Tag: Preliminary PET

Stress Causes Graying Hair

B1 – Intermediate

It is said that our hair is our crowning glory. Sooner or later, that crown will start to gray and we face a decision whether to dye it or maintain that silver hair color.

Read the article below to know what causes our hair to turn gray and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2001/200126-grey-hair-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree that stress is one of the main causes of going gray?
  2. Do you have gray hair? If so, are you worried about it? What are you going to do when all your hair turn gray?
  3. How do you keep your hair looking good and at its best?
  4. How do you deal with stress?

Best Country for Raising Kids

B1 – Intermediate

Most citizens are willing to pay high rates of taxes if health care, education, and other needs are taken care of. People in these countries see paying taxes as a quality of life investment. The U.S. News & World Report’s list of “The Best Countries for Raising Kids” in 2020 names Scandinavia as the best place in the world to raise children.

Read the article to know why and be able to answer the questions below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2001/200118-raising-kids.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why was Scandinavia ranked as the best place in the world to raise children?
  2. What factors do you consider that would give the best life for the family especially, children in a certain country?
  3. How do you assess the condition of raising kids in your country?
  4. What do you think about the services, initiatives, and incentives that are being offered to families in your country?

China Battles Corona Virus

B1- Intermediate

China is ramping up for containment measures as other countries are preparing for a major outbreak that has killed 56 people and infected at least 1,975 more.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2001/200124-coronavirus-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is coronavirus? How serious is it?

2. What is your reaction to this news?

3. What would you do if there was an outbreak in your country?

4. Do you think scientists will find a cure for the coronavirus?

Japanese City Asks Tourists to Stop ‘Sand Graffiti’

B1 – Intermediate

City officials of Tottori are asking tourists to avoid writing messages and pictures in the sand of its giant sand dunes. More than 3,300 cases of ‘sand graffiti’ happened at this tourist spot in the last 10 years.

Read the article below to know more about this new rule.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1905/190525-tottori-sand-dunes-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the city’s new rule?
  2. What do you think of the tourists’ actions?
  3. What other tourism rules do you follow?

Why Do Students Drop Out of School?

B1 – Intermediate

Nowadays, a lot of American high school students have been dropping out.

Let’s see what the usual reasons for this are and some possible outcomes when students drop out of high school on the link below.

https://www.english-online.at/education/school-dropouts/school-dropouts.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons students drop out of school?
  2. How can dropping out of high school affect young people’s future?
  3. How do you think can we improve our education system so students wouldn’t choose to stop studying?
  4. Talk about someone you know who is a dropout. Did this person become successful or not?
  5. What would you say to a high school student who wants to stop their studies?

We May Be Able to Learn Vocabulary While Sleeping

B1 – Intermediate

Good news to everyone who wants to expand their vocabulary! A new study in Switzerland has shown that we can learn new vocabulary while sleeping. It is also possible to learn a foreign language this way.

Check out this article below for more information.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1902/190206-learning-vocabulary.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think that this is effective?
  2. Would you like to try it?
  3. How do you expand your vocabulary?
  4. What other languages would you like to learn?
  5. What other things would you like to learn while you sleep?

Garbage Collectors Start Library with Abandoned Books

B1 – Intermediate

There’s an old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. This phrase perfectly describes this article about garbage collectors in Turkey who recycle abandoned books. The collection grew gradually as they began saving books and has now built a library.

Learn more by reading the article on the website below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1905/190509-library.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about the article?
  2. Do you have a lot of libraries in your city?
  3. How often do you go to libraries?
  4. How can reading affect your life?
  5. Do you think there are still a lot of people who go to libraries?

Egypt Opens Ancient Pyramids for the First Time

B1 – Intermediate

Egypt has opened two of its oldest pyramids. These two pyramids are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are now open to the public for the first time since 1965.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1907/190720-pyramids-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Pyramids in Egypt?
  2. Do you think the Pyramids are some of the most important architectural sites in the world?
  3. What do you think will be the effect of tourism on the pyramids?

The United Kingdom Could Break Up

B1 – Intermediate

Many people in the UK want independence. An ex-UK prime minister believes that if the UK leaves the EU, the four nations of the UK will be in trouble.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1908/190813-united-kingdom-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion of the European Union (the EU)?
  2. Why do think people in the UK want this independence? What advantages, if any, would their citizens obtain?
  3. What do you think will happen to the EU without the UK?
  4. Can freedom damage a country?

Child Marriage in Nepal

B1 – Intermediate

Child marriage is very common in poor countries of the Third World. Over half the adults in Nepal married when they were still children. A UNICEF study reports that about 60% of Nepalese women got married before they turned 18 years old.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/people/child-marriage-in-nepal.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about child marriage?
  2. At what age do people usually get married in your country?
  3. In your country, what do women usually do after getting married?
  4. What are some wedding traditions in your country?