TIME names Elon Musk 2021 Person of the Year

 

click here

Discussion:

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'time'?
3. What do you know about Elon Musk?
4. Who is your person of the year?
5. How has Elon Musk changed people's lives?
6. What would it be like to be the world's richest person?
7. What else can Mr Musk do to help life on Earth?
8. How can we become as successful as Elon Musk?
9. Should humans go to Mars?
10. What advice do you have for Elon Musk?

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'person'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. What would you like to know about Elon Musk?
15. Who is your person of the century?
16. What do you think of the car company Tesla?
17. What do you think of PayPal?
18. What three adjectives best describe Elon Musk?
19. How much of a genius and visionary is Mr Musk?
20. What questions would you like to ask Elon Musk?

G7 leaders promise to build a better world

 

click here

Discussion:

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'leader'?
3. What do you know about the G7 Summit?
4. Should Russia, India and China be at the G7 Summit?
5. Should the leaders have worn masks?
6. What do you think of a 'Build Back Better World' plan?
7. Do summits like these ever achieve anything?
8. What needs doing to build a better world?
9. What do you think China and India think of the G7 Summit?
10. Who is your favorite world leader, and why?

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'promise'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. How could the G7 countries help Latin America?
15. How could the G7 countries help Africa?
16. Where will we be with the pandemic in a year from now?
17. What future health crises might appear in the future?
18. What needs to happen in a 'green revolution'?
19. How would the world change if more girls were educated?
20. What questions would you like to ask the G7 leaders?

2020 Dubai Expo opens to 'astonish the world'

 

click here

Discussion:

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Dubai'?
3. What do you know about Dubai?
4. What do you know about Expo?
5. Would you like to attend the Dubai Expo?
6. Have you ever been to an extravagant opening ceremony?
7. What do you think of huge fireworks displays?
8. Who would you like to see perform at an Expo opening ceremony?
9. How good is your country at collaborating?
10. What do you think of a sustainable future?

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'Expo'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. Should Expo take place more often?
15. What benefits does Expo have for a city?
16. What are the fundamental challenges faced by humanity?
17. What opportunities are there for you in the future?
18. What do you think the future will be like?
19. How might Expo 'astonish the world'?
20. What questions would you like to ask Expo's organizers?

Brain implant lets man write using thoughts

 

click here

Discussion:

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'brain'?
3. What do you think of the brain?
4. What do you know about brain implants?
5. What do you think of putting sensors in the brain?
6. How will technology be able to help people who are paralyzed?
7. What do you think of brain-to-text technology?
8. What do you think of writing messages on smartphones?
9. Are there any dangers with brain implants?
10. What advice do you have for T5?

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'implant'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. What do you think of the idea of 'mindwriting'?
15. What advanced technology do you like?
16. What do you think of brain implants allowing us to learn languages?
17. Might brain implants mean governments could control us?
18. What would change if we could write at the speed of thought?
19. What do you think of never needing to use a pen again?
20. What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

IBM makes 'next-generation' microchip

 

click here

Discussion:

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'micro'?
3. What do you think of computers and smartphones?
4. How important is your smartphone to you?
5. How much better is your smartphone now than 10 years ago?
6. What do you need your smartphone for?
7. What do you know about microchips?
8. What do you know about the tech giant IBM?
9. What could our phones do with lots more power?
10. How much do you like technology?Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

11. What do you think of when you hear the word 'chip'?
12. What do you think about what you read?
13. What do you know about microchips?
14. What does a computer engineer do all day?
15. What is the world's best technology company?
16. What new technology would you like to see?
17. What do you think of artificial intelligence?
18. Why do data centres use so much electricity?
19. What questions would you like to ask IBM's engineers?

Mercedes makes mind-control car

 

click here

Discussion

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'mind control'?
3. What do you know about Mercedes?
4. What kinds of cars do you like?
5. Are high-tech cars better than old cars?
6. What do you think of electric cars?
7. What do you think of driverless cars?
8. Do you like futuristic things?
9. Would you like to control things with your mind?
10. What will cars be like in 50 years from now?

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'car'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. What do you think of Mercedes?
15. Would you like to control things in your house with your mind?
16. What are the dangers of a mind-controlled car?
17. What do you think of the merging of humans and machines?
18. Can a car become an extension of your body?
19. What would you like to control with your mind?
20. What questions would you like to ask the boss of Mercedes?

How to improve your memory

 Listen to the radio interview about improving your memory and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

click here

Discussion

Have you got a good memory? What do you do to help you remember things when you're studying?