Tag: Preliminary PET

Swearing Makes You Physically Stronger

B1 – Intermediate

When you want to maintain your physical strength, the first thing you think you should do is to exercise at the gym. Using foul language or swearing is probably not it. However, some studies show that swearing and bad language bring positive effect on our physical strength.

Read the lesson about how swearing can give us more physical strength.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1705/170508-swearing-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this, “Swearing and bad language make us stronger.”?
  2. Do you really think that swearing increases our tolerance to pain? Explain.
  3. Do you swear a lot? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think people in your country generally curse too much? Is it better to use bad words a lot or not? Explain.
  5. Do you believe swearing is a sign of honesty? Explain.
  6. What are the good and bad things about swearing?

Seven Wonders of the World

B1 – Intermediate

Some places in the world are just inexplicably amazing. Some of them are known as the Wonders of the World. If you were asked to name all the Wonders of the World, would you be able to? That’s going to be hard to do. But we can try.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the Seven Wonders of the World.

https://listenaminute.com/s/seven_wonders_of_the_world.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Seven Wonders of the World? 
  2. Which ones have you visited? Talk about it in full details.
  3. Which ones would you like to see/visit? Why?
  4. What place/places in your country do you think is/are also a wonder?
  5. Maybe future wonders will be in space. What is your opinion on this?

Sightseeing

B1 – Intermediate

Sightseeing is one of the most interesting and exciting things to do when traveling. You go around a city or a country to see their most important places or landmarks. It’s very interesting to learn and discover something new about a place every time.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about sightseeing.

https://listenaminute.com/s/sightseeing.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do people like sightseeing so much? Why do some people don’t like it?
  2. Do you like sightseeing? Why or why not?
  3. What is a place you learned about at school and visited? How was your experience in that moment?
  4. What is the best time of the day to go sightseeing and why? Which do you prefer and why?
  5. Which place do you want to see and why?

Traveling

B1 – Intermediate

There is a saying that goes, “Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”. There are just too many places to visit, too little time.

Traveling gives us a lot of experiences and memories.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about traveling.

https://listenaminute.com/t/travelling.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons you travel?
  2. Why do you think some people don’t enjoy traveling?
  3. Talk about your most memorable trip.
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of planning your trips in advance?
  5. Have you ever gone to a trip without any plans at all? Why or why not?
  6. Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while traveling? What makes this person interesting?
  7. Do you visit places that are off the beaten track? Why or why not?
  8. How do you feel about being somewhere with thousands of other tourists?

British Couple Win a Lottery

B1 – Intermediate

You’ve probably had days when you do not want to go to work. You want to just pack your bags and go on a really long holiday in some exotic destination. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the time nor the money to do so. All we can do is to just wish we’d win the lottery so we never have to work a day in our life. We think having loads of money would help us do whatever we want.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about a couple who won the lottery.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/british-couple-win-a-lottery-level-3/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What would be the very first thing you would buy?
  2. What would you do if you won 230 million dollars? 
  3. Would you give money to friends and family? Who? How much? If not, why?
  4. In what ways would winning the lottery change you and your life? 
  5. Have you ever won anything? What/How much did you win? How did you feel in that moment?

Man Throws Cake at Mona Lisa

B1 – Intermediate

Louvre is a very popular museum in Paris. It is also famous because it is where  Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is displayed. Many people admire this painting when they see it. However, one man did the opposite. He disrespected it and even tried to damage it by punching and throwing a cake on it. Good thing, the painting has glass for protection.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about a man who attempted to damage the Mona Lisa.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/man-throws-cake-at-mona-lisa-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on what this man did to the Mona Lisa? It is supposed that he did it to protest for the environment. Do you agree with what he did or not?
  2. Have you seen the Mona Lisa? If yes, what do you think of it? If not yet, would you like to someday?
  3. Talk about a similar incident that happened in your country.
  4. Why is important to protect famous works of art such as the Mona Lisa?
  5. Talk about the proper behavior at a museum.
  6. Do you like arts? Why or why not?

Man Collects Old Apple Devices

B1 – Intermediate

Everyone has that one thing they love so much. Sometimes, they even collect them. There are many reasons for someone to collect something.

Jimmy Grewal collects old Apple devices and accessories.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about Jimmy Grewal’s Apple products collection.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/man-collects-old-apple-devices-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this man’s obsession with Apple products?
  2. What are all the Apple products you have owned?
  3. What is something that reminds you of your childhood and why?
  4. What is something that you wanted as a child but you couldn’t have it and when you became older, you got or bought it? Why do you want this thing so much? How did you feel finally having it?
  5. Is there something you collect? Why do you collect this thing? Talk about your own collection.
  6. What are reasons people collect things?

Family Castle

B1 – Intermediate

Living in a castle sounds magical and dreamlike. Imagine the vast space you have for all kinds of activities, whether indoors or outdoors.

One man and the rest of his family decided to turn this dream into reality and purchased a castle because they all wanted to live together.

However, living in a castle also means having to face the same challenges as ordinary housing issues such as heating and bathroom access.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about how this family did it and their joys and struggles of living in a castle.

Audio only: https://www.esleschool.com/wp-content/uploads/h5p/content/2030/audios/files-621e1c3f10189.mp3

https://www.esleschool.com/a2-family-castle/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of William’s house?
  2. According to William, what are the good and bad things about their family castle?
  3. Would you like to live in a castle too? Why or why not?
  4. How would you like to live with all your family?
  5. Describe your dream family house.
  6. Do you like castles? Why or why not?

Airlines Miss Climate Change Targets

B1 – Intermediate

Since the year 2000, UK airlines have set their climate change targets. However, according to the climate group Possible, airlines have not had any success in reducing their carbon footprints.

Read the article about how airlines fail to reach their climate change targets.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2205/220512-climate-change-targets-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. The climate record of airlines was very “poor”. What is your reaction to this?
  2. Do you think that the airlines set impossible targets that’s why they failed? Share your opinion.
  3. To meet the goal to be net zero, frequent fliers should pay more. What is your opinion on this?

Tax Millionaires More

B1 – Intermediate

With global crises like the Coronavirus pandemic and the Ukraine war, it has been difficult for many countries and their citizens.  The prices of food and energy have increased a lot recently. 

It is necessary for global leaders to think of solutions to our many economic problems. Some millionaires think they should be taxed more by their governments.

Read the article about rich people asking their governments to tax them more.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2205/220526-millionaires-tax-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on these rich people asking their governments to increase their taxes?
  2. Do you think rich people are paying very little taxes? Should they pay higher taxes? Explain your opinion.
  3. How else can economies recover from economic crisis?
  4. How is the economy of your country now and what is your government’s plan to improve the economy of your country?
  5. How are you and everyone in your country affected by the the cost of living crisis?