Tag: Reading

Panama Evacuates Islanders Due to Rising Sea Levels

B1 – Intermediate 

As a result of global warming, the sea levels across the world are rising at an alarming rate.

The rise in sea levels is greatly due to water from melting glaciers and ice sheets and seawater expansion caused by the warmer temperatures.

In Panama, residents of a small island called Gardi Sugdub had to be evacuated because the sea levels on the island has gone up by a lot.

Read the article about the evacuation of islanders in Panama because of rising sea levels.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2406/240603-rising-sea-levels-5.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “last minute” mean? “A government official said some people are refusing to leave their ancestral home. They will stay until the last minute.” two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does “a sign of something to come” mean? “The government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to come.” two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “engulf” mean? “Many more islands are under threat from being engulfed.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the effects of rising sea levels in Panama?
  2. What is your reaction to this, “A recent environmental study estimated Panama would lose 2.01 percent of its coastal territory to rising sea levels.”?
  3. Some inhabitants of the island do not want to leave their homes. How can the government convince them to evacuate?
  4. Do you think the relocated inhabitants will have a better life in their new community? Explain.
  5. Does news about rising sea levels affect you? Why or why not?

Tesla to Recall Vehicles Over Faulty Seat Belt Warning System

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Seatbelts are considered as integral part of the basic safety equipment installed in all modern vehicles. Some people wear their seat belt the moment they get into the car while others need that constant reminder to wear them.

In case of a collision, the risk of injury is much higher if the passengers of the vehicles are not wearing this safety strap.

In the US, Tesla has had to recall more than 120 thousand vehicles over a malfunction in its seat belt warning system.

Let’s read the article and know more about a malfunction in these Tesla vehicles and the company’s solutions to the problem.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/31/business/tesla-recall-faulty-seat-belt-warning-system/index.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the phrase “audible chime” mean? “The regulator said the vehicles failed to comply with the federal safety requirements as their seat belt warning light and audible chime may not get activated when the driver is unbelted.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “to fail to comply with” mean? “The regulator said the vehicles failed to comply with the federal safety requirements as their seat belt warning light and audible chime may not get activated when the driver is unbelted.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  3. What does “to get lodged in” mean? “It also recalled 3,878 Cybertrucks in April to fix an accelerator pedal pad that could come loose and get lodged in the interior trim.” Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the problem with those Tesla vehicles?
  2. What steps will Tesla take to remedy this malfunction?
  3. How do you think these series of recalls affect Tesla?
  4. Talk about another company that failed to comply with the federal requirements that led to a recall of their products from the market.
  5. How can a company manage a successful product recall procedure?

National Service

B1 – Intermediate

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has proposed a plan to introduce national service for 18-year-olds if his party wins the UK election on July 4th. Under this plan, young people would have two options: one year of military service or voluntary work commitments. The proposal aims to instill valuable skills and foster a stronger national culture in the youths. However, it has faced criticism from various experts and young people alike.

Read this article to learn more about plan to introduce national service for 18-year-olds.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2405/240530-national-service.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “national service” mean?  “The UK leader, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, says he will introduce compulsory national service if his party wins the UK election on July the 4th. Under his plan, young people will have two choices when they become 18. “ Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. Define “voluntary work”. “The second option is to do voluntary work for one weekend a month.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of “to take away something/to take something away“? “They believe it takes away their freedom.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about mandatory national service for 18-year-olds?
  2. What could be the good and bad thing about the national service in your country?
  3. What are your thoughts on this statement, “[By doing national service ] people will gain valuable skills, and help to “build a stronger national culture.“?
  4. Do you believe the implementation of national service could be done in your country? Why or why not?
  5. How would compulsory national service impact young people’s personal plans and goals for the future?

Cycling Is Good for Your Knees

B1 – Intermediate 

If you are thinking about how to prepare your body and health for old age, consider getting on a bicycle now!

According to a new study, one surprising benefit of riding bikes is the possibility to have less knee pains when you are older.

