Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking B2
Current Affairs & Social Issues
Thematic Vocabulary Clusters 🌍
Learning words in related groups is more effective than memorizing a random list. Here are three key areas for discussion.
Use these words to talk about how a country is growing and changing.
"Rapid economic growth is leading to increased urbanization. The government needs more foreign investment to improve public infrastructure, but many people are worried about the rising cost of living."
Use these words to discuss topics related to nature and our planet.
"To combat climate change, we must focus on sustainability. This means reducing pollution and investing in renewable energy like solar power. Forest conservation is also critical."
Use these words to talk about issues that affect people in a society.
"A major challenge is social inequality, especially in access to education. We need to bridge the digital divide and improve our public health system. It's important to raise awareness about these issues."
Vocabulary in Context: A University Seminar 💬
Listen to this discussion between a student and a professor. Notice how they use the target vocabulary to express their ideas clearly.
Tips for Sounding Natural 🤝
💡 Sounding Natural: Common Word Pairings (Collocations)
Vocabulary is often best learned in "chunks." These words frequently go together and using them will make your English sound more natural.
- To tackle / address an issue (meaning, to try to solve it)
- To raise awareness about a problem
- To promote sustainability
- Economic growth / development
- Foreign investment
- A pressing / urgent issue
Practice Your Vocabulary 🎯
Practice Quiz: Fill in the Blank
Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
1. Many NGOs in Cambodia work on forest __________ to protect rare species and natural habitats.
A) pollution
B) conservation
C) urbanization
→ Answer: B. Conservation is the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources.
2. A major goal for the country is to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels by investing in __________ like solar and wind power.
A) renewable energy
B) the digital divide
C) the cost of living
→ Answer: A. Solar and wind are types of renewable energy.
Key Vocabulary
- Current Affairs Political, social, and economic events happening in the world now.
- Social Issue A problem that affects a large number of people within a society.
- Infrastructure Basic systems like transport and power supplies.
- Sustainability The ability to continue over time without causing damage to the environment.
- Inequality An unfair situation where some people have more opportunities, money, etc., than others.
Your Mission: Express Your Opinion ⭐
Your mission is to use this new vocabulary to talk about an issue that is important to you.
- Choose one issue from the lesson (e.g., pollution, the cost of living, access to education).
- Prepare to speak for 60 seconds. Plan to use at least four words or phrases from the lesson.
- Structure your opinion:
- 1. State the issue and why it's important.
- 2. Give an example or explain its effect.
- 3. Suggest a solution or express a hope for the future.
- Record yourself speaking. For example: "I'd like to talk about the issue of plastic pollution in Cambodia. I think we need to raise awareness about this because it affects our public health. For a long-term solution, we need better infrastructure for recycling..."