Previous Lessons
Sep 3, 2026
Lesson 5/10 60min
Hi Margartia,
Wooden Loom Preserved By Fire 3,500 Years Ago Now Reveals Bronze Age Textile Revolution
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/wooden-loom-preserved-by-fire-3500-years-ago/
Discussion Questions
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Why do you think the discovery of this ancient loom is important?
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How surprising is it that a fire helped preserve something for 3,500 years?
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What can everyday objects such as tools tell us about people who lived thousands of years ago?
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Why are wooden objects and textiles more difficult for archaeologists to find than stone or metal objects?
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What do you think archaeologists can learn from a loom even when the original fabric has disappeared?
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The researchers believe that people carefully selected the wood used to make the loom. What does this suggest about their knowledge and skills?
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How important do you think clothing and textiles were to Bronze Age communities?
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Why might the development of better looms have been considered a kind of technological revolution?
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In what ways has textile production changed from ancient times to today?
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Do you think people today appreciate the amount of work that was traditionally required to make clothing? Why or why not?
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The loom was found in an area shared by several households. What advantages would people have gained by working together?
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Do you think cooperation between families was more necessary in ancient communities than it is today?
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Archaeologists found evidence that the settlement traded with distant regions. Why was trade important even in ancient societies?
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What kinds of goods do you think ancient communities would have considered especially valuable?
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Researchers sometimes have to make deductions from incomplete evidence. How certain should they be before presenting a theory about the past?
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The teeth of some female remains showed wear that may have been connected with spinning and weaving. What can physical remains tell us about people's daily lives?
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Why do you think certain kinds of work became associated with men or women in ancient societies?
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Which would tell us more about an ancient civilization: its palaces and monuments or its ordinary homes and tools? Why?
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If you could see one ordinary object perfectly preserved from 3,500 years ago, what would you choose and why?
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What everyday object from our own time do you think would be most interesting to archaeologists 3,500 years from now?
loom, a machine used to make cloth by weaving threads together
textile, cloth or material made by
weaving or knitting fibers
preserve, to keep something in its original condition or prevent it from being destroyed
settlement, a place where a group of people establish a community
devastating, causing great damage or
destruction
excavation, the process of carefully digging at an archaeological site
charred, partly burned and blackened by fire
component, one of the parts that make up a machine or structure
perforation, a small hole made through something
f
iber, a thin threadlike material that can be used to make cloth or rope
craftsmanship, skill in making things by hand
innovation, a new idea, method, or
technology
livestock, farm animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats
deduction, a conclusion reached by
considering available evidence
cooperative, involving people working together for a common purpose
Aug 13, 2026
Lesson 4/10 60min
Hi Margartia,
Bayeux Tapestry Exhibited in London
Aug 13, 2026
Lesson 4/10 60min
loom, a machine used to make cloth by weaving threads together
textile, cloth or material made by weaving or knitting fibers
preserve, to keep something in its original condition or prevent it from being destroyed
settlement, a place where a group of people establish a community
devastating, causing great damage or destruction
excavation, the process of carefully digging at an archaeological site
charred, partly burned and blackened by fire
component, one of the parts that make up a machine or structure
perforation, a small hole made through something
fiber, a thin threadlike material that can be used to make cloth or rope
craftsmanship, skill in making things by hand
innovation, a new idea, method, or technology
livestock, farm animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats
deduction, a conclusion reached by considering available evidence
cooperative, involving people working together for a common purpose
Hi Margartia,
Bayeux Tapestry Exhibited in London
Aug 6, 2026
Lesson 3/10 60min
Are Wireless Radiation Standards Strong Enough?
In 2020, residents of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, began reporting headaches, dizziness and sleep problems after a new cellphone tower started operating. Some believed the tower was responsible. The local Board of Health ordered Verizon to turn it off, but the order was later withdrawn after the company challenged the city in court.
The case raised questions about US wireless-radiation standards. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, adopted its current limits in 1996, when people used far fewer wireless devices. The standards are mainly designed to prevent thermal effects, such as excessive heating of body tissue. Critics argue that they do not adequately consider possible biological effects that may occur without significant heating.
In 2019, the FCC reviewed the standards but decided not to change them. Public-health and environmental groups challenged this decision. In 2021, a federal appeals court ruled that the FCC had not properly explained why it rejected evidence concerning long-term exposure, children, modern wireless technology and environmental effects. The court ordered the FCC to provide a better explanation.
Scientists continue to disagree about the risks. Regulators and the wireless industry say that devices operating within current limits have not been proved harmful. Critics point to studies reporting possible effects on fertility, DNA, memory and the nervous system. A major US animal study also found evidence of certain tumours in male rats exposed to cellphone radiation.
Wireless technology has many benefits, but critics believe that safety rules should reflect modern research and today’s much greater exposure. They argue that reasonable precautions should be taken while scientists continue studying the possible long-term effects.
