Tag: Reading

The ‘Minterns’ Taking Internships in their 30s

B2 – Upper Intermediate

At the age of 30, society expects us to have stable careers and secure jobs. However, not everyone feels personal fulfillment in what they do around this age. This is especially true for millennials.

A study conducted showed that almost half of millennials are dissatisfied with their jobs. A lot of them leave within the first 24 months. Some choose to shift from their original career paths to a different one, purposely starting from the bottom again.

Click the link below and read the article to know more about “minterns”.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190815-the-minterns-taking-internships-in-their-30s

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who are considered as “minterns”? What do you think of people in their 30s taking on internship jobs?
  2. What do you think this work trend reflects?
  3. Can you imagine yourself doing what Alejandro Cavazos did given a chance? Why or why not?
  4. Why do you think a lot of millennials are dissatisfied with their jobs?
  5. How important is personal fulfillment in choosing your career path?
  6. What are you looking for in terms of career development?

A Very Young Influencer

B1 – Intermediate

A seven-year-old child influencer from Italy has gained heartfelt support from people all over the world when his videos went viral on social media platforms. He proves that disability does not prevent a person from inspiring others.

Read the article and listen to the audio and be able to answer the discussion questions:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/a-very-young-influencer-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think it is a good idea to make a very young child become an influencer on social media? Why or why not?
  2. If you had/have a child, would you let them become an influencer at a very young age? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think are the perks and pitfalls of being a child influencer?
  4. What do you think of social media influencers who have disabilities? How can they affect the lives of the viewers? What can we learn from them?
  5. How has the society changed their view on people with disabilities over the years?

Inactive Twitter Accounts

B1 – Intermediate

Twitter is working to clean up inactive accounts to present more accurate and credible information that people can trust. This is in response to their commitment to serve the public conversation.

Read the article and listen to the audio and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/inactive-twitter-accounts-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Twitter removing inactive accounts?
  2. What is your opinion on this: “If Twitter deletes their accounts, people lose memories of them [people who have died]”?
  3. Do you have Twitter? If so, how much do you use it?
  4. What do you think are the good and bad thing about Twitter?
  5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having social media accounts?

More Women Drinking Alcohol

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Alcohol use disorder or most commonly known as alcoholism is the inability to manage one’s drinking habits. People struggling with alcoholism may impact relationships, personal matter, work life, and problems with one’s overall health. Nowadays, with the restriction of doing outdoor activities, more and more people especially women are drinking alcohol at home.

Let’s listen to the audio below to learn more.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/more-women-drinking-alcohol/5620265.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is alcoholism a problem in your country?
  2. What are the usual reasons why people drink?
  3. What are the impacts of alcohol in our body?
  4. Why do you think more and more women have been drinking?
  5. How can people overcome alcohol abuse?

Researchers Want to Correct Japanese English

B1 – Intermediate

The government in Japan is using computer and online translations to translate Japanese into English which results to confusing words and expressions for English speakers visiting the country.

Let us read more about the article.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201121-japanese-english-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about Japan’s problem?
  2. Are there any strange translations from your language into English?
  3. What do you think of translation software?
  4. What do you think of the government using these software?
  5. Have you ever made a big or strange mistake translating into English?

Fashion Designer Encourages Youth to Choose Heritage

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fashion trends have changed dramatically over the years but this Vietnamese fashion designer encourages youth to choose heritage to bring back traditions and customs with a twist of modern fashion.

Let’s read the article to know more.

https://www.gulftoday.ae/lifestyle/2020/11/28/vietnamese-fashion-designer-encourages-youth-to-choose-heritage

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about cultural heritage fashion ?
  2. Are you a fashionable person? What fashion trend do you follow?
  3. How are some fashion designers reinventing heritage as modern design?
  4. Do you think heritage fashion can be restrictive and impractical in today’s society?
  5. Do you wear any fashionable clothes that represents your country?

Reversing the Aging Process

B1 – Intermediate

Aging is associated with changes in dynamic biological, physiological, environmental, psychological, behavioral, and social processes. Some age-related changes are benign, such as graying hair. Others result in declines in function of the senses and activities of daily life and increased susceptibility to and frequency of disease, frailty, or disability. In fact, advancing age is the major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases in humans.

The question on all our minds is, ‘ Is it possible to reverse aging?’

Let’s read the article below to find out.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201125-ageing-process-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What are some of the benefits of getting older?
  3. Is aging more difficult for men or women? Why?
  4. Although women live longer than men, it is sometimes said that men “age” better than women. What do you think?
  5. What do you think can you do for yourself to help you age better with improved mobility and strength? When do you think you should start doing this?

Poor Diet Creates 20cm Height Gap in Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Human growth is affected by complex interactions among various factors, including gene, race, birth weight, hormone, nutrition, and environment.
Eating behaviours evolve during the first years of life; children learn what, when, and how much to eat through direct experiences with food and observing the eating behaviours of others.

But how can poor diet and nutrition affect a child’s health?

Let’s read the article below to learn more about diet and height.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201111-diet-and-height.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What two things did the article see were behind the height gap?
  2. What did the article warn people against?
  3. What is the average height of children and also men and women in your country?
  4. Do you think you had a healthy lifestyle when you were a child? Is it possible to have a healthy lifestyle in this modern world?
  5. How could we improve the eating habits of children?

Awake at 3 a.m.? What to Do

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We’ve all had to burn the midnight oil at some point. Perhaps it was for that all-important presentation at work, or maybe we’ve had to pore over notes for that university examination that loomed the next day.

However, it’s a different thing altogether when we have the opportunity to get a full night’s sleep, but our body clock seemingly refuses to cooperate.

The following article has some nifty tips to have you snoozing your way to dreamland sooner and brimming with energy when the alarm clock finally rings.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/awake-at-3-a-m-what-to-do/

Discussion Questions:

  1. On an average evening, what time do you usually find yourself tucked up in bed? Do you sleep soon after or much later? What do you see as the ideal sleep schedule for you?
  2. Having read the article, what would you say are the things that keep you from falling asleep? How can you manage these factors to enjoy blissful slumber?
  3. Which of the tips do you find most useful? Which tips can you implement immediately to improve the quality of your sleep? Which would be difficult to put into practice?

Maldives Resort Offers $30K ‘All-You-Can-Stay’ Holiday

B1 – Intermediate

A visit to Maldives would be a dream come true for anyone. Imagine waking up on a private island with its dreamy white beaches covered in palm trees, turquoise lagoons, and breathtaking views. Maldives is one of the best places to go snorkeling and scuba diving.

What if a hotel company in the Maldives is offering guests a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, would you be interested?

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201115-maldives-resort-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Where is paradise for you?
  2. Do you think the Maldives holiday package is good value? Why/Why not?
  3. What is on your travel bucket list?
  4. What is your perfect holiday? Describe.
  5. Where do you go for seclusion and privacy?
  6. What once-in-a-lifetime experience would you like?