Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Pig Out

B1 – Intermediate

A French author once said, “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” This is certainly not the case when a person “pigs out”. We need to eat to survive but some people just eat too much at one time. Is this behavior acceptable?

Many expressions in American English have to do with animals.

Watch the video, learn the expression better, and be ready to discuss afterwards.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does to ‘pig out’ mean?
  2. Is it ever okay to pig out?
  3. Have you done it before? If yes, what reasons do you think made you do so?
  4. Why do you think people pig out?
  5. Are you a big eater or do you prefer frequent small meals more?

Accidents

B1 – Intermediate

We like to believe that our home is the safest place to be but it could also be a place for accidents. Working in an office seems safe, right? Accidents can take place there too.
We hear this all the time, ” Accidents do happen.” They really do but is it enough that we accept that they happen normally or is it better that we try to prevent them by being more cautious?

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about accidents and be ready to discuss afterwards.

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

Discussion Questions:

  1. What common accidents at home did the speaker mention?
  2. How did the speaker describe his friend? What does it mean?
  3. Are you prone to accidents? What kinds of accidents have you gotten into?
  4. How do you try to avoid them? What precautionary measures do you take?
  5. Have you witnessed a major accident before? What happened?

Millions Worth of Gold Coins in a Garden

B1 – Intermediate

It’s a typical day. You are gardening. The only unusual thing is that you found so many gold coins under one of the trees in your garden!

Read about the good luck this American couple had one ordinary day in their garden.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1402/140228-gold-coins-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What would your reaction be if this happened to you?
  2. What would you do with the gold coins or money from selling them?
  3. What is one thing that you consider your treasure?

Marriage Makes You Less Stressed

B1 – Intermediate

Getting hitched can have its pros and cons. In this lesson, we find out one advantage of being married. A study reveals that being married helps your body have lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone.

Read the lesson below to find out more about this study and be ready to answer the questions that follow. 

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1702/170217-married-people-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree: “Marriage is good for our health.“?
  2. In your opinion or own experience, how do intimate social relationships influence one’s health and diseases?
  3. What are other ways the stress hormones or cortisol can be lowered?
  4. In your country, do you think fewer and fewer are getting married? What do you think are the reasons for this?

The End of New York’s Public Payphones

B1 – Intermediate

Public payphones are being removed on New York streets to give pedestrians more space and give this much needed sidewalk spaces to people with disabilities and those with little kids.

Let’s read the article to find out more about this news.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2003/200320-pay-phones-1.html

Discussion Questions :

  1. How important are pay phones?
  2. Should New York keep some pay phones for tourists’ use?
  3. Are there any public pay phones in your town? Do you use them?
  4. What would our lives be like without pay phones? Are they still important these days?
  5. What would your life be like without your mobile phone?

What Am I…Chopped Liver?

B1 – Intermediate

As a member of a group, we feel important and needed when our opinion or presence is recognized. In situations when our feelings tend to be overlooked, we feel less relevant. We tend to ask, “What am I…. chopped liver?” Does this expression make sense?

Check out this lesson to learn more about the expression “What am I… chopped liver?”.

What Am I, Chopped Liver?

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does the expression “What am I chopped liver?” mean?
  2. What is the origin of this expression?
  3. Have you ever been ignored or overlooked before? How did you react to this situation?
  4. How do you make people around you feel important?

Astronauts Bake First Space Cookies Ever

B1 – Intermediate

Astronauts have baked cookies in space for the first time ever. Normally, space food is prepared on Earth and then astronauts heat them up there before eating them. But now, they can bake in space too.

Read more about this news from the link below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2001/200128-space-baked-cookies-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. Do you know anything about baking? Why or why not?
  3. Talk about your favorite bakery and your favorite baked products.

Keep Someone at Arm’s Length

B1 – Intermediate

It is good to keep a healthy relationship. It helps us become better people. However, there are some relationships that are too toxic that they would bring more harm than good. Do you opt to stay or do you keep them at arms’s length?

Watch the video and learn what the expression “keep someone at arm’s length” means.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you been in any form of unhealthy relationship? If yes, how long did it last? Is it still ongoing?
  2. Have you had to cut ties with people that you feel are not contributing to your wellbeing?
  3. Is it difficult to end a toxic relationship?

Scientists Start Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life

B1 – Intermediate

E.T. stands for Extra-Terrestrial. Back in the 80s, a film became very famous. It is a story of an alien who was left behind on Earth, found by a little human boy and the two eventually become the best of friends.

More than three decades later, scientists have started working on finding more signs of alien life. 

Read the article below to know why scientists are interested to know more about the possibility of life in space.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2002/200217-extraterrestrial-life-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on the fact that scientists are spending time and money on this subject?
  2. What are your thoughts on E.T?
  3. What pieces of evidence that aliens exist do you know of?
  4. What would you do if you found out aliens really exist?
  5. Talk about films about aliens you know about or have watched.

Best Railway Station in Europe

B1 – Intermediate

London St. Pancras is ranked as the best railway station in Europe. Most of the train stations on the top ten are from Germany. 

Read the article and find out more about some of the best train stations in Europe.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2002/200225-railway-station-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever been to any of the top ten best train stations in Europe? Which one? Describe it. Talk about your experience there.
  2. What is the best and worst train station you have ever been at?
  3. What do you think of the train stations in your city/country with respect to their ease of  access/cleanliness/connectivity/friendliness of staff/platforms?
  4. How often do workers at the train stations in your country go on strike?
  5. Do you enjoy the shops, restaurants, and services located near the train stations?