Tag: Text

Buy Nothing Day and Stop Over-Consumption

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Will you accept the challenge of buying fewer things?

Look at a popular online magazine headline and talk about your shopping habits and how they could influence your life and our planet.

Greenpeace campaigner Bonnie Tang said: “Hong Kongers love buying clothes and, apparently, throwing them away as well. At the rate they are entering our landfills we have to wonder why they are buying so many outfits only to throw them into trash bins. This level of wasteful consumption is ultimately a heavy burden on the environment.”

A Greenpeace study on the amount of textiles discarded in Hong Kong over the past 10 years found that the weight of discarded clothing averaged 100,000 tonnes annually. Although the amount of clothes being thrown away remains high, the government fails to collect and provide statistics on the environmental costs of public consumption or wastage of clothing.

“The issue of clothing waste has many mini-solutions including recycling, upcycling, and donation, however the thread that is woven throughout this issue is overconsumption,” Tang added. “Overconsumption is fueled by consumer demand and met all too enthusiastically by the fast fashion industry.”

Greenpeace calls on the Hong Kong public to acknowledge the impact that high consumption levels have on the environment. Consumers are urged to reduce unnecessary spending and adopt more environmentally-friendly consumption habits, such as buying clothes made from non-toxic materials, wearing second-hand clothes, repairing worn clothes, and not discarding old clothes.

Facts retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a lot of clothes or do you have a small wardrobe?
  2.  What can people do to minimize the negative effect of their shopping habits?
  3.  Have you ever thought about changing your shopping habits?

More Married Couples Remaining Childless

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we hear about couples getting married, it automatically comes to our mind that they are already expecting a child or going to have children. However, this is no longer the case: some couples choose to live alone, with no intention of having children. 

Here’s an article you can read to learn some of the reasons why some couples don’t want kids.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/census-more-married-couples-women-childless-no-kids-1998331

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on voluntary childlessness?
  2. According to the article, what are the reasons for voluntary childlessness?
  3. Why do you think couples opt not to have any children?
  4. How is childlessness viewed in your country?
  5. What are your thoughts on this, “Having to make a trade-off with one’s career is a big concern for women.”?

Space Travel Changes Astronauts’ DNA

B1 – Intermediate

With the growing interest in both commercial space flights and space exploration, many companies and countries have entered into space industry. This means more astronauts are being sent to space more frequently than in the past. A new study found that astronauts’ DNA have higher level of mutation.

What exactly does this imply?

Let’s read the article and know more about the DNA mutation of astronauts who have traveled to space.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2209/220908-astronauts-dna-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the health risks due to DNA mutation for astronauts?
  2. What are the implications of this new study for commercial space exploration?
  3. What measures should countries and companies have to avoid or minimize such health risks?
  4. Given these major health risks, do you think going to space is still worth it?

Radio Stations Shut Down in Venezuela

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has closed down almost one hundred radio stations due to lack of valid licenses. However, journalists and opposition leaders have a different opinion. They believe this is another blow to freedom of speech.

Read the article about radio stations shut down in Venezuela.

https://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/08/01/venezuela.radio.stations/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is the Venezuelan government closing down numerous independent radio stations?
  2. What do you think of the massive closure of radio stations in Venezuela? Do you think it is a subtle act of suppressing press freedom?
  3. What are the indirect effects of these radio station closures?
  4. What are the regulations of the ownership and operation of radio and television stations in your country?

The Smart Way to Learn from Failure

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The idea that failure is a bad thing is one that is quite often held. Numerous people who struggle with something are frequently labeled as losers, but if they take the lessons from their defeats, they become victors.

Failure teaches individuals that success is earned through tenacity and hard work, and that they are just like everyone else. The most valuable lessons in life are commonly learned through bad decisions made and the wisdom acquired through them. But do we actually learn from our mistakes, or do we purposefully fail to acknowledge them and carry on as if nothing had happened?

Check out the following article for more information on how to gain knowledge from our shortcomings.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221019-the-smart-way-to-learn-from-failure

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your personal perspective on failure?
  2. Have there been any failures that made your life better?
  3. Is there a right time to give up and stop trying?
  4. Can you name any well-known figures who failed miserably at something?
  5. Describe a time when you tried something and failed.

Anti-Cheating Exam Hats

B1 – Intermediate

Cheating in exams is a dishonest action and it harms an individual. Studying for an examination is very important. Through examinations, it enhances our personality, knowledge, and learning power. We also get to know where we are behind and we can move ahead for improvement.

Let’s read the article below to know more about how creative a college in the Philippines is in fighting against cheating in examinations.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221027-anti-cheating-hats-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of anti-cheating hats?
  2. How much pressure is there to pass exams? What’s the best way to pass exams?
  3. What should happen to students who cheat?
  4. How stressed out do you get about/during exams?
  5. What do schools in your country do to prevent cheating?

