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Sleep and Light

B1 – Intermediate

Sleep is essential for all humans and animals. Without sleep, our bodies won’t have the time to rest and recharge. However, it’s not only about the number of hours that matter, but also the conditions under which we sleep.

Researchers have discovered that sleeping with the lights on can cause serious health problems. Now, sleeping in the dark not only makes sense, but could also have huge benefits on our overall health.

Read the article below to learn about the effects on our health when we sleep in a brightly-lit room.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2203/220324-sleeping-with-the-light-on-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the conditions that allow you to sleep well?
2. Is the number of hours you sleep important to you? Why or why not?
3. How do you feel after a day or two without proper sleep?
4. How many days do you think, you can last with only a few hours of sleep?
5. Are apps that monitor sleep effective and helpful? Why or why not?
6. Do you monitor your sleeping patterns? Why or why not?
7. How do you deal with low energy during the day because of lack of sleep?

Plant-Based Diets

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Plant-based diets are getting extremely popular among communities and if you do your research, you’ll find that they are the way of life for many athletes and environmentalists.

Maybe you’re not a person who knows a lot about nutrition, though. This can make it hard for you to understand who or what sources you can trust.

Read the article to know more about veganism.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/plant-based-diet-food-list-meal-plan-benefits-more/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have plant-based diets become more popular in your country recently? Why do you think this is? Share your observations on this trend.
  2. Do you think all vegetarian products are healthy? Explain your point.
  3. Why is a plant-based diet considered to be healthy?
  4. What are considered to be the biggest challenge for a vegan?
  5. What are your thoughts on plant-based diets?

Digital Detox Leads to Better Health and Lifestyle

B1 – Intermediate

People in this present generation are probably the most dependent on digital or electronic devices such as mobile phones, tables, and laptops. We use them so much that sometimes, we forget to “live”.

Read the article about the dangers digital devices bring to people and how digital detox can be beneficial to our health and lifestyle.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2203/220314-digital-detox-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about digital detox? 
  2. Would you be interested to do it too? Why or why not?
  3. Do you agree or disagree that people should consider digital detox? Explain.
  4. What are the negative effects of being too addicted to digital devices?
  5. What is the worst effect of digital devices to you?
  6. Do you know anyone with “nomophobia”? Describe him/her.

Plant-Based Diet Helps the Heart

B1 – Intermediate

Your parents probably told you when you were young that you have to eat your vegetables because they’re good for you. However, a new study found that we may not be greatly reducing the risk of heart attacks by eating a lot of veggies because there are many other factors that may affect our heart.

Read more about the study on how plant-based diet helps our heart.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2203/220310-plant-based-diet-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree or disagree that people should eat lots of vegetables? Explain.
  2. What are the other things that can affect our heart?
  3. Money and lifestyle also affect the heart. What is your opinion on this?
  4. How important is eating vegetables to you?
  5. What can you tell someone who doesn’t like eating vegetables too much/at all?

‘Time Poverty’ Robs Parents of Success

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We could only have enough time for everything. Overscheduling and overtiredness can affect the wealthy and the poor alike. If you’re an average citizen, you’d call this your normal ‘lifestyle,’ but if you’re a scholar, you’d label it as ‘time poverty.’

Do you ever notice how we never seem to have enough time for everything? For those people with children, they have even less – and the problem of ‘time poverty’ has never been more highlighted.

To learn more about the challenges of ‘time poverty,’ read the full text.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220201-the-time-poverty-that-robs-parents-of-success

Discussion Questions:

  1. What causes time poverty for parents?
  2. How does time poverty affect you?
  3. Do you generally have enough stamina before or after work to do something enjoyable? How do you make the most of your free time?
  4. How do you believe people with children can bridge the gap between having children and pursuing their work objectives?
  5. How do you strike a balance between your professional and personal life if you are also a parent?
  6. What can companies and government do to ensure people with children have good work-life balance?

