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Nuclear Annihilation is One Mistake Away

B1 – Intermediate

With all the global issues and political tensions we are facing these days, the possibility of a nuclear war is very high. The UN has warned that one little misunderstanding could potentially start a nuclear annihilation.

It is imperative to find a way that these nuclear weapons are eliminated so we are sure that they could never be used.

Read the article about how possible it is for a nuclear war to break any moment. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2208/220804-nuclear-annihilation-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to what the UN has said that “humanity is just one misunderstanding away from a nuclear war”?
  2. How can this be stopped?
  3. What national security issues is your country facing at the moment?
  4. Do you think countries with nuclear weapons would agree to eliminate them? Why or why not?

Thinking Makes Us Tired

B1 – Intermediate

When you think of tiring activities, you probably think of running a marathon, exercising at the gym, and swimming non-stop. You would probably not think of thinking as something that causes us to get tired.

However, a recent study proves that exerting too much mental effort actually drains us physically.

Read the article and find out why thinking makes us tired. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2208/220818-thinking-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to the result of this study?
  2. Does thinking make you tired? What do you do when you feel tired from thinking?
  3. Do you agree or disagree that a power nap is good for you/for your brain? Explain.
  4. What are some mentally-exhausting activities for you?
  5. How do you make sure your brain is healthy?

Drought Hits Europe’s Rivers and Crops

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The scorching heat is an ongoing problem face by all of Europe. This extended drought has caused riverbeds to be exposed which has led to restrictions on water use in a lot of places.

Read the article to know more about the drought that’s been affecting Europe’s rivers and crops.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62466990

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your reaction to this news.
  2. Talk about the good and bad effects of this drought on different European countries.
  3. Choose a photo from the article, describe it, and talk about how/why it caught your attention.
  4. Describe the drought in your country.
  5. “The boom in Spain’s intensive agriculture has fueled concern about its sustainability, given the pressure on water resources in hotter climatic conditions.” What is your opinion on this?

Israel-Gaza Conflict

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The extent of violence and level of tensions we have seen brought about by the Israel-Gaza conflict is at all-time high. A ceasefire mediated by Egypt has come into force. But until the status quo changes, the threats of future sieges still hold.

Read the article to know more about the root of the issue, the tensions between Israel and Palestinians now, and what the future holds for the two nations.

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44124396

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on the Israel-Palestine conflict?
  2. The main issues which Israel and the Palestinians cannot agree on have already been identified but so far, the conflict still have not been solved. Share your thoughts on this.
  3. “Any future peace deal will need both sides to agree to resolve complex issues.” What are your thoughts on this?
  4. What do you know about the Gaza Strip?
  5. Any thoughts on America’s involvement in the Middle East peace plan?

More Young Adults are Renting Next Door to Retired Folks

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A trend called intergenerational roommates is making a buzz in America. The idea is to arrange affordable accommodation for a young person on someone else’s property. The property owner is at least one generation older than the renter.

This living arrangement is beneficial for both parties. The older person will have someone to help around the house, while the younger one will only have to spend at least $700 a month in a tier one city like Boston.

Read the entire article in this link.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/more-and-more-young-adults-are-renting-alongside-retirement-age-with-intergenerational-benefits/

Discussion Questions:

1. The article mentions the growing isolation among the elderly in the US. Considering this factor, discuss how the trend of intergenerational roommates helps improve the situation.

2. Do you get along well with people from the older generations? Why or why not?

3. How is your relationship with people from younger generations?

4. What can younger people learn from the older generation and vice versa?

5. Do you see any drawbacks in having intergenerational roommates? If so, what are they?

No Necktie, Save Energy

B1 – Intermediate

Hundreds of people have died because of ongoing heatwaves in Spain. It is imperative to find ways to save energy to help with the climate change crisis. At this point, every action is important, no matter how little it is.

Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez appears at a press conference not wearing a necktie and he encourages everyone to do the same.

Read the article about not wearing a tie as a way to save energy and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2208/220801-necktie-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of this measure? Do you like this idea or not? Explain.
  2. What are some other energy-saving measures you know of or are you doing?
  3. “Mr Sanchez’s government has already restricted the use of air conditioners and heaters.” What is your opinion on this measure?
  4. “Spain has introduced a relief package of $9.2 billion to help people with energy bills.” In your opinion, is this helpful? Why or why not?
  5. How do you feel about wearing a tie to work everyday?

Conjoined Twins Separated with the Help of Virtual Reality

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Surgeries are already complex as they are. Medical advances keep getting more and more developed to help patients get the best treatment possible.

Though it may sound a lot like a scene from a sci-fi film, medicine and technology have gone hand-in-hand in successfully providing the most effective and efficient procedures to treat patients, even those with the most complex of conditions.

