We can be heroes: the inspiring people we met around the world in 2023

Please note that for the purposes of this lesson, we will only be discussing the first 5 cases. Therefore, you don’t have to read the entire article, just the first 5 cases (as listed below).

 ‘The forensic pathologist helping victims of Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’’; ‘The Indian father who rescued his daughter… with a fanfare’; ‘The Zambian singer with albinism’; ‘The palliative care nurse easing pain in Ethiopia’; ‘The couple who quietly transformed Zimbabwe’s literary scene’.

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.

Likely

Can afford

To be worth (doing) something

To lead to (something)

To end up (somewhere/ doing something)

To struggle (with something/ to do something)

To persuade (someone to do something)

To dig

If only

To be in tears

To overcome (something)

Despite

To carry (something) out

To turn up (somewhere)

To be reluctant (to do something)

To make do (with something)

Enticing

To crack down (on something)/ A crackdown (on something)

Frank

To urge (someone to do something)

To overlook (something/ someone)

A heads-up

To mistreat (someone)

To come about

Red tape

Up and running

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1.       What was said about ‘The forensic pathologist helping victims of Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’’?

2.       Do you think a ‘war on drugs’ could ever be a successful strategy?

3.       What was said about ‘The Indian father who rescued his daughter… with a fanfare’?

4.       Do you think the situation for women has improved in your country over the last few generations?

5.       What was said about ‘The Zambian singer with albinism’?

6.       What types of discrimination exist in your native country?

7.       What was said about ‘The palliative care nurse easing pain in Ethiopia’?

8.       Do you think that painkillers can be dangerous as well as helpful?

9.       What was said about ‘The couple who quietly transformed Zimbabwe’s literary scene’?

10.     Are you proud of your country’s literature?

11.     Which of the 5 stories do you think is the most inspirational, and why?

12.     Have you ever watched a movie that inspired you?

13.     Do you think individual people can change the world?

14.     Which person inspired you in 2023?

15.     Do you have a friend or family member who works hard to make the world a better place?