Tag: People

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?

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?

Take Someone Under Your Wing

B1 – Intermediate

When someone needs your guidance on something, you help them. In a way, you are like their protector. You guide them to let them learn something that they need to know about.

When you join a new company, you are going to have a training and then have a coach or mentor to help you start with your tasks. Your coach/mentor has to take you under their wing during this time.

Listen to the audio and know about the expression “take someone under your wing”.

youtu.be/qToUpkUXXHQ?si=fIThrP1DpWoKWBu0

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does ‘take someone under your wing’ mean?
  2. Have you taken someone under your wing before? If yes, Why did you do so?
  3. Speak about your experience being taken under someone’s wing.
  4. In your opinion, does taking someone under your wing come with a lot of responsibilities?

Modern Humans Came from Botswana

B1 – Intermediate

New research affirms that the origin of modern humans is Botswana. The study is published in the journal ‘Nature’. Researchers in the study used DNA to find out where modern humans came from.

Read the article to find out more.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1911/191101-homeland-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this discovery?
  2. How far back do you know about your family tree?
  3. Talk a little bit about your family history.
  4. Where do you think most of the people in your country come from?

2019 Person of the Year

B1 – Intermediate

Greta Thunberg is TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year. She is the famous 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist.

Read more about Greta and this award that she recently received.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1912/191215-greta-thunberg-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think Greta deserves this award?
  2. Who is your person of the year and why?
  3. What are your achievements this year?
  4. What do you want to achieve next year?
  5. What do you plan to do in order to become a useful member of society?

Kurt Cobain’s Sweater Auction

B1 – Intermediate

The singer/songwriter and Nirvana frontman might have left us in 1994, but his name is legendary which makes one of his sweaters he wore during a live appearance on MTV is officially the most expensive sweater ever sold at an auction.

Let’s read the article.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1910/191030-kurt-cobain.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of auctions?

2. What do you think of the Kurt Cobain’s cardigan being sold at $334,000?

3. Would you buy famous people’s clothes?

4. Why do people spend lots of money on memorabilia?

5. What would you like to buy in an auction?

Europe’s Most-Wanted Criminals

B1 – Intermediate

A website of Europe’s most wanted shows that women can commit serious crimes too. In fact, 21 of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives are members of the fair sex.

Read more on this through this article and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1910/191022-most-wanted-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction to this news?
  2. What is your comment on the statement, “Crime has no gender”?
  3. Are women equally as capable of committing serious crimes as men?