English lesson B2 -

Discussing Current
Events
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to express and exchange opinions about current events in the
world using appropriate vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical structures at a B2 level.
Objectives

● Be able to understand and summarize news articles from various sources.

● Be able to express their opinions on current events using appropriate vocabulary,
expressions, and grammatical structures.
● Be able to listen and respond to their classmates' opinions.
Where do you get your news?
Discussing the news
I was reading the news and stumbled upon a story about a company I used to work for. It turned
out that the company had been cutting corners to save costs, and the scandal was just the tip of
the iceberg. The article suggested that the company had covered up its illegal practices for years.

As I read on, I realized that the company was now between a rock and a hard place. The
authorities were calling for a full investigation into the company's operations, and I knew that this
could stir up a lot of trouble for my former colleagues.

I couldn't believe that the company had let things get so out of hand. They were playing a
dangerous game, and now they had been caught. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I knew that
they had brought it upon themselves.

In the end, I felt sorry for the employees. They were the ones who would suffer the most from the
scandal. I hoped that the company would learn from its mistakes and make amends, but I knew
Key:
that it would be a long road ahead.
Phrasal Verbs
Idioms
Key vocabular
The 5 W’s + 1 H for asking questions
Great journalists always ask these 6 questions, the first three are:

WHO? WHAT? WHY?

What are the other three?

WHERE? WHEN? HOW?

Use the 5 W's as a framework for understanding and

reporting on news events.
Reported speech
Reported speech is when you tell someone what someone else said, without using
their exact words.

● Commonly used in news reporting, when journalists are summarizing or quoting

what a person or organization said
○ For example, if a politician said "I will reduce taxes”
○ he journalist might report it as "The politician promised to reduce taxes."
○ The verb "promised" is used in the past tense to indicate that it was said
in the past
○ the pronoun "the" is used to refer to the politician without using their
name.
● Common reporting verbs: "said," "explained," "stated," "claimed," etc.
Read the news articles provided.
What is the main point of the article?

How does this news story affect people's lives?

What are the potential consequences of this news story?

What is your personal opinion on this news story?

How does this news story compare to other current events?

What actions do you think should be taken in response to this news story?

How reliable do you think the sources used in this news story are?

What aspects of the news story do you find most interesting or surprising?

What are some potential solutions to the problems presented in this news story?
Listening task, 100 Great-grandkids!
Listening exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnWmWalfbwA&ab_channel=B.C.

Example:
Direct speech: Joey said “this looks tough”
Reported speech: He said that he thought the work looked tough.
Reported speech listening exercise
The man said “I have to go pick up my books”

He said…

Joey said “I will be right here”

He said…

The teacher said “what is your name?”

The teacher said…

Joey said “I am in the right place”

Joey said…

Isabella said “I am lucky to be with the smartest boy in class”

She said…
Thank you!!

Let’s see eachother again for another lesson!