Tag: B2 – Upper intermediate

The Case of Edward Snowden

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Edward Joseph Snowden formerly worked for the National Security Agency as an intelligence contractor.

In 2013, he became a whistleblower and leaked classified documents exposing global surveillance programs which were operated by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.K.’s intelligence organization, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). 

Read the article about Edward Joseph Snowden. 

https://www.whistleblowers.org/news/the-case-of-edward-snowden

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “whistleblower” mean? “After Deep Throat and Daniel Ellsberg, one of the whistleblowers at the top of American minds is Edward Snowden.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  2. What does “to be used to the injury of (someone/something)” mean? “With its broad language, the Espionage Act prohibits the publication of information by anyone to be used to the injury of the United States.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  3. What does “to be in someone’s interest” mean? “Originally designed to prosecute spies bringing military secrets back home, this Act has been used against whistleblowers, not spies, who release information that they believe is in the American interest.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion, is Snowden’s disclosure of the classified information an act of espionage or free speech? Discuss.
  2. Share your thoughts, “With intelligence whistleblowers still facing retaliation from superiors and even from sitting presidents, their protection is paramount.”
  3. What are your thoughts on this, “The benefit to the public from a disclosure must outweigh the government’s need for secrecy.”?
  4. Share your insights on this, “Originally designed to prosecute spies bringing military secrets back home, The Espionage Act has been used against whistleblowers, not spies, who release information that they believe is in the American interest.”
  5. Talk about a whistleblower you know of and their story.

Spain’s Tomatina Festival

B2 – Upper Intermediate

La Tomatina is a famous festival held annually in the town of Buñol, Spain. This unique event, held on the last Wednesday of August, attracts thousands of participants from around the world. The festival is celebrated for its fun and unusual activity, which involves a massive tomato fight. La Tomatina has a rich history and showcases the spirit of community and joy, making it a beloved event. 

La Tomatina is more than just a food fight; it symbolizes friendship and cultural expression. After the tomato battle, participants often help clean up the town, showing their respect for the community. This aspect demonstrates the unity and enthusiasm of the people involved. 

Read the article and know more about Tomatina Festival, the world’s largest annual food fight in Spain.

https://www.history.com/articles/tomatina-festival-spain-biggest-food-fight-tomatoes

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “ to fit the mold” mean? “With its rebellious spirit and lack of religious significance, La Tomatina didn’t fit the mold.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “reveler” mean? “Revelers now travel from all corners of the globe to attend the pulpy spectacle.”  Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “mayhem” mean? “Once the ham falls, trucks loaded with tomatoes rumble into town, and it’s game on for one hour as the streets transform into a sea of red mayhem. ” Use the word in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about La Tomatina? What do you think about this festival?
  2. Why do you think Spain celebrates a festival where people throw tomatoes at each other?
  3. Would you like to join La Tomatina or a similar festival someday? Why or why not?
  4. What other food-related festivals have you heard about?
  5. Would you travel to another country just to experience a unique festival? Why or why not?

La Vuelta Cycling Race

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Vuelta a España, one of the three grand tours in professional cycling, is an exhilarating event that attracts cyclists from around the world. Joining this monumental race offers not only a chance to showcase one’s cycling skills but also an opportunity to experience the rich culture and stunning landscapes of Spain. 

Several compelling reasons make participating in the Vuelta a España an exciting prospect for cyclists of various levels.  Joining the Vuelta a España is an incredible opportunity for cyclists seeking to challenge themselves physically and mentally. The blend of competition, camaraderie, and cultural experiences makes it a unique event in the cycling world. Whether one aims to improve their skills, create lasting friendships, or savour the beauty of Spain, the Vuelta a España offers something for every cyclist. 

Read the article and learn more about the competition.

https://www.redbull.com/ph-en/la-vuelta-a-espana-key-facts

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “nailed-on” mean? “Although there are slim pickings for the peloton’s fast men, Giro d’Italia purple jersey winner Mads Pedersen is the nailed-on favourite for La Vuelta’s sprint classification, while the polka dot and white jerseys are likely to come from the general classification favourites – with Ayuso and Pellizzari both eligible for the latter.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “tussle” mean? “Whoever’s on the startlist, the racing is always on the limit from the off as the peloton battle each other, the climb-heavy terrain and some extremely testing weather conditions, but this year’s rider line-up guarantees an intriguing tussle for the final Grand Tour of 2025.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “slim pickings” mean?  “Although there are slim pickings for the peloton’s fast men, Giro d’Italia purple jersey winner Mads Pedersen is the nailed-on favourite for La Vuelta’s sprint classification, while the polka dot and white jerseys are likely to come from the general classification favourites – with Ayuso and Pellizzari both eligible for the latter.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about La Vuelta? How important do you think races like this are?
  2. What do you think about the course of the race?
  3. What do you think makes cycling different from other endurance sports like running or swimming?
  4. Have you ever tried long-distance cycling yourself? What was it like? If not yet, would you consider doing it someday? Why or why not?
  5. Which sport or race is your favorite? Share everything there is to know about it.