Read the article about the Brazilian conjoined twins who have been separated all thanks to virtual reality.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62378452

Discussion Questions:

  1. Surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani described the procedure as “space-age stuff”. Do you agree/disagree with him and why?
  2. What are your thoughts on this surgery?
  3. How would you feel going through medical procedures using technologies like the VR?
  4. Where else can VR be useful?
  5. Describe the most complex medical procedure you’ve ever gone through.

Police Turn Criminal’s Ferrari into Patrol Car

B1 – Intermediate

Catching joyriders, illegal road racers, and more aggressive drivers could be a problem for the police. They drive too fast. Police won’t be able to catch up with these law breakers if they drive slow cars.

The solution – the Czech Republic police have used a criminal’s Ferrari into a patrol car. Now this high-powered sports car can help police during high-speed chase. In Dubai, the police also drive fast cars to ensure their citizens’ safety.

Read the article about the police using a criminal’s Ferrari as patrol car. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2207/220728-patrol-car-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree with police using seized supercars as patrol cars? Explain your point.
  2. Do you think police presence on streets make people feel safe? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think about high-powered cars? Would you like to own one? Why or why not?
  4. Do you enjoy watching car races? Why or why not?

Fake News

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Every day we come face to face with fake news. It has been there for centuries, but with the advent of social media, it has become more prevalent these days. It could affect someone personally or impact the society on a global scale. There are obviously several disadvantages to fake news and these include the following:

Change in Public Opinion

This is blatant within the political sphere where fake news is used to manipulate the public’s opinion for profit, public support, or to change the public’s mind about a rival political party.

Defamation

Despite everyone enjoying the right to self-expression, there are those who misuse this right to defame well-known global personalities. Fake news is a great way of spreading false information beyond the internet. Two common examples are when one hears about a celebrity’s affair or when a celebrity experiences their own death through a death hoax.

 False Insight  

Regardless of whether they are true or misleading, people tend to blindly believe the words of an influential person. Most people choose not to dig deeper and find it out for themselves. Therefore, negatively changing their perception about someone or something in the news.

Amazingly, there is a silver lining. We may notice some positive things about fake news as well.

 Recreation Consider satire or works of parody that are meant to be for fun. Just think of all the celebrity gossips or the fact that some people think that reptiloids are among us! Everyone, whether offline or on the internet, loves a good laugh.

Improvement in Memory According to the journal Psychological Science, the ability to recall a time when you heard or read fake news helps your brain to remember true information. A research team conducted two experiments on 96 participants. Throughout the experiments, their memory was tested to check whether recollections were true or based on misinformation. They read both factual and made-up statements from news sites and then read statements that corrected the fake news. It turned out that misinformation reminders helped the participants see the cracks in their memories and promoted better memory recollection. Also, individuals that face fake news head-on have a raised awareness of disparities between what is fact and what is fiction and have better memory updating. Clearly, regardless of the kind of fake news, there is some usefulness to it.

Now you know that there’s a break in the clouds and there might be an upside to dealing with disinformation. But be careful and don’t let fake news determine what you think or who you are.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What other pros and cons can you add to this list?
  2. Do you think the pros of fake news justify distributing it? Why or why not)?
  3. Is it worth trying to fight such fake news in an attempt to stop blatant disinformation?
  4. How would you explain to your grandmother that she shouldn’t believe everything she reads and that hoaxes are published everyday?
  5. Where do you get your news from and why do you choose these sources?
  6. Have you ever encountered an internet hoax that you actually believed but later on found out wasn’t true?

The Case for Job Hopping

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thinking a bit more traditionally, it is believed that one should stay at a company for  at least a few years or even better, for years on end. 

In the more recent years, many employees who keep hopping to different companies are benefiting from career leverage. 

Read the article about the advantages of job hopping and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220720-the-case-for-job-hopping

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “buoyant job market” mean? “With each move, she’s worked with higher-profile clients, gained greater experience and acquired deeper skills that now give her leverage in a buoyant job market.” Use this term in your own sentence.
  2. What does “pay-off” mean? “There has also been another significant pay-off: Anna’s successive job moves have meant her salary has grown by 30% in a short space of time.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘pay-off’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to work one’s way up” mean? “I started at a small start-up, and have quickly worked my way up.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘to work one’s way up’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on job vagrancy or the “Hobo Syndrome”.
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of staying in the same company for a long time?
  3. In your opinion, what is the most ideal number of years of tenure to stay in a company, and why?
  4. In the past, people worked only one job in their whole professional life. Can you imagine that for yourself?
  5. What’s the longest time you’ve worked for a company? What made you stay there for that long?
  6. Should the years you’ve stayed at a company should matter? Explain.