Bees Like Playing with Balls

B1 – Intermediate

Bees are small flying insects, buzzing around with its painful stings which always make people afraid and annoyed. They are renowned in facilitating pollination for most plant life. Without bees, there would be a huge decrease in pollination, which later result in reduce in plant growth and food supplies.

Let’s read the article below and learn more about bees.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2211/221103-bees-and-balls-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about bees? How do you think bees might play?
  2. What are you thoughts on the results of study?
  3. What do you associate bees with?
  4. Do you like being busy? When are you as busy as a bee?
  5. What are the benefits of bees?
  6. How do you relax after a busy day?

Thinking about ‘Future You’ Builds a Happier Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate

These days, mindfulness is extremely popular and for good reasons. Being present-oriented can enhance our health and quality of life, foster love and care, and deepen our emotional bonds.
What if we look beyond the here and now? A growing body of research indicates that while thinking about the future can cause anxiety, it can also enrich our lives. Yes, as implied, we ought to give our future selves more of our attention, because through fantasizing, we can look at alternate paths to reach for our aspirations in life.

Read the article to learn about how thinking about ‘future you’ can help lead a better, happier, and more meaningful life.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220201-how-thinking-about-future-you-can-build-a-happier-life

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you hope for for your own future?
  2. What anxieties and concerns do you have for the future?
  3. How has your vision of your future self changed from when you were young to present?
  4. What did you believe about your years ahead when you were younger?
  5. Would you rather spend 100 years in the distant past or the future? Why?

Guantanamo Bay Releases Oldest Detainee

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It has been around twenty years since the first prisoner set foot in the infamous Guantanamo Bay. There are nearly 800 detainees in this prison camp who are mostly held without charge or trial. Quite recently, the oldest prisoner has been released and sent back home to Pakistan.

Let’s read the article to know more about Guantanamo Bay and the controversies surrounding it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63438878

Discussion Questions:

  1. When and why was the detention camp established?
  2. What is your opinion on Guantanamo Bay’s human rights violations?
  3. What are your thoughts about detainees being cleared for release and do you think it is an “embarrassment to the US”? Share your opinion.
  4. How does your government treat people arrested on suspicions of terrorism?
  5. What is the maximum period of detention for people held without charges in your country? Do you think it is a reasonable period of time?

An Unusual Friendship

B2 – Upper Intermediate

No matter the color, race, or social standing, we all have the capability to reach out to someone if we just keep an open mind.

Please read the article below about an unusual friendship.

For a black man living in the 1960s, life was far from easy. This was the case for Donald Shirley, a musical prodigy and classically trained pianist. His plan was to tour the Deep South, but for a black man living during this era, he knew that his journey would be far from smooth. This was the time when the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) would stop at nothing to voice their extremist views, and they did this through any means thinkable and unthinkable. Violence was often the most popular of means. So, Donald needed protection. He needed some backup. This brought Tony Vallelonga to the scene. He became Donald’s driver.

On the surface, these two men seemed worlds apart. Donald Shirley lived alone, a well-educated man with 3 doctorates under his belt. Tony had followed the school of hard knocks and had grown into a rough-and-ready Italian. Tony’s streetwise nature and his job as a bouncer at the Copacabana, though, led him to cross paths with young Donald Shirley. What followed was a road trip that opened Tony’s eyes to the brutality of racism and a deep, even though at first sight unlikely, friendship developed between the two. It lasted for many decades to come. In the early 70s, Donald Shirley was able to play at the famous Carnegie Hall together with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

What had happened to Tony? Well, he went back to his old stomping grounds at the Copacabana, only to be spotted and cast in The Godfather. It’s poignant to note that their unlikely friendship lasted well into the 21st century. Tony’s son recollects how they would go out for lunch together when Donald was playing in town. It seemed that if Donald ever was in need, Tony was the man he would turn to for help. “Whenever Dr. Shirley had any problems,” he said, “he’d call my father, and he’d go and help to sort them out.”

It is no wonder that such a story turned into a Hollywood movie. Stories like these warm our hearts and show us that we don’t have to be alone. No matter our colour, race or social standing, we all have the capability to reach out to someone if we just keep an open mind.

Quote retrieved from the article, “What happened to Don Shirley and Tony Lip after ‘Green Book’? Nick Vallelonga talks us through their friendship” by Gregory Wakeman, posted on November 15, 2018 on Metro.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you watched the movie Green Book? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think made a bodyguard and a pianist, who seemed to be from two different worlds, true friends?
  3. Do you think this story is common or an exceptional one? Explain.
  4. What’s the most incredible story of friendship do you know of?
  5. How does most friendships begin?
  6. How can friendships last?
  7. Who is your greatest friend and why?