no sugar. Yet, it doesn’t really mean that drinking it won’t lead to weight gain.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about diet drinks.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201101-diet-soda-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Should we be eating or drinking anything artificial? Why/why not?
  2. What do you think of artificial sweeteners?
  3. What kinds of food would you like to remove from your diet?
  4. How good or bad is your daily diet? Describe your diet.
  5. What can we do to prevent obesity?

Las Vegas Casinos

B1 – Intermediate

For some, gambling is a way to entertain themselves but for others, it becomes a part of their routine. There are certain things you can remember in order to gamble wisely.

Watch this video on some tips when you go to a casino to gamble.

Las Vegas Casinos

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to Randall, what are the things you should remember when you gamble? Do you agree or disagree with his tips?
  2. What do you think of gambling?
  3. Is gambling a part of culture in your country? What are the most common forms of gambling in your country? Is there an area in your country famous for gambling?
  4. Do you believe in ‘beginner’s luck’?
  5. What does the expression ‘the house always wins’ mean? Do you think this is true or not?

Eating Jellyfish Could Save Endangered Fish

B1 – Intermediate

Endangered species are very common nowadays. It is because humans everything from their homes and even the animals too. They are so small in number. They are at a very high risk of extinction. We need to take some actions in order to preserve them.

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2010/201024-jellyfish-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How serious is the problem of food shortage?
  2. What do you think of people fishing for endangered species?
  3. Do you think eating jellyfish would help the world? Why/Why not?
  4. What would happen if many fish became extinct?
  5. Do you worry that fish are in danger of being extinct? Why/Why not?

A Man Collects Old Phones

B1 – Intermediate

Hassan al-Tourky has a fascination for old phones. This is his unusual past-time. He and his children have the same passion for old telephones. They even have a small business for it.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio to find out more about Hassan al-Tourky’s unusual hobby.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/a-man-collects-old-phones-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your hobbies? What are your unusual hobbies?
  2. What thing/things do you collect? Why do you love them?
  3. If you could collect any old thing what would it be and why?
  4. What thing do you want to own from a famous person?
  5. Do you want your children to have the same hobby as you? Why or why not?
  6. Why is having a hobby important?

Two-fifths of World’s Plants at Risk of Extinction

B1 – Intermediate

Plants are everywhere. They provide us with so many resources to survive and most importantly, they maintain the atmosphere. Plants play an important role in the discovery of new drugs/medicines even for life-threatening diseases.

What will happen if all plants become extinct?

Let’s read the article below to learn more about plants extinction.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2010/201002-plant-extinction-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of plants? How useful are they?
  2. What will happen as more and more plants become extinct?
  3. How serious an issue is food insecurity?
  4. Should we spend more money on genetically modifying plants? Why/why not?
  5. What do you think world leaders will do about this problem?

Vaccine Volunteers

B1 – Intermediate

Over 25,000 people in the US have volunteered to be part of COVID-19 vaccine trials. They will help find a safe and effective vaccine faster. This will help us to see the end of this pandemic soon.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio and be able to answer the discussion questions.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/vaccine-volunteers-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the risks and benefits of clinical trial vaccines?
  2. Would you volunteer for a vaccine study? Why or why not?
  3. Are human trials for vaccines worth the risk? Explain your point.

Go to Town

B1 – Intermediate

When you do things, do you do them with a lot of enthusiasm? How about when you want something, do you do or spend everything you’ve got just to enjoy it?

Let’s listen to the audio about the expression ‘go to town’.

http://www.idioms4you.com/complete-idioms/go-to-town.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is something that you have done with a lot of enthusiasm?
  2. What is something that you have splurged on?
  3. Are you the type who always ‘goes to town’ or do you do things in minimum?
  4. Why is it good to ‘go to town’? Why is it bad?

China’s Richest Man

B1 – Intermediate

Zhong Shanshan, the founder of the popular Chinese bottled water brand Nongfu Spring, is now the richest person in China. He worked as a construction worker before making it big in business of bottled water which is a huge industry in China.

Let’s read the article:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2009/200926-richest-man-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think it’s like to be rich?

2. How easy is it to start a company?

3. How happy are you with your level of wealth?

4. What things would you change if you were a multi-billionaire?

Fight Tooth and Nail

B1 – Intermediate

One of the best traits a person can have is being persistence. It is the determination to achieve an objective despite setbacks. In order to do to reach our goal, we must sometimes ‘fight tooth and nail’.

Listen to this audio and find out what ‘fight tooth and nail’ means.

http://www.idioms4you.com/complete-idioms/fight-tooth-and-nail.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does ‘fight tooth and nail’ mean?
  2. What do you do when things don’t go according to your plan? Do you usually have a fallback plan?
  3. Is being persistent always good or is it better to know when to give up?
  4. Talk about a time when you had to go through major difficulties to achieve your goal.