Read the article about how cycling is good for your knees.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2405/240523-cycling-and-knees.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the condition “wear-and-tear arthritis”. “Osteoarthritis is often called wear-and-tear arthritis.” Make your own sentence with this term.
  2. What does “less likely to die prematurely” mean? “A lot of research shows that cyclists are around 20 per cent less likely to die prematurely.” Make your own sentence with this phrase.
  3. What does “to wear down” mean? “The cartilage wears down and becomes painful.”  Make your own sentence with this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this medical news?
  2. What are the good effects of cycling on our body?
  3. What is your opinion about riding bicycles?
  4. What do you know about wear-and-tear arthritis and other diseases that involve bones, muscles and joints? Talk about them with as much details as you can.

Revolt Against Bad Tourists

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As summer draws closer and closer, a noticeable shift is occurring in popular tourist destinations like Ibiza and Mallorca. Locals in these parts are expressing firm desire for respectful tourists and raising concerns about the negative impact of mass tourism.

Read this article to learn about the changing attitudes towards tourism in popular destinations.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240522-the-worlds-revolt-against-bad-tourists

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to stem the flow of something” mean? “In hotly visited Venice, tourist fees have begun for daytrippers to try to stem the flow of unending visitors.” Make a sentence with this expression.
  2. Define “tourism levy“. “And Bali recently announced a new tourism levy after a series of incidents involving visitors desecrating holy sites and behaving disrespectfully.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does “a force for good” mean? “I see travel as a force for good. We don’t want to make it only possible for rich people to have these mind-opening experiences, but they need to be able to do it in a responsible way so we don’t ruin the planet at the same time.” Use this idiom in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the growing anti-tourist sentiment in places like Ibiza and Mallorca?
  2. How do you believe tourists can better respect local culture and nature when visiting a destination?
  3. Do you believe that mass tourism has a positive or negative impact on local communities? Why?
  4. In your ideal travel scenario, what would a responsible and sustainable tourist experience look like for you?
  5. How do you think tourism patterns will change in the future, considering the ongoing discussions about sustainability and responsible travel?

Unhappiness Leave

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Read this article to learn more about the so-called “unhappiness leave”.

Imagine this scenario: rather than being obligated to remain at work when start having work blues, you’re given the freedom to take a day off whenever you’re not feeling your best. This is the idea behind “unhappy leaves”, a new concept gaining attention. It’s a departure from the old belief that work equals fulfilment or satisfaction.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/12/workers-unhappiness-leave-beats-awaydays-work-life-balance-seminars-yoga

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mealy-mouthed” mean? “That may be a translation quirk – perhaps it sounds as mealy-mouthed as “mental health day” in the original – but the translation still gets to a basic truth: work doesn’t make us happy.” Use this expression in a sentence.
  2. Define “rip-roaring“. “It can be fulfilling, interesting, even important for a few, but it’s rarely a rip-roaring good time.” Make a sentence with this.
  3. What is the meaning of “studded with something“? “There’s the obvious prompt of the 1st – workers’ day, celebrated by not working in all right-thinking places – and the month is studded with days off in mainland Europe, like chocolate chips in your breakfast pastry.” Use this in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. State your stand on this, “If you’re not happy, do not come to work.“.
  2. What do you think about the idea of having “unhappy leave” as a benefit in your workplace?
  3. How do you typically handle days when you’re feeling unhappy or demotivated to work?
  4. In your opinion, what could be benefits and drawbacks of having “unhappy days” in other workplaces?
  5. How do you think cultural attitudes towards work and happiness differ around the world?
  6. If you could implement a new policy or benefit in your workplace to improve well-being and happiness, what would it be?

People Want Dumbphones

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Mobile phone companies go head to head to keep innovating their products. “The smarter the better.” seems to be the motto here.

On the contrary, not everyone is so pleased. For those who can barely keep up with the latest in smartphones or those who are outright anti-technology, they want phones with less advanced specs and features. For them, “The simpler the better.”

