Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Your Other Half

B1 – Intermediate

Every person has their own important person in their lives, like someone they are romantically involved and a special person whom they share intimacy with. The term “other half” can mean a partner, spouse (husband or wife), boyfriend, girlfriend, or lover. It is used when you don’t want to be too specific.

Watch the short video to learn more about the expression ‘your other half’ and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a significant other? If yes, how did you meet? If no, what qualities do you look for in a partner?
  2. Tell us something about your other half.
  3. What are the things that you have in common and those that you differ from?
  4. What are the pros and cons of having your better half in your life?
  5. How would you compare the times you were/are with and without a partner/spouse?

Company Bankrupt

B1 – Intermediate

One objective companies’ have is to make loads of profit. However, they sometimes also face problems with money. When they go bankrupt, it can be a big problem for the company and their workers too.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio from the link below.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/company-bankrupt-level-1

Discussion Questions:

  1. What usually cause companies to go under?
  2. What happens when a company goes bankrupt?
  3. How can companies stay profitable?
  4. In your country, what kind of help does the government give to companies that are about to go bankrupt?
  5. Do you know any companies that went bankrupt? Talk about what happened.

Google Meet Video Conferencing Platform Improved

B1 – Intermediate

Video conferencing technology gives us the opportunity to communicate with our co-workers, friends, and family. It is changing rapidly over the past few years. Video conferencing is not only for business but also for education and healthcare. It boosts productivity, saves time, and reduces travel expenses.

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2004/200429-google-meet.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is Google Meet helpful in education and healthcare and at work?
  2. What are some improvements in the Google Meet platform?
  3. What are your experiences video conferencing?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing?
  5. How did you communicate with your family and friends during lockdown? How has it changed since things went back to normal?

Hotel Guests Information Hacked

B1 – Intermediate

Hotels are your home away from home. You book hotels when you are on holiday or business trip. To do that, you need to give them your personal information including your credit card information. But what if those information were stolen from them?

Read the transcript and listen to the audio about a hotel chain’s hacking incident.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/hotel-guests-information-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. What can businesses do to protect themselves from hacking?
  3. Talk about other people or companies whose accounts/systems have been hacked.
  4. When is hacking good and bad?
  5. If you were to hack a person or company’s account or system, who or which would it be and why? What information would you like to see?

Fathers Are Too Old

B1 – Intermediate

Some men would say that becoming a father is the best thing that ever happened to them. They claim that the best thing about it is the fulfillment you get in raising someone and seeing them grow up to be great people. But is there a perfect age to become a dad?

Click the link below to read the transcript and listen to the audio about being a father when you are older.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/fathers-are-too-old-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do men delay having children?
  2. What is your opinion on sperm freezing? Is it popularly done by men in your country?
  3. Do you agree or disagree that earlier fatherhood should be promoted among young men?
  4. What are the good and bad things about having children when you are older?
  5. Do you think men in your country are having children when they are younger or older? Why do you think this is the case?
  6. Talk about your father or being a father yourself.

Housewives

B1 – Intermediate

Many decades ago, women were expected to stay at home after they got married. They had to take care of the children and maintain their homes. Nowadays, more women are working. There are still a few who are housewives.

Listen to the audio about being a housewife.

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

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree that a housewife’s job is very demanding?
  2. How does the speaker describe a day in the life of a housewife?
  3. In your country, are there more stay-at-home wives or working mothers? Why do you think that is the case?
  4. What is your ideal family set-up?
  5. How can working mothers do both their domestic and professional duties efficiently?

Cubans Can Buy a Car More Easily

B1 – Intermediate

Owning a vehicle is like a rite of passage for everyone. Think about the time you had your first car or motorbike. How did it make you feel? In Cuba, the government decided to make it easier for its citizens to buy a car.

Read the lesson for more details on this story and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1312/131222-cuba-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this initiative by the Cuban government?
  2. What do you think are the good and bad things about making it easy for people to buy cars?
  3. Is it better to buy a car cash or by loan? Explain your opinion.
  4. Compare how you got your first ever car and the one you have now.
  5. Is the automobile industry lucrative in your country? Why or why not?

Job Hunter Puts CV on Billboard

B1 – Intermediate

Not having a job is a very difficult situation for anyone. A French man was having problems finding a job. He tried everything but nothing worked until he had a unique idea.

Read the lesson for more details on this story and be read to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1401/140109-job-hunting-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Laurent Le Bret’s idea?
  2. What do you think about what the billboard company did for Laurent Le Bret?
  3. How easy/hard is it to find a job in your country? 
  4. How do you find a job in your country?
  5. Talk about how you found your current job.

Actors

B1 – Intermediate

It must be great to be famous, paid a lot of money, and do what you love doing. Welcome to the life of an actor!

Listen to the audio and read the transcript of this lesson about actors.

https://listenaminute.com/a/actors.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about being an actor?
  2. What are the good and bad things about being an actor?
  3. Who are some of your favorite movie stars and theatre actors?
  4. Do you like watching movies and theatre plays? Why or why not?
  5. Have you ever performed in front of many people? Talk about that moment.

The Best Year for Music

B1 – Intermediate

Music has many effects on us. Certainly, there is a year we remember as the greatest time for music. There is a song that makes you remember a special time in your life.

Read the lesson on the link below and be ready to talk about music.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2004/200413-best-year-for-music-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is 1991 the best year for music?
  2. What do you remember from this year or this decade related to music?
  3. What is your favorite song and who is your favorite singer of all time?
  4. Do you still like the songs you listened to as a teenager? What are some of them?
  5. What song reminds you of a very unforgettable moment in your life?
  6. How does music control your emotions?