Tag: Preliminary PET

Working Many Hours

B1 – Intermediate

Tesla founder Elon Musk believes people should work more than the typical 35-40 hours a week in order to change the world. In fact, many CEOs of multi-billion-dollar companies work about 70 hours per week.

Read the article and be ready to talk about working very long hours.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1811/181129-working-week-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “workaholic” mean? “He is a workaholic but he loves working.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What is a “founder“? “He is the founder, CEO, and lead designer of SpaceX.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What is a “co-founder“? “He is the co-founder of PayPal.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Mr. Musk’s idea?
  2. What might be the good and bad things about being a workaholic?
  3. Talk about your own experience working long hours.

Freakshakes

B1 – Intermediate

Freakshakes are epic super-sweet treats that are guaranteed to indulge your inner sweet tooth. Ingredients include sweetened whipped cream, chocolate bars, mini-doughnuts and even slices of cake, cookies… The list goes on! This maybe worrisome because it contains very high calories which can be dangerous to our health.

Read the article below to know more about this extremely sugary milkshakes.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1811/181115-freakshake-milkshSakes.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of milkshakes? How about freakshakes? Would you like to try a freakshake?
  2. Should calorie information be on restaurant menus?
  3. Why do people “invent” things like freakshakes?
  4. What are some absurd food craze that have become popular in your country?
  5. What is the sweetest dessert you have ever tasted?

 

 

Citizens Give Cash to Help the Government

B1 – Intermediate

All countries have debts that they need to pay. This is why the government tries its best to find ways to pay for them.

In Malaysia, the citizens did something to help the government pay the country’s debts.

Read the article and learn how Malaysians helped the government.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1806/180603-crowdfunding-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on what the Malaysians did?
2. Would you give money to your government to pay your country’s debts?
3. Have you ever used crowdfunding to collect money for something/someone?
4. Have you ever given money to someone/for something by crowdfunding?
5. What are your thoughts on crowdfunding?

Electricity in All Villages

B1 – Intermediate

Electricity is a basic necessity. But not all places in the world have it. In some remote communities, people still have to live in the dark.

Read on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proud announcement that every Indian village now has electricity.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1805/180502-electricity-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on this news? How are Indians’ lives going to be changed?
2. What do you think it would be like to live without electricity?
3. If there was a power outage in your village/city for a day/a week, what would you do?
4. Are there still areas in your country without proper electricity or other services available?
5. If there’s one service (electricity, water, telephone, internet, cable TV, mobile, gas) you can live without, which one would it be?

Give All Tips to Staff

B1 – Intermediate

Waiting tables is one of those jobs that pay too little. A lot of waiters who work in restaurants depend on tips for more salary.

However, not all restaurants give the full amount of tips collected to their waiters.

Read the article below about a new law that obliges restaurant owners to give all the tips to their waiting staff.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1810/181004-tipping-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “tip” mean, “UK restaurants will soon have to give all tips to their staff.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘tip’ in a sentence.
  2. What does “staff” mean, “Many waiting staff are happy with the new law.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘staff’ in a sentence.
  3. What does “to be fed up with sb/sth” mean, “They are fed up with chain restaurants keeping their tips.”? Use this expression in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with this new law? Do you think it is necessary to have this law?
2. What is your opinion on restaurants not giving the tips to their staff?
3. Do you need to tip waiters in your country? Why or why not?
4. What are some low-paying jobs in your country?
5. How can we make sure all workers are treated fairly by their employers?

Tethered to Phones

B1 – Intermediate

Parents are concerned about the amount of time their teenage children spend in front of screens, while more others expressed concern about their own screen time.

Experts say parents have a big role in their kids’ screen habits and setting a good example is a big part of it.

https://www.voanews.com/a/study-teens-parents-tethered-smartphones/4539560.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think people are too tethered to their phones? Why or why not?

2. How often do you use your cellphone?

3. Should parents set a good example to their children by showing lesser usage of cellphones?

US to Spend Billions on Artificial Intelligence Weapons

B1 – Intermediate

What springs to your mind when asked about AI or Artificial Intelligence? Well, opinions differ for sure. Some would say it is of great advantage and some would say it is dangerous or a few would say they don’t care.

The United States will spend billions on developing AI weapons. They wanted to be ahead in terms of this technology as China and Russia are known to have their own.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1809/180912-weapons.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on AI weapons?
  2. What would be the outcome if these weapons will be used in the future?
  3. Will there be more of the advantages than the disadvantages?
  4. How do these weapons protect the welfare of the country?
  5. Would these weapons make the US more powerful than its counterparts?

Starbucks Cafes

B1 – Intermediate

Cafes are known for their very comfortable and homey ambiance. This makes it a perfect place to relax and pass time. The question is, if you want to stay in a cafe for many hours or just use their toilets, is it necessary to order something?

Read more below about this new rule that Starbucks is implementing in its stores.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1805/180522-starbucks-cafes-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion about this news?
2. Do you agree that any person who enters a shop is a customer? Explain.
3. Do you believe this new rule will make life easier for the cafe managers? Why or why not?
4. What do you think would be the results of this new rule to Starbucks?

Film Star Pay

B1 – Intermediate

It looks like they live in a world of fame, money, and glamour. Celebrities seems to have it all. This kind of life attracts many people to dream of becoming a star too.

But what if movie stars do not receive high pay? Will it be as interesting to become one?

Read more about the new rule in China in the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1807/180701-film-star-pay-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with the government’s decision?
2. Should movie stars be paid a lot of money? Why or why not?
3. Who is your favorite movie star? Talk about him or her.

Japan Lowers Age of Adulthood

B1 – Intermediate

More and more young Japanese do not want to get married and start a family. This would affect the economy and the whole society in the future.

To avoid serious consequences of this trend, the Japanese government has decided to change adulthood age from 20 to 18.

Read on about this change through the article below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1806/180617-adulthood-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about this change?
  2. What effects are the Japanese government hoping for with this change?
  3. Do you think those would be achieved?
  4. How do you think the traditional “Coming of Age” Day in this country will change now?
  5. What are some things 18 and 20 year-olds do in your country?