Read this article and find out why people prefer dumbphones and will the industry respond to this increasing demand.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240515-the-dumbphones-people-want-are-hard-to-find

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “neo-Luddite”? “Self-labelled neo-Luddites and the tech-stressed are searching for phones with fewer features.” Make a sentence using this word.
  2. Define “profit margin”. “Industry experts cite precarious profit margins and a wobbly market around this niche need.” Make a sentence using this term.
  3. What does “catch-all” mean? “They’re transitioning to “dumbphones”, a catch-all term for phones with basic functions such as calling, texting and setting alarms.”  Make a sentence using this word.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are some people choosing basic dumbphones with stripped down capabilities?
  2. What do you think about using dumbphones again? Can you name some pros and cons?
  3. Do you think it is worth it for tech companies to keep manufacturing dumbphones? State your opinion.
  4. What are your thoughts on this, “The big tech giants don’t want anything that has to do with reducing your smartphone usage.”?
  5. How do you find the idea of a “light or minimal phone”?

Forever Chemicals in Seafood

B1 –  Intermediate 

A new study found that some seafood like shrimps and lobsters may contain high levels of toxic PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’.

Because these man-made toxins do not break down, they remain in our blood. This could then cause cancer and kidney and liver problems.

Read this article about a study that found out seafood contain high levels of forever chemicals.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2404/240418-seafood-forever-chemicals-2.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “toxin” mean, “The level of these toxins is highest in marine creatures like prawns and lobster.”? Make a sentence using this word.
  2. What does “to break down” mean in this context, “Forever chemicals do not break down. They can stay in our blood and lead to a variety of health issues.”? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘to break down’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “rethink” mean, “This could mean people who love sushi and prawn cocktails may have to rethink their diet and eat less seafood.“? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘rethink’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the things you know about forever chemicals?
  2. Share your reaction to the results of this study.
  3. Share your thoughts to this, “Over the decades, the chemicals have entered our food chain.”.
  4. According to researchers, what do we need to do to address this problem?
  5. Do you agree or disagree with this, “This could mean people who love sushi and prawn cocktails may have to rethink their diet and eat less seafood.”? Explain your point.

Men Sleep Better than Women

B1 –  Intermediate 

Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Getting quality sleep is very important in order to improve our brain performance, lift our mood, and maintain overall good health. 

A study found that men get better sleep than women for a few differents reasons.

Read this article about a study that discovered men sleep better than women.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2405/240506-sleep-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “deprivation” mean, “Around 30 per cent of people experience sleep deprivation.”? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘deprivation’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “life-threatening” mean? “Lack of sleep can lead to life-threatening illnesses.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘life-threatening’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “underlying” mean, “There is a high correlation with underlying psychiatric disorders and insomnia.“? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘underlying’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on the results of this study.
  2. According to the article, what are reasons men sleep better than women? What do you think about this?
  3. How can a person sleep better?
  4. What are reasons you can sleep well sometimes and what do you do when you can’t seem to get good sleep?
  5. What is your opinion on this statement, “The stress of everyday life means more of us are finding it difficult to sleep.”?

Being a Social Entrepreneur

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The co-founder of B-Lab UK, Charmian Love, shares what she believes are the traits of a true leader. Her leadership tips come from a social entrepreneur perspective.

Watch the video and read the transcript as Charmian Love talks about being a social entrepreneur.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/leadership_shorts/Ep7

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “to bring to the table” mean in the sentence, “Don’t underestimate what you have to bring to the table!”? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the phrase “to step into” mean in the sentence, “Just recognising the really wide and diverse range in which people can step into leadership positions has been one of the joys of my journey.“? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the word “self-critical” mean in the sentence, “I think leaders should be very careful to not become so convinced by themselves and their own leadership model that they don’t have the ability to reflect and be, sort of, quite self-critical as needed.”? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you understand the role of social entrepreneurs?
  2. How are social entrepreneurs different from other entrepreneurs? Can you give examples?
  3. What leadership insights have you learned from Charmian Love?
  4. Which leadership traits mentioned in the video do you often see in your company or society?
  5. Do you want to be a social entrepreneur? Why or why not?