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Coca-Cola Trials Paper Bottle

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Until the last couple of years, the concept of a paper bottle would seem at best an oxymoron, but innovations continue to break barriers in the pursuit of packaging that offers sustainability benefits, ideally aligned with recycling.

Soft drink manufacturers are facing pressure on two fronts: the amount of sugar in their drinks and the amount of plastic waste their products produce. Coca-Cola is attempting to solve that second problem with the development and testing of a paper bottle.

Read the article below to learn more about Coca-Cola’s project on eliminating plastic from its packaging entirely.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56023723

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are plastic bottles a problem in your country?
  2. Why are paper bottles better?
  3. What might be the technical challenges to the paper bottle?
  4. We rarely bought bottled water 50 years ago. Why do we buy so much today? Is it clever marketing by water companies?
  5. Would your life change much if all bottled water was banned?
  6. What do you do with the plastic bottles at your home?

Paperless Office

B2 – Upper Intermediate

New technological advances have given us the tools to transition a paperless office. Going paperless has a positive impact on your budget, business efficiency, and brand positioning.

Let’s read some steps on how to go paperless in your small business.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateharrison/2013/04/19/5-steps-to-a-nearly-paperless-office/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the pros and cons of a paperless office?
  2. Has your company/office transitioned to a fully paperless already? Talk about the transition.
  3. Do you think companies should go totally paperless now? Why or why not?
  4. Do you agree that paper-based document management and business dealings are expensive and inefficient? Why?
  5. How can we manage and organize digital files in our office?

Jeff Bezos Stepping Down as Amazon CEO

B1 – Intermediate

Amazon is the first online bookseller and the largest internet-based store in the world based in Seattle, Washington. It is known for selling virtually anything online and its lightning-fast shipping.

Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 and after 27 years, he has decided to step down as the CEO of the company.

Let’s read the article below to know more about it.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2102/210205-jeff-bezos-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Bezos’s decision to step down as Amazon CEO?
  2. What do you think would happen to Amazon after this?
  3. What should Amazon do in the future?
  4. What does it take to make an Internet business successful?
  5. What is the impact when important people in the company leave their job?

World’s Smallest Reptile Discovered in Madagascar

B1 – Intermediate

Reptiles are cold-blooded animals that live both in land and water. Their bodies react to the temperature of their surroundings and their scales protect their bodies.

Scientists have discovered the world’s smallest reptile in Madagascar.

Let’s read the article below to know more about it.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2102/210209-reptile-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘reptile’?
  2. Why is this discovery important?
  3. How are reptiles different from other animals?
  4. What do you think of animals becoming endangered?
  5. Should more money be spent on finding more nano-chameleons? Why/Why not?

London’s Thinnest House

B1 – Intermediate

London is a pretty amazing city. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There are too many places to go to and restaurants to dine in but it can be also be the most expensive city in the UK due to housing costs.

Let’s read the article below to know more about it.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2102/210211-london-property-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a five-storey house? Would you like to live in a house like that?
  2. How would you describe your house?
  3. Is it better to have a spacious house or a tiny house? Why?
  4. What is your ideal house?
  5. How are the prices of properties in your city? Are they low, average, or too high? Why do you think this is the case?

Professor Lectures for Two Hours Online On Mute

B1 – Intermediate

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected various aspects of normal life including going to school and the office. As a result, schools were forced to conduct classes online.

A University professor gave a 2-hour lecture online but did not notice that he was on mute the whole time.

Let’s read the article below to know more about it.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2102/210213-online-lecture-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is better face-to-face classes or online classes? Why?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online classes?
  3. If you were the professor, how would you feel if this happened to you? Explain.
  4. If you were one of the students, how would you feel or what would you have done?
  5. Talk about anything funny or embarrassing that happened to you while doing a presentation at work.

Fascism

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Fascism is generally related to German Nazi and Italian regimes that took control in the aftermath of World War I. This political system centers on national strength and national interest over all other societal needs.

Read the lesson on fascism and living through a fascist regime below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/history/fascism/life-in-a-fascist-regime.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is fascism? Can you name countries with a fascist state?
  2. What factors led to the rise of fascism in Europe?
  3. What are some good and bad things about fascism? 
  4. Have you had a fascist state in the past? How was the situation for ordinary citizens?
  5. What do you think is the most ideal political system?

Aboriginal Children – Australia’s Stolen Generation

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For more than six decades since 1910, many children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were forcibly taken away from their families as part of the Australian government’s policy of Assimilation. This is a policy based on the misguided belief that these First Nations children would be better raised by a white family.

Read the lesson on Australia’s Stolen Generation below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/history/aborigines/australias-stolen-generation.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the Stolen Generation?
  2. Why were Aboriginal children stolen?
  3. Do you think this government policy is justified and humane? Elaborate.
  4. Do you agree that the Australian government should compensate all families affected by this policy? Elaborate.
  5. Do you think that the government should publicly acknowledge and apologize for this act? Elaborate.

Share Buying Mistakes

B2 – Upper Intermediate

According to stock market experts, more and more traders commit mistakes in buying shares in the wrong company. This could be a result of the recent trading controversy involving GameStop. This frenzy highlighted the mix-up traders can commit when buying shares.

Read this article on the growing incidence of share buying mistakes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56020950

Discussion Questions:

  1. Explain “ticker tape confusion”.
  2. What mistakes have traders been making in buying shares?
  3. What are the reasons for such trading mistakes? How can said share buying mistakes be prevented?
  4. What are your thoughts on the fact that mistakes are not only committed by novice and private investors but even by retail and institutional ones?
  5. Have you ever invested? Talk about what you know about investing.

Emotional Spending

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With the crazy times we’re living, each and everyone of us tries to find our own source of happiness. Some have found it in online shopping or online spending. 

Since the pandemic started, many have been struggling with the dilemma: “Should I give in to such frivolous purchases or not?” “Would this bring joy to my life?”

Read this article on to how to recognize the problem of emotional spending and how to take control of your finances again.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/09/i-thought-buying-things-would-make-me-feel-better-it-didnt-the-rise-of-emotional-spending

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are reasons that led people to an online spending frenzy?
  2. What is an investigative shopper? Are you one?
  3. Have you ever been guilty of emotional spending? How has it been beneficial for you and how has it been disadvantageous?
  4. How has your online spending habits changed during the pandemic?
  5. What can one do to avoid emotional spending?