Tag: Preliminary PET

Drones Can’t Fly Over Paris

B1 – Intermediate

A drone is something like a flying robot. It is operated by humans from a remote location or it can work by itself when it is set. Drones are very popular and widely used because of its functionality and efficiency when capturing images and videos. However, there are some concerns about using them in Paris.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find out why Paris decided to impost strict laws against drones and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/drones-cannot-fly-over-paris-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Paris prohibiting drones? Is there such a law in your city or country too?
  2. What do you think of drones?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using drones?
  4. Why do you think they are gaining popularity nowadays?

Zip it

B1 – Intermediate

The phrase “zip it” originates from literally closing a bag by zipping it. Zipping the mouth of the person talking incessantly so that he or she could stop giving more information that others shouldn’t hear. This phrase is used more as a slang since it may sound rude to others specially in a formal conversation.

Let us hear more about the phrase “zip it” in the audio below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-210503

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you talkative? Why or why not?
  2. Do you usually tell people to zip it? What are some reasons?
  3. Do you find it rude when someone stops you when you’re speaking?
  4. What are the topics that you don’t normally talk about with others?
  5. How do you stop someone from talking when you want them to zip it?

Slay

B1 – Intermediate

There are multiple meanings of the word “slay”. It may often mean to kill a person or an animal, sometimes it means to make someone laugh very hard, it could also mean that something is quite impressive but most of the time it means that someone is looking attractively fashionable.

Let us hear more about the word “slay” in the audio below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-210524

Discussion Questions:

  1. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “slay”?
  2. Are you a fashionable person? What kind of clothes do you wear?
  3. Do you easily get impressed? What things do you find interesting?
  4. What memory do you have that you have slayed something?

Noob

B1 – Intermediate

There is no exact origins of the word “noob” but this is a very popular expression online specially for gamers that means a “newbie” which most of the time is used as an insult. This word may also be used in the real world for people who are part of an activity but not yet well experienced and quite knowledgeable thus, not performing very well.

Let us hear more about the word “noob” in the audio below.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-210607

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is being a noob always necessarily a bad thing?
  2. How are usually you like as a newbie?
  3. How can we tell that someone is a noob?
  4. What activities are you a noob at?
  5. What are you good at or an expert on?

Older UK Farmers Get Money for Retiring

B1 – Intermediate

Farming is probably one of the hardest professions to be in. Being a farmer means long days of work in the field. All those years of hard work, you think farmers get a huge amount of money when they retire. In most cases, they don’t. But in the UK, they want to change this.

Read the lesson and find out more about UK’s plans to offer huge retirement benefits for farmers.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210524-farming-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of when you hear the word “farming”?
  2. What is your opinion on this plan to give farmers a huge amount of money when they retire?
  3. What do you think about the job of farmers?
  4. In your country, are farmers well-paid? Is it a job that many people want to have?
  5. How can we make working in the farming industry interesting to younger people?
  6. What kind of help does the farming industry need in your country?

Booths for Stressed Workers

B1 – Intermediate

Work is probably one of the most common causes of people’s stress. Some companies are trying to help their workers deal with stress. One of them is Amazon. They have created something they call “AmaZen”.

Read the lesson and find out more about “AmaZen”.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2106/210601-wellness-chambers-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this wellness chambers?
  2. Would you like to have something like the “AmaZen” in your office/home office?
  3. How does your company help workers manage their stress?
  4. Does work stress you out? Why or why not?
  5. How do you manage work stress?

Dogs Help Stop the Coronavirus

B1 – Intermediate

Detection dogs are already common at airports and some other public places. As dogs have remarkable sense of smell, they are the ones that sniff out drugs, weapons, or explosives. Nowadays, there are dogs trained to detect Covid-19 by sniffing human sweat.

Read the article to know more dogs that could detect Coronavirus on humans and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/dogs-help-stop-the-coronavirus-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of specially trained dogs taught to detect infections and diseases, like cancer, malaria, etc.?
  2. Do you think detection dogs are reliable in detecting COVID-19? Why or why not?
  3. What are the pros and cons of using dogs to prescreen people for Covid-19 in airports, train stations, or other public places?

Instagram for Children

B1 – Intermediate

Facebook is working on launching a new version of Instagram for kids under 13.

This version of Instagram will allow kids to safely use the app. The current Instagram policy prohibits children under the age of 13 from using the service.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about Instagram for children.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/instagram-for-children-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with US politicians opinion about Instagram for children? Support your stand.
  2. What are the good and bad things about children using social networks?
  3. Are social networking sites dangerous to children? Why or why not?
  4. If you are a parent, would you let your child use this version of Instagram? Why or why not?
  5. What child-friendly features would you like to see on social networking sites?

Working Long Hours Kills

B1 – Intermediate

In Japan, there is a specific term for death by overwork, which is “karoshi”. However, this phenomenon is not only exclusive in Japan. It happens all over the world. In fact, a WHO study revealed that 750,000 people die prematurely due to overwork.

Click the link to learn more about the dangers of overworking.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210522-working-hours-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the dangers of overworking?
  2. How many hours do you spend time working? Do you work overtime or not? Do you sometimes get overworked?
  3. What is your opinion on this statement: “No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease.”?
  4. In your country, what are some government policies to prevent workers from overworking?
  5. How has your working hours and workload changed during the pandemic?

Dog Body Armor Against Bald Eagle Attacks

B1 – Intermediate

To protect their pet dogs from bald eagle attacks, owners are buying a special dog armor. This vest also protects small dogs from coyotes.

Let’s read the article about this special dog vest and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2105/210520-bald-eagles-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this dog armors/coyote vests?
  2. Should dogs wear protective vests from other harmful animals?
  3. Are you a pet owner? How do you protect your pet/s from danger?
  4. What other things can people use to scare birds or coyotes away from their dogs?