Data Centres to be Expanded in the UK as Concerns Mount

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

To some extent, large data centres contribute to the drought conditions in the UK. One huge data centre consumes about the same amount of water as 50,000 households.

Amidst growing concerns, the UK is going to go ahead with building additional data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said these facilities are necessary in order to continue boosting the country’s economy.

Read the article about the UK’s plans to continue building more data centres despite growing concerns over their environmental impact.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr9nx0jrzo

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “knock-on effect” mean? “But there are concerns about their impact, including the potential knock-on effect on people’s energy bills.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  2. What does “appease” mean? “But he insisted “data centres are fixated with becoming as sustainable as possible”, such as through dry-cooling methods. Such promises of future solutions have failed to appease some.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.
  3. What does “offshore” mean? “According to the National Energy System Operator, NESO, the projected growth of data centres in Great Britain could “add up to 71 TWh of electricity demand” in the next 25 years, which it says redoubles the need for clean power – such as offshore wind.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym or similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What concerns revolve around building more data centres in the UK?
  2. According to the article, what are some workarounds for this issue? Do you think they are any good? Discuss.
  3. Share your insights on this, “Data centres are central to the UK’s economic future.” 
  4. Do you think more data centres should be built in a country given the environmental and knock-on effects they bring? Share your thoughts.
  5. Do you think that companies should pay the price for extra energy to power data centres – not consumers? Share your opinion.

Flourishing

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

At present, we have grown more and more conscious about our overall well-being. 

There’s a new buzzword making rounds: “flourishing”. Now, this term doesn’t only mean generally feeling healthy and happy, but it is about feeling good about every other aspect of your life such as happiness, health, relationships and financial security.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the meaning of flourishing and how to ensure you are thriving in life.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250807

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “buzzword”. “I wonder if you all feel that you are ‘flourishing’ in life. This is another psychological buzzword with added evidence.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “small win” mean?  “There’s an old saying – ‘a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step’ – and savouring each small win along the way is vital to flourishing.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. Explain the meaning of “to stop and smell the roses”. “Savouring involves taking time out to ‘stop and smell the roses‘, as we say.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can one do in order to cultivate flourishing?
  2. What are things you do to ensure you are flourishing in life?
  3. Does flourishing depend on your nationality, or are there things anyone can do to feel happier wherever they live? Share your insights.
  4. Share your thoughts on this, “While richer countries scored higher on material happiness, middle-income countries did better in terms of kindness and social connection.”
  5. “In Japan, women flourished more than men, while in Brazil the opposite was true.“ Why do you think this is?
  6. What might be the explanation to this: “Across all countries, flourishing increased after the age of 50.” 

Musk Firms X and xAI Sue Apple and OpenAI Over AI Competition

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Elon Musk’s firms X and xAI has filed a lawsuit claiming that the Apple-OpenAI deal has no valid business reason to be exclusive.

According to the filing, this exclusive arrangement blocks threats from potential competitors, which allegedly violates competition laws.

Read the article about X and xAI filing a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI over AI competition.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6xjg9nnyo

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to join forces” mean? “Two Elon Musk-backed businesses have officially sued Apple and OpenAI, accusing them of joining forces illegally to block threats from potential competitors.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “to make good on something” mean?  “The filing makes good on a threat Musk had lobbed against the two tech giants earlier this month, when he alleged that Apple favoured OpenAI in its app store rankings.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What is the meaning of “to foreclose competition”. “The Apple-OpenAI arrangement has foreclosed competition among generative AI chatbots, deprived competing generative AI chatbots of scale, and reduced quality and innovation.” Use the term in a sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this lawsuit? 
  2. What are your thoughts on Apple and OpenAI’s exclusive deal? Do you think it is a form of monopoly? Explain.
  3. Share your thoughts on OpenAI’s statement regarding the lawsuit, “The filing was consistent with Mr Musk’s ongoing pattern of harassment.”
  4. Talk in details about another anti-monopoly lawsuit you know of.
  5. Share your thoughts on Apple’s talks with Google over using Gemini chatbot to help power Siri, Apple’s voice assistant.