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Do you think safety standards created in 1996 are suitable for today’s level of wireless technology? Why or why not?
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Should governments take precautions even when scientists do not fully agree about the risks?
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Why might children be more vulnerable to possible long-term effects of wireless radiation?
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Do you think companies should be responsible for proving that new technologies are safe before they are widely introduced?
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How can society balance the benefits of wireless technology with possible health concerns?
Jul 16, 2026
Lesson 2/10 60min
Hi Margarita,
Rising memory chip prices to push up tech
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2606/260629-memory-chip-price-hikes.html
Quizlet
https://quizlet.com/1192814133/rising-memory-chip-prices-to-push-up-tech-flash-cards/?new
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Why has the rapid growth of AI increased the demand for memory chips?
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Should technology companies absorb higher production costs, or should consumers pay more?
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How might rising chip prices affect people who cannot afford to replace their devices?
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Could higher prices encourage people to repair and keep their gadgets for longer?
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Do you think the AI industry should receive priority when memory chips are in short supply? Why or why not?
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How could expensive memory chips affect smaller technology companies and start-ups?
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Might rising technology prices reduce electronic waste, or would they create different problems?
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Should governments consider memory chips an essential resource, like energy or fuel?
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Could dependence on a small number of chip manufacturers become a threat to the global economy?
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What should consumers consider before buying a new device during a period of rising technology prices?
Jul 2, 2026
Lesson 1/10 60min
Hi Margarita,
Dr. Seuss: Green Eggs and Ham
https://online.fliphtml5.com/geewc/tjjv/#p=2
The Sneetcheshttps://fliphtml5.com/nlsuk/qqsb/Sneetches/
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Julia Donaldson
A Squash and a Sneeze
https://online.flipbuilder.com/fmbzo/htcp/
The Christmas Pine
https://online.fliphtml5.com/yzvxg/artb/#p=1
Jun 25, 2026
Lesson 10/10 60min
Jun 18, 2026
Lesson 9/10 60min
Hi Margarita,
Emerging Social Media Platforms Challenge Established Giants Level4
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Jun 11, 2026
Lesson 8/10 60min
Hi Margarita,
Resistance and Acceptance of AI in Creative Industries
Jun 4, 2026
Lesson 7/10 60min
Hi Margarita,
China Hosts Historic Half-Marathon with Humans and Robots
May 28, 2026
Lesson 6/10 60min
Hi, Margarita,
Challenges Persist in the Adoption of Driverless Vehicles
Hi Margarita,
Robot lawn mowers are a danger to hedgehogs
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2604/260409-hedgehogs-and-lawn-mowers.html
Quizlet
https://quizlet.com/1166413485/robot-lawn-mowers-are-a-danger-to-hedgehogs-flash-cards/
May 21, 2026
Lesson 5/10 60min
Creative & Critical Thinking Questions
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Should technology companies be legally responsible when their products harm wildlife? Why or why not?
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How can cities become “smart” without becoming dangerous for animals?
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If robot lawn mowers become more common, what new environmental problems could appear in the future?
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Do humans sometimes value convenience more than nature? Can you think of other examples?
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Should governments ban certain technologies at night to protect wildlife?
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Imagine you are an engineer designing a “hedgehog-safe” lawn mower. What features would you add?
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Why do you think hedgehogs freeze or curl into a ball instead of running away? Could this behavior become dangerous in modern cities?
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Which is more important: protecting wildlife or allowing people to use technology freely?
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How much responsibility should ordinary homeowners have for protecting local animals?
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Could artificial intelligence help solve environmental problems created by technology itself?
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What other everyday machines or inventions may unintentionally harm animals?
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If animals could vote on human inventions, which technologies do you think they would ban?
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Should products be tested for animal safety before being sold, similar to how medicines are tested for humans?
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Why are small animals like hedgehogs often ignored in environmental discussions compared to larger animals?
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How might children and adults view this issue differently?
Debate-Style Questions
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“Robot lawn mowers should be banned completely.”
Do you agree or disagree? -
“Convenience is making humans less connected to nature.”
How true is this statement? -
“Technology creates as many problems as it solves.”
Discuss. -
Should wildlife protection laws include stricter punishments for accidental harm caused by machines?
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Is it realistic to expect modern cities to protect biodiversity?
Imaginative & Personal Questions
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If you discovered a hedgehog in your garden, what would you do?
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What animal would best represent modern society, and why?
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Imagine a future where all gardening is done by robots. What could go wrong?
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If you could invent one technology to help endangered animals, what would it do?
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Have you ever changed your habits after learning they harmed the environment or animals?
May 14, 2026
Lesson 4/10 60min
Hi Margarita!
Today, we'll really finish the English
language,; its past and its future.