Tag: B1 – Intermediate

Ninja Tourism

B1 – Intermediate

We probably know ninjas from movies, animations, comics and the likes. But in Japan, ninjas have been an important country symbol since the 15th century.

Find out how ninjas will help Japan increase tourism in their country.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1812/181215-ninja-tourism-1.html

Discussion Questions:
1. What are your thoughts on ninjas?
2. What do you think about using ninjas to increase tourism in Japan?
3. Talk about some of Spain’s country symbols.
4. How is tourism in Spain promoted to the world?
5. What are ways to attract tourists to a country?

Toyota to Save Money

B1 – Intermediate

When companies go through hard financial times, they find ways to lower their expenses. In Toyota’s case, they thought of shutting down some elevators in their main office in Tokyo.

Read the full article to find out more about Toyota’s ways to cut costs.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1607/160710-elevators-1.html

Discussion Questions:
1. Why is Toyota shutting down elevators in their headquarters?
2. What are others ways they are saving money?
3. What cost-cutting measures has your company ever implemented?

Quitting UNESCO

B1 – Intermediate

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a special part of the United Nations (UN). Its mandate is to promote peace and security through the promotion of collaboration among its member nations.

On the first day of this new year, USA and Israel have pulled out its membership of UNESCO.

Read more about this news through the link below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1901/190104-unesco-2.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on US and Israel quitting UNESCO?
2. What do you think are its consequences on these countries and UNESCO itself?
3. Talk about some UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your city/country.

Japan Wants More Foreign Workers

B1 – Intermediate

Japan has a problem with its aging population. Japanese are getting older but less children are being born. They need a lot of workers but there are not enough people.

The government wants to get workers from other countries.

Find out more about this problem in Japan and the government’s solution to it. Read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1812/181211-foreign-workers-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the expression “to continue along the same path” mean? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does “low-skilled” mean? Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:
1. Why did Japan decide to open the country to more foreign workers?
2. What do you think would be the positive and negative effects of this new policy on Japan?
3. Would you be interested to move to this country?
4. If you were to live in another country, where would it be?
5. What do you think are the good and bad things about moving to a foreign country?

Tariffs and Trade War

B1 – Intermediate

A tariff is a tax on imported goods and services from foreign countries. US plans to add tariffs on Chinese products. If this happens, China will answer by doing the same on US goods.

Read the article below and find out about trade wars.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1803/180325-trade-war-1.html

Discussion Questions:
1. What are the effects of US’s plans to put trade tariffs on Chinese goods?
2. How will this affect trade in the whole world?
3. Which countries does your country buy goods from and which countries buy goods from your country?

Working Many Hours

B1 – Intermediate

Tesla founder Elon Musk believes people should work more than the typical 35-40 hours a week in order to change the world. In fact, many CEOs of multi-billion-dollar companies work about 70 hours per week.

Read the article and be ready to talk about working very long hours.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1811/181129-working-week-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “workaholic” mean? “He is a workaholic but he loves working.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What is a “founder“? “He is the founder, CEO, and lead designer of SpaceX.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What is a “co-founder“? “He is the co-founder of PayPal.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Mr. Musk’s idea?
  2. What might be the good and bad things about being a workaholic?
  3. Talk about your own experience working long hours.

Freakshakes

B1 – Intermediate

Freakshakes are epic super-sweet treats that are guaranteed to indulge your inner sweet tooth. Ingredients include sweetened whipped cream, chocolate bars, mini-doughnuts and even slices of cake, cookies… The list goes on! This maybe worrisome because it contains very high calories which can be dangerous to our health.

Read the article below to know more about this extremely sugary milkshakes.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1811/181115-freakshake-milkshSakes.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of milkshakes? How about freakshakes? Would you like to try a freakshake?
  2. Should calorie information be on restaurant menus?
  3. Why do people “invent” things like freakshakes?
  4. What are some absurd food craze that have become popular in your country?
  5. What is the sweetest dessert you have ever tasted?

 

 

Citizens Give Cash to Help the Government

B1 – Intermediate

All countries have debts that they need to pay. This is why the government tries its best to find ways to pay for them.

In Malaysia, the citizens did something to help the government pay the country’s debts.

Read the article and learn how Malaysians helped the government.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1806/180603-crowdfunding-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on what the Malaysians did?
2. Would you give money to your government to pay your country’s debts?
3. Have you ever used crowdfunding to collect money for something/someone?
4. Have you ever given money to someone/for something by crowdfunding?
5. What are your thoughts on crowdfunding?

Electricity in All Villages

B1 – Intermediate

Electricity is a basic necessity. But not all places in the world have it. In some remote communities, people still have to live in the dark.

Read on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proud announcement that every Indian village now has electricity.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1805/180502-electricity-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on this news? How are Indians’ lives going to be changed?
2. What do you think it would be like to live without electricity?
3. If there was a power outage in your village/city for a day/a week, what would you do?
4. Are there still areas in your country without proper electricity or other services available?
5. If there’s one service (electricity, water, telephone, internet, cable TV, mobile, gas) you can live without, which one would it be?

Give All Tips to Staff

B1 – Intermediate

Waiting tables is one of those jobs that pay too little. A lot of waiters who work in restaurants depend on tips for more salary.

However, not all restaurants give the full amount of tips collected to their waiters.

Read the article below about a new law that obliges restaurant owners to give all the tips to their waiting staff.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1810/181004-tipping-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “tip” mean, “UK restaurants will soon have to give all tips to their staff.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘tip’ in a sentence.
  2. What does “staff” mean, “Many waiting staff are happy with the new law.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘staff’ in a sentence.
  3. What does “to be fed up with sb/sth” mean, “They are fed up with chain restaurants keeping their tips.”? Use this expression in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree with this new law? Do you think it is necessary to have this law?
  2. What is your opinion on restaurants not giving the tips to their staff?
  3. Do you need to tip waiters in your country? Why or why not?
  4. What are some low-paying jobs in your country?
  5. How can we make sure all workers are treated fairly by their employers?