How to Live with Your Regrets

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is not always convenient to do the things that have made people who they are, having put in place from a range of perspectives and mishaps. People like to say things like “the past is just a history” and “it has no contribution to my life now,” or “I have no remorse.”

But the matter must be disclosed. Failures and circumstances contribute significantly in shaping us into who we are today.

Take a look at the full text to know how to live life with regrets.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220207-how-to-live-with-your-regrets

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can regrets help us develop?
  2. How has some things that you regret affected or changed you?
  3. Were your hopes and dreams as a child fulfilled? Why or why not?
  4. Think about relationship experiences you’ve had that you regret.
  5. How can one cope with the regrets they carry with them?
  6. Why is life full of regrets?

Ex Minister Gets a Knighthood

B1 – Intermediate

A knighthood is awarded to a Briton who has shown exemplary service to his country. It is considered as one of the highest honors one can ever receive. 

Gavin Williamson was a former minister and was fired twice. Despite this, he was still given the said title.

Read the article about about an ex minister who was fired from his positions twice and then proceeded to receiving a knighthood.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2203/220307-uk-knighthood-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about Williamson receiving a knighthood? Does he deserve the title?
  2. Do you think it’s true that the award is for Williamson staying quiet about allegations about Boris Johnson before? Explain your opinion.
  3. Should politicians who made mistakes be given another chance or awarded honors like this? Why or why not?
  4. If there was a similar title in your country, who do you think should get it now and why him?

The Illness That Was All in a Doctor’s Head

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Dr. Alissa Zingman has suffered painful symptoms that even her fellow doctors dismissed as something that’s only in her head. She was told many times that there was only a very small chance for her to improve. 

To help others with the same condition, she put up a pioneering clinic that offers not only possible interventions but more importantly, hope to other patients.

Read the article about about a doctor’s bout with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/feb/23/the-doctor-who-was-told-her-illness-was-all-in-her-head-and-is-transforming-the-treatment-of-her-rare-genetic-condition#:~:text=Interview-,The%20doctor%20who%20was%20told%20her%20illness%20was%20’all%20in,of%20her%20rare%20genetic%20condition&text=To%20finally%20get%20a,%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Dr%20Alissa%20Zingman.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about her condition and the way she was dismissed constantly?
  2. How would you feel and what would you do if you were in her shoes?
  3. Do you agree or disagree with this: “When you see a new patient, and there’s something you don’t understand, the most likely answer is that it’s real.”? 
  4. Have you ever felt ill and when you consulted your GP, they said it was nothing serious? How did you feel and react at that moment?

Caffeine Overdose

B2 – Upper Intermediate

An unfortunate caffeine overdose occurred to a personal trainer after he miscalculated the amount of caffeine powder he was supposed to take.

Read the article about about caffeine toxicity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-60570470

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. To what extent is the company responsible for this miscalculation in dosage?
  3. What are your thoughts about gym-goers using caffeine to improve sports performance?
  4. How can we be careful in consuming or taking such products?
  5. What other performance-enhancing products do you know of?

Alcohol, Prohibition, and Al Capone

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Imagine an industry or commodity controlled by criminals, where even the authorities were scared to make a move. This was the case in the United States a century ago.

Al Capone was an infamous mafia boss who used his power and influence to control the trade of alcoholic beverages during a time when it was considered illegal. He was able to get away with it because he was feared.

Read the article below to learn more about him and the age of “prohibition”.

https://linguapress.com/intermediate/prohibition.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do a lot of people enjoy alcoholic beverages?
  2. How do people in your country enjoy alcoholic beverages?
  3. Were there any infamous crime bosses in your country? Who were they and what were they known for?
  4. Does the police in your city or country do a good job in hunting down criminals? How do they do it?
  5. What are some illegal items that we know of that are being distributed in the black market today?
  6. Are there some areas in your city or country that are known for high crime rates? What are they?