The End of Globalization

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Globalization has allowed countries to be more connected, with their economies and societies becoming very much dependent on each other.

While globalization is not dead yet, PWC Global Chairman Robert Moritz believes it will go through a very important shift into regionalization.

Will this be the end of globalization as we know it? 

Watch the video where Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum’s delegates give their two cents about the future of every nation’s interconnectivity.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to rewire” mean?  “Globalization is not dead, it’s going to be rewired.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. Explain the meaning of “fragmentation” in trade. “That doesn’t mean you will have fragmentation in the sense of totally competitive blocs because they’re also trying very hard to increase their trade exposure and exports to each other in order to grow their economies.” Use the term in a sentence. 
  3. What does “disaggregation” mean in economics? “The possible outcome is that we’re going to have economic growth not stemming from global integration, but from disaggregation.” Use the word in a sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your insights on nations shifting to doing trade more on the regional, bilateral, or just among smaller number of countries.
  2. What might be the impacts when countries shift to regionalization instead of globalization?
  3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, regionalization, and fragmentation.
  4. Do you agree or disagree that what we have now is regionalization and not fragmentation? Discuss.
  5. Do you think that the breakdown of the global economy into distinct economic and trade blocs in North America, Europe, and Asia will not result to fragmentation? Explain.

‘Skibidi’ and ‘Tradwife’ Words in the Cambridge Dictionary

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Cambridge Dictionary has updated its entries to reflect how people speak today. These changes show how internet culture, social media, and everyday conversations are shaping the way we use language. As new expressions become popular, dictionaries adapt to keep up with the times.

Let’s read the article and explore how this reflects the evolution of English in the digital age.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce93ygv4zzlo

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “staying power ” mean? “We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.” Use it in your own sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does the phrase “to make the cut” mean? “Other work-related words to make the cut include “work wife” and “work spouse”.” Use in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  3. Define the idiom “to stand the test of time“. “Mr McIntosh said Cambridge Dictionary only added words which they believed could stand the test of time.” Use it in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you make of the latest words added to the Cambridge Dictionary?
  2. Share your insights on this, “Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary.“
  3. How do the words in the article connect with the way you see language changing today?
  4. In what ways has the internet influenced the way you speak or write?
  5. What differences have you noticed in the way younger and older people use language?
  6. Can you think of times when you’ve heard English slang that left you puzzled?

Grown-ups Buying Kids’ Toys

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

The toys that we used to love playing with as kids are a very nostalgic way to reminisce our childhood. 

This must be the reason why some adults still enjoy the idea of buying kids’ toys and playing with them.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about grown-ups buying and playing with kids’ toys.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250814

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “disposable income”. “Once I kind of had a stable job with disposable income, I kind of rediscovered my love for soft toys, and I started buying them again because I’ve always loved collecting things, because, you know, they bring me happiness, they bring me joy.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “inner child” mean?  “And I think also a big pillar of my channel and my content is reconnecting with my childhood, and healing that inner child, and I think the toys also play a part in that.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  3. Explain the meaning of “to have time on one’s hands”. “During the pandemic, people had time on their hands. Many adults went online, hoping to find the toys they remembered from childhood.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be the reasons grown-ups like buying and/or playing with toys?
  2. What do you think about adults still buying and playing with toys?
  3. Share your insights on this, “Adults buying kids’ toys for themselves account for between 30 and 40% of the entire toy market.” 
  4. Do you consider yourself a “kidult”? Why or why not? What are some things/activities you still enjoy that are normally for younger people? Why do you think you still like them until now?
  5. During the pandemic, people had time on their hands. What did you do with yours?

The Best Way to Give a Presentation

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Giving a presentation can be taxing to some. However, as soon as you are decided on your speech’s topic, you are now ready to come up with a persuasive and pretty compelling presentation.

Watch the TED-Ed video to learn the best way to give a presentation and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the meaning of a “throughline”. “Deciding on a clear throughline is an essential part.” Use the term in a sentence.
  2. What does “best shot” mean here,  “If you have time to do that, it will probably give you the best shot at delivering a powerful talk that says everything you want it to say without sounding robotic.”? Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. Explain the meaning of “to make eye contact”. “Look up from the page as often as you can, and make eye contact with your audience members.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on this, “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” 
  2. How do you usually prepare for and deliver a talk?
  3. Do you prefer to make a script or be spontaneous when you are to give a presentation? Share some experience giving an unscripted talk.
  4. For you, what makes an effective speech?
  5. Talk about the most powerful speech that you have ever heard.